Steering Committee Bios

Dr. Brenda J. Allen retired in April 2019 as the Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Colorado Denver and the Anschutz Medical Campus. Brenda is renowned for scholarship, teaching, service, mentorship, and training related to organizational communication, diversity, leadership, education, and power. Among her numerous publications is a groundbreaking book entitled Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity. She is working on the third edition. In 2020, she launched a global online course entitled Inclusive Leadership: The Power of Workplace Diversity that is receiving international acclaim. As an independent consultant, she offers highly-rated workshops, facilitations, keynote speeches, and coaching on a variety of diversity, equity, inclusion, and leadership topics. Brenda has received numerous awards and accolades. Among those, she is particularly honored that, upon her retirement, her colleagues at CU Denver established a diversity and inclusion scholarship and a leadership award in her name.

Christine Benero is President and Chief Executive Officer of Mile High United Way, the first United Way in the country. Christine is the former CEO of the American Red Cross Mile High Chapter, in Denver, Colorado. Prior to joining the American Red Cross, Christine was the Director of the Office of Public Liaison for the Corporation for National and Community Service in Washington, DC. She served in two Presidential administrations working for both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Christine has served as Vice President of the National Civic League, and as a Community Affairs Corporate Program Officer for Target Stores in Minneapolis, MN. Christine serves on the Boards of HealthONE, National Domestic Violence Hotline, Community Wealth Partners, Denver Public Schools Foundation and EPIC. In 2015, Christine was asked to serve as co-chair on the Denver Public Schools Community Planning Advisory Committee by Superintendent Tom Boasberg. She was appointed by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock to the Denver Education Compact Board and currently sits on the National Professional Council for United Way Worldwide. Christine was named the 9News Leader of the Year in 2007 and in 2009 received the Community Leader Award by Goodwill Industries and was named by both the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post as one of “Nine to Watch in 2009.” In 2010 she was named a “Woman of Distinction” by the Girl Scouts of Colorado and in 2011 received the “Las Madrinas” award from Centro San Juan Diego. In 2012, Christine was honored nationally by Girl Scouts of America as one of “One Hundred Distinguished Alumni” in honor of Girl Scouts 100th birthday. In 2013, she was named one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in Denver by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and presented with the Urban League’s “McKinley Harris Distinguished Warrior” award and in 2014 she was a finalist for CEO of the Year by ColoradoBiz magazine. In 2016 Christine was named one of the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business and in 2017 received the Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medal for Public and Community Service by Governor John Hickenlooper. Most recently, Christine received the 2018 Community Champion Award from Colorado Youth for a Change. Christine is a past President of the Association of Junior Leagues International, a past chairman of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Coalition for America’s Children and the Kiwanis International’s Young Children: Priority One Advisory Board. She was a delegate both to the Presidents’ Summit for America’s Future in 1997 and to the NGO Forum at the UN Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Boston University, a Masters in Education from Harvard University, Graduate School of Education and was selected as a 2007 Gates Fellow for the Senior Executive Program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.

Bruce Benson is a successful businessman who has also dedicated himself to education and civic activities throughout his life. He founded his company, Benson Mineral Group, in 1965 after earning his geology degree from the University of Colorado (CU). Benson has been involved in K-12 education since his children began school. He chaired the Denver Public Schools Foundation Board from 2002-08, revitalizing the board and increasing fundraising to $10 million annually. He was a member of A+ Denver, Finance Chair of DPS Bond Issues. He served on the board of Colorado Academy and chaired the board of Berkshire School in Massachusetts for 10 years. Benson served as president of the University of Colorado from 2008-19. During his tenure, the university set multiple annual records in enrollment, graduation rates, fundraising and research funding. He was the inspiration for the Bruce Benson Center for Western Civilization at CU Boulder, which fosters balanced discussion and debate. Additionally, he chaired the boards of several educational organizations and initiatives, including the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Metropolitan State University Board of Trustees, the Auraria Foundation, Colorado’s P-20 Education Coordinating Council (co-chair), the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel for Higher Education, and Smith College. His civic involvement includes serving on the boards of the Boy Scouts, Denver Zoo, Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Safe City Foundation, and National Endowment for the Humanities. Benson’s many awards include induction into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame and being named Citizen of the West with his wife Marcy.

