Delegate Biographies - Denver Metro Chamber Leadership ...

DELEGATE BIOGRAPHY BOOK 

With Gratitude to our Delegate Biography Book Sponsor

2012 LEX Austin Delegates 

John Ackerman 

Chief Commercial Officer 

Denver International Airport 

Jandel T. Allen-Davis, M.D. 

Vice President, Government and External 

Relations 

Kaiser Permanente Colorado 

Kristi Arellano 

Business Editor 

The Denver Post 

Dave Baker 

President 

FirstBank 

Justin Ball 

Operations 

Fast Enterprises LLC 

Greg Bante 

Senior Vice President 

Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage, Inc. 

Peter Beaupré 

President & COO 

PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc. 

John Beeble 

Chairman & CEO 

Saunders Construction Inc. 

Christine Benero 

President and CEO 

Mile High United Way 

Angie Binder 

Government Affairs Advisor 

Encana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc. 

Robert Blankenship 

Chief Operating Officer 


Phil Bledsoe 

Shareholder 

Polsinelli Shughart PC 

Kelly J. Brough 


Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

KieAnn Brownell 

CEO 

The Silhouettes 

William Browning 

COO 

Rebound Solutions Consulting Corporation 

Cedric Buchanon 

City President- Metropolitan Denver 

BBVA Compass 

Denise Burgess 

President/General Manager 

Burgess Services 

Amy Burkett 

President/Owner 

BurkettDesign, Inc. 

Jim Burton 

Office Managing Partner 

Grant Thornton LLP 

Toti Cadavid 

President 

Senku Marketing 

Jeff Campos 

Principal 

dns solutions 

Amy Casseri 

SVP, CSO 

Children's Hospital Colorado 

Chris Chavez 

Director of Communications 

United Launch Alliance 

Nolbert Chavez 

Principal 

Capitol Success Group 

Current as of 9/4/12 Page | 1


Linda Childears 

President & CEO 

Daniels Fund 

Max Churchfield 

CLA Student Scholar 

University of Colorado - Boulder 

Leanna Clark 

Vice Chancellor, Marketing & Community 

Engagement 

University of Colorado Denver 

Tom Clark 

CEO 

Metro Denver Economic Development 

Corporation 

Rob Cohen 

Chairman and CEO 

IMA Financial Group 

Rebecca Cordes 

EVP 

First Western Financial 

Luella Chávez D'Angelo 

Senior Vice President, Social Ventures 

Western Union Foundation 

Jennifer Darling 

Senior Vice President of Philanthropy 

Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation 

Bob Deibel 

President/Owner 

OfficeScapes Group 

Jim Deters 

Managing Director 

Galvanize 

Jeff Dolan 

Vice President Government Affairs 

Comcast 

Tami Door 


Downtown Denver Partnership 

Tara Dunn 

Senior Associate 

Morrison & Foerster LLP 

Reese Edwards 

Vice-President State Government Affairs 

UnitedHealth Group 

Don Elliman 

Chancellor 


Jennifer Evans 

Shareholder 

Polsinelli Shughart PC 

David Eves 

President and CEO, Public Service 

Company of Colorado 

Xcel Energy 

Bain Farris 


Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital 

Ken Feiler 

CEO 

Rose Medical Center 

Joanne Field 

Regional President 

First Western Trust 

David Fine 

Partner 

McKenna Long & Aldridge 

Cole Finegan 

Attorney at Law 

Hogan Lovells US LLP 

Patty Fontneau 

CEO 

Colorado Health Benefit Exchange 

Steve Foster 


Colorado Technology Association 



Jack F. Fox 

Owner 

The Fox Company 

Lori Fox 

Director of Government & Public Affairs 

United Airlines 

Doug Friednash 

City Attorney 

City of Denver 

Lynn Gangone 

Dean, The Women's College 

University of Denver 

Beth Ganz 

VP Public Affairs & Sustainability 

Vail Resorts 

Joe Garcia 

Lieutenant Governor 

State of Colorado 

Maria Garcia Berry 

CEO 

CRL Associates, Inc. 

Josh Gould 

CEO 

RNL 

Gino Greco 

Regional CEO 

American Red Cross 

Mowa Haile 

President / CEO 

Sky Blue Builders, LLC 

Michael B. Hancock 

Mayor 

City and County of Denver 

Ulcca Joshi Hansen 

Vice President 

PEBC 

John Hickenlooper 

Governor 


Kathy Hodgson 

City Manager 

City of Lakewood 

Kittie Hook 

Senior VP Corporate Services 

Cassidy Turley Real Estate 

Dorothy Horrell 

President 

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation 

Bob Hottman 

CEO 

EKS&H 

John Huggins 

Principal 

Longs Peak Advisors 

Tracy Huggins 

Executive Director 

Denver Urban Renewal Authority 

John Husband 

Chairman 

Holland & Hart, LLP 

Dan Igoe 

Managing Partner 

Pure Brand Communications 

Walter Isenberg 


Sage Hospitality 

Bruce James 


Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck 

Jennifer Johnson 


Gensler 



GG Johnston 

Principal 

Be Intentional 

Stephen Jordan, Ph.D 

President 

Metropolitan State University of Denver 

David Kenney 

President 

The Kenney Group.com 

Charlie Kercheval 

President - Cherry Creek 

FirstBank 

Michael Korenblat 

Director, Legal Affairs - R&M U.S.A. 

Suncor Energy Services INC. 

Richard D. Krugman, M.D. 

Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs - Dean, 

School of Medicine 

University of Colorado School of Medicine 

Peggy Lehmann 

City Councilwoman – District 4 


Lindy Eichenbaum Lent 


Civic Center Conservancy 

Dan Lewis 

Chief Public Affairs Officer 

Molson Coors Brewing Company 

Paul Lhevine 


Stand for Children Colorado 

Angela Lieurance 

Chief of Staff 

University of Colorado Health 

Bill Lindsay 

President, Benefit Group 

Lockton Companies 

Ken Lund 

Director of Economic Development 


Mashenka Lundberg 

Partner 

Bryan Cave HRO 

Jason Maples 

Executive Vice President 


Elaine Mariner 


Colorado Creative Industries 

Darren S. Markley 

SVP, Managing Director 

U.S. Bank, The Private Client Reserve 

Lilly Marks 

Executive Vice Chancellor 

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical 

Campus 

Mike Matthews 

Metro Denver Market President 

Wells Fargo 

Margie Mauldin 

President 

Executive Forum 

Jane McAtee 

Community Affairs & Grassroots 

Southwest Airlines 

Nancy McCallin 

President 

Colorado Community College System 

Maureen McDonald 

Director of Donor Relations and Major Gifts 

Denver Museum of Nature & Science 

Mike McGinnis 

Shareholder 

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck 



Randy Miller 

Managing Partner – Denver 

Bryan Cave HRO 

Stephen Miller 


CleanLaunch 

Ned A. Minor 


Minor & Brown 

Kirk Monroe 

EVP, Wholesale Banking Director 

Vectra Bank Colorado 

Tameka Montgomery 


Denver Metro Chamber Leadership 

Foundation 

John Moore 

Director of Civil Engineering 

Martin/Martin. Inc. 

Jim Mulligan 

Attorney 

Snell & Wilmer 

Todd Munson 

Market President 

Chase 

Bill Myers 

Vice President, Communications, Marketing 

& CSR 

DaVita 

Chris Nevitt 

Councilman, District 7 

Denver City Council 

Mike Niyompong 


Rebound Solutions Consulting Corporation 

Cindy Parsons 

Vice President, Public Relations 

Comcast 

Stuart Pattison 

President/CEO 

Commerce Bank 

Marcel Pitton 


The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa 

Erin Pulling 


Project Angel Heart 

Pam Reichert 


Metro Denver Economic Development 

Corporation 

Don Richards 

President 

The Richards Financial Group, Inc. 

Holli Riebel 



Mimi Roberson 


PSL Medical Center & The Rocky Mountain 

Hospital for Children 

Ramonna Robinson 

VP and Managing Partner 

GroundFloor Media 

Todd Roebken 


Jones Lang LaSalle 

Trey Rogers 

Partner 

Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP 

Trey Nobles 

Vice President and District Manager 

PCL Construction Services, Inc. 



Ruth Rohs 

VP Corporate Communications 

IMA 


IMA Foundation 

Maja Rosenquist 


Mortenson Construction 

Sandy Rothe 

Partner 

Deloitte 

Gloria Rubio- Cortés 

President 

National Civic League 

Hassan Salem 

President 

U.S. Bank 

Katrina Salem 

Rockies Market Managing Partner 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 

Richard Scharf 


VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors 

Bureau 

Kirk Scheitler 

Area Manager, Community and Local 

Government Affairs 

Xcel Energy 

Bruce Schroffel 

CEO 

University of Colorado Health 

Jane Schumaker 


University Physicians Inc. 

Mike Severns 


Mountain States Employers Council 

Susan Shepherd 

Denver City Councilwoman 

Denver City Council District 1 

Chris Sherry 


Merrick & Company 

Holly Shilliday 

Counsel 

Snell & Wilmer L.L.P. 

Daniel Shurz 

SVP, Commercial 

Frontier Airlines 

Janice Sinden 

Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor Michael B. 

Hancock 


Shannon Sisler 

SVP, Talent Management 

Western Union 

Beth Soberg 


UnitedHealthcare 

Andy Spielman 

Partner 

Hogan Lovells US, LLP 

Maren Stewart 


LiveWell Colorado 

Penfield Tate 

Shareholder 

Greenberg Traurig, LLP 

Landri Taylor 


Urban League of Metropolitan Denver 

Andrea Tollar 

Director of Sales 




Erin Trapp 

Vice President for Advancement and 

External Relations 


Maureen Upton 

Principal 

Resource Initiatives 

Jamie Van Leeuwen 

Senior Policy Advisor/Director of Community 

Partnerships to Governor Hickenlooper 


Rick Wagner 

Partner 

Eide Bailly, LLP 

Charlie Walling 

General Manager 

Robinson Dairy 

Anne Warhover 

President 

The Colorado Health Foundation 

Paul Washington 


Denver Office of Economic Development 

Debbie Welle-Powell 

Vice President Payer Contracting and 

Strategy 

Sisters of Charity Health System & Exempla 

Healthcare 

Ginger White 

Deputy Director 

Arts & Venues Denver 

Roxane White 

Chief of Staff to Governor Hickenlooper 


Bert Williams 

President 

UMB Bank 

Robin Wise 

President/CEO 

Junior Achievement 

Nancy Wollen 


Kaiser Permanente 

Tami Young 

President 

AdvenTech 

Travis Webb 

Managing Partner, Colorado 

BKD, LLP 

Jennifer Webster 

Sr. V.P. Public Affairs and Communications 



John Ackerman 

Chief Commercial Officer 

Denver International Airport 

As Denver International Airport’s Chief commercial Officer, John Ackerman is responsible for all revenue 

Generating activities at North America’s largest airport by land area, and the world’s 10 th busiest by 

passengers. Mr. Ackerman’s duties include optimizing existing businesses as well as developing new 

business opportunities to support the Airport’s strategic objectives. The commercial teams’ portfolio 

includes typical airport businesses such as airlines, rental cars, parking, and concessions, as well as 

commercial real estate development and production of natural resources. With a BA in Economics from 

Duke University, Mr. Ackerman began his career as a Marine Corps officer and aviator subsequently 

became a pilot with United Airlines. He has 20 years of aviation industry experience, and has held various 

management positions with United Airlines and served as senior director of product management at 

Standard and Poor’s.

Jandel Allen-Davis, MD 

Dr. Allen-Davis is the vice president of Government and External Relations for Kaiser Permanente 

Colorado. In this role she has responsibility for Kaiser Permanente’s relationships in the community at 

large, the business community and the legislative and executive branches of the state government. She 

also leads the organization’s public relations and communications functions, government relations and 

community benefit investment. 

Dr. Allen-Davis is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and after 25 years of taking care of 

patients, transitioned from a physician leader to Kaiser Permanente’s Health Plan Leadership team. Her 

past roles at Kaiser Permanente included associate medical director of external relations for the 

Colorado Permanente Medical Group, regional director of patient safety, and physician chief of the 

Wheat Ridge Medical Offices. Dr. Allen-Davis was elected to the Colorado Permanente Medical Group 

Board of Directors in 1998 and chaired the Board in her final year. 

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Dartmouth Medical School, Dr. Allen-Davis completed her 

residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Before coming to work at Kaiser 

Permanente, she was an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Colorado 

Health Sciences Center and spent four years in the Indian Health Service in Tuba City, Ariz., during 

which time she also served as member and chair of the American College of Obstetrician Gynecologists’ 

Committee on Alaska Native and Indian Affairs. 

Dr. Allen-Davis believes health care will improve when all the primary stakeholder groups - clinicians, 

patients, elected officials, community leaders, and employers - can collaborate effectively to put the 

patient at the center. “My vision is for Kaiser Permanente to be everyone's most valuable partner in 

health. We want to support dialogue and collaboration to help our patients, our people, and Colorado 

thrive, “she said. 

For the past two years she Dr. Allen-Davis served as President of the Colorado State Board of Medical 

Examiners. Dr. Allen-Davis is a member of the CU Foundation Board of Directors, the Center for 

Women’s Health Research Board of Directors, Colorado Association of Health Plans Board of Directors, 

Colorado Succeeds Board of Directors, Denver Botanic Gardens Board of Trustees, and is President of 

the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board of Directors. She was a member of the 

Provider Advisory Task Force of the 2008 Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform and served 

as co-chair of the Colorado Medical Society Physician’s Congress on Health Care Reform. 

Dr. Allen-Davis is the proud recipient of the 2006 Shades of Genius Award for Community Service and 

Mentoring Minority Students, from Metropolitan State College of Denver, the 2000 R.J. Erickson Diversity 

Champion Award by Kaiser Permanente and the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts. She was 

named 2000 Kaiser Permanente Physician Volunteer of the Year and a “Top Doc” by 5280 Magazine for 

several years. In 2002, Dr. Allen-Davis won First Place in the Professional Category of the “On My Own 

Time” Art Show from the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts. 

In her spare time, Dr. Allen-Davis is a fiber artist who creates original hand painted quilts. In addition, she 

enjoys staying active and recently completed the Kaiser Permanente Colfax half-marathon in May 2011. 

Dr. Allen-Davis is married to her college sweetheart, Anthony, and they have two children, Courtney and 

John.

Kristi Arellano 

Business Editor 

The Denver Post 

Kristi Arellano has worked as a reporter and editor at 

The Denver Post since 2000. As business editor, she 

works with a staff of 12 reporters and editors to 

produce the daily and Sunday business sections along 

with special projects, online content and the weekly 

TechKnow section. She helped coordinate coverage of 

recent business events, including The Post’s award-winning coverage of the state 

foreclosure system. 

Prior to becoming an editor, Kristi worked as a reporter in the business section, covering 

multiple beats including retail and real estate. She became Deputy Business Editor in 

2007 and took over as Business Editor in December 2011. She has also worked as a 

reporter for The Denver Business Journal and The Pueblo Chieftain and has served as a 

contributor for Viva Colorado, LaTeen Magazine, Living Southern Style and Ideal 

Living. 

Kristi is a Colorado native and a graduate of the University of Denver.

Dave Baker 

President 

FirstBank 

Lakewood, Colorado 

Dave currently serves as the President of FirstBank. Founded in 1963, 

FirstBank is the second largest financial institution in Colorado with 

over $11 billion in assets and 2,000 employees. It operates 114 

locations in Colorado, along with ten in Arizona and five in 

California. During his 30 year career at FirstBank, Dave has served in 

a variety of positions. Dave was elected Executive 

Vice President of FirstBank Holding Company in 1999 

and then Chief Operating Officer in 2005. He was 

named President of FirstBank in 2010 and continues 

to serve as Chief Operating Officer of FirstBank 

Holding Company. 

In addition to his work at FirstBank, Dave is active 

in the community. He is on the board of the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce and Mile High United Way. 

Dave also serves as a Trustee for the University of 

Colorado Foundation and on the University of 

Colorado Denver Business School Advisory Board. In 

addition, Dave and his wife Laura serve as the 

Chairs for the University of Colorado Denver Creating Futures Capital 

Campaign. Previously, Dave has chaired Rocky Mountain Junior 

Achievement, the Colorado Bankers Association, and the Graduate School 

of Banking at Colorado. 

Dave earned a degree in business from the University of Colorado Denver 

and a graduate degree from Pacific Coast Banking School.

Justin W. Ball 

Justin Ball oversees corporate operations for Fast Enterprises LLC, an 

international software and consulting firm specializing in public sector 

revenue processing. He has been with the company for ten years, helping 

it grow from 40 people to over 400 around the world. His role includes 

overseeing corporate communications, human resources and training, 

event and meeting management, community affairs, corporate facilities, 

and travel as well as the day-to-day operations of their Denver area 

headquarters. Justin has also directed site-selection and subsequently 

design and construction of Fast Enterprises’ ASID award winning 

corporate headquarters in Greenwood Village, Colorado. 

Previously, Justin worked for United Way of Treasure Valley in Boise, 

Idaho, promoting their leadership giving society and running the 

administrative office of one of Idaho’s largest non-profit organizations. 

He has since lectured on topics ranging from the role of technology in 

major-gift fundraising to leadership and planned giving. Justin attended 

Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon where he studied International 

Business and Music. 

Operations 

Fast Enterprises LLC 

Contact Information: 

6400 S. Fiddler’s Green Circle 

Suite 1500 

Greenwood Village, CO 80111 

Office: 303.770.3700 

jball@gentax.com 

Justin is the Treasurer of the Rocky Mountain Arts Association and has 

been an active member since 2006, and recently performed with the 

Colorado Symphony Orchestra. He is also a board member of the 

Colorado I Have A Dream Foundation and continues to be active in the 

community though a number of local and national charitable 

organizations. Justin serves on the Board of Directors of the Denver 

Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and is a graduate of the inaugural 

class of their Impact Denver civic leadership program. He is also actively 

involved with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and has served on 

the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development 

Corporation and the Chamber’s Public Affairs Council. Justin is a founding 

member of the WE-DID Foundation, providing innovative programs and 

giving opportunities for young philanthropists which received the 

2012 Community Leadership Award from Community Shares of Colorado. 

An Idaho native, Justin relocated to Denver in 2005. When not working he 

can be found under a palm tree in Palm Desert, California with his partner 

of fourteen years, Eric Deffenbaugh, and their dogs Soca and Calypso.

M. Gregory Bante 

Senior Vice President, Tenant Representation 

Jones Lang LaSalle Brokerage, Inc. 

+1 303 260 6505 

greg.bante@am.jll.com 

Current Responsibilities 

Greg Bante is a Senior Vice President focused on tenant representation who prides himself on 

delivering cost effective and flexible real estate solutions to his clients while providing 

outstanding customer service and strong ethics. Clients range from startup firms to wellestablished 

multinational corporations. 

Experience 

Greg has over 17 years of experience in commercial real estate and is a licensed broker in the 

State of Colorado. Since 1995, Greg has successfully negotiated over 1,200 real estate 

transactions throughout the world, totaling over 12 million square feet. These transactions 

include office and industrial lease acquisitions and dispositions, build-to-suit assignments, as 

well as building and land sales. Greg has been responsible for the day-to-day transactional 

real estate activities of multiple institutional clients, including General Motors Corporation, 

GMAC Mortgage, Kraft Foods, Qwest Communications, Qwest Dex, Comcast Cable 

Communications and Vignette Corporation. Greg’s team has been ranked the #1 Real Estate 

Services Providers by General Motors Worldwide Real Estate. 

Greg joined Jones Lange LaSalle in 2006. Prior to joining Jones Lang LaSalle, Greg worked 

in commercial real estate in Denver and Chicago. 

Education and Affiliations 

Greg earned a Bachelor’s degree in finance with an emphasis in Real Estate and Investments 

from the University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign. He currently serves on the Board of 

Directors of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. He is a past Chairman of 

Metro Denver Sports Commission Charities. He also devotes time to the Denver Metro 

Chamber of Commerce, The Children’s Hospital Foundation and Invest in Kids. In 2003, 

Greg was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as one of the top 40 Denver business 

leaders under the age of 40. 

Greg is a graduate of Leadership Denver (2005), the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s 

flagship leadership program and the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Emerging Leaders 

Program (2004).

Peter E. Beaupré 

President and Chief Operating Officer 

PCL Construction Enterprises, Inc. 

As President and Chief Operating Officer for PCL 

Construction Enterprises, Inc., Peter is responsible for leading 

all of PCL’s US operations consisting of their heavy industrial, 

civil infrastructure, and buildings construction groups. 

Throughout his 30 years with PCL, Peter has held numerous 

positions in construction management and corporate leadership. 

He is a member of PCL's Board of Directors and operates out of 

the company’s US headquarters in Denver, CO. 

With an annual volume of nearly $6 billion and 25 major offices, PCL is the sixth largest 

contracting organization in North America. Consistently ranked among the top 10 

construction firms, PCL specializes in small to large complex projects, forming 

partnerships with their clients to relieve potential budget and schedule anxieties through 

listening to client’s needs and offering solutions that exceed expectations. 

In 2007, Peter was named among Colorado’s top five chief executive officers by 

ColoradoBiz magazine, and was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as the 2010 

Corporate Citizen of the Year for his philanthropic commitment to the community and 

integration of charitable commitment into PCL’s culture. Peter is currently the chair of 

Mile High United Way’s Board of Trustees for the 2011-2012 term.

John P. Beeble 

Chairman & CEO 

John has worked in the construction industry in the Denver area since 1981. He has worked for three 

prominent Denver general contracting firms and held numerous positions such as estimator, project 

manager, chief estimator, vice president of operations, manager of preconstruction services, senior 

vice president, executive vice president and president & CEO. He joined Saunders in 1995 and 

assumed the role of President and CEO in 2001 and is currently the Chairman and CEO. 

PERSONAL STATISTICS: 

30 years in the industry 

16 years with Saunders 

EDUCATION: 

B.S. Industrial Construction 

Management 

Colorado State University 

REFERENCES: 

Mr. Bruce Flynn 

Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture 

303.455.1366 

Mr. Bob Outland 

MOA Architecture 

303.308.1190 

Mr. John Kilrow 

DTC Meridian Shea Properties 

303.773.1700 

Mr. David Hamm 

Exempla Healthcare 

303.689.5212 

Mr. Kurt Unruh 

Valor Christian High School 

303.471.3000 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

As Chief Executive Officer, John has responsibility for the overall success of the 

organization, creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, 

mission, and overall direction. He is responsible for creating, planning, implementing, and 

integrating the strategic direction of Saunders Construction. John will also ensure that the 

organization’s leadership maintains constant awareness of both the external and internal 

competitive landscape, opportunities for expansion, customers, markets, new industry 

developments and standards. 

ORGANIZATIONS AND ASSOCIATIONS 

2012 Chair-Elect, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

Co-Chair, Executive Committee, Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation 

Member, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties 

Affiliate Member, American Institute of Architects 

Board Member, Associated General Contractors of Colorado 

Affiliate Member, American Subcontractors Association 

Member, Metro Denver Aviation Coalition 

Member, World Presidents’ Organization - Rocky Mountain Region 

Board Member and Chairman, Citadel Group 

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: 

John is actively involved in a number of community projects. He is Chairman of the Board 

for the National Sports Center for the Disabled and sits on the board for the following 

organizations: Tom McMahon Construction Scholarship Fund, the Exempla Good 

Samaritan Medical Center Foundation and the Regis University School of Management 

Executive Advisory Board. He has also served numerous other non-profit organizations 

in the Denver area, including Kempe Children’s Foundation, Girls Incorporated of Metro 

Denver, the Arapahoe House, Mt. St. Vincent Home and the YMCA of Metro Denver.


2505 18 th Street 

Denver, Colorado 80211 

CHRISTINE BENERO 

President and Chief Executive Officer 

Christine Benero is President and Chief Executive Officer of Mile High United 

Way, which is celebrating its 125th Anniversary this year, as the first United 

Way in the country. Mile High United Way works to advance the common good of the 

community by investing and focusing on the issues of School Readiness, Youth 

Success and Adult Self-Sufficiency. Last year, Mile High United Way invested 

over $30 million in the Denver metro area. 

Christine is the former Chief Executive Officer 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 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, a national 

nonprofit organization committed to civic renewal and community-based democracy 

and as a Community Affairs Corporate Program Officer for Target Stores in 

Minneapolis, MN. 

Christine is on the Board of HealthOne, the National Civic League, Community 

Wealth Ventures, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Foundation, City 

Year Denver and EPIC. She was recently appointed by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock 

to the Denver Education Compact Board and currently serves 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. 

She 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. 

303-433-8383 / main office www.UnitedWayDenver.org

Angie S. Binder 

Advisor, U.S. Government and Regulatory Affairs 

Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. 

Angie Binder is the U.S. Government and Regulatory Affairs 

Advisor for Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. She provides strategic 

counsel and advice on all government and regulatory matters in 

Colorado, as well as other areas of company operation. She serves 

as EnCana’s day-to-day contact with the state legislature and 

business and community organizations. 

Ms. Binder joined Encana in November of 2007. Previously, as the Director of Policy 

and Legislative Affairs for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, she managed the 

department’s legislative affairs, drafted legislation, lobbied the General Assembly and 

assisted in high-profile media coordination. 

With more than 15 years experience in the legislative and regulatory policy arena at the 

local, state, and federal levels, Miss Binder brings with her a complete vision of the 

legislative and regulatory process, and the importance of building both community and 

business partnerships. 

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver in Political 

Science and History, as well as a Certificate in Integrated Marketing from University 

College, University of Denver. 

Angie is the Chair of the Colorado Petroleum Association Government Affairs 

Committee and a member of the C3 Investor Committee. She is active with the Colorado 

Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI), America’s Natural Gas Alliance 

(ANGA), and Accelerate Colorado and participates in Club 20 and West Slope Colorado 

Oil and Gas Association (WSCOGA).

Robert R. Blankenship 

Robert Blankenship joined the Mile High United Way as Chief Operating Officer in July 

2012. As Chief Operating Officer, Robert will serve as Deputy to the President and CEO 

with leadership responsibilities including: operations, cross-functional team building, 

strategic plan direction and execution, and facilities operations. He will also be directly 

involved in the executive management of the organization’s philanthropic goals and 

public policy efforts. 

Prior to joining the United Way, Robert spent 12 years as the Chief Operating Officer for 

the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Metro Denver Economic Development 

Corporation. In this role, Robert directed the finance, membership, marketing, business 

services and administrative operations of the organizations. He was also directly 

involved in the executive management of the organization’s economic development and 

public policy efforts. 

Robert has more than 30 years of sales, marketing and operations experience. Before 

joining the Chamber, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager of Fruit of the 

Loom Activewear–Europe. In this leadership position, Robert was responsible for the 

Pan-European sales and marketing efforts for the company. Prior to Fruit of the Loom in 

Europe, he was Vice President of Activewear Sales for U.S. operations. He has also held 

management positions in the publishing and retail arena with National Business Media 

and J.C. Penney Company Inc. 

Robert currently serves as a board member for the Metro Denver Sport Commission, 

has served as an Ambassador for Variety Clubs International and has been a volunteer 

for Junior Achievement and United Way. He is an avid skier, cyclist and motorcycle rider. 

2505 18 th Street, Denver, CO 80211 303-561-2310 www.UnitedWayDenver.org

Kelly Jean Brough 

Kelly Brough is the president and CEO of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber represents 

approximately 3,000 businesses and their 300,000 employees in Colorado. 

Prior to joining the Chamber, Brough served as chief of staff for the City and County of Denver and Mayor 

John Hickenlooper overseeing a general fund of $857 million. Kelly also served as deputy chief of staff and 

director of the Denver Office of Accountability and Reform for the City. In this role, Bough’s key 

responsibilities were to implement the new 3-1-1 customer service system and create an organizational culture 

that embraces performance management and continuous improvement. 

Brough was also the director of human resources for the City of Denver. She successfully moved the human 

resource department from an authoritarian culture to one based on service delivery and focused on outcomes. 

During her two years in this role, she led significant reforms including moving the City to a full pay-forperformance 

system and establishing the City’s first bonus plan program. 

Brough also directed an internationally recognized leadership program at the University of Colorado at 

Denver— the Rocky Mountain Program. She served as a consultant to many local governments facilitating 

decisions, managing large public processes and comprehensive planning efforts, mediating disputes and 

providing strategies to build stronger public/private partnerships. This work took her to Hungary (working with 

50 local mayors) and allowed her to work with a number of local governments throughout Colorado and the 

west. 

Brough earned a master’s of business administration degree from the University of Colorado at Denver in 1989 

and a bachelor’s degree in sociology, criminal justice from Montana State University in 1986. She currently 

serves on the boards of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, VISIT DENVER, Goodwill 

Industries of Denver, the Denver Public Schools Foundation, and as a member of the Women’s Forum and The 

Chamber 100 with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Brough was recently named as one of Colorado’s 10 most influential women by The Denver Post, and one of 

Denver’s most influential people by 5280 Magazine. In 2012, Brough received the University of Colorado 

Denver Campus Alumni Recognition Award. She has attended a number of leadership programs including the 

JFK School of Government’s program at Harvard for state and local public officials. She was also named an 

American Marshall Memorial Fellow in 2001. 

1445 Market Street, Denver, CO 80202 ∙ 303-534-8500 ∙ fax 303-534-3200 ∙ www.denverchamber.org

KieAnn Brownell 

CEO 

Brownell is the CEO of Inspirati (Silhouettes) the children’s shadow theater group 

that finished second on Season 6 of America’s Got Talent. She is a seasoned 

business executive with experience running many different types of businesses. 

She came to Inspirati (Silhouettes) in January of 2012 leaving a position as the 

President of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. Under her leadership at 

Denver Sports, they won the right to host the 2012 NCAA Women's Final Four, 

hosted SportAccord the largest business conference of the Olympic Movement, 

negotiated the deal to bring the CU-CSU football game back to Denver for a 

period of 11 years, and built a 102 foot ski jump in the middle of Civic Center 

Park to host a Big Air World Cup Snowboarding event. 

In addition to serving as president of her family's wholesale floor covering 

company, she has owned and operated a custom area rug plant, a trucking 

business, a children’s watch company and an online birthday cake company. She 

has an accounting degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder and received 

her CPA while working for Price Waterhouse. 

As the first woman elected president of the Colorado Chapter of EO (the 

Entrepreneur’s Organization), Brownell is passionate about entrepreneurship. 

She has served EO International as the area director for the Western Region and 

is a graduate of MIT's Entrepreneurial Masters Program (EMP). 

Brownell is a graduate of Leadership Denver and has participated in the Legacy 

Denver program and numerous LEX trips. She served for 6 years on the board of 

directors of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. She Chaired the 

Chamber's Leadership Exchange Trip (LEX) in 2008 in which 150 community 

leaders traveled to Vancouver. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of 

the Colorado Ballet, and the Board of Directors of the Junior League of Denver.

William Browning 


Rebound Solutions 

William Browning is the Chief Operating Officer of Rebound Solutions 

and has a passion for providing program and change management 

services for serving public, non-profit, and private customers. 

William is a demonstrated steward of community leadership and 

international development, including completing work in Haiti where he helped design a 

national strategy for education recovery after the devastating 2010 earthquake. William 

has a passion for improving education and has helped drive the strategy for Colorado’s 

early childhood education and K-12 reform agenda. William has also extensive private 

sector experience and has led multi-million dollar engagement for Fortune 500 

companies. William was honored by the KIPP Foundation in 2010 for the Beyond Z 

award for outstanding board leadership for KIPP Colorado Schools. He is currently the 

Board President for Hunger Free Colorado and an advisor to the Soleil Global, a nonprofit 

dedicated to providing solar solutions to developing countries.

Cedric L. Buchanon 

City President- Metropolitan Denver, BBVA Compass 

A veteran of the financial services industry for over 20 years, 

Cedric is the City President for BBVA Compass in the 

Metropolitan Denver area. He is responsible for leading and 

representing BBVA Compass in branding and community 

activities for the Corporation while leading a team of financial 

services professionals in all Corporate Banking and Specialty 

Groups, including Large Middle Market, Healthcare, 

Commercial Real Estate and Public Fund sectors for companies 

or organizations with revenues between $5MM to $1.5B. 

Previously, Cedric was Senior Vice President-Commercial 

Banking Manager responsible for Large Middle Market and 

Middle Market Commercial Banking. Since arriving to 

Compass Bank in 2006, his team has experienced significant double digit growth each 

year. Cedric has been recognized as a Pinnacle Club member, awarded to the top 1% 

performers within BBVA Compass on three separate occasions. 

Cedric received his Bachelors of Science Degree from Tennessee State University in 

Nashville, Tennessee. Past and current activities include the Denver Education Compact 

Executive Committee, Member of the Denver Olympic Exploratory Committee, Co- 

Chair Economic Development Transition Team for Mayor Elect Michael Hancock, 

Chairman, Young Philanthropist Foundation, Chairman, Denver Judicial Nominating 

Committee, 2008 Leadership Denver, Member, Metro Denver Sports Commission, 

Treasurer, 100 Black Men of Denver, Inc, Treasurer for Senator Peter Groff- President of 

the Senate for the State of Colorado, Boy Scouts of America African American 

Committee, Trustee and Chairman of the Mortgage Liquidation Committee for Shorter 

Community African Methodist Episcopal Church. Cedric was recognized by Alpha 

Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated as one of there M.O.D.E.L men in the Denver 

Community for 2010. 

Cedric has been married to Kelli Buchanon for 20 years and enjoys golf, reading and 

traveling.

Denise Burgess 

President/General Manager 

E-mail: deniseb@burgessservices.com / 

Denise Burgess’ experience comes from a lifetime of learning. Ms. Burgess grew up in the construction 

arena under the watchful eye of her late father Clyde J. Burgess, owner of Burgess Heating and Air 

Conditioning. After leaving the business for many years, her return in 1994 marked the “passing of the 

torch”. She worked closely with Mr. Burgess until his passing in 2002. Ms. Burgess led the transition of 

Burgess Service from installation and maintenance contractors to a nationwide firm specializing in 

construction management, commissioning and quality assurance/quality control. 

Ms. Burgess is closely involved in the Denver business community through her various volunteer 

positions. She is a Denver Urban Renewal Authority Commissioner and a member of the board for the 

Denver Metro Chamber and the Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Burgess was recently 

named Co-Chairman of the Construction Empowerment Initiative/Disparity Task Force for the MBE/WBE 

City of Denver ordinance. 

At the helm of Burgess Services, Inc. Denise leads the company’s team of engineers and managers 

towards delivering the growth and profitability of our customers. Denise has built on the Burgess legacy 

to strengthen a team that embraces the concept of strong relationships and commitment to quality. She 

brings to the table her wide and varied experience in the engineering industry. With an unrelenting 

focus on exploring new technologies, green construction as directed by LEED and providing superior 

customer service, Denise leads the Burgess team towards realizing the company’s vision – improving the 

way you build! 

Ms. Burgess is the executive for all Burgess Services' projects. She is in charge of the overall 

organization and responsibilities for all the Burgess Services team members and subcontractors. The 

contract negotiations, all project managers are responsible to Ms. Burgess throughout the duration of 

each project.

Jim Burton 

CPA (Colorado, California) 

Office Managing Partner 

Jim is a partner in the Denver office of Grant 

Thornton as well as the lead audit partner serving 

clients across many industries. 

