President/ CEO, Women's Foundation of Colorado

Lauren Y. Casteel is the first person in Colorado to lead three foundations and possesses nearly 30 years of philanthropic leadership as well as a career-long dedication to inclusiveness. Lauren is an experienced and recognized advocate for women, children, youth, and families in Colorado.

Throughout her career, Lauren has earned numerous accolades. Most recently, she received the 2023 Athena Leadership Award from the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce; the Anti Defamation League Mountain States Region's 2018 Civil Rights Award; the 2016 Monte Pascoe Civic Leadership Award, presented annually by Denver’s Mayor to a member of the community; and one of the 25 Most Powerful Women in 2015 by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. In 2014, she was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

President/ CEO, RTL Networks
Founder, RTL Foundation

Richard Lewis is the founder and CEO of RTL Networks Inc., a leading technology firm with a global presence in government sectors, and also serves as the founder and chairman of the RTL Foundation. Known as a dynamic technology executive and strategist, Richard has driven his company to industry-leading growth and profitability, starting from a basement office to achieving national recognition, all without external investment. 

A United States Air Force Academy graduate with a ten-year military service, Richard holds an MBA from William and Mary and an MS in Computer Science from Colorado Technical University. He is dedicated to supporting education, small business growth, and veterans’ issues, and is passionate about mentoring the youth to enhance their learning opportunities and future prospects.

President/ CEO Colorado Health Foundation

Karen McNeil-Miller is the president and CEO of The Colorado Health Foundation, focusing on strategic investments to aid Colorado's most needy. Since 2015, she has emphasized community engagement as vital to her work.

Previously, Karen led the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust in North Carolina, turning it into a nationally recognized strategic foundation. She also spent 16 years at the Center for Creative Leadership, honing leadership skills.

Karen serves on multiple boards and remains active in philanthropy and health organizations, driven by her background as a special education teacher.

John T. Bailey, born in Danville, Virginia, and raised in Princeton, New Jersey, graduated from Wagner College on an athletic scholarship. After joining the Virginia Squires via the 1971 ABA draft, he became a community leader in Princeton and later moved to Denver in 1976. There, he led the CU student government, worked as a political consultant, and owned a sportswear business before founding The Bailey Consulting Network. He established the Joint Effort Youth Foundation, aiding over 3,000 youths in securing scholarships. John has been involved in numerous community programs and held significant roles in national community development initiatives under Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. Currently, he directs the Bailey Consulting Network, the Colorado Black Round Table, the Black Economic Opportunities Council, and the Black Cannabis Equity Initiative, focusing on social equity in Colorado's cannabis industry.

John Bailey has three sons and was married to esteemed Denver Educator, Researcher and Anthropologist, Dr. Sharon Brown Bailey.

Founder, President & CEO
Maxx Impact Group

Maxine (Pryor) Harris is the Founder and President of Maxx Impact Group, a consulting firm dedicated to creating sustainable solutions for supplier diversity, corporate culture, social responsibility, and community impact.

A gifted strategist, Maxine excels at developing socially responsible programs that benefit clients and support historically underutilized businesses, underrepresented communities, and disenfranchised individuals. She has been honored with several awards for her contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials "Emerging Leader of the Year" and other accolades from organizations like the Colorado Black Women for Political Action and the National Council of Negro Women.

Maxine is known for her emotional intelligence and ability to inspire and motivate, leaving a positive impact on everyone she meets and encouraging them to reach their full potential.

CEO

Civil Technology, Inc.



Rico Nelson is an accomplished executive with expertise in organizational development, talent recruitment, and strategic business leadership. He has a proven track record of driving revenue growth and operational improvements in roles such as the Senior Executive Vice President of Organizational Development at MassMutual Colorado and various leadership positions at Wealth Strategies Group.

Rico is currently the CEO and President/Owner of Civil Technology, Inc., a Denver-based civil engineering and construction management firm. Here, he has focused on stabilizing the company and driving new business initiatives. Additionally, Rico serves as President of the COMTO Colorado chapter, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and community engagement. Throughout his career, Rico has excelled in high-stakes environments, developing solutions that enhance profitability and shareholder value.

Aikta Marcoulier manages SBA operations across six states as Region VIII Administrator. She started at the Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 2012, previously worked with Professional Bull Riders, Inc., and developed the Cyber: Cover Your Assets program.

Marcoulier is active in leadership roles across multiple boards, including the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado and the Pikes Peak Workforce Development Board. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix and undergraduate degrees in economics and psychology from the University of Iowa.

Suzanne Arkle is a nationally respected Subject Matter Expert in Business Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, with a track record of driving organizational change through DEI initiatives. As an advisor on infrastructure projects, she has directed over $4 billion to diverse and small businesses. In 2020, she launched CapBuild, a platform that has financed 32 firms with $17 million, earning recognition from the US Department of Transportation.

Raised in Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Suzanne's early experiences in her family's grocery business fueled her passion for community and finance. After earning her BA in Urban Studies and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from UCLA, she began her corporate career at Citibank and Exxon. Today, she is the President and CEO of ZANN, Inc., specializing in Business Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, with expanded offerings in airport concessions, reflecting her Black Wall Street roots.

Corporate Supplier Engagement Manager, Bechtel Corporation

Kevin will oversee supplier relationship management, category management, and supplier diversity within the supply chain function. He will coordinate with projects and GBUs to deliver consistency, synergy, and a better supplier experience while fostering win-win long-term relationships with suppliers and contractors.

Enhancing our relationships with each of our suppliers collectively is a critical element for realizing continued excellence. To develop these important partnerships, Kevin will lead, but not limited to, the following key components to manage and build long-term supplier relationships: strategic supplier relationship model, category management and market watch outlooks and insights, and diverse supplier partnerships.

Before leading the supplier engagement program, Kevin led the Corporate Diversity and Inclusion office as the Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Prior to his diversity and inclusion assignment, Kevin led the Quality and Six Sigma Infrastructure functional team and other Corporate EPC quality roles, while also serving as the field engineering manager (PFE) for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project in Virginia. Kevin has also served in roles including lead field engineer, lead resident engineer and project engineering. Kevin was promoted to Principal Vice President in April 2022.

Kevin has a Master of Engineering in environmental engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from Rutgers University.

Founder and President, Casel and Associates, LLC.

The Hon. Elbra M. Wedgeworth, a native of East Denver, has over 30 years of experience in both the private and public sectors. She has held roles in all three branches of Denver City Government: City Council, the Auditor's Office, and the Mayor's Office. Elbra was elected as the District 8 City Councilwoman in 1999 and served as Council President from 2003 to 2005. She worked as the Director of Philanthropic and Government Affairs at Denver Health before returning in 2007 as Chief Government and Community Relations Officer, securing a $75 million bond for the Denver Health Outpatient Medical Center in 2017.

Elbra played a pivotal role in Denver hosting the 2008 Democratic National Convention, a historic event as the largest of its kind in the region since 1908 and marked her as the first African-American woman to chair a Host Committee. Recognized for her public service and leadership, she has received numerous awards, including being named one of Colorado's Most Influential Women by the Denver Post in 2012 and being inducted into the Blacks in Colorado Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2019, she was honored with the Legacy Award from the Denver Business Journal for her significant local contributions.

In addition to her public roles, Elbra has served on several boards, including the Denver Union Station Project Authority and the Downtown Denver Partnership, and was the first woman of color on the Board of Trustees for FirstBank, Colorado. Since retiring in 2019, she founded Casel & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in Community Engagement, Leadership Resources, and Diversity and Inclusion.