Meet Our Executive Team

Markit!'s management team bring together a variety of professional backgrounds,
​including forestry, wildland firefighting, logistics, operations, and finance.

​Leigh Ann Wolfe, President 
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Leigh Ann is the daughter of Russ and Marian Wolfe, the founders of the world famous Flying W Ranch. Leigh Ann was raised on the Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs and graduated from Colorado State University.

The Flying W Ranch in Colorado Springs was a working cattle ranch of more than 1,400 acres and the home to the Chuckwagon hospitality business. Over its 60-year life, the Chuckwagon business of the Flying W Ranch provided food and entertainment to more than six million people. On June 26, 2012, the Waldo Canyon fire destroyed 19 of the 20 buildings that comprised the Chuckwagon hospitality business and burned more than 1,000 acres of Flying W Ranch land.  The Waldo Canyon fire devastated the Flying W Ranch and thrust Leigh Ann into the forestry business.

As the owner of the Flying W Ranch, Leigh Ann began working with Markit! on post-fire rehabilitation of the Flying W Ranch's land, which led her to purchase the company. Leigh Ann's passions are to work through Markit! to restore forest lands destroyed by fire and to help restore healthy and fire-resistant forests so that other people don't have to experience the loss of their land and property as she has.

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​Alyssa J. Priest, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer 

As the Chief Administrative Officer, Alyssa is responsible for Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Legal, and Project Management support.  Alyssa joined Markit! in January 2015.

Alyssa has more than 20 years of diverse business experience with both Fortune 500 companies and high-growth startup companies.  She has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, with a major in Accounting.  Alyssa's business experience includes auditing for Ernst & Young LLP and senior finance management positions at T-Mobile USA and EMC Corporation.
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Alyssa grew up in Wisconsin and has lived and worked for several years in Chicago and in Seattle.  Alyssa and her family moved to Colorado Springs in 2014 and has welcomed the opportunity to work in a business devoted to preserving and enhancing the forests and natural resources throughout Colorado and the southwestern United States.

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Bradley G. Christiansen, Vice President of Operations

As the Vice President of Operations, Brad oversees the deployment of Markit!’s personnel and equipment to execute forestry projects across the southwestern United States.  Brad is also responsible for the maintenance and logistics of all of Markit!'s equipment and ensures that all of Markit! 's projects are executed efficiently and in accordance with the highest safety and environmental standards.  Brad joined Markit! in January 2020.

With more than 30 years of professional experience, Brad has managed large construction projects across the western United States, as well as overseas. He has held management positions at Highway Supply, Kiewit Corporation, SEMA Corporation, and Laguna Construction Company.  He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a civil specialty and a minor in environmental sciences from the Colorado School of Mines. 
 
Brad was born in Tucson, Arizona and was raised in northern Colorado.  Brad's love of the outdoors, camping, and fishing is a motivation to preserve and enhance the forests across the southwestern United States.

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Jeremy S. Moore, Vice President of Project Delivery 

Jeremy came to Markit! from Higher Ground Forestry & Land Management, which was acquired by Markit! in June 2015.  Jeremy was a co-founder of Higher Ground Forestry & Land Management.

Since 2010, Jeremy has combined his passion for business with his love of the outdoors by owning and helping to manage forestry companies devoted to protecting and enhancing the environment.  Jeremy has extensive experience in forest health restoration, forest fuels reduction, creating defensible space, steep slope aerial operations,  and watershed management.  As a co-founder of Higher Ground Forestry, Jeremy successfully completed numerous forestry projects for the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management  Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Colorado State Forest Service, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire, Cal Fire, the Coalition for the Upper South Platte, the Mule Deer Foundation, the National Forest Foundation, Colorado Springs Utilities, and many private landowners across the Southwest United States.

Jeremy is a Colorado native, born and raised in Woodland Park.  In addition to his background in forestry management, Jeremy has considerable business experience.  Going back to 1998, Jeremy owned and operated several small businesses in the Pikes Peak region, including PK Lath and Plastering Inc., Summit View Stucco, and Tava Mountain Sports.

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Gerald H. Thurston, Treasurer 
 
As the Treasurer, Jerry is responsible for all aspects of financial planning for Markit!.  Jerry received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance with highest honors from Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) in 1977 and an MBA degree from VPI in 1980. 
 
Jerry has more than 40 years of experience in a wide variety of business fields. Jerry began his business career working in financial analysis positions for Fortune 500 companies, including Tenneco, Air Products and Chemicals, and GAF Corporation. From 1992 until 2012, Jerry was a co-founder and President of Financial Software Systems—a provider of treasury software and consulting services to clients in more than 30 countries.​