Aspen Institute Ascend Fellows
Phyllis Albritton
Colorado Safety Net Collaborative
Managing Consultant
Colorado
Erin Brown
The Colorado Health Foundation
Vice President, Community Investment & Impact
Colorado
Matthew Dodson
Axis Health Systems
Senior Director of Integrated Care
Colorado
Verónica Figoli
Accion Opportunity Fund
EVP, Chief Development Officer
Colorado
Tony Gherardini
Department of Personnel and Administration for Governor Polis
Executive Director
Colorado
Tista Ghosh
Edwards Lifesciences
Vice President for Employee Health
Colorado
Gretchen Hammer
Mathematica
Senior Fellow
Colorado
Nikki Hatch
Administration for Children and Families
Regional Administrator
Colorado
William Jaeger
LOR Foundation
Strategic Initiatives Officer
Colorado
Deidre Johnson
Center for African American Health
CEO & Executive Director
Colorado
Liane Jollon
Health District of Northern Larimer County
Executive Director
Colorado
Mark Kling
Nonprofit Consultant
Colorado
Jeff Kuhr
Creighton University Graduate School
Public Health Professional and Instructor
Colorado
Don Mares
The Colorado Trust
President and Chief Executive Officer
Colorado
Michael Niyompong
Merage Foundations
Executive Director
Colorado
Stephanie Seng
Colorado State University
Instructor/Director
Colorado
Mary Anne Snyder
Colorado
Cheryl Ternes
Arapahoe County
Human Services Director
Colorado
Stephanie Villafuerte
Child Protection Ombudsman of Colorado
Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman
Colorado
Scott Wasserman
Thinking Forward, LLC
Principal
Colorado
Ascend Fellows are a community of values-driven leaders who share an unwavering commitment to our shared goal of intergenerational family prosperity and well-being.