PITCH
Hosted by CrossPurpose Change Agency
What is
CHANGE AGENCY?
Change Agency is an idea incubator and accelerator program for CrossPurpose alumni who have an idea to give back to the community and a commitment to implement it.
Participants receive tools, training and coaching every week over the course of nine months to develop and begin implementing their idea, business, project or nonprofit organization.
Pitch Night is a celebration and showcase of the development of these ideas, and provides each Change Agent with the opportunity to receive encouragement and support - through financial gifts to help them kickstart their ventures.
We hope this evening will be both fun and impactful for you, and that you will leave feeling excited and encouraged by what the Change Agents are doing through their ventures. Tonight, as you listen to each pitch, we invite you to support the Change Agents to help them actualize their big ideas.
Thank you for being here!
Jason Janz, CrossPurpose CEO
About CrossPurpose
Since 2012, CrossPurpose has been bringing neighbors in Denver together to abolish relational, economic and spiritual poverty through career and community development.
Upon graduating from our six-month career program, each CrossPurpose Leader will have dedicated over 600 hours to moving forward in their chosen career, developed 100 personal and professional relationships, and consistently demonstrated their ability to learn, grow and succeed throughout the program.
We provide continued support to our Alumni through community events and growth opportunities. Our Legacy Fellowship program is available for those who want to achieve higher education, home ownership, financial freedom, or business ownership - just like tonight’s Change Agents.
1,125 GRADUATES TO DATE
Get Involved
2,813 MEN, WOMEN & CHILDREN OUT OF POVERTY
Visit www.crosspurpose.org/get-involved/ or scan the QR Code to learn about ways you can get involved at CrossPurpose.
CHANGEAGENCY Yearbook
Prior to this year, 16 Change Agents have pitched their ventures at Pitch Night. The following is a list of each Change Agents’ name and business.
Darin Valdez - Colorado Artists in Recovery (CAiR)
Shaundra Wells - Public Assistance Toolbox
Brittany Marlett - ACBI A Child’s Best Interest
Kenneth Cobbin - Gifted Paws
Sheila Littlejohn - Survivors Journey
CLASSOF2018 CLASSOF2019 CLASSOF2020
Lilia Mendoza - Lily Bae Nails
Monique Smith - Herb-N-Glow
CLASSOF2022
Tawanda Felicianna - Fairest of them All
Leticia Tanguma - Image of Light
Destiney Huff Brown - Destiney’s Corner
Musu Cooke - True Grace
Darnell Smith - Grey Goat Transportation LLC
Jacqueline Enriquez - Beloved Grandfamilies
Tahani LuQman - Brotherhood Haven
Andrea Carter- Improve Mobile Lab Services LLC
Danalee Diaz - Colorado Sanitation Company LLC
Welcome Remarks Colorado Attorney General Phil
Weiser
As the state’s chief legal officer, Attorney General Weiser is committed to protecting the people of Colorado and leading an innovative and collaborative organization that addresses a range of statewide challenges and promotes justice for all.
Under Weiser’s leadership, the Department of Law has prioritized work to improve public safety and strengthen our communities, including through reducing crime and recidivism by supporting employment opportunities that increase successful reentry.
Meet the pitchNIGHTDOLPHINS
E sgar Acosta
Esgar Acosta’s career with Alpine Bank began in 2006. However, his relationship with the bank dates back to 1996 when he was awarded the Alpine Bank Hispanic Scholarship to attend Colorado Mountain College. He is currently the Senior Vice President of Community Inclusion and Engagement. Throughout his time with Alpine Bank, Acosta has been deeply involved with the community, participating in more than 15 organizations and nonprofit entities, with some board involvement.
Tobin Arthur has spent a career centered around innovation. The first nine years of his career were with Starbucks Coffee in the early days of expansion as a newly public company. He then transitioned his attention to the healthcare field, where over the last ten years he has built companies including CureUs and AngelMD.
liM l te e Birhanemaskel
Millete Birhanemaskel has spent more than two decades fighting for social justice as a trained journalist and business owner of Denver’s only activist and social justice café, Whittier Cafe. She covered the election of Africa’s first woman president in Liberia and was awarded the National Association of Black Journalists Region IV Journalist of the Year award for a series about Ethiopia. She hosts a show on Tigrai Media House and traveled to Sudan to interview Tigrayan refugees.
