Changing What’s ‘Normal’: A Presentation on Youth Prevention at the Washington State Public Health Association Conference
When young people lead the message, their peers listen. Social norming campaigns that highlight healthy teen choices don’t just correct misperceptions — they help build connection, confidence, and stronger communities.
At this year’s Washington State Public Health Association Annual Conference, SE2 Principal Brandon Zelasko joined Safe Yakima Valley and youth advisor Ryder to explore how youth-led social norming campaigns are helping reshape perceptions around substance use and inspire lasting behavior change.
Through authentic youth voices and positive storytelling, these campaigns make the real norm visible — showing that most young people are already making healthy choices. When that truth is shared by peers, it becomes powerful motivation for others to do the same.
Check out the presentation and reach out if you’d like to learn more about using social norming for health promotion and prevention:
FEAR DOESN’T WORK – FACTS DO: by Brandon Zelasko
PowerMapping: Why We Must Double Down on Human Interaction in the AI Age
In recent years, the landscape of communication has undergone a seismic shift, driven by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and a notable decline in trust towards legacy news media. As AI technologies become increasingly capable of generating content, the implications for communications professionals are profound and multifaceted.
The Rise of AI in Content Creation
AI has transformed how we produce and consume information. Tools like natural language processing and machine learning enable AI to create articles, reports, and even creative writing with remarkable efficiency and accuracy. This democratization of content creation means that anyone with access to AI can generate high-quality material, blurring the lines between professional journalism and amateur content.
Benefits of AI in Communication
Speed and Efficiency: AI can analyze vast amounts of data and produce content in seconds, allowing for real-time reporting and updates.
Personalization: AI algorithms can tailor content to individual preferences, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
Cost-Effectiveness: Organizations can reduce costs associated with content production, reallocating resources to other critical areas.
However, this rapid advancement also raises concerns about quality, authenticity, and the potential for misinformation.
Declining Trust in Legacy Media
As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, trust in traditional news outlets has waned. Factors contributing to this decline include:
Perceived Bias: Many consumers believe that legacy media outlets have inherent biases, leading to skepticism about their reporting.
Misinformation: The rise of fake news and sensationalism has eroded public confidence in the accuracy of information disseminated by established media.
Alternative Sources: Social media and independent platforms provide alternative narratives, often bypassing traditional gatekeepers and allowing for a wider range of voices.
The above distillation of the challenges facing communicators in today’s rapidly evolving landscape was written in seconds by the free-to-use Microsoft Copilot based on my one-paragraph prompt. I didn’t make a single edit. (It went on, but you get the idea.)
Besides hitting the mark, this AI-generated copy highlights that the talented people at our communications and marketing agency shouldn’t be spending our time creating things that AI can do nearly as well and much, much faster.
Our clients will soon have the keys to the car. They won’t need us to drive them anymore.
Sure, humans will still be needed to proof content, check for accuracy, ensure it’s on message, and refine it (at least the AI prompts, if not the output).
When it comes to creativity, AI is not ready for prime time – as this year’s cringey AI-produced Coke Christmas ad showed – and it’s been shown perpetuate racist stereotypes and bias.
But it’s going to get better and take over more and more roles that once required the human touch.
How can communications and marketing professionals avoid becoming this century’s version of the Luddites, the 19th century textile workers who smashed the mechanized looming frames they knew would make their skills obsolete?
This raises two questions:
- What valuable communications and marketing tasks can AI not do today – or ever?
- What strategies will cut through the fast-rising flood of unreliable, inaccurate content that’s drowning audiences in a sea of junk?
The answer to both questions is the same, and surprisingly simple. We must focus more on what humans have been doing since the dawn of time: communicate in person.
People crave connections and trust, especially in a world where digital interactions are increasingly mediated by algorithms and bots. The election highlighted that the “broadcast” model is dying as people increasingly rely on friends and families for trusted info on pressing issues.
AI can only fake empathy. AI can’t sit across from someone and react naturally and with genuine understanding and concern.
By focusing on human-centered strategies, we can cultivate meaningful relationships with audiences, understanding their unique needs, values, and aspirations by actually getting to know them.
Long before digital networks, societies were built with people networks. People naturally come together and organize to bring solutions to societies’ biggest challenges.
