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Tag: 2021 GenXYZ Top 25 Professionals

TeRay Esquibel is building a brighter future for DPS graduates

TeRay Esquibel, 27

Founder & Executive Director, Ednium: The Alumni Collective | Denver

It started with TeRay Esquibel’s simple question: How can we close the achievement gap if the community we seek to help is left out of the discussion?

Esquibel’s answer: Ednium: The Alumni Collective, an organization he founded last year to tap the experience of DPS alumni for insights on what was missing from their education.

“TeRay doesn’t do anything unless there’s a community benefit,” colleague Perla Bustillos says. “And the communities he prioritizes are made up of people like him who grew up in unstable environments, with fragmented families, a lack of resources, and with people in positions of power telling them they will not succeed in life.”

A Daniels Scholar while at the University of Denver’s Daniels School of Business, Esquibel now is a fellow of the Latino Leadership Institute and Impact Denver. He serves as board chair of Beacon Network Schools and has led RootED’s strategic partnerships and facilitated funding and strategic support for 10 community organizations working toward public education equity, accountability and excellence.

“TeRay brings that inner drive to succeed with him every day, in everything he does,” Bustillos says. “He knows he must succeed not only for his family, as a first-generation college graduate, but also for other members of the community that he was raised in and is still a deep part of.”

His No. 1 goal: “Looking back and being proud of what I created, what I stood for and how I treated people.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Josh Miller’s big-picture approach to leadership

Josh Miller, 33

Manager of Community Engagement, Verizon | Greenwood Village

One question faced Josh Miller on his first day as Verizon’s first Colorado manager of community engagement: How do you engage a community that has been locked down by a pandemic?

“Josh was up for the task,” says his friend and colleague, Brittany Morris Saunders. “His work to-date has included expanding Verizon’s outreach into the community and enhancing its presence in the social/racial justice, LGBTQ, STEM Education and digital inclusion communities.”

Miller’s resume includes stints with former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s presidential campaign, U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, and he considers former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb a mentor.

“All of the positions I have worked in required bringing individuals and groups of people together to make difficult decisions,” Miller says. “This approach not only makes our business and political community stronger but it makes the country stronger.”

Miller has served as an at-large member of the Jewish Community Relations Council and a Planned Parenthood of the Rockies board member. As popular drag queen Laura Menorah, he has used performances to raise more than $35,000 for charity.

His No. 1 goal: “To positively impact the city that I love and ensure its global success, whether by supporting a future mayor or serving as the first gay mayor of Denver.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Kristin Myren is a driving force in promoting health care access

Kristin Myren, 30

Director of Operations, Premise Health | Denver

Kristin Myren never thought she’d be able to run that six-mile race she signed onto with her dad.

But she did. And then she ran 13 miles. And then one marathon. And then nine more. And then ultra-marathons.

“I quickly realized that doing something you didn’t think you could is a scalable concept,” she says. “Over time, I built confidence in the concept that success – and the barriers to it – are relative notions mostly in my mind.”

With a focus on health care in underserved communities, Myren manages $30 million in facilities, including 10 health centers and pharmacies. She helped to establish a Pilot Program for under-served patients in rural Nevada to access Mayo Clinic services. And she served as a senior manager for an onsite-health care company and helped to lead the opening of a new rural Texas health care facility—all while completing her MBA in health administration.

Myren says a mentor’s insight that great teams come from collective characters and values proved especially valuable in 2020.

“Last year was one of the hardest we’ve seen,” she says, “and I reflect often on how having the right people on the bus made all the difference.”

Her No. 1 goal: “To be a driving force promoting health care access for those who need it most.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Andy Schumacher aspires to be the mentor she never had

Andy Schumacher, 28

CEO, Little Shoe Studios | Denver

Andy Schumacher aspires to be the mentor she never had: a successful business owner — as well as a proud member of the LGBTQ community.

As board chair for the Queer Business Alliance (QBA), Schumacher helps provide the kind of support to LGBTQ entrepreneurs she wished for when she started her own design agency.

“The community of leaders, trailblazers and driven humans involved with the QBA inspire me every day,” Schumacher says. “Together, we support each other to step into spaces of visibility.”

Little Shoe Studios, which specializes in websites, content, branding and logos, helps spread good by partnering with good businesses, Schumacher says, adding, “We want to inspire authenticity and transparency in a digitally driven culture, to celebrate the human experience using digital content and to support and assist in the success of socially aware businesses. This is how we change the world.”

Her No. 1 goal: “To experience an extraordinary life and inspire others, particularly in the queer community, to do the same.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

GenXYZ 2021: Resilience propels winners in year of upheaval

Nothing can keep these go-getters down.

