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 Board and Staff |
Board and StaffSTAFF
Wendy Hawthorne became the Executive Director of Groundwork Denver in November 2006. She started her career as a mechanical engineer, focusing on energy efficient and sustainable building design and consulting. After ten years in that field, Wendy realized that she could have a greater positive impact on the community and the environment by applying her skills and passion in the non-profit sector. In 2000, she joined the staff at Northeast Denver Housing Center (NDHC) with the goal of making low-income housing more energy efficient, sustainable, and healthy. At NDHC, she and staff started the Healthy Homes Initiative through which hundreds of Denver homes in low-income communities received health and safety improvements and thousands of families were educated about the dangers of lead poisoning. As the Executive Director of Groundwork Denver, Wendy has proven the effectiveness of the organization in engaging a diversity of Denver residents in environmental projects. Wendy has a Bachelors degree from Princeton University and a Masters degree from the University of Colorado.
While obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from the University of Northern Colorado, Tangier stumbled upon the concepts of social and environmental justice. She became passionate about these issues and was awarded the opportunity to study the disproportionate effects of environmental hazards on lower income communities and communities of color through the McNair Scholar’s Program. This is what ultimately inspired Tangier to earn a master’s degree in urban and regional planning. Since graduating from CU Denver in the Summer of 2008 Tangier has worked in the area of historic preservation for the City of Loveland and in March 2009 she was thrilled to accept a position with Groundwork Denver as a community planner.
Pat Barron Energy Efficiency Services Coordinator Pat is no stranger to extending a helping hand to members of the community in need of assistance. She recently retired after thirty-six years with the State of Colorado as a staff and administrative assistance primarily with the Office of the State Public Defender which provides legal representation to the criminally accused who are unable to afford private legal representation. After a short-lived stint as a retiree, she realized that she had many productive years ahead of her and decided to go back into the workforce. Shortly after this decision, she was faced with the choice of continuing in the field of providing legal services in the private sector or moving into the non-profit sector providing services in furtherance of the mission of Groundwork Denver. The choice was easy and thus, she became a member of the Groundwork Denver team to help our clients connect with all of the energy efficiency assistance and resources available to them.
Miriam Colón has more than twenty years experience working in social services and client relations. At Groundwork Denver she specializes in outreach and education in the Spanish speaking community, working as a health promoter to inform families about lead poisoning, organizing the community to plant trees and conduct other improvement projects, and educating people about how to reduce their energy bills. Miriam’s enthusiasm for helping people motivates her to continue serving the community and make families aware of beneficial resources. Whether she has five minutes at the door or an hour at an in-home energy audit, Miriam is sure to leave with a happy customer ready to act to improve the environment and their community.
A personal passion for community-based action, as well as a wide-range of skills, experiences and ideas, is what Julie Connor brings to the Denver Climate Challenge project. Julie was born and raised in the sun and sprawl of southern California. She obtained a degree in Journalism from CU and was a freelance reporter for the Boulder County Business Report. She later headed to Paraguay as a health promoter with the Peace Corps. She then taught American English to business executives briefly in Chile while she became reacquainted with electricity, running water and paved roads. When Julie returned to the U.S., she did freelance graphics, taught software classes and worked on a small flower farm in the Washington, D.C. area, but felt drawn back to the West. Since returning to Colorado in ‘96, she has worked on graphics and communications for numerous entities in Denver, in particular the City and County of Denver, and ran for Denver City Council in 2007. Over the years, she has championed green spaces, energy conservation and transportation alternatives, both as policies and ballot measures, in various positions with various organizations including 4-H, Sierra Club, Colorado Environmental Coalition, Colorado Renewable Energy Society, Denver’s Parks and Rec Advisory Board and Transit Alliance. Currently she serves as a Board Member of the West Washington Park Neighborhood Association, putters in her garden and is ever so slowly rebuilding her house from the inside out.
After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in History from Regis University, Elysa decided to pursue her passion for the outdoors by enrolling in a year-long AmeriCorps Leadership and Conservation Program with Mile High Youth Corps in Denver. Elysa participated in extensive energy, water, and land management projects, ranging from park restoration and rehabilitation, to invasive species removal, to energy audits in low-income households. A desire to help others save money while also decreasing their carbon footprint led Elysa to Groundwork Denver, where she happily accepted a position as Energy Audit Coordinator.
