2023 Women Who Light the Community

September 6, 2023 Embassy Suites

Co-Presented By

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A R T I S A N S OF B A N K I N G

WOMEN WHO

LIGHT THE COMMUNITY CHECKING & SAVINGS | CREDIT CARDS MORTGAGE LOANS | AUTO LOANS COMMERCIAL LENDING | BUSINESS BANKING

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Thank you to our sponsors!

Co-Presenting Sponsors

Honoree Sponsors

Community Sponsors

Connections Sponsor

Media Sponsors Contributing Sponsor AdventHealth Avista BOK Financial

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Agenda Opening Remarks Welcome Sponsor Recognition Cynthia&Case • BWLG Co-Chair

Kristina Lailas-Putterman • BWLG Co-Chair

2023 Honorees Amy Long | Nothing Bundt Cakes Madelyn S. Woodley | ECAACE Awards Ceremony Marie Gambon | Gambon Enterprises Susan Rona | Boulder JCC Wendy Lea | Engergize Colorado Sophia Bandi | Silver Creek High School

Closing Remarks and Champagne Toast John Tayer • Boulder Chamber

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Celebrating 28 Years of Honorees For over two decades, the Boulder Chamber’s Business Women’s Leadership Group has presented the Women Who Light the Community event to honor local women who have made significant contributions through innovation and a committed effort to address business or community needs on a local, regional, national, or global scale.

This year marks the 28th anniversary of the event. To date, Women Who Light the Community has honored 142 of Boulder’s most outstanding women leaders, representing a breadth of industries across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

“Every year, whether in our brightest days and our darkest hours, these Women Who Light The Community honorees shine a bright light for all of to follow,” says John Tayer, President and CEO of the Boulder Chamber.

“Their achievements in business and philanthropic activities, often fighting bias, stereotypes and other adverse conditions, represent the highest aspiration for personal resilience that is a beacon to all us as we confront today’s pressing challenges.”

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2022 Adriana Paola Palacios Nancy Whiteman Allison Billings Bhavna Chhabra Deborah Malden Diana Garcia

2015 Elena Aranda Lori Canova Hayden Dansky Jane Miller Zoe Stith

2008 Wendy Booker Tania Leontov Cindy Lindsay Aya Mariagnes Medrud

2000 Catherine Bedell Meg Collins Kitty deKieffer Helayne Jones Diane Ladd

2021 Jacqueline AttleseyPries Jan Burton Ana Karina Casas Ibarra Berenice Garcia Tellez Annett James Janell Tarma Camposano

2014 Dr. Joanne Belknap Kim Riether Coupounas Dr. Deirdre Pilch Bay Roberts and Patty Gilbert Janette Keene Taylor Nikola Yager

2007 Maryann Balassa Joan Raderman Nancy Smith Jean Wood

1999 M. Cady Halvorson Rita Kotter Terre Lee Rushton Jan McHugh

2006 Becky Annandale Sue Bailhache Ann Mattson Theresa Szczurek Kelly Wyatt

1998 Ann Cooper Connie Holden Malaika Pettigrew Judy Ruzieka

2020 Chrysti Britt Renata Colitti Norma Fuentes Carrie Inoshita Lerato Osnes Laura Soto 2019 Stephanie Carter Rebecca Chavez Frances Draper Paola García Barrón Geri Mitchell-Brown Paula Nelson 2018 Jan Berg Carol Driggs Connie Minden Carmen Ramirez Kirsten Wilson Cante Waste Win Zephier 2017 Allison Barto Naomi Graff Pam Malzbender Janet Martin Elvira Ramos Kathy Valentine 2016 Greta Cain Michelle Carpenter Vivian Dullien Melissa Hart LaVern Johnson Isabel McDevitt

