Leadership

Mary found her place in the world of Social Justice in 2011 when she opened the Social Enterprise Pizza Fusion for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless.  With over 35 years in the hospitality business as an Executive Chef, General Manager, Operations and Creative Consultant, Event Planner and Estate Manager, to develop and direct the program and business operation challenged Mary to utilize every aspect of her experience, intuition, creativity, intelligence, humility, energy and heart.  After four years in operation the program successfully advanced over 100 formerly unhoused individuals to sustainable employment.  The practice of Servant Leadership inspired Mary to carry forth the experience of Pizza Fusion to found The Reciprocity Collective.

Earscell is a Peer Mentor and Case Manager for the Housing First Team at The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. He works directly with individuals who are experiencing homelessness guiding and supporting them in gaining housing, jobs, sobriety and community. He also works at the Clubhouse in the CCH Stout St Location leading groups working on their recovery. Earscell readily shares his own life’s experiences to understand and connect with the individuals that he works with. Earscell is a strong advocate for employment as a cornerstone to stability in housing and health.

Lynn Parker, LCSW, PhD, is a professor emeritus with the University of Denver, Graduate School of Social Work, an American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists approved supervisor, and therapist in private practice Lynn’s focus is on social justice issues in families, couples, and society. She conducts research and writes about how to address power, privilege, and oppression in therapeutic work. Her book with Rhea Almeida and Ken Dolan-DelVechio, Just Families in a Just Society, details such an approach. She is also currently writing a book compiled of stories of liberation and resistance based on interviews with her community partners in Mexico.

For the past 25 years Terri has assisted small businesses and not for profit organizations establish and maintain reliable accounting systems. Focusing on management’s questions, she develops and tailors systems and reports to address each organization’s particular concerns. By providing managers with timely, pertinent, information, they become more effective mangers and can focus on their mission.

Her admiration and respect for those in the non-profit world, directed her to specialize in non-profit organizations. She helped turn a debt-ridden organization which was about to have to close, into a viable, debt free organization with a half million operating reserve and a $2.5million budget. In addition, Terri has assisted in the startup of five for profit and six non-profit organizations. Recently retired, Terri now has more time to work with those non-profits she is passionate about, like TRC, and work in her garden.

Leanne is the President and CEO of Good to Great Engineering and Technical Services; and Founder and CEO of The Wheeler Advisory Group. In both roles, she brokers collaborative initiatives with the Department of Defense, Defense Contractors, Nonprofit Organizations and Local Government, to solve real world problems through win – win solution sets. A Veteran of the US Air Force, she holds an Associate Degree in Applied Science in Electronic Systems Engineering Technology, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Information Systems (Regis University 2000) and will complete a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems in December 2017 (Regis University). She resides in Aurora, Colorado and enjoys community involvement, higher learning, professional and leisure reading, fine dining, ballroom dance, international travel, a variety of athletics and quality time with a host of nieces, nephews, and Godchildren.

Emily has worked with and volunteered for nonprofits throughout her life and is committed to advancing social impact and equity in the Denver Metro community and beyond. Emily is currently the Director of Grant Research at ZIM Consulting, where she leverages her expertise to manage a team of grant researchers and provide grants strategy and implementation for nonprofit clients across multiple industries and sectors. She is a graduate of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network’s Elevate Denver 2018-2019 leadership cohort and is a member of the food sustainability and justice team for the Global Shapers Denver Hub. Emily earned her BA in Sociology and a minor in Business Innovation and
Analytics from the University of Colorado Boulder. Now located in Denver, Emily still tries to get out and enjoy as much of Colorado’s great outdoors as possible in her free time.

Jeff Kinsey is the Founder of The Logos Group, where he uses his extensive experience building sales, service and operations teams to help passionate leaders create sustainable organizations and remain true to their innate selves by developing a growth culture through strategic planning and executive coaching.
Jeff spent 20 years working for J.P. Morgan, Citi, State Street, The Bank of New York, Bankers Trust Company and Huntington Bank. He holds an MBA in Strategic Leadership from the Dominican University of California as well as an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in finance and entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. He lives with his family high in the Rockies west of Boulder where he spends as much time in the Colorado backcountry as possible.

