Close Button
Who we are
HomeMissionLegacyPeopleTrusteesOur SpaceContact
Ideas & Community
Why ArtsLeadershipInvesting with ImpactIn the NewsResourcesGrants
Explore Stories
AllBig IdeasDaring LeadersTransformational Art
Close Button
Close Button
Grant Opportunities

Livingston Fellowship

Two Decades of Impact: Shaping Communities, One Leader at a Time
Apply via Grants Portal
Fellowship FAQ's
More Information
About the award

The Livingston Fellowship stands as a beacon for Colorado’s social sector leaders, offering them recognition, inspiration, and unparalleled learning opportunities. This program seeks visionaries who demonstrate proven leadership, growth potential, and eagerness to learn while championing equity in their work.

Awarding $40,000 to senior-level nonprofit and community-focused for-profit leaders, the Livingston Fellowship not only acknowledges their past achievements but also fuels their future through personalized professional development activities. Each fellow crafts an individualized plan, while Bonfils-Stanton Foundation provides support, inspiration, and a platform for reflection and creativity.

Fellows have utilized this opportunity to expand their horizons—engaging in national and international travel, academic enrichment, and meaningful dialogues with peers in their fields. These experiences have not only sparked creativity but also broadened worldviews, enhanced resilience, and fostered a sense of well-being. The ever-growing network of Livingston Fellow alumni further enriches this journey, creating a community of support and inspiration that drives continuous, transformative change throughout the Denver Metro area.

Meet our 2023 fellows

Since 2005, Bonfils-Stanton Foundation has honored 20 classes of remarkable leaders through the Livingston Fellowship. These over 100 individuals hail from arts, culture, humanities, youth development, human and social services, health, education, environment and science organizations. All making significant impacts across the Denver Metro area.

Learn more about the 2023 fellows and dive into their stories through short documentary films here. For a broader view of our fellows’ incredible journeys, explore additional videos on our YouTube channel.

Rita Valente-Quinn
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Rita Valente-Quinn! Dr. Rita M. Rufino Valente-Quinn is a first-generation immigrant from Portugal. She has 15 years’ experience working as a performing arts administrator, producer, and curator in the nonprofit sector.
Paula Smith
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Paula Smith! Paula currently serves as the Chief Impact Officer at Clayton Early Learning, a position that reflects more than 25 years of front-line leadership experience in Early Head Start and Head Start programs where she has passionately served a population of culturally diverse children from birth to age five, and their families.
Viniyanka Prasad
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Viniyanka Prasad! Viniyanka (she/her) is an advocate for cultural equity and criminal justice, including through her service as founder and executive director of The Word, A Storytelling Sanctuary.
Carla Mestas
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Carla Mestas! Carla is the proud Founder and President of C.I.R.C.L.E. & STAMP. She has worked in the area of equity, social justice and inclusiveness for nearly 20 years.
Carmen Medrano
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Carmen Medrano! As Executive Director of United for a New Economy, Carmen guides the organization to deliver on its mission of building people power for racial and economic justice.
Shannon Francis
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Shannon Francis! Shannon Francis, is Hopi and Dineh from Arizona and New Mexico. She is from the Towering House clan born for Red Running into the Water clan. Her Hopi clans are Massau’, Bear Sand, and Snake Clan. Shannon comes from twelve generations of earth caretakers, ethnobotanists, and seed keepers.
Papa Dia
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Papa Dia! Papa M. Dia is Founder and Executive Director of the African Leadership Group (ALG), an established Colorado nonprofit created in 2006 to help improve the quality of life for African immigrants and members of the diaspora.
Sam Battan
Amount Awarded:
$
35000
Meet 2023 Livingston Fellow, Sam Battan! As the founder of the Colorado Youth Congress, Sam organizes diverse communities of young people to lead systems-level change.
20 Years of Livingston Fellowships

2025 Fellows

Celebrating two decades of visionary leadership

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation announces the 2025 class of Livingston Fellows—seven dynamic leaders advancing equity, imagination, and systemic change across Colorado’s social sector. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Livingston Fellowship, the Foundation’s flagship leadership initiative, which has now supported more than 100 Fellows since its launch in May 2005.

Jevon Taylor

CEO
Green Spaces

Rossina Schroeer-Santiago

Founder / Executive Director
Therapists of Color Collaborative

Erik Hicks

CEO-Integrator
Metro Caring

Joie Ha

Executive Director
Colorado Asian Pacific United

Beverly D. Grant

Founder/Executive Director
Mo' Betta Green MarketPlace

JoAnna Cintrón

VP of Development & Communications
Latino Community Foundation of Colorado

Andre Carbonell

Executive Director
Slam Nuba

Rossina Schroeer-Santiago

Therapists of Color Collaborative
Rossina Schroeer-Santiago, a licensed counselor and Army veteran, founded TOCC to support mental health providers of color. Her trauma-informed leadership has expanded culturally responsive care and delivered over 16,000 hours of free therapy across Colorado.