Established relationships and trust power human networks, with influential people or organizations serving as the connectors.
Our community engagement initiatives allow us to tap into the collective wisdom and spirit of the communities we serve, creating campaigns that resonate on a deeper, more personal level, and leverage these organic networks to authentically reach our key audiences where they are.
The trust and loyalty we build through genuine human interactions are irreplaceable and invaluable.
The phone call, the meeting over coffee, the community meeting. Inefficient? Yes. Irreplaceable? Absolutely.
Mapping out how communities are connected, identifying the trusted messengers, authentically energizing these networks, and co-creating solutions with them provides the playbook for creating sustainable behavior and systems change.
Communications 3.0 is really a return to communications 1.0, minus the fax machine.
Relationships are key and they’re developed the old-fashioned way: meaningful connections built on trust, reputation and expertise. In other words, there are no short cuts.
Pick up the phone. Get out of the office. Replace that video conference with an in-person discussion.
That’s the guiding philosophy of SE2 PowerMap™ . We activate community networks to tackle urgent public challenges. Our strength is our relationships with diverse community connectors. We build those, nurture them, and map them. We are partners, united in our belief of people-powered solutions are the future, not AI.
When these people share their insights, credibility and trust, we can achieve the extraordinary.
Bringing Young People to the Table is about More Than Style... It’s about Authenticity
Impactful change requires reaching everyone in the community — including youth. That’s why we established the SE2 Youth Council, a powerhouse of diverse Colorado teens.
Monthly meetings are a platform for vibrant dialogue. Council members share invaluable insights with our youth advisor, providing insights on youth trends and lived experiences, brainstorming, reviewing campaign materials, and providing critical feedback. We trust their expertise in crafting messages that connect with their peers.
Their voices are woven into the fabric of our campaigns, ensuring authenticity and effectiveness.
This year, the Youth Council champions the theme: “Building Healthy, Resilient, Tobacco-Free Communities.” Partnering with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s tobacco control program, we’re developing an outreach strategy that empowers youth to become active participants in the campaign itself.
This dedicated group will play a pivotal role in crafting a powerful, persuasive, and youth-centered vape prevention campaign.
Why the youth perspective is important
More than 25 years of experience has taught us a critical truth: diverse voices, especially those of young people, are essential from the start. Including Gen Z and Gen Alpha in our campaigns isn’t just about meeting their standards; it’s about creating work that resonates deeply.
The Youth Council holds us accountable for inclusivity and fresh perspectives. They help us consider aspects we might miss, leading to a true understanding of our audience.
Gen Z craves authenticity and unique information. Forget generic health messages – they want inspiration to forge their own path to healthy living. Considering their distinctive style injects a deeper layer of authenticity into our work.
But it’s not just about style. Young people are a wellspring of knowledge about what we don’t know. Even as a twenty-something youth advisor, I’m constantly surprised by their insights.
Our Youth Council members are passionate about creating a healthier future. They’re a diverse group, with some interested in communications, others in creative design, and some in research and data. Regardless of their specific interests, we provide comprehensive learning opportunities throughout the entire campaign development process.
Youth insight helps us understand their lived experience
While developing content for the Forward Together — a campaign that seeks to build youth protective factors by strengthening relationships with peers and trusted adults – youth council members revealed the latest slang that parents might miss entirely. My proposed phrases for explanation were relics from my past, while theirs reflected the current reality on TikTok and beyond. This project highlighted how young people are constantly evolving, defying assumptions.
The Youth Council also provided key insights into youths’ lived experience with vaping. While we knew about the use of disguised devices, we weren’t aware of the intense policing, the students’ feeling of being targeted, and their desperate need for resources to quit. By listening, we discovered a high awareness of vaping risks, but a lack of clear next steps, specifically around cessation and support resources
Engaging young people allows them to contribute to the conversation about the things they face every day. It gives them a platform to collaborate and develop valuable skills. Their involvement fosters buy-in and trust, leading them to share our message authentically with peers and loved ones. Since they were part of the creation process, they trust and champion the message.
What have we learned so far?
This blog is your direct line to the experiences and perspectives of young people that make up the SE2 Youth Council. Through monthly meetings and check-ins, we capture their voices and share them here, updated regularly.
