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Trusted Resources
The Colorado Healing Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. It is the goal of the Colorado Healing Fund to maintain a board reflecting a wide range of community interests, cultures, and geographic areas within Colorado.
Ret. Major General Mike Edwards
Ret. Major General H. Michael Edwards was the Adjutant General for Colorado. He was responsible for the command administration of over 5,000 Colorado Army and Air National Guard members. He served as the Executive Director of the Department of Military & Veterans Affairs and was a member of the Governor's cabinet. He had responsibility for the Colorado National Guard's primary missions of national defense and state emergency response. In addition, he was responsible for supporting the missions of the Civil Air Patrol's Colorado Wing, consisting of over 2,500 volunteers.
General Edwards was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 6 June 1973 from the United States Air Force Academy. He earned his pilot wings in September 1974. He served as an F-4 Pilot and AT-38 Fighter Lead-in Instructor Pilot at Osan Air Base, Korea and Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, respectively.
General Edwards joined the Colorado Air National Guard in August 1980. He has served in numerous assignments in flying and operations, as well as command positions at squadron, group, and wing levels. He also served as Combined Air Operations Center Commander, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar from May to June 2003. Major General Edwards is a command pilot with more than 4600 military flight hours, including 135 combat hours.
Leslie Oliver
Leslie is an accomplished communications and public affairs professional at the local, state and national level with significant expertise in planning, development and execution of strategic communications, policy, and community outreach programs that deliver exceptional, proven results. Leslie is a recognized leader and advocate with an in-depth understanding and perspective on the art of integrating complex policy conversations across multiple, diverse audiences and channels to affect how people consume information when and where it's relevant for them, in order to build support and awareness for initiatives.
Leslie is a collaborative team leader with solid project management and internal/external communications and relationship building expertise, as well as sound strategic planning capabilities.
Her specialities include national, state and local public relations; external communications and media relations (including crisis communications); public policy expertise; community outreach; and civic engagement.
Cynthia H Coffman
A native Missourian, General Coffman graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia and then Georgia State University Law School in Atlanta. Before moving to Colorado, AG Coffman's legal career began more than 25 years ago in the Georgia Attorney General's Office as a courtroom attorney. She then had the opportunity to work for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, where she acted as the primary liaison with the victims and their families following the 1996 domestic terror attack in Olympic Park.
General Coffman moved to the State Capitol in 2004, where she had the honor of serving as Chief Counsel to Colorado Governor Bill Owens. General Coffman began her tenure at the Colorado Department of Law in March of 2005 when she was appointed Chief Deputy Attorney General. She proudly served in this role for 10 years, acting as chief of staff and chief operating officer for the largest law firm in the State of Colorado.
After moving to Colorado, AG Coffman worked in Colorado state government for years. She worked for the Colorado General Assembly's Office of Legislative Council with the Senate Judiciary Committee and then joined the senior management team at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Colorado Attorney General Cynthia H. Coffman serves as the State's 38th Attorney General. Since being elected in November of 2014, General Coffman has focused on community outreach, consumer protection, drug enforcement and protecting Colorado's sovereignty.
In 2016, Roll Call named AG Coffman one of the Most Influential Women in State Politics. In 2017 Law Week Colorado named AG Coffman one of the Top Women Attorneys.
Steven R Siegel
Steve came to the came to the Denver District Attorney's Office in 1983, after seven and one-half years in the First Judicial District Attorney's Office in Colorado. Steve serves as the Director, Special Programs Unit. This includes administration of the Denver Victim Assistance Law and Enforcement Board. The creation and/or supervision of cutting edge Criminal Justice Programs is an integral part of Steve's work. These programs include the Denver Anti Trafficking Alliance(DATA), Cold Case DNA Project, Justice Review Project (Post Conviction DNA Innocence Review), Witness Protection Program (a national model of innovation by the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys), Victim Services Network (VSN), Juvenile Diversion Program, Domestic Violence Fast Track Program, Community Advocacy Program and the Rose Andom Family Justice Center, Elder Abuse Forensic Collaborative, Communities Against Senior Exploitation (CASE), the Drug Endangered Children Collaborative, and Courtrooms to Classrooms. The Denver Victim Services 2000 Project (or VSN) is designated by the U.S. Department of Justice as the single urban site in the United States for a demonstration model of a victim services collaboration. Steve is the past Chair and current member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Victims of Crime. He was appointed by the Governor as a founding member of the Colorado Criminal Justice Commission. He currently services on the Denver Child Safety Network Impact Team. Over the course of his thirty-nine year career he has been a catalyst for the development of interagency protocols that have been replicated nationwide on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Child Abuse, and Victimization of the Elderly and Disabled.
