Meet Our 2023 - 2024 Board of Directors

Gayle (Secretary) leads Product for JumpCloud's Growth Engineering team, which uses data driven experiments to improve user experience and improve core metrics for the business. A member of Boulder's Tech community for nearly a decade, she's passionate about empowering female leadership and equality. Gayle is a board member of Ellevate Boulder, a mentor for the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, and a contributing member of the Feed the Frontlines effort for Boulder County during the Spring 2020 pandemic response. Gayle and her partner, Jeff, live in Boulder and enjoy cooking, traveling, and fly fishing together.

Betsy Doughty heads up Partner Marketing for Hammerspace, responsible for the worldwide technology partner and channel marketing program. She is chair of the WILD Council, a non-profit in Boulder, Colorado, that provides networking opportunities for professional women leaders. She is also a Professional Mentor for the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.  She earned a BBA in Management and Marketing from the Price School of Business at the University of Oklahoma. She is an avid traveler, reader, fitness enthusiast, and English bulldog mom.

Tracy Dundon serves on the Boulder Valley School District’s Title IX Stakeholder Council, working collectively to build systems, policies, and programs that move the district beyond Title IX compliance towards prevention, inclusion, and equity. She is passionate about elevating the voices of our youth and is a strong advocate for facilitating positive change through volunteering, legislation, film, and community engagement.

She began her career in logistics management within the pharmaceutical industry and later transitioned to a marketing consultant providing market-driven channel and strategic analysis for various telecommunication firms.  Tracy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business management from Michigan State University, and an MBA with a focus on marketing from DePaul University.  She enjoys family time with her husband and three children, traveling, golf, long walks, and summers in Michigan.

Deidre is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with Thrivent Financial where she specializes in retirement distribution and tax planning. Deidre received her BA in Accounting from Carthage College in Kenosha, WI and her MBA from the University of Connecticut. A strong volunteer in our Boulder community, she is active with the Boulder Rotary Club, Trinity Lutheran Church and Habitat for Humanity. She enjoys swimming, reading, playing pickleball, trying new restaurants, walking her dogs and travelling with her family.

Karen (President) is Vice President, Enterprise Risk Program Manager, at Jacobs Engineering.  She brings 25+ years progressive experience in project management and global services leadership in the engineering and construction industry.  She was a former Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa Urban Environmental Management.  As the Engineer’s Week volunteer coordinator for a previous company, she liaised with local school districts and STEM teachers to develop opportunities to provide hands on STEM related activities throughout the Denver metro area.

Leslie Herz has been a top producing Realtor for over 18 years with Coldwell Banker and her and her team are well known for their high-touch concierge service that supports clients with everything from property valuation and staging to extensive marketing and skillful negotiation. As a CU graduate, Leslie has lived in Boulder County for most of her life and has a deep understanding of the unique qualities of the towns, schools, and pocket neighborhoods that Boulder County offers. Leslie also volunteers and supports Boulder Rotary Club, Community Food Share and is super excited to be involved with eliminating racism and empowering women as a member of the YWCA Board.

Lindsey Killion currently serves as associate general counsel for Elevations Credit Union, a Boulder based non-profit financial institution serving the front range. As an attorney in the in-house corporate world for more than 13 years, she brings extensive knowledge of all things legal to the YWCA Board. Prior to her time with Elevations, she served as general counsel to a nationwide hospitality management company and educator on discrimination and harassment in the workplace. As an active member of both the Colorado and Boulder bar associations, she most recently was a volunteer judge for the Boulder County high school mock trial competitions. She graduated from North Central College in Naperville, Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Economics and earned a Juris Doctorate from Saint Louis University. Lindsey enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, playing tennis, catching a music festival at Planet Bluegrass, cooking, and gardening.

Christiane worked as a primary care physician and research  scientist, with a focus on community based participatory research, at the New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University. Christiane’s holistic approach to life has guided her journey through body, mind and spirit. After working in primary care and mental health research, Dr. Meyer has pursued a M.A. in Theology and studied the application of spirituality to our everyday lives. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of The Tent (www.thetent.space), a nonprofit committed to fostering relationships, through guided dinner conversations, that transcend barriers imposed by social constructs of race and biases. Dr. Meyer is originally from Rio, Brazil, and values greatly our ability to come together in taking action that brings positive change.

