DenverAugust 11, 2022 | Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel

Alyssa “AJ” Johnson is Executive Assistant, Financial Institutions Group, at NFP Corporation — but perhaps it’s more accurate to describe her as a master juggler. An expert EA, she deals with numerous C-Suite executives and adeptly handles all matters that arrive at her desk, from managing calendars for the team to helping coordinate eight different offices. In fact, earlier this year, she was tasked with taking a raw space and turning it into a functional office, flawlessly handling the multitude of responsibilities from beginning to end. She consistently demonstrates NFP’s people-first culture — she offers help and mentorship to everyone from junior associates and interns to the those at the highest levels of the organization. And she’s equally committed to her owning learning and self-improvement, even working to become a licensed insurance broker, which will only increase her already astronomical value to the company. AJ is a champion for NFP and the work the company does. It’s no wonder her colleagues say they couldn’t do any of it without her.

As Administrative Coordinator for the City of Denver, Jennifer Rylatt often says to be great at her job is to be “invisible” — something she expertly achieves through her behind-the-scenes work that allows her colleagues to shine. And it’s those some colleagues who believe her extraordinary talents deserve illumination. From jumping in to cover three vacant full-time positions so staff felt fully supported to identifying waste and determining a more efficient process for mailing, Jennifer constantly proves why she is an invaluable asset to the city, its employees and its citizens. Further, she took the initiative to organize monthly administrative get-togethers with Admins from across the city as a way to build rapport and trust and to serve as resources for each other. In those meetings, Jennifer always brings enthusiasm, authenticity, and structure to the group, with her humor, positivity and energy serving as an inspiration to her fellow Admins. She is the ultimate professional whose many incredible qualities are impossible to overlook.

Selena Veleta is Team Lead in Southwest Airlines’ Station Services Office, where she is responsible for oversight of the administrative staff who work to serve internal customers. The SSO is the pulse of the Denver Station — and Selena is the pulse of the SSO. She is a pillar of support and knowledge who approaches her numerous important tasks with a "can do" attitude and works each day to elevate her team. Selena is an impactful leader who takes action and invokes action from those she works with by listening and giving ownership. As she’s worked her way up through various SWA administrative roles, she’s demonstrated an internal drive to always do more and do it better — and leave things better than she found them. Selena's passion for her work, her team and the company as a whole is powerful, contagious and authentic. Without fail, she leads with an open ear, an open heart and an open mind.

Candy Romero is Executive Assistant for the City and County of Denver Department of Public Health and Environment — although she’s better known as the “glue that holds the office together.” In her role, she supports the behavioral health team and the HIV resources team, and is dedicated to the department’s mission, ensuring everyone and everything is always taken care of. She’s known for radiating kindness, selflessness and compassion, and she is committed to providing executives and coworkers with a powerful platform for recognizing and understanding the needs of their specific programs, as well as highlighting the importance of the work that occurs within the organization. Additionally, she showed her steadfast loyalty during the pandemic by coming to the office in person to ensure operations were not disrupted while much of the office was deployed to help with COVID services. Candy always goes above and beyond to make sure everyone within the department — and those they serve — are fully supported.

As Executive Assistant to the Chief Operations Officer at CTM, Amber Newberry has proven herself a talented, fearless negotiator, culture creator, inefficiency disruptor and game changer. In her role, she’s handled everything from a 6,000-square-foot remodel of the CTM office building and implementation of a new travel and expense program for 3,500 employees to organizing events and conferences for more than 100 personnel and initiating a companywide “Birthday Buddies” program to help underprivileged children in the Denver community who often do not receive gifts for their birthdays. She gladly accepts more responsibility, having supported everyone from the CEO/President, CMO, CFO and COO.  No matter what time of the day or night she’s called upon to help, Amber responds with an unfailingly professional and positive attitude to ensure leadership has exactly what they need. She always provides feedback to her peers in a caring, constructive manner — one of many reasons she is known as the kind of leader, and human, others aspire to be.

Becky Toliver is Office Assistant at Real Capital Solutions, where she has spent the past 29 years solidifying her reputation as positive, dedicated, hard-working employee. That dedication became even more apparent during the pandemic when Becky came to the office every day to support her colleagues — ensuring her daily tasks were completed so that they could perform their jobs without interruption and even helping to process distribution checks to investors. Becky, who was born with cerebral palsy, is constantly displaying her ability to go far beyond expectations, not only in work but in life. At one point, she decided to complete the 1K Coleman for the Cure walk with her crutches and all — then took a wrong turn and ended up doing the entire 5K. Becky brings that type of determination and tenacity to everything she does for Real Capital Solutions. She’s always up for a challenge, and never considers any task too big or small for her to tackle.

Brenda Silva-Ramirez is Program Staff Assistant for the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, where she’s already proven herself a perfect fit. She has a warm, inviting personality that enables her to connect with everyone who walks through the doors, while also possessing a laser focus that has allowed her to make significant improvements to tasks such as maintaining all COVID-19 records for the department. It’s an immense project, but Brenda has persevered, working her way through all the records retention policies, gaining an understanding of the current system and devising the best way to move forward. Brenda exemplifies the City and County of Denver’s STAR values (Service to Customers, Teamwork, Accountability and Ethics, Respect for Self and Others, Safety) by greeting all internal and external stakeholders with a smile and by taking part in numerous committees, meetings and trainings. She consistently demonstrates outstanding administrative qualities — qualities that grow greater each and every day.

Shannon Gibson is Pre-Admissions and CARE Team Lead at Optimal Care, and while she possesses an outstanding professional skillset, it’s her kindness that truly distinguishes her as one of a kind. Whether it’s decorating employees' desks and offices for their birthdays or coordinating with her team to celebrate their wins and help them learn from their losses, she’s unwaveringly committed to supporting others. She goes above and beyond her job description to help with company events and frequently picks up extra shifts to provide coverage for the team. Shannon often brings treats to the office for a quick “pick me up,” sharing cookies and snacks from Trader Joe's and bringing in donuts for National Donut Day. She plans spirit days for the office, with several of these celebratory days serving to raise funds for local animal shelters, women's shelters and veteran organizations. Shannon truly is a ray of light to the office and the larger community.

