This is the first event in a new quarterly series of mini-conferences offered by the Changemakers Coalition of Colorado. This two-hour virtual event will explore business driven solutions in the themes of environmental justice, sustainable urban development, climate change, and supply chains.
The Changemakers Coalition of Colorado (CCC) is a new cross-sector partnership of the State’s foremost organizations working to support responsible and sustainable business in the front range. We are the collective voice of B Local Colorado, Best for Colorado, the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) at Leeds, Good Business Colorado, and the Masters of the Environment (MENV) graduate program at CU Boulder. We represent the intersection of business owners, students, educators, legislators, employees, and conscious consumers who care about their communities and the environment. The CCC brings together the specialized knowledge and perspectives of each organization to create high quality content and events that will catalyze deeper collaboration and impact amongst all changemakers of the Colorado sustainable business community.
The CCC is for anybody passionate about making the world a better place than how they found it. We believe that one of the best ways to create large-scale and lasting change in our communities and environment is to improve one of the biggest systems in the world - business. Responsible business comes down to the individuals that make up businesses - employees, leaders, and consumers. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, a student, a community member, or a future leader, your voice is welcome here. If your interest in sustainability and responsible business has just begun, and you want to know more, you are also welcome here. Here are some of the people we engage with:
B Corps and Benefit Corporations
Interdisciplinary professionals and practitioners who are already doing CSR/Sustainability work, and those who are interested in the field, or want to pitch a sustainability initiative at their workplace and don’t know where to start
Members of historically underrepresented communities in the sustainability and business sectors, including BIPOC
Learners and educators - both current and alumni of academic programs, including students at our partner programs MENV and CESR at University of Colorado Boulder
Community members, artists, and activists
Legislators and local politicians
We seek to unite and activate the incredible community of responsible business changemakers in Colorado in order to magnify our collective voice and impact through enriching events and networking opportunities. Our programming focuses on the activation of the responsible and sustainable business community through relevant education, collaboration, and actionable takeaways for all who participate.
“Building a Resilient Future Through Responsible Business” is the first event in a new quarterly series of mini-conferences offered by the Changemakers Coalition of Colorado. This two-hour virtual event will explore business driven solutions in the themes of environmental justice, sustainable urban development, climate change, and supply chains. Attendees will have the opportunity to choose what topics they find most interesting with our breakout sessions, and will walk away with inspiration and actionable ideas on how to drive change in their communities, as individuals, in their businesses, and as a collective community of changemakers.
Event Kickoff with Changemakers Coalition of Colorado – 10 minutes
Plenary Session with Gloria Neal – 20 minutes
Breakout Sessions – 55 minutes (choose one)
Session A: “Building Resilient and Just Communities.” This session will explore the topic of community resilience from the perspective of sustainable and urban development, and how vulnerable groups have been impacted or may continue to be impacted by COVID-19 from a community perspective. Attendees will hear examples of best practices in Colorado and how they can help make their community resilient and just, from the personal, business, and community perspectives.
Session B: “Localized Impact: The Crucial Role of Socially & Environmentally Responsible Supply Chains.” This session will explore the many angles of the food system, including the interdependency of food chains, people, and business, and how this influences the creation of equitable food access for all. Hear from leading academic and business experts in the field of responsible food supply web management about the journey to ever-increasing social and environmental responsibility. This session will feature a case study of Danone North America’s work in the field, their lessons learned, and how to make lasting impact.
Short Intermission – 5 minutes
Closing Discussion & Next Steps with Kim Coupounas – 20 minutes
This will be an incredible event and the start of a new exciting series for our Colorado community. If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact: Burke Pemberton at burke@stok.com.
Speaker: Gloria Neal
Director of Public Affairs - Office of the Mayor, Michael B Hancock
From being a tv news anchor, reporter, radio talk show host, columnist and now Director of Public Affairs with the Mayor’s office, Gloria Neal’s versatility has made her a much sought out talent for speaking engagements across the nation.