2013 Sue Coffee Dr. Julie Colwell Lenna Kottke Paula DuPre’Presman Diana Sherry 2012 Cindy Carrillo Deborah Conley Diane Dimeff Janet Russell Alex Zinga 2011 Peggy Bruns Dr. Dorothea El Mallakh Brenda Lyle Karen McMurry Catherine Underhill 2010 Barb Batt Kathy Beeck Robin Beeck Marta Moreno Virginia Mcconnell L. Hunter Lovins 2009 Sue Deans Josie Heath Joann Joselyn Diane Magliolo Beverly Sears

2005 Sue Chrisman Kay Hutchinson Bridget Johnson Karen Ripley Darla Schueth 2004 Lynda Gibbons Nicky Marone Barb Martig Edie Ortega Petie Van Everen 2003 Gale Dunlap Marcelee Gralapp Jane McConnell Dee Perry Ann Tapp 2002 Karen Gerrity Barbara Gigone Linda Shoemaker Mary Blue 2001 Lisa Atallah Janet Beardsley Doris Hass Stephanie Rudy

1997 Ruth Jones Dennice Kercher Heather Ryan 1996 Clair Beckmann Barbara Buchman Ida Halasz Meg Hansson

2017

2020

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2023 Honorees Sophia Bandi • Emerging Youth Honoree My name is Sophia Bandi. I graduated from Silver Creek High School this past spring and will be attending Leeds School of Business at CU Boulder this fall studying Business Marketing. I have lived in Longmont, Colorado my whole life and I have loved my time here! I enjoy being outdoors, thrifting, and spending time with my family and friends.

I first became involved in leadership my freshman year of high school by joining Student Government, my school's environmental club, and Silver Creek’s Leadership Academy. I found my passion for leadership when I realized that, even as a high schooler, I could create change within my community. By my senior year, I became President of the Leadership Academy, senior class executive in Student Government, leader of my school’s student section, and I was a part of Raptor Leadership Club, which worked to integrate new students into our school’s culture.

Marie Gambon • Founder, Gambon Enterprises Marie Gambon is the founder of Gambon Enterprises. Marie takes her HR roles very seriously, creating an environment where employees are proud of where they work. She designs and delivers HR practices that are successful and measurable: low turnover, high morale, reduced spending and increased productivity.

Marie was Vice President for People at Lily’s Sweets from 2019 through 2022.Prior to that she was Senior Vice President for People at Boulder Brands from 2011 through 2017. She was also SVP for People at Frontier Natural Brands from 2000 to 2002. From 1994 to 2000 she was a corporate officer and Vice President for People for Celestial Seasonings, Inc. From 1991 to 1994 she was Executive Director of Leadership and Learning Systems for US West. Marie began her career working for IBM. Marie has a BS degree in Communication from Wayne State. She has served on the board of directors of the Colorado Workforce Council; as Chair for Workforce Boulder County for ten years, on the board of directors for the Emergency Family Assistance Association, VIA Mobility Services, Meals on Wheels, and the Boulder Chamber. She is currently on Imagine!’s governing board of directors.

Marie lives with her handsome prince, Ken, in Louisville, CO. They share 4 wonderful sons and 4 perfect grandchildren.

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2023 Honorees Wendy Lea • Co-Founder/CEO Energize Colorado Wendy Lea is an accomplished leader-practitioner with a proven entrepreneurial and ecosystem background. With a wealth of experience in large enterprises and entrepreneurial ecosystems, Wendy works to improve economic conditions for regions, states, and communities through her leadership of public/private partnerships.

Founder of TechHubNow!, Wendy catalyzes innovation and entrepreneurship through advanced technologies that deliver economic and national security. A co-founder and Board Chair of Energize Colorado, Wendy is dedicated to fostering a thriving small business ecosystem that promotes resilience and inclusivity for underserved entrepreneurs across Colorado. She serves on the Governor’s Revenue Estimation Revenue Estimating Advisory Committee (GREAC).

At a national level, Wendy serves on the Center for American Entrepreneurship (CAE) advisory board and as a member of the National Advisory Council for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE), helping develop strategies to strengthen America’s role as a global leader in emerging technologies.

