Girl Scouts announces 2025 Denver Women of Distinction
11 extraordinary women honored
Each year, Girl Scouts of Colorado honors 11 exceptional Denver metro area women as Women of Distinction; one of these remarkable women is named the Woman of Distinction Gold in recognition of a lifetime of achievement that has made a significant, lasting impact on our community. This year’s honorees were selected by a committee of previous Women of Distinction honorees and chosen based on their contributions to the community, both professionally and personally. These women join a network of more than 500 WoD alums. They are shining examples of corporate, civic, and philanthropic leaders, who serve as inspirations for our female leaders of tomorrow.
“We are honored to welcome this year's class of Women of Distinction. These strong, bold, and empowered women demonstrate the leadership and excellence that power today's world, and they stand as outstanding role models for our girls,” said Class of 2009 Woman of Distinction Honoree Leanna Clark, CEO of Girl Scouts of Colorado.
2025 Woman of Distinction Gold
LaRae Orullian, Retired founding president & CEO, The Women’s Bank of Denver, Retired national president, Girl Scouts of the USA Board of Directors - Orullian’s entire career has been dedicated to advancing women and girls. After working her way up as far as possible in the male-dominated banking field of the 1970s, Orullian took the daring move to accept the role as founding president and CEO of the Women’s Bank of Denver, the first nationally chartered women’s bank in the country. At a time when women couldn’t get loans or credit, she became a champion for women’s financial literacy and entrepreneurship, helping thousands of women start thriving businesses and achieve financial independence for the first time in their lives. Her stature in the community and commitment to female entrepreneurship led her to the attention of the Girl Scouts. In 1980, she chaired the successful capital campaign for Girl Scouts Mile Hi Council (which would later become part of Girl Scouts of Colorado). From there, Girl Scouts at the national level took notice of Orullian’s abilities and named her to the national board of Girl Scouts of the USA, where she served in several capacities including board president.
Class of 2025, Women of Distinction
- Tatiana Argüello, president and general manager, Telemundo Colorado and Telemundo Utah – NBCUniversal Local – In her role at Telemundo, Argüello serves Spanish-speaking audiences across multiple platforms throughout Colorado and Utah. Known for leading results-oriented teams, developing business, and creating innovative multicultural content, Argüello began her career with NBCUniversal in 2001 and was promoted to her current role in 2023. Under her leadership, both stations have experienced significant growth in audience engagement, revenue, and community impact. Passionate about mentorship, Argüello is committed to empowering women, girls, and early-career professionals from diverse backgrounds to reach their full potential. Rooted in her heritage, she credits her success to the lessons of her grandmother, who instilled the values of humility and generosity, as well as the encouragement of her parents to embrace challenges, explore the world, and earn her seat at the table. Argüello, along with her husband Santiago and their two children, balances work, an active lifestyle, and community service, while helping foster the next generation of leaders.
- ·Christy Belz, president, Empowerment Coaching and Consulting - Belz is a dedicated leader in personal and organizational transformation, with more than 25 years of experience guiding individuals and teams through meaningful change. As the president of Empowerment Coaching and Consulting, Belz works to guide individuals and teams through bold, conscious transitions, using proven human behavior techniques and a profound understanding of purposeful leadership. She is a firm believer in resilience and reinvention, as demonstrated in her book Oh God of Second Chances, Here I Am Again. She applies these lessons in her podcast, Second Chances, where she interviews guests about real-life transformation. A passionate advocate for women and girls, Belz serves on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts of Colorado and co-curated TEDxCherryCreekWomen, amplifying female voices globally. Her philanthropic efforts include co-chairing MSU Denver's current campaign, focusing on Inclusive Excellence.
- Susana Córdova, PhD, education commissioner, State of Colorado - In June 2023, Córdova was named Colorado’s 18th education commissioner and the first Latina to hold the state’s top education position. Prior to being named commissioner, Córdova spent more than 33 years in education. She served as an assistant principal, principal, director, chief academic officer, chief schools officer, and deputy superintendent before becoming the superintendent of Denver Public Schools. She also served as deputy superintendent in Dallas ISD, the second-largest district in Texas. Córdova’s educational background includes a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction/ education administration from the University of Colorado Denver, and a doctorate in educational leadership from Southern Methodist University. Her husband, Eric Duran, is an investment banker and is involved in many civic and educational organizations. Her son is a high school teacher in Denver, and her daughter works in public finance in California.
- Karen ‘Casey’ Cortese, consultant, Immersive Philanthropy - Cortese recently capped her full-time career at Charles Schwab, where she championed the firm's national philanthropic and community efforts, overseeing Charles Schwab Foundation's mission and programming. She also led the company's employee community involvement work, engaging 33,000+ Schwabbies in signature national volunteer and service initiatives. She recently started working part-time as a consultant focusing on Immersive Philanthropy. Outside of work, Cortese is an avid traveler, runner, and dancer. One of Casey’s biggest personal accomplishments is the Triple 7 Quest, where in 2015 she completed seven half-marathons and one full marathon on seven continents in 12 consecutive days to benefit Girls on the Run of the Rockies.