With over 30 years of combined experience working with public and private sector entities, Gloria brings her passion for understanding challenging, complex issues and problem solving to everything she touches. And it is that drive which has enabled her to be successful in traditional and non-traditional environments.
Currently, Gloria Neal is the Director of Public Affairs in Mayor Michael B. Hancock’s Administration in Denver. Gloria is a strong believer in community involvement and serving the community. She has been heavily involved in philanthropic and community driven causes not only in Denver, but also in other cities across the country—from currently serving on the board of the American Red Cross-Denver/Wyoming Chapter; Board member -- Warren Village. Advisory Board – Delta Dental of Colo and numerous other organizations where she is an advisor or mentor.
In addition, Gloria is also a past board member of the Metro Denver Leadership Foundation and the past President of the Colorado Association of Black Journalists (CABJ); Gloria was also a member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women of Metro Atlanta, as well as an honorary member of the Atlanta Business League—one of the oldest black business organizations in the nation.
Lead Panelist: Sabrina Volpone
Assistant Professor, Organizational Leadership Division, University of Colorado's Leeds School of Business
Dr. Sabrina D. Volpone is an assistant professor in the Organizational Leadership division at the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business. She earned her Ph.D. in Human Resource Management from the Fox School of Business at Temple University. At the Leeds School of Business she is the doctoral program coordinator for the Organizational Leadership and Information Analytics division and also runs the Diversity and Identity (DI&ID) Management Research Lab.
Dr. Volpone’s research focuses on diversity management and identity management in organizations. Specifically, she uses both
qualitative and quantitative methods to understand how organizations manage their diverse workforces and how diverse individuals flourish through the management of their identities at work. This work focuses on examining the workplace experiences of traditionally under-represented employees, as she has worked on the topics of diversity and identity management published in the context of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation and immigrant status.
Her research has been published (or will soon appear) in peer-reviewed journals such as the Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Applied Psychology, Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, and Personnel Psychology, among others.
This work has been featured by CNN Business, CNBC, The Boston Globe, and has received international press coverage through the Toronto Star, ABC News Australia, and coverage from the London School of Economics. She presents her research at professional conferences, including the Academy of Management (AOM), the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP), and the American Psychological Association (APA). Her recent research has been funded nationally by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) and the Management Education Research Institute and internationally by universities in Australia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Further, Sabrina has been a part of multiple consulting teams for organizations such as ExxonMobil and Saudi Aramco that maintain a presence atop the Fortune 500 and Fortune Global 500 lists. Through these consulting experiences, she has contributed extensively to several job analysis projects and technical reports.
Panelist & Closing Speaker: Lori Pace
Associate Broker, Kentwood Real Estate // Inclusion Consulting Specialist
Lori Pace is originally from Jamaica currently living in Denver Colorado. A Thought Leader, Real Estate Strategist, Speaker, Community Leader and Activist, she curates the International Diversity Difference Experience.
Lori has been actively involved in the Real Estate industry over the last 25 years - Residential and Commercial Real Estate, Urban Planning, Investing, Architecture, Consulting. Her first hand experience and stories as a successful Realtor and immigrant provides a unique perspective and lens for differentiating your Business and Brand. She believes in profitable result driven success breaking through unconscious boundaries
and bias. Her authentic ability to engage using her entertaining and heart felt superpower will change your PACE professionally and personally beyond your imagination.
Lori Pace has been featured by NinjaSelling Systems, 9 KUSA News, Fox31 KDVR News and in Denver Life and Real Producers Magazines among other publications over the years. She is the co-founder of GEMS - Gainfully Earning Moms developed to support the collaboration of professional women who are working mothers. Lori started a Neighborhood Group Soulfully Stapleton celebrating Diversity and Inclusion and tackling Racism and Real Estate. She has served on several Boards and works with organizations committed to positive change through philanthropy.
When she is not on stage as a motivational and inspirational speaker helping audiences exceed their personal and professional crowing achievements, she is paying it forward. Lori was a former pageant TITLE holder doing good DEEDS for her community. Today she is laser focused on using Real Estate TITLES and DEEDS to develop BETTER relationships and communities of TRUSTS leveraging the power of properties and people. A woman speaker and ambassador on behalf of the American Heart Association she is also a member of The National Speakers Association, National Association of Realtors, and serves on the Board of the Denver Metropolitan Association of Realtors.