February Council Meeting: Cracking the Code on Nicotine Devices
Our mission: understand the landscape of youth nicotine use. We focused on Zyn, a popular product that delivers nicotine through an oral pouch.
The Buzz: Most council members haven’t seen Zyn used in schools – but vaping is still very common. However, those who are aware of Zyn suspect its growing popularity stems from its stealthy nature, being almost undetectable. The telltale signs that a young person is using Zyn Pouches? Used pouches littering trash cans (or worse, the floor nearby) and tell-tale bulges in teens’ mouths, reminiscent of dip.
March Council Meeting: Decoding Teen Lingo for Authentic Messaging
Authenticity matters. To connect with Gen Z, we need to speak their language. So, we asked about “nic-sick” – a term describing the unpleasant stomach feeling from too much nicotine.
The Verdict: A surprising miss! Most council members hadn’t heard the term, with only one encountering it during a school presentation. While alternative nicotine-related phrases remained elusive, we uncovered a new gem: “hitting blinkers,” which refers to using a vape even when the battery’s dead (when the light typically blinks).
April Council Meeting: Empowering Young Leaders to See Through Marketing Hype
Empowered by the science of positive messaging, our youth council tackled manipulative tactics in advertising during their April meeting. They learned to decode marketing messages, from fear-mongering to confusing design elements, by anlyzing ads.
What we observed: Council members showcased their media savvy by identifying tricks like limited time offers in retail ads, scare tactics in cyber security ads, and confusing design choices on paper ads. While subtler manipulations might slip by, they confidently called out the most common tactics. This equips them to make informed decisions based on facts, not marketing hype.
By fostering critical thinking skills, we’re empowering young leaders to make informed decisions based on facts – and not marketing hype – so they’ll become powerful advocates for themselves and their communities!
Do you know a young leader who would be interested in contributing their voice to the SE2 youth council? Send them to the online application or reach out to me at Gracie@SE2ChangeForGood.com
My Journey Reveals the Human Cost of Gaps In Trans Healthcare
Picture this: you have an appointment with a dermatologist to discuss acne treatments. For the paperwork, you have to use a name that isn’t yours, and makes you uncomfortable when people use it and say that you’re a woman on paper, even though you aren’t. Nowhere does it ask if you go by another name, even a nickname, and when you arrive, the wrong name is used repeatedly, and people keep calling you “she” and “her.” When you’re taken back to see the doctor, they ask what medications you’re on. You don’t want to leave anything out, so you say it.
“Testosterone.”
The doctor raises an eyebrow, and instead of asking you what to call you or how you’d like to be referred to, he makes assumptions and begins a spiel about how you’ll never be able to fully treat your acne since as long as you’re on hormones, you’re in an eternal “puberty,” and the only option is Accutane, which requires a monthly pregnancy test. While this diagnosis has some merit, such a snap assessment isn’t true.
Since I started my transition and journey as a transmasculine (a term used for those assigned female at birth who lean towards being more masculine-identified, but not necessarily a man), nonbinary individual, I have had countless interactions with doctors, other health professionals, and staff along these lines.
It’s experiences like this that make trans folks around the world feel alienated and alone every day. For trans women, trans men, and people who identify elsewhere off the spectrum, the experience is often similar. A glaring lack of trained professionals is evident, and while many have good intentions, it can be tempting to avoid medical care whenever possible.
Shedding Light on Transgender Healthcare Services in the United States
The United States faces a significant deficiency in comprehensive and educated health professionals, particularly doctors, when it comes to transgender healthcare. Despite strides (and steps back) in societal understanding and acceptance of diverse gender identities, the medical field has lagged in providing adequate training and education on transgender-specific health issues.
Many healthcare providers lack the knowledge and cultural competence necessary to deliver affirming and effective care to transgender individuals. The consequences of this gap are profound, as it contributes to the perpetuation of health disparities and barriers to accessing essential services.
Healthcare settings and practitioners generally emphasize “men’s health” or “women’s health,” overlooking gender-diverse individuals. Registration forms typically lack options for indicating a gender identity distinct from the assigned sex at birth, and health screenings and insurance policies are based on a binary male-female model, neglecting the needs of gender-diverse patients.
