Women We Admire is pleased to announce the Top Women Leaders of Colorado for 2024. Colorado is home to innovative startups, as well as global Fortune 500 companies. It ranks as the number two state in the nation for technology and science, number four in the concentration of STEM workers, and number six in creative class occupations. Women leaders are thriving in Colorado, as well, spearheading companies in manufacturing, food and agriculture, transportation, health and wellness, aerospace, bioscience, and financial services – to name a few.
Across these industries, women hold many high-ranking roles, including awardee Maria Silveira, the Senior Vice President of Nitrogen Operations for Nutrien, one of the world’s largest producers of nitrogen and phosphate. Silveira oversees close to $2 billion in budget and capital over ten nitrogen facilities.
An industry veteran with decades of experience, honoree Connie Savor Price has served the people of Colorado as the Chief Medical Officer for Denver Health for over 21 years. She’s also a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, and earlier in her career, she completed a fellowship with the National Institutes of Health in infection diseases.
Lastly, we honor Christina Allyn, an expert in domestic and international legal issues, with a focus on aviation, data, and technology. Allyn serves as the Chief Counsel of Digital Aviation Solutions for Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of the Top Women Leaders of Colorado for 2024.
2. Ellen Valde
Managing Partner, PwC
Ellen Valde was the Managing Partner for PwC’s Denver office, where she led a team of over 800 professionals in delivering quality, innovative business solutions to multinational Fortune 50 to Fortune 1000 companies, as well as private equity-owned clients. She is recognized for driving strategy, business transformation, and scale across diverse industries, including consumer products, retail, manufacturing, construction, technology, and agribusiness throughout the United States and North America and in Asia, Europe, Australia, South America, and Africa.
Valde has advised C-suite executives, senior management, audit committees, and board members of PwC’s biggest clients as they navigated the financial reporting and control implications of complex and often transformational business issues, including multibillion-dollar mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring activities, corporate governance, accessing capital markets, technology and cyber-security readiness and breaches, fraud investigations, enterprise risk management, as well as the sensitivities of FCPA, PCAOB and SEC rules and regulations, and other compliance-related investigations.
Valde is a pioneer in leadership, mentorship, client service, and community involvement. Her true passion is people development. She was one of the founders of PwC’s women’s networking circles, a program designed to provide access to role models, mentors, and networks across the firm. She was actively involved with recruiting and served on PwC’s partner admission committee. Among her notable achievements is her recognition as the PwC mentor of the year.
Valde received an undergraduate degree in accounting with a minor in computer science from the University of Northern Iowa, where she graduated summa cum laude. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Management Accountant. She has been married to her husband for 34 years, and they have two children.
3. Christina Allyn
Chief Counsel of Digital Aviation Solutions, Boeing
Christina Allyn is the Chief Counsel of Digital Aviation Solutions for Boeing. Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services.
Allyn draws on over two decades of experience guiding the company and its leaders through a wide range of domestic and international legal issues, including complex commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, data privacy and security, general corporate and strategic matters, and more. Prior to joining Boeing, Allyn served as a partner with Moye White. Before that, she was an SVP and general counsel for Quiznos. She has previously served in executive leadership roles with IBM, InfoPrint Solutions, and DigitalGlobe. Allyn graduated from the University of Denver with an undergraduate degree in journalism and accounting, and from the University of Texas at Austin with a JD.
4. Jennifer Meyer
Chief Revenue Officer, DispatchHealth
Jennifer Meyer is the Chief Revenue Officer of DispatchHealth. She is responsible for accelerating growth through transformative partnerships across the healthcare ecosystem. Named one of the country's Top 25 Women Leaders in Consumer HealthTech by the Healthcare Technology Report, Meyer is a transformative executive with a long history of driving industry shifts. She is a recognized thought leader and speaker on elevating healthcare into better, more affordable medical attention for the masses.
Throughout her career, she has built multi-million dollar next-generation pricing and value-based care strategies for many of our country's largest health plans, providers, and health systems. In her previous DispatchHealth role as chief development officer, she brought to fruition the country's first national payer-supported program to deliver same-day, urgent medical care, hospital alternative care, and recovery care in the home. She has expanded DispatchHealth's footprint in the emerging home-based acute and advanced care space at a pivotal time in our country's history, in which the global pandemic spotlighted the critical need to make high-quality care more accessible. Furthermore, Meyer has been at the forefront of DispatchHealth's efforts to ensure the organization consistently identifies social determinants of health gaps for patients, while working with partners to close those gaps.
Previously, Meyer was the national vice president of growth at DaVita Kidney Care. Before that, she was an associate principal at McKinsey & Company. Earlier in her career, she worked with Deloitte Consulting as a strategy consultant. Meyer earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and an undergraduate degree in finance from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
5. Ariel Dalton
SVP of Commercial Leadership, Danone
Ariel Dalton is the Senior Vice President of Commercial Leadership for Danone. She first joined the company in 2009 as a category analyst. Danone, based in Paris and founded in Barcelona, is a multinational food and beverage company building on health-focused and fast-growing categories in three businesses, including essential dairy and plant-based products, waters, and specialized nutrition.
Dalton started at Danone in 2009 as a category analyst and has been regularly promoted throughout the years. Her first director role was leading category strategy in 2013. She joined the C-suit as VP of GTM strategy for plant-based and premium airy in 2017. She reached the ranks of SVP in 2022 when she was promoted to her current role. She started her career in CPG strategic sales at Valassis, where she first ignited her passion for consumer-packaged goods. Over the last 15 years, she's intentionally taken on roles with increasing responsibility and scope, which has led her all over the US and helped shape her into the authentic, game-changing leader she is today. Dalton earned an undergraduate degree in journalism from Azusa Pacific University. She also studied at the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford.