Elaine Gantz Berman has dedicated her professional work and community service to improving the lives of Colorado’s youth primarily through public education; both preK-12 and higher education. She served on the MSU Denver Board of Trustees; was elected as the Congressional District 1 representative on the Colorado State Board of Education; and served two terms on the Denver Board of Education, four years as its president. Governor Polis, when first elected Governor, named Elaine as co-chair of his education transition committee. Before serving in elected office, Elaine worked for 18 years as a program officer at the Denver-based Piton Foundation- now called Gary Community Ventures. She has served on numerous not-for-profit boards and commissions and helped to found the Colorado Children’s Campaign, the Adoption Exchange, the Colorado Education Initiative, the Colorado Non-Profit Development and the Hart Center for Public Service at MSU Denver. She currently is the founding co-chair of the Colorado Trustee Network. Her commitment to public service was influenced by her late Cuban-born mother, as well as 2 years in Cali, Colombia, where she and her husband worked in community health centers. She holds an MSPH from the School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Elaine has two sons and two grandchildren.

Clarence Burton Jr. joined Denver Families in November 2021 and serves as the organization’s Chief Executive Officer. As a first generation high school and college graduate, Clarence is passionate about protecting and expanding access to high-quality public school options, especially in underserved communities. Prior to leading Denver Families, Clarence gained considerable experience developing teams, building strategic coalitions, and activating grassroots constituencies. He has worked on several local and statewide political campaigns in Colorado. In addition to his experience in politics and policy, Clarence previously served as the State Director in Colorado for Older Adults Technology Services and as an Americorps member with City Year Denver. Clarence graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in political science. He lives in Denver with his wife, Clara.

Ryan owns and operates Coffee at The Point, a 12-year-old, 3K sq ft coffee & wine lounge in the Five Points, Denver, Colorado area.  Ryan is also the program director of the Energize Colorado Gap Fund.  Other civic engagement includes being a member of several non-profit Board of Directors, State and City appointed commissions, and community involvement.

Ryan has a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems/Management Science and a Master's degree in Business Administration.  Ryan has successfully played the roles of personnel benefits manager, business operations manager, human resources manager, and IT manager focusing on internal/external customer relationships and bottom-line profitability.

Ryan is the Chair of the Five Points Business Improvement Board of Directors and Chair of the Board of Directors for the Colorado Children's Campaign.  The Mayor of Denver recently appointed Ryan to serve on the Denver Urban Renewal Authority (DURA) Commission.  The Governor of Colorado appointed Ryan to serve on the 2nd Judicial District Judicial Nominating Commission.

Previous Board work includes being a member of the Community Professionals Board of Heart & Hand, the Board of Directors at The Civic Canopy, Vice-Chair of the Five Points Business Office Board of Directors, founding board member and Vice-Chair of Vega Collegiate Charter School, Board of Trustees of St. Elizabeth’s School, and Board member of DRI Goods.

Ryan recently spent 20 years as a High School boys' basketball coach in Colorado.  Ryan's knowledge, leadership, and strategic ability allowed him to coach at some of the top 5A schools in Colorado; providing a unique opportunity for players to achieve high athletic honors, high academic standards, and servant leadership through volunteer and service trips.

Senator James Coleman (Co-Chair) has served in Colorado’s state legislature since 2016. After serving 2 terms as the State Representative of House District 7, he went on to win his election to the Senate District 33 seat in November 2020. James currently serves as Chair of the Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, Vice-Chair of the Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee, and Vice-Chair of the Legislative Oversight Committee Concerning Colorado Jail Standards. He also serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Legislative Council Committee, and the Colorado Youth Advisory Council Committee. James understands the importance of our schools, especially as a means to finding positive ways to engage youth and guiding them towards postsecondary options. His bills strive to improve public education for every student in Colorado. When not in the Capitol, James serves as Executive Director of FaithBridge Colorado, a local nonprofit mobilizing faith communities to improve K-12 education in the State of Colorado. He also serves as CEO of Black Capital Foundation, a business that raises, invests, stewards, and expands capital into Black-owned businesses in Colorado. His passion for faith-based community service began when he was licensed and ordained as a minister at the age of 13, and began preaching in churches and communities across the Metro Denver area. James served on the Board of Directors for Highline Academy and as a member of the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce, INROADS, and the Urban League of Metro Denver Young Professionals. James Coleman was born in Denver, Colorado and earned a B.A. in psychology from Oral Roberts University. He is married and the proud father of twins.

