Leadership Fort Collins Graduates 40th Class

The 2022-2023 Leadership Fort Collins class will receive their diplomas on May 11 at the Rio Grande Agave Room.  Leadership Fort Collins, a program of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce, is designed to educate and motivate leaders who are committed to shaping the future of our community while encouraging inspired and active involvement that contributes to the betterment of the community.

Thirty-nine current and emerging leaders from throughout the Fort Collins area were selected to participate in the 2022-2023 program, which began in September 2022 and will conclude on May 11.  Participants came together on the second Thursday of the month for a day-long session to learn more about Team Building, Government and Transportation, Economy and the Environment, Education and our Community, Social Capital, State Government, Health and Emergency Service Providers, and Social Infrastructure.  The graduating class is a diverse mix of professions with representatives from education, large and small businesses, not-for-profit, and government.

In addition to attending nine all-day educational sessions, members of the class were also challenged to complete a service-learning project in the community.  The 2022-2023 Leadership Fort Collins Class has planned and produced six different class projects benefiting the Fort Collins area.

“The Chamber is thrilled to be able to produce this important program for our area.  The individuals graduating this year are second to none and will be impacting our community in very mighty ways.  They are leadership personified,” said Ann Hutchison, President & CEO of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Leadership Fort Collins graduation will include recognition of individual class members and a keynote address by Poudre School District Superintendent Brian Kingsley.  The graduation event, sponsored by Hot Corner Concepts, Northern Engineering, and Paul Woods Florist, will be held on May 11.

Graduating members of the class include:

Nick Armstrong, WTF Marketing

Heather Brick, Sage + Oak Massage

Tatum Cochran, Horse & Dragon Brewing Company

Andrea Coy 

Trae Cranson, Alpine Bank

Cindy Crosby, UCHealth

Jack Dennis, FNBO

Amy Dixon, Emotive Media

Julie Dubin, Peaks to People Water Fund

Adam Eggleston, Oaked Coffee Company

Mary Ericson, Community Foundation of Northern Colorado

Chris Fine, Colorado Licensed Beverage Association

Kaitlin Forte, CSUAA

Angie Freeman, CSU STRATA

Bethany Geisert, Waypoint Real Estate

Haleigh Gonzalez, Soukup, Bush & Associates, CPAs, P.C.

Kim Graves, Bohemian Foundation

Rebekah Harvey, Resident Realty

Taylor Hayden, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce

Kayleigh Helberg, CSU College of Business

Rev. Bradley Laurvick, First United Methodist Church

Patrick Loring, The Neenan Company

Blaine Mathisen, Northern Engineering

AC McKenzie, UCHealth

Erika Michalski, Strategically Authentic

Matt Morris, Habitat for Humanity

Nicholas Peterson, Poudre School District

Edgar Ramos, City of Fort Collins

Lisa Rayburg, Brahma Roofing and Construction

Diana Rogers Jaeger, Love To Appreciate Consulting

Greg Soffe, Vantage Point Initiatives

John Song, City of Fort Collins

Heidi Stevenson, UCHealth

Maria Elena Thomas, Poudre School District

Travis Trottier, GH Phipps

Megan Walter, Sunny Civil

Laura Jo Washle, The Group Real Estate

Will Weirough, City of Fort Collins – Parks

Evan Wendlandt, Larimer County

The Fort Collins Area Chamber produced the program with assistance from a steering committee and The Place Setting Company:

Paul Baker, 970 Services

Emily Birdsall, Jolly Events

Heather Buoniconti, Food Bank for Larimer County

Jen Cooper, SummitStone Health Partners

Lauren Dewey, Colorado State University

Laurel Donahue, Colorado State University

Jess Dyrdahl, Colorado State University

Maryann Fillingim, City of Fort Collins

Jerick Flores, Colorado State University

Jill Foster, The Place Setting Company 

Gretchen Gramling, Visual Health Solutions

Charles Grant, First National Bank

Huston Hoffman, RPT Realty

Ann Hutchison, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce

Jeff Jarchow

Mara Johnson, Habitat for Humanity

Tracy Katz, First Western Trust 

Carley McAbee, Be Kind

Jennifer McLain, Alpha Center

Annalise Mecham, Boys and Girls Club of Larimer County 

Amanda Miller, The Place Setting Company

Ali Raza, CSU

Colan Scheidenhelm, Schure Consulting

Lauren Smiley, Coloscapes Concrete

Nick Smiley, City of Fort Collins

Gretchen Stanford, City of Fort Collins

Zachary Sumner, KUKA

Abe Theiss, Baker Construction

Brad Ward, Connexion

Meghan Willis, UCHealth

Applications for the 2023-2024 Leadership Fort Collins program will be available in late June.  Anyone interested in learning more about the program or applying should contact Ann Hutchison at (970) 482-3746 or ahutchison@fcchamber.org.

About the Fort Collins Area Chamber

The Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce is the trusted business champion, catalyst, and convener creating shared economic prosperity for Northern Colorado. Investing in the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce puts members in contact with more than 1,100 business owners and managers in the market. For more than 100 years, the Fort Collins Area Chamber has helped shape the Fort Collins region. For more information about the Chamber, call (970) 482-3746 or visit www.FortCollinsChamber.com.