Board of Directors

Rebecca Arno, Vice President of Communications, The Denver Foundation – Board Secretary 

Rebecca Arno serves as vice president of communications for The Denver Foundation, where she oversees public outreach, marketing and positioning in support of the foundation’s goals. She has worked in the foundation sector since 1993, and in the nonprofit sector since 1988. Most recently, she was vice president of communications for the Daniels Fund. Before that, Rebecca served as communications officer for The Denver Foundation and communications manager for the Peninsula Community Foundation in the San Francisco Bay area. She has worked for nonprofits with such diverse focus areas as land conservation and addiction issues. Among her volunteer activities, she serves as vice chair of the steering committee for CommA (the national Communications Association for community foundations), and is chair of the Trustee Committee and the Diversity Committee for the board of the Logan School for Creative Learning. She is co-editor of Inclusiveness at Work: How to Build Inclusive Nonprofit Organizations, and speaks locally and nationally on the topics of community foundations, philanthropy, marketing, fundraising, inclusiveness and leadership. Rebecca received a degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University, and earned her master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University as a member of the Colorado Trust Fellows program.

 

Bruce N. Atchison, Chief of Staff, Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien
Bruce Atchison has worked on behalf of children and families for 30 years. As chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien, he is responsible for operations and policy recommendations specific to early childhood education, K–12 reform initiatives, children’s health and wellness initiatives, aerospace, American Indian affairs, the Governor’s Commission on Community Service, the arts, and other special projects. As a member of the Governor’s senior staff, he also participates on the Governor’s Cabinet. Prior to working in the current administration Bruce was executive vice president of the Colorado Children’s Campaign and the campaign’s lobbyist. Before that he served in Governor Romer’s administration as director of Head Start-State Collaboration. He has been director of Boulder’s Children’s Services Division, executive director of Family Resource Schools for Denver Public Schools, and executive director of a United Way-funded child care center and infant nursery. He has served on the faculty of the University of Denver’s Department Speech Pathology and Audiology and on the faculty of the University of Colorado–Boulder’s Department of Communication Disorders and Speech Science. Bruce has over 10 years of classroom teaching experience and holds degrees in fine arts, education (with a certification) and early childhood special education. He also serves on numerous local and state boards.

 

Juan Botello, Director of Finance and Operations, Graland Country Day School – Board Chair

Juan Botello joined Graland Country Day School as director of finance and operations in 2009. Prio to his current position, Juan served Mile HIgh United Way as chief financial officer since 2000. He previously worked in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors as director of finance at Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado and MIS, Inc. (a software development company). He has served as an advisory board member for the University of Northern Colorado Nonprofit Management Program, guest instructor for the Regis University Masters of Nonprofit Management Program and a Financial Issues Committee member for United Way of America. He has been a member of the Colorado Nonprofit Association Finance Committee since 2004.

 

Dr. Tom Downey, President, Timothy & Bernadette Marquez Foundation– Past Board Chair
Tom Downey became president of the Timothy & Bernadette Marquez Foundation in late 2009. Prior to his current position, Tom served as president and executive director of The Children's Museum of Denver since 2005. Previously, Tom was a lawyer specializing in administrative, legislative and constitutional litigation. He worked at a variety of firms in Colorado and Maryland and as an assistant attorney general in the Office of Attorney General Ken Salazar. In 2002, he received the Pro Bono Attorney Award from Ballard Spahr, and he was honored by the Denver Business Journal as one of its "Forty Under 40." Tom is a member of the Board of the Colorado Children's Campaign, having served as Chair and Vice Chair; and served on the Board of Hexagon, a theater group in Washington, D.C. He is on Denver Mayor Hickenlooper's Leadership Team for Early Childhood Education.

 

Cynthia Evans, Monfort Executive Professor, Monfort College of Business, UNC

Cynthia Evans is a Monfort Executive Professor in the Baldrige-Award-winning Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado. Responsible for the executive professor program and the nonprofit administration minor, she also teaches business communications, history of business thought, and nonprofit management. She joined UNC in 2005. Cynthia was Xcel Energy’s state vice president for Colorado, Wyoming and Arizona between 2000 and 2004. From 1996 to 2000, she was managing director of corporate communications for Public Service Company of Colorado and New Century Energies, both predecessor companies of Xcel Energy. She was responsible for establishing the New Century Energies Foundation (now Xcel Energy Foundation). Before that she was editor and publisher of Colorado Business magazine, and worked for US West for 19 years in various public relations positions, her last six years as PR director for Colorado. She holds a bachelor’s degree from UNC and an MBA from DU, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Program for Management Development. Cynthia is vice chair of the board and chairs the audit, investment and finance committee for Delta Dental of Colorado; she has served on several boards, including the Denver Metro Chamber, Southeast Business Partnership, Junior Achievement, and Mountain States Better Business Bureau. She is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors.
 

