Service Leadership 2019 Cohort
Sam Battan
Colorado Youth Congress
Sam Battan is the founder of the Colorado Youth Congress, a diverse community of young people leading the fight for equity in organizations and systems across the state. A former high school teacher and education policy advisor, Sam is a proud graduate of the Leeds School of Business at CU-Boulder.
Megan Bradley
Share Our Strength
Megan is the Associate Director at Share Our Strength Colorado and a driven leader who leverages strong partnerships, project facilitation and passionate attitude to ensure all families have access to resources to end hunger in Colorado. As a Registered Dietitian with 15 years of experience in the nutrition sector, Megan uses her in-depth nutrition and culinary knowledge to ensure all people have access to healthy foods.
Patrick Byrne
Denver Urban Scholars
Patrick is an advocate for at-risk youth, with a focus on improving secondary and post-secondary educational opportunities. He founded Denver Urban Scholars in 1995 which now has a budget of $1.4 million. Patrick has a BA in speech communications from Gonzaga University, a MA in nonprofit management from Regis University, a MA in social work from the University of Denver and in 2012 earned his PhD in Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University. He is an adjunct professor at DU and Regis.
Adam Cohen
Denver Active 20-30
Adam’s mission is to inspire and deliver excellence and value in community service. Adam is currently the Executive Director of the Denver Active 20-30 Children’s Foundation. He has 25+ years of experience developing and implementing strategy for forward-winning organizations to solve complex organizational challenges. He has a BA in English literature from the University of Michigan, and has earned leadership certificates from University of Denver and University of Michigan Ross School of Business.
Lauren Czajka
YouthRoots
Lauren is the Executive Director of YouthRoots, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering teens to become change agents in their community. Lauren loves to build organizations working to make the world a better place. She helped grow YouthRoots from a small Denver nonprofit to an organization serving nine communities across three states. Lauren has an MA in Human Rights and a BA in Political Science.
Katie Pribyl Dobbins
Wana Brands
Katie is the Corporate Social Responsibility Director at Wana Brands. Katie is a Boulder County Leadership Fellow and ELEVATE Young Non Profit Professional Network (YNPN) Fellow Alum. She also serves as the Service Chair on the Boulder Young Professionals Board. Katie has a BS in Public Administration from Colorado State University and a Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
Adrienne Elliott
Adoption Options
Adrienne has been the Executive Director of Adoption Options for the last seven years and recently founded ARISE Adoption Academy, an online learning resource of adoptive families. Her mission is to provide an inclusive nonprofit adoption agency dedicated to enriching the lives of children, youth and families. Adrienne has over 25 years of experience working in child welfare. She has a BS from Purdue University, and a MSW from University of Denver.
Anatasia Henry
American Transplant Foundation
Anastasia has been the Executive Director of the American Transplant Foundation since 2011. She believes no one should die while waiting for an organ transplant. Under her leadership, ATF has emerged as the only nonprofit providing grants to living donors nationwide. Prior to ATF, she served as the Major Gifts Director for the American Red Cross CO and prior to that, she worked for United Way for 5 years.
Mara Kailin
Aurora Mental Health Center
Mara is a licensed bilingual clinical psychologist with extensive experience in behavioral health treatment with underserved and diverse populations, as well as administrative and leadership experience with a large nonprofit organization. Mara currently serves as the Chief Clinical Officer at Aurora Mental Health Center with oversight of approximately 700 staff in nearly 50 different programs in dozens of clinics in the community. She has a PsyD from Rutgers University and a BA from Wesleyan.
Sarah Klein
Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado
Sarah is the CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado which leads the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures and save lives. She has led the development of a pilot program for mental health services in the epilepsy community. Sarah has a BA in English and Theology from Wheaton College and a MPP from the University of Chicagos.
Rachelle Pizarro
Rocky Mountain Chapter of Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Rachelle is currently a Senior Development Director for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She is a seasoned development leader responsible for driving and contributing to annual growth by transforming conceptual fundraising models into tangible, profitable programs, events and campaigns. Rachelle earned a BA in Public Relations degree from the University of Southern California.
Luis Ponce
Boricuas Unidos en la Diaspora
Luis is the founder of Boricuas Unidos en la Diáspora whose mission is to empower citizens to act on Puerto Rico’s economic recovery. Luis has worked extensively on human and workers’ rights over the past decade, and seeks to promote efficiency at work. He has attained a BSFS from Georgetown University, and a JD from the University of Puerto Rico. He was also a University of Denver’s Latino Leadership Institute 2016 Fellow.
Becky Miller Updike
Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center
Becky is the Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center, a nonprofit with the mission to advocate for children who have experienced maltreatment and trauma. She served as Colorado’s 1st Child Protection Ombudsman and was a finalist for the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business in 2010 and 2012. Becky holds a PhD in Child & Family Leadership from Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver.