Meet Our Staff

Front Desk

Where is your hometown?
I was born in Chihuahua, Mexico and raised in West Vail.
If you had a super power what would it be?
Telekinesis
What has been your favorite vacation?
Las Vegas this past year.
Favorite spot in Colorado?
Piney Lake. I grew up going there every weekend.
What is your favorite memory?
Biking around Vail Village as a kid with my brother.
What is your favorite video game?
Mario 3D World on the Switch or Slime Racer on X-Box.

Housekeeping

Hometown?
Querato, Mexico

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I would like to fly

Favorite Vacation
I love Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Mexico

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Estes Park Colorado is a magic place

What’s your favorite memory?
I love Christmas dinner in my country with my sibling and my mother.

Which historical figure would you most like to have met?
I would love to meet Roberto Gomez Bolanos (El Chavo del 8) he had a great sense of humor.

Hobbies?
Salsa dancing!

Housekeeping

Hometown?
Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Travel in time where my mother lives so that I could see her again.

Favorite vacation?
Cancun, Mexico

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Vail and Avon, because I love the parks around these towns. They are beautiful.

What's your favorite memory?
The best memories I have are the ones with my mother and the sacrifice she made for me. She always put me before herself.

What historical figure would you most like to have met?
Fransico "Pancho" Villa. He proclaimed himself the Mexican president and is one of the most important men of the Mexican revolution.

Housekeeping

Hometown?
El Progreso Yoro, Honduras

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I want to fly

Favorite vacation?
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Avon, Colorado because it is my home now. I have lived here for 19 years.

What’s your favorite memory?
When my daughter Sheila was born.

Which historical figure would you most like to have met?
Francisco Morazán was a great politician in my country.

Controller

Chris Manning is a Jack-of-all-trades who was a part of the Antlers team many years ago. He has returned to the Antlers, now in accounting. Along with his wife, Tessa, Chris has been running a successful business, Tessa Clogs, for the past twenty-five years. He loves being outside, especially loves riding, biking and climbing. As a bonus he’s always happy to share these adventures and says, “Let’s get outside and enjoy the outdoors!” Cheers and Hugs to all!”

Where is your hometown? Omaha, NE

If you had a superpower, what would it be? Understand and speak all languages. How cool would that be to talk adventure with locals in their land wherever that may take you.

Favorite vacation? I’ve been fortunate to have so many great adventures with my family. Bike tour Bornholm, Denmark. Climbing vacation in Kalymnos Greece. Spending time with family on the south coast of Sweden. And, of course, just taking staycations backpacking right out our front door to skiing home at the end of the day.

Favorite spot in Colorado and why? Minturn – our backyard is the US Forest. Here we can ski to our house, put a backpack on at our house to go camping. Minturn is a true diamond in the rough and a place that our family the “Minturn Manning’s” call home.

What is your favorite memory? Seeing our family accomplish great achievements – from kids riding their bikes, skiing, climbing and crushing every outdoor sport they put their mind and having all three of our girls in the top 10% of their class, to Tessa, my wife, taking the risk to start our own successful business that has been around for 25 years, so many great times that I am forgetting now more then I’m remembering.

What historical figure would you most like to have met? Italian cyclist Gino Bartali – Tour de France winner who also saved many Jewish families during World War 2. An incredible athlete that had a heart of gold.

Remodeling Manager

Dave Collins has worked at the Antlers a long time and is glad to be working here. He's said he wishes he had gotten here sooner.

Best vacation?

Skiing anywhere.

Favorite Pastime?

Sailing anywhere.

Assistant Controller

Where is your hometown?
I grew up in Moldova, but Vail had been my hometown for the last 17 years.
What has been your favorite vacation?
My favorite vacation is going home to Moldova to sprnd time with my parents.
If you had a superpower, what would it be
If I had a superpower, I would make people slow down, stop worrying too much about tomorrow, and enjoy the present.

Front Office Manager

Gabe has lived in Vail for 9 years and has worked at the Antlers for several years. He has a degree in Psychology from Mississippi State University and a degree in Sustainability from Colorado Mountain College. He loves to ski and hike.

Hometown?

Cleveland, Mississippi

Favorite spot in Colorado?

Mt. Powell, just up Redsand Stone Road.

Best Vacation?

I went to Nepal and went trekking in the Himalayas. This was definitely the best vacation I’ve ever been on.