As an Investment Banking Assistant at Piper Sandler, Morgan Gourgues exemplifies what it means to be a team player. Examples of her strategic partnership across the company are practically endless — she used her knowledge of the industry to help senior bankers seamlessly integrate into the Senior District Group team; helped open the Utah temp office, where she set up the office space and trained administrative staff once they were hired; and she continues to build and maintain relationships with clients. She is the face of Piper Sandler’s SDG educational sessions, Q&A sessions and resource lunches, which include guest speakers, internal educational courses and networking with consultant groups. Morgan is always willing to share knowledge, whether that means answering technical questions, organizational leadership questions — or questions about where to find the best local BBQ spot for catering a lunch. She unlocks incredible value for the business through her positive attitude and determination to complete every task efficiently and collaboratively.

Karen Nelson is Technical Editor at SBSA, and in this role, she uses her immense skill set to edit and translate complex engineering reports typically used in litigation settings into high-quality, readable documents — work that is essential to the success of the company. Despite demanding deadlines, she works with more than 30 people in the organization to complete all reports and ensure that they meet the highest standards. Karen’s commitment to precise work is always on display, whether in small technical memorandums or full reports that exceed 500 pages. Her ability to manage high-pressure situations with patience and tranquility is an inspiration to others in the firm, as well as to clients. Additionally, Karen is a bridge builder across the company — she advocates for the professional growth of her colleagues, patiently teaches and mentors the administrative team, and is an exemplar of professionalism to all who work with her. Her work ethic, positive attitude, and pursuit of perfection sets the standard for excellence at SBSA.

Whitney Loftesnes is Executive Assistant to the CEO & CRO at Convercent, where her talent for collaboration elevates the entire executive team. She is a true partner to her leader, especially in the way she adeptly understands the relationships between Convercent’s investors, board, and executive team. When the company sold to Onetrust this year, it was Whitney who was asked to project manage the $275 million acquisition — an undertaking that required working with tax consultants, M&A advisors in Paris, existing investors across the united states, legal teams exceeding 15 people across both sides, and a nerve-wracked CEO. Despite her many impressive professional successes, Whitney never seeks the limelight. Instead, she unfailingly looks for ways to recognize others, such as encouraging executives to champion their teams during quarterly business reviews and ensuring that new executives at Convercent understand the company’s uniquely positive culture. Whitney leads the charge in making sure that, day in and day out, everyone at Convercent is the best version of themselves.

Sara Golden is Executive Assistant at U.S. bank, where she not only does an outstanding job in her primary role but also makes the entire organization shine by supporting broad community and employee efforts. Sara utilizes her technical, managerial and relationship skills to help make U.S. bank a top-performing company — for example, she recently utilized floorplan software so that the bank could easily find space for new hires and kept employees connected during the pandemic, organizing fun virtual events like trivia games and holiday “ugly sweater” contests. On top of all that, Sara has historically been the point person for the company’s largest customer event in Colorado, the “U.S. bank day at the broncos,” and is incredibly active in many business development groups (brgs) that support diversity, equity, and inclusion. A common refrain in the office is “Sara is great to work with,” and her efforts to go above and beyond have strongly influenced key relationships and helped differentiate U.S. bank from other institutions.

Denise Bucher is Executive Assistant to the President at Front Range Community College. In her multi-faceted role, Denise has become known as the glue that binds the college and its positive culture together. She organizes weekly leadership meetings, supports the president’s daily schedule, and manages key external events such as signing ceremonies. While Denise has excelled in every role she’s held at front range, she has proven herself especially invaluable through her amazing work to assist the college during the covid-19 pandemic. She expertly organized a campaign to distribute masks to staff and students, managed weekly virtual town halls, and created a virtual “graduation in a box” that was mailed to thousands of students when in-person commencement ceremonies were not possible — an idea that proved immensely popular with graduates. She even organized a virtual professional development day for 90 admins while simultaneously adapting to new technologies and deploying them flawlessly. Denise consistently demonstrates organization, initiative, independence, and positive energy — everything a true achiever should be.

Destiny Sipres is Operations Coordinator for Colorado Fetal Care Center and NICU; scheduler for pulmonary hypoplasia clinic; and Administrative Coordinator for North American Fetal Therapy Network. If her many titles and responsibilities don’t automatically give away how dedicated destiny is to serving the health needs of the public, her commitment to assisting patients from check-in all the way through the treatment process definitely does. Destiny is the public face of CFCC, and in that very external-facing role, she consistently handles both employees and patients with the utmost positivity. She also never hesitates to take on additional roles when necessary — for example, when the NICU milk lab was in crisis over staffing during covid-19, she stepped up and worked to ensure that the NICU babies were fed and that the milk technicians were not overburdened. Though she’s always on the go, Destiny is the first person to check on other employees’ well-being or just stop by to say hi — making her the true embodiment of CHCC’s caring culture.

Sarah Stehr is Executive Assistant for the City of Westminster (Colorado), where she routinely demonstrates that title alone does not define a leader. In her role, she handles budget preparation, the monitoring of expenses, pay draw certifications, and purchase order issuance for a department of 75 employees, some of whom directly manage public works design and construction projects valued in the tens of millions of dollars — and that’s in addition to all the other responsibilities that typically fall under an EA role. As the only EA in the organization who directly supervises administrative staff, Sarah leads with patience and confidence, empowering her staff to lead alongside her and motivating them to do their best work. She also leads by example, pursuing her own goals by earning the administrative professionals course certification and working towards her project management certification. Sarah has said, “I want to inspire” — and like all great leaders, that’s exactly what she does.

Mackenzie Santana is Administrative Services Coordinator for Avista Adventist Hospital and has been tremendously successful during her tenure serving as the connector between various levels of hospital leadership, staff, and the community. She was the first at the hospital to serve both the CEO and coo simultaneously and during her time at Avista, has supported four CEOs, three CMOs, four CNOs, and three CFOs. Her ability to expertly adapt to the priorities of leaders and the organization as a whole made Mackenzie an obvious choice to co-lead Avista’s early vaccine clinics, ensuring that all processes ran smoothly and that the customer experience was consistently positive. Despite the additional responsibilities brought on by the pandemic, Mackenzie never faltered in her support of internal staff, community members, board members, and leaders, particularly in her efforts to ensure c-level staff stayed connected with their employees and the greater community. Mackenzie’s loyalty and dutiful service have played a vital role in securing Avista’s renowned position in the community.