After weathering the most challenging of years, ColoradoBiz’s 11th annual Top 25 Most Influential Young Professionals still exude the optimism and moxie that has helped fuel their phenomenal success.

“I believe we all have things to be grateful for, even when things don’t go our way,” says winner Kayla Garcia, community affairs manager for Molson Coors Beverage Co. “And finding the positive in every situation is what will make us stronger.”

Chosen from hundreds of entries by a panel of judges, this stellar group of under 40s impressed with achievements personal and professional, making impactful contributions both at work and in their communities.

The special challenges of 2020 allowed these young professionals to showcase a characteristic they all seem to share: resilience.

Michael Graham turned his Lost City coffee shop kitchen into a staging ground to feed thousands. Josh Miller, Verizon’s first manager of community engagement, and Youth Celebrate Diversity Executive Director Caleb Munro got creative in the virtual space. Business owners Laura Smith of All Star Cleaning Services and restaurateur Joshua Pollack kept their teams employed and busy.

“Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone,” says Point Solutions CEO Paige Goss, recalling the best advice she’s ever received. “Getting comfortable being uncomfortable allows you to challenge what you thought was possible for yourself, your organization and your life.”

Read on to find out more about our exceptional Top 25.

TOP 5 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Alex Koenigsberg, President and Founder, Arula | Fort Collins

Allison Gambill, Of Counsel, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck | Denver

Jordan Deifik, Owner, LawBank | Denver

Joshalynn Green, Founder and President, Phenomenal Women Inc. | Denver

Maxwell Meyer, CEO & Co-founder, Masii.com | Colorado Springs

Alexandra Gardner, Senior Product Designer, Pinnacol Assurance | Denver

Andy Schumacher, CEO, Little Shoe Studios | Denver

Bernadette Johnson, Vice President-Strategic Analytics, Enverus | Centennial

Caleb Munro, Executive Director, Youth Celebrate Diversity | Greenwood Village

Cally Cripps, Director-Clinical Systems Integration, AllHealth Network | Englewood

Holly Wilson, Founder & CEO, Women’s Recovery | Denver

Joe Goorman, Director of Commercial Sales & Development, American Furniture Warehouse | Englewood

Joe Montoya, Co-Owner & Senior Director of Residential Services, Namaste Solar | Denver

Jonathan Munro, Senior Vice President, Regional Retail Leader Colorado Market, KeyBank | Denver

Josh Miller, Manager of Community Engagement, Verizon | Greenwood Village

Joshua Pollack, Owner, Bridge and Tunnel Restaurant Group (BTRG) | Denver

Julia Marvin, Thornton City Councilor

Kayla Garcia, Community Affairs Manager, Molson Coors Beverage Co. | Golden

Kristin Myren, Director of Operations, Premise Health | Denver

Laura Smith, Founder & Owner, All Star Cleaning Services | Fort Collins

Margaret Selzer, Founder & Principal Designer, RIVER+LIME | Denver

Michael Graham, Owner & Managing Partner, Lost City Denver

Paige Goss, CEO, Point Solutions Group | Denver

Patrick McRorie, Partner in Charge, Lathrop GPM LLP | Denver

TeRay Esquibel, Founder & Executive Director, Ednium: The Alumni Collective | Denver

Cally Cripps connects her community with important health services

Cally Cripps, 34

Director-Clinical Systems Integration, AllHealth Network | Englewood

Cally Cripp’s struggle with debilitating endometriosis helped steer her into a career in behavioral health.

“Over the years, Cally has witnessed people like herself suffering horribly, with no outside sources proactively addressing the corresponding impact of chronic pain on mental health,” colleague Keri Christiansen says. “It became Cally’s goal to help her community, connecting them with the services provided by AllHealth and other mental health organizations.”

For the past two years, Cripps has facilitated awareness through advocacy efforts as Colorado’s representative to Worldwide EndoMarch, the largest international coordinated endometriosis coalition in the world. Her work is focused on advocating for funding for public awareness and research into endometriosis, which affects 200 million, as well as for changes in treatment and diagnosis.

Tasked with leading a system-wide implementation of Smart Care, a clinical health care software designed by providers for providers, Cripps led a lean team through a complex process.

“The outcome was extraordinary,” Christiansen says. “Far greater efficiency with full integration for the caregiver and the client; management, point of care and scheduling tools; and integrations with outside resources that further enhance caregiver/client engagement.” 

Her No. 1 goal: “To make an impact within the communities I serve.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Laura Smith’s inspiring road to success

Laura Smith, 39

Founder & Owner, All Star Cleaning Services | Fort Collins

After years of bouncing in and out of foster and group homes, 18-year-old Laura Smith found herself homeless and pregnant.