Erik Hicks

Metro Caring

Beverly Grant

Mo' Betta Green MarketPlace

Andre Carbonell

Slam Nuba

JoAnna Cintrón

LCFC

Jevon Taylor

Green Spaces

Joie Ha

Colorado Asian Pacific United
Close Button
Close Button
Grant Opportunities
The Livingston Fellowship stands as a beacon for Colorado’s social sector leaders, offering them recognition, inspiration, and unparalleled learning opportunities.

Jevon Taylor

CEO
Green Spaces
Jevon Taylor works at the intersection of sustainability, equity, and community development. Through Green Spaces and the Green Dot Coalition, he promotes climate justice and inclusive placemaking while advising on citywide public space strategies.

Rossina Schroeer-Santiago

Founder / Executive Director
Therapists of Color Collaborative
Rossina Schroeer-Santiago, a licensed counselor and Army veteran, founded TOCC to support mental health providers of color. Her trauma-informed leadership has expanded culturally responsive care and delivered over 16,000 hours of free therapy across Colorado.

Erik Hicks

CEO-Integrator
Metro Caring
Erik Hicks steers Metro Caring’s efforts to combat hunger and advance food justice. With a strong background in youth and community development, Erik leads systems-level strategies to ensure equitable access to nutrition and long-term economic stability.

Joie Ha

Executive Director
Colorado Asian Pacific United
An organizer, anthropologist, and cultural strategist, Joie Ha leads efforts to launch the Rocky Mountain region’s first AANHPI museum. Her advocacy helped secure a public apology for Denver’s 1880 Anti-Chinese Riot, and her work continues to center healing and solidarity.

Beverly D. Grant

Founder/Executive Director
Mo' Betta Green MarketPlace
A lifelong Denver advocate, Beverly Grant is a serial entrepreneur and changemaker advancing health equity, sustainable food systems, and wellness. She founded Mo’ Betta Green MarketPlace and co-founded Satya Yoga Cooperative, creating lasting impact in historically underserved communities.

JoAnna Cintrón

VP of Development & Communications
Latino Community Foundation of Colorado
JoAnna Cintrón brings deep expertise in storytelling, cultural advocacy, and fundraising. A co-founder of CineLatino and philanthropic leader at LCFC, she channels resources into Latine communities across Colorado with a commitment to equity and narrative power.

Andre Carbonell

Executive Director
Slam Nuba
An international performance artist and writer, Andre Carbonell—also known as Hakeem Furious—leads Slam Nuba and InkAlchemists. A two-time Apollo Theater performer and top finalist in global poetry slams, Andre fuses hip-hop, education, and cultural preservation through literary arts.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Livingston Fellowship, the Foundation’s flagship leadership initiative, which has now supported more than 100 Fellows since its launch in May 2005.

0

Fellows Since May 2005

Class of 2005

Susan E. Birch, RN, MBA

Colleen Colarelli, M.P.A., B.A.

Kevin Seggelke

Jamie Van Leeuwen, Ph.D.

Chip Walton

Class of 2006

Jennifer V. Atler, J.D.

M. Valin Brown

Melinda Higgs, MPA

Marguerite Salazar*

Brian Wagner

Class of 2007

Lance Cheslock

Tom Downey

Lucille Johnson

Barclay Jones

Patty Ortiz

Class of 2008

Carl Clark, M.D.

Tamara Door

Adam Lerner

Christy Whitney

Jesse Wolff

Class of 2009

Greg Carpenter

Jay Grimm

Christine Marquez-Hudson

Charles Shimanski

Gretchen Van De Carr

Class of 2010

Bridget Coughlin

Sonya Garcia Ulibarri

Maurice (Mo) LaMee

Erin Pulling

Chris Watney

Class of 2011

Garrett Ammon

Anthony Garcia

Alyssa Kopf

Lisa Hill

Mike Yankovich

Class of 2012

Sharon Knight

Jean-Philippe Malaty

Rob Smith

Maren Stewart

Kathy Underhill

Class of 2013

Phillip J. (P.J.) D’Amico

Bill Fulton

Heather Lafferty

Olivia Mendoza

Sean VanBerschot

Class of 2014

Lisa Brown

Coby Gould

Glenna Norvelle

David Ryan

Erin Yoshimura

Class of 2015

Cristina Aguilar

Rachel Basye

Thomas “Malik” Robinson

Teva Sienicki

Stephanie Villafuerte

Class of 2016

Terrell Curtis

Jami Duffy

Andrea Kalivas Fulton

Francisco “Cisco” Gallardo

Michael Niyompong

Class of 2017

Lauren Arnold

Kim Easton

Michael Henry

Nina Martinez

Louise Martorano

Class of 2018

Harry Budisidharta

Ara Cruz

Yoal Ghebremeskel

Deidre Johnson

Isabel McDevitt

Class of 2019

Eddie Koen

Angell Pérez

Joe Sammen

Joy Sullivan

Evan Weissman

Class of 2020

David Dadone

José Esparza

Steph Frances

Hassan A. Latif

Claudia Moran-Pichardo

Class of 2022

Elsa Bañuelos
Anthony Garcia, Sr.
Olga González
Yessica Xytlalli Holguín
SoYoung Lee
Neha Mahajan
Johnnie Williams

