about her community involvement, Matsukage said her great grandparents moved to Honolulu, and someone gave them a hand. “I want to help new generations the same way,” she said.
GERIE GRIMES Nonprofit and Community Leader
Matsukage’s many honors include the 1999 Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the 2006 Minoru Yasui Community Service Award from the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, the 2006 Mary Lathrop Trailblazer Award from The Colorado Women’s Bar, and an Outstanding Alumni Award from DU’s Sturm College of Law. She dedicates countless hours educating attorneys about her area of specialty and experience as an Asian attorney and woman.
Gerie Grimes is a sincere and highly capable leader who exudes passion for local community and families, and describes herself first as a mother, grandmother, and wife of 47 years. She is deeply committed to Denver’s Park Hill community where she has always lived and worked. Grimes has been President/CEO of Hope Center for the past 12 years, a non-profit providing early childhood education and vocational training for adults with disabilities. She has an MA in Non-Profit Management from Regis University, and a BA in Non-Profit Administration from Metropolitan State University. She is a Buell Fellow and currently a PhD candidate at the University of Denver.
LESLIE FOSTER Nonprofit and Community Leader Induction Date – 2018
Leslie Foster is a devoted nonprofit leader who lifts up others to fulfill their potential, making communities work for diverse populations. Foster has been the Executive Director of The Gathering Place since 1990, which serves women and children experiencing homelessness. Phillip Infelise, CEO of Pcubed, remarked, “One of the most memorable hours with Leslie was spent walking down Colfax. I quickly realized Leslie's dedication to serve the community goes well beyond the walls of The Gathering Place. Everyone we passed addressed Leslie by her first name; and she did likewise to them. I realized how expansive the impact of service can be when it comes in the form of a woman like Leslie." She graduated magna cum laude from Stevens College in Missouri, and received her MA in Public Administration from University of Colorado at Denver (CU Denver). Under Foster’s leadership, The Gathering Place now has an annual budget of $2 million and assets over $7 million. The organization serves 250+ members who come daily. In 2016, there were 61,000 visits from 5,986 individuals, including 2,000 children. Over 65,000 meals and 824 medical screenings were provided. In a prior role as the Pro Bono Project Coordinator of the Mental Health Association of Colorado (now Mental Health America), Foster created a nationally recognized program that placed mental health professionals in schools and shelters. Foster’s parents instilled a deep sense of civic engagement, volunteerism, and social justice. Leslie's father was a union pipefitter and her mother was one of the first Activity Directors in Nursing Homes, and a member of Governor Romer's Commission on Aging. Foster joined the Board of Directors of Community Shares of Colorado (CSC), serving as Board Chair from 1993 – 1996. In 1993, she became a member of the Denver Community Leadership Forum, and was appointed to the Mayor's Commission to End Homelessness in 2003. Her many honors include the Colorado Women’s Agenda Foremother Award in 1995, Colorado Business and Professional Women, Woman of the Year in 1999, and Recipe
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WOMEN OF DENVER QUARTERLY SPRING 2018
Induction Date – 2018
Grimes’ life work is to change the playing field for all regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, skin color, or marital status. Hope Center, where she has worked for 36 years, serves 250 children including gifted children 2 ½ - 5 and 30 adults with developmental disabilities. Many are labeled ‘at risk’ by the State, a label Grimes believe we should abandon because every child comes with strengths first, and then areas to work on. Grimes community involvement is expansive across 45 years of service. She has provided leadership for organizations including the Center for African American Health, Denver Early Childhood Council, Colorado Association for the Education of Young Children, National Black Child Development Institute Denver Affiliate, Transforming the Early Childhood Education Workforce, Denver Preschool Program Advisory Board, Holly Area Redevelopment Project (HARP), Mayor’s Head Start Policy Council, Mayor’s Early Childhood Education Commission, Metro State University Board of Trustees, Colorado Black Women for Political Action, Falcons Youth Organization, and the Police Activities League. Her incredible dedication has been recognized with many honors including the Denver Early Childhood Council Founding Board Member Recognition Award in 2017, William Funk Award for Building Stronger Communities in 2014, Mile High United Way – Anna Jo Haynes Caring About Kids Award in 2013, the Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award in 2013, the Minoru Yasui Community Service award in 2011, the Mary McLeod Bethune Award of Achievement in 2013, and the 2011 Colorado Children’s Champion Award.