Makisha Boothe is Founder and Head Business Coach of Sistahbiz Global Network, a business hub that offers training, coaching, tools and a supportive community to Black women entrepreneurs. Sistahbiz works to close the wealth gap and help Black women solopreneurs and microbusinesses build scalable, sellable businesses. As head business coach in the network, Makisha helps micro businesses rethink their revenue models, human capital strategies, brands, systems, resource allocation.
a kishaBoothe
e a triz Gonzalez
BBeatriz Gonzalez has been with BMO Bank for over 6 years as Vice President of Community & Homeownership Advancement Regional Manager, where she works as a trusted business partner to leaders by researching, defining, aligning, developing, implementing sales and marketing strategies. She is also responsible for diverse and affordable lending strategies in the Mountain Region. Beatriz has been working in the Mortgage industry for over 25 years and brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and understanding to the diverse clients she has served.
Alejandra Harvey is the dynamic CEO of Tendit Group, a $90M leader in exterior facility maintenance and infrastructure services across the Mountain West. Before leading Tendit Group, Alejandra founded American Striping Company (ASC), a pavement marking company that she built from the ground up with just two trucks and two employees. Under her leadership, ASC rapidly grew to a $17M enterprise within five years.
Alejandra’s leadership extends beyond business, as she actively supports foundations like Girls in Construction and the Rocky Mountain Alliance Children’s Foundation, demonstrating her commitment to community and empowering the next generation of leaders.
A l e j an draHarvey
Jeff Hummel is the Co-Founder and CEO of Algotech Systems, LLC, a leader of FinTech in the global CFD marketplace. He is a Professional Investor and the Founder of Spark Market, a fully compliant Venture Capital platform in the United States. Through this platform Mr. Hummel hosts a weekly financial education and investment podcast, ultimately touching over five hundred thousand people weekly through his companies’ global reach. Jeff also sits on the Board of several Fintech and startup companies and is a highly sought after consultant by entrepreneurs.
Ken Hurley is Managing Partner of Menalto Development LLC, a Denver based real estate developer currently in the entitlement phase of a sevenacre mixed use development in the River North neighborhood of downtown Denver. Before moving to Colorado in early 2022, Ken worked in Silicon Valley for 40 years in the semiconductor memory industry. His most notable positions were President of Nanya Technology Corporation USA, CEO of Memoright International and CEO of 4DS Memory.
PatrickLai Lemore
Patrick Lai is a slave of Jesus. He’s worked in SE Asia for 38 years. During this time the Lord enabled him to start 7 profitable businesses in 4 Muslim countries which facilitated the planting of 7 churches. He is the founder of the OPEN Network, the largest business for transformation organization in the world. Patrick is the author of Tentmaking – The Life and Work of Business as Missions; Business for Transformation – Getting Started; and WORKSHIP: Recalibrate Work & Worship.
Taylor McLemore is a CEO & Managing Partner at Human Potential Capital and an EIR at Stand Together. Taylor is a venture builder, scale operator, community connector, and investor. Previously, he launched and built the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator as a Managing Director at Techstars. Taylor is Co-Chair of the DAV National Veterans Entrepreneurship Council. He previously served as an advisor to SHRM Labs and sits on a number of startup boards.
Dave iles
David Miles’ career spans more than three decades, during which he has served as president of three fullservice advertising agencies. In 2016, David was recognized as the 50th recipient of the new home industry’s most prestigious award: Legend in Residential Marketing. David has twice been named one of the 50 most influential people in the home building industry by Builder Magazine. In 2013, David co-founded Strategus, the world’s only independently owned CTV-centric managed services firm in the ad-tech industry.
