The Gilpin County Democratic Party engaged in their biennial election of new officers earlier this month. The chair is Eric Douglas, vice chair is Phil Gibbs, second vice chair Linza Douglas, Secretary Melanie Bleyler, and Treasurer Won Cho.

Chair Eric Douglas has lived in Gilpin County for 25 years in Golden Gate Park Estates. He has been the Gilpin Dems chair since 2017.

He attended Dartmouth College and Western State College, receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado and an MSBA degree from Boston University.

He has management experience during a 40-year career as an IT professional and has been involved in many communication and management trainings and courses. He is retired.

Douglas is chair of the GGPE HomeOwners Association and Architecture Control Committees. He retired in 2016 after 12 years of service with the Timberline Fire Department, where he was Officer of the Year in 2015. He is a volunteer at the Food Pantry and has been an election judge for every election since 2008.

His goals as chair are to elect and reelect Democrats to all County offices, and to State and National offices. He can be reached at gilpindemschair@gmail.com

Vice Chair Phillip Gibbs has lived in Black Hawk since 2019. He attended Diablo Valley Community College and the University of California San Diego, receiving a bachelor’s degree in economics with chemistry and psychology minors.

Gibbs is experienced in financial analysis, preparing presentations, leadership training, and public speaking. He retired in 2016 after a career as an investment banker. He was the treasurer of the Gilpin County Democratic Central Committee from 2021 to 2023 and was the current vice-chair.

His goals are to recruit the highest qualified new candidates for elected offices and new committee members, get out the vote initiatives, and fundraising.

Second vice chair Linza G. Douglas has lived in Gilpin County for nearly 25 years, with her husband Eric. She attended Bedford High School, Kent State University, Metropolitan State College, and Boston University. She is retired as a psychotherapist. She currently teaches yoga and Senior Fit at the Gilpin County Community Center.

She has been active with the Food Bank, the Gilpin County Library Board of Trustees, the Peak to Peak Chorale, and Gilpin County Dems and has served as an election judge and Golden Gate Park Estates Treasurer.

Her top goals as an officer in the Gilpin County Democratic party are to support the local party, work on getting local as well as State candidates elected, and to serve the community.

Secretary Melanie Bleyler said she and her husband purchased their house in Dory Lakes in April 2022 and moved into it in May 2022. Her family moved here from San Jose. She received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University. She also attended Georgetown University, where she earned an MBA.

When she was part of the PTA, she attended multiple board trainings for President, Treasurer, Auditor, and general. She also attended numerous nonprofit organization training sessions.

She currently works for Girl Scouts of Northern California remotely as a marketing/lead generation manager. “I work to build awareness of Girl Scouts in Northern California through digital and print advertising and a welcoming website. I also nurture leads and members through engaging newsletters and emails,” she said.

Bleyler has been involved in the Peak to Peak Rotary since November, and has joined the Dory Lakes POA as secretary as of January 2023. She has been assisting the new K-5 Girl Scout troop in Gilpin County since last fall.

Prior to moving to Gilpin County, Bleyler served as president of the Home & School Club for two years beginning in 2015, and was instrumental in bringing the PTA to her children’s high school.. She then served two years as President of the PTA and two more years as Vice President and Fundraising Chair. Prior to that, starting in 2007, she volunteered as part of the art program and reading program at the elementary school in San Jose as well as with Project Cornerstone.

“My top goal as secretary of the Gilpin County Democratic Party is to provide clear and consistent internal and external communications,” she said. She can be reached by email at: GilpinDemsSecretary@gmail.com

Treasurer Won Cho has lived in Black Hawk Since May 2022. He attended Rosemead High School in California and Cornell University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology and philosophy

He has significant experience in finance and management from his more than 30-year professional career. He was also an election judge this past election cycle for Gilpin County and took relevant training associated with that.

“I am the Chief Operating Officer for a small tech company called Rynly. I am married with two kids who are currently in college. My daughter Danika is a senior at Cornell and son Austin is a sophomore at University of Hawaii. My wife, Melanie Bleyler, is the secretary of the Gilpin County Democrats.”

Cho has volunteered for the High Country Auxiliary (HCA) since October 2022 and has volunteered with the Gilpin County Food Pantry since December 2022.

His top goals as an officer in the Gilpin County Democratic party are ensuring that funds raised for the organization are used in the most effective and conscientious way to promote the values of the Gilpin County Democrats and the national Democrats as a whole. He also wants to make sure that the organization’s financials are fully compliant with all local, state and national regulations and rules. He can be reached at wdcho@sbcglobal.net.