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Metro Regional Council

Focus Area

The Metro Regional Council is committed to middle school youth development. It currently provides multi-year funding to three Denver middle schools serving diverse populations through innovative models, with funding directed toward mental health initiatives. The Council recently hosted a panel of experts to better understand the landscape of education across Adams and Arapahoe counties, and also recommended one-time grants to four nonprofits across the region in support of middle school student programming.
Serving Adams, Arapahoe, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Jefferson Counties

Click to enlarge the map.

Region Facts
Population
2,941,495
Major Cities
Aurora, Castle Rock, Golden, Denver, Lakewood
Median Household Income
$92,785
Unemployment Rate
3.3%
High School Graduation Rate
82.2%
Industries
Education, government, healthcare, energy (including oil, natural gas, and wind), manufacturing, tech

Data is sourced from the KidsCount! Database and the US Census Bureau.

Meet Our Regional Council Members

Along with council members, regional councils are supported by El Pomar Trustees, staff, and Fellows

Kyle H. Hybl President & Chief Executive Officer, El Pomar Foundation
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Kyle Hybl currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer for El Pomar Foundation and Vice President of The Garden City Company. Kyle is Chairman Emeritus of the University of Colorado System, a board he served on from 2007-2018. Kyle currently serves as Chairman of National Cybersecurity Center, Corporate Secretary for Junior Achievement, USA and on the boards of American Council of Young Political Leaders, Employers Council and Exponential Impact. In 2018, Kyle was appointed as a member of the Air Force Civic Leaders Program.

Kyle earned bachelor's and juris doctor degrees from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is a former Air Force Captain and Judge Advocate.

Patricia Barela Rivera President & Owner, PBR Solutions
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Patricia Barela Rivera brings a breadth of knowledge when it comes to economic development and public service. She owns her own consulting firm that specializes in small business advising/coaching, strategic planning, government and public policy consulting, creative marketing, community and public affairs, and leadership development. Prior to her current role, she served as the District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration in the State of Colorado where she managed the implementation of key economic programs across Colorado’s small business community. Throughout her professional career, Patricia has centered small business owners and minority and women’s communities in her work.

Ashley Buderus Consultant, Aspen Leadership Group
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Ashley Buderus is a Consultant with the Aspen Leadership Group. ALG is the national leader in advancement search that was recently named to Forbes’s list of America’s Best Recruiting Firms for 2019. She has worked in the field of advancement for over 15 years, most recently serving as the Chief Executive Officer for Quarterly Forum, a non-partisan, nonprofit leadership organization that educates and empowers Colorado’s most influential community leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Ashley earned her bachelor’s degree in international business from the University of Denver and her master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University.

Toti Cadavid President, U-Fulfilled
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Toti Cadavid, a native of Colombia, is President of U-Fulfilled, providing executive and life coaching, training and speaking services. Previously, Toti was a seasoned multicultural communications strategist with far-reaching experience in both domestic and international arenas. After a successful career in corporate America, she launched and, until 2012, led Xcelente Marketing, a top-notch Hispanic marketing agency. Toti currently sits on the boards of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Colorado Health Foundation, Denver International Airport Management Advisory Council and Junior Achievement.

David Card President, Regis Jesuit High School
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David Card worked as the Director of Development for Regis Jesuit High School from 1999 to 2003, before returning in 2016 as President. Prior to his return to RJHS, David served as President of Escuela de Guadalupe, a dual language Catholic grade school in northwest Denver from 2003 to 2016. David became a Trustee of Regis Jesuit High School in June 2015 and continues to serves as an ex-officio member. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado at Denver and an undergraduate degree in political science from Regis University.

Rebecca Holmes President & CEO, Colorado Education Initiative
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Rebecca Holmes began her education career as a teacher in Denver’s Cole Neighborhood and she is a proud alumna of Colorado’s public school system. She is a graduate of Yale University, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining the Colorado Education Initiative (CEI), Rebecca worked as the Senior Program Officer for the Gates Family Foundation. Rebecca also served as the Associate Commissioner for Innovation, Choice, and Engagement at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), in addition to completing the El Pomar Fellowship. As the CEO of a public charter school network she helped serve over ninety percent low-income students. Rebecca has also worked in the private-sector, and brings experience in change management, talent strategies and organizational design.

Tanya Kelly-Bowry President, Policy Matters University of Colorado
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Tanya Mares Kelly-Bowry has lobbied for the University of Colorado since 1998 and is the owner of Policy Matters, a Denver based advocacy firm. Kelly-Bowry has more than 20 years of advocacy experience, having lobbied on behalf of higher education, human services and health care issues in Colorado and Washington, D.C. She earned bachelor’s degrees in international affairs and political science at CU-Boulder and a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University as a Colorado Trust Fellow. Kelly-Bowry also studied at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government as a member of the senior executives in state and local government. She is an expert in higher education, healthcare, and fiscal policy.

Bob Manning Founder & Managing Director, M2p Capital LLC
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Bob Manning is a Founder and Managing Principal of M2P Capital LLC, a Denver based private equity firm. He is a Trustee for the Metro Regional Council and a member of the El Pomar Investment Committee. Bob is also a Trustee of Colorado College and a Trustee and past Chairman of the Denver Area Council of Boy Scouts. He is a Director of FirstBank and Cheyenne Capital Fund. Bob is a graduate of Colorado College and lives in Denver.

