'1 in 5' Episode 13: Meet Lesley Del Rio - Ascend at the Aspen Institute

Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Lesley Del Rio and her son Leo enjoy all the great activities that the state offers. She graduated from Florence Crittenton High School in 2013 and is working toward her B.A. degree in business administration through an online platform called AdvanceEDU and Southern New Hampshire University.

Professionally, Lesley worked as a youth sexual health advocate at the Colorado Public Health Department, implementing positive youth development strategies. She also served as a family advocate for Florence Crittenton Services, where she assisted families in gaining access to public assistance, and as a program manager at Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver.

Lesley is now a Career Pathways Trainer at Mi Casa Resource Center, where she helps job-seekers prepare for careers in high-growth industries. Lesley’s background in community engagement comes from a strong sense of belonging to her Denver community and a foundation of advocacy and organizing. Her passion is improving health equity and social justice in the communities that need it the most.

In her free time, Lesley and her son enjoy being outdoors, hiking, camping, and have recently found a love for skiing.

Listen

You can read the episode transcript here.

Resources

AdvanceEDU is a Denver-based hybrid college that combines high-quality online college degrees from accredited and non-profit universities with in-person supports aimed at helping students succeed.

Florence Crittenton Services is a Denver non-profit that uses a trauma-responsive two-generation program model to help teen families break the cycle of poverty through education, health and wellness, and economic and social asset building.

Mi Casa Resource Center educates, trains, and supports youth and adults on their path to success in education, employment, and business ownership.