Madi Cedeno is a new board member within the non-profit sector and is passionate about inspiring and enriching the lives of others through the positive impacts she is able to make on the community, especially to women and to those who have found themselves marginalized through circumstances beyond their control.

Born and raised in New York City, Madi volunteered for four years as a food preparer/server at the Food Bank for New York and currently serves at the Denver Rescue Mission, helping the homeless and the needy.

Having faced firsthand the challenges of race and ethnicity in her professional aspirations and personal journey and with an extensive experience of both the business and retail sectors, Madi provides capable and competent sets of abilities to her work, both professionally and to The Reciprocity Collective

In her free time Madi loves cooking, traveling, dining out, art, nature, and meditation.

Director of St Francis Center, Employment Services, Ronnie has a passion for working with communities especially the vulnerable. He has over 8 years’ experience in developing, implementing, and administering programs. He possesses 4 years of experience in the Workforce Development and in addition he has over the past 4 years established an employer network, relationships with the government / community programs and built a great reputation in the workforce community. He has a BA in Community Development at Daystar University with a minor in communication.

As a real estate broker serving the Greater Denver Metro, Porter couldn’t help but notice the stark contrast between the beautiful homes she helped sell and the impoverished folks so often living on the streets nearby. Rather than complain or be upset by the noticeable divide, she decided to act to improve the crisis. With no official background in the not for profit space, but with a willingness and network to help, Porter joined as a board member in 2020 under the notion that everyone needs and deserves a home. With deep respect for the incredible work The Reciprocity Collective does, she focuses on fundraising and networking for the organization.

Reverend King is the founder of Awakening Souls LLC (pka Heart-Centered Counseling and Healing Center). Having served on the Board of Directors for two churches and several other non-profit organizations, as well as a business owner,  Arica provides leadership perspectives as well as bringing her serving/helping background to The Reciprocity Collective. Arica’s private practice focuses on helping her clients make real lasting changes, i.e. deep emotional healing addressing core/unconscious limiting beliefs using spiritual/transpersonal psychology and regression hypnotherapy.  Additionally, Arica has led workshops for counselors/therapists on how to work with Transgender/Transsexual Clients and other existential identity Issues in therapy.

Ms. Owens is the Program Manager for Hope Communities, an affordable housing nonprofit supporting individuals and families in housing, employment and resources needed for success. Amber has professional experience across the landscape of Human Services in Denver and adds her heart and passion to those experiences to wholly serve those she works with and for in the community. Amber considers herself a strong liaison between the community and their needs and resources that to help them flourish. She is voice in advocacy of those she serves. In her scarce spare time, she enjoys time with her two daughters and taking care of her family and friends.

As a philanthropist, business leader, investor, influencer, author, consultant, speaker and coach, Mr. Pepper enjoys helping people succeed in life. Although growing up in displaced communities, Nino did not let that keep him from achieving his long-term childhood goals. He and his wife founded their nonprofit organization efforts to help people in poverty, homeless, and those in government assistance programs gain financial literacy; provide college preparation guidance; and deliver pregame meals for high school athletes. CRY WITHOUT TEARS’ primary focus is to develop young leaders and help transition people out of poverty. As a technical advisor in sales for an Oil, Gas and Energy company, he finds time to give back by volunteering his time to coach high school varsity football.

Paul Vraas has an MBA in Finance and an entrepreneurial drive to creatively solve challenges that we face in our organizations, communities and daily lives.  Paul has had a 10 year career in the Marketing and Sales of consulting implementation services for technology from Salesforce.com.  He is an active member of Denver’s Lowry community where he serves on the board of the Lowry United Neighborhoods Registered Neighborhood Organization and Lowry Elementary Collaborative School Committee.  In 2020 Paul started the Lowry Coronavirus Help Group as a mutual aid organization established to provide relief to low income residents of his community.  In recognition of his impact, he was honored to receive the Neighborhood Star Award from Denver’s Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation (INC).