We Want You!
Want to be a part of the LARGEST Dragon Boat Festival in the USA? Come join us at Colorado Dragon Boat. We are looking for a resourceful, self-starter, who will take over our new position of Volunteer Manager! For more information please see our job postings listed below. For any additional information, please contact Executive Director, Sara Moore at Sara@cdbf.org.
Volunteer Intern
The Dragon Boat Festival Team:
Executive Director: SARA MOORE
Sara Moore is the Executive Director for Colorado Dragon Boat, the umbrella organization that encompasses the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival, the AANHPI Emerging Leaders Program, and the new Riverdale Regional Park Dragon Boat Regatta. Sara brings over ten years of non-profit executive management experience. Sara has managed large scale events, significant fundraising efforts, and is a key leader in the AAPI community. Sara is most proud of bringing Colorado Dragon Boat into a stable and thriving financial position as well as leading the largest Dragon Boat Festival in the country with an average of 200,000 attendees per year.
Sara’s passions include rock climbing, hiking, and learning about her Japanese heritage. Sara can talk on end about her grandfather, Masamichi (Mac) Suzuki. Mac was interned during WWII as a nisei at Tule Lake, California. He later served on the ABCC (Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission) in Hiroshima, Japan, as a OBGYN studying fertility in the victims of the atomic bombs. Sara earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Grand Valley State University in Michigan.
Sara is proud to be a part of this amazing organization that helps promote and celebrate the diversity we have in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander community.
Program Manager: Lorraine Eloriaga
Lorraine Ashmann, born and raised in Denver, Colorado, has a rich heritage and a deep commitment to community service. She was born to Dr. Amelia Ashmann and Mr. Marshall Ashmann, and from an early age, she became a dedicated member of the Philippine American Society of Colorado (PASCO). By age five, Lorraine was already learning and performing traditional Filipino dances, showcasing her talents at venues such as the Denver Zoo, the Governor’s Mansion, and even during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Denver for World Youth Day in 1993. Lorraine’s passion for her Filipino heritage and dedication to her community are inspired by her mother’s lifelong commitment to service.
Lorraine’s involvement with the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival began with the very first event, where she served as both paddler and coach. In 2010, she took on the role of Chief Timer, and by 2019, her dedication and expertise led her to become Race Director. In 2023, Lorraine was appointed as the Program Manager for Colorado Dragon Boat, allowing her to combine her love for dragon boating with her extensive experience in event planning. Her role as Program Manager enables her to bring people together and celebrate cultural diversity through the power of sport and tradition.
CDBF Intern: Elijah Teerapenun
Operations Committee/Key Volunteers
Public Safety
Public Safety is one of the most important aspects of the festival. Our chairs work with our contracted public safety officers (DPD, Security, EMTs, Park Rangers, Etc) to ensure the safety of the festival goers.
Public Safety Coordinator: Tyler Walker
Public Safety Co-Chair: Samuel Cobb
Public Safety Co-Chair: Cisco Velasquez
Parking and Transportation
Parking and Transportation Chairs are in charge of working on the transportation side of the festival to ensure attendees are able to come to and from the festival safely.
Parking and Transportation Co-Chair: Bryan Yee
Bryan Yee, an engineering geoscience professional, holds a B.S. in Land Use with concentrations in the earth sciences. In the community, he volunteers with the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers (SASE), and as a professional resource for high school and college students in Colorado. He also served as a youth mentor and program coordinator for the Asian Pacific Development Center. New to the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival leadership team, he looks forward to working with an amazing group of leaders and the challenge the festival provides. As a Colorado native, Bryan loves the outdoors. Besides volunteering, his hobbies include camping, tennis, archery, chess, reading, and exploring new places.
Parking and Transportation Co-Chair: Teresa Carnes
As a Colorado native, Teresa is an avid event-goer that is able to give unique insight gained from years of personal experience as both an attendee and a volunteer/staff. From being a loyal attendee at various events such as Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, Denver Cherry Blossom Festival, Colorado Renaissance Festival, Colorado Anime Fest, and such to volunteering and staffing at events in recent years; she loves to support the local events and communities here in Colorado. She is also a foodie that enjoys trying various Asian cuisines from local restaurants and shops across Colorado, wanting to promote small businesses and cultural diversity. While she is still new to being on the Operations Committee of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, she is very eager to take on the challenges this festival provides and feels lucky getting to be part of an incredible organization.
Volunteer HQ
Volunteer HQ volunteers are in charge of working with our day-of volunteers. Stationed at our Volunteer Head Quarters, these volunteers are in charge of empowering our day-of volunteers to ensure festival success.