Amy Long • Owner, Operator, Nothing Bundt Cakes Amy Long is owner of Boulder’s Nothing Bundt Cakes, a franchise bakery that combines the warmth of nostalgia with a fresh, modern approach. Her wideranging business experience in the region spans more than 20 years, including financial management, community outreach, business development, restaurant partnership, and franchise ownership. Amy operates her business with a clear mission to make customers feel valued, while continuously innovating to find meaningful ways to engage with and support our community.

She enjoys spreading bundt bliss to key organizations that bolster our community. Her passion to give back may be deeply rooted in the complex journey she and her family navigated when they moved to the United States in 1986, but it’s also enmeshed in a strong work ethic that informs every aspect of her life. Amy, a devoted and integral member of the Boulder Chamber, is a dynamic, entrepreneurial businesswoman who feels a profound connection with the vibrant heart of our community. She believes in building strong relationships, giving back as a socially responsible business leader, and guiding her daughters to become global citizens. To her, these principles form the cornerstone of managing a successful contemporary business today.

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2023 Honorees Susan Rona • Managing Director Boulder JCC Susan's infectious spirit brings people together, accomplishing more than any individual can do alone. She has been involved in the Boulder community since she moved here in 2006. Susan's first volunteer role was in 2008 as the Grassroots Co-Chair for the St. Vrain Valley School District's first successful Mill Levy Override of $16.5M. Through Susan's roles at the Boulder Jewish Community Center (JCC), including Board Chair, Capital Campaign Co-Chair ($30+M Campaign), and Senior Director of Programming, she has deeply impacted our community.

Reflecting one of Susan's goals during the Campaign, the JCC has become a central gathering place for people of all ages and backgrounds to connect and build relationships.

Susan's passion has translated into a consulting practice where she helps nonprofits realize their mission. She continues volunteering for the community at Rose Community Foundation, the Boulder JCC, Tara, and as a mediator for the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.

Madelyn Woodley • Founder, Executive Committee of African American Cultural Events The heartland continuously offers vitality, education, and culture through entertainment, art, and America’s social justice movements. Born in Memphis, TN, raised 30 miles northeast in Rosemark, TN, and currently residing in Colorado, Madelyn Strong Woodley is the core that brings dynamic cultural ties from back home interwoven with professional and personal experiences to a lifetime of service to her community.

Madelyn founded the Executive Committee for African American Cultural Events (ECAACE), an organization that creates events that educate the community about African American culture which include events during Black History Month and Juneteenth. She is an executive committee member of the NAACP, Boulder County Branch, and recently served as chairperson of the 2023 NAACP Freedom Fund Committee which brought the Nashville African American Wind Symphony to Boulder to perform. As a Retired FedEx Corporate Executive, Madelyn’s law enforcement related background has proven beneficial in her most recent role as a member of the Boulder Police Oversight Task Implementation Team and Panel.Madelyn is a charter member with the Longmont Multicultural Action Committee, and a Longmont Housing & Human Services Advisory Board member.

Her success and gusto is driven by her mantra that “Failure is not an option.”

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Thank You

Impact on Education helps prepare Boulder Valley public school students to be future leaders.

We are proud to support Women Who Light the Community.

Join us in support of public education www.impactoneducation.org

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Big in a local way.

Local in a big way.

Elevations is a proud sponsor of Women Who Light the Community elevationscu.com Equal Housing Opportunity Federally insured by NCUA

Be innovative. Be visionary. Be inspiring.

Congratulations to the

2023 Women Who Light the Community Honorees Amy Long Franchise Owner, Nothing Bundt Cakes

Marie Gambon Founder, Gambon Enterprises

Wendy Lea Co-Founder/CEO, Energize Colorado

Madelyn S. Woodley Founder, ECAACE

Susan Rona Managing Director, Boulder JCC

Sophia Bandi Silver Creek High School, Emerging Youth Award

We proudly celebrate the women in our community!

THIS YEAR WE DOUBLED THE FUN. JOIN US THIS FALL.