Aaron Quintana is District Administrator for Target, where he covers 17 stores in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. After assuming the role in 2020, Aaron immediately leveraged his strengths in building relationships based on trust and attention to detail to gain buy-in from store directors, district business partner teams, and his boss. He set up status time with each store director and member of the district leadership team to learn what they valued most in the district administrator role and where there was room for improvement. In addition to his district admin responsibilities, Aaron also serves on the district’s diversity and inclusion action committee — where has been featured in the group and region for his work with LGBTQIA+ initiatives — and supports other volunteer efforts within the district. The exceedingly positive feedback from the district’s 16 store directors and 3,000 hourly team members illustrates how, by embracing and exemplifying the culture of target, Aaron has taken the district admin role and elevated it into something truly special.

Christie Peterson is Senior Administrative Assistant at Oracle, where she has developed a reputation as an optimistic encourager who makes everyone feel genuinely valued and supported. She is the ultimate self-starter, working with oracle’s talent & development team to craft a training plan for herself and others that helps them better understand the competencies required to succeed in their administrative roles. She also demonstrates an enduring commitment to making personal connections, such as ensuring all team members are celebrated on their birthdays and work anniversaries — and even makes homemade cards for them. Christie is an invaluable resource to new hires at oracle, expertly helping them navigate their first few days at the company by ensuring they have access to the technical help they need to get up and running quickly. Her positive spirit is contagious, as is the way she makes those around her feel endlessly encouraged. In the words of her colleagues, christie is truly a “master connector.”

As the Executive Assistant and Grants Manager at Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Ashley Sparhawk seamlessly multi-tasks across every area department and delivers a high volume of work, all while helping manage the executive’s calendar and hefty deliverables. No matter how heavy the load gets, Ashley is always pleasant, supportive, and moves everyone forward. She is the entire company’s go-to for, well, everything! A motivated self-starter, Ashley took it upon herself to study online to become proficient in editing contracts, engaging in government correspondences and briefing protocols, and project management. It doesn’t go without notice throughout the organization that Ashley is always willing to go the extra mile for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation and for the people with Down syndrome that the organization serves. She has eagerly taken over the Global Membership Grants Program and enrolled in related courses and now brings excellent resources to the table. After she became Grants Manager, Ashley doubled the number of applicants and grants provided and streamlined the application process. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s mission is to significantly improve the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education, and advocacy. Ashley’s work truly reflects corporate values—a strong work ethic, pride of work, managing work and stress with grace, leadership, teamwork, best practices, and making a tangible and significant difference for the people the company serves. During the pandemic, Ashley has been managing more than 300 emails per day and countless phone inquiries, helping people who are food insecure and in need of other necessities. She has become a vocal advocate and liaison for children and families the organization serves, connecting them with pro bono lawyers for legal services and with medical professionals for life-saving care. Ashley has also been instrumental in growing the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest fundraiser for people with Down syndrome in the world. She takes the lead on ensuring there are smooth logistics and happy celebrities and fashion show models. Her passion, compassion, loyalty, intelligence, and hard work have touched the lives of more than 25,000 people with Down syndrome. Her passionate commitment to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation allows the organization to successfully deliver its mission, vision, and goals.

Rene Garcia exemplifies the spirit of positivity. For 17 years, Rene has been part of the Janus Henderson Investments team where he always offers a warm smile when greeting fellow colleagues. Rene brings a spirit of teamwork to the company with his helpfulness, generosity, and charity. He prioritizes building relationships, developing connections, and creating opportunities for others. He is the first person to lend a hand--or his phenomenal surround-sound speaker--to make company events memorable. No matter what task is at hand, it’s a guarantee Rene is the first to arrive and last to leave to ensure every detail is taken care of. Rene epitomizes the spirit of ingenuity and is always eager to learn new technology and train others. Throughout remote office, he has enthusiastically brought the company’s global team together through weekly QuaranTEAM activities, where team members reminisced about favorite concerts, swapped recipes, tested their ab strength with plank challenges, and dressed in baseball attire for virtual happy hours. In a time of uncertainty, he has lifted spirits with joy and positivity while fostering an environment of inclusivity and connection. At the office, Rene leads the culture committee, organizing the annual cookie exchange, potlucks, and fun surprises. Outside of work, he donates his time to charity to deliver supplies to those in need. Colleagues note that Rene’s admirable spirit of humility means he would never expect an award, as he is always willing to step aside so others may have the spotlight. But today, it is his turn to be honored for his infectious spirit.

Amber Smith is the face of National Corporate Housing. The moment any employee or guest walks into the lobby of National’s headquarters, they are greeted with Amber’s luminous smile a warm welcome. Each day, she seamlessly assists with a wide variety of projects across multiple departments, all while sharing her creativity, positivity, and dedication. She often volunteers to help with tasks outside of her scope of responsibility, adding value to any team she joins. Amber excels at customer service, organization, and managing details, making her work look effortless, although everyone at the company knows it’s not. In addition to her daily responsibilities, Amber founded and co-chairs the company’s diversity and inclusion committee, leading the way on how National Corporate Housing can become a better, more inclusive organization. During her speeches, she has moved colleagues to tears and has changed hearts and minds about important racial issues, all while instigating change within the company and in her community. To put it simply, Amber is an incredible human being, at work and throughout the community. Whenever someone needs help, she always finds a way to say yes--a shining example of a team player who always goes above the call.

Loyalty and longevity are the first two words that come to mind when describing Chrissy Allen, who began her career with Waste Management 22 years ago and has been with the same district throughout her tenure. She oversees four operations support members who collectively support over 290 employees. When one thinks of a sustainable, healthy company culture, Chrissy comes to mind. She has been instrumental in creating this culture, thanks to her positive attitude, accountability, tenacity, consistency, and influence. She remains one step ahead of whatever needs to be addressed. She knows every employee by name, is the first to welcome new team members, and easily adapts to many leadership styles. She has been quick to take on extra responsibilities, including project management. In addition to her duties as Office Manager, she also oversees $300 thousand in facility maintenance and has helped stabilize the budget for several years. Her contribution to the community and to the health of employees is one of her greatest passions. She coordinates donations for multiple organizations, including local emergency and law enforcement, and organizes nonprofit food and clothing donations. She also organizes company-wide wellness programs, including an annual 5K event and stress management courses. She quick to think of ideas and organize events to boost company morale, with barbecues, breakfasts, and gifts, and orchestrates donations for team members in need. The best way to describe Chrissy’s importance to the hauling site is this: “She is the company’s heartbeat.”