Housekeeping

Hometown?
Iztapalapa , DF Mexico

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
The power of curing any diseases

Favorite vacation?
Los Cabos, Mexico

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Vail, Colorado for the tranquility

What’s your favorite memory?
The birth of my children

Which historical figure would you most like to have met?
Frida Kahlo for her legacy and the feministic symbol she projects

Associate Executive Housekeeper

Gladys Contreras is originally from Hondouras. She began working at the Antlers in 1990 as housekeeper, so has been with us 28 years! Although a little quiet and reserved, Gladys is known for embracing the phrase, “The answer is ‘yes’, now what’s the question?” She just has that attitude. She worked her way up over the years to become a supervisor and integral part of the Antlers team. She very much enjoys her current role of supervising the staff and making sure that everything is very organized and in its place. She must also have a green thumb, as she cares for all of the plants belonging to Antlers owners in her office, and then brings them back to the owners when they are in house. Many guests recognize her as the constant, happy housekeeping face that is always here to make them feel at home!

She is very grateful for her time at the Antlers. One of her favorite memories is the year that Rob LeVine dressed as Santa Claus and delivered presents to her family at her house! Gestures like that are what has made the Antlers home for her and has kept here here all these years.

Her sister Delores (Lola) worked with us for many years and we miss her. In Gladys’ spare time she enjoys spending time with her three daughters and her granddaughter Yaritza.

As many of the Antlers housekeepers, she has worked hard to learn English and now communicates well in what is a second language to her. We are so proud to share the news that she recently became a U.S. citizen!

Assitant General Manager

Hometown: Alexandria, VA
If you had a superpower, what would it be? Flying!
Favorite Vacation: Santorini, Greece when I was young to visit the grandparents of childhood friends
Favorite spot in CO: Blue Sky Basin!
Favorite Memory: Catching my first salmon on a fly rod with my father when I was about 12 years old
Anything else to share: Love to ski and fly fish, Enjoy teaching others to do either just as much!

Engineering

Where is your hometown?
Tijuana, Mexico (Born in the state of Jalisco)
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
To be able to help everyone.
Favorite vacation?
Family trip to Cancun, Mexico.
Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Here, because we are so lucky to live in this area.
What is your favorite memory?
My wedding day.
What historical figure would you most like to have met?
Jesus Christ
Tell us something else about yourself.
I'm a Catholic and family oriented person. I care about others and love to help people whenever I can.

Residence Quality Management

Where is your hometown?
My hometown is Ft. Lauderdale, but I have lived in 9 states (not military, that’s what everyone assumes).
What is your favorite spot in Colorado, and why?
I have so many favorite places in Colorado, but Hanging Lake and any view from a river float makes my top 2!
If you had a super power, what would it be?
My superpower would be teleportation!
What is your favorite food?
NY style pizza over Chicago deep dish.

Director of Marketing

Liana joined the Antlers at Vail in March of 2013 as the Director of Marketing. In 2001 Liana made the Vail Valley her forever home and took on the job of heading up marketing and PR for Bravo! Vail which somehow led her to VP of Account Services at an ad agency specializing in real estate development, a couple of years running her own marketing consulting gig and then stepping in as interim Executive Director at a small non-profit on whose board she served. After interim turned to 3 years at the Vail Symposium she headed back to her marketing roots to fill a hole at the Antlers at Vail. Liana's passion is education. She enjoys volunteering for her childrens' schools, and bringing inspiring Vail Symposium speakers into the local schools. Other hobbies include debating with a 10-year-old (and sometimes winning!) and trying new sports (like BMX) with a 14-year-old and publishing a blog on family travel. Liana also helps her husband with his window replacement business. She aspires to one day to find time to return to her hobby of climbing mountains.

Hometown
Stavanger, Norway. Liana spent 1st through 10th grade in Stavanger, longer than anywhere she has lived other than Vail.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
The ability to teleport myself and others between locations as well as time. I'd use it to give my kids the same cultural experiences I was able to have while still living our life here in beautiful Vail, Colorado. And, maybe I'd also use it to save the world.

Housekeeping

Hometown?
Nicolas Bravo, Mexico

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
Be able to fly

Favorite vacation?
Miami, Florida

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Vail, because my daughter were born here

What’s your favorite memory?
Living in my house in Mexico

Which historical figure would you most like to have met?
"Jenni" Rivera Saavedra. She was an American singer, songwriter, actress, television producer, spokesperson, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

General Manager

Magdalena is originally from Guayaquil, Ecuador. She feels that she grew up with the absolute most beautiful family in the entire world: Her parents (Carlos and Anita) are the very best example of love and hard work. Her 4 siblings (Ana Rosa, Cristina, Rosa Emilia and Carlos) are her best friends. They are funny, smart, and always challenge her to be better. Since she was little she dreamed of travelling: travelling around Ecuador, in South America, and the world! This is why she learned about other cultures and languages. Her passport has many stamps.