Volunteer HQ Chair: Catherine McCord
Volunteer HQ Co-Chair: Kristin Libberton
Interactive & Live Art Demos
This is a new section of the festival! We are happy to provide our attendees with the amazing live art demos from local AAPI artists in the community. We will also be providing fun interactive art projects throughout the festival. A huge thank you to our amazing Art Chairs, Courtney and Preston, for creating this fun space!
Art Co-Chair: Courtney Ozaki
Courtney Ozaki (she/her/hers) is a third and fourth generation Japanese American creative producer born and raised in Colorado. She is the founder of the Japanese Arts Network (JA-NE) - a national resource for artistic collaboration and connection that supports advances, and strengthens visibility for Japanese Artists in America. Courtney is deeply committed to cultivating cross-cultural exchange through the lens of artistic collaboration and with cultural intention. Also a professional taiko musician with over 25 years of experience, she has performed across the globe from Dubai, UAE to the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. Courtney holds an MFA in Performing Arts Management from Brooklyn College in NYC, and produced and developed new dance works with the Joyce Theatre including Wendy Whelan's Restless Creature. She is currently producing IKKAI Means Once, a multi-disciplinary dance theater production about the Japanese American incarceration experience and pilgrimage and ZOTTO an immersive supernatural Japanese folktale. Courtney strives to lift-up our APINH and other Global Majority communities through projects and programs like the recent exhibit she curated for History Colorado "Colorado's Asian Food Culture: Rice & Resilience" and her upcoming AMPLIFY AAPI 'Mixed' series and program at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities.
Art Co-Chair: Angela Teo
Stages
Stage managers are in charge of working with our amazing performers at each of our stages (Performing Arts Stage, Band Stage, 360 Stage).
Stage Manager: Carmeliza dela Paz
Stage Manager: Nikki Wang
Stage Manager: Nathan Lore
Stage Manager: Yun Wang
Mr. Yun Wang is an attorney licensed to practice in the State of Colorado. Starting out as a prosecutor in Rural Colorado, he is now a Partner at Britt, Tshering and Wang, a full-service litigation firm providing legal services in general criminal defense, domestic relations, and real estate matters, with a particular focus on serving the Asian immigrant community. Originally from Shanghai, China, Mr. Wang grew up in Los Angeles, California before settling down in Colorado. An active member of Denver's Chinese-American community, Mr. Wang is eager to participate in community events; his hobbies include playing the piano, racing cars, and photography.
Stage Manager: Emerson Sonny Masicampo
Finance and Accounting Specialist with a degree in Accounting from Columbia College and Master in Business Administration from Regis University. Retired from both the US Navy and the Federal Government. Chairman of The Music Council for the Denver Art Society. Frontman, founder, song writer and guitar player for Pilot Haus (an original alternative rock band from Aurora, Colorado).
Stage Manager: Domingo Belen
Stage Manager: Teo dela Paz
Stage Manager: Nic dela Paz
Stage Manager: Christine Tizon
Stage Manager: Riley Eloriaga
Stage Manager: Johan Berry
Stage Manager: Daniel Tran
Dragon Boat Race Management
Race Consultant: Anthony Cao
Race Director: Stephanie Padilla
Co-Race Director: Kimmy Nguyen
Starters: Marian Nguyen, Christian Eloriaga, Edita Dyer
Dock/Stern Coordinator: Bonnie Laws
Timing: Jensen Padilla and Taryn Costintino
Race Equipment Manager: Jeff Dang and Freddie Tsao
Festival Contractors
Productions Coordinator: Pamelah Maragh - Owner, Siteline Events
Pamelah has a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts, and is a multifaceted artist: she's a teacher, dancer, drummer, festival event planner, stage manager who manages CDBF's production logistic from stages and sound to duct tape and cord ties. She's also performed with her African drum troupe at the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.
Taste of Asia Coordinator: Andreas Furness - Owner, Classic Events & Consulting Services
Andrea has worked in the events industry in Colorado since 2005, when she joined the staff of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods, to help produce the annual Capitol Hill People's Fair. Andrea has also produced or been part of the production team of other major events and festivals in Colorado, including the Highlands Street Fair, Denver Burger Battle, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Boulder Creek Festival, Mile High 420 Festival, and others.
Prior to working in the events industry, Andrea spent eight years working in sports public relations, first for the Colorado Rapids Soccer Team, and then for the Colorado Avalanche Hockey Club. During her time in sports, she assisted in producing several major fundraisers and community events.
A Colorado native, Andrea grew up in the Hilltop neighborhood and attended George Washington High School. She earned two bachelor's degrees from the University of Colorado at Boulder, one in Journalism/News Editorial with an emphasis in Public Relations, and one in Communications with a Minor in Political Science.