6. Yuko Aoyagi
VP of Product Finance, Equinix
Yuko Aoyagi is the Vice President of Product Finance for Equinix. As the world’s digital infrastructure company, Equinix is a US-headquartered, public enterprise enabling many of the digital experiences that define their everyday lives through their globally distributed infrastructure platform. Aoyagi leads the team driving and refining the product finance workstreams for Platform Equinix® as the company transforms from a data center-driven infrastructure provider to a digital infrastructure services platform.
Aoyagi joined Equinix in 2020 from Boulder’s Zayo Group. She has vast professional experience in digital strategy and SaaS. She is a passionate advocate for DIB initiatives. She is an active voice in the company’s award-winning culture with the Equinix Women’s Leadership Network, Allies Council, and Finance People Development Council.
Born and raised in Japan, Aoyagi holds several degrees across a variety of disciplines, including Japanese cultural history and education, computer science, math, international business, accounting, and finance, as well as an MBA from Regis University.
7. Maria Silveira
SVP of Nitrogen Operations, Nutrien
Maria Silveira is the Senior Vice President of Business Transformation at Nutrien. As the world’s largest provider of crop inputs, services, and solutions, Nutrien plays a critical role in feeding the future by helping growers sustainably increase food production.
Silveira previously held the positions of VP of global planning and IBP, VP of transportation, distribution, and logistics VP of phosphate engineering, technology, and capital, as well as senior director of potash commercial for Nutrien. Silveira joined Agrium in 2013 as director of continuous improvement. In late 2016, she was appointed senior director of potash commercials. Previous to Agrium, Silveira worked in the petrochemical industry holding several roles in manufacturing, research and technology, and product development for over 12 years.
She has a chemical engineering degree and a master’s degree in polymer engineering, and she’s a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
8. Allie Kirby
Owner & Principal Agent, Compass
Allie Kirby is the Owner and Principal Agent of Compass. Compass is a real estate technology company with a powerful end-to-end platform that supports the entire buying and selling workflow. The company delivers an incomparable experience to both agents and their clients all in service of the Compass mission to help everyone find their place in the world.
After one year of teaching fourth grade, Kirby decided to pursue her passion for dance and her lifetime dream of moving to Colorado after growing up vacationing there numerous times. After two seasons dancing for Denver Nuggets Dancers, she decided to get her real estate license and become a realtor in order to educate and advocate for first-time home buyers. She resided in Capitol Hill and danced for three years with Denver Broncos Cheerleaders and in Super Bowl 50, then moved to Arvada with her husband to welcome their two children into the world.
Kirby was named 3rd Year Top Producer at Your Castle Real Estate and Top 10 of 600 brokers in her fourth and fifth year at Your Castle Real Estate. She was recently named one of 5280 Magazine’s Top Producers. She is the co-founder of the Gals Who Give non-profit, a group of women with a fierce desire to inspire and who are committed to making a difference in their local Denver community. Kirby graduated from the University of Kansas with an undergraduate degree in elementary education and teaching.
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9. Connie Savor Price
Chief Medical Officer, Denver Health
Connie Savor Price is the Chief Medical Officer at Denver Health and a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Prior to becoming the CMO, she served as the chief of infectious diseases and the medical director of infection control and prevention at Denver Health for 13 years. Price is board-certified in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and medical microbiology. Her research and clinical interest focus on healthcare epidemiology and methods to prevent and rapidly detect emerging and antimicrobial-resistant infections.
Price has a track record of successful federal funding as a principal investigator from the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. She has published 75 manuscripts and delivered 175 lectures on the prevention of healthcare-associated infectious diseases and related topics. She is active in the Infectious Diseases Society of America, served in an elected position on the board of directors of the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America, and was a past chair of the American Society for Microbiology section on Healthcare Epidemiology.
Price was the physician representative on the inaugural Colorado Healthcare Associated Infections Advisory Committee for public reporting of healthcare-associated infections in Colorado. She has recognized expertise in outbreak management and has served as a consultant to public health authorities around the world on control of emerging infections, specifically MERS and SARS, as well as Ebola preparedness.
11. Lindsey Sousa
SVP, Greater West Transportation Regional Business Line Lead, AECOM
Lindsey R. Sousa is a Senior Vice President with AECOM, a worldwide infrastructure consulting firm. She serves as the Greater West Transportation Regional Business Line Lead overseeing 900 employees across 21 states in the roadway, structures, transit, traffic and construction management disciplines.
Lindsey has been in the infrastructure industry in Denver for over 23 years. Her background includes transit and roadway planning & engineering, land use planning and policy, transportation technology innovation, and public outreach strategy. She is passionate about promoting and mentoring women and is actively engaged in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts within AECOM and the broader industry. Lindsey earned an undergraduate degree from Denison University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado Denver.
15. Audra Brehm
CEO and Founder, Brehm Media
Audra Brehm is the CEO and Founder of Brehm Media, based in Denver, Colorado. Brehm Media is a family-oriented, result-driven social media marketing agency that continuously exceeds customers’ expectations. Their actions are a direct reflection of the core values their clients live by. They bring a long history of success in brand awareness, content creation, email marketing, and paid advertising, providing a tailored program to the individual needs of each client.
Throughout her career, Brehm has advocated for small to mid-sized businesses to have a voice in the noisy digital landscape. After the birth of her second child, the busy mom of two realized it was time to turn her passion and expertise into a digital marketing agency that could focus specifically on helping smaller companies find success. She is a speaker and influential leader in utilizing social media marketing as a sales funnel for brands and creators. Earlier in her career, she worked as an office manager, brand manager, account executive, and even an assistant to an NFL player. Brehm studied marketing at San Francisco State University.
