HEIDI
Heidi was born in Cincinnati, Ohio but spent her growing up years in Bogota, Colombia and later in Madrid, Spain as her dad worked internationally for General Electric. While in Spain Heidi learned guitar and became fluent in Spanish. At 15 her family moved back to the States and settled in Albuquerque, NM. After high school where she competed in volleyball and track & field, Heidi began studying for her nursing degree at the University of New Mexico where she also competed nationally as a D1 heptathlete (7 events) in track and field.
DEAN
Dean grew up in Iowa and Indiana and received an AA degree in Bible from Fort Wayne Bible college. He also attended Dallas Baptist University and has youth pastored in Ontario, Canada. In 1987 Dean rode a bicycle 10,000 miles around the United States with a group called Wandering Wheels. After this trip he moved to Denver, Colorado where he youth pastored, managed a bike shop and subsequently finished his degree. After graduating from Colorado Christian University with a BA in Youth Ministry and Outdoor Leadership Dean moved to Westcliffe in 1989 where he began to youth pastor at Valley Bible Fellowship and started an adventure-based youth-discipleship program called Uplift Mountain.
Through a series of amazing circumstances Dean and Heidi met in Westcliffe in the summer of 1990. They were married December, 1991. Shortly after, Heidi received her RN degree from Beth-el college of nursing in Colorado Springs. Together they have raised 4 children, all of which are now married, three of whom live in Westcliffe (the other is in Colorado Springs). They have 6 grandchildren (#7 on the way) all local and amazing.
For the last 37 years Dean and Heidi have directed Uplift Mountain along with Dean’s parents Jay & Dorothy. They also served as youth pastors at Valley Bible Fellowship for 13 years where Dean later held the position of lead pastor for 12 years.
Dean currently directs Uplift Mountain, leads a weekly home group and teaches at “The Gathering” (our church) every other Sunday. Heidi is a barista at Peregrine Coffee Roasters where she ministers to many through well-made drinks served with care and guided by a life of prayer.
They are in the midst of shifting their focus of ministry at Uplift Mountain to encourage clarity and courage to those who follow Christ.
Not pictured - Arthur Hunt born August 2026