For many years, Adams State’s Homecoming awards were presented by Lori Laske ’91, ’01. This year, the Alamosa County Commissioner is on the receiving end of the university’s highest honor: the Billy Adams Award. Since 1972, the award has recognized community members who continue the commitment to Adams State epitomized by the university’s founder, Billy Adams.
Laske served her alma mater for almost 30 years, beginning as a clerk in the Talent Search office, then moving through Financial Aid and Admissions, before being named Executive Director of Alumni and Donor Relations in 2003. In 2021, Laske was elected Alamosa County Commissioner for District 1.
She will receive the award at the 2025 Alumni Homecoming Awards Ceremony, Friday, October 3, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in Vistas Grill (2nd floor Rex Stadium.) A reception will follow from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Marvel House, 2nd St. and Richardson Ave. Tickets are no charge, but please RSVP by calling 719-587-8110, or ulcisneros@adams.edu.
“Lori Laske has devoted most of her professional life to Adams State. And then when we really needed her, she stepped back in and helped Adams State at a critical time in the fall of 2023,” Adams State President David Tandberg, Ph.D., said. “This is something I will never forget. All who know Lori know that she is deeply committed to her alma mater; she is a true Grizzly Green.”
Now in her second term as County Commissioner, Laske brings the leadership she exhibited at Adams State to serve the larger community. “I wanted to be more engaged every day in the community. I just love our community. It’s full of genuine people who have grit, resilience, and compassion. I could not have done any of this without the amazing people I went to school with, and that I worked with at ASU and in the county, and my family.”
She developed skills at Adams State that translate to her duties as commissioner. “Adams State taught me to work in an environment that’s always changing, in terms of funding concerns and constituent need. You need to be adaptable. I learned to listen better and deeper. It taught me how to work with a wide diversity of people – faculty, students, alumni.
“I really sat and thought about what it means to get the Billy Adams Award – his goals, motivations. I believe in the opportunity he provided. Without Adams State, I probably wouldn’t have gone to college. I can also relate to his frustration in representing a rural area within the metro world. As a county commissioner, I’m struggling with that divide, just as he did.”
As one of three commissioners for Alamosa County, Laske is responsible for allocation of the $56 million budget, policy, and oversight of supervisory staff. She chaired the commission from 2023-24, a duty that alternates among the commissioners. Laske is proud of the county’s many accomplishments and is particularly excited about two efforts she spearheaded that positively impact the entire valley.
As chair of Colorado’s Region 18 Opioid Abatement Council, Laske worked with Colorado’s Attorney General Wieser to secure $5.9 million of pharmaceutical company settlement funds for the San Luis Valley. This created a specific region for the SLV. The council is using the funds to support such initiatives as residential treatment, recovery housing, prevention, and supporting the peer professional workforce. The funds will be disbursed over 16 years (2022-2038).
“The San Luis Valley was one the hardest-hit areas of the state for opioid addiction. In 2020-21, there were 22 drug-related deaths in Alamosa County alone. Last year there were only four,” Laske noted. “Our programs are now considered a model for rural areas. It’s so exciting. We are making changes, and they’re working. We are getting stuff done.”
This year, the Colorado Solar & Storage Association recognized Laske as the 2025 Champion of the Year. Her efforts resulted in Alamosa County receiving one of only 20 federal grants to study upgrading a rural electric transmission line.
Laske is also a member of Rural Caucus for National Association of Counties, the state Property Tax Commission, the Colorado Child Fatality Review Board, and the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council. She represented 15 southern counties as chair of the Southern District of Colorado Counties, Inc., for three terms. Laske was recently appointed to the Colorado Independent Ethics Commission as the only representative of the state’s county commissioners.
Laske also belongs to the General Federation of Women Citizenship Club and is a past member of Optimist Club International, which named her Outstanding Member of the Year in 2005.
As Adams State’s Executive Director of Alumni and Donor Relations, Laske shared her zeal for Adams State and built lasting relationships with alumni, coworkers, and community members. She collaborated with the Adams State University Foundation to raise more than $14 million and to establish 79 scholarships. She was a Certified Fundraising Executive from 2013-2021.
In addition, Laske and her family operate Wilderness Adventures, Inc., which offers horseback trail rides and other guided outdoor activities.
Laske earned a B.S. in business administration in 1991, followed by an M.A. in education in 2001. She is very proud of her alma mater and the success of all its alumni.