16. Kathryn Jacobs
Managing Director, Accenture
Kathryn Jacobs is a Managing Director at Accenture, the largest publicly traded professional services company in the world. She is highly regarded as one of the company’s global experts in the natural resources sector, and she helps address some of the boldest challenges facing the world today. Jacobs leads the natural resources industry consulting in North America, a diverse set of industries all with a vital role in a sustainable and net-zero future.
She prides herself on orchestrating all parts of Accenture to activate the best ideas and solutions for her clients. Jacobs owns the Global P&L and leads a team of over 350 spread across eight countries for one of Accenture’s key client relationships. She has served as executive sponsor for several key global initiatives with the World Economic Forum, and MIT, and most recently, she sponsored a start-up investment through an Accenture Ventures program. She is passionate about creating a path for others to thrive in their careers, helping to build the next generation of leaders. In 2023 she took on a coaching role for Accenture’s Leadership Development Program, which each year brings together the top 2% of future, global leaders at Accenture.
Jacobs has a thirst for adventure and a deep sense of curiosity by creating new challenges as a way of life. She believes experiencing culture and geography through the immediacy of adventure is both exhilarating and expansive, informing her leadership and ability to integrate disparate client needs and initiatives with meaning and purpose through a global lens. She received a dual undergraduate degree in science and business management from The University of Queensland, Australia, and went on to obtain a Master’s degree in Technology and Innovation Management.
18. Lyn Chassagne
SVP of Customer Experience & Marketing, BlackSky
With an unwavering passion for space and technology, Lyn Chassagne has dedicated the past 18 years of her life to the industry. As the SVP of Customer Experience and Marketing at BlackSky, Lyn drives the way customers and prospects engage with the company. Through timely and relevant messaging strategies and a focus on differentiation, she has elevated the customer experience to new heights. Leading the go-to-market efforts for new products and capabilities, Lyn is successfully positioning BlackSky as a leader in the industry.
Before her time at BlackSky, Lyn served as the Sr. Director of Global Marketing, where she oversaw corporate, global, creative, experiential and product marketing. Her expertise in corporate positioning, market research, and customer listening allowed her to develop innovative marketing campaigns that captivated audiences worldwide. Additionally, Lyn's experience in public relations and brand management for a multi-billion-dollar portfolio further demonstrates her ability to navigate complex industries.
Lyn's journey in the space industry began when she served as the lead spokesperson for national security, science and human exploration rocket launches at United Launch Alliance. Her exceptional storytelling skills, honed during her previous career in broadcast journalism, made her the perfect advocate for these initiatives. Lyn's dedication to storytelling and passion for space led her to explore news and children's programming for more than 5 years prior to finding space.
Lyn is an active member of the Colorado aerospace community. She serves on the Metro Denver EDC Board of Governors and is a proud member of organizations such as the Colorado Space Coalition, Colorado Chamber of Commerce, SSPI-Women in Space Engagement, and Women in Aerospace. Lyn's commitment to advancing the industry and empowering women in space is unwavering. She holds a BA in Communications from Seton Hall University, with a focus in television and film production. Additionally, she earned an MBA in Entertainment, Media, and Technology (EMT) from NYU's Stern School of Business.
19. Kim Spahn
VP of Operations, American Concrete Pipe Association
Kim Spahn is the CEO of Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC), a national organization that supports and promotes the concrete block industry through research, education, and promotions. As a professional engineer with over 15 years of experience in the concrete pipe and masonry sectors, she brings technical expertise, strategic vision, and operational excellence to CMC and its stakeholders.
Kim's mission is to work with the CMC board, staff, and partners to develop and execute effective programs that increase the demand and market share of concrete block in various construction segments, such as residential, commercial, government, and industrial. She leads the CMC's initiatives that create innovative tools, and product development that benefit all block producers, improve building code accuracy, reduce installation time, and address specific block needs. Kim also oversees the CMC's research and data collection, which provide valuable insights and evidence for the performance, quality, and sustainability of concrete block.
20. Reagan Peña
Police Chief of Staff, City of Aurora
Reagan Peña is the Police Chief of Staff for the Aurora Police Department, providing specialized support by implementing the initiatives and directives of the chief of police and overseeing the Public Information Office and the Community Relations Section. She was named Chief of Staff in 2022.
An Arizona native, Peña earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Arizona. In 2003, she joined the League City Police Department in the greater Houston area and served for 14 years, achieving Master Peace Officer certification. Her experience includes public affairs, community engagement, recruiting, public safety hiring, and investigations. While serving as a public information officer in League City, Peña was selected as Region 6 director of the National Information Officers Association and was recognized by the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers for her recruiting and community outreach roles.
In 2017, Peña began an investigations firm specializing in public safety background hiring process and criminal defense investigations. In 2019, a premier national private security firm recruited her to manage a $68 million public transportation contract. She was responsible for over 300 armed security professionals, client satisfaction, risk management, and contract profits and compliance. Under her leadership, she successfully negotiated contract changes and developed a pilot program of unarmed customer service ambassadors. At the height of calls for law enforcement reform, Peña was called back to public service as a public safety media relations manager with the city of Aurora Communications and Marketing Department. She served on the Chief’s Executive leadership team.
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21. Caroline Clevenger
Professor & Director of Construction Engineering and Management, University of Colorado Denver
Caroline Clevenger is a Professor and Director of Construction Engineering and Management in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver). As an innovative ESG specialist with expertise spanning architecture, engineering, and construction management, Clevenger directs teams in professional engineering, academic, board, and entrepreneurial settings. Her background includes extensive work as a professional engineer in sustainable design and construction, and she is a proven thought leader in sustainability and the built environment, with specific expertise in energy efficiency, sustainable decision-making, and leadership in energy and environmental design.
