Cheri Kelly
Nature Center Caretaker
After calling Durango home for more than 25 years, Cheri Kelly joined the SJMA team in spring 2026 as the seasonal caretaker of the Durango Nature Center. She raised her family here while building careers as a medical speech-language pathologist and life-cycle celebrant. She is currently studying Environmental Conservation and Management at Fort Lewis College, deepening her understanding of and connection to the natural world.
Cheri is passionate about fostering community, creating meaningful experiences, and helping people develop a sense of connection and place. She is excited to steward the remarkable gift of the Durango Nature Center and share it with the community as part of the inspiring SJMA team.
When she’s not working or studying, Cheri follows her curiosity through books, contemplative practices, dancing, SUPing, felting, and exploring. She finds endless fascination and wonder in the natural world, from her own backyard to the region’s public lands.