It wasn’t easy finding the right person for the Executive Assistant/Office Manager job at Canna Advisors, but once Sarah Barrett came along, the search was over. When HR called for Sarah’s references, they were told she was “money” and that she should be hired immediately so that she wouldn’t get away. So, Sarah "Money" Barrett was hired, and the rest is history. Today, she is the glue the keeps the company together and running smoothly. Sarah ensures the various company departments are working effectively and in sync, and because of her, the company culture has never been stronger. Canna Advisors’ sales processes have improved because of Sarah, thanks to her coordination efforts with the sales team to implement more structure around the CRM platform, and she leads efforts to create more internal SOP's to define and refine internal processes. In the midst of a global pandemic and while working remotely, she trained the entire company on how to use the new phone system and improved internal communication with the implementation of Slack. Whenever it’s time to volunteer, Sarah is first to sign up. She also participates in an Administrative Assistant group to learn ways to be even more effective in her role has taken several industry certification courses to understand more about the business Canna Advisors serves and supports. In the short time Sarah has been with Canna Advisors, she has become indispensable, so much so that she was recently promoted to Chief of Staff.

For two decades, Cherie Harris has dedicated her skills, time, and attention to the Mercy Housing community. There are many times company executives have wondered if Cherie would leave the nonprofit industry, and they are always relieved to know that she has stayed. She takes it upon herself to provide exceptional assistance and service to all departments within the organization and supports residents and individuals looking for housing by being a friendly first point of contact when they call Mercy Housing’s corporate office. She is a true champion for affordable housing with a tireless commitment to serving Mercy Housing. In short, she is a wonderful ambassador for the organization. Cherie also oversees the intern program by providing support, training, and direction to Mercy Housing’s high school students, so they gain useful skills to apply in their careers. Beyond mentoring, she also makes sure the students, most of them from disadvantaged backgrounds, have snacks and the tools they need for success while working. Cherie is caring and resourceful, always happy to offer help no matter the task. Her quick wit, attention to detail, and loyalty to the organization endears her to colleagues. She has weathered many changes within the organization and is the company go-to for historical facts. A self-starter, she takes it upon herself to seek ways to better herself and learn new skills. Not only is Cherie the rock of the team at Mercy Housing, she is also the rock at home where she devotes her time outside of work to care for her son with special needs.

Sue Thielen is the District Administrative Coordinator for Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm. Sue joined the company in 2002 as a staffing support professional and has been promoted several times into roles with increasing responsibility, including lead administrator, district operations specialist, and zone operations coordinator. During her 18 years with the company, Sue has become an undeniable asset. She continually seeks new opportunities within the company to grow her career and to benefit the organization. Sue is always first in the office--or these days online--and eager to take on new challenges and projects, always with a positive attitude. She is a master meeting planner, travel coordinator, and calendar manager. A natural leader and mentor, Sue believes you should do something to improve yourself each day. Because of her, team members hold themselves to a higher standard and won’t settle for good enough. She always puts her best e􀃠ort forward in everything she does, and this mindset is emulated by those around her. During the di􀃞cult times of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sue faced new challenges and excelled as a key leader. With the entire company transitioning to a remote work environment, Sue rallied the administrative staff and implemented new ways to support the teams while making sure employees had remote functionality at home. While working remotely, she even coordinated and executed three planned office relocations with ease and is now spearheading and overseeing the reopening of the office. Sue has been working tirelessly to ensure all health and safety protocols are implemented to bring employees safely back into the office where, no doubt, she will continue leading the way.

Kara Erlich is an Executive Assistant to several KPMG LLP partners and supports the Financial Audit Practice. She shows up each day full of energy and has become a role model within the office. When you see her coming down the hall, you can’t help but smile. She will stop everything to see how she can help, going above and beyond her responsibilities and always looking for new opportunities that exercise her strategic thinking skills. Kara brings KPMG values and KPMG’s Heads Up Thinking to life. From on-boarding and training new Executive Assistants and planning events and conferences to fostering a sense of camaraderie and taking the lead in new technology training, she does the right thing the right way. Always striving to achieve the next level in whatever she takes on, Kara remains levels above expectation. Creative. Positive. Innovative. Courageous. Leader. These are all ways Kara has been described by her colleagues. She is constantly looking for additional ways to be involved and further the work of KPMG. She has become a critical and trusted team member of the Financial Services team and has become a leader in the Lean in Circle. If there is a new direction, a new tool, or a new technology that has never been implemented before, Kara has it covered. Her colleagues love that that Kara “uses her Jersey” to get the job done and reports, “Kara is someone everyone can count on. She is truly the glue that holds the whole team together and who keeps the practice running smoothly. She is the epitome of a rock star!"

In only one year at KPMG, Katie Watts has made an incredible impact in the Denver office, joining a longstanding team of Executive Assistants. This speaks volumes about her skillset, keen intuition, and impressive ability. She quickly became a valuable member of the team, and her leadership qualities were evident from the start. Katie’s can-do attitude lifts her team members who readily admit she makes them look good. Each day, she handles multiple details for a variety of KPMG professionals without missing a beat. In addition to her role as Executive Assistant to the Office Managing Partner at of KPMG, Denver, Katie goes out of her way participate in additional important and value-added ways. Among her many roles: Denver tickets administrator to coordinate office/client tickets for Pepsi Center and Rockies tickets, Denver portal administrator to keep the local site updated with helpful information, culture champion to spread the word about innovation and diversity within the firm, and a tireless volunteer for the KPMG Business School. She often participates in last-minute reports projects for audits and develops training opportunities for KPMG professionals. Katie is inclusive in all efforts and rallies the team to participate in training and educational opportunities, always making the sessions entertaining and fun. Katie is the very definition of exceptional service and keeps the company at the forefront in all she does. She approaches her role with integrity, excellence, and courage, and inspires the same values in her peers.