Steve served as one of the crisis team leaders in the response to the Columbine High School tragedy. His responsibilities included oversight of the crisis response, liaison between the jurisdiction and the United States Department of Justice, and consultant to the School Board and Administration. He continued his support of the services to the Columbine community by serving on the Executive Committee of the Mile High United Way/McCormick Tribune, "Healing Fund Foundation." This resulted in his consultation work with many affected communities in the aftermath of mass tragedies including but not limited to; the Colorado Platte Canyon High School tragedy and the shootings at Virginia Tech University. Steve served as an advisor to the United Way of Connecticut and as faculty at the Symposium for Recovery for the Sandy Hook/Newtown communities. Steve was honored to be a member of the Executive Committee that created the Aurora Strong Resiliency Center in response to the Aurora Colorado Theater Shootings in 2012. He served as a senior advisor to the US Department of Justice and Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance in response to the Boston Marathon Bombing.
Steve had the honor of supervising the Colorado Oklahoma Resource Council (CORC) which served the victims of the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing who were in Denver for the McVeigh/Nichols trials. After September 11, 2001 Steve served in an advisory capacity to the United States Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime for the development of programs to serve the victims in New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania. He is on the Executive Planning Group for a Department of Justice Symposium on Response to Terrorism and is the Team Leader for the Technical Assistance to Community Leadership in the Aftermath of Mass Tragedy.
He co-chaired the committee that led to the passage of the Colorado Constitutional Amendment for Crime Victims Rights. Steve is a past President, current Executive Board Member and Co-Chairperson of the Legislative Committee of the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Victims Constitutional Amendment Network. He was appointed by the Chief of the Supreme Court to Chair the Commission on the Treatment Standards for Domestic Violence and served on the Colorado Domestic Violence Offender Management Board.
Steve served on the US Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime National Consortium Board, and Bureau of Justice Assistance Global Justice Information Technology Task Force. Steve is involved in the development of policies and programs that serve the citizens of Denver and Colorado ranging from the nurturing of our youngest children to the special care needed by our senior citizens. He serves as an advisor and consultant on policy development, boards of directors, fund raising, dispute resolution and inter-agency cooperation. Steve served as adjunct faculty to the University of Colorado Graduate School Of Public Affairs for six years. He currently is on the Advisory Board to the Fels Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Pennsylvania.
Steve was a founding member and co-chair of the Denver Domestic Violence Consortium and the Sexual Assault Interagency Council. He co-chaired the First National Symposium on Non-Stranger Sex Assaults. He was one of the primary authors of the City's Inter-agency protocols on Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence; Sexual assault, Child Sex Abuse, Victimization of the Elderly and victimization of the Disabled. Steve was a founding member of the Mile High United Way Family Violence Prevention Initiative (Find the Good.org). He also served on The Colorado Department of Health Sex Assault Prevention Advisory Council.
Steve is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors of Unified Solutions Tribal Community Group. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Criminal Justice Association. Steve has served on numerous boards in the past including thirteen years on the Colorado Violence Against Women Act Board. He was the President of the Colorado Health Sciences Center Addiction Research and Treatment Services Foundation from 1983-1996. He served on the Mile High United Way Funds Distributions committee, the Board of Directors of First Night Colorado, the Board of Kops 'n Kids and the State Advisory Council on Child Abuse, the Mental Health Association Committee for Children, the Rocky Mountain Poison Center, Nurses of Colorado Advisory Council, the Colorado Prescription Drug Abuse Task Force, and Colorado Contemporary Dance. Steve served for nine years as a Trustee of the St. Anne's School in Denver and is a Past-President of the Board of Trustees of the Colorado Children's Chorale. Steve is a Past President and Life Member of the Board of the Kavod Senior Housing.
