Leadership Aurora Class of 2017

The Aurora Singers is a Denver metro performing arts organization that has been a city icon of choral and dance styles since 1977. The ensemble strives to enrich the entertainment experience of its audience through performing high-quality choral and musical repertoire with an eclectic mixture of popular tunes and musical theatre. They are supported solely through patrons, sponsors, and volunteers and encourage any level of support to maintain their high standards for entertainment excellence.

mccates8@gmail.com

At Dion’s® we provide great pizza, salads, subs, and a place for people to relax and connect with family and friends. We create ease, simplicity, and connection amidst the hustle and bustle of busy lives.

Unity Group is an experienced team of real estate professionals with 15+ years. We are hear to serve you in your real estate journey and insure you have an outstanding experience.  We are MRP(Military Relocation Professional) certified to support active military and veterans. 

 Bringing You Home Together!

In 2001, Sam joined the family print business.  Sam's skills lead to a natural progression in 2012; he was promoted to Manager of Denver Copy and eventually became the owner. Sam carried the Family Business into the future with Stipple Print.

ED Jan 2019, oversees, directs, & manages the Havana BID's operational plan & programs

Dope Mom Life was created by Dianne Myles, a mom of two teenagers. After years as a Human Resource professional. She Conceived Dope Mom Life as a content creative agency like no other, her vision derived from her love of being a mom and a desire to make a difference. Although there were a lot of people who pushed back on the name, Dianne’s choice to remain true to herself colored the business’ development from top to bottom.

One day Dianne’s daughter spoke enthusiastically about becoming a doctor, but she expressed doubt that medicine is a field that black women could even fill those roles. This sparked Dianne’s quest to find a doctor to whom her daughter could relate; a doctor that her daughter could see herself in. On the deepest level, Dianne fully realized the importance of representation. Dope Mom Life exists because diversity (everyone), inclusion, and equity are the only way to innovate and create! 

Combines creative and logical for innovative outcomes. Experience turning technical/industry jargon into language for common acceptance.

Decades of experience in the printing and imaging industry: artist, graphic designer, photographer, product manager, multimedia manager, and software designer.

Former Public Affairs Officer with demonstrated history of meshing military with emergency-response industries. Provides subject matter expertise and leadership in Crisis Communications, Journalism, Government Relations, International Relations, Legislative Affairs, Corporate Communications, and Leadership.

Professional focused in organizational leadership, inspiring others to excellence, as evidenced by national-level awards, and relationship building; devoted to giving for the betterment of all.

I am a Colorado native and have lived in Aurora over twelve years.  Working in education for the majority of my career has taken me to jobs in Denver, Grand Junction, and Aurora.  I have worked in higher education and in K-12 education.  My passion is to provide access to equitable educational opportunities and help others find economic advancement through education.    

Debra Schaefer is a representative of LegalShield Business Solutions and has been a business owner for over 20 years. She and her team understand the stress that comes with making daily decisions that impact your business. Utilizing LegalShield Business Solutions eliminates the stressing and guessing; by connecting business owners with attorneys and consultants who can help them affordably navigate the challenges that come with running a business.

LegalShield provides affordable access to a local top-rated law firm and business consulting services.




 

A twenty year marketing veteran, Michael has spearheaded the marketing efforts for both B2C and B2B companies. In addition to developing marketing and branding strategies, Michael has earned his stripes in just about every facet of both digital and traditional marketing,
 
As founder of Assembly Networks, Michael has worked alongside early stage companies to bring to market disruptive technologies impacting web development, search engine optimization and interactive video. Michael also directed the implementation of robust e-commerce platforms and proprietary web-based marketing automation tools for mature companies such as Globus Travel, American Residential Communities, Centura Healthcare, Mile High Harley-Davidson and Time Warner.
 

Brian Sowl is a results oriented improvement leader and project manager with a collaborative leadership style.  A highly detailed oriented professional with excellent organizational and follow-up skills.  An energetic, innovative team member, who cares about people, and achieves results under pressure in fast paced environments, Recognized for managing accurate, cost-effective implementations on time, while consistently exceeding customer expectations.  Demonstrates excellent customer rapport-building to create operational solutions with analytical and problem-solving skills while staying under budget and continuously making material improvements to financial results.