Susan France, Vice President of Programs, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation

Susan France, Vice President of Programs for the Denver-based Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, previously served as CEO of Warren Village, Associate Director of the Colorado Nonprofit Association (then CANPO), Development Director for SafeHouse Denver, Manager of Corporate Giving for Raytheon Company, Research Associate at the Heller School for Social Welfare at Brandeis University, and Associate Director of the Massachusetts Department of Manpower Development. Susan's board service has included the board of the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, Seeking Common Ground, the Homestead Homeowners' Association, Center for the People of Capitol Hill, and the Colorado Nonprofit Association.

 

Sonya Garcia Ulibarri, Executive Director, YouthBiz

Sonya Garcia-Ulibarri is executive director for YouthBiz, a Denver-based youth development agency. With a passion for community-based work and a love of fundraising, Sonya has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than ten years. After receiving degrees in political science and psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver, she spent six years with the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT) – working to strengthen the capacity of grassroots social justice organizations across the country. Sonya is an experienced fundraiser, trainer and consultant. Ms. Garcia Ulibarri currently serves as board member for several Denver-based organizations. She has a life-long commitment to working toward social change.

 

Mary Anne Harvey, Executive Director, The Legal Center for People With Disabilities and Older People

Mary Anne Harvey has worked in management and leadership of human service agencies for over 30 years. She was previously the director of a Wyoming preschool/child care center and director of development for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. She has served as president of the board of directors of Warren Village, the National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS), and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. She is a founder of the Executive Leadership Institute, which supports the development of a group of peers from non-competing organizations and serves as a forum for creative problem-solving.

 

Lucille C. Johnson, Director of Health Initiatives, The Center for African-American Health
Lucille Johnson is responsible for providing operational leadership for all health programs and services at The Center for African-American Health. In conjunction with the Center’s promotion of increased physical activity in the African-American community, she has been featured in USA Today, numerous newspapers in the U.S. and Canada, and on National Public Radio. She is the executive producer of three health education outreach videos and has served as voiceover talent on numerous projects. For 30 years Lucille has successfully managed projects and motivated workgroups in nonprofit and corporate settings. Her career experience spans the areas of consulting, management, human resources, legal issues, training delivery, and community health. She holds a BS in business administration (management emphasis/sociology minor) and an MA in psychology, and is a graduate of the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership.
In addition to her professional responsibilities, Lucille chairs the American Diabetes Association’s National African-American Initiative Subcommittee. She also serves on the Physical and Mental Health Committee for the Denver Alumni Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Lucille has received numerous awards during her career in recognition of humanitarian, service excellence, volunteerism and team contribution efforts. Most recently, she was awarded the Livingston Fellowship Award by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation in 2007.

 

Noreen M. Keleshian, Executive Director, Gilda's Club Denver
Noreen Keleshian became executive director of Gilda's Club Denver in 2010. Prior to her current position, she led Parent Pathways since 1989, first as executive director and then, after the position was expanded in January 1998, as president and CEO. Before that she was CFO and director of special projects for ARC International (a leadership training company) and a senior manager at Andersen Consulting, LLP. At Parent Pathways she initiated and led a strategic positioning process that resulted in a name and branding change and also enhanced service delivery to better meet the needs of teen parents and their children. A member of the Colorado Nonprofit Association’s Leadership Advisory Committee, Noreen has served on the boards of such nonprofits as Mile High United Way, the Colorado Association of Family and Children's Agencies, Family Foundation of North America, Associated Agency Executives, YWCA of Metropolitan Denver, Windstar Connection–Denver, Denver School-Based Clinics, and Family Service America. She has held leadership positions on several of these boards. A former president of the Denver Mile High Rotary Club and a Certified Public Accountant, Noreen has held several positions at Trinity United Methodist Church. A Girl Scout troop leader, she has also been a volunteer friend and mentor for Denver Kids, Inc., and a volunteer tutor for The Learning Source for Adults and Families. She holds a BA in economics from Mount Holyoke College and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

 

Monique Lovato, Director of Corporate Philanthropy, Xcel Energy

Monique Lovato has been with Xcel Energy and its predecessor, Public Service Co. of Colorado, for much of the past 18 years. As director of corporate philanthropy, she manages corporate giving across an eight-state service area. Between her stints at Xcel Energy and Public Service Co., she was at CBS NEWS4 as manager of community affairs and ran her own business, Civicom. Ms. Lovato earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Prior to coming to Denver, she worked for several public relations firms and as a professional political campaign consultant in various U.S cities. Monique serves on the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Adams County Workforce Investment boards, and the Mile High United Way Women’s Leadership Council; and was board member for Mile High Montessori for six years. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Denver and a 2002 graduate of the Circle of Latina Leadership.

