2017 Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows

Meet the 2017-2018 class of Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows, who work to ensure Colorado is the best state to have a healthy baby in a thriving family. Their strategies include high quality early learning and health care, reimagining the child welfare system, and building a new culture and smarter service delivery within human services to improve the lives of young children and their families.

Phyllis Albritton
Managing Consultant
Colorado Safety Net Collaborative
Colorado
Erin Brown
Vice President, Community Investment & Impact
The Colorado Health Foundation
Colorado
Matthew Dodson
Senior Director of Integrated Care
Axis Health Systems
Colorado
Verónica Figoli
Vice President for Institutional Partnerships
Accion Opportunity Fund
Colorado
Tony Gherardini
Executive Director
Department of Personnel and Administration for Governor Polis
Colorado
Tista Ghosh
Vice President for Employee Health
Edwards Lifesciences
Colorado
Gretchen Hammer
Founder
Public Leadership Group
Colorado
Nikki Hatch
Regional Administrator
Administration for Children and Families
Colorado
William Jaeger
Strategic Initiatives Officer
LOR Foundation
Colorado
Deidre Johnson
CEO & Executive Director
Center for African American Health
Colorado
Liane Jollon
Executive Director
San Juan Basin Public Health
Colorado
Mark Kling
Executive Director
Family Resource Center Association
Colorado
Jeff Kuhr
Public Health Professional and Instructor
Creighton University Graduate School
Colorado
Don Mares
President and Chief Executive Officer
The Colorado Trust
Colorado
Michael Niyompong
Executive Director
Merage Foundations
Colorado
Stephanie Seng
Instructor/Director
Colorado State University
Colorado
Mary Anne Snyder
Colorado
Cheryl Ternes
Director
Arapahoe County Department Human Services
Colorado
Stephanie Villafuerte
Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman
Child Protection Ombudsman of Colorado
Colorado
Scott Wasserman
President
The Bell Policy Center
Colorado