Jim joined Grant Thornton in 1989 and has held 

a variety of roles including: Office Managing 

Partner (Denver); Professional Excellence 

Committee (member); International Business 

Center Director (US Central Region); coauthoring 

Guidance on Monitoring Internal Control 

Systems issued by COSO; Professional Standards 

Partner (Dallas); Audit Practice Leader (Greater 

Bay Area); Audit Improvement Task Force 

(chair); and, European Liaison Manager 

(London). For a brief period in 1997, Jim served 

as chief financial officer for a privately held 

semiconductor materials and services company. 

Affiliations and Civic Involvement 

Chair-Elect and Treasurer, Metro Denver 

Sports Commission 

Leadership Denver Class of 2010 

Board of Trustees, St. Mary’s Academy 

Board of Trustees, Colorado Succeeds 

Finance Committee, The Wildlife Experience 

Advisory Board, University of Denver, Daniels 

College of Business, School of Accountancy 

Advisory Board, National Association of 

Corporate Directors (NACD) – Colorado 

Chapter 

Executive Committee, Metro Denver 

Economic Development Corporation 

American Institute of Certified Public 

Accountants (AICPA) 

Colorado Society of CPAs 

Education 

Jim received his Bachelors of Science, Business 

Administration – Accounting, and a Masters of 

Business Administration – Taxation, from San 

Jose State University, California. 

Contact details 

707 Seventeenth Street 

Suite 3200 


T: 303.813.3945 

C: 720.985.0362 

F: 303.839.5711 

E: Jim.Burton@us.gt.com 

© Grant Thornton LLP 

All rights reserved 

U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd

Toti Cadavid 

President, Senku Marketing 

Toti Cadavid, a native of Colombia and co-founder of Senku Marketing, is 

a seasoned multicultural communications strategist with far-reaching 

experience in both domestic and international arenas. Toti has proven 

herself as a leader in the field with extensive expertise in the design and 

implementation of fully integrated statewide, national, and global 

marketing efforts. 

Since moving to the U.S. in 1990, Toti has been at the forefront of 

Hispanic Marketing efforts for local and national companies alike. In 2002 

after a successful marketing career in Corporate America, Toti launched Xcelente Marketing and Public 

Relations, a top notch cross-cultural communications agency dedicated to building its clients’ brands in 

the Latino marketplace. Her leadership was instrumental in providing her agency’s extensive client base 

with communications solutions that incorporated social, ethnic, and cultural nuances into all marketing, 

branding, public relations, community outreach, public information, and advertising initiatives. Xcelente 

changed its name to Senku Marketing in 2010 after merging with another firm to expand its core 

competencies and reaching a wider audience. 

Toti is deeply committed to giving back to the community, and thus has held leadership positions in a 

number of community and civic organizations including the Junior League of Denver, the National 

Society of Hispanic MBAs, Hispanics in Technology and Telecommunications Association, Mi Casa 

Resource Center for Women, the Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau, the Community College of 

Denver Foundation, the Denver Metro Convention and Visitor’s Bureau’s Multicultural Tourism Task 

Force, the Minority Advisory Council of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the advisory 

board for the Leadership for Community Change project, the Leadership Council of Escuela de 

Guadalupe, and the Community College of Denver Foundation. In addition, Toti was appointed by 

former Mayor Hickenlooper to his Denver Early Childhood Council and to his Latino Commission. 

Toti currently sits on the boards of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Colorado Health Foundation, Junior Achievement and the 

Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Toti was recognized in 2005 as one of the nation’s Top 

Latina Business Entrepreneurs by Hispanic Magazine, as one of the 11 finalists for the Colorado 

Rockies Adult Leadership Award, and by The Denver Business Journal as one of the “Top Forty Under 

40” business leaders in Colorado. In 2006, Toti received the Businesswoman of the Year award by the 

Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and her business, Xcelente, received the Minority Small 

Business Champion Award by the Small Business Administration. The Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council 

also recognized Toti as a Woman of Distinction in 2007. 

Toti holds a bachelor’s degree in International Business, masters’ degrees in Marketing and in 

Management, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship, all from the University of Colorado. In addition, 

Toti is a graduate of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Executive Management Program, the 

2004 Leadership Program of the Rockies, the 2005 Leadership Denver program, the 2005 National 

Hispana Leadership Institute, and the 2005 Dartmouth University Tuck Minority Business Executive 

Program. 

Toti currently resides in Lone Tree, Colorado with her husband Luis Colón and their children.

Jeffrey Campos 

Principal 

dns solutions 

In August of 2011 dns solutions welcomed their newest partner Jeffrey 

Campos. He is a great addition to the team bringing over twenty years 

of management and talent acquisition experience. Through Mr. 

Campos’s proven leadership, dns solutions is moving forward towards 

expansion as a company while, providing the best talent and innovative 

workforce solutions to their clients. 

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver Board of 

Directors appointed Mr. Campos as the President & CEO in March 2005. Mr.Campos was responsible for 

developing the strategic vision and overseeing the day to day operations of the Hispanic Chamber. Through 

his leadership the chamber grew to be one of the largest Hispanic Chambers in the country and the second 

largest chamber in the State of Colorado. He was also instrumental in connecting Hispanic Businesses and 

leadership with the Metro Denver business community through public policy and business development 

initiatives. 

Prior to being chosen as the Hispanic Chamber President, he was appointed at New York Life as a 

Partner in July 2003 to expand the company’s Denver area sales force. His responsibilities included 

recruiting, and developing of new sales managers and agents. In addition, he energized initiatives in the area 

of new business development, marketing and sales. 

Originally from Chicago, Illinois and a graduate of the city’s Loyola University, Jeffrey Campos 

relocated to Denver in 1997 to start American Family Insurance’s Emerging Market department, covering 

the six-state Mountain Region. Through his leadership, American Family participated in an array of projects, 

earning the company numerous awards and recognition for marketing successes and community 

involvement. 

A dedicated leader in business, civic and charitable organizations, Mr.Campos has previously served as 

a board member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Museo De Las Americas, Muscular Dystrophy 

Association, Hispanic Chamber, Denver Metro Chamber, Phoenix Chamber, Colorado Women’s Chamber, 

Rocky Mountain Junior Achievement, Shaka Franklin Foundation and the Urban League of Metro Denver. 

He also served as Chairman of the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation. 

In 2003, the National Association of Hispanic Publishers selected Jeffrey Campos for its “Corporate 

Leadership” award for supporting community arts, culture and educational programs. He also received the 

Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s “Chamber Champion” award, which honors individuals who 

excel professionally while devoting efforts to their community and creating business opportunities for 

women. In 2004, the American Diabetes Association selected Mr. Campos as “Father of the Year” for his 

commitment to fatherhood and family, his career and the Colorado community. And in 2005, the National 

Society of Hispanic MBA’s awarded Mr. Campos with its “Business Award” for his contributions to the 

education and professional development of the Hispanic Community. 

During his tenure as the Hispanic Chamber President, Mr.Campos has also dedicated his time to 

assisting other community and non-profit organizations. He was a member of the Visit Denver Board of 

Directors, Colorado Boxing Commissioner, Denver Housing Authority Commisioner, Metro State 

President’s Advisory Committee, Live Well Colorado Board of Director and Co-Chaired both Colorado 

Governor John Hickenlooper’s and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s transition team for Economic 

Development.

Amy Casseri 

Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer 

Children’s Hospital Colorado 

As the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) Amy Casseri is responsible for 

providing top-level strategic direction for the overall 

organization. Mrs. Casseri develops and updates the organization on 

ongoing strategic planning processes, monitor and implements the 

strategy through management of the organization’s portfolio of 

initiatives, creates business analytics and intelligence to support the 

organization’s performance metrics system to conduct internal 

assessments, and evaluate, structure and negotiate new external 

development, growth and mission expansion opportunities. She works closely with key market 

channels to enhance and align these relationships, ensuring effective internal and external 

communications and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships conducive to the Children’s 

Hospital’s mission. 

Previously, Mrs. Casseri served as the Chief Communications, Community Relations, and 

Business Development Officer for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt in 

Nashville, Tennessee, which is an integral part of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and 

Vanderbilt University system. In this role, she was responsible for bringing the hospital closer to 

the community, fostering awareness of Children’s Hospital’s commitment to the children of the 

community, and creating a dominant market position for the Children’s Hospital. 

Her experience spans over twenty years in leadership from academic medical centers, children’s 

hospitals, integrated delivery systems, nonprofit community organizations, to managed care and 

insurance. She has played integral roles in creating national reputation and national rankings for 

organizations. Her work has been concentrated in the areas of: business development, strategic 

planning, building strong brand identity, positioning, building and supporting meaningful 

community partnerships, music and entertainment relations, physician relations and alliances, 

program development, international relations, marketing, public relations, and bringing nonprofit 

organizations together to maximize efficiency and community benefit for children’s 

causes. Previously, she served as the Director of Corporate Relations for Vanderbilt University 

Medical Center. In this role, she was responsible for the development and facilitation of the 

Medical Center and University-wide relationships with strategic corporations. 

Mrs. Casseri is active in the community currently serving on various non-profit boards including: 

University of Colorado, Center for Global Health Executive Committee, March of Dimes, 

Ronald McDonald House and Colorado Pediatric Collaborative. Ms. Casseri is a member of the 

Junior League of Denver, National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions 

(NACHRI), Children’s Hospital Association CHA), formerly known as Children’s Hospital 

Corporation of America (CHCA) Executive Institute and Strategic and Business Development. 

She is a graduate of the 2011 Leadership Denver Class. She participated in the Access Denver 

Class of 2010, Legacy Denver Class of 2010, and the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership 

Exchange in 2010 and 2011. 

Mrs. Casseri holds a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from the Nashville School of Law and a 

Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee.

Chris Chavez 

Director of Communications 

Chris Chavez is senior manager of Communications for United Launch 

Alliance (ULA). In this role, Chavez manages internal and external 

communications, as well as corporate citizenship, in states where ULA’s 

3,700 employees live and work, including Colorado, Florida (Cape Canaveral), 

California (Vandenberg Air Force Base) and other rocket 

production locations in Alabama and Texas. 

Chavez is a 24-year communications professional, excelling in areas of 

strategic public relations, including community relations and corporate 

philanthropy, media relations, government relations, event management and internal 

communications. He has counseled both nonprofits and Fortune 500 corporations, including AT&T, Qwest, 

Martin Marietta and the Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc. 

Chavez previously served as senior manager of community relations for Qwest Communications, Inc. in 

Denver. He helped build the company’s corporate philanthropy, community relations strategy and programs 

nationally and across Qwest’s 14-state region. Chavez also managed AT&T’s corporate contributions and 

public relations, as well as supported its business services unit in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest 

regions. He is accredited from Boston College’s Carroll School of Management in “Corporate Community 

Involvement.” 

Chavez also served as the communication manager for the Downtown Denver Partnership, Inc., where he 

provided strategic corporate and public relations, local and media relations, and marketing communications 

counsel for on the largest downtown business associations in the country. Prior to his work at the 

partnership, Chavez served as public relations specialist responsible for internal communications at Martin 

Marietta Astronautics Group (Lockheed Martin). 

Chavez serves on the boards of directors of the Denver Public Schools Foundation and The Park People. 

Chavez is a past board member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Foundation, 

Colorado Nonprofit Association. Museo de Las Americas, Metro Volunteers, Mayor’s Commission on 

Strategic Partnerships and the Latin American Research & Service Agency (LARASA). He also co-chaired 

committees for the Democratic National Convention Host Committee. He is a member of the Leadership 

Denver Class of 2000 and was named to the Denver Business Journal’s “40 under 40” list of young business 

leaders. 

A Wyoming native, Chavez earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming where 

he graduated with honors. After graduation, Chavez gathered six state writing awards as a reporter for the 

Jackson Hole Guide newspaper in Jackson, Wyo. Chris and his wife, Jennifer, are the proud parents of two 

children, William and Sofia, and reside in Denver. 

7/12

Nolbert D. Chavez 

Principal 

Capitol Success Group 

Nolbert D. Chavez is a Principal with Capitol Success Group, a 

public affairs and lobbying firm based in Denver, Colorado. Nolbert 

has a variety of clients including Denver Options; the Mental 

Health Center of Denver; Valley-Wide Community Health Systems; the Colorado Association of 

Alcohol & Drug Service Providers; Adams State College; Ameristar Casinos; Colorado West 

Regional Mental Health Center; the Piton Foundation and the Denver Urban Renewal Authority. 

Nolbert D. Chavez served in the Colorado House of Representatives from 1995-2003. He served 

on the Health Committee (HEWI); Business Affair Committee; Local Government; Education; 

State Affairs Committee; Judiciary; Criminal Justice; Appropriations; and House Services. He 

was appointed to the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council by Governor Roy Romer. 

Speaker of the House Russ George appointed Representative Chavez to the Electric Utility 

Deregulation Committee of the Council of State Governments. Mayor Wellington Webb 

appointed him to serve on the Denver Community Corrections Board. Recently, Mr. Chavez was 

appointed by Governor Bill Ritter, and then re-appointed by Governor Hickenlooper, to serve on 

the Colorado Boxing Commission, where he serves as Vice-Chairman. 

Mr. Chavez earned a B.A. degree in Business Management and Marketing, from the University 

of Phoenix. In 2004, Nolbert completed an executive education program at the Harvard Business 

School in Corporate Governance. Currently he is completing graduate study in Political Science 

at the University of Colorado Denver. 

Nolbert Chavez is married to Denver City Councilwoman Judy Montero and together they have a 

daughter named Hope. In his spare time, Nolbert founded the Vesparados Scooter Club, is 

beginning a restoration of a 1977 Shovelhead Harley Davidson, and is an avid runner. He 

completed the Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C., in 2005, and the Denver Marathon in 

2007.

Linda Childears 

President and CEO, Daniels Fund 

Linda Childears is passionate about the work of the Daniels Fund, and has 

served as its President and CEO since 2005. Bill Daniels appointed her as a 

trustee of his estate and named her to the Daniels Fund’s original Board of 

Directors. Linda’s leadership reflects her strong dedication to preserving and 

honoring the philanthropic intent of Bill Daniels. 

The Daniels Fund carries forward Bill Daniels’ legacy by providing grants to nonprofit organizations and 

college scholarships to deserving students in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. With 

approximately $1.1 billion in assets, the Daniels Fund is one of the Rocky Mountain Region’s largest 

foundations. The Fund was named Outstanding Foundation in 2008 during National Philanthropy Day in 

Colorado. 

Banking 

Linda originally met Bill Daniels when he hired her company, The Financial Consortium, to help 

overcome the unprecedented operational, legal, and regulatory challenges of launching Young Americans 

Bank, his bank for kids. By the time of the bank’s grand opening in August 1987, Linda had accepted 

Bill’s offer to become its President and CEO. Since the organization began in 1987, Young Americans 

has reached nearly half a million young people. 

Prior to Young Americans, Linda spent several years in “adult” banking. She served as President of 

Equitable Bank of Littleton, and Vice President of First National Bancorporation. She also served the 

industry as a board member of Colorado Bankers Association, Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, 

Colorado Student Loan Program, and as Chairman of the American Bankers Association Education 

Foundation. 

Community 

Linda is active in the Denver community. She currently serves on the boards of Cheyenne Capital Fund, 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Association of Funders, and Mountain States Employers 

Council. She serves on the Public Policy Committees of the Council on Foundations and the Alliance for 

Charitable Reform, and is a member of Mayor Hancock’s Denver Education Compact. Linda is past 

Chairman of National Assembly, National Camp Fire, and Cherry Creek Arts Festival. Past board 

positions include Alliance for Choice in Education, Cherry Creek Business Improvement District, 

CollegeInvest, Colorado Meth Project, Daniels College of Business, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership 

Foundation, Denver Public Schools Foundation, DU Bridge Project, Foundation for Teaching Economics, 

Johnson & Wales University, Junior Achievement, Mile High United Way, National Foundation of 

Dentistry for the Handicapped, OpenWorld Learning, and Young Americans Bank and Center for 

Financial Education. 

Awards and Recognition 

Linda was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration in Financial Services 

Management from Johnson & Wales University in July 2010, and was named National Philanthropy 

Day’s Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy in 2010. Other honors include Colorado Bankers 

Association Banker of Distinction, Girl Scouts of Colorado Woman of Distinction, the Athena Award in 

1998, and an Honorary Lifetime Membership in Camp Fire. 

June 2012

Max Churchfield 

Student 

University of Colorado at Boulder 

Max Churchfield is a senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder 

where he is pursuing a double degree in anthropology and civil 

engineering with a concentration in construction engineering 

management. He is a member of the Presidents Leadership Class, the 

Engineering Honors Program, and also Engineers Without Borders CU- 

Nepal (EWB). In the summer of 2011, he received an individual research 

grant to travel to Nepal to study the effects of urbanization on Sherpa 

culture in urban and rural environments. He then returned to Nepal with EWB in the summer of 

2012. As the education team leader, he helped facilitate the implementation of 

inquiry/experiment-based lesson plans related to water sanitation and hygiene for 7 th and 8 th 

grade students. He enjoyed living in the Andrews Hall Residential College for the past three 

years as a resident, resident advisor, and most recently as the assistant hall director. When not 

studying, Max enjoys the benefits of living in Boulder, spending his time hiking, skiing, and 

being outside as much as possible. He is also an avid piano player and loves horror films. His 

family consists of his parents Jennifer and Marty, his two younger sisters Ali and Brynn, and his 

dog Rugby.

Office of the Chancellor 

1380 Lawrence Street 

Suite 1400, Campus Box 168 


Office: 303-315-7682 

Fax: 303-315-2877 

www.ucdenver.edu 

Leanna Clark 

Vice Chancellor 

Leanna Clark is Vice Chancellor Marketing & Community Engagement for the 

University of Colorado Denver|Anschutz Medical Campus. In this role, she leads 

outreach to business leaders and local communities, working directory with 

Chancellor Don Elliman to position the university and its two locations -- the Denver 

Campus and the Anschutz Medical Campus -- as a leader in workforce and economic 

development for Denver, Colorado and the nation. She also directs the university’s 

marketing for both campuses, setting strategy and overseeing a team of marketing 

professionals in branding, advertising, design, web communications, publications, 

sponsorships and social media. 

Clark has 25 years of business experience, including 12 years as a small business 

owner of one of Denver’s largest marketing and public relations firms, as well as roles in Denver’s 

corporate, foundation and nonprofit communities. With a background in marketing, PR and community 

outreach, Clark most recently directed communications and foundation activities for IMA Financial Group, 

one of the nation’s leading risk management companies. She also founded and directed a major division of 

the international nonprofit Project C.U.R.E. that works in more than 120 countries nationwide. Previously, 

as principal and co-owner of marketing PR firm Schenkein, she ran one of the largest agencies in the Rocky 

Mountain Region, helping client organizations elevate their brands and protect their reputations, often by 

developing mutually beneficial relationships with nonprofit entities. 

Clark has served on the board of directors of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and has 

played many leadership roles within the Chamber, including co-chairing the 2010 Leadership Exchange Trip 

(LEX). She is on the Denver Public Schools Foundation board and the Red Cross Mile High Chapter board 

and is also a member of A+ Denver, a group of business and community leaders charged with monitoring 

the progress of reform in Denver Public Schools. She served on Mayor Hancock’s Transition Team as well as 

on then Mayor Hickenlooper’s Leadership Team for Early Childhood Education which led to the creation of 

the Denver Preschool Program. She has served on many other boards, including board chair of the Public 

Education and Business Coalition, Bright Beginnings, Colorado Public Radio and on the Denver Sports’ 

International Bid Committee, working to bring international caliber sports to the Denver area. 

Leanna has been recognized as a Woman of Distinction by the Girls Scouts of Colorado. She’s also been 

honored twice by the Denver Business Journal as a “PowerBook” award recipient and one of the “Forty 

Under 40” top young business leaders. She’s received national recognition from the Universal Press 

Syndicate as part of its “Workwise” Awards, honoring innovation and creativity among workplace leaders. 

In addition, she was named a “Woman of Achievement” by the Association for Women in Communications. 

Clark holds a degree in journalism from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She is a proud DPS parent 

and mom to nine year old twins and makes her home in Denver’s Hilltop neighborhood.

Tom Clark 

Chief Executive Officer 

Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation 


Tom Clark is the Chief Executive Officer of the Metro Denver Economic Development 

Corporation and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. He has over 30 years of 

economic development experience at the state, regional, county and city levels. Tom's career 

spans four decades from Director of Commercial and Industrial Development for the Illinois 

Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, through positions with the Fort Collins, 

Colorado Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Denver Corporation, the Boulder Chamber of 

Commerce, the Jefferson Economic Council, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. 

He holds bachelors degrees in speech and psychology from Minnesota State University and a 

Masters in Public Administration from the University of Illinois. Tom was the founder and 

first president of the Metro Denver Network, the Metro Denver region's first economic 

development program, for which he received the Arthur D. Little Award for Excellence in 

Economic Development. He was chosen as one of the nation's top economic development 

professionals by the Council on Urban Economic Development. In 2007 Clark was awarded 

the Business Person of the Year by the Colorado Chapter of the Public Relations Society of 

America.

Robert Cohen 

Chairman and CEO 

The IMA Financial Group, Inc. 

Robert Cohen is the Chairman and CEO of The IMA Financial Group, Inc. A native of Kansas, he received his 

bachelor’s degree in Risk Management and Finance from the University of Texas at Austin. The IMA Financial 

Group is a diversified financial services company which is currently comprised of three primary businesses. 

IMA, Inc. is a retail insurance broker in the United States, offering a full range of risk management-related 

products. 

Towerstone, Inc. is a wholesale insurance broker located in Dallas, Texas. 

TrueNorth, Inc. is a discretionary money manager as both a registered investment advisor and a limited 

broker dealer. 

Robert is also the Chairman Emeritus of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. The Metro Denver Sports 

Commission’s mission is to create a legacy of economic and social vitality through sport by facilitating and 

supporting major events that generate significant economic impact, and by promoting health and wellness in the 

areas of lifestyle, youth participation and volunteerism. The metropolitan Denver community has played host to 

numerous international and national events. 

His professional memberships include Colorado Concern, the Colorado Forum, Assurex Global, Intersure (Past 

President, Board member), Young Presidents’ Organization, the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers (Board 

member), and PAR, Inc. (Board member). 

His for-profit Board memberships include Atlas Advertising; Commerce Bank; Tigris Marketing; Dovetail Solutions 

(Chairman); Schenkein Public Relations (past Board member); USR, Inc. (past Board member); UMB Bank 

Colorado (past Board member); and Intertech Plastics (past Board member). 

In addition to the above, Robert currently serves on the Boards of Adventures Within, Boy Scouts of America 

Denver Area Council, the Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance, Colorado Succeeds, the Downtown Denver 

Partnership, the I Have A Dream Foundation, the Metropolitan State College of Denver Board of Trustees 

(Chairman), the United States Olympic Foundation, and Visit Denver. His past Board memberships include the 

Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Community College of Denver, Craig Hospital Foundation, the Denver Art Museum, the 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (past Chairman), the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation (past Chairman), 

the DPS Foundation, Junior Achievement, Metropolitan State College of Denver Foundation (past Chairman), The 

Spot, and the University of Colorado’s Student Leadership Institute. 

He has served as a member of the Leadership Denver Steering Committee, Small Business Profit Center Council, 

Economic Development Council, Bright Beginnings Steering Committee, School to Work Committee, the Ritter 

Transition Committee, and the Hickenlooper Transition Committee. He earned his Charter Property Casualty 

Underwriters designation (CPCU) and is a graduate of Leadership Denver and 50 For Colorado. He is a 17-time 

participant in the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation’s City-to-City Leadership Exchange. 

Robert has been recognized with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s “Chamber Champion” award (1994), 

the Leadership Denver Alumni Association’s “Outstanding Alumnus” award (1996), inclusion in Colorado Business 

Magazine’s “Colorado’s Emerging Leaders” (1997) and The Denver Business Journal’s “Forty Under Forty” (1999), 

the National Association for Community Leadership’s Distinguished Leadership Award (1997), the 9News “Leader 

of the Year” award (1999), the National Philanthropy Day in Colorado “Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser” award 

(2002), the Colorado Father’s Day Council’s Father of the Year award (2007), and the Goodwill Community Leader 

Award (2010). 

He and his wife, Molly, have three sons and one daughter.

Rebecca (Becky) Cordes 

Executive Vice President, Director of Human Capital 

First Western Financial Inc. 

Rebecca Cordes is Executive Vice President, First Western 

Financial, Inc, Director of Human Capital. Prior to heading 

up the Human Capital function Rebecca was President for 

the Denver office of First Western Trust Bank where she 

was responsible for leading the banking, investment 

management and trust team. First Western is a unique 

western-based private banking and trust company 

specializing in private banking, investment management, 

personal trust and wealth planning. 

Prior to joining First Western Trust Bank, Rebecca was employed at US Bank. At US 

Bank she held a number of positions over a 25 year period including: Senior Managing 

Director for their Private Client Group, Regional Small Business Banking Manager for 

Denver and Salt Lake City, District Retail Manager and Human Resources Director for a 

multi-state region within US Bank. Rebecca was also the Director of Internal Auditing 

for the former Colorado National Bank. 

She is currently on the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement and the Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation (DMCLF). She is the Chair for the DMCLF and 

previously chaired their finance committee. Her prior community involvement has 

included board positions with the American Institute of Banking and the Denver Civic 

Ventures Board. 

Rebecca obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of 

Nebraska, her home state. She also has obtained a diploma from the 

Colorado School of Banking and the Certified Internal Auditor designation.

Luella Chavez D’Angelo 

Senior Vice President, Western Union Social Ventures 

President, the Western Union Foundation 

Luella Chavez D’Angelo is Senior Vice President, Western Union Social Ventures, and President of the Western 

Union Foundation, philanthropic arm of the Western Union Company. She is instrumental in shaping the direction 

of the Western Union’s social initiatives and giving strategies of the Foundation. She is an outstanding community 

advocate for issues most important to the Corporation and Foundation. 

D’Angelo began her corporate philanthropic career in 2000 as the inaugural director of the First Data Western Union 

Foundation and continued her leadership through the spin-off of Western Union from its parent company and 

establishment of the independent Western Union Foundation. She has been key in transforming Western Union’s 

giving strategies to include cause-related marketing, advocacy, volunteerism, in-kind donations and traditional 

financial grants. She was a driving force in focusing the power of the Western Union brand behind Western Union’s 

signature corporate citizenship initiative, Our World, Our Family®, equipping people worldwide with the skills, 

knowledge and resources essential to breaking the cycle of poverty. 

Under her direction, the Foundation has distributed more than $73 million in grants and disaster relief to more than 

2,000 organizations in over 108 countries. D’Angelo has introduced several original grantmaking programs 

including: 

Global Giving Circles -- enabling Western Union employees, Agents and others to pool funds for greater 

social impact 

Family Scholarships -- reaching across generations and borders to help more than one member of the same 

family get ahead through education 

Corporate/Employee – matching funds 

Since its inception, the Western Union Foundation has been recognized with many awards: 

2009 Excellence Award in Corporate Philanthropy from the Committee Encouraging Corporate 

Philanthropy 

2009 Stevie Award for Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program in South America 

National Philanthropy Day’s Outstanding Foundation in Colorado, 2004. 

In addition, D’Angelo is a proud recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Women’s 

Chamber of Commerce (2010) and the Women of Distinction Award from the Mile Hi Girl Scouts Council (2005). 

In 2008-2010, she had the honor of representing Western Union at the Clinton Global Initiative. 

Demonstrating her personal commitment to her community, D’Angelo currently serves on a number of boards and 

committees including the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, The Denver Foundation, The Mile High 

United Way, Opportunity International, The Conference Board’s Contributions Council and Corporate Committee 

as well as the Council on Foundations’ Corporate Committee. Additionally, D’Angelo recently was appointed by 

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper to serve on the Governor’s Mexico Ambassador Committee. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, she served as Director of Marketing for the Denver Museum of Nature and Science 

and Director of Marketing for the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. She has also served as 

Vice President of Institutional Development for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. D’Angelo 

holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management and a master’s in Business Administration, with an emphasis 

on Finance, from the University of New Mexico. She is married, has three children and resides in Denver, Colorado. 

For more information, visit www.westernunionfoundation.org, or contact us at: 

Phone: +1 720-332-6606 • Email: foundation@westernunion.com

Jennifer R. Darling 

Senior Vice President of Philanthropy 

Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation 

Jen Darling has worked in the nonprofit sector since earning her bachelors degree in economics 

and political science from Northwestern University in 1991. She went on to earn her masters 

degree in public administration from the University of Colorado in 2000. She was actively 

involved in the formation of the Institute for Leaders in Development program and currently 

serves as chair of the steering committee for the program. Jen also serves as an adjunct 

professor for the University of Denver in the leadership and organizations program in DU’s 

University College. Jen’s strengths include capital and endowment campaigns, major gift 

fundraising, annual giving, donor recognition, communications, board relations, and strategic 

planning. Jen has worked in the following capacities within the local community: 

2008-present Senior Vice President, Philanthropy, Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation 

2001-2008 Director of Development & Membership, Denver Art Museum 

1997-2001 Director of Development & Membership, Denver Botanic Gardens 

1994-1997 Director of Corporate Relations, Colorado School of Mines 

1991-1994 Director of Development, American Indian Science and Engineering Society 

After growing up in Minnesota and then attending college in Chicago, Jen settled in Colorado in 

1991. In addition to her commitment to her career, Jen is an active mom, wife, friend, and 

community member. She values balance in her life and has managed to adjust her full-time 

work schedule to also be home after school to help her two young children grow up 

successfully.

Bob Deibel 

President & Owner 

OfficeScapes 

9900 E. 51 st Ave. 

Denver, CO 80238 

303.574.1115 

bdeibel@officescapes.com 

Bob is President and owner of the OfficeScapes Group, which holds six 

companies aimed at fitting out interior office space. 

Largest full service office furniture and furniture 

management services company in Colorado 

General contractor, tenant finish construction 

services 

Commercial floor covering, all floor covering 

services 

Structured cabling and wiring, A/V 

products/services, card access security 

Architectural millwork and custom woodworking 

solutions 

Home and solar technology provider for products, 

design, and installation of home theater, home 

audio, home control systems, and solar solutions 

Bob has served on the following boards: 

• Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Executive Committee 

• Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation Executive Committee, Co-Chair 

• University of Colorado at Denver School of Business Advisory Board 

• Colorado Succeeds – educational reform, Executive Committee 

• Brighton Economic Development Council Board of Directors 

• Hurricane Island Outward Bound School 

• Metro Denver Aviation Coalition – Vice Chair 

• FacilitiLink/Corporate Workplace Services – Managing Partner 

• Steelcase Dealer Council – Chairman 

• Young Presidents Organization – Forum Officer 

• World Presidents Organization – Education Officer/Chair Elect 

He graduated from Colorado College in Colorado Springs with a B.A. in Political Science. Bob is 

married with two active daughters, ages 19 and 15, and lives in Castle Pines Village, Colorado. 

Interests include golf, cycling, fitness and all sports, music, wine, and an avid passion around 

Denver’s pursuit to become a world class city.

Jim Deters 

Founder at Galvanize (Denver, CO) 

Jim Deters has dedicated his life to disrupting traditional 

business practices. A pioneer in the startup ecosystem, Jim 

is passionate about creating opportunities and a better 

planet through entrepreneurship and education. 

No stranger to the startup mentality, Jim has spent the last 14 years immersing 

himself in building companies on the cutting edge of technology and social 

enterprise. He has witnessed and embraced the current ‘Entrepreneurial 

Renaissance’, recognizing that tech savvy and resourceful millennials are the catalysts 

for social and economic development. 

Ignited by his passion for innovation and an active lifestyle, Jim has set out to build 

an energized community for early stage start-up companies at the base of the 

Rockies in Denver, CO. Envisioning a curated community of entrepreneurs in the 

video, mobile, and social spheres, Jim founded Galvanize. Housed in a single coworking 

space, Galvanize provides breakout companies with the tools necessary to 

succeed: mentorship, seed-funding, and space for innovation. 

Always on the move, Jim never passes up a chance to enjoy extreme sports and 

adventure in the Rockies or other corners of the globe. With summers spent 

mountain biking and winters spent slope-side with his family, it is hard to find a 

better location than Denver to harness his energy and empower the local 

community.

Jeff Dolan 

Vice President of Regulatory and Government Affairs 

Comcast Mile High Region 

Jeff Dolan serves as the Vice President of Regulatory and 

Government Affairs for Comcast in the company’s Mile High 

Region, which encompasses Colorado and New Mexico. In 

this position, Jeff is responsible for regulatory matters and 

government relations with state and local governments. 

Specifically, he manages all aspects of Comcast’s 

involvement with local franchise authorities, local and state 

agencies and officials, and the strengthening of the 

company’s relationships with elected and appointed 

government officials throughout the Mile High Region. 

Prior to Jeff’s role at Comcast, Jeff was an attorney at 

Hogan Lovells US LLP. In that position, he was a member 

of the firm’s Public Policy group, with a legal practice focused on political, legislative, and 

government regulatory matters in a wide range of areas. He also assisted a wide variety of 

businesses and governmental entities, and helped create and expand public-private 

partnerships. In 2010, Jeff served as legal counsel to John Hickenlooper’s 2010 campaign for 

governor, as well as the legal counsel for Governor-elect Hickenlooper’s transition and inaugural 

committees. 

Prior to joining Hogan Lovells, Jeff was the Director of Governmental Affairs for Comcast 

Colorado, where he oversaw the company’s government relations efforts in the Denver metro 

area and developed communications and media strategies to strengthen Comcast’s business 

operations. Jeff had previously served in a number of key staff roles for then U.S. Senate 

Majority Leader Tom Daschle, culminating in his position as assistant to the Chief of Senate 

Floor Operations from 2000-2001, where he advised senators on legislative procedure and 

strategy relating to Senate floor activities. 

Jeff has been a Denver resident for nearly a decade and is an active member in the Denver 

community. Jeff currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Denver Public Schools 

Foundation, on the Board of Directors of City Year, on the Board of Directors of the Colorado 

Association of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Board of Directors of the Colorado Cable 

Telecommunications Association. During his time with Hogan Lovells, Jeff served as a tutor 

and mentor to elementary school students. He also provided pro bono legal services to multiple 

candidates for elected office and several nonprofit organizations, including The Nature 

Conservancy, Bicycle Colorado, and the National Parks Conservation Association. Jeff also 

participated in the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation's Leadership Denver Class of 2011, a 

program that develops community leaders and enhances the civic infrastructure of the Denver 

Metro region. 

Jeff is a graduate of Augustana College where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 

Government and International Affairs. He received his Juris Doctor in 2008 from the University 

of Denver Sturm College of Law where he graduated second in his class. Other top honors 

include being selected as an “Up and Coming Lawyer” in 2010 by Law Week Colorado.

Tamara Door 


Downtown Denver Partnership 

Tamara (Tami) Door is the President & CEO of the Downtown Denver 

Partnership, a membership organization that creatively plans and manages 

Downtown Denver so that it remains vibrant and economically healthy. The 

Partnership dedicates its efforts to development, retail, public policy, 

transportation and housing initiatives. The Partnership currently has over 

600 member businesses. 

In addition, her organization produces popular community events that bring 

more than one million people Downtown each year, including A Taste of Colorado, the 9News Parade 

of Lights, and New Year’s Eve Fireworks Downtown. 

