After completing a B.S. at Michigan State University in Zoology and Physiology, Vicki found her way to the National Park Service, where she worked for the next 16 years as a back-country ranger. She
completed certifications as a Park Medic, strike team leader, heli-spot manager and was commissioned as a federal law enforcement officer.

In order to better pursue a career in environmental science, Vicki completed an M.S. with an emphasis in Statistics and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at Montana State University. She worked as a statistician and field researcher for the USGS in Grand Teton National Park and Colorado State University, and for three years as a GIS and remote sensing technician at i-cubed in Fort Collins. In 2003 Vicki joined Jim Welch at Remote Power International, the parent company of Bella Energy.

Vicki recently fulfilled a life-long dream of earning a degree in Cello Performance at CSU in 2007. She enjoys spending time with her husband and young son skiing, canoeing, and playing in the back-country.

Colorado Connections: Vicki moved to Boulder in 1984 to attend CU and joined Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. In 1990 she began working at Rocky Mountain National Park. She met her husband on a resuce in Rocky and then moved to Fort Collins. Bill Cotton is director of Photography and CSU TV. Bill’s father is a professor of Atmospheric Science on the faculty at CSU. Bill is a graduate of Poudre High School and CSU in Fort Collins. Both Vicki and Bill are active members of Diamond Peaks Ski Patrol and former members of Larimer County Search and Rescue, and have participated in rescues of back-country users to numerous to count. Vicki's family followed her to Colorado from Pittsburgh. Her parents live in Boulder and sisters live in Golden and Denver.