Craig Benally

I am Dine (Navajo). I was born In Monticello, UT, raised in Cortez. Ally, my spouse, my children Quorra and Mason, and I have lived in Mancos for over a decade. My wife is a Registered Nurse. My children attend Mancos Elementary and Middle School. I graduated in 1993 from Montezuma-Cortez High School. I went to Fort Lewis College for degrees in Philosophy and Southwest Studies. I was a Scoutmaster for over a decade in Cortez. I worked as a wildland firefighter for Mesa Verde National Park in the 90’s. I directed a tutoring program at Fort Lewis College. I was a paraprofessional at Cortez Middle School and Kemper Elementary. I’ve worked in construction and in HR focused on hiring and staffing. I served a four year term on the Mancos Town Board of Trustees just before the Covid pandemic. Currently, I work for Alpacka Raft making pack rafts. I volunteer with Mancos Trails Group and Coach for: Tri-City Soccer, Mancos Lego League, High Desert DEVO, and most recently as a 3rd grade boys basketball coach for the Cortez Rec league. I enjoy playing in the outdoors with my family and close friends.