Courtney is a U.S. Army Veteran, with over 14 years of experience in administration and office management through a variety of different jobs, with the most recent being Executive Assistant to the President of the Community College of Denver (CCD). In her Executive Assistant role Courtney’s number one priority is to support & advocate for students to resolve issues, encourage student involvement in campus activities and organizations, and inspiring students to achieve their goals! In essence, it is doing a little of everything from scheduling and arranging travel for the President, balancing the budget, helping with student events, and building relationships across campus. Beyond her work at CCD, Courtney has received three accommodations from the U.S. Army, holds a Bachelor of Science and two Masters of Education all in education, and is applying for a PhD Program. Her professional goal is to become a College Professor. Fun facts about Courtney, she is NOLS Alumni (National Outdoor Leadership School), has over 400 days of backcountry trip experience, and she does CrossFit six days a week!

Windy Roundtree is the Executive Assistant to the Senior Vice President of Investor Relations at Liberty Global, a position she has held since 2012. Prior to officially joining the company, Windy worked on a contract basis providing administrative support within Liberty Global’s CEO office. As an administrative professional for over 18 years, Windy is committed to excellence in service by keeping executives and business owners organized, prioritized and less stressed. Her philosophy centers around what role she can play in helping others find solutions. She is a trusted resource who frequently assists other departments within the company with complex meetings and teleconferences. Windy is dedicated, approachable, motivated and reliable. Windy not only provides high-level administrative support to the Senior Vice President and the Investor Relations team, she has also recently taken on the role of website administrator for all press release and website posting needs.

Rachael Hermann serves as the Executive Assistant to CEO Nancy Whiteman at Wana Brands. In addition to providing high level administrative support, Rachael also provides project management oversight and coordination for Wana's new product development initiatives in Colorado. Rachael has taken initiative and expanded her role at the company by developing project management protocol, managing new product development and overseeing new product launches in Colorado. Since joining the Wana team in 2014, Rachael has helped launch dozens of new products for the brand. She has honed her project management and administrative talent at Wana and continues to improve by pursuing further certification. Prior to joining Wana, Rachael studied at Wichita State University. Rachael is also involved in Wana’s Culture and Wellness committee, which provides programming for Wana employees to socialize, have fun, and enhance their lives outside of work.

Kelley Southern is the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, a position she has held for 14 years. She has over 20 years of administrative experience that began in the tech industry where she supported five C-level executives before joining the Museum in 2005. Kelley grew up in Natchez, Mississippi and attended the University of Mississippi before moving to Colorado in 1987. She and her husband, Brent, met at Ole Miss in 1980. They reconnected in 2015 and just celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary. Kelley’s daughter, Susannah, will graduate from the University of Wyoming in December and will begin pursuing her Master’s degree in Food Science & Human Nutrition. Kelley enjoys sporting events, especially Ole Miss football, Fantasy Football (she’s the commissioner), and tending her “crops” in her backyard garden. She considers her position at the Museum the “best job in Denver!”

Tammy Harcrow began her career 40 years ago in an entry level clerical position with a Fortune 500 telecommunications company. Through training, hard work and fine-tuning her skills, her support of various departments and groups evolved to include C-Suite support. Following her 33-year career in telecommunications, Tammy’s industry experience also evolved as she worked for a clean energy venture startup and eventually a health care association. Tammy is currently the executive assistant to the President and CEO at Colorado Hospital Association, a non-profit organization focused on health care. She will tell you the thrill of supporting others is the variety, challenge, and in achieving the impossible for their success. She is a Colorado native and lives with her husband in Centennial; she enjoys doting on their two dogs, cooking, gardening, and listening to music. Tammy believes she is doing the job she is passionate about and plans to continue doing it awhile longer.

After growing up in Los Alamos, NM, Debbie moved to Denver after high school. For 14 years she worked at Life Partners Group and then found herself out of work due to a buyout and relocation of the company. She joined Arapahoe County in 1996 in the Special Services Department. In 1998, she moved to the Information Technology Department. Through the years, Debbie has broadened her knowledge and progressed into the role of Office Coordinator, handling all administrative functions of her department of 72 employees. She manages all accounts payables, contract management, training and travel arrangements, expense reimbursements, budget entry and reporting, payroll, county-wide printer management, departmental web pages, training and departmental performance metrics management, and the annual PC rollout ordering. Debbie enjoys her job and the people she works with and is so grateful for the opportunities she has had to grow.

Brittany Bastien is the Office Manager for Boulder, Colorado-based EdTech startup Sphero. She brings more than 10 years of administrative experience in Office Management, in industries ranging from finance to recruiting and now in STEAM-based learning solutions. In her two years at Sphero, Brittany has excelled at streamlining requests and questions from nearly 150 employees to create a hub of solutions for day-to-day operations. While focusing on creating a positive, inclusive office culture, Brittany has also stepped up to support the Sphero Human Resources Team as the People Operations Generalist. Brittany graduated from Fairfield University with a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with a minor in Environmental Studies. Brittany, a Connecticut native, moved to Boulder with her dog Kodi, to fulfill a dream and embrace all that Colorado living has to offer. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping and snowboarding with friends, depending on the weather.

Jessica Rose is an executive assistant to Jake Jabs, President and CEO of American Furniture Warehouse. While Jessica has been an executive assistant for just one year, she has been with AFW for over four years, has more than fifteen years of experience in the furniture industry, and has a BA in Public Relations. In addition to her work as an executive assistant, Jessica is responsible for the overall PR and charitable giving at AFW. She has received many commendations and letters of thanks from organizations across Colorado during her brief time in this capacity. Jessica also organizes volunteer opportunities for employees, such as the Miracle on the Rocks fundraiser to benefit Children’s Hospital of Colorado. She is most grateful to be in a position where she can help to give back to the community through AFW.

Seva Kouremetis, ACM Event Logistics & Project Coordinator, started at ACM in 2013. Prior to joining ACM, Seva proudly worked on the BP Oil Spill for four years and was part of the team who opened Boulder’s St Julien Hotel. Seva first started at ACM by assisting CEO and Chairman, Greg Anton then transitioned into her current role in early 2018. She plans all internal and external events at ACM, is the ACM Fun Committee lead, and works closely with firm partners, CFO and Marketing Director. She is known for her energy, organization, and unmatched follow-through. She and her husband, Tim, are avid travelers and when Seva isn’t at the office she can be found paddle boarding, walking her dogs and entertaining in her new home. Seva thanks ACM for seeing her strengths and finding the perfect fit for her, as well as friends and family for their unconditional support.

