Board Members (as of November 2009)

Edgar L. Neel earned a B.A. from Amherst College and a J.D. from Cornell University Law School. He has practiced law in Denver for over twenty-five years.  His focus is on commercial and construction matters, representing contractors, insurers and surety companies in complex claims and litigation.  He is a director and currently the president of the Denver law firm of Pendleton, Friedberg, Wilson and Hennessey, P.C.  He was the District Director for Congresswoman Diana DeGette in 1997.  Appointed by City Council. Term expires 4-20-2011. He was elected chair of the Board of Ethics in May 2008.

 

Ann A. Terry earned a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Iowa and a J.D. from Drake University Law School. She was a prosecutor in Iowa and then worked in Colorado with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office and the Colorado District Attorneys’ Council and served as a legislative liaison and public policy analyst for the Colorado Department of Public Safety. She has served on a number of non-profit boards and committees and has taught several law school courses. She developed an ethics curriculum for prosecutors, law enforcement and victims’ advocates. She is currently the executive director of the Special District Association for Colorado. Re-appointed by the Mayor. Term expires 4-30-2013. In May 2006 she was elected Chair of the Board of Ethics and served through May 2007. She currently serves as Vice-Chair, having been elected in May 2008.

 

Lori Mack earned a B.A. in Communication from the University of Colorado. She is currently the Economic Development Administrator for the City and County of Denver’s Office of Economic Development – Youth Programs.  She was a fellow for the Denver Fellowship in Urban Government in the Denver Office of Accountability and Reform in 2004. During her 22 years with the City and County of Denver, she worked at Art, Culture and Film; Aviation; Excise & Licenses, and Career Service Authority.  She was recently appointed to serve on the Denver Public Schools Bond and Mill Levy Committee and continues to serve on various private and public committees. Reappointed by the Mayor and City Council, her term expires 4-30-2013. In May 2006 she was elected Vice-Chair of the Board of Ethics and in May 2007 was elected Chair and served for one year.

 

Leslie M. Lawson earned a B.A and J.D. from the University of Wyoming.  She has served as an attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as an in-house attorney for a major oil corporation, as an attorney in a small law firm, as a Denver district judge and as a member of the Judicial Arbiter Group. She is a past president of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association.  Currently she is a mediator and arbitrator and a partner in Dispute Management, Inc. Re-appointed by City Council. Term expires 4-20-2013. She served as Chair of the Board of Ethics from May 2005 through May 2006 and as Vice-Chair from May 2007 to May 2008. Due to her experience as a judge, she serves as presiding officer at hearings on complaints conducted by the Board.

 

Syl Morgan-Smith originally trained as a graduate nurse. She has past careers as a Denver television news anchorwoman, radio producer/announcer, managing newspaper editor and Director of Communications for Rockwell International at the Rocky Flats Facility. She is now Manager of Diversity & Community Relations at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden. She is the founder and president of the Colorado Gospel Music Academy and Hall of Fame. She received the Martin Luther King, Jr Trailblazer Award, and was inducted into the Colorado Black Hall of Fame for outstanding community service. She previously served as the first civilian member of the Denver Police and Firemen’s Pension Fund board, chair of the Denver Commission on Community Relations, Board member for Denver Children’s and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospitals, the Denver Zoo, and First National and First Interstate Banks in Jefferson County. In 1997, she founded a tutorial program at Denver Public Schools to help children with English as second languages learn to read, and is the recipient of two honorary doctorate degrees.  Appointed by the Mayor. Term expires 4-30-2011