Emma is a marketing professional who harnesses the power of big data and emotional intelligence to catalyze action and innovation. Emma's career has been marked by her newest role as an Expert Product Manager at Acxiom and previously as Vice President of Data Science at Wiland, where her strategic insights drove transformative change. In parallel to her professional journey, Emma is pursuing a Doctor of Law (JD) from the University of Denver - Sturm College of Law and holds an MS in Statistics from the Colorado School of Mines. As a board member of the WILD Council, she also actively contributes to the community and the advancement of women in leadership. Emma is happiest with a book in her hands and a dog on her lap.

Fern (Treasurer) is founding partner of O’Brien Law, P.C. She advises clients on domestic and international transactions, including debt and equity financing, securities issues, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, licensing agreements, franchise and product distribution issues. Among her most recent community leadership roles, she served as board president of Attention Homes (now TGTHR), vice president of the Boulder County Estate Planning Council, and board vice president of the Downtown Boulder Foundation.

Jodeen is a nationally recognized leader in racial justice and gender equity movements, and has served in executive roles across the private, nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. A sought-after social change strategist, she is known for centering equity and inclusion while driving large-scale advocacy and civic engagement programs, as well as designing winning public policy campaigns.

Ms. Olguín-Tayler is currently the Vice President at the Climate + Clean Energy Equity Fund; and previously served as Head of Strategic Partnerships and Growth for B Lab Global, Campaigns Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Vice President at Demos and an advisor to the Movement for Black Lives policy coalition. She was a recipient of Esteé Lauder’s global Vital Voice fellowship award, and a Senior Fellow for Racial Justice and Inclusive Democracy at the Amalgamated Foundation. In addition to her board service with the YWCA, she serves as president of the board of trustees for the Chicana Climate Justice Fund and the Movement Voter Fund, as a board member for GALvanize USA and as an elected state committee member for the Colorado Working Families Party.   As a community leader and Chicana mother from the ancestral homelands of the Pueblo (Tewa) and Ute people, Jodeen’s decades of work building movements that advance racial and gender equity are both an expression of love and of responsibility to steward resources for generations to come.

Deb practiced as an Advanced Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at the University of Texas Medical School for thirty years. She initially worked with children at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and subsequently focused on maternal-child wellness at a large county hospital; managed the U.T. Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program; medically evaluated sexually abused children and testified in court on their behalf; and did research on various aspects of pediatrics. After retiring from U.T. Medical School, Deb consulted for ten years on pediatric malpractice cases. Deb volunteers at the TRU Hospice Thrift Shop in Boulder and is a facilitator in restorative justice at the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. She is also a Partner at Social Venture Partners Boulder County. She and her husband, Mark, share a love of their family, music, travel, fitness and current affairs. Deb is excited to manifest her passion for empowering women and children as a YWCA Board Member.

Hayley works as an Audit Senior Associate for KPMG, with a focus on clients in the Technology industry. She graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Accounting. Hayley is excited to engage with the Boulder community and is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Hayley has previously served on the Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Board through the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business. Hayley enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, reading, and spending time with friends/family and her dog, Kali!

Cindy has worked in community engagement and the arts for over 10 years. She currently serves as the Manager of Artists and Venues in the City of Boulder’s Office of Arts and Culture. She also helps with development and communications for the Elevations Foundation, a local organization that supports the Colorado community with community grants for nonprofits, scholarships for local students and disaster relief. Cindy has volunteered with several local arts nonprofits, as well as Out Boulder County, Protect our Rivers, Downtown Boulder Partnership, Women’s Wilderness and is excited about helping YWCA Boulder County further it’s mission to empower women and end racism through her board service.

Dana has worked 22 years in the design industry and is currently Chief of Inspiration at her own firm, Inspire Graphic Design, LLC. Her work specializes in brand identity creation coupled with powerful visual storytelling and is passionate about how design can tell a story, impact an emotion, and/or motivate an action.

Krista Van Derveer is a seasoned consultant and executive coach, specializing in supporting successful leadership relationships and fostering thriving organizations. She is passionate about advancing women in leadership and has developed resources to support their success. Krista and her husband have founded several businesses, including one of the fastest-growing companies in the US, and they are impacting lives globally through educational programs in integrative mental health and psychedelic-assisted therapy. Krista co-hosts "The Art Of We" podcast, exploring healthy, purpose-driven partnerships, and serves on the board of YWCA Boulder County, empowering women and eliminating racism.

Simi Zic is the Sales Operations Manager at Rudi's Rocky Mountain Bakery in Boulder. She has a decade of experience in the food and beverage industry. Originally from the east coast, Simi moved to Colorado in 2022. Despite currently living in Denver, Simi is excited to engage with the Boulder community through activism and local programming. She enjoys practicing yoga, hiking and spending time with her husband and dogs.