WFCO Welcomes 2023 Class of Trustees
New trustees rooted in commitment to equity and community leadership
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado (WFCO) added seven new trustees to our board, with their three-year terms starting April 1, 2023. The diverse trustees represent many backgrounds and identities of the people who make up the state of Colorado. Together, they possess decades of community engagement, board governance experience, and leadership in equity and inclusion.
As the new trustees begin their terms on April 1, 2023, so does a new slate of officers.
- Board Chair: Tania Zeigler (pictured right), Denver, Burn Bright Consultancy
- Vice Chair: Gracie Gallego, Denver, Heritage Title Company
- Secretary: Gerri Gomez-Howard, Denver, Gomez Howard Group
- Treasurer: Danielle Shoots, Denver, New Community Transformation Fund
The board of trustees works in partnership with President and CEO Lauren Y. Casteel to set The Foundation’s goals and priorities, ensure progress toward the strategic plan, determine policy priorities, and manage The Foundation’s assets over $32 million (February 2023). They also develop financial resources that ensure sustainability to meet the current and emerging needs of Colorado women and their families.
Meet our newest trustees
Allison Gambill, Denver
Allison Gambill is employment counsel for Covetrus, Inc., a global veterinary healthcare organization. Throughout her career in employment law and in representing a variety of regulated industry clients in federal, state, and administrative courts, she has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion. Since 2019 she has served as a board member with the Colorado Women’s Bar Association, and she was president of the Sam Cary Bar Association in 2022. Allison is a PEP member of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado.
Carly Hare, Weld County
Carly (Pawnee/Yankton) is the community investment & impact portfolio director at The Colorado Health Foundation. Her Pawnee name is <i kita u hoo <i ]a hiks, ‘kind leader of men’ and she is committed to advancing equity and community engagement in her personal and professional lives. Previously, she navigated the intersections of philanthropy and equity as the coalition catalyst/national director of CHANGE Philanthropy and led Native Americans in Philanthropy as its executive director. She served on the framework committee for the Women & Girls of Color Fund at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado and is a member of Empowerment Council.
Carly Wendt, Denver
Carly Wendt is a senior financial advisor for Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. She serves as co-chair for The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s investment committee. She also is a board member of Boardbound, which helps place more women, including women of color, on corporate and nonprofit boards. She is a PEP member at WFCO, and previously was an Empowerment Council member.
Mary Ann Littler, Arvada
Mary Ann Littler is the CEO of Peak To Peak Business Strategies and is a certified business and executive coach. She counsels women on how to fight for their positions, salaries, and bonuses during career transitions and executives on how to lead through integrity and compassion for inclusion and equity. She chaired the 2017 Annual Luncheon committee and is a member PEP, Women Will, and the direct-service grantmaking and development committees.
Mina Liebert, Colorado Springs
Mina Liebert is the director of community impact for Pikes Peak Community Foundation. A longtime resident of Colorado Springs, she champions using the power of collaboration and cross-sectional partnerships to accomplish impactful outcomes. Mina is an experienced public health and philanthropic professional, centering her work through an equity lens. She serves on local and statewide boards, including the Colorado Springs Leadership Institute (CSLI), Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), and UCHealth-Memorial Health System.
Patty Salazar, Denver
Patty Salazar is the executive director for the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), appointed by Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Her service in both the public and private sectors reflects her passion to meaningfully and equitably improve the quality of life and economic health of Coloradans. She is the co-chair of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s audit & finance committee and is a member of the Denver Library Commission.
Ruth Rohs, Denver
Ruth is the senior vice president of corporate communications and the executive director of The IMA Foundation. She currently serves on the boards of Denver Public Schools Foundation, National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), and University of Alabama College of Communications & Information Sciences Board of Visitors. She is also the vice chair of the MSU Denver Foundation. At The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, she founded Community Chest, a giving circle comprised of breast cancer survivors and friends who support women’s and girls’ initiatives.
Additional board transitions
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado would like to thank Faye Tate, Denver, CoBank, for serving as board chair from April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2022. We also share our gratitude for several more trustees who completed their six-year board terms:
- Debbie Chandler, Colorado Springs, Matthews-Vu Medical Group
- Jennifer Cottrell, Denver, Pinnacle Healthcare Consulting
- Adrienne Mansanares, Denver, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains
- Joyce Vigil, Pueblo, Robb & Vigil LLC