Patrick Donovan joined RootED in February 2019 and is the Managing Partner. In this capacity, he leads autonomous school investments and operations. Prior to RootED, Pat held a variety of executive leadership roles spanning 30 years. Most recently, he was part of the executive leadership team at Revolution Foods where he managed national school/community partnerships within existing and expansion markets across the United States. Before joining Revolution Foods he was a vice president with Aon-Hewitt, the world’s largest human capital consulting firm, and vice president at Vail Resorts, where he oversaw operations for guest services, finance, marketing, sales, retail, food and beverage and human capital for the national club division. Pat is on the board of Colorado League of Charter Schools, Colorado Succeeds, KIPP Colorado and Rocky Mountain Prep and was formerly on the board of Catapult School Leadership. He served as a member of the Eagle County School District Board and of the Finance Committee of The GrowHaus. Pat is a graduate of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado, from which he also received a graduate degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. He and his wife have three children, all of whom graduated from DPS.

Dr. Nate Easley founded and runs the consulting firm Easley Found Solutions, LLC, where he applies 30 years of experience in education leadership to providing strategic advice to nonprofits, college access and success organizations, foundations, and school districts. Nate served as the Founding Chief Executive Officer of RootED, a public charity focused on increasing the availability of high-quality public schools in Denver through leveraged investments in educator/leader talent, high performing schools, and a supportive policy environment. Prior to RootED, he served as CEO of the Denver Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit focused on inspiring and empowering Denver Public School (DPS) students to achieve their postsecondary education goals by providing the tools, knowledge and financial resources essential for success. As an elected official, Nate served as President and Secretary of the DPS Board of Education. Prior to returning to Denver where he currently resides, he worked as Vice President for National and International Programs for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE) in Washington, D.C., which works to expand opportunities in post-secondary education for low-income and disabled youth and adults. In addition to serving on the CSU System Board of Governors, he is a current member of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s Education Compact, Board President of the National College Attainment Network, Board Member of the Colorado Education Initiative Board, and a Board Member for School Board Partners. His masters and doctorate focused on how higher education can better support the academic success and college completion of Black and Latino/a students.

Dr. Federico is the Director of General Pediatrics and School and Community Programs at Denver Health and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Arizona. He completed his training in Pediatrics and a Primary Care Research Fellowship at the University of Colorado and a Physician Advocacy Fellowship through the Institute for Medicine as a Profession. He has presented and published in the areas of serving underserved children, school-based health, health literacy, improving child health coverage, physician advocacy and health policy.

His passion for improved and equitable child health is fueled by his ongoing experiences as a clinician. He is a primary care physician in a community health center, school-based clinics and as an inpatient attending. In his role as medical director, he oversees 3 community health centers and 19 school-based clinics that provide comprehensive physical and mental health to 70,000 children a year. These clinics also assist eligible families obtain Medicaid and other coverage plans. Additionally, the School and Community Programs division provides dental sealants and screenings for second graders and coordinates health services for children in Head-Start, and oversees several maternal child health programs such as Nurse Family Partnership, WIC, and Medicaid outreach.

His advocacy work has focused on eliminating the barriers to adequate health coverage and healthcare faced by children and families in Colorado. Amid the COVID pandemic he worked closely to advise Denver Public Schools on policies to mitigate risks of infection and efforts to maximize in person learning. He is a past President of the Colorado Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He has served as a board member to Girls Inc of Metro Denver, Clayton Early Learning Center, Colorado Association of School Based Health Centers and the Colorado Children’s Campaign. He has been appointed to various child health task force groups by Governors and Lt. Governors of Colorado and the Mayor’s Children’s Cabinet for the city and county of Denver.

Noel Ginsburg is an entrepreneur and nonprofit leader who has long been committed to serving his community.

In 1980, while still in his senior year at the University of Denver, Ginsburg founded and ran Intertech Plastics, a custom plastics business that manufactures products for the consumer, industrial, and medical device markets. In 2022 he sold the company to focus on his nonprofit work.

In 2016, Ginsburg created CareerWise Colorado to build opportunities for students and businesses across the state by developing an innovative,

sustainable youth apprenticeship program. The program brings together public and private stakeholders to ensure students have access to the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in modern career paths, and that businesses can develop a pipeline of diverse and talented employees. CareerWise has since expanded across the country to New York City, Washington, D.C., Indiana, Buffalo and Michigan.

Ginsburg was appointed to the Secretary of Labor’s Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship in 2021, on which he serves as the employer co-chair. And, alongside one of CareerWise’s apprentices, Ginsburg testified in front of the Senate HELP Committee about the value and promise of youth apprenticeship in September 2021.

Ginsburg was also a founding board member and former president of the Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation, through which he sponsored 42 students for ten years, turning a neighborhood with a dropout rate of 90 percent into a neighborhood in which over 90 percent of students graduated high school. In 2017, Ginsburg ran for Governor in the State of Colorado, giving him a unique perspective of issues ranging from education and workforce to healthcare. He cites the 18 months on the campaign trail as one of the best experiences of his life.

