ALAMOSA — For the second time since she declared her candidacy to be the Republican nominee taking on Governor Polis, Heidi Ganahl came to Alamosa. The first time, Ganahl’s intention was to introduce herself to the locals. This time, she was here, along with her nine-year-old, to attend the Alamosa GOP Christmas party.

“I really like the people in the San Luis Valley,” she says. “They really stick together and work for solutions.”

It was a brief conversation as, according to Lexi Swearingen, Ganahl’s communication director, Ganahl had “a ton of appointments.” But the dialogue was long enough to get a glimpse into who Ganahl is and what she sees as the priorities for the valley and the state.

Heidi Ganahl, 55, was born in Orange County and moved to Monument at the age of twelve, a decision made by her father, a “reserve police officer”, who “didn’t like the direction California was going” at the time.

In 2017, Ganahl assumed her role as a member at large on the Board of Regents for the University of Colorado, a position she won in the general election of 2016 with a term that expires in 2023. Ganahl is an entrepreneur who garnered both fame and fortune as the founder and former owner of Camp Bow Wow, a highly successful “doggy daycare” and pet care franchise with locations across the United States and Canada. Ganahl also launched its sister charity – Bow Wow Buddies – which has allegedly rehomed more than 10,000 pups and, through the Bow Wow franchises, raised over a million dollars for animal health causes.

Entrepreneurialism is clearly in Ganahl’s blood. Along with her daughter, she also built a company named SheFactor, a digital and live community whose goal is to empower young women to pursue “a life they love.”

Ganahl also founded “Moms Fight Back”, a charity created to help mothers deal with issues such as teen suicide, sexual assault and domestic violence. “Moms Fight Back” was followed by the creation of “Fight Back Foundation” which focuses on encouraging entrepreneurs to start businesses focused on solving tough issues among children.

When asked specifically about the role of private business in addressing youth issues, Ganahl states, “I think everybody should be involved in the problems facing our kids – moms, businesses, government, everybody should be shouting from the rooftops that we have a serious problem with our kids. We’ve got to address this issue – and not just for kids. Mental health is very big for me.” She states she’s working on “a five-point plan” that will be released in the near future.