A lifelong Colorado resident raised in Evergreen, Hans Vanags is proud to be a part of the Wooden Hawk board and help ensure and grow the quality of education and opportunities granted to him through the local community and school system. Hans graduated from Evergreen High School in 2016 and took a gap year to work and travel, before continuing his education at Colorado State University in Fort Collins and Western Colorado University in Gunnison; the latter of which he graduated from Magna Cum Laude in 2021 with a bachelor’s in politics and government as well as a minor in Philosophy. He always enjoys learning new skills and has a diverse work history, from cooking and bartending to heavy machinery operation and coaching youth soccer.

An avid music fan and musician himself—thanks to the countless hours spent with his dad playing guitar, listening to CDs and records, and going to concerts —Hans sees no better tool to bring together the community than to build bonds between people of all backgrounds and ages through the Mountain Music Fest and the further work made possible by it. When not filling his time with music, he enjoys a good book or movie, snowboarding, climbing, traveling, rooting for his beloved Denver sports teams, tinkering with musical instruments or devices, and, most of all, spending time at home with his wonderful partner, Liz, and their adopted dogs Carbon and Ruthie