Board

PATRICIA FEDERICO

Board Chair

Patricia joined the board in 2023.  She has worked in the tech industry for over 25 years and is employed by Oracle USA.  She has volunteered in positions that advance learning opportunities for children.  She served on Denver Public Schools Collaborative School Committees as well as the DPS Bond Oversight Committee.  She continues to serve her community as a volunteer with the Denver Police Department.  She is a proud member of the Denver Cafecito networking group.

TYLER LYONS

Board Treasurer

Tyler Lyons is a 3rd generation Colorado Native. Growing up on the west edge of Arvada, CO, Tyler and has family have been part of the front range community for over 100 years. Initially drawn to the world of politics, Tyler joined the Ritter Administration in 2008 after obtaining a degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado. Initially, Tyler worked in the Press Office sharpening his communication skills with constituents before eventually transitioning to the Lt. Governor’s Office where he focused on statewide education issues. After returning to the University of Denver to obtain his MBA, Tyler jumped into the commercial banking world as an underwriter and then a loan officer. Recently, Tyler began managing Alpine Bank’s Union Station location. In his free time, Tyler spends time his time with his wife, daughter, and yellow lab in addition to playing hockey and traveling.

NEAL ALSUP

Board Secretary

“Education begins at the time of birth. Establishing educational habits and focus in parents at childbirth is a key to improved education and the many positive downstream impacts.”

Neal joined the Parent Possible board in the fall of 2018. He has a financial background with an Accounting degree from Colorado State University. Neal spent 28 years at Oracle USA leading a variety of software support teams.  He now works at Cisco Systems leading their SaaS Support teams.

RICHARD KAUFMAN

Vice Chair

Richard Kaufman resides in Centennial, Colorado. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana State University and a J.D. from Emory University.

Richard’s previous experience includes serving as a trial attorney for nine years with the U.S. Attorneys’ Office in Denver. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, he specialized in employment discrimination claims litigating over one hundred cases and tort claims brought against the United States government, including medical malpractice and catastrophic injury claims.

Before joining the Department of Justice, he served seven years as Deputy Attorney General of the State of Colorado where he held various assignments including Chief of the Enforcement Division responsible for litigating securities, tax, Medicaid and consumer fraud cases on behalf of the State of Colorado. In addition, he was the liaison for the Attorney General to both the Governor and the Colorado General Assembly including legal analysis of all enrolled bills sent to the Governor and presenting the Attorney General legislative agenda to the General Assembly through testimony before legislative committees.

His legislative experience also includes overseeing the legislative and regulatory agenda for Texaco, USA before the state legislatures and regulatory agencies in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Richard was previously appointed by Governor Bill Ritter Jr. to serve on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education. The 11-member commission sets policies for all state-supported public institutions of higher education. Presently, he serves on the Fort Lewis College Board of Trustees.

Richard was appointed campaign manager for U.S. Representative Hank Brown (R- Colo.) when Brown first ran for Congress in 1980. After Brown’s victory, he served as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Brown in Washington, DC and was responsible for tax, budget, transportation and social security issues including service on a House staff group specifically assigned the task of promoting President Reagan’s 1981 tax cut.

Richard is a veteran of the United States Air Force.

MEGAN WILSON

Board Member

“Supporting and investing in our youngest children pays the greatest dividends economically, developmentally and socially. It is our ultimate moral obligation as a human race.”

Megan Wilson serves as the Vice President of Operations of the Caring for Colorado Foundation. In this role, she works to ensure the communications, human resources, grantmaking and operational systems of the Foundation are efficient, effective and advance the Foundation’s mission. Megan joined Caring for Colorado Foundation in 2023. Before working at Caring for Colorado Foundation, Megan spent almost six years in various positions at Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, with her final two years serving as the deputy director. She also served as executive director of Reach Out and Read Colorado for eleven years. Megan’s entire career has been dedicated to the nonprofit sector, with her first job in college working the night shift at a domestic violence shelter. Megan is a learner at heart, and is grateful for the lessons, growth and opportunity each position has entailed.
Megan holds a master’s degree in public service management from DePaul University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Puget Sound. She serves on the boards of Parent Possible and Littleton Public Schools Foundation.
Outside of work, Megan enjoys spending time with her family enjoying Colorado’s great outdoors, be it skiing, hiking, or reading a good book in the backyard hammock.

BUFFY RANSOM

Board Member

“From the very beginning, through elementary school and on through college, education is the foundation of opportunity.”

Buffy joined Parent Possible’s board in 2015. She is Vice President Global Customer Support at Oracle USA, and is the Oracle Women’s Leadership Executive Sponsor/Leader Denver. Buffy is also on the Advisory Board for CIS Department at Colorado State University, and an instructor for Junior Achievement.

ELIZABETH CHANEY

Board Member

Elizabeth was born and raised in a Texas border town, where she developed a discerning taste for tortillas early on. After graduating from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!) and earning her MA from the University of Houston, she began her career in healthcare as a Speech-Language Pathologist in the county healthcare system in Houston. Since moving to Denver and making a transition into the non-profit sector, she has held numerous positions in home visitation, adult education, higher education, and most recently in affordable housing preservation.

Outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys exercise, cooking, gardening, reading, and singing in the Denver Chorale! She’s passionate about black coffee, rescue dogs, college basketball, and finding excuses not to leave her home in the winter. Elizabeth is excited to contribute her programmatic knowledge of home visitation and its impact on families across Colorado to the Parent Possible board.

JASON CALLEGARI

Board Member

Jason Callegari is the Senior Program Officer at the Buell Foundation. At Buell, he works with nonprofits, government agencies and philanthropic partners that strive to ensure that children ages zero to five can thrive. That focus includes home visiting, early literacy, childcare and health and nutrition focused organizations. Before joining the Buell Foundation, he worked for Qualistar Colorado, the Lt. Governor’s Office, the Colorado League of Charter Schools and cityWILD.

CORY GORTON

Board Member

Cory is the Vice President of Programs at Community Partnership Family Resource Center (CP) in Teller County. Cory started at CP 8 years ago as the Parents As Teacher Supervisor and has since been a Program Coordinator, Program Manager, and now VP of Programs, overseeing the 20+ programs CP offers. As a Teller County native, Cory holds the work CP does close to her heart, strengthening the community she and her husband grew up in and is now raising their two children, Cassian and Tezni. Cory has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Human Development and Family Studies and a minor in Anthropology from Colorado State University and 17 years of experience in Early Childhood Education and Human Services, ranging from teaching and home visitation to center directing and program management. In her free time, Cory enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family, hiking, camping, or just hanging out by the lake. Cory serves on the Teller County Mental Health Alliance Advisory Committee, the Teller/Park Lead Coordinating Organization Advisory Committee, the Family Resource Center Association Member Committee, The Teller-Park Early Childhood Council, Collaborative Management Program, and numerous community collaborations and committees working together to serve families.

Board Member

Drew is the Managing Attorney of Colorado Membership at Employers Council, where he leads a team of attorneys and human resource consultants specializing in employment law and HR practices. He provides employer’s comprehensive legal advice and counsel on workplace issues, training on employment law and HR compliance, and representation before federal and state administrative agencies.

FRANCOISE MBABAZI

Board Member

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. -Robert Louis Stevenson”

Francoise Mbabazi is a passionate human rights activist and community engagement leader with over 10 years of diverse work experience in the nonprofits strengthening their staff, leadership development and coalition building. She excels in relationship building, program development, program management, and supervision with a focus on bridging the gap between community and policy with its social justice values through inclusive, participatory, and collective impact approach. She is currently an employee of the Colorado Trust.

She is committed to education equity, economic justice, social justice, empowerment of women and girls and poverty reduction. Francoise Mbabazi has a master’s degree from Arizona State University, Phoenix AZ in Interdisciplinary Studies, with Women’s Studies emphasis and bachelor’s degree from U.S International University, Nairobi, Kenya in International Business Administration, Study Emphasis: Marketing

JUANITA PUGA

Board Member

“The most powerful way to change the world is to live in front of our children the way we would like the world to be.” – Graham White

Juanita Puga has over thirty years in the field of early childhood. She holds a master’s in early childhood from the University of Co. Denver and is an alumnus of the Buell EC Leadership program.  Her time in the field of ECE has supported her current role at North Range Behavioral Health in Greeley as the coordinator for the HIPPY program for over ten years.  Juanita also works as a consultant with the SBDC supporting childcare centers and home care providers across Colorado.  Being a Colorado native, Juanita enjoys all the beauty the state offers and spends time exploring new areas with her family.

TRISH COLE

Emeritus Member

“The combination of parent engagement and early childhood education is a magical combination.”

After serving as Parent Possible’s original Executive Director (then Colorado Parent & Child Foundation), Trish joined the organization’s board in 2004. During her tenure as Executive Director, she helped establish the organization’s nonprofit status and secured funding from a significant number of the community’s early childhood care and education grantors. Trish was also instrumental in developing initial relationships with PAT and HIPPY.

THOMAS A. FITZGERALD

Emeritus Member

Tom is an Emeritus member of Parent Possible’s Board of Directors. He was a teacher and administrator in Colorado for 42 years primarily at Colorado Academy in Denver where he was the Senior Master of the Middle School in the 60’s and Principal of the Lower School in the 80’s and 90’s. Tom, who always was a teacher at Colorado Academy as well as a principal, taught a class to High School Juniors and Seniors called “Exploring Childhood.” It was this experience that led him to PAT. Tom recognized the value of home visitation and the critical role that parents play as their child’s first teacher. In 1989 he brought Parents as Teachers to Colorado.

J. DWIGHT STEELE

Founder and Emeritus Member

“A parent’s role as child’s first teacher has a lasting impact on that child’s overall development and ultimately, in his or her success as a member of the workforce.”

Dwight is an original founder of Parent Possible (formerly Colorado Parent & Child Foundation) and has served on the board from the organization’s start in 1989. He is a retired consultant and director of employment and job training programs in Colorado. Dwight also sits on the boards of Weld County United Way Promises for Children, Weld County Workforce, and the Weld County Cooperative Extension Council.