 

Elaine Mariner, Executive Director, Colorado Council on the Arts

Elaine Mariner is executive director of the Colorado Council on the Arts (CCA), a state agency promoting the cultural, educational and economic growth of Colorado through development of its arts and cultural heritage. She has served on grant review panels for
the National Endowment for the Arts, the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Wallace Foundation. Elaine is a frequent speaker on the role of arts and culture in Colorado’s economy. She has a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Elaine’s other current board and advisory roles include National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Colorado Tourism Office, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and Arts For Colorado.

Rich Martinez, President and CEO, Young Americans Center for Financial Education

Richard Martinez has held several roles within Young Americans Center for Financial Education since he joined the organization in 1999. Young Americans is home to Young Americans Bank, the world's only bank designed for young people. He became president and CEO in November 2007, having oversight of the bank and of the organization's nonprofit programs. He began his banking career in Colorado in 1990 as an intern at the Norwest Bank of Fort Collins (now Wells Fargo) while pursuing a finance degree from Colorado State University. Upon graduation in 1992, Mr. Martinez accepted a position at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, Denver Branch as a bank examiner. He earned the commissioned examiner distinction in 1998. Rich holds a Masters degree in Business Administration from Regis University. Governor Bill Ritter appointed him to serve on the board of CollegeInvest, Colorado’s 529 College Savings provider. Rich is on the University of Denver – Bridge Project scholarship committee.

 

Lydia McCoy, Executive Director, Colorado Children's Immunization Coalition

As executive director, Lydia has led the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition’s efforts to promote vaccination in communities, businesses, and state government since 2007. Lydia was previously the Capital Campaign Coordinator for The Gathering Place, and has experience working in fund development and program management for art education, public radio, and child welfare nonprofits in New Orleans and Denver. Lydia has a BA in Political Science from Tulane University and a Master of Nonprofit Management from Regis University. Recently, she has served on the Strategic Planning Committee for Regis University’s MNM program, the Governance Task Force for the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, the Leadership Advisory Committee for the Colorado Nonprofit Association, and was a Fellow with Social Venture Partners Denver. She currently sits on the Governor’s Vaccine Advisory Committee for Colorado, and is immediate past President of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN Denver). She also enjoys the occasional onomatopoeia. Pow!

Lisa Meacham, Senior Auditor, Ehrhardt Keefe Steiner & Hottman (EKS&H) – Board Treasurer

Lisa Meachem is an Audit Senior Manager with Ehrhardt, Keefe, Steiner & Hottman. A graduate of the University of Denver with both her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy (graduating magna cum laude) and her Masters of Accountancy, Lisa has been involved with public accounting since 2000. Lisa specializes in auditing and reviewing nonprofit organizations including foundations, trade associations, health care, education, hospitality and government. For the past five years, Lisa has been a member of the Colorado Nonprofit Association Finance Committee, of which she is now chair. She holds professional memberships with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants.

 

Frances Owens, Executive Vice President, Community Affairs, Galloway Group

Frances W. Owens became First Lady of Colorado on January 12, 1999. A native of Colorado, she spent much of her childhood in Texas, but returned to Colorado to receive a degree in Art History from the University of Colorado at Denver. As first lady, Frances volunteered her time to many charitable organizations, some of which include Anchor Center for the Blind, The Children's Hospital, Colorado Historical Society, Habitat for Humanity, and Volunteers of America. She chaired the Colorado Commemorative Quarter Advisory Commission for Colorado’s quarter which was released in 2006. Ms. Owens oversaw the privately funded project of renovating and restoring the Governor’s Executive Residence, originally constructed in 1908; as well as extensive renovations of the Carriage House and lower gardens. Frances began her career campaigning and working for former U.S. Senator Bill Armstrong in the late 1970s as well as working for the Colorado Council on Economic Education. Currently, she is executive vice president for Galloway Group, which focuses on forging mutually beneficial partnerships between for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

 

Katherine Peck, Chief Operating Officer, The Gill Foundation
Katherine J. Peck, Esq., National Director of the Movement Building Center, is responsible for development and implementation of the Gill Foundation's national programming. Katherine came to the Gill Foundation from the Denver-based Rose Community Foundation, where she was Vice President for Programs and had oversight responsibility for the foundation's grantmaking, which in 2004 totalled more than $8 million. Prior to joining the Rose Community Foundation, Katherine was a partner at Holme Roberts & Owen LLP where she practiced law from 1984 to 2001. Katherine's extensive community involvement includes the Women's Foundation of Colorado, where she served as board president; the Denver Foundation's Civic and Education Advisory Committee; and the boards of the Colorado Women's Bar Association Foundation and the Legal Aid Foundation. Her board service includes the Colorado Nonprofit Association, Colorado Nonprofit Development Center and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. In 1998, Peck was recognized as a Woman Leader of Excellence by the Colorado Women's Leadership Coalition. That same year, she was included in the prestigious Women's Leadership Circle of the Girl Scouts - Mile Hi Council.

