ABOUT JUNIOR EDISON
Who we are
Junior Edison is a student driven incubator based in Salida, Colorado, supporting youth through entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership development.
With mentorship, hands on learning, and strong community partnerships, we bridge the gap between classroom learning and real world application, helping students build skills, launch ideas, and shape the future of Chaffee County.
Junior Edison was started in 2025 by a former Salida high school student Felix Heeter and his mentor through Fred Maxwell’s CMC internship program with the Salida School District. In early 2026, Junior Edison launched its first Design DASH Cohort of 5 students.
Mission
Junior Edison empowers students of all ages in Salida, Colorado, to reach their full potential through STEA²M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Agriculture, and Mathematics) education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.
Vision
Junior Edison is working toward the development of a Youth Innovation Center in Salida, a dedicated space where students can access emerging technologies, build practical skills, and collaborate with mentors and local industry leaders.
Meet Our Staff
Kate Falconer – Program Coordinator
Kate is a geologist with experience in mineral exploration, data management, and 3D subsurface modeling, as well as a background in e-commerce as a UX and QA/QC analyst. Passionate about education and community, she serves on the Salida Montessori Charter School Board. As Program Coordinator for Junior Edison Design DASH, Kate manages day-to-day operations, student engagement, mentor coordination, and community partnerships, while leading logistics and execution for the Big Pitch event.
Jeff Buenrostro
Jeff is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur, having held leadership roles including EVP of Global Transformation at Monks and co-founding Metric Theory, which grew to a $100M valuation without outside funding. He has led global innovation and leadership programs and is passionate about empowering young entrepreneurs. Jeff holds an MBA from Stanford GSB, studied design thinking at the Stanford d.school, and earned a BS from Vanderbilt University.
Jacqueline del Castillo, PhD
Jackie leads the World Health Organization’s global innovation challenge and is a leader in applying human-centered design across healthcare and government. She has worked with organizations including Mayo Clinic and taught design thinking to leaders worldwide. Jackie holds a master’s in Engineering from Stanford (d.school) and a PhD from Imperial College London.
Board of Directors
Molly Gallagher – Chair
Small Business Development Center (SBDC); Entrepreneur based in Salida
Felix Heeter – Secretary
Contributed to Junior Edison’s initial program design as a high school senior alongside a mentor
John Vandewalle – Treasurer
Contributed to Junior Edison’s initial program design with support from a student intern
Dave Armstrong – At-Large
Chaffee County Commissioner; Entrepreneur based in Salida