Women's Commission

Kirsten C. Decker is a local government leader specializing in connecting public policy, resources, and community outcomes. She became Chair of the Denver Women’s Commission in June 2024. With experience leading local government organizations in Maryland and Colorado, Kirsten currently serves as Director of Organizational Strategy & Development for the Denver Public Library System. She also volunteers as Chair of the ICMA Performance Management Advisory Committee and advises Zeta Tau Alpha at Colorado State University. Kirsten holds a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas.

Cara Eng is where she is today because her grandmother, whose marriage was arranged from birth, was denied formal education; as a result, she ensured that all her descendants were educated. To honor her grandmother, Cara has dedicated her career to K-12 education and is currently the Director of Finance and Operations at The Logan School. It is important that women achieve equity and equality for the optimal functioning of society and a stronger Denver. She began service as the Secretary of the Denver Women’s Commission in March 2024.

Rhoda Pilmer is the Assistant District Attorney at the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and a steadfast advocate for victims. With 19 years of legal experience, she has handled complex litigation and now oversees multiple specialized units, driving operational excellence and supporting leadership across the office. Rhoda has led strategic initiatives focused on data transparency and cross-agency law enforcement collaboration. She also launched and led the Women’s Leadership Summit, offering leadership development for women pursuing professional growth. Committed to mentorship and public service, she holds a law degree from the University of Denver and a graduate certificate in Executive Women Leadership from Cornell University.  

Shaneis Malouff is a strategic leader, healthcare advocate, and endurance athlete rooted in Colorado values. She serves as Chief of Staff and Vice President of Strategy at the Auraria Higher Education Center, overseeing strategic planning, communications, and cross-agency collaboration on one of the nation’s most unique urban campuses. Previously, as Director of Population Health at Vail Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, she led Eagle County’s testing and vaccination efforts—launching one of Colorado’s first drive-through testing sites and a self-registration system that increased clinic throughput from under 100 to thousands daily, helping the county lead the state in early vaccination rates. After the pandemic, Shaneis launched Eagle County’s first mobile community health program, offering free wellness exams, Medicaid enrollment, and bilingual navigation in underserved areas. She also established the county’s first SANE and FNE programs to support women’s health. At CDPHE, she led division-wide strategy, stood up the first project management office for Disease Control, and authored multi-year strategic plans. A former board-certified pediatric prosthetist, she helped pass twelve bipartisan state laws expanding access to care for people with disabilities. Outside of her current role at Auraria, Shaneis continues to drive data-informed policy through her firm, Upstream Informatics, races with an all women's elite team, the Ride or Die Collective, and was appointed to Denver’s Women’s Commission in 2025.

MaryBeth Lawson is the Vice President of Development at the Denver Public Schools Foundation. She has nearly 15 years of experience helping folks accomplish their philanthropic goals while strengthening the support for and awareness of programs, missions, and goals. Prior to joining the Denver Public Schools Foundation, MaryBeth supported the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work as their Executive Director of Development, and was part of several municipal teams and nonprofit organizations, including the American Red Cross. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, exploring the playgrounds, parks, and cultural institutions of Denver with her two daughters, and cheering on her Colorado Buffaloes with her husband.

Rachel Levine is the Director of People Development for Humane Colorado. In her career Rachel has worked extensively in Human Resources and Corporate Training & Development in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Rachel currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Denver Language School and on the DEI Council for the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement. Rachel has a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Colorado and an M.Phil from the University of Cambridge. Rachel lives in Denver with her husband Michael, their two daughters, and three rescue dogs.

Elena is a seasoned leader with a heart for service. She is a proud first-generation Latina, her career has been in education or non-profits. Elena holds considerable leadership experience in the field of education, having served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and senior education director for a foundation. As a public school educator, she understands the power behind knowledge, which is why she has continued her own education. Elena has a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis on Elementary Education and a Masters degree in Administration and Supervision. Aside from formal degrees, she is also an alumna of the Circle of Latina Leadership, EMERGE Colorado, CLLARO Latino Civic Leadership training, and most recently the Latino Leadership Institute. Elena has served on The Wayfaring Band and COLOR board of directors and currently is a board member of the Presidents Leadership Class at CU Boulder. When Elena is not working or volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Monica Padilla works for Denver Health as a Bilingual School Based Mental Health Therapist in Denver Public Schools. Prior to this role she spent six years as a Trauma Informed Practices Consultant for Denver Public Schools. She has served the Latino community as a Bilingual Psychotherapist in various sectors including schools, mental health centers, and private practice, specializing in trauma and women’s issues. Monica is an alumni of the Latino Leadership Institute; additionally, serves on the Denver Latino Commission. She is passionate about her work & creating healing spaces!

Mehgan Yen (she/her/hers) is a social entrepreneur and mental health advocate with over a decade of leadership experience. She is dedicated to empowering AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth through education and wellness. As the Co-Founder and COO of Asian Girls Ignite, a Colorado-based non-profit, she has helped serve over 250 students and 200 women in the Denver Metro Area since 2020. In 2025, Mehgan was honored as one of Colorado’s Leading Ladies by 9News. She joined the Denver Women’s Commission in March 2024, where she continues her advocacy for women and youth.

Flavia Zarcula is a senior fundraising professional with over 10 years of experience in corporate fundraising and grant writing, research and evaluation, as well as management for philanthropic, government, and private organizations. Flavia first joined the Denver Women's Commission in 2021 and served as the HRCP Advisory Board Representative for the Denver Women’s Commission through June 2024. As a first-generation immigrant, Flavia is passionate about issues impacting migrant women and their families. In her free time, Flavia enjoys exploring Colorado's beautiful outdoors with her fluffy companion named Alfalfa. 

Perla Gheiler is the Executive Director of Denver Human Rights & Community Partnerships. She began her career in HRCP as the Director of Aging for the Office on Aging in 2016.  Perla’s role served as the convener for our aging adults and the Mayor’s office. She also served as the liaison for the Commission on Aging which advocates, empowers and monitors the rights and concerns for our older adults.

Perla started Perla Gheiler Solutions, LLC in 2013, which served as a marketing and community affairs consultant firm and worked with clients like Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver) and Escuela Tlatlelolco, to name a few. Her consulting work led to a full-time offer from MSU Denver as the director of strategic initiatives and outreach for the Office of the President in the marketing communications department.

She is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Denver with a B.A. in Communication. Through the National Hispana Leadership Institute, Perla attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and The Center for Creative Leadership and received the Executive Leadership Certification from Harvard. 

Perla is the proud mother of her son, Austin.