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.
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 25 years of experience in corporate finance, banking, treasury, accounting, and financial management. Her banking experience includes time spent with two regional banking organizations as Vice President, where she managed large corporate banking relationships. She was also CFO of a prominent performing arts organization, and served as treasurer of RE/MAX. Currently, she is a financial manager at RTD. In her spare time, she taught accounting at Metropolitan State College of Denver. Ms. Scarpino received a BA and MBA from the University of Denver and she is a CPA.
Dr. Brenda Allen
Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, University of Colorado, Denver
Dr. Allen (Ph.D., Howard University) is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Colorado Denver. She also is a Professor of Communication and she serves as Master Mentor of the Tenure Track Faculty Mentoring Program at the university. Her research and teaching areas are organizational communication, diversity, group communication, and critical pedagogy. Among her numerous publications is a groundbreaking book entitled Difference Matters: Communicating Social Identity (2nd Ed., 2011, Waveland Press). In addition to performing her duties at the University, she presents keynote speeches and conducts workshops and consultations on a range of topics, including self-empowerment, diversity, strategic planning, presentational speaking, and teamwork.
Jenae Anderson
Senior Vice President, Commercial Banking Division, Vectra Bank
Ms. Anderson has over 18 years of experience in commercial banking with expertise in banking related sales and relationships. Ms. Anderson also sits on the Colorado Lending Source Board. Ms. Anderson received her B.S. in Finance from Colorado State University and her M.B.A. in Finance from Eastern Michigan University.
Kimberley M. Bolt, Marketing and Development Chair
Marketing, Management, Real Estate
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 & Global Inclusion, Newmont Mining Corpration
Ms. Carter is a nationally recognized consultant, trainer and speaker with over 15 years experience int he fields of diversity, cultural change and inclusiveness. In 2012, she joined Newmont Mining Corporation as the Director of Diversity and Global Inclusion. She received her B.A. from Standford University and her M.B.A. from Northwester University. Jeannine has a daughter who demonstrates the principles of the Smart-Girl organization.
Dr. Mary Coussons-Read
Professor of Psychology and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activities
Dr. Coussons-Read received her PhD in Psychology and Neurobiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed postdoctoral training in Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School Of Medicine. She is a Professor of Psychology and Health and Behavioral Science and the Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Creative Activities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD). Dr. Coussons-Read has a distinguished record of teaching, research, and service, and has served in numerous leadership positions on and beyond her campus including Chairing the UCD Faculty Assembly on the Downtown Campus and serving as Faculty Council Vice-Chair. Her academic background is concentrated in psychology and mind/body health, and she has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles in behavioral and health science.
Kevin Kearney
Computer Technologies and Healthcare
Mr. Kearney, past founder and corporate executive office 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 year. His expertise in collecting end-user-derived data and in partnering with clinicians to bring health professional credible and useful patient surveys. Although recently retired, he is currently involved in a sports apparel business. Mr. Kearney is married and has four children.
Alma Lantz, President Emeritus, Smart-Girl
Education, Psychology, Co-Founder
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.
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, Bordelon & 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.
Shawn Turner, J.D.
Associate, Patton, Boggs, LLP
Mr. Turner’s practice focuses in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general business transactions. He also provides advice to public and private companies in the area of securities law compliance and on general corporate matters. Mr. Turner’s experience includes representing state agencies in their review of proposed transactions, investment firms in recapitalization initiatives, REITs and other real estate investors in dispositions, and companies involved in mergers and acquisitions. While in law school, Mr. Turner was the Editor-in-Chief for the Case Western Reserve Law Review, was a founding member and President of Weatherhead Toastmasters (a chapter of Toastmasters International), and participated in the law school’s Big Buddies program, which focused on tutoring inner-city elementary students. Mr. Turner received his B.A. from Hanover College and both his M.B.A. and J.D. from Case Western Reserve University. He is the father of two daughters.
Mike Villareal
Intern, Knippenberg, Patterson, Bordelon & Associates
Mr. Villareal earned his business degree from Regis University after serving 11 years in the U.S. Army. His experiences have given him the opportunity to work with children in school settings with emotional and cognitive and pervasive development differences. Mr. Villareal’s passion is giving children and adolescents tools and skills that will build strong foundations for a functional life. This passion has been the stepping stone for him as he is currently pursuing his master’s degree as a Licensed Professional Counselor at Adams State University and is in his second year as an intern with Knippenberg, Patterson, Bordelon & Associates. As a former Cherry Creek High School graduate he has remained very active in the Denver community and currently coaches wrestling at his alma mater.