Val Disney is a senior paralegal at Griffiths Law PC and her love for working in an office began when she was in junior high and worked in the school office. In high school, a teacher convinced her to join FBLA and OJT (On-the-Job-Training) for  extra credit. Her job-description manual took her to State in FBLA. She worked for a CPA after school until the CPA joined a firm and there was no position for her.  An attorney in the building asked her to work for their firm.  She worked there through the remainder of high school and then went full-time. Later, when the bankruptcy attorney she worked for retired, she made the move to family law. She didn’t imagine after so many years she would still be working in law, but she’s truly appreciative of the circumstances that led her to become a senior paralegal at  Griffiths  Law  PC.

Tracy was born in Leadville, Colorado, a town known for its coarse charm. Then she grew up in Boulder, a town known for its hippy charm. Her approach to life is a combination of those two places and ways of being. After graduating from CSU, she started job hunting and stumbled into a career that changed her life. When she walked into  SRG, she knew she was home. Thankfully, Rick Sterling felt the same way. When Rick offered Tracy the position of office manager, she jumped over his desk to hug him. And  30 years later, she still loves this place just as much. Working in advertising and marketing has been quite the experience. It’s the pace, creativity, and camaraderie of working in such a dynamic industry that ’s kept her here year after year. Tracy brings joy, enthusiasm, and dedication to the company. And SRG is lucky to have her.

Sothary Chea began her position as the program assistant for the Ethnic Studies Department at the University of Colorado Denver in March 2018.Her sevenyears of experience serving under represented communities in the K-12 public school system in her hometown of Stockton, California provides her with an inside perspective on how to improve and enrich the lives of CU Denver’s diverse student population in her new role. Sothary takes great pride in being a first-generation college graduate and working professional, grateful for her opportunity to touch the lives of future professionals.Her favorite part of her job is building rapport with students through their academic journey.In her free time, Sothary enjoys exploring Denver with her husband Ratha. She is open to conversation about her work with the University of Colorado Denver’s Ethnic Studies Department.

Mindy has enjoyed her position as Executive Assistant serving her VP Dan Gibbons and Xilinx employees in both Colorado and San Jose for 9 years.  She loves that her position at Xilinx also allows her the opportunity to make an impact in the surrounding Longmont area community by helping Xilinx employees engage in local projects that support non-profits in the area. Giving back to her community has always been something that has come naturally to Mindy and is high on her list of priorities. At any given time you might find her volunteering at her church, planning a Night to Shine event or on the field at an ACS Relay for Life.  Mindy has been married to her husband Andy for 29 years and together they enjoy spending time with their 3  daughters, husband, and their two grandchildren. You  may  also  find  them  enjoying  an  occasional  motorcycle  ride!

Michelle Ringleman currently serves as the Communications Technology Specialist and Administrative Coordinator at Sherman & Howard Law Firm, in Denver. She has a strong work ethic and is driven to provide “Best-in-Class” customer service by consistently going above and beyond the call of duty. In 1986 Michelle accepted a receptionist position at  Sherman & Howard. She quickly advanced into the Telecommunication’s/Administrative position. For the past  32  years, Michelle’s contributions have been invaluable.  She has earned the status of “go-to person”  within the Firm providing friendly assistance for a large variety of tasks and projects. Michelle never says  “no” and always has a positive, can-do attitude in getting the job done. Recently, she has transformed the events and functions at the Firm, helping to create a more positive and fun work environment. Michelle has the respect and support of her husband Ed, son Nicholas, daughter  Alexandra, They are her greatest admirers.

I am now an Executive Assistant for Eating Recovery Center.  I support the President, CMO, and CNO. Prior to this movement I humbly served as Support Services Administrator at our Child & Adolescent facilities.  I have had the honor of supporting staff, families, and patients for 5 years as a "Jack of All  Trades". I love working for and with  ERC as I see us as family and team equals.  Giving the patients and families the best patient care is our mission and as a  team, we truly accomplish this  together. In my role no matter the task, request, or need I will find a way to make sure it is done and with care. I am originally from Chicago and have now lived in beautiful  Denver,  CO  for the past 23 years where I have been blessed raising a daughter of 22 years of age and a recent college graduate.

Jessica has been with Anton Collins Mitchell LLP (“ACM”) since 2012 and has been in the administrative field for 18+ years. She started at ACM as an Executive Assistant and was promoted to administrative manager in 2017, a first for the firm.  In addition to general administrative oversight of a team, Jessica supports ACM ’s audit department. Her role includes conducting audit meetings in the managing partner’s absence. Jessica enjoys new challenges, training others and being known as a go-to person for solutions.  She and her husband Brian met in high school and have been together for 20  years.  She is an active participant in the lives and extra-curricular activities of their two kids,  Bryce  (12), and Abby  (8).  Jessica competes nationally with her two dogs in flyball. She thanks ACM for providing the opportunity to work to her strengths and her family and friends for their love and support.

Jasmine has been with Sphero for three years, where she assists the CEO and the Executive Management Team.  She is involved in all areas of the business and couldn't be happier.  Jasmine joined Sphero from Zayo, where she assisted five executives  (including the  CFO  and  COO) as the company went from startup through  IPO.  Prior to her  EA  life, she taught English in Japan and managed a multi-million dollar jewelry store (though not at the same time). She is a proud mom and loves tacos, yoga, robots, and spending time with her husband, two kids, and cat.

Christine Fierro is the  Executive Assistant to Mike  Fries,  CEO  of  Liberty  Global  Plc the largest international  TV and broadband company in the world.  As the top  EA at the Company, she works with a wide range of internal and external leaders and their admins globally to facilitate and anticipate a demanding schedule.  Christine also supports  Liberty Global and Liberty Latin America ’s board of directors and acts as their lead liaison to the Companies, which collectively operate in 30 countries with $20 billion of combined revenue.  Additionally, as a master organizer, with the highest attention to details, she manages all  CEO office executive meetings and board meetings  globally.  Christine has over  28 years of experience in providing administrative excellence.  Before joining Liberty Global in 2014, she served C-level executives at  Curian  Capital, LLC,  Expanets, Inc., and Mountain  Parks  Electric,  Inc.  Christine studied at  Suffolk  County Community College in New  York where she majored in Business  Management.

