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Joe Garcia is the Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System. As CCCS Chancellor, Garcia leads the state’s largest system of higher education, which serves over 113,000 students annually at 13 colleges and 35+ locations across Colorado. From 2011 to 2016, he served as the Lt. Governor of Colorado and as the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. During his time as Lt. Governor, Garcia focused on increasing equity in outcomes for all students, particularly those from low income backgrounds and communities of color. For nearly a decade, Garcia served as President at both a four-year and two-year institution. On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Joe shares insights about the changing nature of higher education due to declining populations, perpetually challenging funding environments, changes necessitated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and evolving needs of the business community. Joe has a passion for higher education, an unparalleled background, and exceptional leadership skills. The conversation contained in this episode promises a multitude of insights. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Brian Fitzpatrick joined Mortenson in 2007 and is a member of the Denver Leadership Team. As Vice President, General Manager, of Mortenson’s Denver office, Brian is responsible for overall strategy development and direction of all facets of the group, including relationship management, preconstruction, construction, business development and community outreach activities. From Mortenson's website: "We are a top 20 builder and developer fully invested in our customers’ success and improving the communities in which we live and work. We’re a construction industry leader in markets like sports facilities, renewable energy, data centers and healthcare. At the end of the day, we want to be known for making sure the built environment has a lasting positive impact. Let’s build a better world." Brian joins the show and discusses his career history, his favorite projects since joining Mortenson, how the pandemic provided both challenge and opportunity, and a lot more. He also discusses how companies can be proactive in solving their workforce challenges, and why community outreach is so important.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Janine Davidson, Ph.D., has served as president of Metropolitan State University of Denver since 2017. She is a national thought leader in higher education and on topics such as public service, U.S. foreign policy and national security. As president of Colorado’s third-largest public university, Davidson is a fierce advocate for MSU Denver’s 17,000 students. From her first days on campus, she has championed the role public universities play in “holding the line on the American dream.” She has staunchly advocated for legal status for Dreamers and supported MSU Denver’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals students, as well as its minoritized students and military and veteran students. On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Janine shares how she works with businesses to ensure her students get real world experience and connections in a job market hungry for workers, the evolving role of higher education in American culture, why higher education is still great value (despite some commentary claiming it isn't), and her remarkable background as a pilot for the United States Air Force and a civilian working in the Pentagon. It's a fascinating episode with a truly remarkable leader.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Todd Saliman became the 24th president of the University of Colorado in July 2021 following his appointment by the Board of Regents. A lifelong Coloradan and proud CU alumnus, Saliman was born and raised in Littleton, and he graduated from CU Boulder with a degree in political science. With 30 years of experience in public policy and higher education in Colorado – including serving in the state legislature, working for two Colorado governors and overseeing CU’s budget operations for more than a decade – Saliman has devoted his career to advancing the state and CU. He believes deeply in the value of higher education and the power of a four-year degree to unlock opportunity. On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Todd discusses the present and future of higher education in Colorado. He also discusses the need to grow Colorado's own talent, the evolution of meeting the needs of the business community, and why University of Colorado's partnership with Colorado Business Roundtable is so vital. University of Colorado employs 30,000 people, which makes it the third largest employer in the state. It's a stimulating conversation that covers a lot of ground on education, workforce development, and cultivating partnerships.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Inspired by the Presidential Medal of Freedom - the highest civilian award of the United States – the Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medals honor Colorado leaders who inspire excellence and community service. On this edition of A Seat at the Table, Debbie Brown welcomes Bradford Walton of Ball Corporation and Jen Landers, Executive Director of CiviCO to discuss these incredible honors, including how Ball Corporation earned this year's Corporate Citizenship Medal. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website. Bradford Walton has worked with Ball Corporation for more than two years. At Ball he has the dual role overseeing Ball’s external communications, inclusive of community and corporate citizenship. Driving the Foundation team at Ball, he is focused on connecting to the communities where they live and operate across the globe. He previously served as global communications director for Intuit, where he developed global communication campaigns and customized plans for the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and India. Jen Landers is the current executive director of CiviCO and prior to that she was the executive director of Colorado Young Leaders, a leadership program for Colorado high school students. Colorado Young Leaders has since folded into CiviCO’s powerful programming to further empower a new generation of leaders. Jen is driven to act and serve Colorado now by showing how businesses that focus on the community drive profits and so much more.  