The Partnership led an 18-month process to create a twenty-year vision for Downtown, the Downtown 

Area Plan. It was formally adopted by City Council in July of 2007 and is now in its implementation 

phase. Door serves as co-chairman of the 2027 Committee which is responsible for driving 

implementation of the Plan. 

She was selected by the Denver Business Journal as one of the Forty Under Forty in the local business 

community, and was included in Denver’s Powerbook List, compiled by the Denver Business Journal. 

She is a member of the Young President’s Organization and the Colorado Women’s Forum. 

Door serves on the following committees / boards: 

Auraria Higher Education Center Board of Directors –Chairman 

2027 Committee – Co Chairman 

Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce – Board Member 

Citywide Banks Board of Directors – Director 

VisitDenver – Board Member 

IDA – Board Member 

Door, her husband Rick and sons Hayden and Parker live in Park Hill and enjoy skiing and water skiing 

in their spare time. 

1

Tara L. Dunn 

Senior Associate 

Morrison & Foerster LLP 

Tara Dunn is a senior associate focusing on securities and corporate law at Morrison & Foerster 

(“MoFo”). She represents public and private companies in corporate financial transactions, including 

public offerings and private placements, bank credit financings and other capital markets transactions. 

She represents buyers and sellers in complex mergers and acquisitions, as well as domestic and 

international public offerings including registered tender offers. Ms. Dunn also counsels U.S. and foreign 

public companies in complex corporate governance matters and registration and reporting under U.S. 

securities laws. 

At MoFo, an international firm of over 1,000 lawyers, Ms. Dunn is one of 20 attorneys on the pro bono 

committee, which determines the pro bono projects the firm undertakes. MoFo’s firm-wide commitment 

to pro bono is nationally recognized and in 2011, MoFo provided pro bono legal services valued at over 

$40 million to underrepresented populations. 

From 1994-2005 and prior to obtaining her law degree, Ms. Dunn helped open and served as Senior Vice 

President and director at Denver’s Great Divide Brewing Company, where she oversaw finance and 

accounting. While at Great Divide, Ms. Dunn worked with the Mayor’s Office of Economic 

Development (now the Denver Office of Economic Development) to obtain several rounds of financing, 

developed compliance programs for federal, state and local regulatory regimes and co-founded and served 

as President and director of the Colorado Brewers Guild, Colorado’s trade organization for craft brewers. 

At the University of Denver Law School, Ms. Dunn served as Business Editor of the University of Denver 

Law Review and was elected to the Order of St. Ives. She received her M.A. in Counseling Psychology 

and Counselor Education from University of Colorado, Denver and her B.A. in Psychology from 

University of Colorado, Boulder. 

Ms. Dunn is a member of the Board of Directors of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, .a 

graduate of Leadership Denver (2009), Legacy Denver (2012) and Colorado Experience (2012) 

Ms. Dunn grew up in Colorado and lives in Denver with her twin boys, who attend East High School.

Reese Edwards 

Vice President of Government Affairs 

Rocky Mountain Region 

Reese Edwards is UnitedHealth Group’s Vice President of State Government 

Affairs for the Rocky Mountain region. 

Reese oversees government affairs in Colorado, New Mexico and Montana. Reese 

works on public policy that improves and enhances the quality and effectiveness of 

the healthcare system, working with local legislators, governors’ offices and other 

decision-makers. 

Reese brings more than 15 years of government relations and campaign experience with a focus on 

healthcare policy. He most recently served as vice president of government and public affairs for Santa 

Fe-based consulting firm Butch Maki and Associates. Prior to that, Edwards provided policy support to 

former South Carolina Governor Jim Hodges and coordinated political campaigns at the local, state and 

federal levels. 

“During his career, Reese has demonstrated strong leadership and passion for helping foster public policy 

that makes healthcare more affordable and accessible,” said Beth Soberg, CEO, UnitedHealthcare’s 

Rocky Mountain region. “His expertise in healthcare policy and broad experience in government and 

public affairs will be a tremendous asset as we continue to work with local and state leaders to promote 

public policy that leads to high-quality, cost-effective healthcare.” Since moving to Colorado Reese has 

worked on projects such as the Colorado Health Benefits Exchange Legislation and implementation 

statewide of the Affordable Care Act. He currently serves as the Chair of Colorado Association of Health 

Plans’ Legislative Committee. 

Edwards earned a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree from the University of 

South Carolina. He also has been involved with numerous community activities, including vice chairman 

of the New Mexico Health Insurance Alliance 

About UnitedHealthcare 

UnitedHealthcare (www.unitedhealthcare.com) provides a full spectrum of consumer-oriented health 

benefit plans and services to individuals, public sector employers and businesses of all sizes, including 

more than half of the Fortune 100 companies. The company organizes access to quality, affordable health 

care services on behalf of approximately 25 million individual consumers, contracting directly with more 

than 600,000 physicians and care professionals and 5,000 hospitals to offer them broad, convenient access 

to services nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), 

a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company.

Donald (Don) M. Elliman Jr. 

Chancellor 


In March of 2012, Don was appointed interim 

Chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver | 

Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Denver). CU Denver 

comprises the institutions at both the CU Denver 

downtown campus with undergraduate and graduate 

programs across a broad range of disciplines, and the 

Anschutz Medical Campus with the schools of 

Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing and Public 

Health. Prior to that, in 2011, Don was the Executive 

Director of the Charles C. Gates Center for 

Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Biology on the 

Anschutz Campus. 

From June of 2009 to January of 2011, Don served as Chief Operating Officer for 

Colorado. In that position he assisted the Governor in the management of all State 

agencies. He was also the Chair of the Colorado Recovery Accountability Board, 

established in March of 2009, with responsibilities for oversight of spending in Colorado 

under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

From 2007 to 2009, Don was Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development 

and International Trade. In this position, he oversaw a wide range of economic 

development activities, including domestic and international business development, small 

business programs, as well as the Colorado Tourism Office and the Colorado Economic 

Development Commission. 

From 2000 to 2004, Don served first as President of Ascent Sports and then as President 

of Kroenke Sports Enterprises. In that capacity, he oversaw all business activities of the 

Company which include The Pepsi Center, The Denver Nuggets and The Colorado 

Avalanche as well as several other professional sports teams and entertainment facilities. 

He retired from Kroenke as he became Chair of the Children’s Hospital Board and cochair 

of the campaign to raise funds for the new Hospital. 

Prior to his time at Kroenke, Don worked at Time Warner for thirty-two years, retiring as 

an Executive Vice President of Time Inc. Other positions included publisher of People 

Magazine and President of Sports Illustrated. 

Don serves on the Boards of The Children’s Hospital, Middlebury College, The 

Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority, The Gates Family Foundation, Auraria Board and 

The University of Colorado Foundation.

David L. Eves 


Public Service Company of Colorado 

David Eves is president and CEO, Public Service Company of 

Colorado (PSCo), an Xcel Energy company. He also serves 

as a director of PSCo. 

He most recently served as president and CEO of 

Southwestern Public Service Company. He also has served 

as vice president of Resource Planning and Acquisition for 

Xcel Energy, where his primary functions included long-term 

resource planning, competitive acquisition of generation 

resources, negotiating and managing all long-term power 

purchase agreements, securing and managing the electric 

transmission access and rights for native load and wholesale markets, and planning and securing 

the gas transportation and storage services for gas businesses and for generation fuel. 

Since 1981, he has held various positions of responsibility for purchased power, wholesale 

marketing, energy trading and resource planning for PSCo, New Century Energies and Xcel 

Energy. 

Eves received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Kansas State 

University in 1981 and has completed the Edison Electric Institute mid-level management 

program. 

He currently serves as a member of the executive committee and board of directors of the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce and is a Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver board member. He 

also serves on the board of directors of Mountain States Employers Council. He represents Xcel 

Energy at the Colorado Forum and Colorado Concern. Eves has served as a past executive 

committee and operating committee member at Western Systems Power Pool.

Bain J. Farris 


Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital 

Bain J. Farris is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of 

Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital in Denver. 

Saint Joseph Hospital is part of the three-hospital, not-for-profit Exempla 

Healthcare System with approximately 2,300 employees, serving the greater 

Denver metropolitan area. Exempla Healthcare is part of the Sisters of 

Charity of Leavenworth Health System, an 11-hospital system with hospitals 

and care sites located in four western states. 

Since joining Exempla Saint Joseph Hospital, Bain has been extensively involved in the development 

and construction of the new Saint Joseph Hospital to be completed in late 2014. The replacement facility 

will have 348 private rooms with 23 state-of-the-art operating rooms along with a new Cardiac Center of 

Excellence. The new building is 829,000 sq. ft. and is adjacent to the current Russell Pavilion. 

Before coming to Denver, Bain served as President and CEO of the $1 billion California-based 

Daughters of Charity Health System, where he oversaw business operations and strategic direction for 

five hospitals and medical centers spanning the coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles. 

Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President for Anthem, the Indiana Blue Cross Blue Shield plan 

where, among other things, he restructured three unprofitable operating companies and created a 

pharmacy benefit management subsidiary. 

He also served as President and CEO of the 650-bed St. Vincent Hospital and Health Center in 

Indianapolis, Indiana, the largest hospital in the Daughters of Charity Health System (now Ascension 

Health). During his time at St. Vincent, he was involved in the hospital's relocation, and, as CEO, he 

oversaw a $140-million addition to the hospital. 

Bain received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Marian University in Indianapolis and a Masters in Health 

Administration from Indiana University School of Medicine, also located in Indianapolis. He received 

Indiana’s highest Gubernatorial Award, the Sagamore of the Wabash, and has been named an Alumni of 

the Year by the Marian College Alumni Association. He has an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service 

from Marian College and an Honorary Doctorate of Health Administration from Vincennes University in 

Vincennes, Indiana. 

Over the years Bain has held various faculty appointments and served as a spokesman and guest 

lecturer in state, national and international forums discussing issues and topics in areas relating to 

healthcare systems and managed care.

Ken Feiler 


Rose Medical Center 

Mr. Feiler is the President and CEO at Rose Medical Center and has 

been with HCA since 1994. Ken has extensive experience in hospital 

administration, beginning his career in 1980 as the associate 

administrator with the American Hospital of Miami. He then served as 

the CEO for Northwest Medical Center in Florida prior to coming to 

Rose. 

While CEO at Rose, Ken has repeatedly led the hospital to national 

recognition, including being selected as a Top 100 Hospital by 

Thomson Reuters in 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2009, Rose was the only 

hospital in Colorado chosen for this distinction. 

Ken is married and has two children, Melyssa and Jacob. He enjoys golf, biking, running, 

photography and gardening. 

Affiliations and Civic Involvement 

Advisory Board Member, Anti-Defamation League 

Board of Directors, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

Advisory Board Member, Shalom Park Nursing Home 

Advisory Board Member, Young Americans Bank 

Education 

Ken holds a Masters in Health Care Administration from George Washington University, as well 

as a graduate degree in Psychology from State University of New York.

Joanne Field 

Regional President 

First Western Trust 

Joanne manages five offices in the state of Colorado, each providing local private banking, 

wealth planning, investment management and fiduciary trust services to affluent, high net worth 

individuals, their closely held businesses, and extended families, as well as two trust offices in 

Wyoming. Joanne brings more than 29 years of private banking experience in Denver to First 

Western Trust Bank, with nearly 24 years of executive responsibility. Prior to joining First 

Western, she worked at Vectra Private Bank as managing director and senior vice president 

where she focused on sales management, budgeting, incentive planning, and the development of 

loans and deposits. Currently living in the Hilltop area of Denver, Joanne is happily married to 

Donald Chenoweth and is the proud mother of Steven Mace, who is currently finishing his senior 

year at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. 

Credentials 

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Colorado College, Colorado Springs 

Involvement 

Treasurer of The Westminster Choir at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church 

Board of Director for Flight for Life at St. Anthony Health Foundation 

Former chair for the Community Development Board for Flight for Life at St. Anthony 

Health Foundation 

25 year Volunteer for the American Cancer Society (ACS) 

Member of the Executive Committee for the ACS 

Former President of the Denver Metro Board 

Board of Director for the Central City Opera House Association 

Participates in the Woman’s Vision Foundation 

Participates in the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce 

Member of Legacy Denver though the Leadership Foundation 

Interests 

Joanne enjoys the outdoors, gardening, reading, and cooking. 

Accolades 

Honored delegate for the Portland 2010 Leadership Exchange through the Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation

David Fine 

Partner 

McKenna Long and Aldridge LLP 

David Fine is a partner in the law firm of McKenna Long & 

Aldridge (“MLA”), a 575 lawyer international law firm. MLA 

operates at the intersection of business, government and law, 

and boasts many former high level government officials in its 

ranks. David’s practice focuses on representing companies and 

other organizations in their interaction with government at the local, state and 

federal level. David handles administrative, regulatory and litigation matters for his 

clients, and provides strategic and political, including campaign finance and election 

advice as well. His clients include corporations, universities, non-profit 

organizations and political organizations. 

David is on the Executive Committee of the Metro Denver EDC, and is on the sits on 

the board of various organizations, such as the Metropolitan State University 

Foundation, the Urban Land Conservancy, the Center for Legal Inclusiveness, and 

the Faculty of Federal Advocates. 

Before joining MLA, David was the City Attorney for the City and County of Denver 

for nearly four years under then Mayors John Hickenlooper and Bill Vidal. Among 

other things, David coordinated all legal aspects of the 2008 Democratic National 

Convention. 

David is a fourth-generation Coloradan. He lives in Denver with his wife Stephanie 

Wasserman, son Gabe, a junior at East High. David’s daughter Natalie is a senior at 

Wesleyan University in Connecticutt.

COLE FINEGAN 

Partner, Denver 

PHONE 

+1 303 454 2583 

FAX 

+1 303 899 7333 

cole.finegan@hoganlovells.com 

Cole Finegan is the Managing Partner of Hogan Lovells' Denver office. He focuses his 

practice on working locally and nationally with businesses and governmental entities to 

create and expand public-private partnerships and has also represented clients in 

regulatory, land use and development, and legislative and public policy law for more than 

20 years. Cole was recently recognized as a "Lawyer of the Decade" by Law Week 

Colorado and was also named one of the most influential people in Denver by 5280 

magazine ("The 5280 Fifty"). 

Prior to joining the firm, Cole served in dual positions as Denver's City Attorney and Chief 

of Staff to Mayor John Hickenlooper. During his tenure as City Attorney, Cole reorganized 

the office of 100 lawyers for the first time in 20 years, which saved the city more than US$1 

million by cutting outside legal services and expanded the city's capabilities to try its own 

cases. As Chief of Staff, he led the successful campaign to change Denver's charter to add 

a Chief Financial Officer and to modernize the city's 100-year-old financial services 

structure. In private practice and in public life, Cole has been involved in almost every 

major private-public partnership in Denver, including the redevelopment of Stapleton 

Airport, the Gates Rubber Company facility, and most recently Denver Union Station. 

From 1993 to 2003, Cole was a partner at a national law firm in Denver. While there, he 

represented clients in land use issues, regulatory and administrative matters, municipal 

law, legislative law, and election law. 

Cole served both as Chief Legal Counsel and Director of Policy and Initiatives for Colorado 

Governor Roy Romer from 1991 to 1993. During that period, he handled the Governor's 

legal matters, advised the Governor on judicial appointments, and supervised a policy 

development staff of 60 persons working on economic, environmental, health care, energy, 

telecommunications, transportation, and education policy issues. 

Cole also worked in Washington, D.C. as Chief Legislative Assistant and then Chief of Staff 

to U.S. Representative James R. Jones of Oklahoma. Representative Jones chaired the 

U.S. House of Representatives' Budget Committee from 1981-1985 and chaired the House 

Ways and Means' Subcommittee on Trade. 

PRACTICES 

Government Regulatory 

Legislation and Political Law 

Compliance 

Real Estate 

Environment 

Technology, Media and Telecoms 

Climate Change 

Health 

Administrative and Public Law 

INDUSTRY SECTORS 

Infrastructure 

Transportation 

Energy and Natural Resources 

Real Estate 

AREAS OF FOCUS 

Public-Private Partnerships 

Government regulations 

Regulatory 

Land use and development 

EDUCATION 

J.D., Georgetown University Law 

Center, 1986 

B.A., University of Notre Dame, 1978 

AWARDS / RANKINGS 

Law Week Colorado, Lawyer of the 

Decade, 2011 

The Best Lawyers in America, Municipal 

Law, 2010-2012 

5280, The 50 Most Influential People in 

Denver, 2010-2011 

Law Week Colorado, Best Government 

Lawyer - Barrister's Best/People's Court, 

2009-2011 

Colorado Super Lawyers, 2007-2009, 

2012 

MEMBERSHIPS 

Board Member, The Denver Foundation 

Board Member, Denver Black Chamber 

of Commerce 

Board Member, Downtown Denver, Inc. 

Board Member, Legal Aid Foundation of 

Colorado 

Board Member, Metro Denver Chamber 

of Commerce 

Board Member, The Children's Hospital 

Board Member, Teach for America 

Member, Colorado Forum 

BAR ADMISSIONS / 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Colorado 

District of Columbia (inactive)

Patty Fontneau 


Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE) 

Patty Fontneau is the Chief Executive Officer of the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE), a new 

health insurance marketplace scheduled to open for business in October 2013. COHBE will provide 

individuals, families and small employers the opportunity to shop for, compare 

and buy health insurance based on quality and price. The Exchange will include a 

website, call center and navigators across Colorado to personally assist 

customers with purchasing health plans. Up-front financial assistance will also 

be available to eligible Coloradans and employers to reduce the cost of 

premiums. Prior to her current role, Patty most recently served as Chief 

Operating Officer at Holme Roberts & Owen LLP, an international law firm. She 

previously served as Chief Administrative Officer for The IMA Financial Group 

Inc. and as Vice President and General Manager of the Western Service Center 

of TIAA-CREF, managing the operation of a 1,300-employee office in Denver. 

Active in the community, Patty serves on the boards of the Downtown Denver 

Partnership, the University of Denver Business School Advisory Board and the Auraria Foundation. She 

won the 2007 Outstanding Women in Business Award (banking and finance category) from the Denver 

Business Journal, the Leadership Award from the Alumni Association of the University of Colorado at 

Denver Business School, and the 2003 Athena award from the Colorado Women’s Chamber of 

Commerce, among other honors. She and her husband live in Centennial with their two sons. 

Background: The Colorado Health Benefit Exchange was established by Senate Bill 11-200, passed by the 

General Assembly in May 2011. The Exchange is a new, public, non-profit organization governed by a 

Board of Directors with additional direction from a panel of state legislators called the Legislative 

Implementation Review Committee. 

The mission of the Exchange is to increase access, affordability, and choice for individuals and small 

employers purchasing health insurance in Colorado. Customers will be able to begin purchasing health 

plans through the Exchange in October 2013, with plans taking effect on Jan. 1 2014. More information 

is available at www.getcoveredco.org.

Steve Foster, CPP, PCI 


Colorado Technology Association 

Steve Foster is President and CEO of Colorado 

Technology Association, the state’s technology industry 

trade association and past CEO and founder of Business 

Controls, a global security SaaS company. With over 25 

years of executive and operational experience, Foster is involved in several initiatives to 

promote innovation and technology in Colorado, including on the boards of The 

Colorado Innovation Network, (COIN), developed out of Gov. John Hickenlooper’s 

economic development plan and Public Private Partnerships Innovation Council 

(PPPIC), with a mission to highlight innovative Colorado technology companies in order 

to provide these companies with access to private capital. 

Known as a national expert on business ethics, security and the convergence of 

technology, he is frequently asked to speak on behalf of the industry and asked to 

participate in leadership roles with state and federal policy makers, including the 

President of the United States.

Jack Fox 

Owner 

The Fox Company Commercial Real Estate and Development, LLC 

Jack Fox is a Denver native and owner of The Fox Company 

Commercial Real Estate and Development, LLC. For twenty years 

the primary focus has been on in-fill development of retail, industrial 

and land parcels along the front range. Significant 

experience with brownfields redevelopments and urban re-use 

structures. 

Prior to this worked in Washington, D.C. Several public affairs jobs (private companies 

and governmental appointee) and served as an advanceman for President Ronald 

Reagan, 

including 3 US-Soviet summits and a G-7 Economic Summit. 

Led the business coalition in the development of Denver’s new zoning code and 

development review process. Recently served two terms as the Vice President for 

Government affairs for the Colorado Association of Realtors, the largest business trade 

organization in the state. Played a leading role in the business community’s response to 

a number of anti-business ballot initiatives in recent years. 

Current Chairman of the 2% Club, a business organization whose mission is to 

encourage corporate philanthropy. Former Member of the Board, Chair of the 

Investment Committee and Treasurer of The Denver Foundation, a community 

foundation with more than $500 million in assets. Involved in numerous other civic, 

charitable and education non-profits. 

Member of the Board of Directors of the FirstBank Holding Company. 

Graduate of Stanford University with a BA in 1986.

Lori Fox 

Director of Government and Corporate Affairs – Mountain Region 

United Airlines 

7401 E. Martin Luther King Blvd 

Denver, CO 80207-2433 

lori.fox@united.com 

Lori Fox, a Colorado native, has worked in politics, campaigns and transportation policy for over two 

decades. After interning for then-Congressman Ben Campbell during summers while she attended CU, she 

moved to Washington to serve as an aide after his successful Senate race in 1992. She was responsible 

for a variety of policy issues including transportation, telecommunications, business and labor. 

She later joined the Clinton Administration and worked for US Transportation and Energy Secretary 

Federico Peña, serving as his Director of Advance at both agencies. She finished her Washington tour of 

duty with a stint in the White House serving Vice President Al Gore. 

In 1998, Fox returned to Colorado and worked in a variety of consulting positions. She has advised 

corporate, non-profit and government entities on public relations and public affairs issues. 

In 2002, she was elected to serve on the Regional Transportation District’s Board of Directors, one of the 

few elected transit boards in the country. She has been named one of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 

Under 40”, “50 for the Future” by the Colorado Statesman and “One to Watch” by Element Magazine. 

In 2004, Fox joined United Airlines where she has responsibility for Government and Corporate Affairs in the 

Mountain Region. She interacts with state and local government officials on behalf of the company, 

advocating for pro-business policies and legislation that will positively benefit United and the airline industry. 

She also serves as United’s lead representative in the larger Denver business community and with local 

non-profit partners. 

Fox gives back to her community in a variety of ways. She served on transition teams for Governor Ritter, 

Mayor Hickenlooper and Mayor Hancock. She is on the board of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 

serving as chair of the Legislative Policy Committee. She has also participated in the Executive Committee, 

the Chair-Elect committee and has co-chaired the Transportation Committee. She also currently serves on 

the board of Visit Denver. She was appointed by Mayor Hickenlooper to serve on Denver’s Commission of 

Cultural Affairs. Previously, she served on the board of Denver Civic Ventures, the Colorado Women’s 

Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Institute for Leadership Training. 

She lives in Stapleton with her husband Tom Downey and three young daughters, Cate, Ella and Meg.

Douglas J. Friednash 

Denver City Attorney 

City & County of Denver 

Douglas J. Friednash was appointed and sworn in as Denver City 

Attorney on August 15, 2011. Doug Friednash is a graduate of 

Manual High School and a third-generation Coloradoan. Doug 

graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a 

B.A. in Business Economics and Political Science in 1984. He then received a J.D. 

from the University of San Diego School Law School in 1987 where he received the 

Outstanding Graduate award from the University of San Diego Alumni Association 

Board of Directors. 

Friednash worked in the Colorado Attorney General’s Office-Criminal 

Enforcement Section and in 1992, Doug was elected to the Colorado House of 

Representatives. 

Before joining the Hancock administration, Doug was a Shareholder in 

Greenberg Traurig LLLP. Doug served as lead counsel in Ritchie v. Ritter, representing 

a coalition of businesses, non-profit corporations, college, and individuals that 

successfully challenged the constitutionality of Amendment 54 (sole source contract 

prohibition). Previously, he served as lead counsel to the First Amendment Council, a 

coalition of Colorado-based individuals, non-profit corporations and businesses that 

challenged the constitutionality of Amendment 41 in Developmental Pathways v. Ritter. 

He also represented political and issues campaigns, including the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, Coloradans for 

Responsible Reform, and the Creekside Coalition in numerous ballot initiatives before 

the Title Board and the Colorado Supreme Court. Doug served as counsel to candidate 

campaigns including Senator Mark Udall’s Senate campaign and Mayor Hancock’s 

committee. In addition, Doug's practice includes representation of companies in 

complex commercial litigation. 

Awards & Recognition 

· Listed, Chambers & Partners USA Guide, an annual listing of the leading 

business lawyers and law firms in the world, 2010 & 2011 

· Listed, 2009 Lawyers of the Year, Law Week Colorado 

· Best Government Lawyer, 2009 & 2010 Barrister's Best, Law Week Colorado 

· Finalist, 2009 & 2010 Denver Business Journal Power Book Awards 

· Chamber Champion, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2011 

· Power Book Industry Leader 2011 Denver Business Journal Power Book Awards

SEAN R. GALLAGHER 

Shareholder 

sgallagher@polsinelli.com 

Denver 

Phone: 720.931.1163 

Fax: 303.572.7883 

For more than 25 years, Sean Gallagher has handled a broad range of strategic counseling 

and litigation matters in courtrooms across the country, including a successful oral argument 

in the Supreme Court of the United States. His practice emphasizes three general areas: 

complex commercial litigation, employment litigation/counseling, and constitutional/public 

policy matters. Representative commercial litigation expertise includes cases involving claims 

for fraud and misrepresentation, securities fraud, antitrust violations, consumer protection 

violations, trademark and copyright infringements, environmental whistleblowing, violations of 

the False Claims Act, and corporate governance disputes. 

Mr. Gallagher also assists his clients in implementing proactive employment policies that 

minimize the risk of litigation. When necessary, however, he represents employers in litigation 

involving non-compete agreements, employment discrimination, civil rights violations, 

Sarbanes-Oxley violations, retaliatory discharge, breach of contract, ERISA violations and 

libel/slander. He also has extensive experience with negotiating and litigating executive 

employment agreements, representing both executives and employers. Mr. Gallagher is one 

of the founding editors of The Practitioner's Guide to Colorado Employment Law, the state’s 

definitive treatise on employment law since 1999. 

Mr. Gallagher has handled a broad spectrum of public policy, constitutional, and election 

matters, including several First Amendment cases of national significance. He successfully 

represented two U.S. Secret Service agents in the Supreme Court of the United States in 

Reichle v. Howards, 566 U.S. ___ (2012), where he obtained a unanimous decision on behalf 

of his clients in a case involving the scope of civil liability of Secret Service agents protecting 

the President and Vice-President. He successfully represented a member of the President’s 

advance team in a case involving alleged viewpoint discrimination by the White House (Weise 

v. Casper, 593 F.3d 1163, cert. denied 131 S.Ct. 7 (2010)). He represented the telemarketing 

industry in a constitutional challenge to the FTC and FCC’s Do Not Call registry (Mainstream 

Marketing Svcs. v. FTC, 359 F.3d 1228 (10th Cir. 2004) as well as a state university in a First 

Amendment retaliatory termination case (Kemp. v. State Bd. of Agriculture, 803 P.2d 498 

(Colo. 1990). Mr. Gallagher has also represented the governor of Colorado in the state's 

congressional redistricting litigation, a U.S. Congressman in a congressional election recount 

and several presidential campaigns. 

Departments 

Litigation 

Practice Areas 

Commercial Litigation 

Labor and Employment 

Education 

J.D., University of Denver 

Sturm College of Law, 1987 

B.A., Baylor University, 1984 

Admissions 

Colorado, 1987 

Court Admissions 

United States Supreme Court, 

2004 

U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth 

Circuit, 1987 

U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth 

Circuit, 2003 

As an adjunct to his litigation practice, Mr. Gallagher has nationally recognized experience in 

the field of electronic discovery. He is a member of The Sedona Conference’s Working Group 

on Best Practices for Electronic Document Retention and Production, and helped lead a team 

which drafted the conference’s commentary on “Proportionality in the e-Discovery Process.” 

He has lectured extensively on electronic discovery matters.

Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D. 

Dean, The Women's College 


Lynn M. Gangone, Ed.D. is dean of The Women’s College of the University of Denver 

and associate clinical professor of higher education at the Morgridge College of 

Education; she has served in her positions at the university since May 2007. The 

Women’s College is an undergraduate college offering the DU degree on evenings and 

weekends to women who live and work in the Rocky Mountain region; areas of focus 

include law and society, business administration, information technology, leadership 

studies, and communication. The college’s three centers for women, focused on entrepreneurship, policy and 

politics, and philanthropy serve students and community women committed to their own advancement and the 

advancement of women and girls worldwide. Students in the college’s honors program partner with communitybased 

organizations such as the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Special Olympics Colorado, and Friendship 

Bridge to conduct research that assists these non-profits with furthering their critical work in our communities. 

The college’s signature series, Leadership Salons, bring together men and women to discuss the great issues of the 

day, with the podium held by women thought leaders; community partners for the Salons have included RedLine 

and the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, among others. 

Dr. Gangone is a champion of women’s leadership in the new economy. She is often called upon for her expert 

opinion by organizations like The SmartGirls’ Way and others who are interested in empowering women through 

education and business leadership. She serves as faculty to several national leadership institutes including HERS: 

Advancing Women in Higher Education, the Women’s Leadership Institute, and is the leadership content expert 

for the American Physical Therapy Association’s Emerging Leaders Institute; she keynotes at various local, national, 

and international conferences and seminars on women’s leadership in higher education and the status of women 

and girls. She co-created the Institute for Emerging Women Leaders in Higher Education, an American Council on 

Education award-winning leadership development program. Her most recent publications include the lead article 

in the inaugural Journal About Women in Higher Education (2008) and a book chapter on women’s leadership 

development in Rethinking Leadership in a Complex, Multicultural, and Global Environment: New Concepts and 

Models for Higher Education (2009). 

Dr. Gangone is a Woman of Distinction (Girl Scouts of Colorado), a University of Denver Center for Multicultural 

Excellence’s “Outstanding Achievement in Multicultural Excellence” award recipient, and a board member to the 

Colorado Chapter of the International Women’s Forum. She serves on various boards including Public Service 

Credit Union (Board Secretary and Executive Committee Member), HERS: Advancing Women Leaders in Higher 

Education, is on the Civic and Education Advisory Board of the Denver Foundation, and has served the Girl 

Scouts of Colorado as a member of their Women of Distinction selection committee. She was honored by the 

American College Personnel Association (ACPA) as a Diamond Honoree for service to higher education and by 

The College of New Rochelle, which awarded her the Ursula Laurus citation. Most recently Dr. Gangone was one 

of 75 women identified by The Denver Post as the state’s most influential women, and has recently been chosen 

by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors as one of Denver’s 25 Most Powerful 

Women. 

Dr. Gangone received an Ed.D. and M.Ed. in higher and postsecondary administration from Columbia University; 

and an M.S. and C.A.S. in counseling psychology from the State University of New York at Albany; and a B.A. in 

political science/history from The College of New Rochelle (New York). She also was a member of the Class of 

2010 Harvard Institute for Educational Management.

Beth Ganz 

Vice President for Public Affairs and Sustainability 

Vail Resorts 

Joining Vail Resorts in 2007, Beth Ganz serves as the Vice 

President for Public Affairs and Sustainability. In this role, Ganz 

oversees the company’s government relations at the national, 

state and local level, and the company’s corporate stewardship 

and sustainability programs. Previously, Ganz held many political 

and non-profit positions in both Colorado and Washington, D.C. Before joining Vail Resorts, 

Ganz served as executive director of America Votes, a national coalition that works to 

promote progressive policies through issue advocacy and election campaigns. Previously, 

Ganz held executive director positions with NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado and the Colorado 

Democratic Party. In addition, Ganz served as campaign manager for Congresswoman 

DeGette’s first re-election campaign. Ganz has had the honor of on many non-profit boards, 

and currently serves as vice chair of the Africa School Assistance Project, a Denver-based 

organization that recruits U.S. volunteers to help build schools in Africa. Ganz earned a B.A. 

from Duke University and a J.D. from Georgetown University.

Maria Garcia Berry 


CRL Associates, Inc. 

Maria Garcia Berry is the guiding force behind what is today one of the most 

influential public affairs firms in Colorado. Serving a broad spectrum of 

clients from transportation to professional sports teams to real estate 

developers – the services of Ms. Garcia Berry and her associates are sought 

by clients across the United States. 

As chief executive officer of CRL Associates, Inc., she successfully manages 

CRL’s broad client base that includes a variety of high-profile projects such 

as the Master Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Denver’s Union 

Station; the transformation of the former Villa Italia mall site into Belmar; and Forest City’s 

redevelopment of Stapleton. CRL has represented all of the Denver sports franchises. In 2004, Ms. 

Garcia Berry was the campaign chair for the nation’s largest proposed mass transit expansion effort, the 

successful FasTracks Yes campaign. She is a much sought-after consultant for other locales striving to 

bring an integrated and comprehensive transportation program to their area. In addition to FasTracks, 

she has been a strategic consultant to a number of transportation-related initiatives around the country, 

including a transportation master plan for the seven‐county Tampa Bay region adopted in 2009 by the 

Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority (TBARTA) and a 2012 regional transportation 

referendum in the 10-county Atlanta region that would fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements. 

Highly respected for her skills in negotiation, mediation and advocacy, Ms Garcia Berry is experienced 

at forging links between diverse interests and groups. She is widely recognized in her field for her 

expertise in government and public decision making, strategic planning, coalition building, crisis 

communications, community outreach, public positioning and legislative advocacy. 

Maria Garcia Berry is a member of the Board of Directors of TBD Colorado, a nonpartisan, 

collaborative effort designed to create informed and constructive conversations among Coloradans about 

some of the biggest issues facing the state. She is a former trustees of Metropolitan State College; 

former member of the Auraria Higher Education Center Board of Directors; serves on the Citywide 

Banks Board; and is a member of the Urban Land Institute. Ms. Garcia Berry is also an alumnus of 

Leadership Denver. 

She is married to Chuck Berry, currently the CEO and president of Colorado’s Association of 

Commerce and Industry and formerly Colorado’s Speaker of the House. They have three children. 

1625 Broadway, Suite 700 Denver, CO 80202 p. 303.592.5450 f. 303.592.5460 www.crlassociates.com

Joe Garcia 

Lieutenant Governor 


Lt. Gov. Joseph Garcia brings a passion for education and public 

service to the state Capitol. 

Before he was elected Lieutenant Governor, Joe was president of 

Colorado State University - Pueblo. During his four-year tenure at the University, Joe helped the 

university overcome financial difficulties, stagnant enrollment and a mediocre reputation through 

aggressive marketing and non-traditional solutions. 

For example, Joe helped to energize the campus by working with local alumni and parents to bring back a 

football program that was abandoned in 1984. Men's wrestling and women's track and field also made 

their return and a new football stadium was constructed entirely with privately-donated funds. Other new 

facilities included new residence halls and a new student recreation complex, while other facilities were 

significantly renovated and expanded. The effort contributed to a two-fold increase in freshman 

enrollment at the school in only two years. 

While president of CSU-Pueblo, Joe also served as co-chair of the Governor's P-20 Education Task Force, 

helping guide the development of a significant education reform agenda. He also served as one of three 

Colorado commissioners on the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE), an 

organization that he now chairs. 

Joe earlier served as president of the second-largest community college in Colorado, Pikes Peak 

Community College. There, he oversaw three campuses that serve more than 16,000 students annually. 