Raymond H. Gonzales is President of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. He has over twenty-five years of experience encompassing nearly every level of government administration. After starting his career with the U.S. Peace Corps, his roles spanned increasing responsibility from New Mexico’s Deputy Cabinet Secretary under the leadership of Governor Bill Richardson to County Manager for Adams County, Colorado, the 5th largest county, serving over 500,000 residents, and the number one job growth county in the US in 2019. Although he found great success fortifying these agencies, his heart was in Economic Development. Following his passion, Raymond oversees the Metro Denver EDC in its work to unite more than seventy cities, counties, and economic development agencies in the ten-county Metro Denver region to promote economic prosperity and serve as the region’s “business brand manager.” Raymond continuously strives for organizational improvement and his passion for workplace culture where he empowers employees and their personal impact, influence, and inspiration regardless of title or designation. Raymond continuously strives for the premier delivery of art and cultural opportunities to accentuate the culture of an ever-increasing innovative and inclusive region. In addition to his challenging role leading Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, Raymond serves as the Vice President of the Mountain Plains region of the International City/County Manager’s Association Executive Board, as the President of the Local Government Hispanic Network Board of Directors, as a board member of the Colorado Workforce Development Council, as a Commissioner on the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Committee and as the Vice-Chair of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District.

Alexis Menocal Harrigan’s public service career has spanned local, state, and national government. She has advised governors, members of Congress, and other key policymakers in policy and politics. She served as the Education Policy Advisor to former Governor John Hickenlooper and was a Constituent Advocate to U.S. Senator Michael Bennet where she worked in the areas of education, immigration, and Latino community engagement. She was the Senior Political Advisor on Governor Jared Polis’ 2022 re-election campaign.

Alexis believes in the transformational power of high-quality education and has spent most of her career focused on how to improve educational experiences and outcomes for students. She served in public affairs roles for Denver Public Schools and has spent the last six years working for national education nonprofits.

She is a first-generation Mexican-American raised in Denver and Adams County. She is a recipient of the Daniels Fund Scholarship, is a graduate of the University of Denver, and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver.

Beyond EDUCATE Denver, Alexis' other passion projects are serving as the Vice-Chair of the Mi Casa Resource Center and being a monthly op-ed columnist for Boardhawk where she writes about policy, leadership, choice, and governance.

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent is President and CEO of Rose Community Foundation, which strives to advance inclusive, engaged and equitable Greater Denver communities through values-driven philanthropy across a wide range of issues, including education. Lindy previously served as executive director of the Civic Center Conservancy, developing and leading the organization’s nationally recognized public-private-nonprofit partnerships to revitalize downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park. Before that, Lindy served as communications director and senior advisor for then-Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, an era marked by numerous collaborations between the City and County of Denver and Denver Public Schools. Named one of Girl Scouts of Colorado’s 2022 “Women of Distinction,” a 2017 Denver Business Journal “Thought Leader,” one of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s “Top 25 Most Powerful Women” of 2016, and a 2017 Impact Award recipient from the Downtown Denver Partnership, Lindy currently serves on the Lowry Redevelopment Authority Board of Directors, the Prosper Colorado Leadership Council and the City and County of Denver’s Stimulus Investment Advisory Committee. A member of Philanthropy Colorado and the International Women’s Forum’s Colorado chapter, Lent previously served on the 2020 Leadership Committee for the Governor’s statewide COVID Relief Fund, the Colorado Media Project executive committee, the City and County of Denver’s 2011-12 Structural Financial Task Force, the Denver Preschool Program Board of Advisors, and the boards of the Golden Triangle Creative District, CU Cancer Center Fund and American Jewish Committee/Colorado Chapter. Lindy received her bachelor’s degree in political science with honors from Stanford University and her master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. She and her husband have two children.

Adriana Lopez is director of marketing and communications at Denver Human Services. With more than a decade of experience in government, nonprofits and education, Adriana has committed her career to making Denver more inclusive for students, families and community members. Adriana earned her master's degree in International and Intercultural Communication from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, and the Media, Film and Journalism School at University of Denver (DU). Prior to graduate school, Adriana received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Technical Communication, and a certificate in Women’s Studies, from Colorado State University. A fourth-generation native of Denver, Adriana is a graduate of DU’s Latino Leadership Institute, former mentor at Denver Kids, executive committee board member at Museo de las Americas, president of Valverde Neighborhood Association and fellow at Denver Families.

