Meet Our Team

Kristen Blessman
Executive Vice President of the Denver Metro Chamber and President of Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation
kristen.blessman@denverleadership.org
303-620-8038

Connect

Kristen Blessman is Executive Vice President of the Denver Metro Chamber and President of Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. She has over 20 years of leadership experience, including strategic marketing, business development and executive management; working within nonprofit as well as for-profit businesses. Blessman is also an entrepreneur, having started multiple ventures. She is a change-agent leader with a focus on revenue development through the areas of innovation, strategic planning, start-up social enterprise, rebranding, and award-winning marketing and advertising campaigns.

Blessman served as the President and General Manager of PBS12, Impact Media for Colorado. As CEO of PBS12, Blessman re-invented the hyper local media landscape for Colorado by telling local stories that inspire. Blessman was brought on as president of the organization to do what she does best; bring innovation, advocacy and change to the nonprofit media organization. Under her tenure, the organization launched entirely new local programming, spearheaded several local content partnerships and won an Emmy and Telly award and best new program from the Colorado Broadcaster’s Association.

Kristen currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Western Colorado University and has served on the boards of The International Women’s Forum of Colorado, The American Marketing Association, and The Denver Press Club. She also serves as an advisory board member and guest faculty for the Jake Jabs School for Entrepreneurship at CU Denver and is a Civico Governor’s Fellow.

Our Staff — Administration

Michelle Fox
Foundation Administrator
michelle.fox@denverleadership.org
303-620-8093

Connect

Michelle serves as the Foundation Administrator for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, supporting programs and events that inspire leaders and strengthen communities. She ensures smooth operations, fosters stakeholder connections, and helps create meaningful experiences for participants.

With a background in event coordination and community engagement, Michelle previously supported major initiatives at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, including the Business Awards and Boots ‘N Business events. Her experience in program support, culinary education, and small business development has shaped her passion for mission-driven work.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology and loves creating spaces where people can learn, grow, and connect. Outside of work, she enjoys dancing, acting, hiking with her dog Chloe, and spending time with her husband Steve and their blended family of three teenagers.

Our Staff — Programs

Melanie Hicks
Vice President of Programs
Melanie.Hicks@denverleadership.org

Connect

Dr. Melanie Sue Hicks is a workforce and employee experience expert, author, speaker, and corporate trainer with a passion for helping organizations and individuals unlock their full potential. Over the course of her career, she has worked with hundreds of clients—including small to midsized businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations—providing innovative solutions in strategy, organizational development, and workforce optimization. Her expertise has earned her recognition in major media outlets such as Forbes, NBC, and CBS, solidifying her reputation as a thought leader in her field.

Beyond her professional work, Dr. Hicks is a dedicated global philanthropist, driven by a deep commitment to fostering human connection and resilience. Her extensive travels have taken her to more than 44 countries, spanning over 120,000 miles, where she has contributed more than 2,500 hours to service projects ranging from educational initiatives to community development programs. These experiences have profoundly shaped her perspective on leadership, adaptability, and the power of service-driven transformation.

Dr. Hicks is the author of Incongruent: Travel, Trauma, Transformation, a travel memoir that explores resilience through the lens of adventure and service work. She is also the curator of Shaking Off the Ashes, a resilience-focused poetry collection. A writer from an early age—completing her first book at just 10 years old—she has since been published in numerous esteemed publications, including Forbes.com, Marie Claire, Authority Magazine, See Beyond Magazine, The District, and Doctor’s Life Magazine, among others.

As the Founder and CEO of InPursuit, a boutique consulting firm, Dr. Hicks has led clients through complex challenges in workforce strategy, leadership development, and operational efficiency. Her expertise in talent management and employee experience has positioned her as a trusted advisor to leaders across industries. She is also the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Inked Elephant Publishing House, where she champions emerging authors, helping them bring their stories to life and guiding them from ideation to published reality.

Dr. Hicks has held several key leadership positions, including Chief Programs Officer at the Warrior-Scholar Project, Chief Executive Officer of the Children’s Athletic Network, and Vice President at MGT Consulting. Earlier in her career, she served as Assistant Provost at the University of Tampa, Education Policy Advocate at the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF), and Aide to the Mayor of Tallahassee.

Dr. Hicks holds a Doctorate from the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy at Florida State University, a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Miami, and a Bachelor’s in Organizational Communication from the University of Central Florida.

In addition to her academic credentials, she holds a Business Analytics certificate from Harvard Business School and is a Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP) and a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) with CFRE International.

She also holds multiple professional certifications, including Inclusive and Ethical Leadership, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace, and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt from the University of South Florida.

Jess Welser
Director of Programs
jessica.welser@denverleadership.org
303-620-8085

Connect

Jess serves as the Director of B:CIVIC and CSR for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation. B:CIVIC elevates business for good by empowering organizations and their people to do more for their communities.

As part of B:CIVIC, she helps companies move the needle and increase capacity for their corporate social responsibility strategies. In this role, she engages more than 140 organizations in sharing expertise, corporate strategy and collaborative initiatives. Two notable initiatives include a Colorado CEO pledge against racism and the first statewide version of the Civic 50 Colorado.

Additionally, she manages stakeholder engagement, resource curation, marketing and event execution, including an annual conference. Through her leadership, the B:CIVIC Summit has become the largest full-day CSR conference in the Rocky Mountain Region. She also gives her time back to the community through service on the resource toolkit committee for Colorado Inclusive Economy and advisory board for Impact100 Metro Denver, among various other volunteer initiatives.

Before joining B:CIVIC, Jess served in a variety of community building roles in her home state of Iowa. She supported the revitalization of the city of Maquoketa through development and execution of community initiatives and communication strategies. Jess also managed marketing and communications for Active Endeavors, a family-owned outdoor apparel shop. Here she transformed the brand image to a community-focused organization and managed sponsorships.

Jess obtained a certificate in corporate social responsibility from the University of Colorado – Boulder, Leeds School of Business and a certificate in sustainable business strategy from Harvard Business School. She holds a BBA from the University of Iowa, with a focus on marketing and a sustainability certificate.

In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping, snowboarding, cooking, and exploring Colorado.

Ana Ibañez
Program Support Specialist
ana.ibanez@denverleadership.org
303-620-8066

Connect

Ana serves as the Program Support Specialist for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, focusing on fostering community engagement, leadership development and program execution.

Ana’s international experience includes an internship in Seville, Spain, where she served refugees, gaining invaluable insights into global community engagement and support for vulnerable populations.

Ana received her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Relations from the University of Colorado Denver. She furthered her education with a Graduate Certificate in Global Community Engagement from the University of Denver and a Certificate in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Strategy from the University of Colorado Boulder. She also completed the Women’s Leadership Lab Program at the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

Fluent in Spanish and English, Ana leverages her bi-cultural background to connect with diverse communities.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Ana is passionate about mentoring high school students and actively participates in community events. Her dedication to making a positive impact is evident in both her professional and personal life.

In her spare time, Ana enjoys singing, painting, visiting art galleries, traveling the globe, reading and grabbing brunch with friends.