Staff
Carolyne Ash
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Carolyne Ash (she/her) is the Director of Programs and Communications at The Barton Institute for Community Action.
Carolyne brings 17 years of experience within the Denver social change sector to her work, including roles with Denver Urban Matters, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado, and Point b(e) Strategies. Carolyne has extensive experience with equitable and inclusive program development, strategic planning, fund development, executive coaching, community organizing, and policy advocacy. Carolyne previously served on the board of directors for Community Shares of Colorado, Urban Servant Corps, and Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries.
In addition to her work with the Institute, Carolyne is an adjunct faculty member with the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, where she teaches courses focused on social justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Carolyne spends her free time with her partner Brittanie wrangling their young daughter and puppy, watching women’s basketball, and tackling a never-ending list of home improvement projects.
Carolyne holds a BA in women's studies and international studies from the University of Iowa and a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan.
Jen Corzine
CONTROLLER
Jennifer Corzine is the Controller at The Barton Institute for Community Action, where she is responsible for finance and accounting, systems, compliance, and reporting for the Institute and its programs partners.
As a CPA, Jennifer first spent fifteen years working in public accounting, in addition to working with USAA and Whole Foods Market. She has spent the last fifteen years focused on her passion working with nonprofits including The Denver Foundation and the Charter School Growth Fund.
Jennifer is originally from San Antonio, Texas, and has spent the last twenty years in Denver, Colorado with her husband and three children. Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Howard Deng
STAFF ACCOUNTANT
Howard Deng is the Staff Accountant at The Barton Institute for Community Action, where he assists with accounting functions and collaborates on special projects and initiatives.
Howard brings 4 years of professional accounting experience within the smart charging and law industries. He is passionate about dedicating himself to philanthropic endeavors. Howard is from China and has lived in Colorado for 10 years. He loves to listen to people from different cultures and share opinions with them. He has a BA in accounting from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and a MS in Software Engineering from Regis University in Denver.
In his spare time, he likes to play basketball, go hiking, and camping. He also cooks authentic Chinese food.
Daniel Lee
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER/CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Dan Lee is the Chief Financial Officer at The Barton Institute for Community Action, where he is responsible for the Institute’s overall financial management, including investments, accounting, and processes related to program partners. Dan joined the Institute in 2023.
Prior to the Institute, Dan spent 22 years at the Denver Foundation and almost twelve years in finance and business development leadership roles at Operation Able, the Joffrey Ballet, and Ernst & Young, all located in Chicago. Dan also spent five years in financial analysis and planning at Abbott Laboratories.
Outside of work, Dan loves to travel (especially throughout Asia) and enjoys biking and hiking. Dan received his BS and MS in biology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his MBA from the Illinois Institute of Technology.
David Miller
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
David Miller is the CEO of the Barton Institute for Community Action. The mission of the Barton Institute is to support leaders and their communities who are working to develop and foster places for opportunity, connection, and belonging in Metro Denver. The Barton Institute began at the University of Denver in 2016 and in 2020 became an independent nonprofit organization.
Before the Barton Institute, David was President and CEO of The Denver Foundation from 1996 until 2016. The Denver Foundation is the oldest and largest community foundation in the Rocky Mountain region. Under David’s leadership, the assets of The Denver Foundation grew from $58 million to well over $700 million and generous donors contributed more than $1 billion to The Denver Foundation as a vehicle for their charitable giving.
David is a native of Denver and a fifth generation Denverite. He is a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School. Since then, he has worked in all three sectors: public, private, and nonprofit.
David spent ten years in Colorado state and local government, serving as Executive Director of the Colorado Office of State Planning and Budgeting under Governor Richard Lamm and Chief of Staff for Denver Mayor Federico Peña. After that and before coming to The Denver Foundation, he was a principal in Greenberg, Baron, Simon & Miller (GBSM), a strategic communications consulting firm.
David currently serves on the Board of the Boettcher Foundation. He is married to Lisa Farber Miller. They have two children and four grandchildren.