Before serving at PPCC, he was a White House appointee serving as the Secretary's Representative for 

the Rocky Mountain States for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 

He also served on former Gov. Roy Romer's Cabinet as the Executive Director of the Colorado 

Department of Regulatory Agencies, where he managed and maintained budgetary responsibility for 

agencies such as the Divisions of Banking, Financial Services, Real Estate, Insurance, Civil Rights, 

Securities and the Public Utilities Commission. 

Joe has also been actively involved as a board member for many non-profit agencies such as the YMCAs 

of Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Denver, Pikes Peak Legal Aid, the Colorado Springs and Pueblo 

Economic Development Agencies, The Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (where he served as 

Board President), the Pikes Peak Child Nursery Centers Inc., the Hispanic Association of Colleges and 

Universities, and numerous other civil rights, educational, and cultural organizations. 

Born into a military family with deep roots in northern New Mexico, Joe has lived in cities ranging from 

the Western United States to Western Europe. Joe earned a business degree from the University of 

Colorado and a juris doctorate from Harvard Law School. 

An avid mountain climber and mountain biker in the summer and snowboarder in the winter, Joe could 

not imagine calling anywhere else his home and is proud to have passed his love of Colorado and the 

outdoors on to his four children, Mateo, Dolores, Joaquin and Jose.

JOSHUA GOULD, AIA, LEED AP 

C H A I R M A N & C E O , R N L 

Josh has been the CEO of RNL for the past 8 years and has led the firm to 

its current status as a 130-person international firm with offices in Denver, 

Phoenix, LA, Washington DC, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Under his 

direction, RNL has built on its 55-year tradition of service, design 

excellence, and prominence in the Denver community to emerge as a 

global design firm providing inspired architecture, planning and interior 

design to clients worldwide. 

In addition to his current role as Chairman and CEO, Josh acts as principal in charge of the firm’s 

corporate market and personally directs many of RNL’s interior design, corporate office, and higher 

education projects. He has helped champion the firm’s commitment to sustainable design and RNL has 

been recognized as one of the top five sustainable firms in the US. 

Josh moved to Colorado in 1980 from Boston to attend the University of Colorado and obtain a Masters 

Degree in Architecture. He returned to CU in 1995 to get his MBA, and continues to teach select classes 

in the schools of architecture and business. Josh is currently the President of the Colorado Chapter of 

CoreNet Global, an international organization dedicated to providing education and services to corporate 

real estate executives. He is also on the MDEDC Board of Governors, and on the advisory board of the 

UC Denver Business School. Josh’s community activities include an active board role with Seeking 

Common Ground, a local non-profit that, for the past 17 years, has been teaching young adults from the 

Middle East, Northern Ireland, South Africa and the US to become leaders for peace in their communities. 

Josh is married and has one son who is running an urban agriculture non-profit in North-East Denver. 

Additional interests include mountain biking, skiing, travel and cooking. 

AFFILIATIONS 

Corenet Global, Board President 

Metro Denver Economic Development Council, Board of Governors 

University of Colorado School of Business, Board of Advisors 

AIA National Member 

Seeking Common Ground, Board Member 

Fitzsimons Design Review Board 

EDUCATION 

Master of Business Administration University of Colorado, 1995 

Master of Architecture University of Colorado, 1984 

Bachelor of Arts Rutgers University, 1978

Gino Greco 

CEO 

American Red Cross 

Recognized by Denver Business Journal as one of Denver’s 

“Forty Under 40” business leaders, Gino Greco was named 

the Regional CEO of the American Red Cross in January, 

2011. Prior to that he served as President & CEO of The 

Wildlife Experience museum and as Chief Operating Officer 

of CollegeInvest’s college savings plans. Under his 

leadership, The Wildlife Experience’s attendance and memberships doubled and tripled 

respectively, and CollegeInvest’s assets under management grew to over $2.5 billion. 

A long history of being actively involved in the community Gino currently serves on the 

Leadership Advisory Council of the Colorado Nonprofit Association, Economic 

Development Committee of the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Alumni 

Recruitment & Inclusiveness Committee of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership 

Foundation. After leaving CollegeInvest, he was appointed by both Governors Owens 

and Ritter to the CollegeInvest board of directors, where he served as Chair during the 

organization’s sale of its student loan program. He was a founding member of the 

9Teachers Who Care program with 9News and has also previously held board or 

leadership positions for the Denver Commission on Cultural Affairs, Denver Kids Inc., 

The Children’s Museum of Denver and Denver Active 20-30 Children’s Foundation. He 

is a graduate of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leadership Denver 

program and the FBI’s Denver Citizens Academy. 

Proud to be a Colorado native, Gino received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the 

University of Colorado at Boulder and received his Master of Business Administration 

from Regis University in Denver. He lives in Lakewood with his wife and three children.

Mowa Haile 


Sky Blue Builders 

Mowa Haile is President and CEO of Sky Blue Builders and is 

responsible for articulating the vision for the company and leads 

the implementation of the company's short and long-term goals. 

He works closely with the team in monitoring the daily 

operations of the company and focus on strategic, tactical, and 

operations management and improvement. Mowa has an integral role in creating 

and developing customer relationships that deliver the company's 

products/services. Mowa founded the company in 2007 and has guided the 

company from a two-man team and $80K in revenue to performing large projects 

for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Haile has over 16 years of 

operations and real estate experience. 

Mowa holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Colorado State 

University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Mowa is the Board Chair 

of Venture Prep, a free, rigorous, public charter school in Denver whose mission is 

to prepare all 6-12th grade students for college and career success. Mowa is on 

the Small Business Advisory Board for Denver Metro SBDC and the Denver Metro 

Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Mowa serves on the City of Denver’s Division 

of Small Business Opportunity Advisory Committee and Heavy Highway Goals 

Committee.

Mayor Michael B. Hancock 


From school-age kid to hard-working adult, Michael Hancock has 

always been a leader. Despite adversity and tragedy, he has always 

found a way to triumph. And with a passion for public service, 

Michael has always fought on behalf of the people and businesses of 

Denver. Before becoming Mayor, Michael Hancock served eight years 

as a City Councilman, two terms as Denver City Council president and 

was the youngest CEO of an Urban League chapter anywhere in the 

country. He knows what it means to meet a payroll, manage a budget 

and inspire a workforce. He believes in bringing different groups 

together to find common-sense solutions to complicated challenges, 

and he believes that by working together we can build on our past 

and deliver a world-class city where everyone matters. 

In his first year in office, Mayor Hancock has begun to set a 

foundation critical to maintaining the City’s momentum and delivering 

long-term success. Throughout his first year, Mayor Hancock has 

refocused Denver’s efforts around several key initiatives, including 

delivering more opportunities for all of Denver’s children, spurring 

new economic opportunities for the city, making Denver’s streets 

safer, strengthening the safety net, transforming city government to 

provide the highest quality services at the lowest possible cost and 

championing innovation.

Ulcca Joshi Hansen 

Vice-President of Education 

Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC) 

Ulcca Joshi Hansen is the Vice-President of Education 

for the Public Education and Business Coalition 

(PEBC), and Executive Director of PEBC’s Colorado 

Boettcher Teachers Program. 

Prior to joining PEBC she was Associate Director for 

Educator Effectiveness at the Colorado Legacy 

Foundation (CLF), where she served as the Director of 

the Technical Advisory Group to the State Council for 

Educator Effectiveness (SCEE). She then served as an 

executive on loan to the Colorado Department of 

Education to assist with the development of a state 

model evaluation system and a pilot plan for statewide 

implementation. 

Ulcca began her education career teaching third grade 

in Newark, NJ before joining the Geraldine R. Dodge 

Foundation as a Program Fellow. She has served as a 

consultant to numerous governmental agencies, including the British government, the 

US Department of Education, and the Massachusetts and Georgia state departments of 

education, investigating and evaluating education reform efforts, with a focus on 

educator effectiveness. While living in Dubai, from 2007-2009 Ulcca worked in the 

corporate and litigation departments of Clifford Chance LLP. 

Ulcca has a B.A. in Philosophy and German, and a certification in early childhood and 

elementary education from Drew University in New Jersey. She earned her Ph.D. in 

education from Oxford University on a Marshall Scholarship and a J.D. from Harvard 

Law School as a Soros Fellow. She joined the Colorado Bar in 2010. 

Ulcca served on the founding Board of Directors for Rocky Mountain Preparatory 

Academy, a pre-K-8 charter school in Denver that will open in the fall of 2012. She has 

also volunteered with the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program and the National 

Coalition against Domestic Violence, both based in Denver, directing and performing in 

charity productions for both organizations. She is also a member of the Colorado 

Theatre Guild, both as an actor and as a member of the Board of Directors working to 

expand access to the arts for underserved communities.

Governor John Hickenlooper 


A geologist-turned brewpub pioneer who had never 

run for political office (not even student council) 

before being elected Mayor of Denver in 2003, John 

Hickenlooper was elected Governor of Colorado in 

November 2010. He took office two months later. His 

ambition for the state is even bigger than his name. 

Gov. Hickenlooper, drawing on his diverse background 

as an exploration geologist and restaurateur, is 

bringing bright, creative leadership and innovative 

thinking to the state Capitol. His boundless energy and Western spirit of collaboration are 

generating tremendous optimism and confidence in Colorado’s future.

Kathleen E. Hodgson 

City Manager 

City of Lakewood 

Kathy has been city manager since 2009 for Lakewood, the third 

largest city in the Denver metro area. Lakewood has about 143,000 

residents and covers 45 square miles at the base of the foothills to the 

Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. She oversees an annual 

operating budget of more than $98 million and an organization with more than 900 fulltime 

employees. She has 30 years of experience in the public sector, all with the City of 

Lakewood. 

During her tenure, the City’s financial reserves have reached historic levels. She has been 

successful in attracting new businesses to the city such as a research arm of Davita, a 

medical firm. The research company is locating on the St. Anthony Medical Campus, and 

Kathy is focused on efforts that will make this campus a magnet area for medical 

companies. 

She has also moved major policy issues through Lakewood City Council including 

regulating medical marijuana facilities. She assisted in stopping the closure of a middle 

school in the heart of Lakewood. She also continues to work on integrating the West Line 

Light Rail, which will open in 2013, and its six stations into Lakewood’s neighborhoods. 

During her tenure as city manager, Lakewood has been named a 2011 All-America City 

by the National Civic League, recognizing the City’s collaboration with a wide range of 

community organizations and residents. The City also won the first-ever All-America 

City Diversity Award for extraordinary and innovative success in advancing diversity and 

inclusiveness in the community. The City also has won a 2011 Gold Medal Award for 

Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. In 2010, the City of Lakewood was 

named the Best Place to Work by the Denver Business Journal in the category for the 

largest organizations and companies in the metro area. 

Kathy serves on the Red Rocks Community College President’s Advisory Council by 

appointment from Gov. John Hickenlooper, and she is currently the president of the 

Metro City & County Management Association. 

Kathy holds a master’s degree in public administration with an emphasis in local 

government, and she received the Certificate for Senior Executives from Harvard 

University’s Kennedy School of Government. She also has a bachelor’s degree in 

behavioral psychology. She was awarded the Distinguished Fellow Award in 2007 from 

the Colorado Park and Recreation Association.

Ms. Kittie L. Hook 

Senior Vice President Corporate Services 

Cassidy Turley Real Estate 

Senior Vice President of Corporate Services for Cassidy Turley Real Estate 

and a Colorado native, Ms. Hook thrives amongst competition. Through 

high level projects, Ms. Hook has created an impressive portfolio of 

corporate clients in Real Estate, Site Selection, Financial Markets and 

Economic Development throughout Colorado and the U.S for over 20 

years. 

Ms. Hook has a command of site selection, planning and zoning processes, 

government incentives, and economic development. She specializes in 

site acquisitions for national corporations, corporate relocations and 

expansions and has completed significant investment sales. 

Ms. Hook catapulted to distinction early in her career earning the The 

Denver Metro Commercial Association of Realtors (DMCAR) Realtor of the Year Award in 1998. Her 

dedication to local economic development continued through her work with the Denver Metro Chamber 

of Commerce and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, earning her the Chamber 

Champion awards in 2003 and 2004. 

Ms. Hook actively invests in her community by serving on numerous boards of directors and committees 

for organizations including the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, The Hundred Club of 

Denver, Denver Botanic Gardens and Metro Denver Sports Commission. Ms. Hook is a member of the 

Downtown Denver Partnership, International Association of Shopping Centers and CoreNet Global. Ms. 

Hook also Co-founded the Rocky Mountain Commercial Real Estate EXPO, graduate of Leadership 

Denver Class of 2000, as well as the Past President for the Denver Metro Commercial Association of 

Realtors (DMCAR), Denver Property Database (DPD) and the Denver Metro Realtor Foundation. 

A sampling of Ms. Hook’s notable clients includes The Children’s Hospital, Vestas Blades America Inc., 

Knowledge Learning Corporation, Public Service (Xcel Energy ), Whole Foods and Ultimate Electronics. 

Major projects Ms. Hook has navigated clients through consists of acquisitions of land for Vestas 

Manufacturing plant and lease space for R&D Facility, a sale of a regional facility for Whole Foods and 

site acquisition for a new corporate headquarters facility for Ultimate Electronics, as well as site 

acquisitions and sale leasebacks for KinderCare Learning Centers throughout the Front Range. 

Ms. Hook has lent her expertise to other high-profile companies such as KLH Commercial, Prime 

Commercial, Moore Commercial, Jefferson Economic Council, Greater Denver Corporation, Interstate 

Lending Corporation, and First Interstate Bank of Golden and Fort Collins.

Dorothy A. Horrell, PH.D. 

President 

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation 

Dorothy Horrell joined the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation as 

Executive Director in January of 2001 and was elected as its 

President in September of 2002. The Bonfils-Stanton 

Foundation is among the 15 largest private foundations in 

Colorado and invests in people, organizations and ideas that 

elevate and enrich the greater Denver community and the state, primarily in the areas of arts 

and leadership. Its signature programs include: The Community Grants Program, through which 

the Foundation invests in leading visual and performing arts organizations helping them 

innovate and grow; The Livingston Fellowship Program, which recognizes and supports the 

advanced learning and development of high-potential nonprofit leaders, and The Annual 

Awards, presented for over twenty-five years to honor Coloradans who have made significant 

and unique contributions in the areas of Arts and Humanities, Community Service, and Science 

and Medicine. 

This appointment followed Dr. Horrell’s retirement as President of the Community Colleges of 

Colorado, a system of thirteen two-year public colleges that serve over a quarter of a million 

students each year. This system is recognized for being an essential partner in the state’s 

economic development strategy and for its role as the gateway to higher education for the 

majority of Coloradans. Her 27-year career as an educator also includes serving as President 

of Red Rocks Community College in Lakewood, Colorado. During her tenure there, the college 

carried out a $14 million expansion and renovation of its main campus, established a second 

campus, increased its total enrollment by over 25%, and underwent a comprehensive 

transformation as a “learning-centered college.” Dr. Horrell’s resume also includes a number of 

administrative and teaching positions at the high school and college levels. She has been 

active in policy development at the local, state, and federal levels and is a frequently requested 

speaker in the areas of leadership development and organizational transformation. 

Dr. Horrell is a native Coloradan and earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees at 

Colorado State University. She has served in leadership positions on a number of civic and 

nonprofit boards and is currently a gubernatorial appointee to the Board of Governors for 

Colorado State University, and on the Board of Directors for First National Bank of Colorado and 

the Clyfford Still Museum. Dr. Horrell and her husband, Ted, live in Wheat Ridge and are the 

parents of an adult daughter.

BOB HOTTMAN 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

EKS&H 

Bob Hottman is the CEO of audit, tax, and consulting 

firm Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman PC (EKS&H). 

Since its founding in 1978, EKS&H has grown into the 

largest Colorado-based accounting and business 

advisory firm. Hottman has provided accounting and 

advisory services for closely-held businesses and public 

companies since 1977. He has vast experience in 

helping clients develop strategic plans, improve 

operations, develop information systems, and plan for 

change and growth. 

He also serves as a leader with his internal clients 

(employees) by creating opportunities for connecting, 

having fun, recognizing accomplishments, and growing 

personally and professionally. Hottman and the other 

partners strive to have EKS&H be an employer of 

choice. This goal resulted in EKS&H winning the Denver Business Journal’s “Best Place to 

Work” for companies with more than 150 people for three consecutive years. And, in 2007, 

EKS&H was the first company inducted into the Denver Business Journal’s Best Place to 

Work Hall of Fame. EKS&H was also recognized as one of the top “25 Best Medium-sized 

Companies to work for in America” in 2009 and 2010 by Entrepreneur.com and 

the Great Place to Work Institute (GPTW). 

Hottman is a graduate of Colorado State University with a degree in business 

administration. He has been actively involved in the community by serving on numerous 

boards and committees through the years. Currently, he serves on the board of directors 

and committees for The Children’s Hospital and the Denver Metro Chamber of 

Commerce. In addition, Hottman currently serves on the Colorado State University Global 

Leadership Council.

John J. Huggins 

35 Eudora Street 

Principal Denver, Colorado 80220 

Longs Peak Advisors (303) 949-7010 

JJHuggins@gmail.com 

Longs Peak Advisors Denver, Colorado 1996-Present 

• Real estate development and financial advisor to businesses and non-profit organizations 

seeking public participation in community and economic development projects. 

• Active angel investor and financial and management advisor to technology and other 

small companies. 

• Political advisor to government officials and projects including electoral transitions and 

public/private partnerships and privatizations. 

Denver Office of Economic Development Denver, Colorado 2003-2007 

• Served as the transition director and key economic advisor to Mayor John W. 

Hickenlooper’s campaign. 

• Reorganized and directed the Denver Office of Economic Development, a new division 

created from four previously separate agencies, providing business recruitment and 

retention, marketing, workforce development, small business assistance, and housing and 

neighborhood development programs across Denver. 

• Lead responsibility for the City’s most complex business deals and projects. 

Johnson-Grace Company Newport Beach, California 1994-1996 

• Co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of computer software company which developed 

first commercially viable format for streaming media and proprietary electronic 

publishing and communications technologies for use on the Internet and online services. 

Johnson-Grace Company became an industry leader by developing data compression 

technologies and other innovations that improved the transmission speed and quality of 

multimedia content over the Internet; inventions included compression and display 

algorithms for graphic and photo images, page layouts, audio, music, and video. 

• Company, which was acquired by America Online in 1996 at an $85 million valuation, 

operated as an advanced technology research and development division of AOL.

Tracy Huggins 


Denver Urban Renewal Authority 

Tracy Huggins is executive director of the Denver Urban 

Renewal Authority (DURA), a full-service redevelopment 

agency engaged in neighborhood and downtown revitalization, 

economic development, home ownership and housing 

rehabilitation throughout the City and County of Denver. Under 

her leadership, DURA plays a role in many of the city’s most 

important redevelopment efforts, and also helps revitalize 

neighborhoods through a variety of housing rehabilitation programs for low- and 

moderate-income homeowners. 

At DURA, Huggins directs the agency’s involvement in redevelopment efforts 

with combined DURA financing of approximately $640 million. Among those projects 

are redevelopment of the former Stapleton International Airport and the former St. 

Luke’s Hospital complex. 

In addition to redevelopment projects, Huggins also manages DURA’s housing 

rehabilitation programs, which the authority administers for the city’s Planning and 

Community Development Agency. DURA is also partnering with the City and County of 

Denver to implement the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to purchase, rehabilitate 

and resell foreclosed homes in distress Denver neighborhoods. 

Since joining DURA in October 1992, Huggins has overseen the agency’s 

financial involvement in a number of significant redevelopment efforts, including the 

Denver Pavilions entertainment/retail center and adjacent Adam’s Mark Hotel, the 

historic Denver Dry Building and the REI Denver flagship store. 

Huggins, who is a certified public accountant, came to DURA from Strait- 

Kushinsky, a Denver public accounting firm. She is on the boards of directors of the 

Mountain States Employers Council, Gold Crown Foundation, Colorado I Have a Dream 

Foundation, 9 Health Fair Finance Committee and is a 2001 graduate of the Harvard 

University John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for Senior Executives in 

State and Local Government. She also is a member of the American Institute of Certified 

Public Accountants, the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Urban 

Land Institute and the Council for Urban Economic Development. 

Huggins earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the 

University of Montana. She is married and has three children.

JOHN M. 

HUSBAND 

Firm Chairman 

Labor and Employment 

(303) 295-8228 

jhusband@hollandhart. 

com 

Overview 

Mr. Husband develops labor and employment solutions to help 

companies maintain compliance with federal and state laws 

regulating the employment relationship. He counsels Fortune 500 

companies and small businesses alike on matters including 

wrongful discharge, equal opportunity, trade secrets and covenants 

not to compete, wage and hour, privacy, disability, occupational 

safety, affirmative action and collective action, strikes, unions, and 

collective bargaining. 

Mr. Husband has tried cases in 20 states and been lead counsel in 

over 300 adversarial proceedings, trials, major arbitrations, or 

administrative actions that have been tried to conclusion. Many of 

these cases have set precedent under Colorado and federal law. He 

has extensive class and collective action experience and has 

successfully defended nationwide claims for highly recognizable 

companies. 

Mr. Husband graduated first in his law school class, and before 

joining Holland & Hart, completed a clerkship with the Honorable 

Robert H. McWilliams, U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Honors and Awards 

Top Fifty Colorado Super Lawyer; The Best Lawyers in America® 2012 

Employment Law – Management, Labor Law – Management, 

Litigation – Labor & Employment; Chambers USA 2011 – Labor & 

Employment (Band 1); Euromoney Guide to the World’s Leading Labour 

and Employment Lawyers; The International Bar Association’s Who’s 

Who of Management Labor and Employment Lawyers; Denver Business 

Journal’s Best of the Bar 2006; Who’s Who in America; Who’s Who in 

Business; Who’s Who in the World 

Memberships and Affiliations 

American Bar Association's Employee Rights and Responsibilities 

Committee, Management Advisory Committee Member; past Co- 

Chair Publications Sub-Committee, Editor of ER&R Committee 

Newsletter; Co-Chair of The Class Action/Complex Litigation Sub- 

Committee; Co-Chair of the Developing Issues Sub-Committee; The 

Colorado Lawyer, Editor of bimonthly labor and employment 

column; Colorado Employment Law Letter, Editor; The Colorado 

Safety Association, Director and Officer; Co-Chair, Developing 

Issues Sub-Committee; National Labor Relations Board, 

Management Chair of the Practices and Procedures Committee for 

Region 27; University of Toledo, College of Law, Board of 

Governors; Director and Officer, The Colorado Safety Association; 

Leadership Denver Association, participant and Leadership Denver 

Alumni Association


2401 Larimer Street 


303-297-0170 

pure-brand.com 

Dan Igoe 

Founding Partner/Strategic Planning 


A 28-year resident of Denver, many consider Dan a cornerstone of this 

area’s business community, having worked with many of the region’s 

leading advertising, marketing and public relations agencies. Dan is the 

co-founder of Pure Brand Communications. Formed in late 2003, Pure 

has grown steadily to become one of the leading Denver brand 

communication firms representing regional and national brands like 

Metro Denver EDC, Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Metro 

Chamber of Commerce, Western Union, Bellco, EnCana Oil & Gas, 

Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Schrek LLP, and Stetson legendary hats and 

apparel. 

Dan has served a wide variety of consumer and business-to-business 

clients with his broad-based experience in the areas of strategic 

planning, research and brand development. 

Dan helped guide several brand initiatives including work for the Colorado Tourism Board account when it was 

named by the travel industry as the most effective tourism organization in North America. Other tourism and 

travel-related work includes several resorts like Winter Park, Steamboat and Vail Valley, and the Denver Metro 

Convention and Visitors Bureau. Dan led the launch of the nation’s most successful Air Force Base 

Redevelopment community, Lowry, and helped formulate the brand identities for Carrollton, Texas, Englewood 

City Center and the redevelopment of Stapleton. He also led a variety of communications strategies from 

technology clients like TRIP.com, IBM and GE Access, to consumer initiatives for Wells Fargo Banks, 

Breckenridge Brewery and the Metropolitan Opera. 

Dan presently serves on the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, the Denver Chamber’s 

Transportation committee, a member of the Colorado Energy Coalition and on the Board of Governors for the 

Metro Denver EDC. Dan was in the first graduating class (2007) of the National Renewable Energy Labs 

Leadership program, and is a past chairman for the nation’s number one arts festival, the Cherry Creek Arts 

Festival.

Walter L. Isenberg 


Sage Hospitality 

Walter Isenberg is co-founder of Sage Hospitality and 

serves as the company’s President and Chief Executive 

Officer. Based in Denver, Colorado Sage specializes in 

the operations, development and capital transactions of 

hospitality real estate. Sage owns and operates 63 hotels 

in 26 states ranging from large urban full-service hotels to 

smaller select service suburban properties. Mr. Isenberg 

directs all company operations including property 

management, development and finance. 

Mr. Isenberg and his partner, Zack Neumeyer were 

founders of Sage in 1984. The company’s history in 

hospitality includes ground-up development, historic-adaptive re-use, acquisitions and 

third-party management. The company’s hotels include well known brands such as JW 

Marriott, Renaissance, Westin and Hilton as well as independents. In 2006, Sage formed 

the Sage Restaurant Group which operates high-volume street restaurants inside its urban 

hotels. 

Sage has been consistently recognized for its significant commitment to corporate 

citizenship. As an illustration, Sage was the first recipient of Marriott International’s 

Spirit to Serve Award, given annually to a franchise partner that lives the vision to be an 

outstanding corporate citizen. Sage has lead the industry with its’ green operating 

practices and has developed both LEED Silver and Gold hotels. Sage also has been 

recognized for excellence in customer service, receiving excellence in service awards at 

many of its hotels. Sage’s development group has won numerous awards of excellence in 

the development of hotels and has been nationally recognized as a leader in historic 

preservation. 

Mr. Isenberg is a member of the American Hotel Lodging Association Government 

Affairs committee as well as Marriott International and Starwood Owner Advisory 

Boards. Active in the community, Mr. Isenberg currently serves on the boards of Visit 

Denver, The Downtown Denver Partnership, The Children’s Hospital Foundation and 

Colorado Concern. 

Mr. Isenberg is a graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Mr. 

Isenberg lives in Colorado with his wife Christie and their daughter’s Nicole and 

Tirunesh.

Bruce A. James 

Bruce A. James 

Shareholder 

bjames@bhfs.com 


T 303.223.1167 F 303.223.0967 

Bruce serves as the Managing Partner of Brownstein Hyatt Farber 

Schreck. Under his leadership, the firm has grown from approximately 95 

lawyers located in three offices in 2003, to over 260 lawyers and advisors 

today, across the firm's offices. Bruce has built upon the firm's national 

reputation in real estate and politics by adding leading national law and 

policy practices in gaming, water and alternative energy. 

Bruce represents lenders, developers, private equity funds and institutional 

investors in the development, financing, acquisition and disposition of large 

scale urban redevelopment projects and hotel/resort properties in various 

markets throughout the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean. 

Bruce has been practicing at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck since 1986. 

He has been a shareholder since 1992 and has served as Managing 

Partner since 2003. He has also served as co-chair of the firm's Real 

Estate department. 

Publications & Presentations 

"In the Face of Leadership: How True Leaders Embrace and Create 

Change," panelist, Chamber Connect and the Downtown Denver 

Partnership leadership program, July 27, 2010 

"Mergers for Midsize Firms: Applying the Culture and Strategy Tests," 

author, Law Practice Magazine, September/October 2009, Vol 35, No 6 

Practices 

Finance & Lending 

Hospitality 

Development 

Education 

J.D., 1985, University of 

Denver, Sturm College of 

Law, Order of St. Ives 

B.B.A., 1982, University of 

Michigan 

Admitted 

Colorado 

Distinctions 

Chambers USA, America’s 

Leading Business Lawyers, 

2005-2012 

Best Lawyers in America, 

2010-2012 

Colorado Super Lawyers, 

2006-2012 

Lawdragon, "100 Managing 

Partners You Need to Know," 

2008 

Community Involvement 

Chair, Board of Directors, 

Visit Denver - The 

Convention and Visitors 

Bureau 

Former Chair, Board of 

Directors, Downtown Denver 

Inc. 

Co-Chair, 16 th Street Mall 

Steering Committee, 

Downtown Denver 

Partnership 

Chair, Hancock for Denver 

Mayoral Campaign 

Former Board Member 

Family Tree Inc. 


Littleton Hospital 

Former Chair, South Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce 

Board of Directors and South 

Denver Economic 

Development Group 

page 1 of 1

Jennifer Johnson 

Managing Director, Gensler 

Jennifer Johnson delivers her energy and passion for the power of design in two roles. A 

registered architect and LEED-accredited professional with an 19-year career, she is the 

Managing Director of the Gensler Denver office which focuses on Workplace Interiors, 

Corporate Office Buildings, Government, Aviation, Branding and Mission Critical projects. 

As part of Gensler’s Aviation + Transportation worldwide practice, Jennifer is one of six 

directors focused on facility planning, design, and security at airports across North America. 

She leads the Denver aviation group that is currently designing the new 500 room Westin 

Hotel and RTD train station to be opened at Denver International Airport in 2015. 

Prior to Gensler, Jennifer was a Principal at Jacobs. She is an active board member of Denver 

Civic Ventures, a vice-chair of the Downtown Denver Partnership’s Transportation & 

Development Council, and a Leadership Denver 2011 alumnae. 

Jennifer graduated with High Honors from the University of Texas at Austin and received a 

Masters of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Greenwood Village 

with her husband, Dave Tidey, and their three children. She rides the light rail every day 

downtown to work and spends as many weekends as possible in Winter Park. 

Last year she had an incredible time on her first Leadership Exchange – where her love of 

fellowship with Denver business and community leaders converged with travel and great 

architecture. 

Gensler is celebrating its 39 th anniversary in Denver. We are a global architecture, design, 

planning, and strategic consulting firm with 44 offices locations on six continents. Our #1 

rankings include Building Design & Construction Giants 300, ENR Top Architecture and Design 

Firms, Interior Design Top 100 Giants, and World Architecture Top 200. We believe in the 

power of design.

GG Johnston 

Principal 

Be Intentional 

When organizations work with GG, they gain a true partner who stands 

shoulder-to-shoulder with them, working inside the business to create 

strategic clarity and accountability and foster leadership and staff 

development. She is most passionate about creating meaningful, lasting 

changes in people by working with them at the place where their personal and 

professional lives intersect. 

As past President and CEO of one of Denver’s premier public relations agencies, GG spent years running 

her own business while serving as a trusted adviser to business leaders across many sectors. Recognizing 

that this experience makes her uniquely qualified to help organizations gain strategic clarity about where 

they want to go and then put the systems, processes and people in place to get there, she 

formed Downstream Partners in 2010. She has since worked with professional service firms across 

various industries, technology companies and nonprofit organizations, to name a few. 

GG’s specialties include: 

• Leadership and staff development 

• Team-building 

• Communication strategy 

• Branding 

• Relationship management 

• Operational leadership/management 

• Emergenetics 

GG is well-known and highly respected as a charismatic leader who is equally devoted to quality 

outcomes and the good of her community. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Denver 

Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and Denver Health Level One Society. She is a past board 

member of the Public Relations Society of America (Colorado Chapter). Her business acumen and strong 

communications background make her a driving force behind Be Intentional.

STEPHEN M. JORDAN, PH.D. 

President, Metropolitan State University 

of Denver 

Stephen M. Jordan has been president of Metropolitan 

State University of Denver since July 2005. 

Under his leadership, MSU Denver is pursuing a vision to become 

the nation’s preeminent public urban university. The institution has 

achieved university status, is exploring new avenues of community 

and business partnerships, has begun offering master’s degrees 

in select areas, and is advancing toward its goal of achieving the 

federal designation of Hispanic Serving Institution. 

Jordan has overseen a number of initiatives to improve retention and graduation rates, among them 

the First Year Success Program, a learning community with support services that eventually will be 

offered to all incoming freshmen, the 100 percent student fee-funded Student Success Building that 

serves as a one-stop shop for student services, and the Hotel and Hospitality Learning Center. 

In 2012, the University adopted an ambitious strategic plan that will accelerate MSU Denver’s 

progress toward its vision of national preeminence. 

In the community, he serves on the Governor’s Education Leadership Council, on the boards of the 

Downtown Denver Partnership, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Foundation 

and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver. 

Jordan began his career in academia at the University of Colorado Board of Regents, followed by 

the Arizona Board of Regents. In 1994, he was named executive director of the Kansas Board of 

Regents and four years later became president of Eastern Washington University. 

He holds a doctorate and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado 

Denver and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado. 

msudenver.edu 

METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER: WE EDUCATE COLORADO. MSU Denver has set a long-term goal of 

becoming one of the preeminent public urban universities in the nation. MSU Denver empowers students to create their 

own success by providing relevant academic excellence through its unique attributes: outstanding, committed faculty with 

a passion for teaching; student-centered learning; a personalized classroom experience; an urban location—in the heart of 

downtown Denver; real-world, 21st century career preparation through a blend of theory and applied learning; and a variety 

of community collaborations. 

Last updated, July 2012

David Kenney 

President and Founder 

The Kenney Group 

David Kenney is the president and founder of The 

Kenney Group, a strategic communications, 

government affairs, and public relations firm that 

serves a diverse array of clients from the public, private and not for profit sectors 

with a particular focus on health care, energy, transportation, land use and public 

finance. Over the last 18 years, David has lead several high profile candidate and 

ballot initiative campaigns and has been intimately involved in civic and business 

affairs throughout Colorado. David serves on the Boards of Directors of several 

leading organizations including serving as Chair of Downtown Denver Inc., the 

Executive Committee of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation 

and the board of directors of the American Institute of Architects. David was 

named one of the 50 most influential people in Denver by 5280 magazine.

Charlie Kercheval 

President – Cherry Creek 

FirstBank 

Charlie Kercheval is a 1988 graduate of the 

University of Colorado at Boulder. Upon graduating 

from CU-Boulder, Charlie pursued a career in 

banking with FirstBank. In his twenty-four year 

career at FirstBank, Charlie has held a wide variety 

of roles and is currently President of the Cherry 

Creek market, overseeing more than $580 million in 

assets. Success as a business leader is important to 

Charlie. However, of equal importance is the 

demonstration of a commitment to service and 

ongoing encouragement of a spirit of giving among 

his family, colleagues, and staff. 

In 1988, Charlie worked with several colleagues to establish the FirstBank Colorado 

Scholars program to benefit high performing, low to moderate income students 

participating in the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Program’s Colorado Leadership 

Alliance at universities across Colorado. In addition to personal contributions of 

employees, FirstBank annually contributes to the scholarship endowment established by 

Charlie and his colleagues. Since inception, the endowment has grown to over $2.5 

million and distributed over $1.2 million scholarships. 

Charlie’s personal commitment to service began at a young age, participating in a variety 

of service projects within his community of Grand Junction, Colorado and throughout the 

world. He currently serves on several non-profit boards including Denver Public Schools 

Foundation, Public Education and Business Coalition, the Cherry Creek North Business 

Improvement District, CollegeInvest, and the Colorado/Wyoming District Alliance 

Committee of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Past involvement includes 

board service with the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, Douglas County 

Educational Foundation, the Parker Economic Development Council, The Wildlife 

Experience, and coaching competitive youth baseball teams. 

