The library has always been a second home to Priya Burkett. Growing up in the Washington, D.C. metro area, she’d head there straight after school – and it opened a new world to her. Now, she’s working to keep libraries and other educational opportunities accessible to all families in Denver.

As a change maker and thought leader who impacts communities by leaving them better than how she found them, Burkett says she’s “on a mission to make things happen. The path isn’t always easy and sometimes needs to be changed.”

A finalist for the 2018 9NEWS Leader of the Year award, her ability to connect people and leave a lasting impression helps drive her impact even further.

See the 9NEWS Leader of the Year announced LIVE at the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leading Colorado presented by Southwest on March 8.

A result of having those experiences as a child, she holds a strong belief that communities should have free access to information and resources at local libraries. Today, Burkett serves as a Trustee with the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation and has strongly advocated for continuing education and literacy programs that serve all ages and communities.

Ensuring kids have access to quality education has always been important to Burkett. She is the board chair-elect of the Denver Public Schools Foundation, where she helps provide more opportunities for Denver kids. She also participates in programs like Whiz Kids and Reading Partners, which help children through study skills and tutoring. Using her skills as a connector, she often works with parents from varying backgrounds to navigate the school system so their children can take full advantage of what’s available to them and/or advocate for improvements – a challenge her family faced as immigrants. These experiences shaped her passions for education, tutoring and helping disadvantaged students and families – all of which she continues to embody today.

Throughout her career, Burkett has been rapidly promoted to new roles for her ability to solve problems and lead change. Now the Director of Business Development at American Express, she continues to make improvements in her community through her involvement and devotion to her many passions. In 2016, she took part in the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leadership Denver, the region’s premier leadership program.

Giving back is a family affair for Burkett. With her husband, Matthew Burkett, they established The Burkett Family Foundation, which invests in the Five Points neighborhood. An organization in Five Points and co-founded by The Burkett Family Foundation is Lincoln Hills Cares, providing Colorado kids with environmental learning experiences they might otherwise not have access to. Burkett believes that being engaged in your neighborhood is the key to community vitality: “I want to see this community thrive.”

 

Snapshot: Priya Burkett

Quote: “I’m on a mission to make things happen. The path isn’t always easy and sometimes needs to be changed.”

Success in Business

  • Director of Business Development at American Express and leads a team of sales managers that partners with businesses across Colorado, Utah, Montana and Wyoming
  • 15-year career with Xcel Energy, included being promoted to seven different roles for her ability to solve problems and create change
  • Double degree in Finance and Information Technology from The George Washington University and Executive Master of Business Administration from CU Denver

Awards, Accolades and Community Investment

  • Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce “Top 25 Most Powerful Women 2018”
  • 2018 Harvard Business School Certificate in Leadership Excellence
  • Co-founder of Burkett Family Foundation and Lincoln Hills Cares
  • Board leadership positions: Colorado Diversity Council, Denver Public Schools Foundation, Denver Public Library Friends Foundation and Lincoln Hills Cares
  • Going the distance for community organizations as the 2018 Denver Museum of Nature & Science Gala Presenting Sponsor and Co-Chair; 2017 Denver Museum of Nature & Science Gala Co-Chair; 2017 Invest in Kids Gala Co-Chair; 2016 Co-Chair of the Denver Public Library Friends Foundation Book Lovers Ball; celebrity dancer for Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s 2012 Dancing with the Stars; 2013 Co-Chair for CPRD’s Dancing with the Denver Stars; Friends of Manual High School Community Partner.