As the Senior Director of Policy, Partnerships, & Learning, Dr. Janet Lopez seeks to deepen relationships with nonprofit leaders, donors, and policymakers throughout metro Denver to increase The Denver Foundation’s impact on critical needs and solutions to those needs. Her career has focused on increasing access and opportunity for communities of color. Dr. Lopez received a bachelor’s degree from Southwestern University, a master’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder, and a Ph.D. in Education from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her community involvement has included serving as a board member on many local and national boards. She is a German Marshall Fund Marshall Memorial Fellow and a National Hispanic Institute Gen X Women of Distinction.

Landon is an educator, writer, and democracy builder. As cofounder of the Open Systems Institute, he partners with leaders around the country to encourage an emerging discipline for openers everywhere. He is the current elected chair of the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges & Occupational Education, appointed by Colorado Governor Jared Polis. He also serves as chair of the Reisher Scholars Program, supporting students across the state to achieve their higher education goals. His new book, The Open System: Redesigning Education & Reigniting Democracy was released by Harvard Education Press this June.

He is senior partner at the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) where he is responsible for community-driven economic development through breakthrough partnerships in the Homegrown Talent Initiative, working in sixty rural districts across eight regions of the state. In his previous role at CEI he helped assemble the Sin Fronteras Education Partnership, a coalition of local, regional, and national organizations co-creating family partnership strategies for New Mexico communities, and he supported the launch of Colorado’s Statewide Family Engagement Center.

During the first six months of the COVID crisis, Landon worked with community organizations to deploy the Denver Metro Emergency Food Network, which delivered over 320 thousand free meals to families and elderly people in need. At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he worked with friends and partners to help launch Palaces for People to house refugees.

He has previously led partnerships at A+ Colorado, served as a leader in the family engagement department in Denver Public Schools, co-designed the launch of the NACA Inspired Schools Network (a network of indigenous serving schools), led Teach For America–New Mexico, and taught first grade on the Navajo Nation. In 2015 he completed his doctorate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education with a focus on boundary-spanning leadership.

Landon was born in California, raised in Colorado, attended college in Oregon, and began his professional career in New Mexico—leading him to consider the western United States his home. He lives in Denver, Colorado, with his wife and enjoys traveling, learning about ancient history, and developing his meditation practice.

Dr. Aaron Massey currently serves as a Columnist for Boardhawk and a Managing Director of Leadership Development for Teach For America. In this role, he provides executive-level coaching to 40+ new teachers across the Denver metropolitan area. Previously, he coached principals across the State of Colorado while working to pass legislation for youth involved with the justice system, worked as a high school principal in Denver, Colorado, served as the founding principal of an arts-integrated elementary school in St. Louis, MO as well as a middle school in Baton Rouge, LA, and has extensive experience in community organizing. Originally from East St. Louis, IL, Aaron is passionate about transforming communities into thriving and sustaining urban ecosystems. He received his undergraduate degree in Sociology from Illinois Wesleyan University, his Master’s in Urban Education Policy from Brown University, and his doctorate from Vanderbilt University in Education Leadership and Policy.

Dr. Thomas Mayes is a Certified Facilitator with the Strong African American Family organization. He is a Certified John Maxwell Leadership speaker, coach, mentor and trainer throughout the United States and South Africa. Thomas is a charter member and community liaison for the Key Community Response Team of Aurora. He is a former board member of the Juvenile Assessment Center and serves on the Aurora Police Victims Witness Advisory Board. Thomas also serves on the Aurora Police Incident Review Board and Congressman Ed Perlmutter’s African American advisory Board. He served on the Board of Directors for the Aspen Christian College of Aurora 2010 to 2013 and founded E.S.C.A.P.E. (Everyone Sharing Child Abuse Prevention Education). Thomas was community liaison for the City of Aurora during the (alleged) profiling and racial unrest at the Aurora Mall. He is the recipient of awards including Clergy of the Year and Volunteer of the Year. He authored the book “The Brilliance of Ignorance” and partnered with former Aurora Police Chiefs Bennett, Oates and Metz to create over two dozen community forums mediating controversies and perceived racial bias in cases of controversial police shootings. He was liaison for the Aurora Police Department following the Century 16 theater shooting of 2012 and mediated negotiations between protesters and city officials/police during picketing in Aurora after the Ferguson and Baton Rouge shootings. Thomas is a Denver native, a Vietnam Veteran, husband, father of four adult children and grandfather of eight grandchildren.