Katya Stoyanova
ACCOUNTING CLERK
Katya Stoyanova is the Accounting Clerk at The Barton Institute for Community Action, where she is responsible for day-to-day accounting operations.
Katya brings over 12 years of prior corporate experience in finance analytics and banking operations. Katya has lived in Colorado for the past 18 years since she originally moved from Bulgaria, Eastern Europe. Katya has a BA in History from St. Cyril and Methodius University, Bulgaria and BS in Finance from Metropolitan State University of Denver.
Outside of work, Katya has passion for Ancient History and enjoys traveling to Thracian Tombs when she visits Bulgaria.
Heidi Vosekas
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Heidi brings extensive experience in administrative and programmatic leadership and support. Heidi’s background is in the nonprofit sector, having worked 17 years in educational nonprofits. Prior to joining the Barton Institute, Heidi served as the National Coordinator at School Reform Initiative where she focused on project management, budgeting and bookkeeping, organizational development and event planning.
Through her work in education, Heidi’s understanding of issues of racial equity and social justice has grown and deepened into both a professional and personal call to action. She is beyond thrilled to join the Barton Institute and be part of work that prioritizes the needs of vulnerable populations in our community.
Heidi is originally from Bloomington, Indiana and has lived in Denver since 2011 with her husband and daughter. She received her BA in Sociology and Anthropology from Earlham College.
Board
Laura Barton
Laura grew up in Tucson, Arizona and graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1982 with a degree in Comparative Literature. After graduation, Laura moved to Colorado to work in the cable television industry.
She and her late husband Peter Barton raised three children, Kate, Jeff and Chris, during which time Laura began her lifelong commitment to the community as a volunteer and philanthropist for education, child health, reproductive health and human services.
A past trustee of The Denver Foundation, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, and Colorado Public Radio, Laura currently serves on Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Hospital and Foundation Boards, and as a co-chair of their comprehensive Courage is…Campaign. Laura also serves as board chair for Constellation Philanthropy, connecting with other early childhood investors. Laura lives in central Denver with her husband, artist William Matthews.
Angela Cobián
Angela Cobián (she/ella) is a is a teacher-turned-community organizer and currently finishing her first term on the Denver Board of Education. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, she has dedicated her career to building power among students, families, and women. Cobián was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to consult with the NGO Enseña por Mexico on program development for student-led social change initiatives, as well as co-teach English at the Universidad Pedagogica Nacional in Mexico City.
Upon returning from Mexico, Cobián began organizing the parents of her former students as a Bilingual Community Organizer with Together Colorado, an affiliate of the Faith in Action National Network. She led school and congregation-based organizing on immigration and education issues. Angela continued her work in collective action as the Director of National Organizing and Development with Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), where she redesigned national programs to shift to anti-racist organizing and coaching organizers to launch new regions across the country.
Angela continues advocacy for civic and social change at the federal level as the Director of Coalition Advocacy at Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Action Fund. Cobián enjoys writing, maintaining an Instagram for her stoic chihuahua, listening to cumbia-punk music, and volunteering at the Denver Art Museum and nonprofit boards like the Bell Policy Center, Prosperity Denver Fund, Denver Urban Renewal Authority, Re Vision, and now the Barton Institute. In recognition of her “dedication and commitment to the Latino community,” Angela Cobián received the Lena L. Archuleta Community Service Award from the Denver Public Library in 2020.
Tom Gougeon
Tom Gougeon became President of the Gates Family Foundation in August of 2010. For the prior ten years he was a Principal and Chief Development Officer for Continuum Partners, LLC. Continuum is a developer and operator of mixed use and transit oriented real estate projects. Prior to Continuum Tom ran a charitable foundation, was the CEO of the Stapleton Redevelopment Foundation and served for eight years in the Mayor’s Office in the City and County of Denver.