Christa Fafalios specializes in Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing at Print Pointe. She possesses an instinctive eagerness to collaborate and connect with people, and listens with an empathetic ear to bring customer's visions to life. She brings a contagious enthusiasm to the workplace and cares deeply for everyone she works with. Originally from Austin, TX, Christa has earned a degree in Visual Communication Design, and has over a decade of experience in Corporate Communications and Graphic Design at IBM and Agrium. She stepped out of the cubicle, and has never looked back. She truly enjoys the fast pace, personal interaction, and sincere satisfaction of helping Print Pointe customers and coworkers.

Chelsea Nunnenkamp is the Legislative & Administrative Coordinator at the Colorado Oil and Gas Association, supporting the association’s legislative outreach strategy, board of directors, and annual energy conference. Prior to joining the COGA team, Chelsea was a Legislative Staffer for the Colorado Senate Majority Leader, High School Civics Teacher, and humanitarian aid worker, executing development projects throughout Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. Chelsea earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Secondary Education at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where she graduated summa cum laude, and a Master of Arts in Global Development at St. John’s University. Chelsea’s passions have led her to more than 20 nations, yet she loves returning to her native Colorado where she enjoys family, craft beer, and the Rocky Mountains.

Lori Miller is currently the Administrative Assistant for the Chief of Police of the Lakewood Police Department. She has served in that role since 1979, working alongside six of the department’s eight chiefs. Prior to that, she served seven years as a Legal Secretary for the City of Lakewood’s Office of the City Attorney. Lori’s personnel file is filled with commendations and letters of appreciation mentioning her loyalty, competence and dependability. She received the department’s prestigious Police Service Medal in 2008 and a Chief’s Commendation in 2011. As the hub of many key functions, Lori is the heart and soul of the Lakewood Police Department. Professionalism and compassion are her standards for customer service. As the chief’s representative, she assesses requests, reconciles concerns with sensitivity, and effectively utilizes the department’s resources. She is a critical link to the members of the department, and her wisdom and advice are invaluable to all.

Adam is a native to Colorado with a passion for helping people: clients and colleagues alike. He’s been in Healthcare Administration for 12 years with Kaiser Permanente, and has worked and volunteered in an Administrative Assistant capacity for over 15 years, serving three organizations. Adam enjoys giving back to his community and volunteering, including projects with Habitat for Humanity on corporate builds. He's a former volunteer for Jefferson County Open Space, a current Volunteer Ranger Assistant for the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County, and a former volunteer Firefighter/EMT on the Colorado Eastern Metro I-70 corridor. He’s hoping to continue his career in non-profit Healthcare Administration and is working towards a degree in that field.

With 12 years of training/administrative experience, Tessa Campbell joined Weifield Group 4.5 years age when the company had less than 100 employees and was in need of Executive Management, Office Management, Human Resources, Event Planning and Receptionist assistance – multiple roles she was eager to take on using her solution-oriented creativity and determination. As Weifield has grown to 400 employees, Tessa has proven to be an invaluable Administrative resource and a team player. In her newest role, Tessa uses her strengths to help the pre-construction team exceed their goals. Tessa has been given Herculean tasks to support the company’s growth, and not only has she achieved them, she’s surpassed all expectations for them while demonstrating the highest levels of integrity, professionalism and efficiency. Tessa proudly supports Weifield Group as it grows by committing herself to what she admires most about Weifield Group: The Weifield Way.

Susan tirelessly promotes community events and dedicates herself to organizations like the Children’s Hospital Colorado, Community Food Share, and American Heart Association, to name a few. Over the past 3 years her dedication has resulted in $95,616 cash donations, 3,423 pounds of food, 792 employee volunteer hours, and 63,350 meals for the hungry. Susan finds a way to get children and coworkers to help out in the community, and her supervisors consider her an absolute champion in their corporate community and the surrounding communities we live and work in. Her passion is admirable and continues to show success time and time again.

Karen played a key role in the construction of a new building on the University of Colorado Denver’s campus, working tirelessly on a project that affected 150 faculty members. She showed extraordinary persistence, diplomacy, time management, and organizational skills and became the point person for emergencies. Karen spent numerous hours above and beyond her job requirements, frequently on short notice, and is relentless in finding solutions to any and all problems. Karen is known as someone who can get things done and she participates actively in several committees. She does whatever she needs to keep her office open and functioning and she handles both large and small problems calmly and effectively. She has achieved so much in her role that in order to list it all we would be sitting here for hours.

Vonda is the glue that keeps Brown & Tedstrom together. She is often the first person clients interact with and her professionalism and care towards others have earned her the utmost respect from anyone she comes in contact with. Vonda has a sincere personal touch that leaves people feeling truly cared about. Clients go out of their way to rave about her and she has been accounted for as “the best,” “irreplaceable,” and “wonderful to speak with.” She is a pillar of stability and loyalty for Brown & Tedstrom and for 20 years she has developed a tremendous rapport with clients and fellow employees. Her loyalty and trustworthiness are incredible assets to her company!

In Melody’s 12 years of experience, she has shown excellence, determination, thoroughness, and persistence. She played a key role in a company project that resulted in a whopping 50 percent improvement in sales and profitability. During a highly confidential and stressful time in her company’s history, Melody demonstrated integrity, empowerment, compassion, and generosity, inspiring all those around her. Melody has a way of making someone feel as if they are the most important person in the world and she shows an incredible ability to collaborate with any person of any level of experience. She has a ‘get it done’ attitude and is always coming up with innovative solutions to challenges in her projects. She has led many volunteer opportunities in her community and her compassion is unlike anyone else’s. Melody is an incredibly talented and hard-working person and we are honored to dedicate this prestigious award to somebody so passionate and deserving.