She is a wife, a mom, a daughter, a sister, a boss that is passionate about helping others, about learning, and embracing new challenges. She never takes herself too seriously. (She does take others and her job seriously in case you wonder).

Magda feels that life has given her so much that she can only give kindness back to everybody. She is a person full of gratitude.

Hometown? Guayaquil - Ecuador

What’s your favorite memory?
I love every New Year in Ecuador. In my country we celebrate the New Year Holiday with so many traditions… I miss our rituals.

True confession?
When I came to Colorado, I didn’t know anything about it. I hadn’t even seen a picture of it! I didn’t know what to expect…. You might wonder then why I came here? Well, I followed love…. My husband Tony was working in Avon, so I decided to relocate from Switzerland to here. But I fell in love with Colorado right away…. The mountains, the community, the outdoor life, everything was great! Our three children were born in Vail, and we bought our home in the valley. The experience has been super! Tony and I have a multicultural marriage. It is not the perfect marriage (we don’t even understand our language sometimes!) but it is always fun.

Tell us a “mom super power” you own?
I can carry three kids at the same time, and still manage to open our house door!!!

Housekeeping

Hometown?
Cuauhtémoc Chihuahua, Mexico

If you had a superpower, what would it be?
I would like to be a mind reader, know what people think

Favorite vacation?
Cancun, Mexico

Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Vail, just because

What’s your favorite memory?
The moments I share with my mother I admire her love for her family and others

What historical figure would you most like to have met?
Jesus Christ Because I do believe in his sacrifice for humanity

Hobbies?
I love animals and have 3 dogs of my own.

Chief Engineer

Where is your hometown?
Buena Vista, Havana Cuba
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
To run fast like the Flash
Favorite vacation?
Florida - gathering with my wonderful family and eating and drinking good!
Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
Steamboat Springs is my fav as I love the vibe of the town.
What is your favorite memory?
The day my son was born and cutting the umbilical cord on June 29, 2016.
What historical figure would you most like to have met?
John D. Rockefeller - he was one of the great minds that built this country.
Tell us something else about yourself.
I’m a creature of habit. I’m a simple guy trying to live my best life.

Grand Poobah (previously GM)

Rob has been the anomaly in the Tourism business, having started working at the Antlers front desk in 1978 and then retiring as General Manager 38 years later. Throughout that time Rob felt like he had the best job on the planet. He’s thrilled that Magdalena and the board of directors have asked him to stay involved as a consultant for at least the next year. Much like Bud Benedict did when he retired in 1987, Rob is happy to help insure a smooth transition.

Again, like Bud before him (and potentially Magda in the future), as a real estate broker Rob has helped facilitate the sales of 95% of the condominiums when they have changed hands. In addition to his part-time role as consultant, he will continue to be very actively involved with the building through Antlers at Vail Real Estate, LLC.

Hometown?
I lived in Littleton (Denver suburb) until I was 16 years old. Then we moved to Stamford, CT where I finished high school. I applied to 3 colleges ... University of Denver, CU and Colorado College. Guess I knew where home was. I spent summers in Vail during college ('74-'78) and moved here permanently when I graduated from CC.

What will you do now that you’re retired?
My Dad was always my role model. He retired when he was 58, never worked another day and never regretted it. He loved to play golf, ski, fish, hike, bike and just about anything else recreational. He also enjoyed travelling and never met a museum he didn't like. I'm the same way, and cannot wait. There's also something in the Vail Daily almost every day that intrigues me ... whether it's recreational, social, cultural or just curious ... I plan to do a LOT more of those things.

Favorite memory?
It's not just one time ... many actually ... but skiing in the back, with a couple feet of new snow, pointing 'em straight downhill and making tele-turns until I got to the bottom or couldn't breathe anymore. THAT's a feeling I'll never forget.

Canning a 35 foot birdie putt on the second extra hole to win the Singletree Club Championship in about 1981 or '82, is another pretty good memory.

And more relevant to the Antlers, the celebration(s) that we had for my retirement were beyond memorable. The videos that Ron Bobuk helped create, the memory book from all the owners, all the nice things people said (lies mostly) and especially the moment when I learned of the conference center naming … all of it will live with me forever.

Group Sales & Conference Services Manager

Where is your hometown?
Midland, Michigan
If you had a superpower, what would it be?
To Fly
Favorite vacation?
Greece
Favorite spot in Colorado and why?
North Fork of the Crystal. Incredibly remote and beautiful.
What is your favorite memory? My engagement.
What historical figure would you most like to have met?
Martin Luther King Jr.
Tell us something else about yourself.
I played tennis in college and was once ranked Top 100 in the nation (feels like a lifetime ago).