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As one of the strongest and most active groups within the Boulder Chamber, Business Women’s Leadership Group (BWLG) provides Boulder’s community of business women with education, networking, leadership, and recognition through informative and professional programs. The BWLG also provides the committee for the Women Who Light the Community signature program.

We invite you to join the BWLG to help you build your business and advance your career.

Co-Chairs

Cynthia Case • Alpine Bank

Cynthia Case is a Boulder native who enjoys bringing people together both professionally and personally. Family is something that is very important and has been a value that has shaped many aspects of her life. Being the youngest of four girls, Cynthia has grown up with the support and encouragement of strong women in her life from an early age and enjoys continuing this tradition both personally and professionally. Life always takes us on journeys we never could have planned for ourselves if we only have the courage to walk them out.

Cynthia’s current position as the Relationship Manager for Alpine Bank Boulder is such a journey for her. Being someone who vowed to never work in finance because she wanted to “help people in business”, Cynthia now works for a bank in the community that she has come to love. She found not just a financial institution that can help people, but she also found a bank with a heart where she fully enjoys the challenge of bringing her marketing and operations management skillsets to a dynamic team on a daily basis. If there is a smell of fresh brewed coffee, Cynthia is probably close by and you might even catch her with her knitting in hand. Bringing the heart of hospitality to people is just part of who Cynthia is both personally and professionally.

Kristina Lailas-Putterman • Mountain View Bank of Commerce Kristina is a Commercial Lender with Mountain View Bank of Commerce, a boutique community bank. As a Banker, Kristina works with businesses and business owners on lending as well as assists in cash management and deposit needs. She has lived in Boulder County for 23 + years. She is originally from the Washington DC area and a native Virginian. Kristina has two teenagers, Elias (17) and Genevieve (15) they both attend Fairview High School. She enjoys hiking with her husband Joshua and their dog Rose on the weekends.

She likes to cook and entertain family and friends. A fun fact: She was Host and Producer of a live talk show called, World View Talk. It aired every Monday evening live for an hour. This was broadcasted on a nonprofit station that functioned like PBS, locally in Virginia.

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About the Artist Elisa Garcia Elisa Garcia was born in Uruguay, immersed in the sounds of tango and other Latin American folk music. At the age of eight, she relocated to the US with her family and embarked on a journey of discovering other world cultures. Elisa’s interest in different societies and their customs led her to study Anthropology at the University of Colorado at Boulder. With a strong passion for music and dance, she was eager to explore the impact that these art forms have on building communities.

This led her to join a West African dance and singing group where she learned not only the rhythms of this rich and vibrant land, but also the strong sense of community they create.

Upon graduation, Elisa rediscovered Brazilian music and became a proponent for that lively culture. Through song, she learned to speak Portuguese and dance samba. As she delved deeper into Brazilian music and its origins, Elisa also discovered and fell in love with the sounds of the Cape Verdean Islands and Fado from Portugal.

Elisa’s interests and studies took her around the world, but her search for cultural identity brought her back to her roots in tango and Latin American folk music. Inspired to write her own songs, influenced by these rhythms, Elisa co-founded the Pan-American band, NuMundo.

In 2011, they released their first CD titled “Our Song”.

The years 2013 - 2016 were spent living in Singapore where Elisa collaborated with musicians to share the cultures of Latin America.

Here she also did work as a samba dancer and Zumba instructor.

Elisa is currently living in Colorado with her husband and daughter.

She plays Latin American folk songs with her trio/quartet which includes her percussionist husband Leo Muñoz Corona, and pianist Victor Mestas. They play a variety of styles from Cuban boleros to Mexican huapangos to Argentinian zambas and Uruguayan candombe.

Elisa is also teaching dance classes with Una Vida Niwot and Dance for Parkinson's with 3rd Law Dance/Theater.

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Congratulations to all the WOMEN WHO LIGHT THE COMMUNITY. - From your friends at Alpine Bank Boulder

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Honoring Innovation

Corden Pharma is proud to support the spirit of innovation through the advancement of Women in Science and Technology in the Boulder Business Community.