Born and raised in Grand Junction, CO, Charlie has resided in Parker, Colorado since 

1993, where he enjoys travel, golf, and reading but most of all, spending time doing 

anything with his wife, Linda, and sons, Kyle and Connor.

Michael E. Korenblat 

Director, Legal Affairs - R&M U.S.A. 

Suncor Energy Services INC. 

Michael E. Korenblat is the Director, Legal Affairs for 

Suncor Energy’s U.S. Refining and Marketing business, 

where he has worked for the past seven years. Mr. 

Korenblat also serves on the Board of Directors and as the Corporate Secretary for all of 

Suncor Energy’s U.S. subsidiaries. 

Mr. Korenblat received his B.A. from Pomona College in Claremont, California, and his 

J.D. from the University of Arizona. Mr. Korenblat spent his junior undergraduate year 

at Oxford University (University College) as a matriculated visiting student. Prior to 

receiving his law degree, Mr. Korenblat was a Fulbright Scholar to New Zealand, where 

he spent a year and a half conducting research relating to the Maori’s group rights claims. 

During this time, he also served as an instructor for the Department of Politics at the 

University of Auckland. 

Before joining Suncor Energy, Mr. Korenblat was an attorney with the law firm of 

Quarles & Brady LLP in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Mr. Korenblat currently sits on Board of Directors for the Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation, and serves on the Advisory Council for the City of Denver’s 

Mile High Million Initiative, a plan to plant a million trees within the greater Denver area 

over twenty years. In 2007, Mr. Korenblat was named one of Denver’s top Forty under 

40 by the Denver Business Journal. 

Mr. Korenblat is admitted to the practice of law in Arizona and Colorado.

Richard D Krugman, MD 

Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs, Dean, School of Medicine, University Physicians, Inc. 

Richard D. Krugman, MD, is the first Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs for the University of 

Colorado Denver. In this role, he supports the deans of Dental Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, 

Public Health and the Graduate School for the Health Sciences campus and oversees all clinical 

programs of the University at its five affiliated hospitals. Along with overseeing clinical 

programs, the Center on Aging, the Center of Bioethics and Humanities, Colorado Area Health 

Education (AHEC) system, and Risk Management report to Dr. Krugman. Dr. Krugman became 

Dean of the University of Colorado School of Medicine on March 1, 1992, after serving as acting 

dean for 20 months. A professor of pediatrics, he served as Director of the C. Henry Kempe 

National Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect from 1981-1992, 

and has gained international prominence in the field of child abuse. He is also President of 

University Physicians, Inc., the CU School of Medicine faculty practice plan. Dr. Krugman is a 

graduate of Princeton University and earned his medical degree at New York University School 

of Medicine. A board-certified pediatrician, he did his internship and residency in pediatrics at 

the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Following a two-year appointment in the early 

1970s with the Public Health Service at the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug 

Administration, Dr. Krugman joined the CU faculty in 1973. He went back to the Washington 

area in 1980 as a Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellow and served for a year as a 

legislative assistant in the office of U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger of Minnesota. 

At CU, Dr. Krugman has held a variety of administrative positions including director of 

admissions and co-director of the Child Health Associate Program, director of the University’s 

SEARCH/AHEC program, vice chairman for clinical affairs, Department of Pediatrics, and 

director of the Kempe Center. He has earned many honors in the field of child abuse and neglect, 

and headed the U.S. Advisory Board of Child Abuse and neglect from 1988-1991. He is a past 

Chair of both the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Council of Deans 

of the AAMC (2001-2002). Dr. Krugman is a member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and is 

currently on the boards of University of Colorado Hospital and The Children’s Hospital of 

Denver, among others. Dr. Krugman has served on the boards of Princeton University, Denver 

Health and Hasbro Children’s Foundation. He has authored over 100 original papers, chapters, 

editorials and four books and recently stepped down after 15 years as Editor-in-Chief of Child 

Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal.

Peggy Lehmann 

City Councilwoman 


Peggy Lehmann has proudly represented District 4, the far south east 

corner of Denver, since her election in 2003. She is dedicated to 

providing excellent constituent service, working with neighborhoods 

and communication with those living and working in the district. She 

continues to be committed to local business development, Denver 

Public Schools, monitoring the city’s budget in difficult economic 

times and improving the quality of life for Denver citizens. 

Councilwoman Lehmann was President Pro-Tem of City Council 2011-2012. She also serves on 

the following committees: Business Workforce & Sustainability, Land Use, Transportation and 

Infrastructure and the Mayor’s Greenprint Advisory Committee. Her additional appointments 

include membership on the board of the, Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, Scientific 

and Cultural Facilities and the Denver South Economic Development Partnership. In addition, 

she is a member of the Cherry Creek Basin Working Group. 

A graduate of George Washington High School, Peggy earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology 

from Connecticut College and a master’s degree in education from Stanford. Her experience as a 

former school teacher was invaluable when she directed Denver Audubon Society’s outdoor 

education program, which allowed Denver’s school children to experience and appreciate nature. 

Peggy has spent countless volunteer hours during her 33 years in southeast Denver working with 

a variety of organizations including: Tamarac Optimist, Southmoor Elementary School’s PTSA, 

and Thomas Jefferson High School’s CDM. She also served 2 years as President of the Denver 

League of Women Voters.

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent 


Civic Center Conservancy 

Lindy Eichenbaum Lent has served as the Civic Center Conservancy’s executive director since 

2009, leading the not-for-profit organization’s public-private-nonprofit partnerships to 

revitalize downtown Denver’s Civic Center Park – elevating and sustaining this historic urban 

oasis as a vibrant and iconic cultural and community hub through programming, capital 

improvements, advocacy and fundraising. 

The Civic Center Conservancy received a 2011 Downtown Denver Award for “making a 

significant contribution toward creating a unique, diverse and long-term impact on the 

Downtown Denver environment” through its Civic Center EATS and Independence Eve 

programs. Designated a Frontline Park by the national City Parks Alliance in 2011, Civic Center 

is now recognized as a "leading example of urban parks creating economic, environmental and 

social capital through innovative partnerships." 

Recently named a 2012 "Forty Under 40" honoree by the Denver Business Journal, Lent cochaired 

Governor John Hickenlooper's 2010-2011 Governor's Residence Transition Committee 

and Mayor Michael Hancock's 2011 Parks and Recreation Transition Committee and was 

appointed to the City of Denver's 2011-12 Structural Financial Task Force by former Mayor Bill 

Vidal. 

Lent previously served as Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s communications director for both 

his 2003 mayoral campaign and his first four-year term in office - serving as the mayor's 

spokesperson, speechwriter and media strategist while overseeing the communications-related 

functions of the administration. In 2007, she was named senior advisor to the mayor and 

subsequently served as the City and County of Denver's director of communications for the 

Democratic National Convention. 

Lent’s previous endeavors included work on Colorado State Senator Mike Feeley’s 2002 

Colorado congressional campaign and serving as the communications director for U.S. Rep. 

Lloyd Doggett of Austin, Texas. Beginning her career in political journalism, Lent covered 

Chicago City Hall for suburban Chicago newspapers and Capitol Hill as a Washington 

correspondent for local TV affiliates in Wisconsin and Texas. A Texas native, Lent received her 

bachelor’s degree in political science with honors from Stanford University and her master’s 

degree in journalism from Northwestern University. 

Currently a member of the AMC Cancer Fund Board of Directors and the Colorado Women’s 

Forum, she previously served on the Denver Preschool Program Advisory Board and the boards 

of the Civic Center Conservancy and the American Jewish Committee/Colorado Chapter. Lent 

and her husband Jason, a Microsoft sales executive, have a 5-year-old daughter Avery.

Dan A. Lewis 

Chief Public Affairs Officer 

Molson Coors Brewing Company 

As the chief public affairs executive for one of the 

world’s leading global brewers, Dan Lewis is 

responsible for corporate reputation, 

communications, corporate responsibility and 

employee engagement for the nearly 15,000 

members of the Molson Coors team worldwide. 

With more than 65 brands in its portfolio—including 

market leaders Molson Canadian, Carling, Blue 

Moon and Coors Light—Molson Coors embodies 

more than three centuries of brewing heritage and 

expertise within its family of companies. 

In addition to its 21 breweries in the U.S., Canada, 

the U.K. and China, Molson Coors has commercial 

partnerships in more than 30 countries across 

Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2008, Molson Coors formed 

the second-largest beer company in the U.S.—MillerCoors—through a joint 

venture with London-based SAB Miller. 

Core to the Molson Coors culture is a deep commitment to responsible 

consumption, community involvement, and environmental sensitivity. Employee 

engagement at Molson Coors ranks among world class companies in the 

Towers-Watson global benchmarks. 

Previously, Dan served as vice president and head of corporate communications 

for Delta Air Lines, where he helped steer the company through a major financial 

and cultural transformation and directed campaigns to re-vitalize the company’s 

brands in the U.S. and international markets. 

Prior to Delta, he directed international public relations for Lufthansa German 

Airlines, based both in New York City and Frankfurt, Germany during the 

company’s privatization and expansion into new markets in Eastern Europe and 

Asia. 

Fluent in German, Dan holds a Master of Communication degree from Georgia 

State University in Atlanta, Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International 

Affairs from Florida State University. He currently serves on the board of 

directors for the Denver Chamber Leadership Foundation and the Downtown 

Denver Partnership.

Paul Lhevine 


Stand for Children Colorado 

Paul joined Stand for Children in January 2012 as the Colorado executive director. He 

leads the organization in its mission to advocate for a better public education system 

and empower and train everyday people to become effective advocates for Colorado’s 

students. 

Prior to joining Stand, Paul served as chief operating officer for Mile High United Way, 

where he led senior staff to improve operational efficiencies, manage financial 

resources and operating expenses while maintaining budgetary constraints to ensure 

the organization’s success. From 2006 to 2008, Paul was chief operating officer for the 

Denver 2008 Convention Host Committee (the Committee responsible for the 2008 

Democratic National Convention). 

Paul brings nearly two decades of political experience. He directed the Coalition for a 

Better Colorado, an organization focused on citizen education and voter turnout in the 

2004 state legislative elections. In 2003, he managed John Hickenlooper's successful 

bid for mayor; in 2002 he managed a successful re-election effort for Congresswoman 

Diana DeGette, for whom he served as an aide in Washington D.C. 

Mr. Lhevine spent four years as the general counsel for the Young Democrats of 

America and has worked on congressional and presidential elections in Arkansas, 

Alabama, and New York. 

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, Paul served as a Red Cross 

volunteer managing the Lowry Shelter for Katrina Evacuees, followed by tours in 

Florida, where he directed statewide feeding and sheltering operations and in Louisiana, 

serving as the government affairs liaison between the Red Cross and FEMA. 

Paul is an alumnus of Leadership Denver class of 2010 and Legacy Denver 2011. He is 

a Board Member of the Aurora Public Schools Foundation and an Advisory Board 

Member and mentor for the Colorado College Public Interest Fellowship Program. He 

holds a law degree and a master's of environmental policy from the Vermont Law 

School and is a graduate of Colorado College. 

Paul and his wife, Laura Gillespie Lhevine, are proud parents of two daughters, ages 5 

and 2 ½. 

1201 East Colfax Ave., Suite 203, Denver, CO 80218 / Cell 303-725-8249 / Plhevine@stand.org / www.Stand.org

Angela S. Lieurance 

Angela S. Lieurance is chief of staff of University of Colorado 

Health, having previously served as vice president for development and 

marketing at University of Colorado Hospital. 

As chief of staff, Angela serves as chief marketing officer as well as 

chief development officer for the University of Colorado Health (UCHealth) 

system, which was created in 2012 as a joint venture between University of 

Colorado Hospital and Poudre Valley Health System. Her leadership 

responsibility spans system branding, marketing, public relations, communications, media 

relations, physician relations, community outreach, fundraising, and the management of all 

foundation boards. Angela also assists in staffing the board of directors, in addition to working 

closely with UCHealth’s President and CEO in a wide variety of strategic and communicationsrelated 

contexts. 

Angela started her career at her alma mater, the University of Wisconsin, as an assistant 

director of development for the College of Letters and Science. In that role, Angela oversaw all 

fund raising and board activities for the College Art Museum. When the University of Wisconsin 

Foundation launched “The Campaign for Wisconsin,” Angela became a geographic campaign 

coordinator for the $500 million capital campaign, overseeing campaign efforts in St. Louis, 

Missouri, Indianapolis, Indiana and Chicago, Illinois. 

In 1993, Angela moved to the Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington, Indiana 

where she served as director of the Capital Campaign. In this role, she was responsible for the 

strategic planning and execution for the Law School’s first-ever campaign, which raised more 

than $25 million in private donations. In 1996 she became the assistant dean for development 

and alumni relations. In her capacity as an assistant dean, Angela served as a member of the 

dean’s senior management team; staffed the Law School’s board of visitors and alumni board; 

and managed the writing and publication of all law school publications. 

After 10 years at Indiana University, Angela left the Midwest for New York to become 

the assistant vice president for advancement, public relations and communications for Stony 

Brook University Hospital and Health Sciences Center. She was responsible for directing all 

fundraising, alumni and communication activities for the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dental 

Medicine, Social Work, and Health Technology and Management, as well as Stony Brook 

University Hospital. 

In 2006, Angela became vice president for development and marketing at University of 

Colorado Hospital. During her tenure, she has started the University of Colorado Hospital 

Foundation, a first for the hospital, and launched the hospital’s new marketing campaign. In 

addition, she co-chaired the University of Colorado Hospital’s transition team, which prepared 

the hospital for the move to its new home on the Anschutz Medical Campus in 2007.

William N. Lindsay III, CLU, CEBS, RPA 

President, Benefit Group, Denver 


Bill has an extensive background within the fields of health care and insurance. This has placed him 

within the sphere of the national health care policy and financing debate. Bill was the Chair of 

Colorado’s Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform in 2007. Bill has published and 

coauthored numerous articles and white papers on insurance, employee benefits, health care, and 

health care reform. He frequently serves as a speaker and panelist for numerous national forums. 

He is often used for testimony before the United States Congress. Bill addressed the Senate Finance 

Committee regarding state healthcare reform at its “Prepare for Launch Health Reform Summit” on 

June 16, 2008. 

In recognition of his contributions, in 2008, Bill received the National Governors Association 

Award for Distinguished Service to State Government, and the John K. Inglehart Award for 

Leadership in Healthcare by the Colorado Health Foundation. Bill was awarded the Colorado Business 

Magazine’s “Ethics in Business” award and the Colorado Trust’s “Community Service” award. For 

over a decade, The Denver Business Journal has named him to the list of “Who’s Who in Health Care in 

Colorado,” and in 2007, he was named the Power Book Leader in the Category of Healthcare. 

Bill is currently the President of the Benefit Group for the Denver office of Lockton Companies. 

He previously was the Principal for Benefit Management and Design, an employee benefits 

brokerage and consulting firm, for twenty years before merging with Lockton Companies in 

February 2005. He has a B.A. Degree in Political Science. Bill is also the former Chair of the 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (2010-2011).

Ken Lund 


Office of Economic Development and International Trade 

Senior Legal Counsel to the Governor 

Ken Lund currently serves as the Executive Director for the Governor’s 

Office of Economic Development and International Trade. In this capacity 

Ken oversees the State’s initiatives and programs in business recruitment and 

retention, small business advocacy and assistance, business finance/business lending efforts, and 

supports the state’s tourism marketing and outreach initiatives through the Colorado Tourism 

Office. These roles are essential in the ongoing outreach and coordination of economic initiatives 

across the State, ensuring that the State’s goals for economic prosperity and sustainability are 

achieved in an intelligent and synchronized fashion, founded on the principals of broad 

consensus and collaboration across the various communities in Colorado. 

Prior to taking the role of executive director, Ken was hired by Governor Hickenlooper to be his 

Chief Legal Counsel. 

He was previously the firmwide Managing Partner of Holme Roberts & Owen in Denver and 

responsible for the articulation, development and implementation of the law firm’s client service 

and engagement strategy. Under Lund’s leadership, ColoradoBiz magazine named Holme 

Roberts & Owen the 2009 Top Colorado Company in the legal category for sustained financial 

excellence, community involvement and operational excellence. 

During Lund's 11 years as Managing Partner at Holme Roberts & Owen, he took a lead role in 

building and supporting the firm's growth, including opening new offices in Munich, Dublin, San 

Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix. He also spearheaded development of the law firm's 

integrated marketing and brand campaign, "Experience Listens. Be Heard." 

Ken is active in the community and previously served as a board member for the Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation, the Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. and the Mile 

High Chapter of the American Red Cross. He also was a board member and executive committee 

member for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Denver. He currently serves on the Board 

of Directors of the Metro Denver Sports Commission. 

Lund earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and a juris doctorate from the 

University of Denver. Ken and his wife Andrea have two children.

Attorney Biographies 

Mashenka Lundberg 

Partner 


1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 4100 


Phone: 1 303 866 0616 

Fax: 1 303 866 0200 

email: mashenka.lundberg@bryancave.com 

- 

Mashenka Lundberg has over seventeen years of experience in advising clients in corporate 

and securities matters. She is a partner of the firm in the Denver office. Ms. Lundberg 

represents a wide range of companies – from start-up businesses to Fortune 500 companies – 

in a variety of corporate and securities transactions, including public and private securities 

offerings, financings, mergers and acquisitions and a variety of commercial transactions. Ms. 

Lundberg maintains an active corporate practice, working on high-profile and complex 

commercial transactions, as well as composing and leading teams for multifaceted and intricate 

deals, such as initial public offerings. She regularly advises on corporate governance, fiduciary 

duties and other board matters, and has extensive experience offering counsel to boards of 

directors, CEOs and other executives. 

Prior to the combination with Bryan Cave, Ms. Lundberg was the General Counsel for Holme 

Roberts & Owen LLP and on the Executive Committee. 

Ms. Lundberg currently serves on the Colorado Securities Board and on Board for the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce. She was on the Board of Directors for Girls Incorporated of 

Metro Denver from 2004 to 2010 and the Chair of that Board of Directors from 2006-2007. 

Ms. Lundberg has been honored as a Colorado Super Lawyer for 2012, as a Colorado Woman 

of Distinction in 2009 by the Girl Scouts and for the “Forty under 40” by The Denver Business 

Journal in 2006. 

Ms. Lundberg received her B.A. at Georgetown University, magna cum laude, and her J.D. at 

Stanford University. 

www.bryancave.com 1

EXECUTIVE BENEFITS 

PRODUCER 

Jason Maples, CLU, 

ChFC, CFP 

Executive Vice President, 

Producer 

jason.maples@lockton.com 

Professional Profile 

Jason Maples began his career 20 years ago based 

on his desire to help executives and entrepreneurs 

experience financial freedom. His analytical and 

creative approach to the executive benefits market 

place is recognized and respected throughout the 

industry. To meet the growing demands of the 

marketplace and an increasingly complex financial 

world, Jason has surrounded himself with a 

network of specialists in executive benefits. 

Jason majored in economics at Grinnell College 

and continued his studies with the American 

College, completing his Chartered Life 

Underwriter (CLU) designation and his Chartered 

Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation. He is 

also a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) through 

the College of Financial Planning. 

Jason has served on the board of advisors for the 

Better Business Bureau, Entrepreneur’s 

Organization and United Way Tocqueville Society. 

In addition, he’s an alumn of Leadership Denver 

and has been a recipient of the Denver Business 

Journal’s “Forty under 40” award and the Denver 

Foundation’s Philanthropic Leadership Award. 

Jason and his wife Jodi have two children. They 

enjoy traveling, skiing, golf, and being spectators at 

all of their kids’ events. 

Current and Previous Positions 

Lockton Companies, LLC 

Executive Vice President, Producer 

Strategic Financial Partners 

Founder and Managing Partner 

Professional Affiliations and 

Designations 

Chartered Life Underwriter, American 

College 

Chartered Financial Consultant, American 

College 

Certified Financial Planner, College for 

Financial Planning 

Education 

B.A. Economics, Grinnell College, 

Grinnell, Iowa 

Representative Clients 

Great-West Life 

Grande Cheese 

Intrepid Potash 

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers 

Children’s Hospital 

Bolthouse Farms 

8110 E. UNION AVENUE, SUITE 700 | DENVER, CO 80237 | 303.414.6000 | WWW.LOCKTON.COM

Elaine Mariner 


Colorado Creative Industries 

Elaine Mariner is the director of Colorado Creative 

Industries, a division of the state Office of 

Economic Development. The agency mission is to 

promote, support and expand Colorado’s creative 

sector to drive economic growth, increase jobs, and 

enhance our quality of life. Colorado Creative 

Industries provides financial and professional 

assistance to creative professionals, arts 

organizations, schools and municipal agencies, and 

promotes Colorado’s creative economy nationally 

and internationally. The agency recently began to 

certify Creative Districts as a strategy to attract 

artists, creative entrepreneurs and visitors to infuse new energy and innovation and 

enhance the economic and civic capital of Colorado communities. 

Elaine is a frequent presenter on the role of artists and creative entrepreneurs in economic 

development and downtown revitalization. Elaine’s current board and advisory roles 

include the Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways Commission, Downtown Colorado, 

Inc., Colorado Main Street Program, Colorado Nonprofit Association, Metro State Center 

for Innovation and Arts For Colorado. She has a Masters in Business Administration 

from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Executing with Discipline 

Drives Results 

Always think about 

“ 

tomorrow, but 

make sure you’re 

doing something 

today to actually 

work towards those 

future goals. ” 

Darren Markley 

Market Leader, Denver 

303.585.5950 

darren.markley@usbank.com 

Career and Education 

A lifelong learner, Darren’s natural curiosity 

and strong work ethic inform every part 

of his work as he leads a team of wealth 

management professionals providing 

investment management, private banking, 

trust and estate services, and financial 

planning. His financial services expertise 

comes from many years of practical 

experience. “From my first job in banking, 

20 years ago, to the job I hold today, I’ve 

pushed myself to learn as much as I could 

so that I would be a resource that people 

could trust.” 

Darren began his career with U.S. Bank 

as a personal banker, and then led wealth 

management organizations for two other 

financial institutions in Colorado, including 

the Mountain District office of Merrill 

Lynch Trust Company. He rejoined 

U.S. Bank in 2009. 

His self-made approach to life has helped 

him to empathize with clients, especially 

entrepreneurs and family owned businesses. 

“I made an intuitive trip up the org chart 

through hard work and continuous 

learning, which is one of the reasons I think 

I relate well to clients.” 

Philosophy 

While he sees himself as a strategic thinker, 

Darren also firmly believes a strategy is 

only as useful as the tactics you apply 

daily to make things happen. “I coach my 

team and our clients to always think about 

tomorrow, but make sure you’re doing 

something today to actually work towards 

those future goals.” 


A Denver resident since his early teens, 

Darren’s community work focuses on the 

Denver Chamber Leadership Foundation 

and United Way. “I care very much about 

the Denver business community and I feel 

strongly about issues that impact women 

and children. These two organizations 

give me a channel to connect with a broad 

swath of Denver’s business and charitable 

community. My involvement helps me 

feel that I am making a difference to those 

in need, that I am a part of what makes 

Denver better.” 

Darren enjoys golfing, skiing, and fishing 

and spending time with his wife and young 

son as they take advantage of Denver’s 

family-oriented activities. 

Investments are: 

Not a Deposit Not FDIC Insured May Lose Value Not BANK Guaranteed Not Insured by Any Federal Government Agency 

Deposit products offered by U.S. Bank National Association. Member FDIC. 

U.S. Bank and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice. Each individual’s tax and financial situation is unique. You should consult your tax and/or legal advisor for advice and 

information concerning your particular situation.

Lilly Marks 

Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Colorado & 

Executive Vice Chancellor in charge of the Anschutz Medical Campus 

Lilly Marks serves as Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of 

Colorado and Executive Vice Chancellor in charge of the Anschutz Medical 

Campus which is comprised of the University’s Schools of Medicine, 

Dentistry, Pharmacy, Public Health, Nursing and Graduate School and the 

University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado. Prior to assuming this new 

University position, Ms. Marks spent two decades in the concurrent positions of Senior 

Associate Dean for Finance and Administration of the University of Colorado School of 

Medicine and as Executive Director of University Physicians, Inc., a 501(c) (3) that operates as 

the centralized faculty practice plan. 

Ms. Marks is the Chair of the Board of Directors of the University of Colorado Hospital, and a 

member of the Board of Directors of Children’s Hospital Colorado, the Fitzsimons 

Redevelopment Authority, Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the University of Colorado 

Malpractice Trust, the AMC Cancer Center (dba AMC Cancer Fund), the Global Down 

Syndrome Foundation, and University of Colorado Foundation. She serves as a member of the 

Association of American Medical College’s (AAMC) Advisory Panel on Health Care and the 

AAMC Advisory Panel on Research. In 2008-2009, Ms. Marks served as a member of the 

Advisory Committee on Healthcare Reform to Senator Edward M. Kennedy. 

She is past chair of the AAMC Group on Faculty Practice; Chair of the Faculty Practice 

Solutions Center (FPSC), and has served on the steering committees of the University Health 

Systems Consortium Group Practice Council, and the AAMC Group on Business Affairs. She 

has also served as chair of the Academic Practice Assembly of the Medical Group Management 

Association and as a member of the MGMA national Board of Directors. She is also a past 

member of the Board of Directors of Colorado Access (Colorado’s largest Medicaid HMO). 

Ms. Marks is a frequent national speaker on topics related to medical school economics, health 

care and clinical practice management, and leadership issues in academic medicine.

Michael L. Matthews 

Market President 

Wells Fargo – Denver Metro 

Mike Matthews is Wells Fargo’s market president for the Denver metro 

area including Boulder, Broomfield, Lafayette, Longmont and 

Louisville. He manages a team of more than 160 financial services 

professionals who work with local businesses and business executives 

to meet all of their financial needs and help them succeed financially. 

Matthews has more than 31 years of financial services experience and 

is a 22-year Wells Fargo veteran. Prior to being named to his current 

position, he was regional president for Northern Colorado. Before that 

he was Community Banking president and area manager for Wells 

Fargo’s Suburban Business Banking team in Denver Metro, 

Community Banking president for Pueblo and Gunnison, and senior 

vice president and manager for Business Banking in Colorado Springs. 

Throughout his career, Matthews has been an active community 

leader. He served on the State of Colorado Economic Development 

Commission for eight years. Matthews currently serves on the boards 

of the Denver Metro Chamber, Metro Denver Economic Development 

Council, the University of Colorado President’s Leadership Institute, 

Boulder Community Foundation, and Avista Adventist Hospital. 

June 2011 

Wellsfargo.com

Marjorie M. Mauldin 

President 

Executive Forum 

Margie Mauldin, Executive Forum’s owner and president, is an energetic, 

creative leader. Since 1986, Margie has served as a consultant, advisor, and 

personal coach to presidents, senior executives, executive teams, and 

managers throughout the Rocky Mountain region and nationwide. 

Providing her clients expertise in organizational design and development, 

Margie understands the complex nature of organizations and leadership. 

In the past 25 years, Margie has earned the trust of the Denver business community as an 

entrepreneur and successful business owner. She effectively manages Executive Forum’s broad 

client list that include a variety of compelling projects such as strategic planning for the National 

Renewable Energy Laboratory; multiple state departments of transportation; communications 

training for United Launch Alliance and Comcast. Galvanizing talented employees and business 

partners, she has created a firm that makes a difference in the lives of Denver’s business 

community’s leaders, delivering training to over 2,000 people each year. 

Highly respected for her skills in communication consulting, her three-pronged focus on 

organizational strategy, senior management team effectiveness, and executive coaching set her 

apart from others in the field. A Principle Business Associate with VitalSmarts, Margie is a mastercertified 

trainer in Crucial Conversations,® Crucial Confrontations, Emergenetics®: Whole Brain 

Thinking, Principle Centered Leadership®, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People®, and Leading 

at the SPEED of Trust. Her civic involvement includes serving on several boards and supporting 

education and development scholarships. When she is not at Executive Forum, she can be found 

out in the community biking, playing tennis, or singing with her jazz band.

Jane McAtee 

Southwest Airlines 

Manager of Community Affairs and Grassroots 

Jane began her career with Southwest Airlines in 1983. During her tenure 

with the company, Jane has held leadership positions in the areas of 

Customer Service, Human Resources, Field Support and Marketing. In her 

current role as Manager of Corporate Community Affairs and Grassroots, Jane is responsible for 

strategic community outreach in Colorado and 11 other markets throughout the Southwest Airlines 

network. 

Jane is an active board member for the Colorado Women’s Chamber and serves as a mentor for the 

Project WISE Mentor Program.

Dr. Nancy J. McCallin 

President 

Colorado Community College System (CCCS) 

Dr. Nancy J. McCallin is the President of the Colorado Community 

College System (CCCS). As CCCS President, Dr. McCallin leads 

the state’s largest system of higher education, which serves more 

than 162,000 students annually. The Colorado Community College 

System has career and academic programs in the 13 state 

community colleges and career and technical programs in more than 

160 school districts and seven other post-secondary institutions. 

Before coming to CCCS, Dr. McCallin served for six years as the executive director of 

the Governor’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting, a cabinet level position. As state 

budget director, she was responsible for budget policy and resource allocation for the 

state’s $13 billion budget. 

For a decade prior to her role as Colorado’s budget director, Dr. McCallin was chief 

economist for the Legislative Council of the Colorado General Assembly. From 1981 to 

1989, she was an economist with United Banks of Colorado, Inc. (now Wells Fargo) 

where she was responsible for analyzing and forecasting national, state, and mountain 

region economies. 

Currently, Dr. McCallin serves on the board of the American Council on Education, is a 

member of The College Board’s Community College Advisory Panel, the Colorado State 

Governor’s Education Leadership Council, 

the Colorado Workforce Development Council, a board member of the Community 

Advisory Board of Wells Fargo Bank of Colorado, a board member of the Denver Metro 

Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Women’s Forum. Previously, Dr. 

McCallin served as commissioner on the Supreme Court Nominating Commission, chair 

and board member of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, board member of the 

National Association of State Budget Officers, board member of the National Association 

of Business Economists, board member of the Institute of International Education, 

president of the Denver Association of Business Economists, and commissioner on the 

Information Management Commission of the State of Colorado. 

Dr. McCallin earned a Bachelor of Arts from Claremont McKenna College, and a Master 

of Arts and a Doctor of Philosophy in Economics from the University of Colorado- 

Boulder. 

05/2012

Maureen McDonald 

Director of Major Gifts and Donor Relations 

Denver Museum of Nature and Science 

A native Denverite, Maureen McDonald is passionate about the Museums’ mission to 

inspire curiosity. She works with donors who wish to make a difference, not only in 

this nationally renowned cultural institution, but in their own lives. Previously, 

Maureen served for 12 years as the Executive Director of the Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation, and developed award-winning community leadership programs designed to inspire 

civic engagement. Maureen has served in institutional advancement roles for St Mary’s Academy, the 

University of Colorado Denver, University Hospital, and her alma-mater, Washington University in St. Louis. 

Maureen serves as a Board Member for the HCA-HealthONE Trustees, the Colorado Nonprofit Association, 

and the Colorado Children’s Chorale. In 2009, she was appointed by Governor Ritter to serve on the 

Commission on Community Service, (Serve Colorado), was re-appointed by Governor Hickenlooper in 2011 

and continues to serve. She is a member of the Women’s Forum of Colorado. 

She is a graduate of the Leadership Denver class of 2000, the Center for Creative Leadership’s 2007 Executive 

Leadership Program, and the 2008 Senior Executives Program for State & Local Leaders at the John F. 

Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. 

Maureen is a native Denverite and longtime resident of Park Hill. She is married to David Baker, a graphic 

designer. They have two children, Andrew and Elisabeth.

Michael R. McGinnis 

Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck 

Mike McGinnis is a shareholder at the law firm of Brownstein 

Hyatt Farber Schreck, practicing out of the Denver office. With 

more than 27 years of experience, Mike McGinnis is a premier 

municipal and public finance attorney and head of the firm's 

municipal finance practice group. His practice focuses on 

complex tax exempt and taxable transactions as bond 

counsel, disclosure counsel, underwriter’s counsel, letter of 

credit bank counsel, purchaser’s counsel, trustee’s counsel 

and borrower’s counsel. 

Mike is presently the lead attorney for the firm in its role as disclosure counsel for the 

City and County of Denver, Department of Aviation (DIA) financings. In addition, he has 

served as counsel in financings for the State of Colorado, Adams County, Colorado, 

water authorities, educational institutions, municipalities, airport rental car companies, 

nonprofit corporations and metropolitan districts. In the course of his career, Mike has 

served as counsel on significant financings in Colorado, Arizona, California, and 

numerous other states representing a number of different issuers, borrowers investment 

banks and lending institutions. He is experienced in developing and implementing legal 

strategies and structures for the use of tax increment financing and public improvement 

fee financing, and the development of financing structures for metropolitan districts, 

special tax districts, transportation authorities and other governmental agencies. 

Mike currently serves on and is Chair-Elect of the Board of Directors of Adams County 

Economic Development (ACED). He is also currently serving on the Board of Trustees 

for St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood, Colorado, and on the Metro Denver Aviation 

Coalition. 

Mike is a former member of the Board of Directors of the St. Anthony Health 

Foundation, and has served as the Chairman of the Board and President of the 

Jefferson County Airport Authority. In addition, he has served on and is a past Chair of 

the Board of Directors of the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation 

(formerly Jefferson Economic Council). 

Mike holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law and a Bachelors 

Degree from the University of Iowa. 

410 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2200 | Denver, CO 80202-4432 303.223.1100 tel 

Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP | bhfs.com 303.223.1111 fax

- 

Attorney Biographies 

Randall H. Miller 

Partner 


1700 Lincoln Street, Suite 4100 


Phone: 1 303 866 0572 

Fax: 1 303 866 0200 

email: randy.miller@bryancave.com 

Randy Miller is Managing Partner of the firm’s Denver office and one of six 

members of the firmwide Management Committee, which manages the day-today 

operations of the firm. Previously, Randy was the Managing Partner of 

Holme Roberts & Owen (one of the oldest and largest firms based in Colorado) 

until its combination with Bryan Cave on January 1, 2012. 

Randy has an active legal practice. Using his real-life business and management 

experience, Randy regularly assists clients with the intersection of business and 

law. Randy also regularly tries cases focused on business disputes and 

transitional periods—whether buying or selling, hiring and firing, or other change 

agents. 

While Randy helps with nearly all types of business disputes, he often sees 

disputes in several particular areas, including (a) M&A litigation, with an 

emphasis on earn-outs, indemnification, and dispute resolution; (b) trade secret 

and restrictive covenant contracts (like non-compete and non-solicitation); and 

(c) the financial services industry, focused on employee transitions, claims of 

securities fraud, customer complaints, and other disputes arising in the financial 

services business. 

Randy has been named a Colorado “Super Lawyer” and one of the Forty under 

40. He is currently involved in many community activities, including United Way, 

The Dumb Friends League, and the Colorado Chapter of YPO. 

www.bryancave.com 1

Stephen Miller 

President/CEO, CleanLaunch 

Stephen Miller is the President/CEO of 

CleanLaunch, Colorado’s Clean Tech Incubator. 

