Hello, my name is Katie Albia. I was born and raised in Silverthorne, CO. I found my passion for travel at a young age when I had the opportunity to visit Japan for 10 days with my middle school’s sister-city program. In high school, I started researching programs for a semester or year-long international exchange and found Rotary International. Through the application and interview process, I found that Rotary’s values of service over self were something I resonated with deeply. I was matched to go to Brazil, and took a huge leap of faith that changed my world. I was so fortunate to experience and fall in love with another culture and language at a young age, and develop a sense of empathy that I otherwise would not have gained. My experiences with Rotary led me to an out of state school, another international exchange in college, and my first job in the importation industry. When I found my path leading me back to Colorado, I found another service and community-minded organization: my childhood bank. Alpine Bank has been presented many opportunities for service and leadership, and brought me to Montrose. I have enjoyed my time in this community so far, and look forward to being a part of what makes Montrose a great place to live.