Julia Alvarez is the Executive Director of Elephant Energy, a Denver-based nonprofit that seeks to increase access to small-scale renewable energy products in rural, off-grid communities in Namibia and on the Navajo Nation. She came to this role after spending five years as a social change consultant, helping U.S. based organizations work more effectively and efficiently.

Julia received her BA in international studies from Kenyon College and her MA in international peace studies from the UN mandated University for Peace in Costa Rica. In addition to her consulting work, Julia has experience as a policy analyst in Washington, D.C. and as a facilitator of youth leadership development workshop. While Julia loves the opportunity to share sustainable light and energy with communities around the world, she is passionate about her work with the DOSP, as it helps her feel connected to the collaborative work being done locally. 

Deborah Brackney is Excutive Vice President with Mountain States Employers Council, Inc. Deborah oversees four MSEC Departments: HR Services, Organizational Development and Learning, Outsourced consulting Services, and Surveys. Deborah began working at the Council in 1988. She was promoted to Director of the Management Development Department in 1996, the Outsourced Consulting Services Department in 2002, and the Membership Development Department in 2004.

Before coming to MSEC, Deborah worked with associations on legislative analysis and the development and design of training for state and federal agencies.

Deborah has a BA and MA from the University of Colorado and is a SPHR and a SHRM-SPC. She serves on the boards of Senior’s Resource Center, the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships the New America Schools and the Carson J. Spencer Foundation.  She is an affiliate faculty member at Metro State University of Denver.

Denise Bryant is the Director of Denver's Office of Workforce Development.

Denise has spent nearly two decades providing operational, financial management, and programmatic expertise to workforce development initiatives in the Chicago area. Her tenure with the City of Chicago, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, and Chicago Housing Authority afforded her opportunities to serve Chicago’s most vulnerable populations. Bryant held seats on both the service delivery and youth committees of Chicago’s Workforce Investment Board.

Bryant holds an undergraduate degree in Human Services Management and Administration and received a graduate degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. 

Kelly has been the CEO of Mile High Youth Corp for 17 years. Kelly takes the lead for strategic planning, resource development, agency oversight, public relations and community affairs. Kelly has worked with youth development agencies for 23 years, mostly in youth corps. 

After serving on staff for a U.S. Senate campaign, Kelly used her undergraduate degree in psychology in her role as a residential treatment counselor. She got her start at MHYC as one of its first crew leaders when the Corps was launched in 1992 and served in various capacities for two years. She left MHYC to work with a federal youth corps, the AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), as an Assistant Regional Project & Training Director for four and a half years before coming back to MHYC to lead the agency. 

Kelly earned a Master's degree in Sociology and her Ph.D. in Health & Behavioral Sciences from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has three publications and the focus of her dissertation was employability barriers facing high-risk youth.

Ariel Cisneros is a senior advisor for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City—Denver Branch. Cisneros is responsible for identifying and meeting the community and economic development investment informational needs of bankers, community organization representatives and government officials in the seven states of the Tenth District. 

He has completed research and organized programs that provide information on community and economic development investments, asset building strategies, Native Communities, Community Reinvestment Act and related compliance issues, disaster financial preparedness, and other related subjects. He serves on various committees and councils dedicated to community and economic development. 

Prior to joining the Kansas City Fed, Cisneros worked at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and has also worked overseas, serving as a community extension officer in Botswana, Africa. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with a focus on international development from the University of Texas at Austin. Cisneros is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Colorado.

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Sonya Garcia Ulibarri is the President & CEO Girls Inc of Metro Denver. 

Sonya has served as the Executive Director of YouthBiz in Denver since 2007. Under her leadership, YouthBiz grew in its capacity to advance the social and economic empowerment of youth. Sonya has an uncommon passion and capacity for fundraising, having spent six years with the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training, starting as an intern, and eventually serving as Executive Director.

An active leader in the community, Sonya serves on the boards of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center and the Chinook Fund. She is also a commissioner for the Denver Office of Strategic Partnerships and on the advisory board for Denver's Agency for Human Rights and Community Relations.

Sonya has a B.A. in political science and psychology from the University of Colorado."

Nita Mosby Henry, Ph.D. is the vice president of Human Resources at Children's Hospital Colorado. In this role, Mosby Henry is responsible for executing strategy, policy and programs within Human Resources areas including information management and technology, performance management, people development, talent acquisition and employee relations.

Previously, Mosby Henry was the former executive director of the Office of Human Resources for the City and County of Denver. Her career spans nearly 30 years of human resources and operations leadership in industries including healthcare, telecom, energy and government. She is one of the 2014 Most Powerful and Influential Women of Colorado according to the Colorado and National Diversity Council.

She earned her master's degree in Management from Webster University and her doctorate in Management from the University of Phoenix.

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Dana joined the Community First Foundation in December 2007 after serving on the staff and board of several nonprofits, including director of resource development at Dental Aid, Inc., executive director at Family Pathways of Colorado, and development officer at Work Options for Women.

Dana holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Denver and bachelor’s of science in applied math from Colorado State University.

Dana has also served as a past board member of the David Taylor Dance Theatre and Family Pathways of Colorado. She is also a past president of the West Chamber Foundation Board, the Junior League of Denver and the Junior League of Denver Foundation.

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