Josh Miller is a political consultant with Webb Group. In that capacity, Josh focuses on issues at the Colorado State Legislature and on ballot proposals. Josh has worked in U.S. congressional and state legislative offices since 2009 and helped to run a successful mayoral campaign in Denver. After graduating from the University of Vermont with a degree in political science and history, he moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as an intern in Senator Bernie Sanders' office and for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He was then hired to be Congresswoman Gabby Gifford's scheduler. Returning to his hometown of Denver, he worked on the successful mayoral campaign of Michael Hancock in 2011 and joined Colorado Senator Joyce Foster's staff as an aide. In 2012, Congresswoman Diana DeGette hired him as her political director. His community board involvement includes an at-large member for the Jewish Community Relations Council, Denver Commission on Human Rights and Community Partnerships, and board member of Planned Parenthood of the Rockies. Josh is a fifth-generation Coloradan who was born and raised in southeast Denver.

Leslie Mitchell retired June 2010 after 26 years with FirstBank Holding Company. At the time of her retirement, she was the president of FirstBank of Cherry Creek. Leslie currently serves on the Audit Committee for the City of Denver. Past community service includes serving on the boards of AAA Colorado, Emily Griffith Foundation, Denver Public Schools Foundation, Public Education and Business Coalition, State Board of Real Estate Appraisers, State Board of Mortgage Loan Originators, Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District, and Saint Joseph's Hospital Foundation.

Leslie graduated from the University of Colorado – Boulder with a B.S, Business Administration and from the University of Colorado – Denver with a Master of Business Administration, emphasis in Finance. She also received a Graduate Degree in Banking from the University of Wisconsin.

She has been named a Girl Scout Women of Distinction, as well as a twice nominated for Colorado Outstanding Women in Business.

Barbara O’Brien recently completed eight years on the Denver School Board (2013-2021) where she led the development of the Denver Early Literacy Plan, worked to expand funding for social and emotional supports for students, and fought for charter and innovation schools in the district. While on the school board, she served as Sr. Policy Advisor for the national Campaign for Grade Level Reading. Barbara served as Lieutenant Governor of Colorado (2007-2011) and president of the Colorado Children’sCampaign (1990-2006). She was also co-chair of a Colorado ballot initiative to increase taxes on tobacco products and dedicate the funds to health care services and was speechwriter for Governor Richard D. Lamm. Throughout her career, she has made the education and health of Colorado children her priority, especially children most at risk.

The Honorable Federico F. Peña is currently a Senior Advisor at the Colorado Impact Fund, which invests in companies having a positive impact in community health, natural resources conservation, education, and workforce and economic development in Colorado. Over the past several decades, Peña has practiced law, served in the Colorado State House of Representatives, served as Mayor of the City and County of Denver, founded an investment advisory firm, and served in two cabinet positions in the Clinton Administration as Secretary of the Department of Energy and Secretary of the Department of Transportation. He is a former Managing Director of Vestar Capital Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in New York City. Peña has four children, and he and his wife Cindy live in Denver. He has served on the boards of several public companies and non-profit associations. Peña was a National Co-Chair of Obama for America 2012. He held the same role in 2008 and was a national board member of the Obama-Biden Transition.

Theresa Peña has an extensive career in the public and private sector. She retired in October 2021 from Denver Public Schools where she was the regional coordinator of outreach and engagement for the Food and Nutrition Services team. Prior to joining DPS Theresa worked with Hunger Free Colorado, the Colorado Children’s Campaign and the City of Denver. Theresa was elected to the Denver Public School Board of Education as an at-large representative in November 2003 and was reelected in November 2007 for a second four-year term. Before serving on the DPS Board, Theresa worked for IBM and US WEST where she had a successful career in marketing, human resources, operations and finance. Theresa is a Denver native. She is a graduate of Pomona College where she received a BA in sociology and Cornell University where she received her MBA with a concentration in finance and marketing. Theresa has two children, both graduates of Denver Public Schools, and her husband is a veterinary ophthalmologist. Currently Theresa is the vice-chair of Prosperity Denver Fund and a board member of UC Health. She is a former board member of the Denver Scholarship Foundation, the Public Education Business Coalition, the Denver Preschool Program, the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado, the Mayor’s Latino Advisory Council, the Colorado Community College System and A+ Colorado.

