Colorado Campaign for Inclusive Excellence

Board

The CCIE Board of Directors is a diverse group largely comprised of senior members of Colorado's legal community, including the law deans of Colorado's law schools, managing partners of law firms, general counsel of two of Colorado's largest corporations, two U.S. District Court Judges, senior government attorneys, the executive directors of two of Denver's major legal-related public interest organizations, and representatives from diversity organizations and the specialty bar groups.

Officers

	Chair: Dean Heizer, Managing Partner, Heizer Paul LLP Dean Heizer's practice focuses on employment law. Mr. Heizer is deeply committed to CCIE and its efforts to increase diversity within the legal profession. He was selected for the Qwest Diversity Trailblazer Individual of the Year Award in 2008 for his work as CCIE Chair and as a former Chair of the Pledge to Diversity Legal Group.
	Chair Elect: Jennifer Weddle, Partner, Greenberg Traurig LLP Jennifer Weddle specializes in Indian law issues as a partner at Greenberg Traurig. Previously, she was an attorney at Holland & Hart where she chaired the firm's Indian Law Service Group. She is a frequent speaker on tribal rights, Indian Law matters, and Native Americans' unique racial and political perspective on legal diversity issues. Ms. Weddle was a Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit and currently serves as President of the Colorado Indian Bar Association.
	Vice Chair: The Honorable Christine Arguello, U.S. District Court Judge, District of Colorado Judge Arguello was appointed to the U.S. District Court in October 2008. Previously, she was the Managing Senior Associate Counsel at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Judge Arguello has taught law in Kansas and Colorado and practiced in both the private and public sectors. In 2007, she was selected for the Denver legal community's 2007 Qwest Diversity Trailblazer: Individual of the Year Award for her commitment to, and work on behalf of, inclusiveness in the legal profession.
	Treasurer: James Arundel, Partner, Kutak Rock LLP. Jim Arundel, a former managing partner at Kutak Rock's Denver Office, focuses his practice on corporate finance, with an emphasis on securitization and resecuritization, derivative products, guaranteed and non-guaranteed tax credit multi-family housing transactions, and public finance.
	Secretary: Meshach Rhoades, Senior Attorney, Qwest Communication Law Department Ms. Rhoades joined Qwest’s legal department in 2008 as a Senior Attorney. She has experience in the telecommunications industry litigating federal regulatory law. Prior to joining Qwest, Ms. Rhoades was a member of Holland & Hart’s Litigation and Intellectual Property Departments and clerked for U.S. Senior District Court Judge John L. Kane. Ms. Rhoades is President of the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association and represents CHBA on the CCIE Board. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Easter Seals Colorado and the Colorado Center on Law and Policy. Ms. Rhoades was recently appointed to the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession and the Co-Chair of the Colorado Bar Association’s Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee. Ms. Rhoades was named the Outstanding New Hispanic Lawyer by the Colorado Hispanic Bar Association in 2006.