 

Kevin D. Seggelke, President and CEO, Food Bank of the Rockies
Kevin Seggelke brought many years of food industry experience to the position when he became president and CEO of Food Bank of the Rockies in 2003. From 1992 to 2002 he was vice president, general manager and division director for Cub Foods’ Wisconsin and Colorado divisions. Before that he was vice president for foods at Twin Valu Stores, Inc. in Cleveland, and held several other positions at Cub Foods, including director of training, store manager, and a variety of store-level management positions. Kevin’s community service includes membership on the boards of Food Bank of the Rockies (which he served as board chair from 1997 to 1999), Broomfield Boosters’ Club (chair, 1996–1998), and the Young Americans Education Foundation (Advisory Board). He also served the Valley Athletic Association in Stillwater, Minn., as a board member, volunteer coach and volunteer referee, and was a member of the St. John's University National Strategic Planning Committee. In 2005 he was named a Livingston Fellow by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Kevin holds a BA in history and English from St. John's University, and a J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law. He is also a graduate of Cornell University’s Executive Leadership Program and Food Industry Executive Program.

 

Tim Walsworth, President and CEO, United Way of Southwest Colorado
Tim Walsworth has served as the President and CEO for United Way of Southwest Colorado in Durango since January 2003. He has more than a decade of nonprofit management experience and has worked for two leading United Way’s prior to arriving in Southwest Colorado. Mr. Walsworth attended college in two stints at the University of Texas at Austin. After first attending from 1985 to 1988, Mr. Walsworth moved into the workforce. After a series of job opportunities, Mr. Walsworth re-enrolled at the University of Texas in 1993 and graduated in 1996. He received a Bachelor’s of Journalism with a focus in Public Relations. After receiving his degree, Mr. Walsworth began working for United Way/Capital Area in Austin. In Oct. 1999, Mr. Walsworth moved to Colorado Springs and began working for Pikes Peak United Way, where he began as a consultant, then became a lead fundraiser, and later accepted the director of marketing and communications position. In January 2003, Mr. Walsworth accepted the position of president and CEO for United Way of Southwest Colorado. United Way of Southwest Colorado continues to generate a great deal of funding for local needs. During the past few years, United Way has raised some of the highest amounts ever in its history.

 

Brad Young, Government Affairs Director, RX Plus Pharmacies
Brad Young is currently a registered lobbyist and director of governmental affairs for Rx Plus Pharmacies, a group of independent pharmacists in eight states. Prior to his joining Rx Plus, Brad was a contract lobbyist during the 2005 legislative session. Mr. Young’s legislative career, earning him numerous legislative awards, started in 1991 when he was elected as State Representative for southeastern Colorado. Throughout his career, he has served on and chaired many state committees. Brad has also spoken to legislators and other interested parties in various states about the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR). He graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor of Science and a Masters Degree in Agricultural Engineering. Brad has held various professional roles, including an independent contractor for well testing, and a field, design and irrigation engineer. He was also an independent software developer, and a math and science instructor.

 

Ex-officio members

Renny Fagan, President and CEO, Nonprofit Resources

For the last two years Renny has served as the state director for U.S. Senator Ken Salazar and Senator Michael Bennet. He was responsible for the Senator's Colorado staff and eight offices around the state. Renny is a former state legislator, head of the Colorado Department of Revenue, deputy attorney general, and volunteer with El Pomar Foundation's Award for Excellence program. Through the course of his career, he has served on numerous boards and councils addressing a wide range of community needs. A Colorado native, he grew up in the Pikes Peak region and has resided in the Denver Metro area for the last 15 years. He received his B.A. in Political Science at the University of Chicago and is law degree from Northwestern University. As the leader of the Colorado Nonprofit Association Renny will continue the Association's efforts in assisting nonprofits during the recession, and hopes to work with businesses and state and local governments to increase the nonprofit community's reach across Colorado.

 

Betsy Jansen, CEO, Nonprofit Resources
Because of her background in association insurance programs, Betsy was given the responsibility to set up an insurance agency for the members of the Colorado Nonprofit Association and offer health and related benefits, workers compensation, directors and officers liability and general liability. She has a degree in Business Education from the University of Wisconsin but has spent most of her career in the insurance industry. Betsy is a native of Wisconsin and a "cheesehead". She thoroughly enjoys a football game on a Sunday afternoon.