Board of Health

Dave Donelson was appointed to the Board of Health in 2021. He is the Colorado Springs City Council member for District 1. Mr. Donelson is a retired U.S. Army Officer and physician assistant with more than 20 years’ experience in medicine — as a U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) Medical Sergeant, paramedic, and then as a physician assistant. He was responsible for the health and medical readiness of all soldiers in his unit. He is an Iraq War veteran with three one-year deployments to Iraq.

After retiring from the Army in 2010 he served the citizens of Colorado Springs as a physician assistant at Peterson SFB Flight Medicine, a small urgent care, and finally as the center director for a men’s health clinic. He has a bachelor’s degree in physician assistant studies from the University of Nebraska School of Medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of New Mexico.

Doris Ralston works as executive director of the Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from UCCS and a bachelor’s degree in community health education from East Carolina University. Ms. Ralston served two three-year terms (2013 – 2019) on the Colorado Commission on Family Medicine, a Governor appointed position representing Congressional District 5.

With Ralston at the helm, the Osteopathic Foundation was named the outstanding grant-making organization for 2012 by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s Partners in Philanthropy.

She was also awarded the John H. Drabing Award for “extraordinary dedication and support” in 2010 and the National Award for Excellence in Financial Development, awarded by the Congress of Lung Association staff at its national meeting. Ms. Ralston continues to volunteer for the American Heart Association in addition to her service on the Board of Health.

Cory Applegate serves District 4 on the Board of County Commissioners. His district encompasses southern and eastern El Paso County, including portions of the City of Colorado Springs, the entire City of Fountain, and unincorporated areas south of Highway 94 such as Security/Widefield, Hanover, Rush, Ellicott, and Yoder. This district also is also home to three strategically significant military installations: US Army Fort Carson, Peterson Space Force Base, and Schriever Space Force Base.

Cory moved to Fountain, Colorado in 2005. Elected in November 2024, Cory is the youngest known elected Commissioner in El Paso County history. As a journeyman electrician with ten years’ experience in code and commercial construction and maintenance, Cory has a deep understanding of the impacts of regulation and policy on development. His priorities are public safety and infrastructure.

Prior to his election to the Board of County Commissioners, Cory served as a member of the Fountain City Council and was a member of the Fountain Planning Commission. He enjoys outdoor sports in his spare time, including hunting, fishing, archery, and recreational shooting. He is a member of Restoration Church in Colorado Springs.

Hunter Barnett was appointed to the Board of Health in December 2024. He currently works as a Managing Director of New Product Development for UnitedHealth Group’s Enterprise Strategy department, building and launching new products and services that benefit UnitedHealth’s members and patients. Hunter brings personal passion and professional experience for metabolic health (especially for children), rural health, and price transparency to the Board of Health.

Serving as the advocate for El Paso County’s nonprofit, private or public education community, Hunter has demonstrated years of experience and commitment to a number of organizations, including Junior Achievement, Leadership Program of the Rockies, and Colorado’s 2021 Independent Legislative Redistricting Committee. A father of three, two of whom were born prematurely, Hunter is also an active supporter of Newborn Hope, which provides financial support for Colorado families impacted by prematurity.

In 2024, Hunter was recognized by The Aspen Institute as an Aspen Ideas: Health Fellow for his work to promote root cause medicine and whole person health as a better way to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease.

Hunter attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the Leeds School of Business. He also attended Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, earning a Master of Business Administration degree.

Dr. Chan is a retired physician with several decades of experience serving in various clinical, administrative, and population health roles. She has worked in leadership roles as an active duty U.S. Army physician, commissioned corps US Public Health Service, as a managing partner in private practice, and as a medical director in public sector administrative management. Her international work includes Doctors Without Borders in South Sudan, serving as a Harvard University Global Health and Innovations Fellow in Kenya, as well as collaborative private/public sector work in Tasmania, Madagascar and at the Thai/Myanmar border. Her area of clinical specialty is women’s health, and has maintained board certification in OB/GYN since 1994. She returned to school mid-career for her MPH from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and has a concentration in Health in Crisis. Special areas of interest in public health include global health equity and asset distribution, distal determinants of health, social norms as determinants of health behavior, and health economics.

Commissioner Carrie Geitner was sworn in as the District 2 Commissioner on January 12, 2021. District 2 extends from east side Colorado Springs neighborhoods through Cimarron Hills, Falcon, Peyton, Calhan and Ramah.

Commissioner Geitner believes our collective responsibility is to build our community to fulfill the needs of one another. With a background in communications and outreach, Geitner hopes to build stronger relationships with the community and build trust in local government.

She is the first college graduate in her family, receiving her degree from the University of Central Florida where she majored in English with double minors in psychology and marketing. Shortly after college Geitner met and married her husband, Army Officer and State Representative Tim Geitner. Together they have two sons.

She spent several years in fundraising and community outreach for non-profit organizations including hospice and a school for the blind. She also worked to establish non-profit status and served as president of a newly formed foundation created to support military families and honor fallen soldiers through a memorial wall and park.

Experiencing life as a military spouse, Commissioner Geitner has increased compassion and empathy towards veterans and military families. It’s that understanding that has led Geitner to a life of servant leadership.

In 2020, Commissioner Geitner founded a charter school in District 2 and serves as the board president. She also owned and operated a small business.

Dr. Richard Vu was appointed to the Board of Health in 2021. Dr. Vu is a board- certified internist, practicing at Matthews-Vu Medical Group. He received his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School and completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Vu has been serving patients in Colorado Springs since 2004.