Medical education is affected by societal biases, sometimes leading to stereotypes and prejudices by medical students. Only 26% of doctors overseeing family medicine clerkships feel comfortable teaching transgender healthcare to students.
Recognizing this deficiency, the Association of American Medical Colleges advocates for a comprehensive approach to LGBTQ+ health education at all levels of medical training. It suggests a “layered” strategy, integrating gender-affirming healthcare education throughout the curriculum. However, many medical schools still fall short of incorporating such care seamlessly, often resorting to add-on approaches like standalone lectures or small-group activities. On average, medical schools provide just five hours of instruction on gender-affirming healthcare practices, highlighting the lack of comprehensive training in this crucial area.
Lack of Educated Doctors Equals Avoidance of Treatment
Another instance of incompetent care I experienced was in 2021 when I received top surgery (subcutaneous mastectomy, male/masculinizing chest contouring) through Kaiser Permanente in Denver.
My surgeon was well-intentioned and really took the time to listen, inspired by her trans best friend to provide comprehensive and continually improving care. However, despite her best efforts, many other staff fell far short of her level of understanding.
After completing the World Professional Association for Transgender Health or WPATH screening (a grueling process trans folks have to complete by answering questions with a licensed therapist to prove that their care is necessary) and having many appointments up until the surgery, I arrived the day of the surgery and was called every pronoun under the sun, mostly incorrect — I use they/them — when my surgery team should have been prepped on what to call me.
My partner was also misgendered through my surgery and their own about six months later by the same team for the same procedure. Of course, people make mistakes, and I don’t expect perfection, but I expect some level of effort when receiving care.
Due to limited training on gender-affirming care during medical education, gender-diverse individuals often find themselves educating their primary care providers. I have found myself in the position of teacher instead of simply being a patient over the years. This deficiency in understanding and provision of competent care has significant consequences, with one in three gender-diverse adults avoiding preventive care or not being offered such services. Alarmingly, 19% of transgender individuals report being outright refused care.
These disparities may contribute to the higher rates of tobacco use, obesity, alcohol consumption, depression, and cancer risk factors among gender-diverse populations.
With so much stress surrounding being transgender already, I know many people who will outright avoid going to the doctor and instead get hormones and even services without safe consultation, relying on more shady methods such as buying from a friend who has a prescription or even relying on illegal and risky sources.
I know a trans woman, for instance, who went in to see her doctor and disclosed at the beginning of the appointment that she was trans and hadn’t yet had bottom surgery. They got through most of the exam, talking about how she had been buying unused hormones from other trans women and how she wanted to start her transition properly with a doctor. After this whole conversation, the doctor told her to prep for a pap smear, leading to an awkward experience for both of them when the doctor should have known that wasn’t something physically possible to provide yet.
Transgender Health Services are Life Saving
A 2020 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry revealed that transgender individuals who underwent gender-affirmation surgery experienced an 8% reduction in the likelihood of seeking mental health treatment each year post-surgery. This surgery also brought about various positive effects, such as improved self-image, enhanced sexuality, sexual satisfaction, and increased social affirmation, contributing to a better quality of life.
I know many people who have struggled emotionally with depression and suicidal ideation while awaiting surgeries and care around their identities. While gender-affirming services aren’t a cure-all, they greatly increase quality of life once completed.
Despite these evident health benefits, a substantial knowledge gap exists among physicians when it comes to caring for transgender patients. Many doctors lack training in gender-affirmation procedures, leading to inadequate care, especially when complications arise from these surgeries. This gap is particularly problematic since trans patients often seek surgery in states where such procedures are legal, yet aftercare is managed by primary physicians unfamiliar with transgender care. This overall lack of awareness and training can significantly impact the outcomes for trans patients.
When I started hormone replacement therapy in 2019, I started with Plume Health (when it was still called Mariposa), a trans-led healthcare company that offers discreet hormone prescriptions and monitoring for $100 a month. Initially, the company didn’t accept insurance, but I didn’t want to use insurance anyway for safety purposes within my family. Now, Plume offers its services for $40/month with qualifying insurance, but even with that, care like this is often out of reach financially. You shouldn’t have to go somewhere special to get the care you deserve that will likely change the course of your life for the better.
The barriers are manyfold, whether it be uneducated doctors, the WPATH process, getting good therapists, financial roadblocks, etc. These services are guarded, and they make sure you really need it before it’s provided. Only about 3% of adults who transition end up de-transitioning.