Dr. Lydia Prado is the Executive Director of Lifespan Local, which activates community-driven solutions to collectively identified challenges by partnering across sectors, breaking barriers and elevating community voices. By maximizing sustainable assets within a neighborhood, Lifespan Local is able to reimagine what is possible, creating community spaces where health and wellness thrive. Lydia approaches her work from a systems and strengths-based perspective, with an emphasis on diversity, equity and community-based leadership. She is a place-maker, convening partners with a shared commitment to healthy living and social change. Before starting Lifespan Local, Lydia spent 17 years with the Mental Health Center of Denver as the Vice President of Child & Family Services. She is the project visionary behind the Mental Health Center of Denver’s Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being, an innovative community center in Northeast Park Hill that promotes well-being across the lifespan.

Rosemary Rodriguez (Co-Chair) Because much of my government career involved working on issues of voter access and voter rights, it became apparent that education has a huge part to play in preparing our community to become literate, participatory voters. My first volunteer experiences were in using Montessori methods to tutor young learners, and several years of teaching English as a Second Language for the Adult Learning Source. Eventually I took my passion for learning to Southwest Denver voters and was elected to the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, where I served from 2013-2017. Sadly, downsizing led me to a smaller house, outside of the district I had represented. The upside of that was the fact that Voters came to know Angela Cobian, who succeeded me on the board. I am enthusiastic about the possibility of community leaders working together that EDUCATE Denver presents.

Anne Bye Rowe is the Co-Owner & Principal of La Vie & Company. A Colorado native, Anne is an entrepreneur and former elected official who has spent nearly four decades advocating on behalf of children. Anne served on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education from 2011 to 2019 and was the President of the board from 2015-2019. She has been a board member of the Denver Public Schools Foundation, Public Education Business Coalition (PEBC), A+Denver, the Colorado Children’s Campaign, the Children’s Museum of Denver, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains and Girls Incorporated. Her business career started in 1986 as an associate with the Wallach Company and since then, Anne has helped launch and lead two small businesses, RP Publishing in 1992, and La Vie & Company in 2001. Anne is a graduate of Stanford University and has an MBA from the University of Denver.

Joe joined Colorado UpLift in November 2017. He is a recognized expert in character leadership development, a retired Air Force Colonel and former Permanent Professor/Director of the Center for Character and Leadership Development, United States Air Force Academy. During this time, he profoundly influenced the moral and ethical growth of over 13,000 cadets and staff, while supervising over 960,000 hours of character and leadership education, experiences, and training. Joe earned his PhD in Leadership and Human Resource Development from Colorado State University in 2003. He has authored and published several articles and book chapters on topics ranging from transformational leadership and servant leadership to organizational spirituality and moral development. In addition, Joe has delivered thousands of lectures and workshops on these topics to a variety of audiences. He is the founder of Touchstone Leadership Academy and has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and as Director for Leadership Development at All American Leadership. As CEO of Colorado UpLift, Joe is pioneering novel approaches and innovative strategies to transform communities and develop future generations of leaders. Joe has served his community and nation in multiple capacities. However, Joe’s most significant contribution to society is his family. He and his wife, Lourdes, are blessed to be the parents of Isaiah, Jasmine, and Josiah.

Denver City Council President Amanda P. Sandoval has proudly served District 1, Northwest Denver, on the City Council since her election in 2019. Born and raised in Denver's Northside, she comes from a family deeply rooted in local politics, which has profoundly shaped her work as a councilwoman. Her father, the late State Senator Paul Sandoval, instilled in her the values of public service through his work as a public servant and as the owner of the beloved restaurant La Casita. Her mother, Mary Helen Sandoval, who led several non-profits and was a prominent advocate for social justice, inspired Amanda's commitment to equity, inclusion, and the importance of community engagement in her work. Together, their legacies guide Amanda's leadership, driving her dedication to serving and uplifting the diverse communities of Northwest Denver.

Prior to her role on the City Council, Councilwoman Sandoval gained valuable experience as a Council Aide to two former Denver City Councilmembers. Her profound commitment to the Northside and public service is reflected in over a decade of dedicated community involvement. Among her many achievements, she has championed the renaming of La Raza Park, facilitated the rezoning of more than 70% of the Northwest Denver, became the first woman to Chair Denver's redistricting process, secured a resounding re-election victory in 2023, and led the successful designation of La Raza Park as Denver’s third Cultural Historic District.

Councilwoman Sandoval remains steadfast in her dedication to land use, small business development, and the preservation of Northwest Denver's rich history and culture. Her vision is to honor the legacy of past generations while fostering a thriving environment for future generations.

