Board Roster

Kevin Lewis, Chair

Business Consultant

Mr. Lewis is a Denver native and a graduate of Manual High School. His professional background includes experience gained in commercial and investment banking, telecommunications-related business and corporate development. He has long been involved in Denver’s nonprofit community, where he has served as both a committee and/or board member for The Hospice of St. John, The Conflict Center, The Children’s Museum of Denver, People House and Smart-Girl. Mr. Lewis earned his B.A. in History from Dartmouth College and his M.B.A. from the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver. He is the father of two children.

Olette Stanberry, Vice-Chair

Consultant

Ms. Stanberry has held leadership positions in the telecommunications, IT Services and consulting industries. Her focus has been in organizational development and communications where she utilizes her talent for strategic planning and cultivating cohesive, collaborative teams to grow capable, profitable organizations. Ms. Stanberry recently completed her M.S. degree in Organizational Leadership at Regis University.

Liliana Flores Amaro, Secretary

Qualistar Rating Specialist, Qualistar Colorado

Ms. Flores Amaro is a Quality Rating Specialist for Qualistar Colorado. Previously she worked as a program assistant for the Pikes Peak Immigrant and Refugee Collaborative. She is an alumna of the 2009 Circle of Latina Leadership. Ms. Flores Amaro is an active volunteer who is particularly interested in civically engaging the Latina/o community, helping students get to college, and ensuring quality education for children. Ms. Flores is a Denver native and a Colorado College alumna. She has a degree in Anthropology and double minors in Spanish and American Cultural Studies.

Jannette Scarpino, C.P.A., Treasurer

Manager of Budget and Financial Analysis, Regional Transportation District

Ms. Scarpino has more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance, banking, treasury, accounting and financial management. Her banking experience includes time spent with two large regional banking organizations in Denver as Vice President, where she managed high profile corporate banking relationships in a variety of industries. Additionally, she was CFO of a prominent Denver nonprofit organization where she oversaw all financial operations of the organization and foundation. She served as treasurer of RE/MAX and recently joined the management team at the Regional Transportation District. She also is part-time adjunct faculty in accounting at Metropolitan State College of Denver. Ms. Scarpino holds her M.B.A. and B.A. from the University of Denver. She is a C.P.A. and a member of the Colorado Society of CPA’s and the AICPA.

Kimberley M. Bolt, Marketing and Development Chair

Ms. Bolt spent 15 years working in real estate, leasing apartments and managing commercial property and acquisitions in the Denver area for Golden West Management, CB Richard Ellis, Columbia Savings and Pacifica Holding Company. In addition to Smart-Girl, she has been an active board member, volunteer and financial supporter of the Junior League of Denver, the Providence Network, the Denver Ballet and Young Life. Ms. Bolt serves on the marketing and development committee for Smart-Girl and chaired its annual luncheon in 2008, 2009 and 2010.  Two daughters keep her life busy and interesting.

Jeannine Carter

Director of Diversity, Denver Public Schools

Jeannine Carter is a nationally recognized consultant, trainer and speaker with over 15 years of experience in the fields of diversity, cultural change and inclusiveness. In 2009, she joined Denver Public Schools to contribute to and assist with their diversity recruitment, retention and cultural competency efforts. She continues to do independent consulting on a limited basis under the umbrella of the company that she founded, Inclusive Innovations, LLC. She received her B.A. from Stanford University and her M.B.A. from Northwestern University. Jeannine has a daughter who demonstrates the principles of the the Smart-Girl organization.

Abby Ferber, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology and of Women’s and Ethnic Studies

Director of The Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Dr. Ferber is Professor of Sociology and of Women’s and Ethnic Studies, as well as Director of The Matrix Center for the Advancement of Social Equity and Inclusion at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. In 2005 she received the University’s Community Service Award and in 2007 she received it’s Outstanding Research Award. She has published seven books and numerous articles on issues of gender, race and sexuality, and writes a blog for the Huffington Post. She has been active on many committees and boards centered on women, girls, diversity and volunteerism. Dr. Ferber received her B.A. from American University and her M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Oregon.

