Michael volunteering with BOEC on an adaptive cycling ride.
We are each shaped by a collection of experiences throughout life. From the influences of skiing to public service, to volunteering while traveling to his career as an attorney, Michael Carrigan has found a good fit on the BOEC Board of Directors, combining many of his interests in one role. Michael is a Colorado native with deep roots in Summit County, who has been visiting its slopes, trails and lakes since the 1970s. He reflects, “I am the youngest of six kids and I’ll be eternally grateful that my father taught us all to ski, back when family skiing was more affordable.” Michael’s family owned a condo in Dillon and he and his wife Sarah now have a townhouse in Breckenridge, although they live primarily in Denver with their two teenagers, who attend Regis Jesuit High School.
When he was not teaching the Carrigan crew to ski, Michael’s father, Jim Carrigan, served as a Colorado State Supreme Court Justice and later federal judge. Michael’s father inspired him to pursue his own career in the law and public service. Michael attended College at Notre Dame and CU Law school. After serving as a state prosecutor for six years, Michael entered private practice and he’s now a partner at Holland & Hart llp, Colorado’s largest law firm, where he specializes in business litigation. Michael has received numerous awards and distinctions, and he is regularly listed as a Colorado Super Lawyer and in America’s Best Lawyers.
His career has also included significant stints in public service. After graduating from Notre Dame, he was a volunteer teacher at an inner-city high school in the Bronx. Michael and his wife Sarah spent their first year of marriage working with three Catholic nuns in La Paz, Bolivia. He shares, “While in Bolivia we lived at 12,500 feet and summited a 20,000 foot mountain, so that makes Colorado’s 14’ers a bit more manageable.” Additionally, he spent 12 years as a publicly elected member of the University of Colorado Board of Regents, including two years as board chair.
Michael’s interest in BOEC is rooted in his decades-long ties to another organization that supports Colorado’s disabled community: Easter Seals Colorado (“ESC”). “When I was 15, a friend from out-of-state came to visit and my mom insisted that we go volunteer at the Easter Seals camp outside of Empire, Colorado. Those two weeks had a lasting impression on me and changed the life of my friend, Roman Krafczyk, who devoted his whole career to Easter Seals and is now its CEO,” says Michael. He continued to volunteer with ESC through college and was struck by what he saw years later while living in South America. He continues, “When I lived in Bolivia, I saw there was almost no support for people with disabilities. One of the nuns I worked with put on programs once or twice a month and often that was the only time some folks left their house.”
Michael and his family visiting Vatican City this past June.
Upon returning to the U.S., Michael joined the Easter Seals Board of Directors, where he served for ten years. Ultimately, Michael saw that he could better help Easter Seals by serving as its pro bono attorney, so resigned from the Easter Seals Board in the fall of 2023. In recognition of the pro bono support from Michael and his firm, this November, Easter Seals will give Michael its highest award at its annual gala.
Since he lives partly in Breckenridge, Michael has seen BOEC’s great work in both the winter and summer. He decided to look for a way to combine two of his priorities: spending time in Summit County and continuing his assistance for the disabled community. He explains how this happened, “I had a friend who was a prior BOEC Board member who was kind enough to do an introduction and the more I learned about BOEC, the more it seemed like a natural fit.”
Having served on many different Boards, public and private, Michael has seen what works and what doesn’t when it comes to governance. He shares this insight, “Among the keys to a high-functioning board are diversity of perspectives and experience and a culture that encourages dialogue. While consensus is important, an independent board needs to ask tough questions and always look for ways to improve.” As he’s been on the board for just a few months, Michael is still learning, but he’s already leveraging the relationships he has as a former elected official for BOEC’s benefit. “Given its great work, BOEC already has significant local support, but I’d like to look for more grants, state and federal support so BOEC can serve an even broader population,” he explains.
We are so thankful to have the experience and expertise that Michael brings to the board. With new projects and the BOEC’s 50th anniversary on the horizon, we are looking forward to collaborating with him to reach new heights.