Directors

	Rich Baer, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer, Qwest Communications Rich Baer is Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel of Qwest. Mr. Baer, who joined Qwest in 2001, previously was chairman of the litigation department at the Denver law firm of Sherman & Howard. Under Mr. Baer's leadership and direction, Qwest's legal department was selected as "2008 Corporate Legal Department of the Year" by Corporate Counsel Magazine. Qwest also received the Denver legal community's annual "2008 Qwest Diversity Leadership Award." This award, originally sponsored by and named after Qwest, recognizes a Colorado law firm or corporate legal department that is a leader in diversity.
	Eric Bono, Director for the Private Sector & Judicial Clerkships, Office of Career Development, University of Colorado Law School Eric Bono joined the University of Colorado Law School's Office of Career Development in July 2006 as the Associate Director for the Private Sector and Judicial Clerkships. Previously, Mr. Bono worked in the litigation group of Holme Roberts & Owen in Denver. At CU Law, Mr. Bono specializes in working to increase career opportunities for students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the legal profession. Mr. Bono was a Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit.
	Stephanie Boyett, Qwest Legal Department Stephanie Boyett is the current Co-Chair of the Colorado Pledge to Diversity Legal Group and represents Pledge on the CCIE Board. Ms. Boyett is a retail transactional attorney for Qwest. She also chairs the Qwest Law Department's Diversity Committee and supports the legal department's pro bono activities. Ms. Boyett has been with Qwest since 1988. She represented Qwest Wireless before state regulatory boards, the Federal Communications Commission and Congress. Her legal practice has also included procurement transactions, product development, advertising/marketing and state regulatory matters. Prior to Qwest, Ms. Boyett practiced law in private firms in Texas and Colorado.
	Michael Connelly, Vice President and General Counsel, Xcel Energy Inc. Michael C. Connelly is based in Minneapolis. He has served as Vice President of Human Resources, and was responsible for developing the strategy for and implementing programs to attract, retain, and engage employees necessary to the success of Xcel Energy, including the launching a major inclusiveness initiative. In addition to his position on the CCIE Board, Mr. Connelly also serves on the board of directors for the Twin Cities Housing Development Corporation, The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, and the Greater Twin Cities United Way.
	The Honorable Wiley Daniel, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, District of Colorado With his appointment in 1995 by President Clinton, Chief Judge Daniel became the first African-American to be appointed to the United States District Court for the District of Colorado and only the second to be appointed in the Tenth Circuit. In October 2008, Judge Daniel was appointed as the Chief Judge of the District. He began his legal career as an associate at a Detroit law firm. Judge Daniel moved to Denver in 1977 and practiced law at two law firms before his judicial appointment. Judge Daniel also teaches law as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Law School and as a lecturer for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA), the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and various other organizations.
	Bruce DeBoskey, Executive Director, Anti-Defamation League Bruce DeBoskey is the Executive Director of the Mountain States Office of the Anti-Defamation League. He previously practiced law in Denver and was a named partner at the firm of Silver & DeBoskey.
	Colin Deihl, Partner, Faegre & Benson LLP Colin Deihl is a member of the Executive Committee at Faegre & Benson's Denver Office. He leads the firm's diversity and inclusiveness efforts in the Denver Office. His practice focuses on civil trial practice and complex commercial disputes with an emphasis on environmental, land use, and real estate cases.
	David Fine, Denver City Attorney David Fine is the City Attorney for the City and County of Denver. David was appointed to the position by Mayor John Hickenlooper on October 29, 2007. Mr. Fine is the Chief Legal Officer for Denver, managing an office of 200 employees, including 97 attorneys. His work consists of (1) providing policy and legal advice to the Mayor and other City Leadership; (2) being the final decision maker on all critical legal decisions facing the City; (3) managing a large public law firm. Mr. Fine received his law degree from Northwestern University Law School in Chicago.
	David Getches, Dean and Raphael J. Moses Professor of Natural Resources Law, University of Colorado Law School David Getches was appointed Dean in July 2003. In his more than two decades at the University of Colorado Law School, Dean Getches has become a national authority on natural resources and Indian law issues. Prior to joining the faculty of CU Law School in 1979, he was the founding Executive Director of the Boulder-based Native American Rights Fund and spent several years in private practice. Dean Getches has taken two leaves from the University of Colorado, first to serve as the executive director of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources from 1983 to 1987, and then to serve as a special consultant to the Secretary of the Interior in 1996.
	Cathy Havener Greer, Member, Wells Anderson & Race, LLC Ms. Greer has been practicing law since 1976. After serving as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Colorado and as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Missouri, she entered private practice in the areas of employment and civil rights defense. Her practice includes commercial litigation and the defense of private employers and public entities and officials and private employers in federal and state trial and appellate courts as well as before administrative agencies. Ms. Greer Co-Chairs the Pipeline Working Group.
	Franz Hardy, Partner, Gordon & Rees LLP Franz Hardy is a partner in the Denver office of Gordon & Rees LLP, whose practice includes complex commercial cases in employment matters on behalf o employers and professional liability cases. Mr. Hardy serves on the Colorado Bar Association and Professional Liability Committee, where he co-chaired the state-wide 2007 Preventing Legal Malpractice Seminar. He is also on the Colorado Asian Pacific Bar Association board of directors, where he serves on the Judicial Appointments Committee. Mr. Hardy represents APABA on the CCIE Board of Directors.
	Cindy Hyman, University of Denver Cindy Hyman received her J.D. from the University of Denver law school in 1985, practiced law for 11 years and was most recently the Director of Lawyer Recruiting & Development for Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP. Currently, she is Assistant Director of Alumni Career Development at the University of Denver. She also worked as the Manager of Student Affairs at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and as a Career Consultant at the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business. Ms. Hyman has been active in the Diversity in the Legal Profession (DILP) Committee of the Colorado and Denver Bar Associations since 1997 and is the immediate past co-chair of that committee. Ms. Hyman represents DILP on the CCIE Board of Directors.