CleanLaunch is part of the Colorado Center for 

Renewable Energy and Economic Development at 

the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He is 

also Co-Founder of the Clean Tech Open – Rocky 

Mountain, the nation’s most innovative renewable 

energy business plan competition. Prior to 

founding CleanLaunch, he was Executive Director 

of Denver Ventures at Stapleton (CTEK 

Stapleton), a business incubator for early stage 

technology companies. CTEK Stapleton provides 

advisory services, connections to capital, and other critical support to 

entrepreneurs and their companies to ensure rapid growth and future 

success. 

Prior to focusing solely on entrepreneurs and early stage companies, 

Stephen was the Vice President and Chief Economist of the Southeast 

Business Partnership, where he led economic development efforts for 

the south metro Denver region, representing clients including First 

Data Corporation, Echostar, CH2M Hill, Aspen Bio, Stryker Endoscopy, 

Time Warner Telecom, Charles Schwab, HealthOne SkyRidge Medical 

Center, and Nordstrom. Stephen has also served as an economist for 

the Colorado Department of Labor, and has been recognized by the 

Denver Business Journal as one of Denver's Forty Under 40 business 

leaders. 

Stephen earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of 

Denver, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of 

Colorado. 

Stephen serves on the Boards of the Colorado Business Incubator 

Association, the Colorado Energy Coalition, the Stapleton Development 

Corporation, Bonfils Blood Center Foundation, netFactor Corp., and 

Sleep Easily, Inc. 

He lives in the Stapleton community and spends most of his time 

outdoors skiing, windsurfing, scuba diving, playing (but not always 

enjoying) golf, and collecting wine (he always enjoys the wine) when 

he's not off searching for the next great technology entrepreneur.

Ned A. Minor 

CEO/President 

Minor & Brown PC 

Founder of Minor & Brown PC, Ned Minor is a 

nationally recognized transaction attorney in the field 

of mergers and acquisitions. Since 1977, he has guided 

business owners through the necessary steps to grow 

their companies and enable them to reap top dollar at 

the closing table. Total purchase/sales consideration 

generated for clients exceeds $3 billion. 

Ned’s book, Deciding to Sell Your Business The Key to 

Wealth and Freedom, provides a unique perspective on 

the decision making process that entrepreneurs struggle 

with when deciding to exit their companies. Ned has also authored numerous articles on exit 

strategies that have appeared in The Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Business Journal. 

He has appeared on Bloomberg Financial as well as many other local and national radio 

programs. Ned has been featured and quoted in articles by Forbes.com, Associated Press, 

Business Week, Entrepreneur Magazine, and the New York Times. Ned is a nationally 

recognized speaker. 

A resident of Denver since 1972, Ned is actively involved in many charitable and community 

causes. He has served on the Board of Directors of the following organizations: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (Past Chair of Board) 

Denver Metro Chamber Foundation (Past Chair of Board) 

Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Director) 

Junior Achievement Rocky Mountain, Inc. (Past Chair of Board) 

Denver Area Boy Scouts (Director) 

St. Joseph Hospital Foundation (Director) 

Cherry Hills Country Club (Director) 

Venturing/Denver Area Council (District Chairman) 

Mile High Chapter of the American Red Cross (Director) 

Colorado State University’s, Global Leadership Council (Member) 

Ned was a recipient of the David E. Bailey Business Advocate Award sponsored by the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce for his support and dedication to business and the entrepreneurial 

spirit. He has also received the Gold Leadership Award from Junior Achievement, its highest 

national honor. 

Ned received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in 1968 and his law degree 

from Syracuse University College of Law in 1972. Ned and his wife, Nancy, are long time 

residents of Cherry Hills Village. They have one daughter, Sarah, who is a graduate of Syracuse 

University and currently resides in Denver.

Kirk Monroe 

Executive Vice President 

Wholesale Banking Director 

Vectra Bank Colorado 

Kirk Monroe is responsible for managing the Wholesale Banking group at Vectra Bank 

Colorado, where he oversees the bank’s high-revenue units of Corporate Real Estate, 

Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking, Municipal Financing, Oil & Gas, Deposit 

Banking, Wealth Management and Cash/Treasury Management. 

Having been with Vectra’s parent company Zions Bancorporation since 1998, Monroe 

has spent the past four years successfully tying together separate bank divisions to 

operate with a more synergistic approach. The result has been deeper relationships with 

clients and the ability to provide customers the value of a broader range of expertise and 

proficiencies. 

Monroe currently sits on the Vectra Board of Directors, is a member of the Metro Denver 

Economic Development Corporation, and volunteers with the Urban Land Institute in 

Colorado as its Treasurer. Previously, he served on the executive council for the Phoenix 

chapter of the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties. He has a master’s 

degree in international business from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. 

Monroe and his wife of 14 years, Michelle, have three children: Connor, 11; Dylan, 9; 

and Kendall, 7. Monroe coaches youth lacrosse and football, actively supports 

community organizations and once served as a member of the executive council of the 

Phoenix Boys and Girls Club. 

In his spare time, he has love for snow skiing, water skiing, golf, hiking, running, fishing 

and travel. 

Vectra Bank Colorado is a customer-focused organization dedicated to proactive 

relationship banking. Part of the Zions Bancorporation family of banks, Vectra serves 

Colorado’s small, middle-market and corporate business clients through 39 full-service 

branches across Colorado. The bank’s Web site address is www.vectrabank.com.

Tameka Montgomery 


Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation 

Tameka Montgomery is the executive director of the Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation, an affiliate of the Denver Metro 

Chamber of Commerce that is focused on preparing and connecting 

leaders from the business and civic communities to strengthen Colorado’s 

future. The Leadership Foundation has a 38-year history of providing the 

content, context and access to inspire leaders to engage in issues critical 

to the region’s success. 

Montgomery stepped into the role of leading the Leadership Foundation in August 2012 after 

serving for more than seven years as the executive director of the nationally recognized Denver 

Metro Small Business Development Center (SBDC), The SBDC is also an affiliate of the Denver 

Metro Chamber of Commerce. She led the Denver Metro SBDC by providing vision, leadership 

and strategic direction to develop and deliver programming and services for small businesses. 

She managed three offices, a team of 23 staff and consultants and more than 45 volunteers 

serving approximately 4,000 individuals and businesses each year. 

Under Montgomery’s leadership, the SBDC received national recognition by the U.S. Small 

Business Administration as the 2012 National SBDC of the Year and winner of the 2012 SBDC 

Excellence and Innovation Award. The SBDC has achieved unparalleled success by creating 

innovative programs and assembling a team of high quality business advisors and network of 

resources. In 2011, the combined investments and resources supported the creation and retention 

of 2,800 jobs, $15 million in capital investments and $32 million in contracts for area small 

businesses. 

Prior to the Denver Metro SBDC, Montgomery launched a business incubator that provided lowcost 

office space, business support services and technical assistance to area entrepreneurs. 

Montgomery was named one of Denver Business Journal’s Forty under 40 in 2011 and, in 2012, 

she was recognized as a Living Legend by the National Council of Negro Women. She was a 

Presidential Management Fellow with the U.S. Department of Justice and is a returned Peace 

Corps Volunteer, serving two years in West Africa. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Spelman 

College and a master’s degree of public administration from Columbia University. In May 2012, 

Johnson & Wales University conferred upon Montgomery an honorary doctorate of business 

administration in entrepreneurship.

JOHN C. MOORE III, PE 

Principal, Director of Civil Engineering 

John has devoted his career to Martin/Martin. A Colorado native, he joined the firm in 

1988 and beginning August of 2011 leads the civil department as the Director of Civil 

Engineering. John was recently elected to the firm’s Board of Directors and also oversees 

Martin/Martin’s Vail Valley office in Edwards, Colorado. 

John specializes in civil design of large-scale retail facilities, shopping centers and 

residential developments. He also has extensive experience with public works and 

roadway projects. During the approval phase of a project, John’s strong business 

capabilities, affable nature and knowledge of jurisdictional entities help to expedite the 

process. Clients benefit from both John’s skillful approach to project challenges and his 

technical ability. Key projects he has overseen include Southshore at Aurora—a former 

Parade of Homes and National Association of Home Builders National Master Planned 

Community of the Year award recipient, and the Lone Tree Entertainment District. 

A motivated leader and team member who possesses keen insight into market trends, John offers clients options and 

timely answers. He strives to provide products and services of extraordinary value and quality—and he delivers. 

As head of the civil department John is responsible for the development and supervision of the department budget, 

enforcement of standards and procedures, and quality control. With his long background in project management, John 

continues to oversee civil engineering work, as well. He has had great success in the past with projects requiring 

vision and finesse. 

Registration: Professional Engineer - Colorado 

Education: Colorado State University, BSCE, 1985 

Affiliations: 

Colorado Concern 

Accelerate Colorado 

Aurora Economic Development Council – Executive Board member 

Jefferson County EDC– Executive Board member 

Northwest Douglas County EDC – Executive Board member 


Glendale Chamber of Commerce 

The West Chamber 

National Society of Professional Engineers 

Ferrari Owners Club of America 

Martin/Martin, Inc. Consulting Engineers • 12499 West Colfax Avenue • Lakewood, Colorado 80215 • 303.431.6100 

w w w . m a r t i n m a r t i n . c o m

James M. Mulligan 

Partner | Denver, Colorado office 

303.634.2018 | jmulligan@swlaw.com 

Jim Mulligan's practice emphasizes most aspects of commercial and mixed-use real estate, including 

urban, resort and suburban developments, with an additional focus in the structured financing and 

corporate areas of practice. He represents private and institutional owners, developers, investors, 

lenders, owner associations, managers, brokers, contractors, and federal, state and local political 

subdivisions with regard to all forms of real estate ownership, land use and entitlements, development, 

financing, leasing, management and joint ventures of all kinds, public/private redevelopment projects 

(including historic designations, tax-increment financed projects, tax-credit structures, and taxable and 

tax-exempt bond issues), public private infrastructure partnerships and acquisition/disposition 

transactions. Jim has represented the real estate ownership, development and finance industries in 

Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain region on legislation, regulatory concerns, and other 

issues. He also represents corporate and commercial clients on a variety of governance, public policy 

and government relations issues, initiatives and related legislation. Jim has been appointed Special 

Deputy Attorney General representing the Colorado Division of Housing in finance transactions. 

Professional Recognition & Awards 

Colorado Super Lawyers®, Real Estate (2007-2012); Land Use/Zoning, Government Relations 

(2007-2011) 

Lawyers of the Decade, Law Week Colorado (March 14, 2011) 

Super Lawyers®, Real Estate - Business Edition (2011) 

Lawdragon Top 3000 Leading Lawyers in America (2010-2011) 

Super Lawyers®, Real Estate - Corporate Counsel Edition (2009-2010) 

Power Book Top 10 Business Newsmaker in Law, Denver Business Journal (2010) 

Barrister’s Best: Real Estate Lawyer, Law Week Colorado (August 2009) 

Lawyer of the Year, Law Week Colorado (2009) 

Education 

University of Denver College of Law (J.D., 1974) 

University of Massachusetts at Amherst (B.A., 1969) 

Personal 

Born in Boston, Massachusetts 


Metro State College of Denver Foundation, Board Member/Vice Chair (2011 – present) 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Board & Executive Committee (2008-present) 

Metro Denver Economic Development Corp, Board & Executive Committee (2008-present) 

Colorado Competitive Council (C3), Investor Committee (2008-present) 

Aurora Economic Development Council, Board of Directors, Chairman (2007) 

National Association of Office and Industrial Properties, Colorado President (2007) 

Real Estate Advisory Boards for C.U. and D.U. (2000-present) 

Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Inc., Board of Directors (1993-present) 

Downtown Denver Partnership, Denver Civic Ventures Board (1991-1998) 

Southeast Business Partnership (1998-2000) 

Downtown Denver Task Force, Chair (1992 & 1996) 

Colorado’s Gubernatorial Unified Housing Task Force, Chair (1988) 

Colorado Association for Commerce and Industry (1986-1988) 

Mackintosh Academy, Board of Directors (1986-1988)

C 

TODD D. MUNSON 

PRESIDENT, MIDDLE MARKET BANKING 

COLORADO 

Todd is the President of the Middle Market banking group for the state of 

Colorado. He provides accomplished local leadership and financial solutions to 

companies with revenues between $10 million and $500 million. Todd has 30 

years of banking experience, with the last 13 years at Chase and its predecessor 

organizations. 

In 1996, Todd joined Bank One, a legacy organization, as a Senior Commercial 

Banker in Louisville, Kentucky. He was promoted to Division Manager of the 

Kentucky Middle Market banking group in 1999, and in 2000 he moved to 

Cincinnati to assume the Market Manager position for the Southern Ohio and 

Northern Kentucky regions. In 2003, Todd moved back to Louisville, Kentucky to 

lead the Kentucky and Tennessee market before accepting his current position 

as President of the Colorado market in 2005. 

Todd is an active member in the Colorado community. He serves on the board 

of directors of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, the Metro Denver Chamber of 

Commerce, the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and Goodwill 

Industries. He was the Chairman of the 2007–2008 Mile High United Way 

Campaign in Denver and will be chairing the Goodwill Industries Board from 

2009-2011. 

Todd holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Master of 

Business Administration from Rollins College. He and his wife have three grown 

children and reside in Denver. 

FINANCIAL INTEGRITY | STEADFAST RELATIONSHIPS | ACCESS TO EXPERTISE | DELIVERING RESULTS

Bill Myers 

Vice President of Communications, Marketing & CSR 

DaVita Inc. 

Bill Myers is Vice President of Communications, 

Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility at DaVita 

Inc., a $7 billion provider of kidney care services serving 

more than 145,000 patients every week. Bill joined 

DaVita in March, 2010 and directs a team responsible 

for external communications, social media, CEO 

engagement, marketing and physician outreach and strategy and execution of 

DaVita’s nationally recognized philanthropy and social responsibility efforts. 

Bill previously worked at UnitedHealth Group as Vice President of Government 

Affairs. In that role, Bill was responsible for tracking legislation, educating 

policymakers and supporting business growth initiatives with state government 

agencies in the Rocky Mountain West. 

Prior to joining UHG, Bill worked at Qwest Communications for 11 years in 

various corporate communications and government affairs capacities. In addition 

to managing a staff of field communicators across the West and in Washington 

DC, Bill developed and executed award-winning advocacy and communications 

strategies for two of the company’s highest corporate priorities: Long-distance reentry 

and Qwest’s bid to acquire MCI. 

Bill has also been involved in campaigns and politics, having worked in 

Washington D.C. as a legislative director for a Member of Congress from North 

Carolina. Bill has also worked on numerous state- and federal-level political 

campaigns, including serving as deputy campaign manager and issues director 

of a U.S. Senate candidate in Colorado. 

Bill received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University. He serves on 

the boards of the South Metro Chamber of Commerce, Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation, Public Education & Business Coalition as well as the 

Corporate Leadership Council of the Children’s Hospital of Denver. Bill is also 

active in the Colorado Competitive Council and the Metro Denver Chamber of 

Commerce.

Chris Nevitt 

Councilman, District 7 

Denver City Council 

Chris Nevitt was born into an American Foreign Service family and 

spent his childhood traveling the world. Born in Ubonrajathani, 

Thailand, Chris also spent time growing up in Bangkok, Thailand; 

Lagos, Nigeria; Canberra, Australia; and that most exotic of locales, 

Fairfax County, Virginia. Of Quaker heritage, Chris earned his 

undergraduate degree at Haverford College, a Quaker college 

outside Philadelphia. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in political economy from the University of 

California, San Diego, then spent six years teaching at Arizona State University. In 2001, Chris 

and his wife Lisa moved to Denver – something of a homecoming for Lisa, whose maternal 

family are long-time Denver natives. In 2002, Chris joined the Denver Area Labor Federation 

and helped found and run the Front Range Economic Strategy Center, or FRESC. A research, 

policy, and community-union partnership organization, FRESC works to promote higher quality 

jobs and more affordable housing in the Denver economy while rebuilding the historic 

partnership between unions and the larger progressive community. In addition to his work at 

FRESC, Chris has been active in his neighborhood, in local and state electoral politics, and in the 

conservation movement, serving on the board of the Colorado Environmental Coalition. In 

2007, Chris was elected to the Denver City Council with 63% of the vote. In 2010, Chris was 

elected by his colleagues to serve as City Council President. In 2011, Chris we re-elected to the 

Denver City Council unopposed, and was re-elected by his colleagues as City Council president.

Mike Niyompong 

Vice President, Rebound Solutions 

Mike Niyompong is currently vice president at Rebound 

Solutions, a socially conscious consulting firm based in 

Denver, CO. Prior to joining the team at Rebound Solutions, 

Mike was part of the leadership team at iGivefirst, a Colorado 

startup dedicated to increasing charitable giving worldwide. In his role, he worked 

collaboratively with clients, customers and developers alike to deliver products and 

solutions that meet market needs, consistent with iGivefirst’s mission. Immediately 

before joining iGivefirst, Mike was the executive responsible for technology and facilities 

at Mile High United Way, a Colorado nonprofit organization investing over $30 million 

annually into the community. As vice president of technology and facilities, he oversaw 

the division primarily responsible for developing and maintaining innovative 

technologies to implement and evaluate school readiness, youth success and adult selfsufficiency 

programming in metro Denver. Mike has also worked at Hitachi Consulting, 

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and National Semiconductor. 

Mike earned his BS in electrical and computer engineering from the University of 

Colorado at Boulder. He served as editor-in-chief for two years for Colorado Engineer 

Magazine (CEM), the University’s oldest student publication. He was subsequently 

appointed to the advisory council of CEM in 2004 and served as its chair before 

completing his term in 2012. 

Mike earned his MBA in finance and his MS in operations management from the Daniels 

College of Business at the University of Denver in 2007. During his tenure at Daniels, he 

served as the co-president of the Daniels chapter of Net Impact, a worldwide nonprofit 

organization dedicated to using the power of business to improve the world through 

corporate social responsibility. 

Mike volunteered with Project Angel Heart, delivering food to terminally-ill people in the 

community. He served on the founding board of the Academy of Urban Learning (AUL), 

a Denver Public School district charter school targeting at-risk, highly mobile youth and 

was elected secretary of the AUL’s board of directors in 2005. The same year, Mike was 

appointed by Mayor John Hickenlooper to serve on the Denver Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, 

Transgender (GLBT) Commission and was elected vice chair prior to completing his 

term in 2009. 

In 2010, Mike traveled to Uganda and Rwanda to study innovative solutions to poverty 

and to understand the challenges and issues that distress developing countries. Later the 

same year, Mike served on the Information Technology (IT) Transition Committee for 

then Governor-elect John Hickenlooper. Currently, Mike is active on the boards of the 

Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and the Colorado Nonprofit 

Development Center. Mike is a graduate of Leadership Denver Class of 2011. 

Mike is a Colorado native, born in Denver. He is fluent in both Thai and English. 

Because of his Thai heritage, growing up, Mike split his time between Bangkok, Thailand 

and Denver, Colorado. Today, Mike lives in Denver.

Trey Nobles 

District Manager 

PCL Construction Services, Inc. – Denver 

Trey was appointed Denver district manager in 2011, responsible for 

the district’s successful operations, after having served as assistant 

district manager in Orlando, Florida. In Trey’s 25-year career, 18 

years with the PCL family, he has worked on both commercial 

buildings and transportation projects across the United States. He 

received a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management 

from Colorado State University and recently obtained his LEED® 

AP, BD&C. Trey was recognized by the American Subcontractor’s 

Association as Project Manager of the Year in 1999. 

Trey has served on the boards of Architects, Contractors, Engineers (ACE) and Edgewood 

Children’s Ranch. He is also active on committees for the American Heart Association and the 

Salvation Army Denver Chapter.

Cindy Parsons 

Vice President of Public Relations 

Mile High Region 

Cindy Parsons is the vice president of Public Relations for the Mile High 

Region of Comcast. In this position, she is responsible for overseeing the 

company’s external affairs initiatives, including media relations for 

business and consumer press, internal communications, community 

outreach efforts and oversees all Comcast Foundation programs and 

grants throughout the Mile High Region. 

Before this appointment, Cindy served as director of Public Relations for Comcast’s West 

Division. In this position she developed media relations strategies, tactics and materials for 

field implementation of product roll-outs and community outreach. She was responsible for 

directing Comcast Foundation contributions and employee volunteer efforts throughout the 

west division. 

Cindy was the director of Public Relations for AT&T Wireless for Colorado, Utah, Idaho and 

Arizona. She was responsible for directing media relations efforts with business and consumer 

press for all lines of the company’s wireless business. Cindy also developed strategic community 

outreach plans, as well as supporting the company's local employee communications 

efforts. Cindy was the manager of Public Relations for Cellular One prior to its merger with 

AT&T. In this position she developed community relations tactics and employee volunteer 

programs for the Colorado market. Cindy also has held various other management positions 

within the wireless industry. 

Cindy attended the University of Northern Colorado and continued her education at Metro 

State College of Denver. She serves on the Downtown Denver Partnership – Denver Civic 

Ventures, Inc. Board, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board, Visit Denver Board, 

Metro State Foundation Board and the Children’s Hospital Development Committee. She is an 

active member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Metro Economic Development 

Corporation, WICT, CTAM and CTPAA. Cindy is a graduate of the Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation’s 2006 Leadership Denver program, served on the Downtown Denver 

Partnership awards jury in 2005 and chaired the jury in 2007/2008.

Stuart Pattison 

President and CEO, Denver Market 

Commerce bank 

With over 25 years’ experience in the financial industry, Stuart 

Pattison moved to Commerce Bank in September of 2009. 

In his role as President and CEO, Stuart is responsible for growing 

the client base in Commercial Banking, Heath Care, Real Estate, and 

Retail areas of the bank as well as supporting the Commerce franchise growth initiative 

in the Denver market. In addition to increasing profitability in all franchise lines of 

business, Stuart is accountable for the Colorado revenue, expense management, 

profitability and credit quality. 

Stuart formally held the position as Colorado District President for KeyBank. Prior to 

joining KeyBank, Stuart held leadership positions with Compass Bank and U.S.Bank in 

Colorado and Presidential Savings Bank/GIT Investment Funds in Washington, DC. 

Stuart received a B.S. in Finance and Marketing from Old Dominion University in 1987 

and his MBA from Colorado State University in 1995. Active in civic endeavors, he has 

held many board positions and is past Chairmen of the Metro Denver Sports 

Commission, Executive Board member of the Aurora Economic Development Council, 

member of the Denver Chamber, member of the Downtown Denver Partnership, and is a 

Sr. advisory council member for the CSU MBA program. Stuart also spends time 

volunteering for local charities and coaching his children’s athletic teams. 

Stuart, his wife and three children reside in Parker, Colorado.

Marcel Pitton 


The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa 

Marcel Pitton has been the Managing Director of The Brown Palace Hotel and Spa, 

Denver’s only Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four Diamond Hotel, since moving to 

Colorado in 2005. He has since been responsible for all hotel operations and leads a team 

of 400 employees. 

Mr. Pitton’s broad hospitality experience began in Switzerland where he grew up in a 

hotelier family, as both his parents and grandparents owned hotels. He graduated from 

the Hotel Commerce School for Tourism in Bern, attended a summer leadership program 

at Cornell University and speaks four languages. 

Mr. Pitton moved to the United States in 1986 when he began working for the Four 

Seasons Hotel in Houston, Texas. He was then hired by Swissair Swissotel Management 

Company to open and manage hotels in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, as well as an 

international assignment that took him to Bangkok and Istanbul. Pitton was then offered 

a position as General Manager at the Camberley Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, 

which he assumed for three years before relocating to Dallas, Texas to work for 

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts. His last role before moving to Denver was as General 

Manager of the Casa Monica Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. 

Mr. Pitton is actively involved in various community associations and has participated in 

numerous volunteering events with his staff for many local volunteer organizations, such 

as, Volunteers of America, Habitat for Humanity and Tennyson Center for Children. He 

also serves on the Board of Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation, Colorado Hotel and 

Lodging Association, Metro Denver Hotel Association, the REACH Foundation (which 

was founded by former Denver Broncos linebacker, Karl Mecklenburg) and most 

recently, the American Red Cross. Pitton is a graduate of the 2010 FBI Citizens 

Academy and remains an active member of the FBI Citizens Academy Alumni 

Association. He is also a member of SKAL (International Organization of Tourism 

Leaders) and is on the President’s Roundtable of Johnson and Wales University. He has 

been a guest speaker at Metro College Hospitality School, University of Denver and 

Johnson and Wales University. 

In his free time, Mr. Pitton enjoys running, skiing and cross-country motorcycle trips and 

is, in fact, a founding member of the Colorado Hotel Association Motorcycle Group, 

“Hotel Hogs”. In keeping with a long-standing tradition, Mr. Pitton and his wife, Pam, 

reside at The Brown Palace Hotel.

Ceyl Prinster, CFA 


Colorado Enterprise Fund 

Ceyl Prinster is President and CEO of Colorado Enterprise Fund (CEF), a community development 

financial institution (CDFI) based in Denver and serving the State of Colorado. Founded in 1976, CEF 

provides access to capital and capacity-building support to small businesses and entrepreneurs that are 

unable to obtain financing from mainstream financing sources such as banks. 

As President and CEO of Colorado Enterprise Fund, Ms. Prinster is responsible for the overall operations 

of CEF, including program design and delivery, resource development, strategic planning, and 

communications. Under her leadership, the organization has grown from a small, inner-city loan pool to a 

nationally-known CDFI that has provided $24 million in start-up and growth capital to over 1,100 

businesses. 

Prior to joining CEF, she a commercial lending and training officer at United Bank of Denver, which is 

now Wells Fargo Bank. She holds the investment-industry professional designation of Chartered 

Financial Analyst (CFA). She is a Member of the Boulder Economic Council, the Governor’s Small 

Business Council, the Denver Sustainable Food Policy Council, the Advisory Board for the Colorado 

Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and the Board of Directors of St. Anthony’s Health 

Foundation. She also serves as President of the Denver Regional Capital Corporation and is on the 

Governing Board and Investment Committee of the Colorado Growth and Revitalization Fund, which 

allocates New Markets Tax Credits across Colorado. 

In 2011, she was named the Outstanding Woman in Business in Banking and Finance, and in 1999, she 

was designated the Financial Services Advocate of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration 

for both the State of Colorado and Region VIII. She is a former Trustee of the University of Notre Dame, 

the Past President of the national Notre Dame Alumni Association, and served as a Board Member of the 

Alumni Association from 2005 to 2009. She was awarded the Thomas Dooley Award for service to 

humanity from the University in 1988, and in 2010 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the 

Denver Notre Dame Club. She is a graduate of Leadership Denver, the Denver Community Leadership 

Forum and Colorado Outward Bound.

Erin Pulling, MNM 



4950 Washington St. 


303-407-9401 

www.ProjectAngelHeart.org 

epulling@projectangelheart.org 

Erin Pulling has been the Executive Director of Project Angel Heart 

since 2004, and has served in various other positions at Project 

Angel Heart since 1995. As Executive Director, Erin oversees the 

operations of this nonprofit organization which delivers nutritious 

meals to 900 people per week who are coping with life-threatening 

illness, delivering over 440,000 meals per year. Erin was 

responsible for overseeing the recently-completed $7.1 million 

capital campaign to fund a new home for Project Angel Heart, 

enabling the organization to eventually quadruple the number of 

clients it serves. 

Prior to serving at Project Angel Heart, Erin worked as a Case 

Manager for an HIV/AIDS service organization in Houston. 

Erin graduated from Regis University with a Master of Nonprofit 

Management and from Santa Clara University with a BS in 

Psychology. She was selected for a Livingston Fellowship in 2010 

with the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation and was a member of the 2012 

class of Leadership Denver. Erin serves on the Boards of Directors 

for the Dining Out for Life International Association and the 

Association of Nutrition Service Agencies as well as the Leadership 

Advisory Council for the Colorado Nonprofit Association. 

Having been born and raised in the Denver area, Erin was glad to 

return to this great city as her permanent home. She now lives in the 

Whittier neighborhood with her husband, Rich, and two children, 

both adopted domestically. Erin enjoys attempting to create 

masterpieces in the kitchen (although Project Angel Heart’s chefs 

keep her humble), running, and spending time with her family. 


delivers nutritious meals, 

to improve quality of life, 

at no cost, to those coping 

with life-threatening illness.

Pam Reichert 


Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation 

Pam joined the Metro Denver EDC in 2011 and works on 

developing the organization's annual strategic plan and budget; 

maintaining effective relationships with key constituencies 

including investors, regional economic development associations, and affiliated groups 

throughout Colorado; expanding industry development efforts through the Metro Denver EDC's 

industry-focused affiliates; and coordinating prospect recruitment missions both domestically 

and internationally. 

Prior to joining the EDC, Pam led international trade efforts at the Colorado Office of Economic 

Development and International Trade under former Governor Bill Ritter Jr. Under her leadership 

the office organized Governor-led economic development missions to Canada, Japan, China, 

Spain, Finland and Denmark. She has also worked in finance and foreign policy analysis. She 

held progressive leadership positions in the finance industry, including Vice President and 

Portfolio Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for CoBank in Greenwood Village. 

Her public sector experience includes seven years working on foreign policy analysis for the 

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency in Washington, D.C. and three years on assignment with the 

U.S. Department of State as the economic and finance officer in Caracas, Venezuela. 

Pam holds a Master of Arts in Area Studies from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts in 

International Studies and French from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In her spare time 

Pam enjoys “field trips” around Denver and the state with her husband Lee and their two 

children, Helen and August.

Don Richards, CFP® 

The Richards Financial Group, Inc. 

16 Inverness Place East, Suite E-200 

Englewood, Colorado 80112 

don@richardsfinancialgroup.com 

(303) 662-8332 

The Richards Financial Group serves small- and medium-size businesses in the areas of 

employee benefits, group insurance programs, business succession arrangements and 

retirement plans. For individuals, the company provides family wealth management, 

financial planning, investment management and personal insurance plans. 

For business insurance and retirement programs, the company provides plan design 

consulting, implementation through its numerous brokerage channels, employee 

communications and ongoing service. 

Prior to starting The Richards Financial Group in 1984, Don Richards was a construction 

engineer working on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, in the oil business in Wyoming and in the 

construction of cement plants throughout the United States. 

Don is a native of Texas but has called Colorado home since 1970. His undergraduate 

studies in Civil Engineering were completed at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and he 

received his MBA in Finance from the University of Denver. Don earned his CFP ® 

Practitioner designation in 1989. 

Community involvements currently or previously include various boards, councils and 

committees of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, the Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation, Daniels Scholars, the Young Americans Education Foundation, 

Junior Achievement of Metro Denver and the Denver Center Players. Don is also very active 

with his graduate school alma-mater, the University of Denver. 

Don is an active cyclist and mountaineer. He regularly participates in long-distance cycling 

events, and he has climbed all 54 of Colorado’s Fourteeners. He annually competes in the 

goat-roping competition in the National Western Stock Show, and he has participated in 

numerous cattle brandings in Texas and Nebraska. Don is also a pen-and-ink artist whose 

drawings and greeting cards have been published for over 40 years. 

Don Richards, CFP ® is a Registered Representative and Investment Advisor Representative 

offering securities products and investment advisory services through Walnut Street Securities, 

Inc. (WSS), a Broker-Dealer (Member FINRA\SIPC), and a Registered Investment Advisor. 

The Richards Financial Group, Inc. is not affiliated with Walnut Street Securities. 

Practice 

Employee Benefits / Group Insurance 

Retirement Plans 

Business Succession Insurance 

Wealth Management / Investments 

Business and Personal Insurance 

Licenses 

Life, Health & Accident Insurance 

Securities Series 7, 63 & 65 

Education 

College for Financial Planning 

CFP® Practitioner I 1989 


MBA - Finance | 1983 

University of Colorado 

BS - Civil Engineering | 1978 

Distinctions 

5-Star Insurance Broker | 2011, 2012 

David E. Bailey Small-Business 

Advocate of the Year | 2008 

4-Time Chamber Champion 



Board of Directors | 2008-2011 

Masters Program | 2011-2012 

Executive Committee | 2008 

Legacy Denver | 2012 

Programs Facilitator | 1990-2012 

Orientations Presenter | 1985-2012 

Leadership Exchange (LEX) 

Delegate | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 

Colorado Experience 

Delegate | 2011, 2012 

Leadership Program of the Rockies 

Class Member | 2011 

School of Persuasion | 2012 

Leadership Denver 

Class Member | 2007 

Daniels College of Business 

Dean’s Society Leadership | 2011-2012 

Daniels Scholars 

Mentor | 2010-2011 

Young Americans Education Foundation 


Denver Center Players 


Junior Achievement of Metro Denver 

Board of Directors | 1981-1982

Holli Riebel, Chief Operating Officer 

Holli Riebel was recently named Chief Operating Officer for the Denver Metro Chamber of 

Commerce. Holli has come back to the Chamber after serving as president and CEO of the 

Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) from 2010-2012. The no-profit organization 

represents over 350 members in the Biotech, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, Ag-Bio, and 

Bioinformatics subsectors. 

Previously, Holli had worked as an economic developer for over 22 years. Most recently she 

was the Vice President of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation spanning 2003 

thru 2010. She managed the coordination of over 60 metro Denver communities in the ninecounty 

region in their economic development efforts. In her position, she oversaw the U.S. 

Department of Labor’s Workforce Innovation and Regional Economic Development (WIRED) 

grant, a three year, $15 million program that funded 26 organizations in creating public-private 

partnerships in the development of training programs for aerospace, bioscience, energy and IT 

industry sectors. Holli also led the creation of the National Climate and Prosperity Project with 

the City and County of Denver. 

Before working at the Metro Denver EDC, she was the Vice President of the Jefferson 

Economic Council for seven years, a countywide economic development organization. She 

worked in several other economic development capacities including, working under Governor 

Roy Romer as the Front Range Business Development Representative for the Colorado Office 

of Economic Development, the Director of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s 

Economic Development Group, and the Small Business Development Center Director/ ED 

Specialist for the Columbia River Economic Development Corp in Vancouver, Washington. 

Holli received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the University of Colorado. She 

is also certified as an Economic Development Finance Professional by the National 

Development Council and was awarded the Economic Developer of the Year by the Economic 

Development Council of Colorado in 2008. 

1445 Market Street, Denver, CO 80202 ∙ 303-534-8500 ∙ fax 303-534-3200 ∙ www.denverchamber.org

Mimi Roberson, President and CEO 

Mimi Roberson is President and CEO of 

Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children at P/SL. 

Ms. Roberson began her role as CEO in 1999. She has a Juris Doctorate from Louisiana State University and practiced 

law for 11 years before her career in hospital administration. 

Ms. Roberson is an active and talented leader taking on many roles in local, state and federal organizations. She has held 

leadership positions in the Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, including Chair, Executive Committee, Finance 

Committee, Healthcare Committee, and the Workforce Development Council. Additionally, she has served on boards of 

the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and Metro Denver Leadership Foundation. 

Other philanthropies and organizations in which Ms. Roberson has had professional involvement include positions on the 

board of the Federation of American Hospitals, having served as chair of the CEO committee and member of the Public 

Relations and Legislative committees, and The Colorado Health and Hospital Association. She was a Metropolitan 

Delegate to Region 8 of American Hospital Association and is a member of the American College of Healthcare 

Executives. 

Ms. Roberson served on the state board of March of Dimes and was the 2007 Chair of the March of Dimes Chef Dinner. 

She also served on the Community College of Denver Foundation. Currently, Ms. Roberson serves on the boards of 

Judi’s House, There with Care, Metro Denver Chamber Leadership Foundation, Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance 

Leadership Council, and Compass Bank. Ms. Roberson has held other leadership positions with the American Heart 

Association, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, American Hospital Association, Colorado Ocean Journey, Colorado 

Children’s Campaign, The Samaritan Institute, and the City of Denver Mayor’s Task Force. 