Twenty years later, she owns and runs one of Northern Colorado’s largest cleaning services, with 50 employees who receive benefits including 401(k)s, company cars and paid time off.

“She becomes a mentor to these young women and men, encouraging them to work at bigger dreams and taking care of them while they are with her,” colleague Emily Tracy says.

Smith donates hundreds of hours of cleaning services every year to area nonprofits, including Fort Collins Cat Rescue, Voices Carry Child Advocacy Center and Cleaning for a Reason, which provides free cleanings to women going through cancer. That hits close to home; Smith’s daughter has been fighting a rare form of leukemia.

During May and June last year, Smith ran a “Hometown Heroes” campaign where she donated a four-hour cleaning every day to a frontline worker. She also donates to and serves on the board of Hope House of Northern Colorado, which supports teenage mothers.

Her No. 1 goal: “To get my daughter well again and get myself back to work.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Joshua Pollack’s burgeoning restaurant empire

Joshua Pollack, 37

Owner, Bridge and Tunnel Restaurant Group (BTRG) | Denver

The prospect of making people happy through food gets Joshua Pollack out of bed every morning, and it reflects one of the two pieces of advice that have shaped him as an entrepreneur.

“First, do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life,” he says. “Before I entered the restaurant business, I worked in finance and was extremely unhappy. My career today is infinitely more fulfilling, and being passionate about the work has helped me to thrive in reaching my goals.

“Second is an important lesson from my mentor, Bobby Schorr: Build a business that doesn’t need you to run it every day,” Pollack says. “The key to BTRG’s success has been assembling an incredible team of people that I truly trust to run the business as if it was their own.”

Pollack’s burgeoning empire includes Rosenberg’s Bagel and Delicatessen, Lou’s Italian Specialties, Famous Original J’s Pizza and the new Sherry’s Soda Shoppe.

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Pollack has kept his employees busy and is actively hiring. Ongoing charitable commitments include the National Black Justice Coalition and Conscious Alliance, a nonprofit supporting hunger relief to communities in crisis.

His No. 1 goal: “To help create real change in food systems, particularly as it applies to the restaurant industry.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Bernadette Johnson is an expert in energy market fundamentals

Bernadette Johnson, 38

Vice President-Strategic Analytics, Enverus | Centennial

When Bernadette Johnson thinks of success, she thinks of the poet Maya Angelou’s definition: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.”

An expert in energy market fundamentals with more than 13 years of experience, Johnson worked as a senior energy analyst at Bentek Energy and Sasco Energy Partners. She co-founded Ponderosa Advisors, an energy analytics leader acquired in 2016 by Enverus (formerly Drillinginfo), an energy sector data, software and insights company.

“I largely attribute (my success) to luck and good timing, and very strong leaders early in my career who taught me a lot about leadership and energy markets, where my expertise is focused,” she says.

Johnson, whose energy chops have made her a go-to expert for national and local media, also volunteers as a board member of Denver Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), which supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children.

Her No. 1 goal: “Freedom to do work on things that I want to work on and that I am passionate about, and creating opportunities for that same freedom for the people I work with.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.

Patrick McRorie measures success by his team achievements

Patrick McRorie, 39

Partner in Charge, Lathrop GPM LLP | Denver

Patrick McRorie has no time for complacency, and his career trajectory proves it.

“The best advice I’ve received is that there is no substitute for the relentless pursuit of the highest quality product,” he says. “Remaining stagnant is a sure path to doom.”

McRorie became a partner at 31 and leader of the firm’s energy team a few years later, overseeing billion-dollar acquisitions and creating connections that foster responsible energy development. In 2017, McRorie was elected to the firm’s Executive Committee, as one of only 13 attorneys out of 400 charged with overseeing the management of the firm nationwide. As Partner in Charge of the Denver office, he oversees a staff of 14 attorneys and 19 professional staff and mentors younger colleagues.

“(I think) the best measure of success is the achievements of those around you,” McRorie says. “Building an engaged team and business culture to be proud of are indicative that you are doing something right as a colleague and a leader.”

McRorie was one of 30 attorneys selected for the first Colorado General Counsel Group Advisor Program, working to support young and diverse general counsel. Under his leadership, the Denver office also sponsors initiatives of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and the Colorado LGBT Bar Association.

His No. 1 goal: “To continue to foster a thriving team.”

This article is part of the ColoradoBiz’s 2021 Top 25 Young Professionals. Click here to read more about the latest class of up-and-coming movers and shakers.