Believing that everyone’s talents and voice are critical, Clevenger’s collaboration and advising style is dedicated to supporting DEI, workforce development, and environmental, social, and governance principles. She has published more than 100 journal articles, proceedings, and reports and serves as a specialty editor for ASCE's Journal of Construction Engineering and Management.
She has a PhD and BS from Stanford University. She also earned a Master of Architecture and MS from the University of Pennsylvania. While studying for her doctorate, she served as a visiting fellow to the General Services Administration (GSA) 3D-4D BIM Program. More recently, she completed a faculty residency with Trimble, with a focus on augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies in construction. She is a Registered Architect and Licensed Engineer in the State of Colorado.
23. Giovanna Carriero-Contreras
Founder and CEO, Cesco Linguistic Services
Giovanna Carriero-Contreras is the Founder and CEO of Cesco Linguistic Services. She conceptualized and launched the company as a foreign language agency and a conduit between Colorado's Limited English Proficiency residents and the service providers who tend to the needs of this growing population. Cresco provides linguistic services to many of the well-known and respected Colorado businesses in the legal, medical, insurance, workers compensation, and community-based industries. They lead and manage a pool of over 200 language professionals covering a wide range of languages from the most common to the most exotic.
Previously, Carriero-Contreras was a senior project manager at Lionbridge Technologies and before that a linguistic tester at SDL International. Earlier in her career she worked with J.D. Edwards (now Oracle) as a translator. Carriero-Contreras earned an undergraduate degree in English and French literature and languages from Istituto Universitario Orientale di Napoli.
24. Sarah Beckman
Vice President of Power Market, Ulteig
In her 11 years at Ulteig, Sarah Beckman has used her collaborative leadership style to help achieve her vision of a sustainable future, while inspiring all she leads, including other women in STEM fields. She has a strong background in utility and renewable sectors, focusing much of her recent career on power delivery in the transmission, distribution, and substation engineering fields. Eighteen years ago, she began her career as a civil/structural engineer and has continued to grow her expertise and leadership ability, breaking through in the engineering, power, consulting, and electric utility industries, all of which are traditionally male-dominated fields.
Beckman was promoted to Vice President of Ulteig’s Power Market. Uniquely equipped to take on the role, her leadership and expertise are key to Ulteig’s plans for growth across all sectors. In addition to her duties, which include ensuring efficient project execution, expanding and diversifying Ulteig’s client base, and creating customized client solutions, she continues to support Ulteig’s largest client, whose orders quadrupled under her leadership.
Beckman is the type of leader who inspires others to do their best, considers her team’s success as fundamental to her own, and drives results with optimism and enthusiasm. She loves to make connections, bringing people together whose paths may not otherwise cross, all with the end goal of a sustainable future. She is a senior member, the vice chair of the Denver Section, and the founding chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Women in Engineering Denver chapter affinity group. She also gives back to her industry and community by mentoring fellow female engineers.
25. Whitney Heaps
Chief of Staff, Unreasonable
Whitney Heaps is the Chief of Staff at Unreasonable Group. Unreasonable is building the world's most trusted community of growth-stage entrepreneurs, institutions, and investors profitably solving the most pressing global challenges. In her role, Heaps advises and supports the Unreasonable executive leadership team across all things people and operations while overseeing the human resources function of the company.
Heaps has over 10 years of experience across a variety of social and environmental sectors, including education, healthcare, conservation, and entrepreneurship. She has nearly eight years of experience in providing social and environmental entrepreneurship ecosystem support serving as an operational leader at Unreasonable.
She holds an undergraduate degree from Lake Forest College and double Master’s degrees in Business Administration and Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
26. Laurie Lyons
Vice President of Business Development, Pegasus
Laurie Lyons is an executive industry expert who brings nearly 30 years of multifamily experience spanning over 28 years to Pegasus. Graduating from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree, she began her multifamily career in acquisitions and asset management for BH Equities. She went on to be the co-founder and CEO of BH management. As CEO, she scaled the organization from a few thousand apartment homes to over 45,000. She also was the first female CEO to ever be featured on the NMHC’s Top 50 Managers ranking.
Prior to joining Pegasus, Lyons served as the SVP of business development for The Bainbridge Companies, director of asset management for MIG Real Estate, and EVP for US Residential Group, and she was a partner at the Cardinal Group. She is an active industry speaker, serves in multiple advisory and committee positions with the National Apartment Association (NAA), is a PAC contributing member for NMHC, and contributes to a multitude of industry publications.
27. Ali Flynn Phillips
Executive Vice President, Obermeyer Wood Investment Counsel LLLP
Ali Flynn Phillips manages client relationships, working closely with individuals and multigenerational families, and advises on asset allocation and investment strategy. She is a member of Obermeyer Wood’s Executive Committee, overseeing our operations and spearheading the firm’s strategic initiatives.
Ali has worked in the financial industry for 30 years, joining Obermeyer in 2005. As a vice president at Goldman Sachs, she worked in debt capital markets and corporate derivatives and on the Fixed Income division's internal strategy team. Earlier, at Salomon Brothers in the US and London, Ali advised corporate clients on strategic alliances, risk-management policies, and capital-raising transactions. Ali earned her BA, cum laude, from Middlebury College with honors in economics. She is a board member and treasurer for the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies Endowment Fund, Theatre Aspen, and the Aspen Public Education Fund, and served on the advisory boards for Schwab Advisor Services and the Vanguard Leadership Group of the Aspen Institute. Ali is included on Barron’s “Top 1200 Financial Advisors," Forbes’ “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” (2018-2023), and “Top Women Wealth Advisors” (2017-2023) lists. Working Mother/Shook Research also named her one of America’s “Top Wealth Advisor Moms” (2017-2021). Read more about Ali in the Forbes and Barron’s directories.
