Latino Commission

David Olguín is called into called into equity work through both his lived experience, and his desire to drive forward the social, political, and economic mobility of marginalized communities. David’s work is focused on actively driving equitable educational outcomes, and community building.

Olguín, an adult first-generation graduate, completed his degree with distinction by intentionally fusing the degree pathway to ethnic studies research gaining knowledge of the histories, and epistemologies of Black, Indigenous, Chicano, and Latino communities. David has previously served as the Student Advisor to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, the Co-Chair of the Equity Champions Coalition at the Colorado Department of Higher Education, Liaison to the Colorado Student Government Coalition, Legislative Liaison to the State Student Advisory Council of CCCS, RISE Education Fund selection committee member, as well as a proud member of the CU Denver Latinx Undergraduate Leadership Advancement program, and founder of FRCC’s LATINX Student Organization.

David Olguín, Chair Denver Latino Commission

david.olguin@ucdenver.edu

Bachelor of Arts, Public Service, School of Public Affairs, University of Colorado Denver

Associate of Arts, Front Range Community College Westminster

Lissette Calveiro

CEO, Influence With Impact

Lissette is a Latina digital entrepreneur living in Denver, CO as an influencer marketing consultant to Fortune 500 brands, social media content creator, and business coach for influencers & personal brands looking to master social media from a more human lens.

Her decade-long expertise as both influencer marketer and creator has been featured across publications including Business Insider, New York Magazine, CNBC, and Good Morning America; and as a featured speaker on the stages of Create & Cultivate’s Small Business Summit and Later Media’s #LaterCon.

She was named a Top 10 Social Media Coach by Yahoo!, and received a Shorty Award for her influencer campaign work.

Rachel has deep roots and connections in her hometown of Denver, Colorado.  She has a great dedication to the arts and creative communities in Denver. Her love of the creative community grew from a desire to connect with like-minded people and to give back. She found her chosen family through the arts, social justice pursuits and through community advocacy particularly for immigrant and refugee communities.  Rachel has gained a  sense of belonging within the arts and creative communities and they have endowed upon her the beauty of cultural traditions she is proud to pass along to her daughter, Annalisia.  Rachel graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Bachelors of Science in Business Management and earned a Certificate in Executive Leadership with an emphasis on the issues and challenges affecting the Latinx Community/Population and holds a Certificate in Inclusive Leadership/Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. Both certificates were earned at the prestigious Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) at the University of Denver. Rachel is a current fellow of the Metro Denver Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Impact Denver Fellowship. Her professional background includes 25 years in the design/build industry as a Business Operations executive, however her passion has always been in the arts.

Rachel is a founding member and CEO of Colectiva, a collective of creatives that curate culturally inspired experiences that elevate and promote Latino Creatives via culture, art and cuisine.  Colectiva’s mission is to reclaim Latino culture from appropriation and to ensure creatives are compensated fairly. Rachel is also a founding member and curator of Calaveras en mi Ciudad, a mobile calaveras exhibit celebrating the traditions of dia de los muertos and is a co-founding member of La Feria del Tequila-the first and only tequila festival in Colorado founded by 3 women that identify as Latinas.  In service to her community, Rachel currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Artisti-co, Vice Chair of the Mexican Cultural Center, is a Member of the Board of Directors for Latinas First Foundation and the Coalition Against Global Genocide, is a member of several municipal LatinX Advisory Councils, is a Covid-19 Vaccine Ambassador and a Mental Health Anti-Stigma Ambassador in partnership with the Metro Denver Partnership for Health/Colorado Health Institute focusing on the Latinx community.  She is a member of the Colorado Women’s Foundation Development Committee and Empowerment Council and she is also a member of the Scientific and Cultural District Community Acts Fund Advisory Council.  Rachel is currently a City and County of Denver mayoral appointee for both the Denver Latino Commission and the Denver Women’s Commission. 

Rachel has provided consulting services for many organizations.  Her consulting services range from Public Relations, Community Connections and Collaborations, Culturally Relevant Information Sessions, Communications, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility work,  Anti-appropriation and Building respectful culture,  Business Services, Non-profit Sector Specialization, Grant Writing/Development, Social Media and other Marketing, Covid-19 Resources and Relief, Logistics, Project Management, Event/Conference Planning and Production. Her other interests include strengthening her leadership skills, writing/wordsmithing, travel/adventure, great cuisine and libations, supporting local businesses, meditating, experiencing the world through her daughter's eyes, connecting with friends old and new, and fine tuning her abilities as an intuitive being. Things she's most known for: cheering her friends and family along from the sidelines, promoting their ventures with enthusiasm and having a knack for knowing what the latest/hottest/coolest things are!

Karen has been committed to the field of education for over 30 years. Her experiences range from research and classroom teaching, professional development state trainer, curriculum design, program management and development, educational diversity, equity and inclusive policy development, and various administrative leadership roles in national, state, and local educational settings, including higher education and community non-profit organizations.

Currently, a full-time faculty member with the Chicana and Chicano Studies Department at MSU Denver, she teaches both traditional and concurrent enrollment courses and serves as faculty lead/principal investigator for the department’s concurrent enrollment grant expansion initiatives. As a first-generation college graduate and scholar-activist, she is committed to life-long learning focused on social justice and equity which is evident in her current pursuit of earning a doctorate degree from the University of Colorado Denver. Karen is near degree completion in the Leadership for Educational Equity in Higher Education program. Her goal is to continue to serve in executive leadership roles responsible for organizing and leading research in the wisdom of dichos y testimonios. Also, centering contributions and lived experiences of historically marginalized groups, particularly Mexican American Chicanas, and Latinx/Chicanx communities.

She also enjoys serving her community as a Denver Latino Commissioner, an Equity Advisor to the Equity Champions Coalition with the Colorado Department of Higher Education, as a member of Auraria Displaced Scholarship and Legacy Project, and President emeritus of the Doctoral Students of Color organization at University of Colorado Denver. She loves spending time con familia; especially con su esposo of 32 years, Eric, three-year-old granddaughter Elena, son Ben, daughter-in-law Gina, and their furry family members, Zoe, Diamond, and Aubre. Karen also adores a beautiful Colorado sunrise and sunset while sipping on a warm cup of coffee.  

Karen Jaramillo (She/Her/Ella)

 AA Spanish, Red Rocks Community College

BA Chicana/o Studies, Metropolitan State University
M.Ed. Curriculum, Design and Instruction, Colorado Christian University
MA, Social Justice and Theology, Iliff School of Theology (in progress)
EdD, Leadership for Educational Equity in Higher Education, (expected completion SU23)

Email: jaramika@msudenver.edu

Monica works as a Trauma Informed Practices Consultant for Denver Public Schools. She provides training on Trauma Informed Practices across the school district. Prior to working for DPS she has served the Latino community as a Bilingual Psychotherapist in various sectors including schools, mental health centers, and private practice. She holds a Master’s degree in clinical counseling and specializes in working with families impacted by trauma, primarily women. She is an alumni of the Latino Leadership Institute; additionally, serves as a commissioner for the Denver Latino Commission. She is passionate about her work & strongly believes that we can all RISE and heal together.