Rachel joined the Groundwork Denver staff after completing a Master of Public Health in August 2012. She currently manages the Lower Bear Creek Watershed Project. In this capacity, she is responsible for building a steering committee of stakeholders, conducting water quality education sessions for community groups, and orchestrating volunteer events. Goals of the project include the removal of Lower Bear Creek from the State’s impaired waters list, and actively engaging neighbors near the creek to protect urban waters from pollution. Prior to this position, Ms Hansgen held progressively responsible positions at several other non-profit organizations including Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County and Colorado Aids Project.
James Harris Energy Auditor James has two turntables and a microphone. An avid musician, James became passionate about alternative energy after experiencing Red Rocks Community College's renewable energy program. Known as a "jack of all trades," James also enjoys mentoring high school students and getting them excited about energy efficiency. James has become a real asset to the Groundwork Denver's energy team, even though he realizes that he was hired because he is tall enough to change light bulbs without a ladder.
Dele Johnson AmeriCorps VISTA Member Dele Johnson is a Colorado native and wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world, with the exception of a lifetime supply of pizza! This lively and fun loving individual started his time with GWD as a youth leader for the Green Team during the summer of 2012 and when the opportunity to become a VISTA member with GWD under the premise of Communications and Marketing Coordinator Dele did not want to pass it up. This position is right up his alley as he works toward finishing his degree in marketing from Metropolitan State University of Denver in December 2012. Dele feels truly blessed and extremely excited to serve this upcoming year at GWD.
Events and Volunteer Coordinator Kristy joined the Groundwork Denver team in June 2012 bringing with her years of experience in the nonprofit sector. As the Event Coordinator, Kristy is responsible for the organization and implementation of events related to accomplishing the goals of environmental improvement and community engagement. Through activities such as river cleanups, tree plantings and neighborhood energy action challenges, Kristy has direct connection to the community that Groundwork Denver serves. Prior to joining the team at Groundwork Denver, Kristy led a variety of special events for the Denver Film Society.
Katie Sullivan has ten years experience working with affordable housing and two years experience working with at-risk youth. She has worked for Habitat for Humanity in Denver and Honduras. While working at Northeast Denver Housing Center on the Lead Hazard Control Program, she partnered with other stakeholders in developing the Strategic Plan to Eliminate Childhood Lead Poisoning which she continues to implement while at Groundwork Denver.In addition, Katie keeps the Groundwork Denver office functioning by managing the accounting, contracts, purchasing, volunteers, and lots of other things. Katie enjoys traveling, learning about new cultures and languages, and volunteering with grassroots organizations to better understand the realities of life. Katie has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a Master’s of Architecture degree. Since the start of 2010, Danny Trujillo has been working closely with Groundwork Denver particularly with the Porch Bulb Project. Starting as a volunteer, Danny later became an AmeriCorps VISTA service member as part of the summer associate program. After completing his AmeriCorps service, Danny started as a full-time staff member at Groundwork Denver. Danny graduated from Fort Lewis College in the winter of 2009 with a Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance. Danny enjoys living in Denver and being a part of helping communities in all parts of the city.
Shane has worked with youth in the fields of education and recreation since 1994. With a passion for the environment and the outdoors he has taught skiing and snowboarding and guided river and mountain trips professionally. He enjoyed working as a Recreation Specialist for the State of Washington as well as teaching at-risk youth for the Littleton School District in Littleton, Colorado. He was honored, as well, to direct Camp Paha, a day camp for kids and young adults with disabilities, for the City of Lakewood, Colorado. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Western State College of Colorado, “where champions are made out of thin air”, and his Master’s in Nonprofit Management from Regis University in Denver. Shane started with Groundwork Denver in June of 2009 and is thrilled to be directing the Groundwork Denver “Green Team” Youth Programs. He is a father of three great boys, Aidan, Noah and Griffin, has a lovely wife Erin, and a crazy yellow lab named Hazel.
2011 Rocky Mountain Green Team
BOARD MEMBERS
Janey Bell - Board President Co-Owner, Celestial Massage, LLC Janey Bell is a former attorney who has worked for and been a board member of many different social justice non-profit organizations over the course of many years. Currently, she is a practicing massage therapist, and is the co-owner of Celestial Massage, LLC, a Denver area therapeutic massage practice.