28. Marilee Clark
VP of Sales Learning & Development, The Vomela Companies
An inspirational, persuasive, and creative problem solver with over 30 years of experience in sales, Marilee Clark is part executive, part coach, and part client whisperer. Throughout her career, she has established herself as a results-driven, dynamic business and sales leader, with a history of growing strong, sustainable revenues and driving profits. Clark is also coaching the next generation of sales leaders to further explosive business growth using her strengths in teaching, intuition, and collaboration. With her positive, motivating mentality, she ignites the passion in everyone around her, catapulting businesses, teams, and individuals forward.
Clark’s expansive career began in sales, but quickly grew into more. Over the years, she thrived in an ever-evolving sales role at C2 Imaging (Vomela affiliate), a full-service, specialty print graphics company and commercial printer that brings brands to life. From sales lead to general manager at C2 Imaging, Clark eventually managed a $6 million manufacturing facility of digital large and small format printing company with fifty-five employees. Clark’s passion for learning everything she could about industry trends and business solutions led to her innovating the sales process for the $300M organization across their 21 US locations.
Part of her ongoing success is her ability to inspire, motivate, and coach those around her. In 2018, Clark moved from C2 Imaging into a broader scale and learning development leadership role with Vomela. In this role, Clark utilizes her Predictive Index training and oversees the onboarding, development, and continued education of the national sales team. She also hosts a weekly meeting of the minds called The Breakfast Club, a national sales meeting, where over 70 reps from across the nation join to share ideas and materials.
29. Iswari Natarajan
President, St. Mary’s Academy
Iswari Natarajan is a true visionary leader in the field of education. Her remarkable career path has taken her from engineer to teacher, principal, and now President of St. Mary’s Academy. She has an impressive record of accomplishments, making her a great source of inspiration for SMA's students, faculty, and staff. She believes that creating a vibrant, supportive school community is essential for students to thrive.
Natarajan has been an integral part of the SMA community since 2012 when she joined as a teacher and chair of the mathematics department at the high school. Throughout her time, she demonstrated her passion for education and her commitment to helping students reach their potential. In 2018, she was promoted to high school principal. Further, she was promoted to assistant head of school in early 2022, and VP of academic affairs later that same year.
Before entering the educational arena, Natarajan had a career in electrical and computer engineering and research. She holds an undergraduate degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India and an MS in engineering from the University of Maryland. She also holds a diploma in educational leadership and administration from Montessori Casa International. She is the recipient of a 2015 Outstanding Educator/Mentor Award from Stanford University, a 2017 Outstanding Colorado Educator Award from CU Boulder, and a 2022 Outstanding Educator and Teacher of Influence Award from Carleton College. In 2018, IBM recognized Natarajan as a Global Women Leader and invited her to present a keynote about leadership. She has been featured in numerous articles for her work in STEM education and has been a presenter at the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools Global Forum and Advanced Placement conferences.
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30. Katie Kramer
President & CEO, Boettcher Foundation
As President and CEO, Katie Kramer has come full circle with the Boettcher Foundation. She was selected as a Boettcher Scholar in 1993 and has been at the Foundation in various roles since 1997, including as the director of the scholarship program and vice president. She has been recognized as one of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s “Top 25 Most Powerful Women.”
Kramer attended the University of Colorado Boulder, where she was a President's Leadership Class Scholar and honors graduate at the Leeds School of Business. In 2009, she completed her Executive MBA at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business. Kramer has served extensively in the community on both local and national boards and is widely regarded as a national expert in scholarship selection processes. Recently, Kramer and a colleague wrote and published All the Wisdom and None of the Junk: Secrets of Applying for College Admission and Scholarships in an effort to demystify the scholarship selection process and help the next generation of talented citizens apply for college and scholarships.
31. Tegan Gaan
Founder, CEO & Chief Product Officer, EcoVerse
Tegan Gaan is a Founder, CEO, and Chief Product Officer of EcoVerse, a NextGen martech platform with revenue-generating tools that authenticate brand sponsorship ROI and community participation. A creative storyteller and non-conventional thinker, Gaan has spent the past 20 years working for tech giants or founding innovative tech startups, holding an array of positions from founder, CEO, head of product, head of sales, technical PM, designer, UX/UI, fundraiser, and experiential marketer.
Gaan began her career learning and growing with brands and ad tech platforms in America and abroad, including Microsoft, TradeDoubler, Amplify LA, SayMedia, and Engage Media. She has taught entrepreneurial courses at NYU and spoken at a number of conferences worldwide, including for Harvard University's founder community. She has been published in The Wall Street Journal and CRE Tech with press in TechCrunch, The New York Times, FADER, Forbes, LA Weekly, Business Insider, CBS, NYLON Magazine, Jesse Draper’s The Valley Girl Show, Built In LA, and SOMA Magazine. As a double major at Oglethorpe University, Gaan has a BS in marketing and a BS in economics, with a minor in French.
32. Katina Lundberg
Chief People Officer, Choozle
Katina Lundberg has over 20 years of human resources experience with 15 years in leadership roles. She has a history of proven results in building high-performing teams, talent acquisition, workforce planning, redesigning total rewards programs, DEI initiatives, employee relations, and advancing of values and engagement programs.
Lundberg is the Chief People Officer at Choozle and leads all aspects of the company's human resources, finance, and operation teams. Choozle provides a digital advertising software platform that leverages detailed consumer data to power programmatic advertising campaigns across multiple channels. In her role, Lundberg drives the people's strategy to alignment with the strategic business objectives, all while promoting a people-first culture and empowering employees to achieve their full potential. Under her leadership, Choozle has earned recognition as a best place to work through Built In Colorado, Outside’s Best Places, Ad Age Best Places, Denver Post, and Inc 5000.