Kevin Kearney

Mr. Kearney, past founder and Corporate Executive Officer for Point-of-View Survey Systems, and past President and operating partner for the Liver Research Institute, has been integrating computer technologies and healthcare for more than 20 years. His expertise is in collecting end-user-derived data and in partnering with clinicians to bring healthcare professionals credible and useful patient surveys. Although recently retired, he is currently involved with starting a sports apparel business. Mr. Kearney is married and has four children.

Alma Lantz, President Emeritus, Smart-Girl

One of the founders of Smart-Girl, Dr. Lantz holds a Ph.D. in the psychology of learning and statistics and was largely responsible for the development of the session plans.   With an emphasis on women and science, math and technology, she spent 18 years professionally developing and evaluating educational and social programs for many and varied agencies, such as the Carnegie Foundation, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute for Education and has published extensively in that area, including a book, many book chapters and dozens for articles in professional journals  She has long been involved in Colorado education, serving on many state educational boards and the board of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.  She is also an active member of Colorado Society for Adolescent Medicine.

Debra McKenney, Founder

Ms. McKenney was a telecommunications executive providing vision and direction for corporate and project missions, developing leading edge products and services, and defining objectives and strategic plans for market success. She supervised software development projects, both nationally and internationally, and oversaw negotiations with key decision-makers and policy planners. Ms. McKenney was a board member of US West Advanced Technologies and led a strategic development team to create the vision which led to the merger with Time Warner Telecommunications. She is passionate about helping young women succeed in business and in life, and she co-founded Smart-Girl to assist her daughters in making smart choices. She is an active philanthropist and community volunteer in many local nonprofit and youth serving organizations. Ms. McKenney has a B.S. in Marketing from Colorado State University.

Michael Mirabella, Esq.

Overturf & McGrath, P.C.

An attorney with Overturf, McGrath, Hull & Doherty, P.C., Mr. Mirabella has a long and successful career serving the Front Range in the arenas of general liability defense, insurance law and commercial litigation. He argues before the state and federal courts in Colorado and is admitted to practice at the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Mirabella represents some of the nation’s largest insurance carriers, and his professional affiliations include the Defense Research Institute, the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association, the Colorado Bar Association and the Second Judicial District Bar Association. A longtime Colorado resident, Mr. Mirabella earned his Juris Doctorate at the University of Colorado School of Law and his undergraduate degree at the University of Denver.

Lisa Patterson, MA, LPC, Program Committee Chair

Knippenberg, Patterson & Associates

Ms. Patterson was an elementary school teacher for twenty-six years in the Jefferson County School District. She is also a licensed professional counselor, and has worked with Craig Knippenberg for the past nineteen years facilitating groups in the CONNECT group model. She has extensive experience counseling children, adolescents and adults. Her dual and complimentary careers as a teacher and a therapist have given Ms. Patterson special insight into the pressures and expectations that young clients and their parents face, as well as credibility with teachers, school social workers and administrators. Ms. Patterson also lectures to groups on communication and family relationships. Ms. Patterson has a M.A. from the University of Colorado in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy.

Edric Starbird, M.B.A., 

Managing Partner, Starbird & Associates

Mr. Starbird is Managing Partner of Starbird & Associates, a boutique management consulting firm. Prior to creating his own company, he served as Executive Director for US West and was Vice President of Operations for Media One and Verio. He also worked for the consulting firms A.T. Kearney/EDS-MGMT and Ernst and Young. He has expertise in all aspects of corporate operations from product development to marketing and sales. Mr. Starbird received his undergraduate degree from Stanford University and his M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. He is the father of three daughters.

Deirdre Wilson

Quality Review Analyst, Social Security Administration

Ms. Wilson  has worked with the Social Security Administration since 1985. She has been very involved in the community and serves as the Chair of the Chapter Beautillion for Jack and Jill of America, Denver Chapter and is a Usher Board Member of Mt. Gilead Baptist Church. She also served on the Board of Odyssey Charter School and several other children’s charities. Ms. Wilson earned her BA from the University of Colorado.

Karen Silverman, Executive Director

Ms. Silverman has spent her professional and volunteer life working to improve the lives of children and families in Colorado. She was a policy analyst and lobbyist on domestic violence and child welfare issues prior to moving into nonprofit management. She has since worked in human services and education focusing on issues such as teen parenting and early childhood education. She holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado and a J.D. from the George Washington University School of Law. She is the mother of two daughters and can not wait for them to be old enough to become Smart-Girls.