Steve has been a consultant and trainer for the US Office for Victims of Crime and for the US Bureau of Justice Assistance (Violence Reduction network), US Department of Education, National Organization for Victim Assistance, National Center for Victims of Crime, National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards, National Victim Assistance Academy, the Association of Prosecuting Attorney's, and the National College of District Attorneys. He has spoken and been published both nationally and internationally on the subject of family violence, criminal victimization, community intervention and non-profit development and management.
Steve has been the recipient of numerous honors. In April 2006 he was presented the National Crime Victim Services Award by the Attorney General of the United States. In 2007 he was awarded the Carolyn Hamil-Henderson Award by Denver SafeHouse for career contributions to issues concerning Domestic Violence. Other awards include: 2012 National Crime Victims' Law Institute Partnership Award (Denver DA's Office Team); 2012 L'dor V'Dor Lifetime Contribution Award, Allied Jewish Senior Housing; 2012 Latina Safehouse Denver Services Award; 2008 Mothers Against Drunk Driving Award of Excellence; 1988 Project Pave, Person of the Year; 1989 National Organization for Victim Assistance, Volunteer of the year; 1990 Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, Outstanding Contribution to Victim Assistance Movement; 1990 Denver Police Department, special Contribution to the Department; 1996 Rape Assistance and Awareness Program, Community Service Award; 1997 Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, Exemplary Leadership Award; 1997 Norman S. Early, Jr. Award, Outstanding contribution to Victim Services; 1997 Addiction Research and Treatment Services University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Special Services Award; 1997 Project Safeguard, Advocate of the Year; 1998 Special Presidential Award for Services, Oklahoma Bombing Victims, , 2003 Special Achievement Award Jefferson County District Attorney's Office.
The foundation of Steve's life is his family. Steve has been married for forty one years(but who is counting) to Anna G. Siegel and has a daughter Erin who completed her Master's of Education at Trinity University, along with a certificate in interior design, and a daughter Cassie, who graduated from the Frost School of Music, University of Miami and is a blossoming executive in the music industry. The Siegel's are proud of our newest adult family member, Erin's husband Scott. Anna and Steve are known to spoil their two "grand dogs" Buster and Bleu, but lately the world centers around Quinn Eloise Peikin and Charlotte "Coco" Pearl Peikin their grandchilden.
His positive addictions include golf, cooking, music and travel. He still is not biologically attached to his IPhone despite evidence to the contrary.
Frank DeAngelis
Frank DeAngelis was a staff member at Columbine High School in the Jeffco School District in Littleton Colorado, from 1979 – 2014. He has also been called upon to speak about recovery after a school tragedy at a variety of conferences, and has assisted as a consultant after a number of other violent school events. He retired in June of 2014 after 35 years at Columbine High School. He is presently serving as a consultant for safety and emergency management for the Jeffco School District in Colorado, and continues to deliver speeches in the United States, Canada, and Europe.
Bernie Buescher
Bernie Buescher is "Of Counsel" with the law firm of Ireland Stapleton Pryor and Pascoe, P.C., and is a Senior Policy Advisor for the Keystone Policy Center. A lifetime resident of Grand Junction, Bernie practiced law in Grand Junction with Williams Turner and Holmes for 14 years, and served as President and CEO of West Star Aviation from 1986 through 1995. He served two terms in the Colorado General Assembly and for two years served as Secretary of State for Colorado. For four years Bernie was a Deputy Attorney General, managing the State Services Section of the office. He has served on approximately 40 non-profit boards.
Donna Lynne
Donna Lynne, DrPH, served as Colorado's 49th Lieutenant Governor and Chief Operating Officer. She is widely respected as both a leader in the private sector and an expert in the health field. She has spent 20 years as a senior leader of multibillion-dollar health care companies and spent 20 years before that serving in multiple roles in New York City government. Dr. Lynne has led efforts to address the issues of health care affordability, accessibility, and quality. She launched multiple initiatives to increase accountability and transparency in government and make government services more efficient and effective.