Lundberg serves as a board member for Khesed Wellness, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable outpatient mental health therapy to the underinsured. She earned an undergraduate degree in business administration from Western Colorado University. She is PHR, CSPS, and Human Resource Ethics certified.
33. Leah Fitz
VP of Finance, AirDNA
Leah Fitz is the Vice President of Finance at AirDNA, a leading provider and pioneer of global short-term rental data solutions headquartered in Denver. Fitz joined AirDNA in 2022 shortly after the company entered into its strategic partnership with Alpine Investors, a people-driven private equity firm specializing in software and services investments.
At AirDNA, Fitz leads the finance and accounting functions to enable them to effectively scale in proportion to the growth of the business. She works closely with the CEO and other members of the executive leadership team to develop and execute on AirDNA's financial strategy and ultimately ensure sustainable enterprise value creation.
Fitz has broad professional experience in SaaS and finance, having previously held roles in corporate finance, financial reporting, technical accounting, and investor relations. She also has extensive experience with IPOs and most recently helped take her previous company, Ping Identity, public in 2019. Fitz started her career in the Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory Services group at PwC, earned a Master of Accountancy from the University of Denver, and is a licensed CPA in the state of Colorado.
34. Nicole Marsh
Partner, Imprint Events Group
Nicole Marsh is a Partner of Imprint Events Group, a full-service strategic event company that creates one-of-a-kind experiences for clients nationwide. The company offers a boutique-style approach with comprehensive design and execution strategies, providing solutions for everything from high-level corporate meetings with in-house content-driven products, to custom tours, activities, and special events.
Having spent the last 29 years in the hospitality industry, and 24 of those as an entrepreneur and business owner, Marsh thrives as a dynamic leader and solutions provider. Known as the “keeper of calm,” Marsh revels in solving the most ambitious client requests and providing thoughtful solutions to every challenge. She is always seeking out new opportunities and innovative products and services to provide to clients across Imprint’s destinations. Marsh has trouble saying “no,” which has led to authoring books on destination management, writing the industry’s accreditation criteria, and serving as chair on multiple local, national, and international industry boards. She’s received numerous honors for her leadership, volunteerism, and creative work within the industry.
Marsh received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Colorado State University. She currently serves as the President of the Colorado Event Alliance and the Foundation Board Chair for VISIT DENVER, The Convention & Visitors Bureau.
35. Pam Bard
CEO & Founder, Harmony 783
Pam Bard is the Founder and CEO of Harmony 783, a grounded footwear company launched in 2020 to provide active people the health benefits of being connected to the Earth while wearing shoes in their daily routines. She is also the President of Bard & Co., a diversified investment management company with assets in both real estate and operating entities, including a residential and commercial interior design firm. Her career focus has been in real estate development and management, both commercial and residential. She is a co-investor with her husband in Bard Capital, a private equity firm.
Bard has a passionate interest in whole-person health and focuses her time and energy on investments, projects, and organizations that promote integrative health and wellness. Through the Bard Family Foundation, she sponsors health retreats at her mountain estate in Evergreen, Colorado, as well as integrative health seminars for medical students and professionals. She is an active philanthropist and has served on numerous nonprofit boards. In 1997, through the Bard Family Foundation, the Bards endowed the Center for Entrepreneurship Development at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Bard graduated with an undergraduate degree in accounting from the University of Denver in 1979 and received her CPA designation the same year. She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by the University of Colorado in 2001.
36. Melanie Ryan Meador
Chief Executive Officer & President, Redeam
Melanie Ryan Meador is a travel industry veteran and business transformation specialist, having spent over 25 years in hospitality and online travel prior to joining Redeam in June 2018. Meador’s travel industry roots began when she worked for Sunburst Hospitality as director of revenue management and transient sales, where she pioneered the corporate adoption of online technology “firsts,” which led the company to experience exponential revenue growth in just three years. She then served as VP of strategic accounts and business development at Orbitz Worldwide, where she led a high-performing global strategic sales and account team.
Melanie was a member of the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association for 12 years and was an eight-year board member before being elected the national president for two consecutive two-year terms. Meador also previously served as chief strategy officer at FORTRUST, a Tier III colocation data center, and chief revenue officer of BankRate, where she led a business transformation that resulted in the company’s acquisition. Meador takes great pride in serving as a strategic advisor to several companies. Meador is also the co-founder of the Meadors Masters Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on providing humanitarian support to those in need in Colorado. Meador has an undergraduate degree in marketing and organizational leadership from Colorado State University.
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37. Lucinda Hanover
Founding Partner & CEO, Lumeri
Lucinda Hanover is a Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Lumeri, a business consulting firm, helping Fortune 500 companies deliver when the stakes are high and the challenges complex. As CEO, Hanover oversees the direction, strategy, and operations of the firm, promoting a culture that ignites the best in each person, while solidifying the coherence of the team to better serve Lumeri’s clients.
For 30 years, from North America, South America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, Oceania, to the Middle East, Hanover has helped leaders fulfill their most pressing strategic initiatives and break new ground for themselves, their organizations, and industries. Lumeri has pioneered Execution Certainty™, an approach to building an integrated pathway for shared focus and success by highlighting what is most critical to achieve together, providing executives with heightened clarity and confidence.
Hanover is passionate about the empowerment of female leaders and amplifying their contribution to business. She is a trusted adviser to key executives in the diversity arena and has designed and led specialized programs to crack the code on the advancement of women. Hanover is an avid philanthropist. She is a volunteer and an investor, with a number of local, national, and worldwide organizations and serves on various nonprofit boards.