How Can We Do Better?
So, what can be done to help address this issue? Behavior change marketers can be crucial in addressing the lack of trauma-informed, culturally relevant, and trans-specific healthcare by implementing targeted strategies that promote awareness, education, and inclusivity. (Similar progress, of course, must be made in closing broader health inequities).
For trans-specific health care, I recommend:
- Creating inclusive messaging:
- Develop messaging that is inclusive, respectful, trauma-informed, culturally diverse, and affirming of gender identities and sexual orientations for doctors and healthcare professionals.
- Collaborating with advocacy groups and healthcare professionals
- Work closely with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups, healthcare professionals, and organizations to gain insights and collaborate on creating effective campaigns.
- Creating educational campaigns
- Develop educational campaigns that raise awareness about trauma-informed care, cultural competence, and trans-specific healthcare needs for doctors and healthcare professionals, as well as transgender individuals and allies.
- Helping facilitate and encourage training for healthcare providers
- Invite healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the community’s needs to offer training sessions to increase their peers’ understanding of trans-specific healthcare needs.
- Using positive role models and testimonials
- Highlight positive stories and testimonials from individuals within the trans communities who have had positive healthcare experiences to inspire and encourage individuals to keep medical care.
- Showcase diverse role models within the healthcare field to inspire confidence and trust in providing the correct care to the community.
- Addressing systemic barriers
- Advocate for policy changes and institutional practices to eliminate systemic barriers to trauma-informed, culturally relevant healthcare and ensure inclusive healthcare policies.
- Providing accessible resources
- Develop easily accessible resources, such as brochures, online materials, and helplines, that offer information on trauma-informed, culturally relevant, LGBTQIA+, and trans-specific healthcare services for doctors, healthcare workings, and patients.
By employing these strategies, we can create a more inclusive and supportive healthcare environment and happier, healthier patients.
Community Connection: Colorado Black Voices in Focus
In recent years there’s been a fitting shift in communications towards more directly engaging communities. However, there is still a lot more work to do engaging more authentically and deliberately with diverse communities, particularly the vibrant and small yet mighty Black Coloradan community.
How can we engage this community, and why is it crucial? We interviewed a diverse group of Black communication professionals in Colorado who offered their perspectives on how uplifting Black narratives fuels transformative change.
Why is it crucial to actively engage with communities, especially the Black community?
Albani Berryhill, Communications Partner at Caring for Denver Foundation: Actively engaging is not just a checkbox; it’s the heartbeat of progress. Ensuring that diverse voices are heard, embraced and represented is crucial for fostering positive change. By not immersing ourselves in the rich tapestry of the Black community, we’re missing out on key voices and stifling the true potential of our work. It’s about embracing the multitude of beautiful, unique, and nuanced experiences within the Black community. We have to meet the Black community where we are, collaborate authentically, and recognize that together, our strength knows no bounds.
Dianne Myles, CEO/Executive Producer at Dope Mom Life: It allows for establishing genuine relationships. Engaging in a culturally responsive and respectful manner demonstrates that the work being done is not performative. I’ll never avoid this conversation; authentic engagement should be the standard, not the rule. Organizations must demonstrate that their efforts are not just for appearance or to check a box but because they genuinely care. The authenticity of the relationship, or lack thereof, will always be apparent.
Sylvia Lambe, CEO at Lambe PR: Actively engaging with Black communities is about building and sustaining connection, understanding, and trust. As humans, we value authentic representations of ourselves. That is why it is important to authentically thread diversity, equity, and inclusion into communications and brand stories to reflect the Black experience in meaningful ways.
In one sentence, can you tell us why communications professionals should prioritize authentic community engagement?
Albani: Neglecting authentic community engagement is a disservice to you, your efforts, and the community; it negates the very essence of communication, denying both yourself and the community the transformative power of genuine connection that ensures active alignment with community needs and fuels positive change.
Sylvia: It fosters trust, ensures relevance, and amplifies diverse voices, ultimately leading to more impactful and meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.
Tasha Jones, CEO/Founder at LV Jones Consulting: It ensures that our communications resonate deeply, reflect diverse perspectives, and are backed by metrics that prove a commitment to the Black community.