	Martin Katz, Dean of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law Dean Katz teaches and writes about constitutional law and employment discrimination law. Prior to joining DU, he was a partner in the employment litigation group at Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP, and a law clerk to Judge David M. Ebel, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Dean Katz graduated from Harvard College and Yale Law School. In his spare time, he flies search and rescue missions for the Civil Air Patrol.
	Bob Lawrence, Partner, Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP Bob Lawrence is head of Davis Graham & Stubbs' Natural Resources Department and is also a member of the firm's Executive Committee. He has practiced environmental law for over twenty-five years and has extensive experience in environmental litigation and administrative proceedings, permitting, compliance and enforcement matters and successful resolution of environmental issues in a wide range of transactions.
	Andrew McCallin, First Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection Unit, State of Colorado Andy McCallin is a First Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Section of the Colorado Attorney General's Office. Previously, he practiced law and clerked for a federal judge in Denver. Mr. McCallin is a Co-Chair of the Pipeline Working Group and has served on the board of the Colorado Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Bar Association since 2005 (president in 2006). In 2007, the Colorado Supreme Court appointed Mr. McCallin to the Board of Trustees for the Attorney's Fund for Client Protection, which was to reimburse clients who have lost money as a result of dishonest acts by their lawyers.
	Jim Pinto, Partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP Jim Pinto is a Shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. He works with the firm's Intellectual Property & Technology Group in the Denver office, assisting clients with intellectual property issues, as well as preparing and prosecuting patent applications relating to electrical, computer, software and mechanical technologies. He is also a member of the firm's Diversity Committee.
	Patricia Powell, Hummons Consulting Patty Powell previously served as Director of Career Services and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, as well as Assistant Dean of Career Development at the University of Colorado Law School. She is a past Co-Chair of the Diversity in the Legal Profession Committee of the CBA; past Co-Chair of the Professional Advancement Committee for the Colorado Women's Bar Association; past President of the Sam Cary Bar Association; and Co-Chair of the 2007 Rocky Mountain Legal Diversity Summit in Denver. She now works as a consultant.
	Mark Savit, Partner, Patton Boggs LLP A former managing partner of Patton Boggs' Denver Office, Mark Savit counsels clients on natural resources law and regulation matters, with an emphasis on mine safety and health law, protected species law, public lands law, oil and gas law, occupational safety law, and related litigation and legislative services. Mr. Savit began his career at the Department of the Interior and before joining Patton Boggs, he headed the special investigation unit of the Mining Enforcement and Safety Administration.
	Y.E. Scott, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Colorado Attorney General's Office Y.E. Scott joined the Colorado Attorney General's Office in 1991, representing the Department of Corrections. In 1993, Governor Roy Romer appointed her to the State Parole Board. In 1997, Ms. Scott became the Board's first and only Administrative Law Judge, conducting revocation hearings along the Front Range. After the Board was reorganized in 2000, Ms. Scott returned to the Attorney General's office, where she is now the Senior Assistant Attorney General serving as General Counsel to the State Board of Nursing. Additionally, Ms. Scott has been an adjunct professor at the Denver University Sturm College of Law and a volunteer judge for the Aurora Teen Court.
	Cynthia Shearon, Chief Administrative Officer and Human Resources Manager, Isaacson Rosenbaum PC Cindy Shearon represents the Denver Area Legal Recruitment Association on the CCIE Board of Directors. A former practicing attorney, Ms. Shearon is the Chief Administrative Officer and HR Manager at Isaacson Rosenbaum PC.
	Connie Talmage, Executive Director, Colorado Lawyers Committee Connie Talmage has been the Executive Director of the Colorado Lawyers Committee since 2000. She received her law degree from the University of Denver College of Law in 1978 and practiced law in Denver for 10 years. Ms. Talmage was the Director of the Office of Dispute Resolution, the statewide office of the Colorado Judicial Department responsible for mediation and other types of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the courts. Ms. Talmage currently Chairs the Colorado Access to Justice Commission and has been an Adjunct Professor since 1996 at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. She is a member of the Colorado Bar Association's Board of Governors and a Board member of the Colorado Women's Bar Association Foundation. Ms. Talmage represents the CWBA on the CCIE Board of Directors.
	Dr. Jesús Treviño, Associate Provost for Multicultural Excellence, University of Denver, Center for Multicultural Excellence Prior to joining DU, Dr. Treviño was the Director of the Intergroup Relations Center, Office of the Senior Vice-President and Provost at Arizona State University. He earned his B.A. in 1979 and his M.A. in 1982, both from Eastern Michigan University. In 1992, Dr. Treviño graduated from UCLA with both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis on higher education. His areas of expertise include campus climate issues, campus intergroup relations, diversity training, and the collegiate experiences of students of color.
	Marla Williams, Partner, Holme Roberts & Owen LLP Marla Williams practices nonprofit law with the Denver office of Holme Roberts & Owen. Ms. Williams previously served for seven years as President and CEO of The Women's Foundation of Colorado.
	Mark Yonkman, Chief Legal and Regulatory Officer, CoBank As chief legal and regulatory officer, Mark Yonkman is responsible for providing legal counsel to all areas of CoBank's business operations. He also oversees the bank's regulatory and board relations functions and serves on CoBank's Management Executive Committee. Prior to joining CoBank in 2009, Mr. Yonkman was senior vice president and general counsel for M&T Bank, a commercial bank with over $65 billion in total assets headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. Mr. Yonkman holds a law degree from Wayne State University.

Recognition of Former CCIE Board Members

The CCIE Board and Executive Director wish to acknowledge the profound contribution of Dean Juárez, without whom the Deans' Diversity Council and the nonprofit simply would not exist. His courage and leadership have inspired many.

José R. (Beto) Juárez, Former Dean and Professor of Law, University of Denver Sturm College of Law
Beto Juárez, the University of Denver's first Hispanic Dean, began his tenure at the Sturm College of Law in July, 2006. An accomplished scholar, lawyer, and administrator, Dean Juárez came to DU from St. Mary's University School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, where he was a law professor and an associate dean for academic and student affairs. Dean Juárez began his career as a staff attorney for the Gulf Coast Legal Foundation in Galveston, Texas, where he practiced poverty law, with an emphasis on family and housing law. He also worked as a staff attorney for MALDEF in San Antonio and as MALDEF's Regional Counsel and Employment Program Director in their LA office.