Leadership Aurora Class of 2016

Ambassador Team
 

Working closely with Colorado residents to assess their insurance needs, protect assets and provide peace of mind.  We all work hard to build our wealth and retirement.  Let's make sure we guard this appropriately for the unforeseen events that can happen.  Accidents are just that, no one plans on them, but having the right insurance is very important.  Especially after the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, we have seen things like this before in 2012, Colorado Springs.  I know all of my clients are insured properly to rebuild their Home, if it should ever be destroyed.

I am have passionately worked alongside disadvantaged communities for over a decade and has her Master of Arts in Social Change. Before joining Northeast Transportation Connections (NETC) in 2015, I worked in international development creating and running programs abroad in places such as Honduras, Guatemala, and Nepal. Since joining NETC, I have worked to implement a host of programs for organizations and communities that are historically underserved. I spearheaded NETC's community outreach initiative to work with disadvantaged communities along the Central I-70 corridor, creating transportation options to help residents get in and out of their community during major highway construction. Most recently, I have helped create and administer the very first tolling equity program in Colorado, for the Globeville and Elyria-Swansea communities. 

Financial Advisor with a demonstrated background in investment banking, marketing, digital media, startup ventures and business operations. Series 7, 79, 63, 24 & 66.

Unity Group is an experienced team of real estate professionals with 15+ years. We are hear to serve you in your real estate journey and insure you have an outstanding experience.   We are MRP(Military Relocation Professional) certified to support active military and veterans. 

 Bringing You Home Together!

Growing up in Colorado, fashion has always been a passion of mine. I love the idea of repurposing old clothing and giving it new life. In 2013, I started GGirls Closet as a small storefront in Denver. Today, we offer a range of gently used and new clothing items for men, women, clothing & accessories. Our commitment to quality is unwavering, and we pride ourselves on being a boutique that operates on an appointment basis. Our services also extend to commercial boutiques, local schools, and non-profits, and we take pride in our community involvement and in donating to local ministries. I continue to grow daily within the community, striving to develop new concepts for raising funds through clothing recycling. Donate here today to give back to the local Colorado community!

My 20+ year career in graphic design and marketing has given me a strong skill-set in branding, styling, organization, and project management. 

I am passionate about helping fellow entrepreneurs create strong visuals that reflect their company's story. 

At New Leaf Property, I am dedicated to transforming the real estate experience through integrity and exceptional service. My mission is to empower clients to make informed decisions, guiding them every step of the way as they embark on their journey to buy, sell, or invest in properties. I believe in building lasting relationships based on trust and transparency, helping clients turn their real estate dreams into reality.

Clay Walker Bio: www.swprod.world

My name is Clay Walker. I'm a visionary and optimist person. My goals are to create job and opportunities for less fortune people. Plus help expand business.

Survivor of 3 open-heart surgeries, I'm an expert in self-care, emotional intelligence, and emotional support. I've been blessed to have an amazing support system, and my mission is to pay that forward. And I spread love wherever I go. If no one has said "I love you" to you today - "I love you!"

Esther Castillo-Lerma believes in the value of homeownership and understands that everyone’s financial situation is unique. Her goal is to ensure you (or your client) are on the best path to guide you and assist you in meeting your homeownership goals! 

With nearly 20 years of experience and mortgage licensed in CO, AR and FL, Esther has a deep understanding of the many loan programs and works closely with her clients to find the right home loan product to fit their needs. Esther is also a Freddie Mac CreditSmart Certified Facilitator and can help empower buyers to take control of their credit. Additionally, she offers several classes such as Budget Basics, Goal Setting and Re-Writing Your Money Story. 

Esther would be happy to talk to you about your current and long-term homeownership needs. She also speaks fluent Spanish. 

Mardochee Mafuana is a graduate of the University of Colorado Denver, holding degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Financial Management. With over five years of experience in the financial sector, he has honed his skills in helping businesses achieve sustainable growth and operational efficiency.

As the founder of Superb Corp LLC, Mardochee leverages his expertise to provide top-tier bookkeeping services and is leading the company into the realm of advisory services. He holds multiple professional certifications, including QuickBooks Online Certification Levels 1 & 2, Intuit Bookkeeper Certification, and QuickBooks Payroll Certification, underscoring his dedication to excellence and precision.

Mardochee is deeply committed to empowering businesses to thrive, fostering opportunities for growth, and contributing to a more prosperous and stable world.

Jodie has 13 years in commercial insurance. In 2019 Jodie was recruited from governmental risk pooling into the private sector, joining a large regional brokerage focused primarily in high volume workers' compensation. She quickly grew to be top producer in the firm, though met with limitations in advocating for clients in what felt to be a "sell only" environment.