Dianne Myles is the CEO of Dope Mom Life, whe h channels her passion for storytelling and commu lead a team that creates authentic, impactful content. A celebrated business leader, Diann received numerous awards for her contribution also prioritizes spending time with her two c children, DJ and Tiara, who attend CU Denver.
ianneMyles
TTodd Neel was the first employee of Sola Salon Studios and over 15 years grew it to 750 locations nationally. He retired from Sola and now coaches golf and soccer and works with a golf ministry, Golf FORE! Christ, and a new indoor golf business opening soon, Da Life Golf.
Katie O’Jennes is a Colorado native who grew up in Monument, CO and went to college at CSU where she graduated with a degree in Microbiology. She started with Pepsi out of college 22 years ago and has done various roles in Manufacturing and Warehousing in Colorado, Texas, and California. She is now the Sr. Director of Operations for the new High Point Pepsi facility located near the airport. She loves to hike, watch her Colorado sports teams and recently has been taking up golf.
Oa t ie
Knnes
J o e Pomerenke
Joe spent 18 years building a national design and construction business which he and his partners sold to their associates in 2022. Joe's primary responsibilities were leading sales, marketing, and technology as well as supporting the business expansion to 10 locations nationwide. In January 2024, Joe resigned from his full time position at the company and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. Joe's passionate about helping early stage growth businesses with sales and marketing strategy, specifically in the services and technology sector where he brings the most experience.
Murphy Robinson is President and CEO of Robinson Corporations Security Group, which owns several security service companies that serve businesses and governments all over the state of Colorado and is expanding all over the West. Seca Secure, Robinson Corps. Murphy also owns Cloq, a corporate consulting and intelligence company and Verifi, a industry leading security checkpoint ID verification software company.
Robinson
M u r p hy
Scafidi
Lauren Scafidi is a reporter and anchor at 9NEWS. She joined Colorado’s News Leader one year ago to pursue her career in journalism. Lauren has reported on everything from high profile court cases to skydiving on TV. Before Denver, she hosted Northern Michigan’s most watched morning news show – Michigan This Morning. The Michigan Association of Broadcasters has awarded Lauren in the categories of Best Reporter, Best Anchor, Best Feature Story, and Best Use of New Media.
Rhiannon Streight, MPH, is a facilitation expert certified in the Technology of Participation (ToP) by the Institute of Cultural Affairs. Her approach values and integrates contributions from all group members, fostering longterm commitment, effective teamwork, diversity, and minimal conflict, ultimately leading to high-quality outcomes.Rhiannon has co-led the facilitation of two $1 million HRSA grants, bringing together diverse stakeholders to tackle complex initiatives related to substance use disorders.
2024 Change Agency
JOSIE Burton
Josie is the mother of 9 boys and is driven by her desire to support others in crisis by creating a positive legacy for her children. Now as the executive director of NXT Chapter she is taking the next step toward her dream. As Josie exited the justice system with little support on how to navigate life with a criminal record she became determined to do something to help others like herself. She is a go-getter and highly motivated person.
Josie’s Venture: NXT Chapter is a nonprofit committed to helping formerly incarcerated individuals reintegrate into society by accommodating ex-offenders with essentials upon release from incarceration. We help to obtain I.D. cards, clothing, hygiene items, bus fare, along with employment resources, and mental health workshops. Making the transition back into society a smooth one. Our SEED program is expanding rapidly and we need your support to sustain the growth.
$22,800 SEED NAVIGATORS $22,800 SEED FACILITATORS +
MERCEDES Covarrubias
Mercedes Covarrubias' journey from poverty-stricken neighborhoods of Denver, to becoming an entrepreneur has made her resilient and determined. Mercedes started working at the age of 13 to support herself and help her family. Despite numerous hardships, she never lost sight of her goal, to provide a better life for her children.
Mercedes is committed to showing everyone that life can be tough, but with perseverance, they can overcome any obstacle. Struggle has always been a part of her story but so has her strength.
Mercedes’ Venture: Armed with her financial skills and problem solving abilities, Mercedes is dedicated to fighting for her clients' financial well-being. A Breeze Bookkeeping and Tax offers a range of services, helping clients manage their finances.