Pat Meyers is Chief Economic Recovery Officer and Executive Director for Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT). OEDIT creates a positive business climate that encourages dynamic economic development and sustainable job growth.  In December 2017, Pat was appointed the Chief of Staff to Colorado’s Governor John Hickenlooper and served in the role until the Governor’s term ended in 2019. Pat is a senior advisor to now Senator Hickenlooper and was a board member of his Senate campaign. In March 2020 Pat was appointed the Constrained Medical Supply Team Leader for the State of Colorado’s Covid Innovation Response Team, where he led the team obtaining PPE and other medical supplies for the State. In 2021, Pat was awarded the Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Award for his work on the Covid Response Team. Pat’s practice has included securities and franchise compliance, finance transactions, tax, mergers and acquisitions, employment matters, litigation, license and distribution, and general corporate law. He has written numerous articles and has taught various continuing legal education courses. Pat discusses all of this plus Colorado Forward, where you can learn more about the work of Governor Jared Polis and the General Assembly to save Coloradans money, support economic recovery and resilience, and build a Colorado for all, and Opportunity Now Colorado, an $85 million grant program catalyzing transformative change for Colorado’s workforce. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Colorado Succeeds was founded in 2006 by a group of CEOs who saw the need for a non-partisan business advocacy organization focused solely on education and workforce development. As end consumers of the education and talent development system, Colorado Succeeds members advocate for policies that improve outcomes for learners, and support innovative programs in and out of the classroom. They shape and advocate for public policy that removes barriers to innovation, incentives best practices, measures outcomes, and places the learner first. They supercharge policy implementation by providing technical assistance and support to education providers and employers. And they fund education and workforce development best practices to bring them to scale. On this episode, Debbie is joined by Katie Zaback, Vice President of Government Affairs and Ben Gerig, Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships to discuss how post-secondary education continues to evolve, where the business community can be involved, and what the future looks like for workforce development.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

The future of education is frequently at the forefront of our policy discussions, and it's not hard to understand why. Our children are our future leaders in business, government and every other sector of society, so it is imperative that the education they receive prepare them effectively for the future. Dr. Don Haddad has been a leader in this space for a long time, and he joins A Seat at the Table to discuss the innovations, partnerships, and evolutions he has been a part of over his impressive career. Dr. Don Haddad is the Superintendent of the St. Vrain School District and has an impressive career spanning 37 years where he has benefited from a broad range of experiences in several school districts while working in various teaching, coaching and administrative positions at every level, PK-12. You can read more about St. Vrain School District here, and Dr. Haddad's bio here. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Josh Miller is Manager of Community Engagement-Colorado, Kansas and Kansas City, MO for Verizon. He is part of a team that designs, implements, and executes company programs pertaining to everything from diversity, equity and inclusion to addressing climate change to equitable digital inclusion for all. Verizon has a multitude of programs designed to ensure the highest satisfaction from its four identified stakeholder groups: customers, employees, shareholders, and society as a whole.  On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Josh shares his journey through the world of politics that ultimately led him to Verizon, discusses what it was like to have his first day coincide with Colorado's shutdown order related to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, how virtual programs translate to the real world, and a lot more. It's a jam-packed episode that paints a detailed picture of Verizon's robust initiatives.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Jason Janz co-founded CrossPurpose with Juan Pena in 2008, influenced greatly by spending his childhood and adolescence in poverty. With the goal of abolishing relational, economic, and spiritual poverty through career and community development, Jason’s passion for social entrepreneurship and serving the poor is satisfied through his role as CEO where he builds the team, sets the organizational culture, and raises funds. On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Jason joins Debbie Brown for an energizing chat about the innovative model of CrossPurpose, why there needs to be 10 more organizations like his, why poverty isn't just what you see on the streets and much more.  Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher. For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.

Bryan Perry is the Owner of Peak Benefits, a company that builds premium benefits plans at budget prices. In Bryan's own words, "The healthcare industry employs armies of consultants whose entire job is to maximize their company’s revenue from your healthcare plan. Business leaders are frustrated because they don’t have more tools when they get their annual 6% increase. We think it is wrong that your rate increase is someone else’s profits."  On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Bryan discusses his journey in business and the founding of Peak Benefits. He talks at length about the opacity of healthcare pricing, why and how he's dedicated to creating "win-win-win" solutions for businesses, consumers and providers, and where the healthcare industry goes from here, plus a lot more. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser was sworn in as the State’s 39th Attorney General on January 8, 2019. As the state’s chief legal officer, Attorney General Weiser is committed to protecting the people of Colorado and building an innovative and collaborative organization that will address a range of statewide challenges, from addressing the opioid epidemic to improving our criminal justice system to protecting consumers to protecting our land, air, and water. Attorney General Weiser has dedicated his life to the law, justice, and public service. Before running for office, Weiser served as the Hatfield Professor of Law and Dean of the University of Colorado Law School, where he founded the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship and co-chaired the Colorado Innovation Council. On this episode of A Seat at the Table, AG Weiser discusses his journey to becoming Colorado's Attorney General, shares his vision for the role his office plays, discusses recent initiatives on which his office has partnered with the business community (such as opioid addiction and support) and much more.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