38. McKenzie Perez
VP of People Operations, Maxwell
As the Vice President of People Operations for Maxwell Financial Labs, McKenzie Perez combines her passion for fine-tuning the engine that runs the most successful businesses – its workforce – with experience and expertise in all aspects of human resources management to raise the “people potential." Perez continually employs creative global HR, strategies, processes, and programs devised to take organizational performance to that proverbial next level.
With over 20 years of experience in human resources and organizational development, Perez has worked with industries ranging from fintech, law, property management, education, SaaS technology, bath and beauty, and franchising supporting large multinational corporate cultures to start-up and entrepreneurial teams. With a passion for education and a desire to build up the next generation of leaders, Perez has taught at various universities in an effort to increase business knowledge and passion among higher education students.
Perez successfully completed her Educational Doctorate in Organizational Leadership and Business through Argosy University in 2015. Originally from California, she earned her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration management from Argosy University and California State University, respectively.
39. Lauren Kolodrubetz
Executive Director of Marketplace Diversity Solutions, TEKsystems
Lauren Kolodrubetz has spent the past 10 years with TEKsystems, a global technology services company, in a variety of recruiting, sales, and leadership roles, while always focusing on servicing customers and helping them transform.
As Executive Director of Marketplace Diversity Solutions, Kolodrubetz leads TEKsystems’ strategy to help customers build more diverse and inclusive technology workforces, Marketplace Diversity Solutions. Whether organizations are looking to hire more diverse candidates, renovate their culture to build a greater sense of belonging, or diversify their supplier roster, her team focuses on innovative approaches to fast-track diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
Kolodrubetz is passionate about building a better tomorrow by creating opportunities in technology careers. After growing up on the East Coast in Maryland and North Carolina, Kolodrubetz has spent the past five years living in Colorado with her husband, daughter, and dogs, where she takes advantage of the year-round music and outdoor activities.
40. Kimberly Stern
Assistant Vice President of Social & Digital Media, Colorado State University
With nearly 20 years of experience in strategic digital communications, Kimberly Stern serves as the Assistant Vice President of Colorado State University’s award-winning Social and Digital Media team. Her exceptional team deploys data-informed decisions to elevate the brand and reputation of CSU through the university’s owned social media channels. She leads her team of resident experts across a range of multimedia disciplines including social media strategy, photo/video concept development, social listening, SEO, analytics reporting and more.
Stern helped create a distinct voice for the institution that fans have come to trust and engage. She savors the challenge of blending the art and science of creating innovative and impactful digital content. Under her leadership, CSU’s social media presence has blossomed into an internationally recognized powerhouse. The CSU Social and Digital Media team won a Webby Award (aka "Oscars of the Internet") and is a multi-time Shorty Awards honoree (honoring the best in social media) and has been honored with several Telly Awards for fantastic video production. In 2023, Colorado State was named to Volt Magazine’s 10 Best Higher Ed Social Media Accounts.
Stern is a long-time member of PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Colorado and co-organizer of the chapter’s annual Shadow Week experience pairing professional members with local university students interested in PR, marketing, and communications. She was recognized as an outstanding young leader and named to BizWest 40 Under Forty and PRSA Colorado’s Mentor of the Year. She is a CSU Ram through and through earning her undergraduate journalism degree and MBA from Colorado State.
41. Crystal Stranger
Chief Executive Officer, Optic Tax
Crystal Stranger is the Chief Executive Officer at Optic Tax, a startup and business tax advisory firm. As CEO, Stranger brings strategic leadership and extensive expertise in taxation to drive business growth and client success. With a proven track record in navigating complex tax landscapes, she leads a dynamic team, dedicated to providing innovative solutions tailored to the client's needs. Her commitment to excellence, coupled with a forward-thinking approach, ensures Optic Tax remains at the forefront of the industry.
Stranger was previously a partner and COO at Cleer.tax. In this role, she led the company to build out system automations and improvements to productize the main tax business line. Stranger has also been a remote senior supervisor at Taxes for Expats and a tax and business consultant at 1st Tax. Earlier in her career, she worked with Shelley Weiser Bookkeeping as a tax preparer.
A frequent speaker for tax professionals, Stranger is a resource for publications ranging from The New York Times to Money Magazine. She has a JD from the American International School of Law and also studied at the City College of San Francisco and the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
42. Alessandra Millican
Managing Director of Client Success, LandGate
Alessandra Millican is a distinguished professional serving as the Managing Director of Client Success at LandGate, where she demonstrates exceptional leadership and expertise in the dynamic renewable energy industry. Holding a degree in geology and business from the prestigious University of Texas, Millican boasts a remarkable career spanning over 15 years.
In her previous position as the renewable energy lead at Esri, Millican played a pivotal role in shaping the global renewable energy landscape. Her strategic acumen and visionary approach were instrumental in developing Esri's renewable energy strategy, contributing to the industry's growth and foundation upon how renewable energy developers operate to this day, as well as fostering an unparalleled community focused on renewable energy location intelligence.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Millican is dedicated to empowering women in the energy space and is a proud member of WRISE (Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy), Women in Energy, Women We Admire, SEPA (Smart Electric Power Alliance), and COSSA (Colorado Storage & Solar Association). Her commitment to making a positive impact extends to volunteering in the domestic violence sector, showcasing her passion for creating meaningful change both inside and outside the industry.
43. Jessica Wilber
President, TAKT Manufacturing Solutions
Jessica Wilber is a President at TAKT Manufacturing Solutions, a US-based, woman-owned business that enables enduring success for manufacturers and their customers. In her role, Wilber is responsible for building a team of committed companies that meet the needs of specialized industries.