$11,000 MARKETING & MEMBERSHIPS + $10,000 SOFTWARE, EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES
$10,000 INSURANCE, SECURITY & OPERATIONS +
CINDY Gries
Cindy Gries is a single mother who has a servant's heart, ready to serve those around her. She has worn many hats over the years and is ready to take that experience to further serve and bring communities together to help each other, especially the “least of these!”
Cindy’s Venture: One Accord offers home modifications making homes ADA Compliant, providing safe access by bringing people together to provide disabled individuals access to their homes, giving independence, community, hope and love.
$15,000 TRAILER & HITCH + $5,000 TOOLS $5,000 MATERIALS + $3,000 INSURANCE & MARKETING +
MELINDA Gonzalez
Melinda is raising three children by herself and is a dedicated mom. She is driven by love for her family and passion for helping others. She is a licensed cosmetologist and barber who has been in the industry for 17 years. Her friends and clients often describe her as giving and generous. She is always ready to lend a hand to uplift those around her. Melinda’s goal is to have her own profitable business while giving people a sense of dignity.
Melinda’s Venture: Rumor Has It is a mobile barbershop business that brings grooming services to men for weddings, corporate gatherings, and other special events. With a passion for community, Rumor Has It will also provide hair services, mentorship, and resources to those in need. Everyone should have the opportunity to look and feel their best no matter what their circumstances are. By combining her entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to helping others, Melinda plans to make a lasting impact on many lives for years to come.
$24,000 VEHICLE + $4,000 EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES $8,000 MARKETING & OPERATIONS +
STEPHAN Marshall
Stephan Marshall is a dedicated member of the Denver community and a proud father. With over five years of experience in the trucking industry, including two and a half years behind the wheel, he has gained valuable insights into the field. Currently, Stephan is an OTR and regional driver for a national trucking company, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role.
Stephan’s Venture: As the owner of Marshall Trucking and Consultation, Stephan is committed to helping new and seasoned drivers enhance their skills in real-world environments and scenarios. His company offers personalized training and support to ensure every driver feels confident and prepared for the road ahead.
$15,000 CURRICULUM & EQUIPMENT + $18,000 OPERATIONS (6 MONTHS) $3,000 INSURANCE + $6,000 MARKETING +
KAYSHAWN Williams
Born in Chicago and raised in Georgia, Kayshawn combines his culinary skills and community spirit to create extraordinary experiences. Despite facing hardships, Kayshawn has proven that success is within reach for those who work towards their dreams. Get ready to taste love and inspiration with Kayshawn Williams, the visionary behind Soulful Feast.
Kayshawn’s Venture: The vision for Soulful Feast started in 2019, and is poised to officially launch in 2025. Now offering a transformative dining experience that fosters meaningful connections and love within our community, creating a truly unforgettable experience. Join the Soulful Feast movement and savor the love!
$13,340 COMMERCIAL KITCHEN + $10,000 HOST 16 EVENTS
$10,775 EQUIPMENT, LICENSE & INSURANCE +
PATMOS Debrah
Patmos Debrah, a native of Ghana, has served in the United States Air Force. Driven by a deep-seated desire to empower his community, Patmos envisions establishing a vocational training program in Ghana, funded by his auto-mechanic business, LD AutoParts. Patmos is one of five children in his family and his mother's hard work and generosity are the foundation of his life journey.
Patmos’ Venture: LD AutoParts aims to revolutionize the salvage parts industry by offering high-quality products. The company prioritizes customers by providing superior service that is both cost-effective and eco-friendly.
$15,000 WAREHOUSE & LAND RENTAL + $11,300 TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
$6,000 FIRST CONTAINER SHIPMENT + $18,000 SIX CARS +
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PITCH NIGHT GIFT INFORMATION
All donations are tax-deductible. Your donation will go directly to CrossPurpose, not the Change Agent. We do this for two reasons: Your donation will be tax deductible. 1. You can have confidence that CrossPurpose will distribute funds to the Change Agents according to their budgets in the form of grant payments. 2. This provides a level of accountability to make sure funds are always used appropriately.
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“Those who have been through the struggle are best suited to help others in it.”
