In the News

Business Leaders Are Finding Ways to Welcome Women Back to the Workplace. Report from the Colorado Women's Chamber offers nearly 90 suggestions for addressing inequities, roadblocks faced by women.

The Colorado Women's Chamber (CWCC) announced last month the appointment of Simone D. Ross as its new CEO and Executive Director of the Colorado Women's Chamber Foundation.

The organization's new leader will be Simone D. Ross, the founder and CEO of Simone D. Ross LLC, a consulting firm that houses three entities designed for impact, advocacy, change, education and business sustainability. She served as the chamber's interim CEO since August and continued in the role following former CEO Kristen Blessman's Oct. 11 departure.

The Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and TARRA, a Denver-based women’s professional and business network, held a virtual event on Feb. 9 to discuss the challenges women in the workforce have faced due to the pandemic.

The Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce has named Simone Ross as its new president and CEO. She will be the first Black woman CEO of the organization and will also serve as executive director of the Colorado Women’s Chamber Foundation.

Kristen Blessman led the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce through a shift of not just trying to get new members, but also to shore up resources for smaller women-owned business and greater career growth. Blessman will leave her almost five-year role as president and CEO to take over as president and general manager for PBS 12 (Colorado Public Television).

Holland & Hart is pleased to announce that environmental litigation attorney Jessica Schmidt, a partner in the firm’s Denver office, has been appointed to the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) Board of Directors.

Denver7 and the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the 2020 Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Colorado. These women will be recognized at an annual event that seeks to profile powerful and impactful female leaders in the Colorado community.

Bright Horizons^® has been named a 2019 Champion of Change by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. The Champions of Changes are large and small companies that are actively and strategically advancing women in business through their commitment to creating inclusive, supportive, and empowering cultures. The award will be presented at a reception on November 7 in Glendale, Colorado.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, more than 100 professions are still considered “non-traditional” fields for women, as they have less than 25% female representation. In an effort to change statistics like these, the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Denver Scholarship Foundation, recently awarded scholarships to five young women, including Lucy Appel, a sophomore at CSU.

The 2nd annual “Girls Rising: Building a Pipeline of Female Leaders” honored five young college students with scholarships and offered a panel discussion from women leaders from throughout the Denver metro region. This year’s event, hosted by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, was held Wednesday morning, May 15 at the Hilton Denver City Center in downtown Denver.

University of Colorado Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell, PhD, has been recognized by the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) as the 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. The ATHENA Leadership Award® was inspired by the goddess of Greek mythology known for her strength, courage, wisdom and enlightenment – qualities embodied in the ATHENA Leadership Model®.

They come from all walks of life. They are politicians. They work on transforming the city with redevelopment projects. They put the state on the map for international trade. They mold young minds in law school.

With those words, Dorothy Horrell, PhD, chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver, accepted the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce (CWCC) ATHENA Leadership Award on April 20, 2016. Horrell was chosen because of her extraordinary career and her indelible impact on the Denver community as a pragmatic visionary and innovative strategist.

“I firmly believe that every single one of us has something special to do in this world.  Know that following your heart is not an abstraction, but rather the key to good leadership and a fulfilling life.  And as a wise mentor once told me, “Don’t miss the joy!”

Dorothy Horrell, chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver, has been named the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s 2016 International ATHENA award winner. Horrell was selected because of her indelible impact on the Denver community as a pragmatic visionary and innovative strategist during her 40-year career.

Colorado Women’s Chamber has announced the nominees for the 2016 ATHENA Leadership award, which honors a successful, accomplished woman in the community.

The Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations of “an outstanding woman who best exemplifies exceptional professional achievement, devotion to community service and generosity in actively assisting other women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.”