Not wanting to become another cog in a corporate wheel, Jodie bet it all and founded Ascent Insurance Solutions in March of 2021. Experiencing growth ahead of schedule, we expanded into our office space in March of 2023.

Jodie lives in the Saddle Rock community in SE Aurora & spends her downtime with her gal-pals at the golf course or with her husband and furbabies.  She is the proud mother of an Army Reservist/CSU son and a daughter in the medical field.

Poker fanatic and family-focused.  We love to travel and I love helping small businesses with their swag!  From Illinois originally and moved here to run another promotional products company as a branch manager before starting Be Branded. Been married for 12 years and have 2 girls, 6 & 8 with a baby boy on the way.  We also have a 7 year-old silver lab!

I am a purebred entrepreneur. I love building businesses, maintaining them, and my favorite, growing businesses. And that's exactly what Zornes Media Does. We look at your whole business, and find the best advertising channel for you to use, then we dominate that channel.

So unless you're one of those weird people that doesn't want to grow your business. Let's get going...

Hello! My passion is to use technology that can empower AND protect small-to-medium sized businesses in Aurora (and the greater Denver metro area), which has been my home for 20+ years.

I believe in reciprocity, vale driven relationships and providing great communication and consistency, both personally and professionally.

When not working I thoroughly enjoy being an active dad to my twin six-year-old kiddos.

New Business Development Manager at Real FIG Advertising + Marketing, with 7+ years in sales and marketing. Proven success in lead gen, relationship building, and deal closure. Core competencies: new business dev, social networking, human behavior understanding. Passionate about crafting emotionally resonant messaging and executing results-driven campaigns. Sales and marketing are about empathy and providing tailored solutions. Let's connect to grow your business creatively.

LendingQuarters LLC is a Mortgage Broker licensed in Colorado, California, Florida and Texas. In addition to our residential loan services, we also provide our clients with access to Hard Money for commercial and residential properties. We can assist with sourcing Hard Money loans nationwide. We have 20 years of experience in the real estate industry. Our focus is providing a tailor fit customer experience based on individual needs. Our Broker/Owner, Chad Robinson, has a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Metropolitan State University as well as a Master of Science in Legal Administration from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law.
 

I am a 15 year Navy veteran working for PureVida Water Technologies, LLC as a Sales Consultant. PureVida provides water, ice, and coffee service for commercial businesses.

Synergy CPA Group, located in Centennial Co, has been in business for over 14 years. We offer a full range of services, including, tax preparation, tax planning, accounting services (bookkeeping & payroll), real estate portfolio reviews and CFO services. We focus on helping small, mid to large size businesses with tax strategy designed to put more of your tax dollars into your pocket. A few things that set us apart...
1. We offer a complimentary 3 year look-back even if you are not a client yet!
2. We offer a 200% guaranteed return on your investment with us! (yes we are that sure we can help you!)

We are especially great at helping in the following industries:
1. Real estate investing (short and long term investments)
2. Medical, Dental, MedSpa's, anything medical
3. Law
 

With over 15 years of experience in the loan servicing and transfer agency industry, Sherise is well-equipped to juggle multiple priorities and meet deadlines without compromising quality. She is a quality-conscious, hardworking, easygoing, detail-oriented, and efficient professional who is always eager to learn everything she can about her clients' objectives. Sherise applies her expertise to focus on the latest marketing trends while providing the best service possible from start to close, making each experience pleasant and rewarding.

At Destiny Urgent Cares of Colorado, our commitment extends beyond delivering medical care.Our facility is locally owned and we are all  about creating a health sanctuary where the Aurora community can thrive. We invite you to discover the impact of personalized, accessible, and community-rooted healthcare. 

 

Justin's career overseeing hospitality organizations across the country revealed a gap in the specialty construction industry: businesses sharing his commitment to trust, transparency, pride, and excellence. This realization led him to Floor Coverings International, where he assembled a team of honest, hardworking, and talented individuals who shared these core values. He believes businesses should improve the communities they serve. Justin's approach prioritizes delivering exceptional customer experiences while building meaningful connections. Outside of work, Justin loves being involved in the community and enjoying Colorado's outdoors. With certifications in wine, spirits, and sake, he's known to give an impromptu thesis on yeasts or how tax laws shaped the whiskey industry. Justin is committed to contributing to Aurora's growth and vibrancy through his business and personal involvement.

I went from selling ultra-luxury mattresses to providing financial peace of mind. Now, I help people sleep soundly with expert insurance and retirement solutions.