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Steamboat Magazine

Women Rocking The Boat - Mary Brown - Feelin’ Good, Like We Knew That She Would

08/10/2012 09:26PM ● By Christina Freeman

 Story by Gena Fischer/Photo by Corey Kopischke

Mary Brown

The Steamboat Springs chapter of Mary Brown’s story started in 1969, when the 19-year-old Montana girl arrived in town fresh out of college to help her new husband manage his family’s farm.

Over the next 44 years, her journey would take her from farmer to state lobbyist to working in healthcare technology. Along the way, she has chaired the Steamboat Springs City Council, worked for the Department of Public Health and Environment, raised and trained horses, and served on nonprofit boards, both state and local.

Some of Steamboat’s best attractions, including the core trail, tennis center and Haymaker golf course, were created in part thanks to Brown, who sat on city council from 1987 to 1995, four of those years as president.

She was also part of the Friends of Perry Mansfield, which financially rescued the performing arts camp, served on the board of the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association (where her daughter Lisa Brown now serves as chief executive officer) and the Strings in the Mountains (now Strings Music Festival) board of directors.

Her most recent project was helping to create the Boys and Girls Club of Steamboat, “which is my favorite thing I’ve done,” she says.

The director of external affairs for Quality Health Network, based out of Grand Junction, Brown helps healthcare professionals access medical records electronically. “This will save money and lives,” she says.

Married to John Tomasini, Brown loves that both of her daughters and her five grandchildren live in Steamboat. (Daughter Kristin Wilson is a physician, also working for Quality Health Network.)

“I am so fortunate to have my family here. And I’m also fortunate to have challenging and meaningful work. It’s nice to do something that improves people’s lives, both volunteer and job,” Brown says.

Women Rocking the Boat