With 41 years of administrative experience, Mary is committed to excellence in serving the needs of executive leaders and others and has intentionally chosen to support businesses and nonprofits that make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities. She is deft at managing multiple budgets and supporting strategic initiatives. For the past 14 years, Mary has supported the Chief Executive Officer of the 2^ndlargest nonprofit organization in Colorado: Goodwill Industries of Denver. During her time at Goodwill, Mary has supported three CEOs and continues to serve in the elected position of Assistant Secretary for the Board of Directors, where she manages an evolving group of volunteer Board of Directors comprised of prominent executive leaders in the community. In addition to these duties, Mary has mentored and managed several youth interns seeking experience in business. Before moving to Colorado, Mary worked as the Executive Assistant to CEOs of hospitals (Amsterdam Memorial Hospital in upstate New York and Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC) and health systems (Holy Cross Health System in Vienna, Virginia). She moved to Colorado 23 years ago to serve as Executive Assistant at the AMC Cancer Research Center in Lakewood, CO. She volunteers her time outside of work as the Denver Community Lead for a global, spiritual community, coordinating events and frequently hosting international visitors in her home. She enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years, Ken, their four children and three grandchildren.

Alicia has been the receptionist at Moye White LLP for 7 ½ years. Her official title at the firm is “Director of First Impressions.” Alicia supports the office operations in addition to her duties at the front desk. She greets over 100 attorneys and staff at the firm, as well as clients, experts, opposing counsel, friends, family, couriers and contractors all while filtering hundreds of calls and jumping at the chance to help with administrative tasks that are outside of her official duties. Alicia juggles all of this while maintaining a sweet, thoughtful demeanor.

Carole has been an Executive Assistant in the Mayor’s and City Manager’s Office at the City of Lakewood for nearly 35 years.  Her job duties Include front desk operations, executive communications, schedule management, travel coordination, facilitating programs and serve as a meeting organizer for the City Manager, Mayor and 10 member City Council. She has worked for six mayors, six city managers and nearly 60 city councilmembers.  She is known for her high degree of integrity, loyalty, problem solving, quick response and efficiency.  She has gone out of her way to reach certain individuals even locating a mayor attending a meeting at the Pentagon.  Through the city’s four sister relationships, she has communicated with many dignitaries and colleagues from around the world. She knew from the age of 4 that her goal in life was to be an administrative professional and followed through by obtaining a Certified Professional Secretary rating from the International Association of Administrative Professionals.  She also obtained a bachelor’s degree in technical management from Regis University.  Before her tenure at the City of Lakewood, she worked for the County Manager’s Office for Miami-Dade County, Florida.

Kerry Kelley joined Hope House of Colorado in 2014 to provide administrative support to the executive team at Hope House.  Responsible for maintaining an office environment at Hope House that is in optimum order, Kerry also provides accounts payable and vendor management and completes the daily tasks required for payroll and other human resources processes. Customer service is a crucial aspect of Kerry's position, which includes supervising and directing office volunteers at Hope House. More recently Kerry played a critical role in helping Hope House upgrade various operating systems, including Raiser's Edge, for the fundraising, finance, and human resource teams at Hope House. Previously Kerry served as the Office Manager at Bear Steam Cleaning, where she improved their utilization of QuickBooks as well as various internal tracking processes, helping the company grow from a revenue of $500,000 to $1 million. Kerry is certified in QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits and is a member of the Adams 12 Leadership Academy. Kerry and her daughter live in Brighton.

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Lighting the world through creativity and passion, Carrie Coston is an architect of "Wow!" bringing insight, innovation, and a common sense approach to everything.  A conqueror of chaos and master of her domain, Carrie prides herself on building bridges between people while designing success by actualizing ideas through creative innovation and execution.  As a twenty-six year administrative aficionado, she has learned the power of teamwork, the importance of laughing at yourself, and the artistry of being a collaborative communicator committed to creating remarkable results.  A disruptor of normal and possibility promoter, Carrie passionately facilitates greatness through coaching, teaching, and mentoring to inspire impeccability in administration, communication, and self-mastery. When chaos has been vanquished and order restored, Carrie can be found enjoying yet another community event with her volunteer work forSai Maa LLC and HOPE Worldwide where she serves as the Chairperson for the Denver Chapter Advisory Board. Carrie is also a world traveler wannabe, lover of the fine arts, beauty, and shoes; and proud mother to an opera singing daughter who has been trained in classical voice at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and soon to be attending the Royal College of Music in London.

Brenda Standke is a seasoned Executive Assistant with over 20 years of experience working with senior management and C-level executives.  She has extensive domestic and international travel, calendar management and meeting planning experience.  She has been working in the real estate industry since 2000 supporting executives at Prologis in Information Technology, Human Resources, Marketing, Sustainability, Investment Management, and Operations.  She currently supports the CEO of Europe and Asia at Prologis.  Prior to that, she supported the west area VP at Nabisco from 1998 - 2000 and the east area VP at The Pillsbury Company from 1991 - 1997. In addition to her role as Executive Assistant, she coordinates IMPACT Day, a global day of service where all employees volunteer in their local communities on the same day and Healthy Steps, a global walking competition with over 600 employees competing for prizes.  She also manages the local Denver office fitness program and prior to that, chaired the Denver employee committee overseeing events for 300 employees. Brenda graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science degree in English.  She is a devoted Air Force wife of 23 years and an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and chairs the Project Patriot committee supporting U.S. active duty military.

Jamie is a Senior Administrative Professional for the Children’s Hospital Colorado Medical Conference and Educational Center. Along with highlighting continuing education opportunities for their clinical staff, she is also responsible for the scheduling and coordination of over 7,800 activities, conferences, meetings, and events throughout the year – for over 180-departments’ through-out the hospital. Jamie has made a career in linking her past clinical experience as a Medical Assistant with her administrative duties in order to create new positions in a variety of specialties: Pulmonology, the Immunodeficiency Program, and Audiology/Speech/Learning Services (ASL). Jamie is also Co-Founder and Event & Community Relations Coordinator of a local non-profit cleft lip and palate organization for Colorado families, Face-to-Face Colorado. This organization provides resources and social networking for families that need extra help navigating a potentially complicated, multiple-disciplinary journey ahead of them. Along these lines, Jamie has been accepted to participate in a medical mission with Uplift International and will be volunteering her administrative skills in the Philippines February 2017. Jamie is a wife, mother, and Colorado native and in her spare time can be found covered in paint as she unleashes her inner artist.