Her consulting business specializes in providing invaluable multifaceted and multicultural INCLUSIVE experiences in Brokerages, Business and growing organizations. Lori specializes in understanding and simplifying the complexities of emerging markets from Affordable to Affluent housing opportunities. Lori is driven by the DUALITY of EQUITY and CLIMATE CHANGE developing thriving Economic, Social and Environmental SUSTAINABILITY for ALL.
Panelist: Susana Salamun
Vice President of Latino Services, Alpine Bank
Susana Salamun is the Latino Services Officer for Alpine Bank. She acts as the strategic and administrative leader of Alpine Bank's ongoing efforts to serve the Hispanic and Latino populations throughout Colorado. She also serves as member of board of directors in the following organizations: Aspen Community Foundation, Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County, the State of Colorado Minority Business Advisory Council, Colorado Lending Source and the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado.
Born and raised in Mexico, Susana holds a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education. Once she moved to Colorado eight
years ago, she transitioned her career from engineering into banking. Susana has worked in the areas of electronic banking, compliance and information technology for Alpine Bank. She has also translated multiple banking resources into Spanish, and recorded radio and TV ads in Spanish for Alpine Bank.
Susana has served as guest speaker at PowHER Up For Success in Battle Mountain High School, the Western Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce, Immigrant Voices, GlenX Career Expo, Coventure, Miss Strawberry Days Contestants, Denver Community College, and Rifle High School. While in Mexico, Susana worked as a computer science professor. Her skills include leadership, interpersonal skills, self-learning, self-motivation, collaboration, coaching, communication, time management, and adaptability.
Susana lives in Denver with her husband. She pursues challenging opportunities that help her grow personally and professionally. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and playing piano. Susana believes in leading by example and being a positive influence. Her passion is people, caring for others and playing an active role in her community.
Panelist: William Shutkin
Founder & Principal, Shutkin Sustainable Living // Instructor and Urban Resilience & Sustainability Specialization Lead, MENV Graduate Program, University of Colorado Boulder
A social entrepreneur, attorney and educator, William Shutkin has been at the forefront of the sustainability field for over 25 years. David Brower, the father of the modern environmental movement, described him as “an environmental visionary creating solutions to today’s problems with a passion that would make John Muir and Martin Luther King equally proud.”
Shutkin is a sustainable developer based in
Boulder, Colorado, focused on green, mixed-use, mixed-income projects in Boulder and other select U.S. cities. From 2011 to 2016, he was President and CEO and Richard M. Gray Fellow in Sustainability Practice at Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco. Prior to Presidio, Shutkin was on the faculty of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where he was director of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute, and was inaugural chair in sustainable real estate at the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business.
Shutkin cofounded the Boston-based environmental justice law center, Alternatives for Community & Environment, in 1993 as an
Echoing Green Fellow, and later, in 1999, New Ecology, Inc., the pioneering sustainable community development organization that today has offices in four states. NEI made the first business case for greening low-income housing, the landmark 2003 report “The Costs and Benefits of Green Affordable Housing,” and later, in partnership with Boston Community Capital, launched Wegowise, a best-in-class online tool for energy and water conservation in buildings. Shutkin also served as President and CEO of the Orton Family Foundation. From 1999-2008, Shutkin was a faculty member in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at MIT and, from 1993-2004, taught at Boston College Law School. He has been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report and on National Public Radio, and is the author of the award-winning book, The Land That Could Be: Environmentalism and Democracy in the Twenty-First Century (MIT Press, 2000), and A Republic of Trees: Field Notes on People, Place, and the Planet (Public Press, 2007). Shutkin received an AB in history and classics from Brown University and a JD and MA in history from the University of Virginia. He also completed doctoral studies as a Regents Fellow at the University of California Berkeley and attended the Executive Program in Business Strategies for Environmental Sustainability at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Shutkin was a law clerk for U.S. District Court Chief Judge Franklin S. Billings, Jr. He is an avid telemark skier, trail runner, hiker and musician, and a published poet.