Chief Financial Officer, Integrated Listening Systems Frederick Renner is currently the CFO of Integrated Listening Systems, a company that uses sound and movement as a therapy for children with developmental and learning difficulties, such as autism and dyslexia. Prior to this, he was in the energy business for 20 years, as a business owner and consultant to numerous corporations, governments and multilateral banks in more than 20 countries. He was the co-founder, Chief Operating Officer and a director of Econergy International Corporation, a renewable energy project development company with more than 270 MW of wind and hydro power plants in Latin America. Frederick managed all of the company’s operations, with more than 100 people on three continents, three business segments, and $350 million in assets. Frederick received a BA from Cornell University and an MA from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Senior Asset Manager City and County of Denver Giles Flanagin is currently the Senior Asset Manager for the City and County of Denver. Prior to this, he was Redevelopment Manager for the Denver Urban Renewal Authority and he was active in Chicago real estate development for over ten years, as a construction project manager, development manager, and as the owner of real estate consulting and general contracting firm. Outside of work, Giles is extremely passionate about protecting the environment and providing opportunities to youth, and he is an avid skier and hiker. Giles resides in Denver with his wife and three cats.
Emilie has been involved in sustainable commercial real estate development and consulting for six years. She has contributed to and/or been directly responsible for site selection, feasibility studies, financing, design document development and oversight and the public approval process. Emilie specializes in public-private partnerships, green building and infill development. Prior to working as a real estate developer and consultant she did public relations and marketing for non-profits in New York City. She has an undergraduate degree in English Literature from Yale University and an MBA from the University of Michigan, with a concentration in Real Estate Development and General Management. She currently serves on the Metro Denver Steering Committee for the Denver Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council as the Education Co-Chair. She is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Urban Land Institute. Emilie was Groundwork Denver's very effective Board President from 2009 through 2012, during which time the organization grew in impact, budget and staff size, to where it remains today.
Program Coordinator for the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Kavitha is currently the Program Coordinator for the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program with the Prevention Services Division at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Before that she implemented educational and environmental initiatives at a local community bank in Denver. Kavitha has a Master’s degree in International Administration from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish also from the University of Denver. She is a Boettcher Scholar alumna and serves as the community service chairperson for the Boettcher Alumni Society. Kavitha was an active volunteer with Groundwork Denver before joining the board in 2011, bringing skills in youth development, grassroots community development, as well as event planning.
Michael A Mares is a partner with the insurance firm of Walker-Dilworth. Michael started with Walker-Dilworth in 1999 managing the life and health departments and became a partner in 2005. Michael is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on its membership committee. Michael is also active with the Fields Wolfe Memorial Fund and the Eloy Mares Save the Youth Foundation. A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Michael graduated from Colorado State University in 1995, where he also played on the varsity football team.
Jenny McClister Attorney Hogan Lovells Jenny is an environmental attorney in Denver specializing in brownfield redevelopment and environmental issues in commercial transactions. She leads environmental diligence efforts; negotiates purchase, financing, and insurance agreements; and advises on costs associated with identified environmental liabilities, including compliance and cleanup liabilities. Jenny received her J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law in 2003 and her B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1995. Before joining Groundwork Denver’s board, Jenny volunteered on several occasions with Groundwork Denver’s Porch Bulb Project. Jenny has strong interests in sustainable community development and generally all things green.
Rich is a real estate attorney at the law firm of Bright, Gibson & Nipert P.C. and has been practicing law since 1980. Rich specializes in real estate acquisition, zoning, land use, multi-family, single-family, and affordable housing, condominium and covenant documentation, and real estate financing. He has worked with numerous non-profit affordable housing developers and his interests include brownfield redevelopment, community development, and climate change mitigation. Rich also owns Orange Theory Fitness, which is a group personal training fitness studio operating in The Highlands area of Denver.
Director, Agency for Human Rights & Community Partnerships City and County of Denver Jamie Torres is the Deputy Director of the Agency for Human Rights & Community Partnerships and directs the Agency's Office of Community Support focusing on immigrant and refugee integration. Jamie enjoys working with diverse communities and cultures and finds that is where she can best put her anthropological skills and values to use. She is a Denver native, born and raised in the west Denver neighborhood of Villa Park. Jamie received her B.A. in Anthropology from the Colorado College and M.A. in Medical Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Denver. She currently serves the Denver Clerk and Recorder's ACCESO Advisory Board. Jamie is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Denver and a 2009 Marshall Memorial Fellow.
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Wendy Hawthorne
Tangier Barnes
Miriam Colón
Julie Connor 
Elysa Goldman
Rachel Hansgen
Kristy King
Katie Sullivan
Danny Trujillo
Shane Wright
Frederick Renner - Board Treasurer
Emilie Baratta - Immediate Past Board President
Michael Mares
Rich Nipert