Ana is a Senior Program Officer at the Gates Family Foundation. For over 20 years, Ana has been a champion for youth and family voice to be included in decisions that directly impact their lives, especially as it pertains to the creation and implementation of programs and policy. At GFF, her primary focus is to engage with communities in Colorado’s rural and urban areas to increase equity and achievement for low-income students. Ana brings more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit and government arenas, including work with Denver Partners, Urban Peak, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office Juvenile Diversion program. She has held director-level roles at The Civic Canopy and the Denver District Attorney’s Office-Victim Services Network, and brings experience working with complex projects in education, health and community building in a variety of cultures and contexts. She is bilingual in Spanish and English.

Jeanne Saunders is Chair of the Denver Public Schools Foundation. She has been in the financial services industry since 1982. She began as a bond trader at Boetcher & Company, moved to financial planning with an independent RIA and also with Merrill Lynch. Jeanne was a portfolio manager with First Western Trust for many years. Currently, Jeanne is consulting as an Objective Financial Advocate for many families and individuals. Jeanne serves on or has served on several non-profit boards including the Denver Public Schools Foundation, the Institute for Children’s Mental Disorders and the Children’s Hospital Foundation Philanthropy Committee. She enjoys giving back to her community. She graduated with a B.S. from Colorado State University, is married to Dick Saunders, and has two grown daughters and one 6 month old grandson.

Mary Seawell is the Founder and CEO of Lyra Colorado. She leads work on education initiatives, particularly in the areas of innovations in governance and delivery of public education services, rural school innovation, public policy and strategies for expanding the pipeline of excellent school leaders and teachers. Mary has served previously as the Executive Director of the Sturm Family Foundation and the Judith Ann Griese Foundation. She has also served as a Director and member of the Grantmaking Committee for the Charles T. Beaird Foundation, and a board member and Chair of the Grantmaking Committee for the Chinook Fund. From 1993 to 2003, Mary worked in various capacities at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Denver District Attorney’s Office. She also worked for Get Smart Schools developing an MBA program at the University of Denver for autonomous school leaders. Mary has served on numerous community boards including the Odyssey School, the Denver Language School, The Lab at Belmar, Bluff Lake Nature Center and Rape Assistance and Awareness Program. Mary was elected to the Denver Public Schools Board of Education in 2009 and served as its President from 2011-2013. She is a graduate of American University (Print Journalism and Philosophy) and has a law degree from the University of Denver College of Law. She also studied Literature at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England.

George Sparks has been the President/CEO of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science since November 2004. He spent 24 years in the electronics measurement business at Hewlett-Packard and Agilent Technologies. His career included marketing, sales, and general management of global businesses in software, systems, and services. 

Prior to joining Hewlett-Packard, George spent 9 years in the Air Force as a pilot and as an Assistant Professor of Aeronautics at the USAF Academy (1976-1978). He is a Distinguished Graduate of the USAF Academy with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, and holds an MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.

George's passion is public policy, particularly around science and education. He is a member of the Colorado Forum, Colorado Concern, and is on the Boards of Colorado Education Initiative, Colorado Inclusive Economy, Colorado Business Round Table, Colorado Music Hall of Fame, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

George is the founder of the Institute for Science & Policy, a program of the Museum.

He loves his wife and all of his children.

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Karolina Villagrana is proud to have been born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Karolina began her education career as a teacher in Kansas City, Missouri where she taught Spanish Kindergarten- Eighth grade and Multilingual Learners for Sixth-Ninth grade. She was inspired to become a founding teacher, leading her to be a founding elementary teacher of over 90% Multilingual Learners and Assistant Principal in San Jose, CA. Denver is where her roots are, she returned home to work within Denver Public Schools for seven years within different leadership roles across Southwest Denver and Far Northeast Denver. Karolina now partners with aspiring entrepreneurs of color and women by leading and building the skill set of launching their own educational venture. Karolina graduated with honors from the University of Colorado Denver and holds an M.A.Ed in Educational Leadership from Columbia University.

Lee White recently retired from a 40-year career in public finance, during which he was responsible for underwriting more than $9 billion of municipal bonds. He came to investment banking with extensive state cabinet level experience under Governor Richard Lamm. Lee was Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Administration from 1979-80 and Executive Director of the Colorado Office of State Planning and Budget from 1981-82. He participates in numerous civic organizations and has served as a Trustee of the Colorado Historical Society and as Chair of the Greater Denver Corporation Civic Ventures Board as well as a member of the Colorado Forum. Lee was elected to the Denver Board of Education in 1996 and served for four years. He chaired both the DPS ProComp Trust and Rocky Mountain Prep charter network Board. Lee also served as a member of the DPS Foundation Board. He was Co-Chair of the successful 2018 Amendment 71 campaign, Raise The Bar. He received an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.