In 2009, Ms. Roberson was appointed by Governor Bill Ritter to serve a 3 year term on the Provider Fee Oversight and 

Advisory Board, where she was elected Vice-Chair. In 2002, she was appointed by Governor Bill Owens to serve on the 

Colorado Workforce Development Council. 

Ms. Roberson was presented with the Champions in Healthcare Award by the Denver Business Journal in 2009. She was 

also recognized by the Southeast Business Partnership for vision and dedication in leading the entire Metro Denver 

Region. In 2010, she was recognized as Top50 Healthcare Leader’s from Becker’s Hospital review. She was also 

recognized as a finalist for Colorado Business Person of the Year by The Denver Post. In 2011, Ms. Roberson was 

awarded The International ATHENA Leadership Award by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. 

Before coming to Denver, Ms. Roberson was CEO of two hospitals in Louisiana: Women’s & Children’s Hospital in 

Lafayette and the Medical Center of Southwest Louisiana.

Ramonna Robinson 

Vice President and Managing Partner 

GroundFloor Media 

Ramonna Robinson brings more than 18 years of 

communications experience to GFM. Her extensive 

background across a variety of industries and expertise areas – 

from sports to government to health care and from crisis 

communication to social media to health and wellness – 

brings diverse experience to the GFM team. She currently 

provides strategic counsel to the firm’s health and wellness, 

consumer product and sports-related account teams, oversees 

our strategic communications, social media and crisis 

communication/reputation management service lines, spearheads our new business 

efforts and plays an active role in our community. 

Before joining GFM, Ramonna was the director of marketing and business development 

for Swedish Medical Center. She’s also managed communications for the Lakewood 

Police Department, Indiana Sports Corp. and USA Gymnastics. 

Ramonna received a bachelor’s degree from Butler University and spent a year studying 

in Western Australia. She enjoys yoga, hiking, skiing and sharing craft beer or a glass of 

wine with good friends, and she is currently trying to conquer rock climbing.

Todd Roebken 


Tenant Representation 

+1 303 260 6528 

todd.roebken@am.jll.com 

Current Responsibilities 

Todd Roebken is a Managing Director with Jones Lang LaSalle’s Tenant Representation 

team in Denver, Colorado. He focuses on the fulfillment of his client’s goals through best-inclass 

delivery utilizing a hands-on, personalized approach and has a strong reputation for 

developing innovative cost reduction strategies. Understanding the most complex business 

issues, Todd uses his breadth of experience to better develop solutions that best meet his 

clients’ unique business objectives. 

Experience 

Todd has 20 years of experience in commercial real estate. He has completed acquisition and 

disposition assignments valued at more than one billion dollars. His experience is deep as 

well as broad, including land purchases, land sales, speculative development, build-to-suits, 

lease and sublease transactions, building purchase and sale transactions, portfolio analysis 

and real estate consulting services. Todd’s clients include Comcast, Lockheed Martin, Kaiser 

Permanente, EKS&H, MCI, Dorsey & Whitney, Xerox, Hein & Associates, LabCorp, TCF 

Bank, Delta Dental, Scottrade and Gerald H. Phipps Inc., among many others. 

Prior to joining Jones Lang LaSalle, Todd was a Managing Principal and Partner with 

CresaPartners, a corporate real estate services firm. Before joining Cresa, he was with 

Liberty-Greenfield, a real estate consulting firm, as a senior advisor. He was also a Senior 

Marketing Consultant with Grubb & Ellis in Denver. 

Education and Affiliations 

Todd earned his BA degree from Colorado State University and his MBA degree from the 

University of Colorado. He is the President of the Association for Corporate Growth and sits 

on the Board of Directors for Mile High United Way. He also is actively involved in Big 

Brothers Big Sisters, the Denver Rescue Mission and The Gathering Place. In addition, Todd 

is affiliated with Children’s Hospital, Leadership Denver, Toastmasters International CTM, 

and has been recognized as one of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40.”

TREY ROGERS 

PARTNER 

Direct Phone: 303-628-9506 

Fax: 303-623-9222 

Office Location: Denver, CO 

trogers@rothgerber.com 

Trey Rogers' practice is focused on litigation, public law and 

government relations. He has significant experience in local and 

national politics. He assists clients on public policy development, 

regulatory and legislative solutions, election law, campaign finance, 

and governmental strategies. 

His litigation experience includes jury and bench trials, arbitrations, 

and mediations. He has extensive experience with motions practice, 

discovery, and appellate advocacy in complex matters in state and 

federal courts. 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP, 2010 – Present 

Chief Legal Counsel, Office of Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., 2007-2010 

Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons LLP, 1997–2006 

Eight years' experience as a political and nonprofit fundraiser and 

fundraising consultant in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Washington, D.C. 

PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT 

American, Colorado and Denver Bar Associations 

Appointed by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., Supreme Court Chief 

Justice Mary Mullarkey, and Attorney General John Suthers to serve 

on the state’s Second Judicial District Judicial Nominating 

Commission, 2010 

Appointed by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. to represent District 1 

(City and County of Denver) on the Colorado Transportation 

Commission, 2010 - Present 

Chair, Colorado High Performance Transportation Enterprise, 2012 

(Member since 2012). 

Member, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Public Affairs 

Committee, 2011-Present 

Appointed by Colorado Secretary of State Bernie Buescher to serve on 

his Campaign Finance Advisory Committee, 2010; Continuing to serve 

under Secretary Gessler 2011-Present. 

Served as Colorado counsel for Kerry/Edwards presidential campaign, 

2004 

Appointed by Colorado Secretary of State Donetta Davidson to serve 

on blue-ribbon panel on election reform, 2004 

AREAS OF PRACTICE 

Complex Litigation 

Construction Law and Litigation 

Election & Campaign Finance Law 

Litigation 

Products Liability 

Public Law 

INDUSTRIES 

Public & Government Institutions 

BARS AND COURTS 

Admitted to practice in all Colorado state 

courts, the U.S. District Court for the 

District of Colorado, the U.S. Court of 

Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, and the U.S. 

Supreme Court 

EDUCATION 

Juris Doctor, 1997, George Washington 

University National Law Center, with 

Honors; Member, George Washington 

Journal of International Law and Economics 

Bachelor of Science, Finance and Real 

Estate, 1989, cum laude, from the 

University of Colorado 

AWARDS 

Selected as one of the Colorado Statesman's 50 "Movers & Shakers" (2007) 

Best Lawyers in America® 2007 edition (Government Relations Law) 

Selected as one of Denver’s “40 Under 40,” an annual program recognizing young business leaders (2006) 

Graduate of the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation's Leadership Denver Program (2003) 

3138269_1

Ruth Rohs 

Vice President of Communications and Executive Director of 

the IMA Foundation for the IMA Financial Group 

Ruth Rohs is the vice president of communications and 

executive director of the IMA Foundation for the IMA 

Financial Group. In this position, Ruth oversees public 

relations, marketing and corporate social responsibility for 

IMA and its four subsidiaries in Colorado, Kansas and Texas. 

Prior to joining IMA in May 2011, Ruth was the manager of 

community relations for Comcast Mile High Region. She is a 

graduate of the University of Alabama and has a Masters 

degree from Chapman University. She recently received a certificate in corporate 

community involvement management from the Boston College Center for Corporate 

Citizenship. 

Ruth has an extensive nonprofit background having worked at organizations such as the 

Public Education & Business Coalition, Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry, 

and The Children’s Museum of Denver before entering a career in corporate social 

responsibility. Ruth spent three years at StorageTek in community relations managing the 

corporate foundation, sponsorships, and diversity programs. At Comcast, Ruth was 

responsible for the Mile High Region’s charitable giving strategy including sponsorships, 

local implementation of Comcast Foundation grants and programs, employee engagement 

and supported media outreach efforts. 

Ruth currently serves as vice-chair on the board of the American Red Cross Mile High 

Chapter, the corporate volunteer committee for Mile High United Way and the advisory 

council for Colorado Succeeds. While at Comcast, she served on the board of directors of 

the WICT Rocky Mountain Chapter. Ruth served on the Board of the Junior League of 

Denver for five years and was the co-founder of the Mardi Gras Krewe de Colorado, a 

nonprofit organization supporting the Denver Children’s Home. Ruth is a 2006 graduate 

of Leadership Denver and in 2007 was selected as one of Denver’s Forty Under 40 by the 

Denver Business Journal. She is a current participant in the Downtown Denver 

Partnership leadership program.

Maja Rosenquist 


Mortenson Construction 

Maja is a Vice President with Mortenson Construction, one of 

Colorado’s largest commercial general contractors with annual 

revenues over 300 million per year. At Mortenson, Maja is 

responsible for all Colorado project procurement and oversight of all municipal, healthcare and 

specific state construction operations. She was previously the General Manager of healthcare for 

our Colorado office. 

Maja is involved with many organizations in the community, including those supporting the 

advancement of healthcare delivery and other civic improvements. These include the Denver 

Metro Chamber, American Hospital Association, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation 

Board, Denver Health Foundation Board, Colorado Hospital Association, Exempla Lutheran 

Medical Foundation Board, Colorado Association of Healthcare Engineers and Directors, Denver 

Chamber Economic Development Council Board of Governors and the Aurora Economic 

Development Council Board. Previous board positions have included the YMCA, Downtown 

Denver Partnership Economic Board & LoDo District Board. 

Professional / Business Organizations & Recognition: 

United States Green Building Council – LEED, AP 

Mayor's Developer Advisory Group - City and County of Denver 

Impact Denver Class of 2008, sponsored by the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership 

Foundation 

Leadership Denver Class of 2010 

ASHE Healthcare Construction Certification – ASHE Member 

ASHE – National Taskforce 

Denver Business Journal 40 Under 40 Winner, 2008 

Colorado Construction Top 20 Under 40 Winner, 2009 

Maja is a native of Washington State, but has lived in Colorado for over eight years. Before 

moving to Colorado, she provided oversight to two large healthcare construction projects in San 

Francisco, California. Since starting with Mortenson Construction in 1994, she has worked in 

Washington, Minnesota, Texas, California and Colorado. 

Maja attended the University of Washington, where she earned her degree in Construction 

Management. Outside of her career, Maja’s husband Mark and 3 children (Davin – 10, Kyla – 8, 

and Kjell – 6) keep her incredibly busy with sports, camping and other recreational activities.

Deloitte & Touche LLP 

555 17th Street 

Suite 3600 

Denver, CO 80202-3942 

USA 

Tel: 303-292-5400 

Fax: 303-294-0919 

www.deloitte.com 

Sandford W. Rothe 

Managing Partner, Denver 

Deloitte & Touche, LLP 

Sandy Rothe is the Managing Partner for Deloitte’s Denver office. He is responsible for implementing the firm’s 

strategies in the Colorado marketplace, including delivering multifunctional services in the auditing, tax, 

enterprise risk, financial advisory and consulting areas. Deloitte has 550 people in Denver. He also serves as the 

Inclusion Leader for the Mid-America Region. 

Prior to moving to Denver, Rothe was the Managing Partner of the Mid-America Technology, Media, and 

Telecommunications practice and has over 30 years of experience in public accounting. He also has worked with 

clients through IPOs, asset securitizations, secondary offerings and private placements as well as mergers and 

acquisitions. During his career at Deloitte, he has served engineering, telecommunications, cable, internet service 

providers, software, and other high-tech companies. He has also extensive experience serving financial services 

companies including banks, thrifts and finance companies. 

He served on Governor Ritter’s Health Information Technology Advisory Committee and served as Moderator 

of Texas Governor Perry’s Broadband Deployment Task Force that studied state policy and regulatory practices 

impacting broadband deployment. 

Sandy is on the Board of Junior Achievement – Rocky Mountain Inc. (past Chairman), he serves on the Board of 

Trustees of the Denver Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America and is on the Global Leadership Council at 

Colorado State University – College of Business. 

Sandy Rothe 

Deloitte & Touche LLP 

Telephone: 303/312-4163 

Fax: 303/313-0331 

Email: srothe@deloitte.com 

Member of 

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Gloria Rubio-Cortés 

President 

National Civic League 

NCL President Gloria Rubio-Cortés is also the Executive Editor of NCL's journal National Civic 

Review. She has held leadership positions in business, philanthropy, and nonprofits in California and 

Colorado over the past 35 years and specialized in civil rights, community building, and civic 

engagement. At philanthropic foundations, she was a senior manager at Levi Strauss Foundation and 

ZeroDivide. She serves on the Denver Public Library Commission (Secretary), Latino Community 

Foundation of Colorado, Common Cause, and Mile High United Way. Awards include the Disability 

Funders Network Bill Diaz Award for grantmaking. An author and speaker, she holds an M.S. in 

journalism from Columbia University.

Hassan Salem 

President, U.S. Bank - Colorado 

As market president, Hassan Salem leads all U.S. Bank lines of 

business in Colorado as well as its local advisory board which is 

comprised of Denver business and community group leaders. 

Additionally, he steers U.S. Bank’s cross- functional Denver market 

leadership committee. Salem’s core focus is to continue growing the 

business while building client relationships. 

Salem’s 21 year career began with Colorado National Bank (a U.S. 

Bank predecessor company) after graduating from college. He held a 

number of increasing positions within U.S. Bank’s Consumer and 

Commercial Banking divisions, including senior vice president and 

division manager of commercial banking. Salem’s group specialized 

in structuring and delivering comprehensive financial solutions to 

middle market clients with annual revenue between $5 million and $500 million and he is well 

known and respected as one of the ski industry’s leading lenders. 

An active member of the community, Salem currently serves as chairman of the board for the 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and board member for National Jewish Health. He serves 

on the trustee board of the Denver Area Council-Boy Scouts of America and the executive 

committee of Colorado Succeeds. Additionally, he is a member of YPO, Colorado Concern, and 

Colorado Forum. Salem serves on the Leadership Council of the Boys and Girls Club of Metro 

Denver, is a graduate of the 2004 Leadership Denver program for influential business area 

leaders and served as co-chair of the Transition Committee for Department of Regulatory 

Agencies (DORA), under Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper’s leadership. 

Salem earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration-Economics from the University 

of Arizona with minors in communications and political science. He resides in the Denver area 

with his wife and their two children. He enjoys skiing and golfing. 

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $330 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, 2011, is the parent company of 

U.S. Bank, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The company operates 3,089 banking 

offices in 25 states and 5,092 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, 

investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. 

Bancorp and its employees are dedicated to improving the communities they serve, for which the 

company earned the 2011 Spirit of America Award, the highest honor bestowed on a company by United 

Way. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

Katrina L. Salem 

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 

Rockies Market Managing Partner 

Katrina Salem is the Market Managing Partner of PwC's Rockies market, which is 

comprised of the Denver and Salt Lake City offices. Katrina is responsible for 

building PwC's brand in the industries that define the Rockies marketplace today 

and in the future, cultivating PwC's people and contributing to the community by 

developing partnerships with local philanthropic and civic organizations. 

Katrina is also a tax partner who serves a variety of clients, primarily in the 

manufacturing, telecommunications and technology industries. Katrina has 

spent nearly 16 of her 24 years with PwC serving Colorado-based companies. 

She has consulted with clients on tax decisions associated with a wide range of 

business structures and transactions. She has extensive experience in tax 

technical areas such as change in ownership, taxation of stock options, and research and development tax 

credits, as well as accounting for income tax. 

Prior to taking on the role of Rockies Market Managing Partner, Katrina spent three years leading PwC's US 

Knowledge Services Organization, a centralized knowledge management function focused on sharing and 

delivering distinctive knowledge to PwC clients, partners and staff. Katrina was also the Market Managing 

Partner for the Enterprise Solution Center in Tampa, Florida, PwC's shared services center which houses 30% of 

the US firm's infrastructure. 

While in Tampa, she led community service work focused on building future leaders with an emphasis on youth 

and education in the Tampa Bay area and raised thousands of dollars with over 10,000 hours of employees' time 

donated. Salem has also implemented green-friendly initiatives, such as single-stream recycling, elimination of 

Styrofoam products and recognition of carpoolers, in support of PwC's goal to reduce its carbon footprint by 20% 

by 2012. 

Since Katrina's return to Colorado, she has joined the Board of Directors for Junior Achievement and the Board 

of Governors for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She is a Tocqueville member of the Mile High United 

Way and increased overall PwC giving to the United Way by 10% during her first year as campaign leader. She is 

a champion of women in business and supports numerous women-based initiatives both at PwC and the broader 

community. 

Katrina has a B.S. in Accounting and a B.A. from the University of Kansas. She is a licensed CPA in Colorado, 

Missouri and Florida, and is a member of the AICPA, the Colorado Society of CPAs and the Missouri Society of 

CPAs. She lives in Golden, Colorado with her husband, Jon, and her daughter, Myriah.

Richard W. Scharf 


VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Richard W. Scharf Jr. was named president & CEO of VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors 

Bureau, in March 2004. Scharf has worked for VISIT DENVER since 1993, most recently as the 

executive vice president of sales and marketing. From 1988-1993, he owned a publishing and 

consulting company representing more than 400 colleges and universities as conference sites. 

His career in the hospitality industry began with Hilton Hotels in 1983. 

As president of VISIT DENVER, Scharf is responsible for managing a staff of 61 associates, which includes regional sales 

offices in Chicago and Washington, DC. VISIT DENVER is a non-profit with more than 1,200 private business members 

and a $17.5 million annual budget. In 2005, Scharf led a successful campaign to increase the lodging tax in Denver in 

order to competitively market Denver as a convention and leisure destination. Voters approved the measure by a 

margin of two to one, resulting in a marketing budget increase of nearly 50 percent. 

Under Scharf’s supervision, VISIT DENVER has won all of the meeting industry’s top convention service awards for the 

past 18 years. In 1999, Scharf was the second person to be awarded the Colorado Hotel Sales & Marketing Association’s 

Hall of Fame Award. In 2000, he won the Executive Excellence Award, given by the Association of Convention Operations 

and Management; in 2002 he won the Governor’s Tourism Award and in 2007 he was named Business Person of the 

Year by the Rocky Mountain News. In 2007, he was awarded the Meetings Industry Council of Colorado’s Leadership 

Award. And in 2009, he was awarded the Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Award by the Readers of Colorado 

Meetings & Events Magazine. In 2009, he also received an honorary degree, Doctor of Business Administration in 

Travel-Tourism-Hospitality Management from Johnson & Wales University. In 2011, Scharf was named one of Denver’s 

50 most influential people by 5280 Magazine. 

Scharf has been selected annually by the Denver Business Journal as Who’s Who in Travel and Tourism and Power Book 

winner for Travel & Tourism. Scharf is an active member in all travel industry associations. Scharf is the past chairman of 

the board of the Governor’s Colorado Tourism Office. He was past president of the Tourism Industry Association of 

Colorado (TIAC), where he played a significant role in the effort to restore state tourism marketing funding. Scharf 

currently serves on the board of directors for the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), US Travel 

Association, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and is a past board member of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts, 

Destination Colorado, the Metro Denver Sports Commission, and Destination Marketing Association International 

(DMAI) Foundation. Scharf is also a member of Colorado Concern, which is a nonpartisan association of CEO’s who work 

towards solutions to mutual statewide business challenges. 

Scharf is a graduate of Purdue University.

Kirk Scheitler 

Area Manager, Community and Local Government Affairs, Xcel Energy 

Kirk Scheitler, Area Manager, Community and Local Government 

Affairs, Xcel Energy Inc., is responsible for managing an effective 

working relationship with the City and County of Denver in order to: 

obtain and retain the franchise agreement; increase local economic 

vitality; and protect the company’s assets. He is also responsible for 

developing and managing collaborative strategic relationships with local 

governments, customers, stakeholders, public and community 

organizations/groups on behalf of Xcel Energy. 

Kirk joined Xcel Energy in 2009, prior to his current position; Scheitler was a successful 

entrepreneur and local business owner. 

Kirk earned his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado at 

Boulder. 

Active in the community, Kirk is currently a Board Member for the Denver Metro Chamber 

Leadership Foundation serving on the Strategic Initiatives and Leadership Exchange 

Committees, as well as, an active member of the Downtown Denver Partnership serving on the 

16 th Street Mall Steering Committee. Kirk also serves on the Board of Directors for the Historic 

Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation and is a Trustee for the YMCA of Metropolitan Denver 

Kirk is a Colorado native, and resides in Denver with his wife Samantha, their daughter Anna 

and son Rian.

Jane Schumaker 


University Physicians Inc. 

Jane Schumaker is Senior Associate Dean for Administration and Finance 

at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Executive Director 

of University Physicians, Inc. (UPI), the physician practice organization 

for the medical school. Jane is responsible for the business infrastructure 

that supports both the teaching and research missions of the School of 

Medicine as well as the practice of medicine. CU physicians provide primary and specialty care 

to patients in Denver, the Rocky Mountain region and throughout the country. 

Jane’s career in medical school, faculty practice, and hospital administration includes leadership 

roles in several academic medical centers across the country. Most recently she served as 

Associate Dean for Administration for the Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School 

of Medicine at the University of Chicago. Prior positions include the University of Florida 

School of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Alabama School of Medicine 

and the University of Nebraska School of Medicine. 

During her tenure as a medical school administrator, Jane has held leadership positions in several 

professional societies. She has served as chair of the Group on Faculty Practice of the 

Association of Academic Medical Colleges and as a member of the University Health System 

Consortium Governing Board. She has also been president of the Academic Practice Assembly 

of the Medical Group Management Association and of the Administrators of Internal Medicine. 

Jane has been a member of the Omaha, Milwaukee and Birmingham Rotary Clubs and has been 

active in humanitarian concerns and social justice committees in several parishes. 

Jane holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in English from the University of 

Nebraska.

Michael G. Severns 


Mountain States Employers Council, Inc. 

Mike Severns was elected President and CEO of Mountain 

States Employers Council effective July 1, 2002. Only the fifth 

president in MSEC’s 73-year history, Severns joined the company 

in 1979 out of law school. 

Previously, Severns was Vice President of MSEC having 

responsibility for the labor and employment law attorneys on the staff, 

information technology, facilities management and the Council’s 

Southern Colorado office. Severns began his career with the Council 

as an attorney in the Labor Relations Department, then moved on to 

become Director of that department in 1989, before taking on the 

position of Vice President in 1996. 

Employed by the Council for over 30 years, Severns’ legal 

career focused on representing employers in labor and employment matters; more specifically, 

unionized employers in union contract negotiations, election campaigns, and arbitrations. He also 

assisted employers in administrative proceedings that arise before the EEOC, Colorado Civil Rights 

Division, OSHA, Department of Labor and other administrative agencies. In addition, he counseled 

and assisted employers with day-to-day employee relations problems. 

Severns contributes time and energy to the community through various organizations. He 

currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America Denver Area Council, 

Christian Living Communities, Samaritan Institute, and Workers Compensation Coalition, as 

well as serving as an ex-officio Board member of the Colorado Judicial Institute. He is also a 

member of the Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance Leadership Council. He is serving now as 

the Chair of the Samaritan Institute and the Vice President of Membership for the Denver Area 

Concil, BSA. Severns is also active in the Rotary Club of Denver, serving on the Branch Rickey 

Award Executive Committee. He is past board member and chair of the Employers Associations 

of America, the national trade association for employer councils around the country, and Denver 

Kids, Inc. He is also a past member of the Health Policy Committee of the Denver Foundation. 

Nationally, Severns is a past member of the Board of Directors of The National Association of 

Manufacturers. He is a member of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations and Colorado 

Concern. 

Mountain States Employers Council, Inc. provides over 3,500 member employers of all 

different industries and sizes with the employment law, human resource, training and survey 

services needed to build and maintain effective, successful organizations.

Bonnie Shelor 

Chief Human Resources Officer, University of Colorado Health 

Bonnie Shelor is responsible for the development and implementation of 

strategic human resources vision and goals for the organization. She has more 

than 20 years experience in health care human resources and was been 

employed by Bon Secours from 1994 to 2012. 

Bonnie has an undergraduate degree in Human Resources from Virginia 

Commonwealth University in Richmond and a graduate degree in Education 

and Human Development from George Washington University. In 2009, 

Bonnie was recognized with the following honors: Richmond’s Executive 

Women in Business Achievement Award, Companies That Care’s Bonnie 

Dayan Memorial Award, and Richmond’s HR Strategist of the Year Award.

Susan Shepherd 

Denver City Councilwoman 

Denver City Council District 1 

Denver City Councilwoman Susan Shepherd grew up in a working poor family in 

the 1970s and ’80s in eastern New Orleans. Often living with no electricity or phone, 

and at times owning only one set of school clothes, Susan’s first break as a young 

teenager came when teachers noticed her potential and convinced her parents to send 

her to a public magnet high school. Several good teachers and a high school diploma 

enabled Susan to attend the University of Oregon and earn a degree in 

communications, with a minor in women’s studies. 

After working in the restaurant service industry, television production and financial planning, Susan’s defining 

moment came upon hearing presidential candidate Howard Dean speak, which helped her realize the difference 

political action can make in helping working families and the broader community. Susan soon worked to manage 

volunteers and direct field activity for a Colorado Congressional legislative race. She then joined the Denver Area 

Labor Federation as a political organizer in 2005. She was responsible for managing campaign teams up to 30 staff 

members and volunteers on a variety of issues to support working families, including spearheading the successful 

campaign to raise Colorado’s minimum wage. Her work on behalf of working families earned her the FRESC 

Volunteer of the Year award in 2009. 

Susan’s background has also been a driving factor in much of her volunteer work, which focuses on helping increase 

access to healthy nutritious foods in low-income neighbourhoods. She worked with Mi Casa Resource Center to 

build garden beds at Lake Middle School and to develop an afterschool program teaching middle school students to 

grow and market fresh produce. Susan started her own home-grown produce business and worked with a local 

community organization to define and seek funding for a community wellness program. She currently is a board 

member of the Sustainable Food Policy Council and is a member of the Denver Elections Model Advisory 

Committee. 

Elected to represent Denver City Council’s District One in 2011, Susan ran on a platform aiming to make District 

One the best place to live, work, play and raise a family in Denver. Her core values in representing the district are to 

help empower our constituents and that everyone deserves dignity, respect and opportunity. Susan has identified a 

number of strategic areas for success. For example, one key goal that Susan holds for District One is that it become a 

nationally notable healthy community. Approaches to make this happen include formalizing an extensive network of 

bike and pedestrian lanes linking major parks and destinations; encouraging walkability by improving sidewalk 

access and removing land use barriers; strengthening connectivity within District One and between other areas in 

Denver; support food systems work so that 20% of food consumed in District One is locally grown and affordable. 

Since elected, Susan has been given the following Special Assignments and will sit on these Council Committees: 

• Health, Safety, Education & Services 

• Land Use, Transportation & Infrastructure 

• Special Issues: Redistricting 

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENTS 

• Emergency Medical Response Monitoring Group 

• Facilities and Energy Efficiency Advisory Board 

• Greenprint Advisory Council

Roger Sherman 


Roger Sherman joined CRL Associates in 2005, bringing more than 17 years of public and private 

sector experience in project management, financial administration, policy development and 

implementation and strategic communications. Roger represents clients in the transportation, real 

estate and development and public policy sectors, including the Regional Transportation District 

(RTD), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Atlanta Regional Commission and the 

Denver Union Station Project Authority. From 2005‐2011, he was a consultant to the RTD 

FasTracks Public Information Team, serving as the government relations discipline lead, facilitator 

of the Citizens Advisory Committee and liaison to the Metro Mayors Caucus. 

Roger has served in various leadership roles with issue and candidate campaigns throughout the 

Denver metro area. In 2004, he served as the chief financial officer for the successful FasTracks Yes 

campaign, the largest mass transit expansion effort in the country at the time. He has advised 

communities across the country in developing successful public outreach programs in preparation 

for major transportation initiatives. Most recently, Roger was campaign director of the successful 

effort to defeat what would have been the nation’s most severe paid sick leave mandate. 

Roger earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Colorado State University. He is an avid 

art collector and supporter of numerous scientific and cultural institutions in the state along with 

being actively involved in several civic and charitable endeavors. He resides in Denver’s Congress 

Park neighborhood. 

CRL Associates, Inc. is a leading government relations, public affairs and strategic communications firm assisting clients achieve 

greater levels of success in Colorado and across the country for over 30 years. CRL delivers measurable results using proven 

strategies and innovative solutions to reach and influence national, regional and local elected officials and governments of all sizes. 

We help our clients craft and implement integrated strategies that connect them with top decision-makers, shape public opinion and 

transform public policy.

Christopher Sherry, PE 

Senior Vice President, Merrick & Company 

Merrick is an employee-owned $111 million engineering, architecture, design-build, 

surveying, planning, and geospatial solutions firm. Christopher Sherry serves as a senior 

vice president leading the Business and Corporate Development Group where he is 

responsible for the planning, development and implementation of the company’s business 

development, marketing, and merger and acquisition programs, including all 

subsidiaries. He has been with Merrick 22 years and had also served as vice president, 

corporate services which entailed responsibilities for the company’s financial services, 

information technology, risk management, and stock programs. Chris holds a BS in 

Architectural Engineering from the University of Colorado and an MBA degree from the 

Daniels College of Business, University of Denver.

Holly R. Shilliday 

Counsel, Snell & Wilmer, L.L.P. 

Holly Shilliday is counsel with Snell & Wilmer, L.L.P., where 

her practice is concentrated in commercial litigation, 

foreclosures, work-outs, and bankruptcy. Ms. Shilliday is a 

fourth generation Colorado native. She is married to Robert 

Shilliday and has two children named Kaitlyn (11) and Zachary 

(8). Ms. Shilliday graduated from the University of Denver in 

1989, where she majored in Political Science and minored in 

Economics and Spanish. She also obtained her Juris Doctorate 

from Pepperdine University School of Law in 1992. 

Ms. Shilliday is admitted to practice law in both Colorado and California. She is an active 

member of the California Bar Association and served a three year term on the Committee for 

the Administration of Justice. Ms. Shilliday is also a member of the Colorado and Eighteenth 

Judicial District Bar Associations, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the International 

Franchise Association and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. She is a frequent 

speaker and author on various bankruptcy and foreclosure issues. 

Ms. Shilliday is on the executive board of the Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance, a nonprofit 

organization whose mission is to promote ethical business conduct for the benefit of the 

workplace, marketplace, the environment and the community. She is also on the board of the 

Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and the governing board of Littleton Academy, 

an elementary and junior high charter school with an emphasis on academics. Ms. Shilliday 

also volunteers for the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver, Junior Achievement, Wings 

Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, and Centro San Juan Diego. Ms. Shilliday handles a 

number of pro bono cases and judges moot court competitions for high school students. Ms. 

Shilliday’s interests include rollerblading, hiking, biking, playing piano, spending time at her 

parents’ cattle ranch, side-line coaching at her children’s football and basketball games,. and 

spending time with her family. 

3117166.3

Daniel Shurz 

Senior Vice President, Commercial 


Daniel Shurz is Senior Vice President, Commercial for Frontier 

Airlines. Daniel is responsible for all commercial activities, 

including network planning, pricing and revenue management, 

marketing, product and brand definition. Daniel joined Frontier 

as Vice President of Strategy and Planning in 2009. 

With a deep knowledge of the airline industry, Daniel has a proven track record of 

developing innovative revenue initiatives and alliances. Prior to joining Frontier, Daniel 

served as Vice President of Network Planning and Alliances for Air Canada. Before 

joining Air Canada, Daniel held a number of other senior-level positions in the 

transportation industry, at both the Chicago Transit Authority and United Airlines. 

Daniel received his BA degree from Queens College, University of Cambridge in 

Cambridge, United Kingdom, and an MBA in Strategy, Economics and International 

Business from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Janice Sinden 

Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor Michael B. Hancock 

Janice Sinden is a fourth-generation Coloradan who was born and 

raised in Fort Collins, Colorado. She graduated from Rocky 

Mountain High School, and then the University of Northern 

Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. 

Upon graduation from college, she moved to Washington, D.C. to 

work for newly-elected U.S. Senator Wayne Allard where she 

worked on issues including agriculture, natural resources and the 

environment. She also managed the Senate Renewable and Energy 

Efficiency Caucus which the Senator chaired. After several years 

in Washington, she returned to Colorado and continued her work 

for the Senator managing a nine-county district covering the 

northwestern part of the state. During her tenure with Senator Allard, Sinden served as the state 

contact for the introduction of federal legislation to designate Rocky Flats Environmental Technology 

Site as a National Wildlife Refuge. This legislation passed and was signed by the President in 2002. 

After working for Senator Allard, Sinden moved to San Diego, California where she served as the 

Manager of Community Relations, Corporate Communications for Sharp HealthCare. The hospital 

system includes seven hospitals and three medical groups, and Sinden reported directly to the CEO at 

each hospital, in addition to the President of Marketing and Corporate Communications. Her 

responsibilities included coordinating the organization’s annual Community Benefits Plan that was 

submitted annually to California’s Office of Statewide Planning and Development. She also 

coordinated Sharp’s largest marketing event attended by more than 1,800 women each year, and 

organized more than 30 events to build partnerships with community leaders and policy makers 

throughout the region. Additionally, she organized the largest American Heart Walk team in the 

nation, raising more than $200,000 and coordinated the participation of over 1,000 walkers. 

Sinden returned to Denver, Colorado at the end of 2002 and worked for Capitol Solutions as a state 

and federal lobbyist consulting for a number of nonprofits, associations and corporations. In 2005, she 

co-founded Pinnacle Public Affairs, a Denver-based firm which coordinated media events, managed 

fundraising for candidates and issue committees, provided comprehensive strategic planning for 

clients, and federal lobbying services. 

In 2007, Sinden became the Executive Director of Colorado Concern, an alliance of more than 100 top 

executives from across the state who have joined together to work towards solutions to their mutual 

business challenges. She oversaw the public policy agenda for the organization and manages the 

lobbying team to promote and advance a strong pro-business agenda. 

In July 2011, Sinden joined Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s Administration as his Chief of Staff. 

She supports the Mayor by helping to manage his 14-member cabinet and the overall operations of the 

Mayor’s office. 

Sinden has been actively involved with more than ten nonprofit, public policy and philanthropic 

organizations, and she enjoys skiing, golfing, hiking and spending time with her friends and family.

Shannon Sisler 

Senior Vice President of Talent Management & Total Rewards 

Western Union 

Shannon Sisler is the Senior Vice President of Talent Management & 

Total Rewards at Western Union. She is responsible for global talent 

acquisition, talent management, compensation and benefits. Previously 

Shannon was the Vice President of Talent and Diversity at DaVita and 

was responsible for leading efforts to optimally select, assess, develop and 

retain teammates. Additionally, she led corporate social responsibility and 

diversity initiatives. Prior to DaVita, Shannon was the Senior Vice 

President and Global Head of Human Resources at Janus Capital Group and started her career at 

Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting). She has earned her MBA from the University of 

Denver (DU) and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis on Finance, 

from the University of Colorado (CU) at Boulder. She currently coaches Executive MBA 

students at DU and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Women’s Vision Foundation.

Elizabeth K. Soberg 

President and Chief Executive Officer, UnitedHealthcare of Colorado 

Elizabeth Soberg is Chief Executive Officer of 

UnitedHealthcare of Colorado. Beth brings more than 25 

years of industry experience, including 15 years with 

UnitedHealth Group, to this significant leadership role. 

