Candidate Biographies

Todd Venrick, Longmont

I'm from and grew up in Longmont and have lived in northern Colorado my whole life.  I'm married and have 3 kids.  I have been employed in the fire service for the past 25 years.  

Tem Dowo Dieudonne Sedegan, Mead

Tem Dowo Dieudonne Sedegan, affectionally called “Donne” for short is a Colorado, specifically Mead, resident. He lived in Longmont, Boulder County for nearly 21 years prior to purchasing a home in Mead, Weld County.

His career spans more than 22 years in the Insurance and Risk Management industry working with the most respected multinational risk management organizations in the country and the world.

His specialty is natural disasters insurance underwriting as well as risk management, mitigation solutions, and community recovery planning. He will use his knowledge and skills in risk management to promote and improve the fire protection capabilities of our community.

Prior to his career in the insurance industry, he worked with several non-profit organizations serving underprivileged communities in Benin, West Africa.

He enjoys volunteer work and has volunteered on many occasions with Habitat for Humanity and A Precious Child here in Colorado.

His hobbies consist of gardening, jogging, recreational bike riding, and a great passion for soccer.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and holds multiple designations in the Insurance and Risk Management industry and a certification in Project Management.

Suzanne DeVenny, Superior

Suzanne DeVenny has served on the Mountain View Fire (MVF) Board of Directors since November 2020 and is currently the Board Treasurer.

She was appointed to the MVF Board of Directors as part of the merger with Rocky Mountain Fire and was elected to a subsequent 1-year term in 2022. Prior to joining Mountain View Fire she served on the Board of the Rocky Mountain Fire Protection District from 2015-2020, as the Treasurer and also as Vice President. 

As a member of the Mountain View Fire Board of Directors, Suzanne has three guiding principles:

1.           Ensure the long-term sustainability of Mountain View Fire through responsible policies and decision-making

2.           Protect and support our firefighters and staff by providing them the tools and resources to do their jobs safely, efficiently and effectively

3.           Provide high-quality emergency and community services to the residents of our District in a fiscally responsible manner

Suzanne and her family moved to Superior in 2000. She is the owner of Advantage Plus Bookkeeping, which she founded in 2003 and is a long-time member of the Superior Chamber of Commerce. As her son was going up, Suzanne and her husband were active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts and with the Fairview High School Marching Band. She has also volunteered with the Indian Peaks Wilderness Alliance and as a Copper Mountain Ambassador.

Colleen Whitlow, Mead

Colleen Whitlow is a Colorado native and a Mead resident since 1999.  She is a local business owner, the Town of Mead Mayor and former Mountain View Fire Rescue Director.  She also serves on several volunteer boards and committees.

-        Chair of the Mead Urban Renewal Authority, CML Policy Committee Member, North I-25 Corridor Coalition Representative; Chair Highway 66 Corridor Coalition projects, Executive Board Director at Denver Regional Council of Governments, CML Policy Committee Member

-        Co-founder of Downtown Mead Farmers’ Market, Embrace-a-PLACE Program, Cow Pie Bingo, Mead Downtown Development District, Honor Flight Mead Salute, Mead Library Task Force, Mead Community Book Club, Keep Mead Beautiful, Breakfast with Santa, and Mead’s Little Free Libraries

-        Contributor in establishing Downtown Mead Streetscape, Downtown Mead Beautification Flower Project, Art in Public Places, Taste of Shakespeare, Taste of Mead, Mead Arbor Day, Coffee with the Mayor, and the Northern Colorado Gold Star Memorial

-        Participant in the 9Health Fair, Mead Motorhead Car Show, Town of Mead events, The Wall That Heals, Veteran Stand Down, Unity in the Community, All American Beef Battalion Rocky Mountain Team, and a coordinator for disabled veterans

-        Other recent positions formerly held: President Carbon Valley VFW Post 9741; Vice President and Secretary of the Mountain Fire Rescue Board of Directors; Treasurer of the Colorado Women in Government; Adjutant of the American Legion Post 1985; Mead Rotary Foundation Board Member; President/Director of the Mead Chamber of Commerce, President Rotary Club of Mead; President of the Singletree Ranch Estates Homeowner Association

Colleen is a military veteran who served for over 10 years and was stationed at Clark Air Force Base during the Marcos and Aquino era before the volcano from Mt. Pinatubo erupted that forced over 15,000 people to flee before it destroyed the base.  She was also stationed at Langley Air Force Base and during her assignment was heavily engaged in Operation Desert Shield/Storm.

Colleen graduated from Saint Leo University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Management, Minor in Management and a member of the Delta Epsilon Sigma National Scholastic Honor Society and the Kappa Gamma PI Society.

In 2014, Colleen was elected to serve the Town of Mead as a Trustee and elected to Mayor in November 2018. Prior to that, she worked for Janus Consulting Inc. as the Chief Operations Officer and for IBM as a Project Manager supporting the local, state, and federal bids. 

Colleen is proud of her work with the Mountain View Fire Rescue Board of Directors making a difference in the lives of others.  During her tenure, she worked with a team of dedicated directors and staff to govern the activities and shape the future of the Mountain View Fire District. Colleen oversaw the creation and evaluation of policies while committing to financial responsibility, government transparency, and supporting the district’s strategic goals, mission, vision, and values. Some highlights were overhauling and streamlining the budget process, formation of the Boulder County Hazardous Materials Response Authority, passed a 4.5 mill levy to help support a growing district to meet the increased demand for services, constructed a new maintenance facility under budget, Rocky Mountain Fire inclusion, revised the strategic goals, mission, vision and values establishing a standard of excellence, strengthened support for the Mountain View Fire Rescue Foundation, enhanced community outreach even during the pandemic, 2219 placed in service (109'truck), and responded to the Marshall Fire (most destructive fire in Colorado history).

She is a member of a local church where her family worships.

Colleen has been married to her husband Jim for 31 years. Jim works at Kyndryl as a Director, Delivery Partner and retired as the Command Chief Master Sergeant of the Colorado Air National Guard.  They have two children, Joshua, and Tiffani and four beautiful grandchildren, Norah, Bella, Harper and Myles

Her family enjoys taking advantage of the great opportunities that Colorado offers.  They love to be outdoors to go hiking, biking, camping, fish, hunting, and snowshoeing.

John Heisler, Erie

Election Information

The Mountain View Fire Protection District Board of Directors that represents the citizens of the District is composed of five eligible electors. Each director is a resident or property owner with the district.

This year’s May 2, 2023 election will call to fill three of the five seats, with a term of 4 years.

The terms of the members of the Board of Directors are subject to term limits, limiting them to two consecutive full 4-year terms in office.

Notices of Election, Calls for Nomination, and any other Notices required for District Board business will be published in the Boulder Daily Camera, Longmont Times Call, and the Jefferson County Canyon Courier.

Election Results for all District elections will be posted on the following website: www.MVFPD.org

 Election results can also be found posted at the administrative offices of Mountain View Fire Protection District.

Eligible electors may request an absentee ballot for the upcoming election by filling out an absentee voter request form, the link is at the top of this page.  On the same form, eligible electors may also request to be placed on the permanent absentee voter list, which would require the District to mail a ballot to the voter for all future District elections (May elections of odd numbered years) as long as the voter remains eligible in the District. 

The absentee voter request form can also be requested from the DEO at 3561 N Stagecoach Road, Longmont CO 80504. The number to the administrative office is 303-772-0710.