Dr. Tony Frank
Dr. Tony Frank serves as the Chancellor of the Colorado State University System and also as the 14th president of Colorado State University. The CSU System is home to more than 50,000 students from across the world and is engaged in every county in Colorado. President Frank earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Wartburg College, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. and residences in pathology and toxicology at Purdue. Prior to his appointment as CSU's president in 2008, he served as the University's provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He was appointed to a dual role as Chancellor in 2015 and will become full-time System chancellor in July 2019. He has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, and has been honored with state and national awards for his leadership in higher education.
Dr. Frank serves on a number of state and national boards, including the board of directors of the Boettcher Foundation, the National Western Stock Show Association, the University Research Alliance, the Denver Metro Chamber, and the Board of Managers of the College Football Playoff.
José Esquibel
José Esquibel serves as the Associate Director of the Colorado Center for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and Director of the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
From 2015 until 2019, José served as the Director of the Office of Community Engagement in the Colorado Office of the Attorney General by appointment of Attorney General Cynthia Coffman. In that capacity, he co-led the effort to design and establish the Colorado Healing Fund as a non-profit organization.
José is a former board member of the Safe2Tell program, a program developed in the years following the Columbine High School shooting that takes tips from students and adults concerned about their safety and the safety of others. In 2014, Safe2Tell became a program of the Colorado Office of the Attorney General and José helped oversee the program while director of the Office of Community Engagement.
Alyssa Carrier, CFM, CEM
Alyssa Carrier is a sought-after management consultant, entrepreneur and civic leader who serves as a strategic advisor and counselor to leaders at state and federal level organizations. She is frequently called on to lead projects and assemble teams to provide program expertise and compassionate guidance before, during and after a disaster. She is a 2018 graduate of Harvard University's National Preparedness Leadership Institute in Cambridge, MA.
Prior to founding AC Disaster Consulting, Alyssa served with FEMA Region VIII during Hurricane Sandy, where she led a recovery team. She also served with FEMA Region VI during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, where she worked in a variety of areas including grant management, mitigation, public assistance, damage assessments, training, and exercises. Alyssa holds more than 17 certifications and has provided hundreds of trainings to states, local governments, attorneys, and emergency managers in more than a dozen states. Her work performance extends across many states and territories, including Colorado, Florida, Oregon, North Dakota, New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and Texas.
Alyssa Carrier
Kevin Engoian
Kevin Engoian is a senior manager in KPMG's Denver office, where he has provided assurance services to public and private company clients since graduating from the University of Notre Dame. With deep knowledge of finance and accounting, Kevin has also shown a passion for the development of others holding various coaching and mentoring roles in his career in public accounting.
Jordan Finegan
With a decade of experience in public policy and community engagement, Jordan is excited to work side by side with the Colorado Healing Fund's stakeholders, public officials, and private companies. Whether at the local, state or federal level, Jordan has worked to move forward policies that helped communities thrive. Specifically, she spent seven years in Washington D.C. at the U.S. Department of the Interior focused on conservation and since 2017, she has worked on homelessness and housing issues in Denver. Jordan looks forward to working with the Board of Trustees, the Advisory Board and the many partners throughout our great State. You can contact Jordan at JordanFinegan@coloradohealingfund.org
The Colorado Healing Fund is also supported by an Advisory Committee comprised of experts in victim assistance as a result of mass tragedies.
Kelly Kissell, Manager – Office for Victims Programs at the Division of Criminal Justice
Kate Horn-Murphy, State Crime Victim Compensation and Local VALE Administrator
Curt H Drennen, Healthcare Operations and Response Branch Supervisor, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Ellen Stoddard-Keyes, Operations Director, The I Love U Guys Foundation
Robin Fudge Finegan, Former Regional Administrator for FEMA Region VIII
Judy Page, Former Victim Services Coordinator for the Colorado Attorney General
Dr. Rich Audsley, Professor and Systemic Therapist in Private Practice
CONTACT: Jordan Finegan, Executive Director
jordanfinegan@coloradohealingfund.org | 720-235-8638
Colorado Healing Fund | 1245 Champa Street, Denver, CO 80204 | Federal EIN: 824598761
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