FloraJane DiRienzo is Executive Director of Biennial of the Americas, which creates connections, builds community and inspires change across the Americas. They envision Denver as a global city that fosters collaboration and partnership across borders and Colorado as a state that is deeply connected to the Americas. On this episode of Profits & Purpose, FloraJane explains the origins and goals of Biennial of the Americas, and discusses at length their recent trip to Mexico City. She and Debbie talk about what parts of the trip were most impactful, the insights they gained by visiting our neighbors to the south, and what goals they have taken away from the trip. It's a fascinating look at one of Denver's most unique organizations. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Stephanie Garnica is Director Global Business Development for Denver Economic Development and Opportunity whose mission is "leading an inclusive and innovative economy for all Denver residents and businesses by supporting local and global business development, workforce development programs, and stabilization efforts in diverse neighborhoods." On this episode of Profits & Purpose, Stephanie shares with us her career journey that led to her landing here, the recent renaming of her office, why Denver is such an attractive destination for businesses from all over the world, where Denver currently stands in attracting new companies to our city post-pandemic, and a lot more.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

Brock Herzberg is the Coordinator for the Colorado Business Coalition for Immigration Solutions (CBCIS) in their daily efforts to assist Colorado business to find workable solutions on immigration reform. He is also a Principal owner of Capitol Focus, LLC, a government affairs firm in Denver. A native from Akron, Colorado, Brock graduated from Colorado State University in 2000 with a Bachelors degree in Speech Communications with a minor in Political Science.  Brock received his Masters degree in Communications from Colorado State University in 2002. On this week's show Brock discusses how the workforce crisis of the last three years intersects with a perpetual discussion about immigration and the impacts on the business community. He shares the work of CBCIS and others in evolving the conversation and finding solutions that work for the largest amount of Coloradans.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown. 

Luella Chavez D'Angelo is the CEO of Colorado Inclusive Economy, a statewide movement of design, intent, and action led by CEOs and leaders. They support leaders through regular facilitation, an evolving resource toolkit, and peer support to help them build specific Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategies that align with their overall organizational goals. Members of Colorado Inclusive Economy have made a long-term commitment to the movement and will report regularly on shared metrics to ensure that we are making regular and sustained progress towards Colorado’s inclusive economy. On this episode of Profits & Purpose, Luella shares her story of coming to lead Colorado Inclusive Economy, discusses the origin and evolution of the organization, and delves deep into the work they're doing specifically related to workforce. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

The annual Colorado Talent Pipeline Report produced by the Colorado Workforce Development Council identifies areas of growing demand and opportunity, key features of the current labor force, and strategies to balance the supply and demand equation for talent. It also highlights the Top Jobs in Colorado -- jobs with high annual openings, above average growth, and a good wage. Renise Walker serves as the Assistant Director of Systems Innovation for the CWDC Office. Serving as an active leader for the CWDC Office, Renise represents the CWDC Office at state and national conferences and continues to innovate and be a thought leader in the talent development landscape in Colorado and nationally. She is responsible for critical relationship development with external partners and provides management and alignment of CWDC's efforts to lead and support industry-led networks, develop and strengthen career pathway systems, and implement stimulus-funded initiatives in support of Colorado's economic recovery. On this episode Renise discusses the recent Talent Pipeline Report, workforce development and retention, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and all things workforce development in Colorado.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

Pamela Toney is President of Colorado State University Global, the first regionally accredited public online university. Colorado State University Global was designed for the modern learner, and for over 10 years they have served 40,000 students looking to advance their careers through education. CSU Global's top-ranked, career-relevant programs focus on outcomes after graduation, and are designed to help learners move forward today with the skills they need for tomorrow. On this episode of Profits & Purpose, Pam discusses the interplay between workforce development and higher education, dives deep into ensuring CSU Global's classes and degrees match the needs of modern employers, and discusses the four pillars of CSU Global that keep it vital, growing, and responsive to the needs of its students and the community at large. She also discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the uniqueness of the student body, and a lot more.  Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

Celia Dietrich started Dietrich Partners seven years ago to fill a void she saw in professional services: transparent, reliable, accountable partners who provide a return on investments and take care of their people. Now an employer of 30+ people serving public, private equity and privately-held organizations ranging in size from middle market to Fortune 100 companies, Celia provides advisory services to help clients maximize the value of transactions, deliver key strategic programs, and optimize overall performance – whether that means standing up, scaling up or preparing a company for exit. Her expertise has guided clients in multiple industry sectors, including healthcare, financial services, utilities, manufacturing, hydroponics, and hospitality. On this episode of Profits & Purpose, Celia discusses her personal journey to founding Dietrich Partners, the insights she's gained in working across industries, and shares findings from her firms reports. Celia also discusses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, how businesses have evolved and adapted, and much more. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.

Jennifer Landers is the Executive Director of CiviCO, an organization that brings together Colorado’s top leaders across all sectors and industries in a non-partisan environment, rich of empowerment. From their website: "As the strength, vitality and potential of our state continues to grow, our mission continues to expand. We educate, inspire and connect the next generation of community leaders through our elite cross sector leadership programs, enriching experiences, executive coaching and mentorship.  CiviCO provides executives with pathways to a life of significance and community impact - for the future of Colorado." On this episode of Profits & Purpose, Jennifer shares her professional journey that led her to CiviCO, discusses the Governor's Citizenship Medals, shares about the organization's COVID-19 Heroes, discusses the organization's mission and goals, and shares the ways in which they partner with organizations like Colorado Business Roundtable. Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.