Elsa Holguín has always been a teacher. Even now as a CEO she is still a teacher.

It was an essential skill in her family. As a construction foreman, her father was a teacher. As the owner of a private school, her aunt was a teacher. And as a 6th grader who taught summer school classes, Elsa was a teacher from an early age. This love of both learning and teaching is the foundation of her collaborative, inquisitive leadership style today.

Elsa grew up in Chihuahua, Mexico with her parents and six brothers and sisters. Her family migrated to the United States when she was 17 years old. She looks back on this transition as a time of immense love and sacrifice. Her parents left their family, friends and life they knew in Mexico when they came to the United States. They were determined to give Elsa and her siblings access to the education and opportunities available here in Colorado. Driven by this love, Elsa has always strived to make her parents proud.

She started to learn English as a high school student and strengthened her fluency throughout college. Then, one of her first leadership opportunities came when she was 17, as the bilingual leader of a janitorial staff of 45 people. While in college, Elsa was an intern in the nonprofit sector and eventually made her way to a full-time position at the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. She then moved to Rose Community Foundation where she served as the senior program officer for child & family development for two years.

Much has happened in the years in between Elsa leading summer school classes and today, but her passion for and commitment to education has remained strong. As the President and CEO of Denver Preschool Program (DPP), Elsa oversees all organizational activities and, in consultation with the board of directors, provides direction and leadership toward the achievement of DPP’s overall mission, vision, and strategic plan.

She is a trusted, strategic and visionary community leader who has used her skills in education and facilitation to innovate solutions for Denver’s most pressing problems, remove barriers to access for individuals in need, and change perspectives on who should be at the table to make decisions in our city. Elsa’s servant leadership style pushes her to remain inquisitive and connected to the community, constantly questioning the processes around her to support the people and places she cares most about.

Elsa is particularly skilled at recognizing opportunities for growth. As a nonprofit executive, she noticed a lack of diversity in the philanthropic sector. She knew her Latino friends and neighbors to be some of the most giving and caring people in the community, but she didn’t see them represented in philanthropy. As a result, she co-founded the Latino Community Foundation of Colorado to fill that gap and engage diverse communities to build influence, equity, and opportunity for all Latino Coloradans.

In addition to founding the Latino Community Foundation and the Business Center for Women at Mi Casa, Elsa played an instrumental role in the creation of Early Milestones Colorado, the Denver Opportunity Youth Initiative, Colorado’s Office of Early Childhood, Borealis Philanthropy, the Colorado Department of Early Childhood, and the Skills to Compete Coalition. A former member and co-chair of the Early Childhood Leadership Commission, Elsa currently serves on the board of Tools of the Mind.

When she is not spending her free time with her husband, two daughters, three stepsons, and four grandchildren, Elsa can be found dancing Zumba at La Casita. She joined this dance group a year ago and was welcomed into a strong community of Latina immigrants from Mexico and South America. The dance floor is her happy place.

Through all of her professional and personal experiences, Elsa is able to use her skills as a servant leader, collaborator, and of course, to bring people together, challenge perspectives, and, most importantly, learn something new. But sometimes Elsa prefers to be a student, especially on the dance floor.

Vote for Elsa to be the 2023 9NEWS Leader of the Year.