Wilber is a business development and operations professional with over 15 years of manufacturing experience, leading teams to exceed revenue and profit goals. She has a proven track record of driving multimillion-dollar growth and national expansion. Her specialized skills are using B2B sales processes when selling to diverse-industry clients nationally. Her strong command of national business protocols and experience conducting business with local executives across the United States. She is an expert relationship builder, channel developer, negotiator, and sales strategist. Her fields of expertise are Lean Six Sigma, manufacturing, power transmission, industrial automation, conveyors, material handling, pneumatics, hydraulics, industrial distribution, machining, assembly, and fabrication.
Wilber graduated with an MBA in entrepreneurship from Ashford University and with an undergraduate degree in design and merchandising at the International Academy of Design and Technology. Born and raised on Florida’s Space Coast, she now resides in the Denver area with her husband and two children.
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44. Emily Wilcox
President, Epic Broadband Solutions
Emily Wilcox is a dynamic and visionary leader, serving as the President and CEO of Epic Broadband Solutions through an unwavering commitment to excellence and a deep understanding of the telecommunications industry. With over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications sector, Wilcox has honed her expertise in delivering innovative solutions and driving business growth. Her leadership and ability to anticipate market trends have positioned Epic Broadband Solutions as a leading provider of cutting-edge broadband services.
As President and CEO, Wilcox spearheads the company's strategic direction, focusing on fostering innovation, expanding market reach, and delivering exceptional customer experiences. She leverages her keen business acumen and in-depth industry knowledge to identify new growth opportunities and forge strategic partnerships, driving the company's success.
Wilcox's leadership style is characterized by her ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve their full potential. Fostering a collaborative and inclusive work culture and empowering employees to contribute their unique skills and perspectives. Under her guidance, Epic Broadband Solutions has assembled a talented workforce that is committed to delivering excellence in every aspect of the business. She previously served the company as executive vice president and COO.
45. Danielle Lammon
Agency Owner, Danielle Shannon Agency
Danielle Lammon is the Owner of the Danielle Shannon Agency, affiliated with Allstate Insurance. Starting from scratch in 2015, she has grown her business to more than $3 million, serving Colorado customers out of her two office locations. Allstate provides a wide range of insurance products and financial services to individuals, families, and businesses.
Lammon is consistently ranked in the top 5% of agents across the country. Her mission is “to create a relationship-based agency that personalizes coverage and protects you from financial burden through education and tailored service.” Her focus is on three key areas where she can make a difference, helping customers, building a solid small business, and investing in her local community. With her experience owning several successful businesses, she brings her clients a wide array of knowledge.
Lammon is an appointed Board Member and Vice Chair for the City of Aurora Citizens Advisory Budget Committee. She also serves as President of the Rotary Club of Aurora, where she is the program director of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Aurora. Serving on the board of directors for the Imagination Library Colorado Statewide program, Lammon works to expand equal access to books in the home, promoting early childhood literacy and kindergarten readiness. In the last five years, Lammon created and built the only Sensory Garden in Aurora with her leadership team and staff. As part of her work with her Rotary club, they built the first Inclusive Playground in the City of Aurora that serves children with disabilities and adults and veterans. She earned a BA in biology with minors in psychology and project management.
48. Holli Riebel
Executive Director, Headwaters Center and River Journey
Holli Riebel is the Executive Director of Headwaters Center and River Journey. She first joined the company in 2020. Headwaters Center and River Journey is a nonprofit organization dedicated to water conservation, education, and community outreach.
Riebel is an experienced nonprofit leader with a demonstrated history of working in a variety of C-suite roles within chambers, economic development organizations, and industry associations. She is a strong operations professional, skilled in leading nonprofit organizations, business development, change management, economic development, event management, team building, people and budget management, and finance.
In her long and distinguished business and nonprofit career, Riebel served as the chief operating officer for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, where she managed the organization’s $14 million budget and oversaw major departments, including membership, events, finance, human resources, and the Denver Metro Small Business Development Center. She also managed the Chamber’s facility and tenants. Riebel joined the Denver Metro Chamber in 2012 after serving as the CEO of the Colorado BioScience Association and previously as the VP of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. She has an undergraduate degree in business and marketing from the University of Colorado School of Business.
49. Orly Ripmaster
President, Front Range, Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate
Orly Ripmaster is President of Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate (SSF), Colorado's top independent brokerage, leading the state’s Front Range Market. She joined forces with SSF upon the successful acquisition of Colorado Landmark Realtors, where she was president and co-owner. Ripmaster leads the Front Range with offices in Boulder, Niwot, Louisville, Cherry Creek, and Denver and is supported by over 30 mountain locations, representing clients and communities from Boulder to Aspen. Overseeing billions of dollars in real estate transactions, an industry-leading sales team, record-setting market sales, and a best-in-class support team, SSF is the pinnacle of Colorado real estate and community involvement.
Prior to joining CLR/SSF, Ripmaster served as a top executive at KSL Capital Partners, a $20-billion global private equity investment manager, specializing in travel and leisure. For more than a decade, she was a cross-functional leader in strategic operations, culminating as the Chief of staff to the CEO and head of investor relations. During her tenure at KSL, as project manager for the integration of Alterra, Ripmaster held the distinct honor of naming the globally recognizable “Ikon Pass.” Earlier in her career, she served as a founding member of the consulting practice of Smith Travel Research, a division of CoStar, and held management roles within Hyatt’s lifestyle brand and Boulder’s St. Julien Hotel.
Ripmaster holds an AB with honors and is a five-time letter winner from Harvard University. She earned her MA in communication from the University of Colorado, where she led the CU soccer team to a Big XII Championship. She earned her MBA from ESSEC, Paris’ preeminent hotel and luxury real estate program, and was top of her class.
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