Boulder Chamber and Community Foundation Announce 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Boulder County Cohort 

Boulder, Colorado – September 20, 2023 – In partnership with the Community Foundation of Boulder County, the Boulder Chamber is thrilled to introduce the 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows Boulder County cohort. Bringing together emerging and transformational individuals from across sectors, Leadership Fellows offers participants a deep appreciation for the unique social, environmental, and economic interests that Boulder County’s leaders need to balance in their effort to address today’s business and community challenges.

Throughout the eleven-month training schedule, Leadership Fellows Boulder County emphasizes building networks and developing tools for local leadership roles. It also exposes the participants to a wide spectrum of arts, business, human service, government and elected leaders. The benefits of the training they receive is evident across Boulder County, with 81% of the Leadership Fellows joining a nonprofit board, 26% joining a government board or commission, 13% working on a local election campaign, and 32% earning career promotions within a year of graduation.  

“We expect a lot from our Leadership Fellows participants, but the rewards are immeasurable, in terms of opportunities to effect personal and community change,” said Boulder Chamber President and CEO John Tayer, “Consistent with the partnership between the Community Foundation and the Boulder Chamber that the Leadership Fellows program embodies, we know our graduates will develop the capacity for inclusive, collaborative and empathetic leadership they need to help us build a stronger community.”  

To participate in Leadership Fellows, individuals must live or work in Boulder County, have a desire to make a positive impact, be willing to challenge oneself and others, and have an open-minded approach to their personal leadership role. Further, each fellow is expected to take on a local leadership role within six months of completing the program.  

“We couldn’t be happier to welcome the 15th Cohort of Leadership Fellows,” said Tatiana Hernandez, CEO of Community Foundation Boulder County. “This program has helped to educate and empower a diverse group of next-generation leaders in Boulder County. Now that approximately 400 people have graduated from this program, I hope our community is seeing the results.”  

The full list of 2023-2024 Leadership Fellows is as follows:   

• Amy Robinson, FNBO 
• Amy Weinstein, Self Employed, Boulder County Democratic Party Chair 
• Angela Maria Ortiz Roa, City of Boulder 
• Assata Welles, Community Foundation Boulder County 
• Citlalli Vazquez Gomez, City of Longmont 
• Devin Edgley, Boulder Chamber 
• Gabriela Galindo, FLOWS 
• Garrett Chappell, Premier Members Credit Union
• Jon Svoboda, Bank of Colorado 
• Laura Panizza, EFAA 
• Lauren Maggio, J.P. Morgan Private Bank 
• Lisa Wilder, There With Care 
• Lizbeth Mendoza, Boulder County Public Health 
• Mario Martinez Varelas, City of Boulder – Housing and Human Services 
• Mary Gaylord, HomeAhead Furniture Bank 
• Nathan Merrill, ConnectAndSell 
• Nubia Saenz, Community Food Share 
• Olivia Merithew, Embassy Suites Boulder and Hilton Garden Inn Boulder 
• Rachel Klein, Kaiser Permanente 
• Ruth Gelfarb, Congregation Har HaShem 
• Sarah Schey, Independent Financial 
• Serena Oveeeon, Accelerated Hair 
• Susan Krejci, BizLove 

The Leadership Fellows program is an 11-month long program that runs from September through July. If you are interested in the 2024-2025 Leadership Fellows program, please fill out our short interest form. Applications for the 2024-2025 Leadership Fellows program will open in Summer 2024. For more information, please visit the Boulder Chamber Leadership Fellows website.  

The Boulder Chamber and the Community Foundation thank the Boulder County Commissioners, Premier Members Credit Union, UPS Foundation, Knight Foundation, Wana Brands and the University of Colorado-Boulder for their sponsorship of the Leadership Fellows program and for their appreciation of the positive impact this program has for our community.  

About Boulder Chamber  

The nonprofit Boulder Chamber is the region’s flagship business advocacy and support organization. With more than 115 years of dedicated service to its members and the Boulder community, the Boulder Chamber’s innovative programs help local businesses succeed while sustaining an economy that preserves Boulder’s high quality of life, including its environmental and cultural assets. Together with its member businesses, the Boulder Chamber is building a smarter, more vibrant economy – sustaining Boulder’s position as a global capital of innovation and a thriving center of economic vitality. For more information, visit http://www.boulderchamber.com.