Lead Panelist: Nicole Civita
Sustainable Food Systems Faculty Specialization Lead, MENV Program, University of Colorado Boulder // Of Counsel, Handel Food Law LLC
Nicole Civita is an Instructor and the Sustainable Food Systems Specialization Lead in the Masters of the Environment Graduate Program at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her approach to the study of food is grounded in systems thinking and
stewardship, attentive to relationships of care and reciprocity, and framed by comprehensive law and policy knowledge. Nicole’s current scholarship and advocacy identifies the ethical values and explores the dilemmas across the food chain, with particular attention to the well-being of workers and producers. Through this work, she aims to produce ethical guidance, actionable policy recommendations,
and transparency-enhancing tools that enable nourishing, informed, and values-aligned choices about food. Nicole is also nationally recognized for her work on food waste and conservation policy and resilient place-based food systems. In addition to her work in the MENV program, Nicole also conducts applied food ethics research through the Global Food Ethics and Policy Program of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and teaches as an Affiliated Professor with the LL.M. Program in Agricultural and Food Law at the University of Arkansas School of Law. She has represented farmers and food entrepreneurs in private practice with Handel Food Law, LLC.
Nicole holds an LL.M. in Agricultural and Food Law from the University of Arkansas School of Law, a J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, from the Georgetown University Law Center, and an A.B. in American Studies and Creative Writing from Columbia University.
Panelist: Deanna Bratter
Senior Director of Sustainability, Danone North America
Deanna Bratter is the Senior Director of Sustainable Development for Danone North America, the largest public benefit corporation and the largest Certified B Corporation in the world. Deanna drives the company sustainability strategy and programs to support the interconnectivity between the health of people and the health of the planet; and works to amplify the positive impacts of sustainability within business.
Deanna oversees the organization's nature and sustainability focus areas including commitments to advancing regenerative
agriculture, water stewardship, carbon reductions, improving packaging, and supporting people and communities. Prior to Danone North America, Deanna led Corporate Sustainability for WhiteWave Foods where she began in 2005 and was instrumental in creating and driving WhiteWave’s sustainability initiatives. Deanna integrates her passion for making the world a better place through leadership, education and innovation with her dedication to transforming the sustainability ambitions of business into meaningful results.
Panelist: Stacey Edgar
Lecturer, Social Responsibility and Sustainability Division, Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder
Stacey Edgar is a lecturer in the Social Responsibility and Sustainability division at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. A passionate advocate for women and girls, Stacey spent 17 years leading Global Girlfriend, a fair trade company she founded in 2003 as a way to provide economic security for women artisans in developing countries by creating a sustainable market for their
handcrafted products. Global Girlfriend grew from a $2,000 personal investment into a multi-million dollar brand partnering with over 250 women-led artisan enterprises in over 30 countries with products selling through premier retailers including Whole Foods, Target, West Elm, The Smithsonian, and over 1,500 independent retailers across the US and Canada as well as direct to consumer online.
Stacey is the author of the book Global Girlfriends: How One Mom Made it Her Mission to Help Women in Poverty Worldwide and a
social impact business consultant working with social entrepreneurs, artisan businesses, corporations, non-profits, and government export agencies. She is a founding board member of Trade+Impact Association, a global trade association advancing women-led social enterprises in Africa and the Middle East. Stacey has been honored by the Microsoft Corporation as a recipient of the company’s Start Something Amazing Awards, by Organic Style as one of their Women with Organic Style, by Multichannel Merchant magazine as a “Maven of Merchandise,” and she and her former brand have been featured in several national publications including O, The Oprah Magazine, In Style, Forbes, USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, Redbook, and Seventeen. Stacey holds both a Master’s and Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at Colorado State University.
Closing Speaker (see bio above): Lori Pace
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact: Burke Pemberton at burke@stok.com.