- Dana Davis, executive director, Children’s Diabetes Foundation - Davis is a leader, philanthropist, and advocate dedicated to improving the lives of those with Type 1 diabetes and chronic illnesses. As executive director of the Children's Diabetes Foundation for 10 years, she has helped raise more than $100 million for research, treatment, and education. She played a key role in establishing the Barbara Davis Center, a world-renowned diabetes care and research institution. A former kindergarten teacher of 15 years, Davis later founded a high-fashion comfort shoe line sold at Nordstrom and Macy's. She serves on the board of the Children's Diabetes Foundation and previously served on the Mattel Children's Hospital board. She has also spoken at healthcare conferences. Living with Type 1 diabetes for 50 years, along with multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto's, and celiac disease, she has first-hand experience with chronic illness. Her passion drives her work in advocacy, fundraising, and improving patient care.
- Lynnea Greene Hutton, vice president of People & Culture, University of Colorado Foundation - Hutton is responsible for all the human resources functions at the University of Colorado Foundation, maintaining a healthy work culture and environment during the entire life cycle of the staff. She has more than 18 years of experience in human resources, business operations, business development, and strategic planning; overseeing communications, development, human resources, IT, event planning, facilities, and project management. Before joining the foundation, she served as senior director of operations and previously worked for the Boettcher Foundation. Lynnea's board service includes a mayoral appointment with the City and County of Denver to the Career Services Board and the University of Denver Alumni Council. Lynnea is a proud Penn State alumna and holds an MBA from University of Denver, where Hutton can often be found volunteering and mentoring women graduate students.
- Alice Jackson, vice president of Grid Modeling, Breakthrough Energy – Jackson and her team at Breakthrough Energy are tasked with eliminating carbon and avoiding catastrophic global warming. They are tackling the complex challenge of providing reliable, low-emission electricity to all, by focusing on open access tools that offer repeatability, efficiency and progress. Jackson has had a variety of roles in the energy industry over the past 20-plus years. From her early days at Enron, to software development and energy management at Oxy, and her nearly 14 years at Xcel Energy leading regulatory functions, being president of Xcel Energy Colorado, and serving as chief planning officer responsible for building steps to achieve a zero-carbon electric system. All these roles have prepared her for this critical task. She is a mother to four boys and soon-to-be stepmom to two more. The imperative of finding solutions and bringing people together in her mission-driven career is even more essential to her.
- Mary Nguyen, founder and president, Olive & Finch Collective - Nguyen is a self-taught chef and a leading figure in Denver’s culinary scene with more than 20 years of experience. From her early career in investment banking and commodities trading to becoming North America’s only female executive sushi chef, Nguyen has built a reputation as a prominent BIPOC chef. She is the founder and president of the Olive & Finch Collective, a diverse portfolio that includes restaurants (Olive & Finch), cafes (Little Finch), a production company (Finch, On The Fly) serving institutional clients and a food and beverage management consulting firm (Collective Management Partners) supporting hospitality brands. Beyond her success in the hospitality industry, Nguyen is dedicated to mentoring future leaders and fostering community engagement. She is passionate about uplifting the Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander community and advocates for small, minority-owned businesses as a board member of the Colorado Asian Chamber of Commerce and Visit Denver.
- Kelli Clifton Ogunsanya, chief operating officer, Delta Dental of Colorado - Ogunsanya oversees Delta Dental's Customer Experience, Claims and Clinical, Digital Transformation, Provider Network management, Business Operations, and Information Technology services. Delta Dental of Colorado is the state's leading dental benefits company and the most experienced dental benefits provider serving more than 1.8 million Coloradans with high-quality, cost-effective, evidence-based dental plans. With leadership roles at PwC and The Advisory Board Company, Ogunsanya’s experience includes clinical documentation improvement, electronic health record standardization, and interoperability for the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs. Internationally, she has studied and worked in South Africa, Liberia, and Ethiopia. Closer to home, she is a volunteer for her daughter Iveryrose’s Girl Scout troop.
- Lisa Roy, PhD, executive director, Colorado Department of Early Childhood - Roy, who is serving as a cabinet member for Gov. Polis as the executive director for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, comes from a long line of educators. Her great grandfather, Professor John W. Bruner, was the superintendent of colored schools and her great-grandmother and grandmother were teachers in Frederick, Maryland. She was drawn to education for very different opportunities than her ancestors. After marrying and having three children, she earned degrees in Psychology and Speech Communications, a master’s in Counseling Psychology and Counselor Education, then as a grandmother earned a doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity, with an emphasis on Executive Leadership. Her roles have included program director at the University of Nebraska and executive director of Early Education for Denver Public Schools. Roy also worked in Washington, D.C., for the Center for the Study of Social Policy, supporting the Child Healthy and Prepared to Succeed in School (CHAPSS) agenda.
Girl Scouts of Colorado will honor the Class of 2025 from 5:15 to 8:30 p.m., Sept. 18, at The National Western Center’s Stockyard Events Center. Event chairs are Maureen McDonald (WoD 2007), associate vice president for Community Engagement, HCA Continental Division at HealthONE, and Hollie Velasquez Horvath (WoD 2023), regional vice president of Xcel Energy. Proceeds from the Sept. 18 event will support Girl Scouts of Colorado’s crucial leadership development programs in entrepreneurship, outdoors, STEM, and life skills for more than 15,000 members across Colorado.
For information regarding tickets and sponsorships, visit girlscoutsofcolorado.org or contact Becky Grupe at Becky.Grupe@gscolorado.org.
April 09, 2025