Tom has served on the boards of numerous housing, land conservation, urban redevelopment, environmental and historic preservation organizations. He is a former Chair of Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, The Nature Conservancy and the Urban Land Conservancy. He is currently a Commissioner of the Denver Water Board and serves on the boards of Denver Civic Ventures, Gary Community Investment/the Piton Foundation, and the Real Estate Development Committee of the Urban Land Conservancy. Tom has a BA from the University of Denver and a MCRP from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design.
Kenzo Kawanabe
Kenzo Kawanabe is a partner with Olson Grimsley Kawanabe Hinchcliff & Murray. He is an acclaimed trial lawyer with substantial experience representing clients in high-stakes cases. Previously, Kenzo was a partner at a venerable, 100-year-old Denver law firm, where he practiced for 25 years representing clients from Fortune 500 companies to technology startups. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers (State Chair) and International Society of Barristers, and he teaches at the National Institute for Trial Advocacy.
Kenzo has served as counsel for companies across industries and issues including intellectual property, real estate, construction, mass torts, antitrust, and environmental matters. His prior trials include constitutional claims for equitable public-school finance, corporate fiduciary duty disputes, CERCLA claims, construction defects, trademark infringement, and refugees seeking asylum.
Kenzo was the first-ever General Counsel for the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. Kenzo’s awards include National Philanthropy Day (Colorado) Volunteer of the Year; PEBC Investing in Education Award; Colorado Education Association Coloradan Award; American Constitution Society Impact Award; Denver Mayor’s Pascoe Civic Leadership Award; and Denver Bar Association Richard Marden Davis Award.
As a fourth-generation Coloradan, Kenzo engages deeply in community service. He serves on the Boards of Colorado Legal Services, Colorado State University System, and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - D.C. He previously was on the Board of Advisors for the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, and served as board chair for the Colorado Lawyers Committee, Boettcher Foundation, and The Denver Foundation.
Dean Michael Prina, M.D.
Dean Prina was born and raised in Reno, Nevada. He has an identical twin brother.
Dean received a BA in Art History and a B.S. in Human Biology from Stanford University, graduating in 1975. He attended Stanford University School of Medicine, graduating in 1979. Dean moved to Denver in that same year to complete a residency in pediatrics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. He joined Partners in Pediatrics as a full partner in 1982 and remained in private practice for 35 years. During those years, his areas of special interest were children with disabilities, premature infants, and the mental health issues of children of all ages. During those same years, Dean had a parallel “career” in the nonprofit sector. He served on several dozen boards, mostly focused on arts and culture, women and children, and education. Dean enjoys traveling, collecting art, movies, all cultural activities, the company of his dear friends, and staying fit. He retired from the full-time practice of pediatrics in 2018.
James Roy II
James Roy II is a social entrepreneur, community-driven professional, and artist. He has worked in community development for over ten years and is passionate about cultivating healthy communities through community engagement. His career has focused on developing community-guided neighborhood assets through full integration of community voice, coupled with the urban planning field's best practices of placemaking.
Amber Valdez
Amber Valdez is a partner of Valdez Public Affairs, LLC and has worked with the Colorado General Assembly for over thirteen years. Ms. Valdez has successfully represented numerous clients, including national firms, Colorado entities, local governments, small businesses, and non-profit organizations.
Ms. Valdez has volunteered, worked on, and consulted for several winning statewide campaigns. She was a valued member on the successful team of Congressman Ed Perlmutter’s first campaign running for the seventh congressional district. When former Senator Mark Udall ran for the United States Senate in 2008, Ms. Valdez was an important staff member on his victorious campaign as well.
Ms. Valdez has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Colorado State University and holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado - Denver.
Ms. Valdez is a voting member of the National Western Stock Show, a board member of the Global Livingston Institute, and serves as the chair of the STRIVE preparatory school board of trustees, a Denver Public Schools charter school network. She completed the Hispanic Chamber Leadership Development Program, was a finalist for the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Denver's Young Professional of the Year award, and was selected to attend President Obama’s White House Hispanic Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. In 2018, Ms. Valdez received the Colorado Association of Libraries President's Award and in 2019 was named to Denverite’s Who's Next In Housing, recognizing community members who are making an impact in affordable housing.