Walker Stapleton Former Colorado State Treasurer
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Walker Stapleton's roots run deep in Colorado, as his family has been actively involved in Colorado since the early 1900s. Prior to being sworn in as Colorado’s 43rd state treasurer January 2011, Walker served as chief executive officer and chief financial officer of various private and publicly traded companies. He served as the 56th Treasurer of Colorado from 2011 to 2019. Walker’s community service includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver and is also a member of the Denver Southeast Rotary Club.

Walker graduated from Williams College in Massachusetts and holds a graduate degree in business economics from the London School of Economics and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School.

Debbie Ward Owner, Ward Real Estate Group
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Debbie Ward is the Owner and Managing Broker of Ward Real Estate Group. Previously, Debbie spent 10 years as a product development manager in the financial services industry and seven years at The Broadmoor Hotel. Debbie served as Board Chair for Mile High United Way and Book Trust, was on the Associate Board for Big Brothers Big Sisters and served on the Jackson National Community Fund Advisory Board.

Debbie is a Colorado native with an undergraduate degree from Colorado State University and a master’s degree in business administration, with a specialization in finance, from the University of Denver.

Maureen Lawrence Senior Vice President, General Counsel, & Regional Partnerships Program Officer, El Pomar Foundation
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Maureen Lawrence is Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Regional Partnerships Program Officer. In this role, she manages the legal affairs of the Foundation and provides strategic and operational leadership for El Pomar’s Regional Partnerships program as well as oversight for other Foundation community stewardship programs, including the annual Rocky Mountain Tax Seminar for Private Foundations.

Maureen first joined El Pomar as an intern in 2002, and then again in 2003 as a participant in the Fellowship program. After her time as a Fellow, Maureen earned her law degree and then clerked on the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit for the Honorable Paul J. Kelly, Jr. She was a commercial litigator at WilmerHale in Washington D.C. before relocating to Philadelphia where she practiced for eight years, first as an associate and then shareholder, at Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller. Maureen’s practice focused on federal antitrust litigation and other complex commercial litigation matters. She also routinely advised clients on matters of legal and judicial ethics. Maureen has been actively involved in her community through board service as well as pro bono work, which included her collaboration with other firm colleagues and the Pennsylvania Innocence project in the release of a Pennsylvania inmate whose conviction was overturned after having served 33 years in state prison. Maureen returned to El Pomar in her current role in September 2019.

Maureen earned her bachelor’s degree in history and political science from Marquette University. She earned her juris doctor from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, where she was Editor-In-Chief of the Catholic University Law Review.

Matthew Telles Senior Program Associate, El Pomar Foundation
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Matthew Telles joined El Pomar Foundation as a member of the 2022 Fellowship Class. As a 2nd Year Fellow, Matthew works as a Senior Program Associate for American Council of Young Political Leaders, Awards for Excellence, Fellowship Recruiting, Fellowship Strategic Planning, New Fellow Orientation, and Regional Partnerships. In addition, Matthew supports the Metro region.

Matthew grew up in Far Northeast Denver and recently returned home after studying for the past five years in the Pacific Northwest. In 2022, he graduated from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon, with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology as well as a Minor in Entrepreneurial Leadership & Innovation. Being that Matthew is the first in his family to graduate from college, he is an impassioned advocate for other First-generation college students. During his time at Lewis & Clark College, he served in several roles where he dedicated himself towards creating a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible path through higher education for his peers. As a peer mentor, he worked directly with cohorts of first year students who identified as First-Gen, Low-Income, Black, Indigenous, and students of color by hosting workshops and retreats into the Great Outdoors. Matthew also served as the Chair of the Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Committee of the student government where he developed a passion of directing DEI initiatives within administrative work. More recently, Matthew co-chaired the annual Ray Warren Symposium on Race & Ethnic Studies which prompted him to host nationally recognized activists, scholars, and professionals for a series of events open to the entire Portland community.

In his free time, Matthew enjoys hiking the Rockies, cuddling with his two kittens, Boulder & Pebble, and trying out local breweries.

Erin Huggins Program Associate, El Pomar Foundation
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Erin Huggins joined El Pomar Foundation as a Fellow in July 2023. As a 1st Year Fellow, Erin works as a Program Associate for Elevating Leadership Development, Investment Challenge, and Western Leadership Academy. She also supports the Metro and San Luis Valley regions.

Erin grew up in Newark, New Jersey and graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Education. During her time at CC, Erin worked at the Butler Center, the center for antiracism, diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and as a student assistant at the Registrar’s office. Additionally, she was a member of the Cutthroat Rugby team, was the co-president of an affinity group for Black women on campus, and was involved with the Outdoor Education program as a trip leader. While studying Sociology, Erin deepened her understanding of the world around her and became fascinated by the social structures and systems that shape our society. These systems are far from perfect, which inspired her to get involved in nonprofit work and community service.

In her free time Erin likes to spend time with friends and family, mountain bike, journal, and play card games.

More on grant making

Grant Making

Beyond Regional Partnerships, El Pomar contributes over $25 million to nonprofits and government equivalents across Colorado through our grant making efforts each year. We have a broad grant making scope with greatest focus in the areas of arts & culture, civic and community initiatives, education, health, and human services.

Regional Partnerships

More than 70 leaders from across Colorado serve on El Pomar’s 11 regional councils, which identify and address local needs in their communities. Since 2003, the councils have recommended grants totaling more than $25 million.