Beth is responsible for the health plan’s business 

development, operations, community and regulatory 

relationships. She directs the development of near and 

long-term strategic plans, staff development and the 

implementation of tactical initiatives that drive business 

and company objectives for Colorado, Wyoming, 

Montana and New Mexico Markets. 

During her tenure with UnitedHealth Group, Beth has served in several key 

leadership roles within Uniprise, Specialized Care Services and 

UnitedHealthcare. Beth played a key role in the development of the 

UnitedHealthcare product portfolio in the Northwest and was responsible for 

launching the ancillary suite of products nationwide through the UnitedHealthcare 

distribution model. Most recently, she served as Regional Vice President of key 

accounts for the Southwest Region where she was successful in driving key 

strategic growth initiatives with the region’s market leaders and was a key player 

in the integration of legacy-PacifiCare. 

Beth is an active board member with the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

(DMCC), Mile High United Way (MHUW)/Colorado Chapter, Center for Improving 

Value in Health Care (CIVHC), Colorado Associations of Health Plans (CAHP) 

and University of Colorado Denver Executive Advisory Board (EAB). Beth is also 

a member of the University of Colorado Denver’s Risk Management and 

Insurance (RMI) Program Advisory Council, Colorado Concern, Colorado Forum, 

Colorado Association of Commence and Industry (CACI) and recently was 

appointed by Governor John Hickenlooper to the Colorado Health Benefit 

Exchange Board of Directors (COHBE) for the State of Colorado and Chairs the 

COHBE Implementation and Technology Committee. 

Beth graduated from the University of Alaska, Anchorage. 

11/21/2011

Maren C. Stewart, JD APR 

President & CEO, LiveWell Colorado 

As the first president and CEO of LiveWell Colorado, Ms. 

Stewart is responsible for building a non-profit organization 

committed to preventing obesity through the advancement of 

policy, environmental and lifestyle changes that promote healthy 

eating and active living. In this role, Ms. Stewart leads 

fulfillment of the organizational mission and execution of the 

strategic initiatives including community investments, policy and 

marketing communications. 

Ms. Stewart currently serves as the Chair of the Board for the 

Aurora Economic Development Council and on the board of 

directors for the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts. In 

the past, Ms. Stewart served on the National Association of 

Children’s Hospitals council on child advocacy as well as the 

board of directors for the Denver Metro Chamber Foundation, the 

Aurora Chamber, the Colorado Association of Nonprofit 

Organizations, the Donor Awareness Council and Colorado Bright Beginnings. 

Ms. Stewart holds a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Kansas and a J.D. from the 

University of Denver. She is licensed to practice law in Colorado and is accredited by the Public 

Relations Society of America.

Penfield W. Tate III 

Shareholder 

Public Finance | American Indian Law | Environmental | Global Energy & Infrastructure 

tatep@gtlaw.com 

Direct: 303.685.7442 

Direct Fax: 720.904.6142 


1200 17th Street 

Suite 2400 


T 303.572.6500 

F 303.572.6540 

Penfield Tate is a shareholder with the Denver office of Greenberg Traurig, an 

international, multidisciplinary law firm with 1800 attorneys and governmental affairs 

professionals in 35 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle 

East and Asia. The firm’s experience in the United States, Latin America, the Middle 

East, Europe, Asia and Africa enables it to provide clients with unique resources as they 

seek market opportunities, investments, financing, access to capital markets, 

governmental strategies or dispute resolution. The firm was selected as the 2007 USA 

Law Firm of the Year by Chambers and Partners. 

Pen is experienced in public finance and municipal law, as someone who has worked in 

government and as an adviser to government. He has wide-ranging experience 

representing public entities, lenders and underwriters engaged in the process of financing 

essential public improvements, and advising local and state governments in the exercise 

of their administrative responsibilities. 

In government, Pen has served in both the Colorado Senate and House of 

Representatives. He has served as executive director of the Department of 

Administration for former Governor Roy Romer and as an aide to former Denver Mayor 

Federico Peña. 

Pen has been engaged in the public finance practice for more than 20 years working as 

bond, disclosure, trustee and underwriter’s counsel. He has been involved in a variety of 

financings, including, DIA, the Webb Office Building, the Pavilions Shopping Center, 

DPS, the State of Colorado, Metro State University, Colorado State University and 

others 

Pen often speaks before groups on issues of public interest; he is also a regular 

commentator with the local print and electronic news media. Pen is active in a number 

of civic efforts including: Board of Directors, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce; 

Board of Directors, Cerebral Palsy of Colorado; Board of Directors, The Bell Policy 

Center; Denver Board of Water Commissioners; Member, Denver Alumni Chapter, 

Kappa Alpha Psi; and, Member, Sigma Pi Phi. 

Pen is married to Paulette Tate and they have a daughter Elleana. 

| gtlaw.com |

Landri Taylor 

President/CEO 

Urban League of Metropolitan Denver 

Landri Taylor comes to the Urban League with tremendous 

passion, an impeccable reputation, and firm integrity. Prior to 

taking the helm of the Urban League, Landri was the Vice 

President of Community Affairs for Forest City Stapleton, Inc., 

the development company that is transforming the former 

Stapleton International Airport into a community of 12,000 

homes and apartments, 35,000 jobs and more than 1,100 

acres of parks and open space. In that position, Landri was responsible for small 

business development, job training, and Minority-owned and Woman-owned 

Business Enterprise outreach. 

Prior to working for Forest City Stapleton, Inc., Landri owned Alpha Associates, a 

community consultant business. In addition, Landri has served on numerous 

boards and commissions throughout the Denver area. Of particular note was 

Denver’s 1998 $100 million dollar Neighborhood Bond Campaign that Landri was 

asked to Co-Chair by former Mayor Wellington Webb. Landri has served as 

Board Treasurer on the Regional Transportation District Board, and spearheaded 

the completion of Denver’s first light rail transit corridor. Landri also served as 

Chair of the Denver Democratic Party in 1997 - ‘99, and has helped on many 

local, state and federal campaigns. 

Landri currently serves on the boards Qualistar, Blair-Caldwell African American 

Research Library, American Association for Blacks in Energy (Board Treasurer), 

Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, and the Stapleton Foundation 

and First Tee of Green Valley Ranch. Landri was inducted into the Colorado 

Black’s Hall of Fame in 2008. 

Landri received his B.A. in Biology from the University of California, Berkeley in 

1974, and resides in Denver with wife, Gloria, and has three grown children.

Frontier Airlines, Inc. 

Frontier Center One 

7001 Tower Road 


P 720.374.4200 

F 720.374.4375 

frontierairlines.com 

Frontier Center One 

7001 Tower Road 


Fron 

7001 

Denv 

Andrea Tollar 

Director of Sales, Frontier Airlines 

Andrea Tollar currently serves as the Director of Sales for Frontier 

Airlines, a low cost airline based out of Denver, Colorado. She has 18 

years of experience in the airline industry, having lived in several cities 

and worked in various markets. 

Andrea began her airline career with Lufthansa German Airlines in 1994. Starting as a 

Management Trainee in Miami, she worked in the Area Management office overseeing South and 

Central America. The program facilitated perspective on the interaction among all areas of the 

Lufthansa Aviation Group and gave her the opportunity to work in all areas of the company. 

In 1997, she moved to Chicago as an Account Manager, where her sales career began. The 

transition to sales management took place at the start of 2001, when Andrea moved to Denver as 

District Sales Manager. It was her responsibility to launch Lufthansa service for the first time from 

Frankfurt to Denver. Building relationships with corporate and agency accounts, local 

organizations, and Star Alliance partners helped make the flight a great success. 

In 2005, at the end of her tenure in Denver, she had the opportunity to work in Canada for five 

months as acting General Manager, learning an entirely new country market. Early 2006, Andrea 

moved to New York City as District Sales Manager, enjoying the challenge of working in one of 

the most competitive markets in the world. 

In the summer of 2007, Andrea took the position of Director of Sales for Frontier Airlines in 

Denver, to gain knowledge of the domestic low cost carrier market. In addition to corporate and 

leisure sales, the position gives her exposure to online travel agency sales channels, and 

distribution strategies. Much of her work at Frontier also interacts with other departments, 

including Marketing, Advertising, Pricing, and Revenue Management. 

A Minnesota native, Andrea earned a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business 

Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in German from St. Cloud State University in St. 

Cloud, Minnesota.

Erin Trapp 

Vice President for Advancement and External Relations 


Erin M. Trapp, Ph.D. is Vice President of Advancement and External Relations 

and Executive Director of the Foundation at Metropolitan State College of 

Denver, an urban college of 24,000 students in the heart of downtown Denver. 

Prior to joining Metro, Dr. Trapp served as deputy chief of staff for the City of 

Denver and Mayors John Hickenlooper and Bill Vidal, overseeing agencies 

employing more than 2000 team members as well as the city’s state and federal 

legislative portfolios. Trapp also served as director of the Denver Office of Cultural Affairs for the City. In 

this role, she orchestrated the city’s cultural economic development and public art portfolios as well as 

its direct and partnership investments in the cultural landscape of the Denver metropolitan community. 

Dr. Trapp also served in leadership positions at the Western States Arts Federation and Merrill Lynch 

Private Client Services. She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BA 

in History and Public Policy from Swarthmore College. She has served on the Boards of numerous 

nonprofit organizations including Arts for Colorado, the Clyfford Still Museum, the Denver Preschool 

Program and the Swarthmore College Alumni Council. Trapp lives in Denver with husband Patrick 

Krueger and daughter Stella.

Maureen Upton 

Principal 

Resource Initiatives 

Maureen Upton is Founder of Resource Initiatives, a sustainability 

consulting firm. She serves as Sustainability Advisor to the World 

Gold Council, publishing research and providing advice on topics 

including economic development, community relations, 

environmental stewardship and workplace safety & health, and 

presenting her findings at conferences around the world. She has 

completed sustainability services assessments for global engineering 

firms, community engagement advisory for mid-size mining companies, and corporate 

responsibility reporting for consumer companies. 

Before founding Resource Initiatives in 2006, Ms. Upton served as Director of Public 

Affairs & Communications for Newmont Mining Corporation, where she had primary 

responsibility for the Asia-Pacific region. She worked extensively in Indonesia on 

litigation and operational issues, interacting with multiple stakeholders. 

In her prior role at Goldman, Sachs & Co., she held positions in both the Equities and 

the Fixed Income, Currency & Commodities divisions of the firm. Previously serving as 

Vice President of Corporate Marketing & Communications for Chase Manhattan Bank, 

she worked with corporate finance teams in both the mining & metals and the oil & gas 

industries, primarily in Latin America. Working in public relations, she managed accounts 

with the Mexican government related to NAFTA negotiations and with the Brazilian 

government related to its privatization of energy, mining and telecommunications assets. 

Ms. Upton has served on the board of one of the largest mutual fund complexes in the 

United States, Janus Funds, overseeing the management of funds in both international 

equity and U.S. value categories. She was elected to the Council on Foreign Relations 

in 1994 and was a legislative appointee to the Compliance Advisory Panel in the 

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment in 2004. She is a 2010 

graduate of Leadership Denver. 

Ms. Upton holds both an MBA in finance and a Master of International Affairs in 

economic policy from Columbia University in New York, a Diploma de Estudios 

Hispánicos from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, and a Bachelor of Arts in 

philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley. She speaks Spanish and 

Portuguese, and is based in Denver, Colorado.

Professional Biography 

Jamie Van Leeuwen 

PhD, MA, MPH, CAC III 

Jamie Van Leeuwen currently serves as Senior Advisor and Director of Community Partnerships 

for Governor Hickenlooper and Lieutenant Governor Garcia. Prior to this role, he worked as the 

Policy Director and served on the transition team for the Hickenlooper for Colorado gubernatorial 

campaign. He also serves as the founder and Executive Director for the Global Livingston 

Institute, a non-governmental organizational designed to engage students and community leaders 

to develop innovative solutions to poverty and is a Senior Research Fellow with the Buechner 

Institute at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. 

In 2006, Jamie was appointed by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper to head up Denver’s Road Home, the city’s Ten Year Plan to 

End Homelessness. In this role, he oversaw leadership staff, fundraising, public relations and evaluation for Denver’s Ten Year 

Plan to End Homelessness. In the first five years of the initiative, Denver’s Road Home generated over $50 million in new 

resources for the homeless, developed over 2,000 new units of affordable housing, prevented over 3,500 families from becoming 

homeless, reduced chronic homelessness by 70 percent and was recognized by HUD as one of the top six homeless programs 

in the country. In 2007, Jamie was appointed to chair the Drug Strategy Commission and oversee the Office of Drug Strategy. 

The office launched a major community-wide strategic plan in 2008 to close the unmet treatment gap in Denver. In the first two 

years the plan created over $500 thousand in new treatment services and generated $3.5 million in-kind media annually. 

Denver’s Road Home and the Office of Drug Strategy combined in a new division on Jamie’s oversight called the Office of 

Community Impact. 

Prior to his role in the public sector, Jamie directed fundraising, legislative work and research as the Director of Development & 

Public Affairs at Urban Peak, a Colorado non-profit agency serving homeless and at-risk youth. During his tenure at Urban Peak 

he was appointed to serve a two-year term on the National Council for Youth Policy for the National Network of Youth. He is a 

graduate of Leadership Denver (2002), Emerging Leaders (2003), and Leadership Arts (2004) and has served as an adjunct 

faculty member at Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Denver and University of Colorado Denver. Jamie was 

selected in 2005 as a Livingston Fellow by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Board to cultivate his leadership in the non-profit 

community in Colorado and in 2006 was named one of “Forty Under Forty” by the Denver Business Journal. 

Since 2009, he has worked to develop a research and learning institute for students and community leaders in Uganda and 

Rwanda. He is the recipient of the 2009 “Judy Kaufman Civic Entrepreneurship Award” from the Denver Foundation, the 2010 

Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Alumnus of the Year, and named in the 2011 Power Issue of the Out Front 

magazine as a leader in Lesbian & Gay community. 

Jamie completed his PhD in Public Policy at the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver with an 

emphasis on affordable housing and homelessness. He has a Masters degree in International Public Health and a Masters 

degree in Sociology from Tulane University. His career focus is on domestic and international work related to poverty 

alleviation, specifically targeting homeless and vulnerable youth in developed and developing countries. Jamie is involved in the 

community serving on the Buechner Institute Board, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board, Level One Health 

Board, Morgridge Family Foundation 21 st Century Classroom Board, and the 9Kids Who Care Advisory Board. He is also active 

as a national and international researcher and presenter. Publications and presentations include a book chapter in Globalizing 

the Streets, “Integrating Interventions: Outreach and Research Among Street Youth” and an article in American Journal on 

Addictions, “Correlates of Substance Use among Homeless Youth in Eight Cities.” He has previously served on the boards of 

the Capital Hill United Neighborhood Association, Colorado Health Institute, Curious Theatre, Denver Foundation Human 

Services Advisory Board, Family Directions and the Harm Reduction Action Center. Jamie has extensive international 

experience with travel to over 70 countries. 

Government Global Livingston Institute Home 

Governor’s Office, 136 State Capitol 2409 South Madison Street 2409 South Madison Street 

Denver, CO 80203 Denver, CO 80210 Denver, CO 80210 

720.272.4886 720.272.4886 720.272.4886 

jamie.vanleeuwen@state.co.us jamie@globallivingston.org jvanlee6@yahoo.com

Rick D. Wagner 

Partner, Eide Bailly, LLP 

''True client service is being there with the answers or suggestions 

when my clients need me; I find it rewarding that I get to help people 

make their businesses better.''- Rick 

Rick has more than 25 years experience in the health care industry and 

is recognized in the industry for his expertise in health care-related 

reimbursement trials. He conducts financial feasibility studies related 

to hospitals and special projects, and serves as a Medicare and 

Medicaid cost report specialist. Rick provides assistance with 

chargemaster and cost report assessments, hospital mergers and 

turnarounds, and revenue enhancement studies for rural hospitals. 

Earlier in his career, Rick served as controller and interim CFO for two major health systems in 

Oklahoma, gaining first-hand experience in the industry. He frequently shares his knowledge as a 

presenter at several local, regional and national conferences. He also regularly writes articles on 

various health care topics for Firm publications. 

Rick enjoys spending his free time playing a round of golf or riding his motorcycle. 

Professional Memberships 

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants 

Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants 

Colorado Health Care Financial Management Association, Treasurer 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce - Health Care Committee and Board of Governors 

Designations & Licensures 

Certified Public Accountant 

Education 

Bachelor of Science, Accounting – University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Charlie Walling 

General Manager 

Robinson Dairy 

Charlie Walling, a veteran in the dairy industry, began 

his career in Dallas at Schepps Dairy. Following the 

Dean Food’s acquisition of Schepps and Robinson 

Dairy in 1999, Charlie and his family relocated to 

Denver to assume the General Manager position at 

Robinson Dairy. 

Charlie continues to be active in a multitude of 

community and charitable organizations. He presently 

serves as a board member for the Denver Hispanic 

Chamber of Commerce and Metro State College of Denver Foundation. He formally 

served on the boards of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Denver Metro 

Chamber Leadership Foundation (past-chair), St. Joseph Hospital Foundation, Denver 

Athletic Club, and graduate of Leadership Denver '02. 

Charlie, his wife Valerie, and their two sons, Jacob and Ben, currently reside in Ken 

Caryl Valley and are members of the Pinehurst Country Club and the Denver Athletic 

Club. Charlie enjoys playing golf, hiking, and cycling.

Anne Warhover 


As president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation, Anne 

Warhover guides the organization’s strategic direction and 

oversees more than 100 employees in their efforts to make 

Colorado the healthiest state in the nation. In 2011, she led a 

divestiture to sell the Foundation’s 40 percent ownership stake in 

the HCA-HealthONE hospital system for $1.45 billion. As a result 

of that transaction, the Foundation is now one of the largest healthfocused 

foundations in the country, with $2.2 billion in assets. 

Since 2004, Warhover has been instrumental in working with the Foundation’s Board to 

focus the organization’s efforts on three outcomes: encouraging healthy living; 

increasing the number of Coloradans with health insurance; and ensuring they have 

access to affordable, integrated primary care. The Foundation’s methodology includes 

an accountability model that ties “measureable results” to its grantmaking to ensure a 

healthy social return on investment. 

Prior to joining the Colorado Health Foundation, Warhover served as president and 

CEO of the Downtown Denver Partnership, a business membership and civic 

organization. Before moving to the Partnership, Warhover was vice president of 

Commercial Banking at First Interstate Bank of Denver. She received her bachelor of 

science from the University of Colorado. 

Warhover serves on the boards of Visit Denver, the Center for Effective Philanthropy, 

Grantmakers in Health, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Community Wealth Ventures and 

LiveWell Colorado.

PAUL WASHINGTON 


Denver Office of Economic Development 

Paul Washington is the Executive Director of the Denver 

Office of Economic Development. Prior to that, Paul was the 

president of LJS Holdings LLC, a leading finance advisory 

firm that specializes in international mergers, acquisitions 

and investment banking. LJS Holdings represents a select 

group of clients, including companies in Kuwait, India and 

Germany. Paul is also an adjunct professor at the University 

of Colorado in Boulder, where he teaches a graduate course 

in Business Planning. 

Paul began his professional career as an attorney at the law firm of Hogan Lovells, 

specializing in large merger and acquisition transactions. 

Paul holds a Series 7, 24 and 28 securities license and is a member of the California and 

Colorado Bar Associations. He was appointed by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter to the 

State Securities Board in 2009. 

In 1991 Paul earned his B.S. in business (finance) from the University of California at 

Berkeley and in 1996 received his JD from that institution’s Boalt Hall School of Law, 

where he was president of the graduate student body. He is a March 2012 candidate for 

an LLM in Taxation from the University of Denver. 

Paul currently resides in Boulder, Colorado with his wife Nadia.

Travis brings more than 18 years of experience to BKD and our clients. As managing 

partner of BKD’s Colorado Springs and Denver offices, he is responsible for the 

operations and support of more than 100 partners and client service staff / administrative 

personnel. In addition, he serves a client base of commercial, service and distribution 

entities and not-for-profit and governmental organizations. 

C. Travis 

Webb, CPA 



303.861.4545 

Colorado Springs 

719.471.4290 

twebb@bkd.com 

BKD, LLP is one of the largest CPA and advisory firms in the country with 

approximately 2,000 dedicated professionals offering solutions for clients in all 50 states 

and internationally. BKD and its subsidiaries offer clients a variety of services in 

accounting, audit and assurance, tax, risk management, technology, corporate finance, 

forensic and valuation services and wealth management. We combine the insight and 

ideas of multiple disciplines to provide solutions in a wide range of industries, including 

financial services, not-for-profit, government, manufacturing, distribution, health care, 

construction and real estate. 

Travis began his career in Missouri as an auditor before moving to our national office as 

a firmwide audit and accounting technical advisor and then to Indiana as the assistant 

managing partner of our Indianapolis practice before coming to Colorado in 2005. He 

has broad industry experience covering a diverse set of services such as financial 

statement audit, Sarbanes-Oxley internal control services, complex financial modeling 

and fraud and information technology consulting. 

Travis serves internally in roles beyond the Colorado practice, including: 

Designated technical expert – lease accounting 

Instructor – various courses, including firmwide manager orientation 

Technology Advisory Group & Practice Management Evaluation Committee 

Within the broader community, his leadership is felt among a variety of organizations, 

currently including: 

BKD is the top-tier 

U.S. CPA and 

advisory firm that 

delivers its 

experience and 

service with a deep 

understanding of your 

business, your needs 

and what it takes to 

improve your 

business 

performance. 

Association for Corporate Growth – board member 

Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry – board member 

Denver Metro Chamber / EDC – board of governors 

Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation – treasurer and board member 

Downtown Denver Partnership – treasurer and board member 

Young Americans Center for Financial Education and the Young American’s Bank 

– YACFE board chair 

Mile High United Way – Champion’s Club and incoming Tocqueville Society chair 

Denver Center for Performing Arts – Marquee Club sponsor / committee member 

Missouri State University – Colorado alumni coordinator / Presidential Selection 

Committee 

He is a graduate of Missouri State University, Springfield, with an M.B.A. degree and 

B.S. degree in accounting. He currently serves as the campaign / foundation treasurer for 

the construction of a new fraternity house for his undergraduate chapter and as the HOA 

treasurer at his home.

Jennifer Webster 

Senior Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications 


Jennifer Webster is the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and 

Communications for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, a 

role to which she brings a wealth of government relations experience 

that was developed over 25 years in both the public and private 

sectors. In her current capacity, Jennifer is responsible for the 

development and execution of a local, state and federal government relations and political 

strategy that reflects and supports the priorities of the organization’s 3,000 member 

businesses. In addition, she is responsible for the execution of an organization-wide 

internal and external communications plan that benefits the Chamber and its affiliates. 

Prior to joining the Chamber team, Jennifer was the Regional Director of State 

Government Affairs for El Paso Corporation with primary responsibility for public policy 

advocacy on behalf of the company’s natural gas pipeline and oil and gas exploration and 

production operations in the western United States. In this capacity, Ms. Webster served 

as a liaison between El Paso and elected and appointed officials in nine western states 

including state legislators and local elected officials, as well as state regulatory agency 

representatives. During her tenure with El Paso, Ms. Webster served on the Board of 

Directors for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA) and the Colorado 

Petroleum Association (CPA) as well as the Advisory Board for the Western Energy 

Alliance (WEA). 

Preceding her work at El Paso Corporation, Ms. Webster served in state government as 

the Director of Government Relations for the Colorado Department of Transportation 

(CDOT) and the agency’s representative before elected officials at all levels of 

government. During her tenure at CDOT, Ms. Webster worked toward the successful 

passage of many transportation funding related measures, including a measure to refer the 

TRANS bonding authority to Colorado voters in 1999. The approval of that measure led 

to the funding of many critical projects statewide, including the $1.68 billion multi-modal 

TREX project in metropolitan Denver. 

Before working at CDOT, Ms. Webster spent several years in Washington, D.C. working 

for the lobbying firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, LLC with a primary focus 

on transportation issues before Congress. Prior to her work at Akin Gump, she spent two 

years on Capitol Hill as an aide to former Congressman Jim Courter (R-NJ) working on a 

variety of issues including transportation. 

Ms. Webster holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and is a graduate of the University of 

Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. She and her husband Stephen have two children and live in 

Centennial, CO.

Debbie Welle-Powell, MPA 


Sisters of Charity Health System and Exempla Healthcare 

Debbie Welle-Powell, MPA is the Vice President of Payer Contracting 

and Strategy for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth Health System. In 

her current role, she is responsible for $2.5 billion dollars in contract 

negotiations and public affairs for three hospitals, behavioral health 

center and a large multi-specialty group practice. She works on 

developing strategic partnerships and relationships with state and 

congressional legislators, national and local leaders, policy makers, 

chambers and employer groups. In 2006, she led the effort that created 

the Colorado Hospital Report Card requiring providers to report clinical 

quality outcomes. 

Debbie has more than 20 years experience in managing physician practices, payer contract 

negotiations, risk contracting, managing IPA and PPO networks and working with physician to 

create a variety of network models. She teaches courses on health policy and financing at both 

Regis University and Denver University. She is often asked to speak at the national and local 

level on health policy, managed care and provider related topics, and has authored many articles 

for national journals on similar topics 

She earned her undergraduate degree in Sociology from Moorhead State University and her 

Masters in Public Affairs from University of Colorado. She is currently taking classes toward her 

PhD in Public Policy at University of Colorado. 

Debbie is extremely active in community projects and serves on several boards, including Mile 

High United Way, Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation Board, the Metro Denver 

Economic Development Council (EDC), Co-Chair the Board of Governors of the Economic 

Development Council, Colorado Mountain Club, Colorado Healthcare Financing and 

Administration (HFMA), and advisory board member of the Coalition for the Medically 

Uninsured. 

Debbie has received several business and community awards, including the Outstanding 

Businesswoman Award in 2005 from the Denver Business Journal, the Frances Wisebart Jacobs 

Award for Philanthropy in 2005 from Mile High United Way, and in September, 2008 Camp 

Experience honored her with the Inspiring Leadership award. 

Debbie and her husband Bob reside in Centennial, Colorado and have two daughters. She loves 

hiking and climbing, and in the last several years has climbed all of the 14,000 peaks and is 

working on the top 100 peaks in Colorado; she’s also climbed in Washington State, France, 

Mexico, Russia and Bolivia. She formed “Climbing for a Cause” in 2005 as a way to combine 

her passions for the uninsured, mountain climbing and community service.

Ginger White, AICP 

Deputy Director 

Arts & Venues Denver 

Ginger White, AICP, is the Deputy Director at Arts & Venues Denver. For the past 

seven years, she oversaw Create Denver, an economic development initiative that 

strengthens the overall health and vitality of Denver by supporting the development 

of the creative sector. Prior to joining the staff, she acted as a consultant to the office, 

managing the inaugural Doors Open Denver project. White previously served as the program and 

marketing manager for the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, developing programs such as the Mobile Art 

Collection and garnering several international awards for its marketing and education programs. She 

received her bachelor's degree from Xavier University, with a major in Political Science, and a master's 

degree in Urban Policy and Planning with an emphasis in economic development from the University of 

Illinois at Chicago. She currently serves on the boards of Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical 

Artists League (PHAMALY) and the Denver Theatre District. White is a certified urban planner from the 

American Planning Association.

Roxane White 

Chief of Staff to Governor Hickenlooper 


Roxane White is well known for her dedication to community and public 

service, her diverse experiences in the public and private sectors, and her 

passion and expertise in efficient and effective leadership. As Chief of Staff to 

Governor John Hickenlooper, Roxane works directly with all of the cabinet 

members to oversee the daily and financial operations of state government. Her 

management and leadership expertise can be seen through her work with 

balancing budgets, acquiring top-notch personnel, and overseeing acquisitions and mergers. For example, 

she chairs the efforts to repurpose Fort Lyon Correctional Facility and co-chaired the restructuring of all 

fire activities for the State of Colorado. 

Roxane was appointed the Manager of the Denver Department of Human Services by then Denver Mayor 

Hickenlooper in July of 2003 and served as a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet until 2008. In September of 

2009 she was appointed Chief of Staff to Mayor Hickenlooper and served as Chief of Staff through the 

campaign, election, and transition into the Governor’s Office. 

In 2008 to 2009 she served as the executive director of the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation, 

where she was responsible for developing strategic giving in the areas of health care, education and 

human services. 

Roxane created and chaired Denver's Road Home, the city’s 10-year plan to end homelessness. She serves 

on the Biennial of the Americas board, and has served on the Downtown Denver Partnership's Civic 

Venture Board and the Denver Public Schools Foundation. Roxane is an adjunct faculty member at 

Metropolitan State College and was a founding board member of the African School Assistance Program. 

She has published a number of articles related to high-risk youth and homelessness. 

Prior to coming to the City of Denver, Roxane spent sixteen years developing programs to serve the needs 

of people who are homeless in Colorado and San Francisco where Roxane was the Executive Director of 

Larkin Street Services, a program assisting street youth in San Francisco. 

She was President and CEO of Urban Peak, which provides services to youth who are homeless in 

Colorado Springs and Denver and was well known for creating outcome driven programs. 

Roxane White has been recognized for numerous accolades including “Ten to Watch” by the Denver 

Business Journal in 2006, and one half of the “Political Power Couple,” accompanied by Alan Salazar, 

Chief of Policy to Governor Hickenlooper, in 5280 Magazine in 2011. 5280 Magazine also ranked 

Roxane fourth on the 2011 list of the “Most Powerful People in Denver.” 

Roxane was born and raised in Montana. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Lewis and Clark College in 

Portland, Oregon and Master’s degrees in Social Work and Divinity from San Francisco State University 

and San Francisco Theological Seminary respectively.

Bert Williams 

President 

UMB Bank Colorado 

Professional History 

Bert Williams is president for UMB Bank Colorado. Mr. 

Williams joined UMB in 2009. As head of Commercial 

Banking, he is responsible for overall business 

development, and plays a key role in UMB’s community 

involvement efforts. 

During his 19-year career in finance, which includes 16 

years in banking, Mr. Williams has served in a variety of 

roles in Commercial Banking, Treasury Management 

and Commercial Client Services. 

Mr. Williams is an active member in the Denver community. 

Alliance for Choice in Education (2009-present) 

o Board of Advisors Executive Committee - Chair 

o Governing Board - Member 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado (2006-present) 

o Agency Board of Directors - Member 

o Current Board Governance Committee - Member 

o Past Fundraising Committee - Member 

o Past Co-Chair Cultural Relevance Committee - Member 

o Past “Big Mentor” 

Denver Leadership Foundation Board – Member (2011-present) 

Children’s Hospital Foundation (2010-present) 

o 2012 Corporate Leadership Council 

o Past Event Gala Committee - Member 

100 Club of Denver – Member (2010-present) 

University of Colorado Athletics Buff Club 

o Past Board of Directors Member (2002-2005) 

Colorado Treasury Management Association 

o Past Board of Directors Member (2001-2003) 

A Colorado native, Mr. Williams earned a bachelor’s of science degree in journalism at 

the University of Colorado, Boulder. 

Mr. Williams and his wife Jodi are the parents of two daughters, Reagan and Reese. 

Count On More

Robin Wise 

President/CEO 


As the President and CEO of Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc., Robin 

Wise provides leadership and vision for the largest economics education 

organization in the region. Under her direction, the organization inspires student 

success through three vital pillars: entrepreneurship, financial literacy and 

workforce readiness. 

Since Robin took the helm in 1992, the organization has grown more than 

tenfold, from reaching just 8,000 students in the 1990-91 school year to reaching 

105,000 students in the 2011-12 school year. Junior Achievement Rocky 

Mountain, Inc. is currently the 8th largest JA operation in the nation. Robin directs the implementation of 

hands-on, K-12 programs, which bring more than 3,200 business volunteers into classrooms throughout 

Metro Denver, Northern Colorado and Wyoming each year. 

JA has logged several top honors under Robin’s leadership, as well. 

• 2011 MetLife Entrepreneurial Achievement Award 

• 2010 Samaritan Institute Ethics in Business Award Winner 

• Top Company of the Year (nonprofit), ColoradoBiz Magazine, 2008 

• “Peak Performance” Award from Junior Achievement, 2004-2010 

• Nonprofit of the Year, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, 2001 

Robin honed her skills over 25 years in leadership and management positions at major corporations and 

nonprofit organizations. Prior to JA, Robin held executive positions at Northern Natural Gas and the 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. In 2007, the Denver Business Journal named Robin "Outstanding 

Woman in Business " for the nonprofit sector, and she is included in its 2010 annual Power Book of 

Newsmakers. In 2006, Robin won the prestigious "Charles R. Hook" award, which recognizes outstanding 

leadership in the growth and development of a JA area, and in 2003 was named a Woman of Distinction 

by the Girl Scouts Mile-Hi Council. 

Other notable memberships and involvements include: 

• Dean’s Leadership Council for the UNC Monfort College of Business 

• Vice Chair, Colorado Lottery Commission 

• Former gubernatorial appointee Consumer Credit Code Commission 

• Former appointee to Colorado’s Workforce Development Council 

• Former Trustee and Treasurer, Colorado Open Foundation 

• Delegate, Colorado gubernatorial trade missions to Great Britain, South America and the Czech 

Republic 

• Denver Rotary Club 

• Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

Robin received her BS in Journalism and Political Science from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. When 

she’s not working with educators, business leaders and JA’s talented staff to achieve JA’s mission, Robin 

likes to golf and spend time with her husband and two sons.

Tami Young 

President, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, 

AdvenTech, Inc. 

Tami Young is President and Chief Executive Officer of 

AdvenTech, Inc., a Denver based information technology 

consulting firm and software reseller. Since 2001, AdvenTech 

has provided both strategic and staffing support within IT 

organizations, focusing primarily on infrastructure support within 

enterprise environments. In addition, AdvenTech is an SAP® 

partner to market, sell and deploy Business ByDesign, a midmarket, 

cloud ERP solution. AdvenTech has active projects in 9 different states, 

working with Fortune 500 companies and subsidiaries in various sectors focused on 

datacenter workforce solutions. Their clients credit them with strong integrity, working as 

a true partner to overcome unique challenges and constantly striving to add additional 

value. 

As a volunteer, Tami has served as the Communication Chair and Learning Chair for the 

EO Colorado (Entrepreneur's Organization) and has been a member since 2005. She is 

an active member of the Rocky Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council, Co- 

Chairing their 2010 and 2011 Events Committee, and served as a Coach for the Small 

Business Development Center’s Growth Catalyst program. She is also a member of the 

Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Denver class of 2011 and serves on 

the Denver Metro Leadership Foundation Board of Directors. Tami volunteers time 

coaching small businesses owners and keynotes at local events, about overcoming 

extreme adversity and lessons learned in both business and her personal life. 

Tami’s most recent project is aligning and developing a re-entry program for exoffenders 

to provide job training and future employment. By working with the City & 

County of Denver and an established non-profit, they are creating an innovative and 

unique approach to reduce recidivism. 

2957 Wyandot, Denver CO 80211, 303.777.3519, 

www.adven-tech.com

With Gratitude to our In-Kind Print Sponsor: 

1445 Market Street | Denver, Colorado 80202 | Phone: 303-534-8500 

Fax: 303-534-3200 

www.denverleadership.org

Delegate Biographies - Denver Metro Chamber Leadership ...

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