Board of Directors
Lorena Garcia-President: Lorena Garcia serves as the President of the Colorado Women’s Lobby, an all volunteer organization dedicated to making sure the voices of women are heard at the capitol, and the Executive Director for the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights. She transitioned to staff of COLOR after 2 years of service on the Board of Directors and from serving as the Colorado Director for 9to5, National Association of Working Women where she successfully positioned 9to5 Colorado as one of the lead civic engagement and field groups in Colorado. She Joined COLOR’s staff under the title of Policy Director where she helped position COLOR to be the leading Reproductive Justice policy organization in Colorado in less than1 year through her leadership in shepherding several bills through the state legislature including banning the practice of shackling pregnant and laboring inmates and her leadership during the personhood attacks in the 2010 electoral season.
She has a background in organizing for social justice in the areas of education, LGBTIQ rights, and workers rights, as well as curriculum development and youth leadership development. She serves on the National Advisory Council for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, Center for American Progress’ Women’s Health Advisory council, a cohort of 15 reproductive health, rights and Justice leaders in the country, Co-Chair for the Healthy Colorado Youth Alliance, and serves on the steering committee for the Colorado Civic Engagement Round Table.
Lorena is a 2008 Progressive Leadership and Advocacy Network Fellow with the National Women’s Law Center. She was also recently awarded the 2011 Female Cesar Chavez Award in Colorado. Outside of working for social justice officially, Lorena has a passion for film and believes that it is the best medium to reach the masses for social justice. She also plays roller derby for the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls.
Chaer Roberts: Chaer Robert has been director of the Denver Women's Commission since 1985. She has served on the Women's Lobby of Colorado board for 17 years, serving as board president from 1998-2000. She chairs the EITC Coalition, which is advocating to restore funding for the Colorado Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor. She served as a Co-chair of the Annual Legislative Breakfast on Women's Issues from 1995-2006,and still serves on the planning committee. She serves on the executive committee of the All Families Deserve a Chance (AFDC) Coalition which advocates on welfare and poverty issues. From 2002 -2005, she has served as President of the Colorado Social Legislation Committee, a coalition interested in legislation related to human needs and human services. She was a founding board member of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. Chaer is a Denver native.
Karen Arnold-Secretary: Karen Arnold is a retired educator from Jefferson County Schools and a firm advocate for choice in the public school system. During her teaching career, Karen found her passion in helping students learn the importance of respecting the ideas, values, and opinions of others. She worked within the school system to develop programs that could provide students with a variety of learning styles and increase their sucess. Karen has continued her commitment to education by volunteering at a local elementary school. In 2008, Karen volunteered as a neigborhood leader and field office manager for the Obama Campaign. As a Fellow of the Center for Progressive Leadership in 2009, she was challenged to develop leadership skills to enhance collaboration with progressive organizations and effectively work within her community at a grassroots level to encourage community members to participate in the political process.
Roweena Naidoo: Roweena Naidoo is the Program Manager at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. She is responsible for coordinating the disbursement of funding to Colorado-based organizations that focus on improving the economic self-sufficiency of women and girls. In addition, she assists with the planning, organization and convening of a strong collaboration of Colorado-based nonprofits working toward economic policy reform. Roweena leads The Foundation’s initiatives on programs for girls, including most recently addressing the high drop out rate for girls in Colorado. Roweena is originally from KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree. She holds a Master of Public Administration Degree from Baruch College (CUNY) in New York, and a Master of Global Studies Degree from the University of Denver.
Anne Pogoriler: Pogo is the Online Communications Coordinator for the Colorado Environmental Coalition. She brings a passion for advocacy and a wealth of technology know-how to the Women's Lobby board. Pogo has a Masters degree in philosophy and environmental policy from the University of Colorado, and an undergraduate degree in graphic design. She spends most of her free time throwing Frisbees, hiking trails, coaching, reading books, and playing outside whenever possible.
Atim Otii: Atim Otii is a native of Denver, Colorado and is currently the owner of the Otii Law Firm, L.L.C.. While in Denver, Atim has worked on several community issues, such as voter registration and youth development. As a product of a refugee family from Uganda, Atim also works with refugees in Denver. Atim remains active in athletics and serves as the lead facilitator for a girls basketball camp, GuluGO, in Gulu, Uganda, bringing together Americans and Africans through sports. Atim was awarded her B.A. at San Diego State University in 2002. She received her Juris Doctor degree at Washburn University, School of Law in Topeka, Kansas and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 2007.
Dafna Michaelson:
Katie Groke-Ellis: Katie Groke Ellis is the Rocky Mountain Regional Director for The White House Project and has a background in running ballot initiative campaigns and grassroots organizing. A graduate of the University of Wyoming where she played on a soccer scholarship, Katie has worked with the NCAA, Choice USA, Springboard Enterprises and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains developing and most recently implementing successful field programs to defeat anti-choice ballot initiatives and help elect pro-choice candidates to office. Katie also has a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado and is on the board of the Colorado Women's Lobby and Colorado CASA.
Joy Athanasiou - Emeritus: Joy Athanasiou has served on the Board of the Women’s Lobby of Colorado since 1999. She owns Athanasiou Law Firm, LLC and practices law in the field of immigration and nationality law. Prior to her immigration practice, Joy worked in the field of family law. Joy attended the University of Denver where she obtained a Juris Doctor and a Masters in International Studies in 1998.
Kristen Francis - Women's Lobby Intern: