A Legacy of Leadership

As the first in my family to receive a college degree, my focus will always be helping students find their path to graduation.  It is not enough to enroll students, but we must ensure that all students have a clear path to graduating. 

As the first in my family to receive a military commission (NROTC at CU Boulder), I understand the many ways that military service should be given the recognition and credit to make graduation goals achievable.

It is a personal goal of mine to increase inclusion by ensuring that the CU system focuses on a diverse student body. People must “See to Be”. Without creating a diverse and inclusive faculty and administration, we will continue to see low graduation rates of students of color.

The professors who changed my life, and continue to influence me, were Black, Latino, women, and members of the armed forces. I want to ensure all students are given opportunity to learn from voices that will enrich their lives, enhance their intellect and challenge their opinions. Diversity should be more than a buzzword.

My political involvements have included Jared Polis for Congress; and President Barack Obama and Vice President Kamala Harris' National Finance Committees. 

Being an active volunteer in my community is important to creating quality of life for everyone. 

• Appointed to Colorado Governor Jared Polis’ Transition Team
• Governor Polis appointee to the Colorado Tourism Board of Directors
• Former member of the University of Colorado Alumni Board of Directors
• Inaugural Class of the Los Angeles African American Women’s Public Policy Institute (LAAAWPPI) 
• Former President of the National Women’s Political Caucus.  
• Former Appointee to the Los Angeles Small and Local Business Committee
• Former Board of Directors of the Starlight Children’s Foundation 
• Former Board of Directors of the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce.  

I was honored to be the first cannabis entrepreneur to be named to Ad Week’s 2021 Trailblazer list along with Vice President Kamala Harris, NBC President Kim Goodwin, and MSNBC President, Rashida Jones. 

Honors have included:

2021 Person of the Year, CEA & Artemis Foundation 

2020 Wellington & Wilma Webb Leadership and Legacy Award, Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado

2019 Inaugural Inductee to the  MJBiz Hall of Fame

2019 Top 50 Women in Cannabis By High Times

2019 100 Most Influential People in Cannabis by High Times 

2018 Lifetime Achievement from the Cannabis Business Awards

2018 30 Top Power Women of Cannabis 

2016 50 Most Important Women in the Cannabis Industry. (CBE) 

2014 CABJ Award for “Blowing Smoke” (Colorado Association of Black Journalists)