Class of 2023

Sam Battan

Papa Dia

Shannon Francis

Carmen Medrano

Carla Mestas

Viniyanka Prasad

Paula Smith

Rita Valente-Quinn

Class of 2024

Rita Valente-Quinn

Paula Smith

Viniyanka Prasad

Carla Mestas

Carmen Medrano

Shannon Francis

Papa Dia

Sam Battan

Class of 2025

Andre Carbonell

Beverly D. Grant

Erik Hicks

Jevon Taylor

JoAnna Cintrón

Joie Ha

Rossina Schroeer-Santiago

‍

Since May 2005
0 FELLOWS
0 MILLION TONNES
Class of 2025

Andre Carbonell

Beverly D. Grant

Erik Hicks

Jevon Taylor

JoAnna Cintrón

Joie Ha

Rossina Schroeer-Santiago

‍

Class of 2024

Rita Valente-Quinn

Paula Smith

Viniyanka Prasad

Carla Mestas

Carmen Medrano

Shannon Francis

Papa Dia

Sam Battan

Class of 2023

Sam Battan

Papa Dia

Shannon Francis

Carmen Medrano

Carla Mestas

Viniyanka Prasad

Paula Smith

Rita Valente-Quinn

Class of 2022

Elsa Bañuelos
Anthony Garcia, Sr.
Olga González
Yessica Xytlalli Holguín
SoYoung Lee
Neha Mahajan
Johnnie Williams

Class of 2020

David Dadone

José Esparza

Steph Frances

Hassan A. Latif

Claudia Moran-Pichardo

Class of 2019

Eddie Koen

Angell Pérez

Joe Sammen

Joy Sullivan

Evan Weissman

Class of 2018

Harry Budisidharta

Ara Cruz

Yoal Ghebremeskel

Deidre Johnson

Isabel McDevitt

Class of 2017

Lauren Arnold

Kim Easton

Michael Henry

Nina Martinez

Louise Martorano

Class of 2016

Terrell Curtis

Jami Duffy

Andrea Kalivas Fulton

Francisco “Cisco” Gallardo

Michael Niyompong

Class of 2015

Cristina Aguilar

Rachel Basye

Thomas “Malik” Robinson

Teva Sienicki

Stephanie Villafuerte

Class of 2014

Lisa Brown

Coby Gould

Glenna Norvelle

David Ryan

Erin Yoshimura

Class of 2013

Phillip J. (P.J.) D’Amico

Bill Fulton

Heather Lafferty

Olivia Mendoza

Sean VanBerschot

Class of 2012

Sharon Knight

Jean-Philippe Malaty

Rob Smith

Maren Stewart

Kathy Underhill

Class of 2011

Garrett Ammon

Anthony Garcia

Alyssa Kopf

Lisa Hill

Mike Yankovich

Class of 2010

Bridget Coughlin

Sonya Garcia Ulibarri

Maurice (Mo) LaMee

Erin Pulling

Chris Watney

Class of 2009

Greg Carpenter

Jay Grimm

Christine Marquez-Hudson

Charles Shimanski

Gretchen Van De Carr

Class of 2008

Carl Clark, M.D.

Tamara Door

Adam Lerner

Christy Whitney

Jesse Wolff

Class of 2007

Lance Cheslock

Tom Downey

Lucille Johnson

Barclay Jones

Patty Ortiz

Class of 2006

Jennifer V. Atler, J.D.

M. Valin Brown

Melinda Higgs, MPA

Marguerite Salazar*

Brian Wagner

Class of 2005

Susan E. Birch, RN, MBA

Colleen Colarelli, M.P.A., B.A.

Kevin Seggelke

Jamie Van Leeuwen, Ph.D.

Chip Walton

Photo Credit: Brien Hollowell
Socials
Contact Us
1033 Santa Fe Dr, Denver, CO 80204, United States
Stay In Touch
By subscribing, you agree to Bonfils-Stanton Foundation’s Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Quick Find
HomeMissionWhy ArtsLeadership GrantsLivingston FellowsLegacyPeopleTrusteesContact
Grants
Grant OpportunitiesApply for a GrantGrants AwardedEligibility Questionnaire
Explore
Explore StoriesBig IdeasDaring LeadersTransformational ArtOur Space
Impact
Investing with ImpactPortfolio ApproachValues Aligned InvestingMission aligned Investments
© Bonfils-Stanton Foundation, 2024.
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
Download Brand Kit
Grant Opportunities