Benny Samuels, President at AYA Foundation: The only way to reach people, facilitate behavior change or action is to be authentic — it has to mean something to the communicator for him/her/they to be able to make it mean something for others.
How are you uplifting Black voices in your communications and/or creative work?
Albani: In my role, I connect Black peers with resources, identify funding opportunities for Black organizations, and ensure Black voices shape grant-making decisions. I‘m dedicated to elevating Black voices in every facet of our work, recognizing their essential contribution to our community.
Benny: We tell stories that emphasize people’s brilliance and their uniqueness in this world.
Dianne: I’m a Black woman in media; we make up less than 4% of the media industry. Having my voice at the table will always change our community’s narratives and how we are represented.
Sylvia: Actively selecting clients whose core missions and activities celebrate, liberate, and engage the African American community, ensuring that their stories, perspectives, and contributions are authentically represented and respectfully showcased. We amplify the voices of the Black LGBTQIA2+ community, honor Black resilience and creativity, promote a deeper understanding of Black history and support initiatives aimed at addressing systemic oppression, actively empowering and representing Black voices in our communications efforts.
Tasha: I see myself as a connector. A bringer together of ideas, places, and people in my communications and creative work, I prioritize amplifying Black voices by actively seeking out Black creatives who can lend their expertise to the projects I’m leading. I set out to elevate diverse narratives, perspectives, and experiences in spaces where Black voices must be heard. I’ll do whatever is within my ability to shine a light on Black excellence.
What can the communications/creative spaces (or more specifically comms for change) do better for the Black community?
Benny: Focus on their brilliance, on their uniqueness, and their backstories. Make the story meaningful, find the person or organization’s essence. Make the stories accessible – people want to and enjoy reading them.
Tasha: The more comms reflects a true interest in supporting and uplifting the Black community, the more people in the community are going to know about it. And consider this—Black consumer spending hit $910 billion in 2019 and is projected to skyrocket to $1.7 trillion in less than a decade. Ignoring the influential role of the Black community is a surefire way to lose trust. Put another way, Black culture is often replicated by mainstream audiences. Preserving individuality within the culture is what drives innovation within the Black community. When creatives aspire to replicate and repurpose content from Black trendsetters, it’s imperative to give credit where credit is due. Acknowledge the originators of the innovative idea or trend; otherwise, it is another case of cultural appropriation.
Sylvia: Authentic representation, genuine partnerships, and economic empowerment are vital for uplifting the Black community. This involves prioritizing platforms for Black voices, investing in cultural competency training, supporting Black-owned businesses, and dismantling stereotypes through positive representation. Transparency, accountability, and ongoing education further drive progress. By prioritizing these actions, the communications and creative sectors can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society where Black voices are truly valued and heard.
Dianne: Hire people who look like the people you want to engage with and pay them what they are worth! Have those same people in leadership positions and pay them! Don’t expect them to be the voice for their entire community. We are not a monolith. Authentic cultural engagement should be everyone’s responsibility.
Albani: Continuous support, amplification, and intentional listening are key. Let’s not just talk about it; let’s light the way. We have to actively seek and endorse Black businesses and creatives. Keep giving Black voices a platform, not out of obligation, but because it’s an imperative necessity. Continue striving for a cultural shift where bettering marginalized communities moves beyond a mission or DEI efforts as a “trend” but ensures that such initiatives are ingrained inherently and embedded in the very fabric of what we do.
In our work connecting authentically with communities is no longer just a nice-to-have—it’s absolutely essential. When we keep it real, lift the diverse voices we hope to engage, and truly listen. We’re not just talking about change; we’re making it happen. When we continue to weave stories that reflect the beauty and complexity of our communities, we ensure every voice gets a chance to be heard.
Learn more about these Community Leaders.
Albani Berryhill: Albani Berryhill serves as the Communications Partner at Caring for Denver Foundation, which works to better mental health and substance misuse outcomes in the Denver community. Hailing from Villa Rica, Ga., she earned her undergraduate degree in Communications Studies with a minor in Spanish from Georgia Southern University. Recently, she attained her Master’s in Strategic Communication from the University of Denver. During her time at the University of Denver, Albani served as a Teaching Assistant in the Media, Film, and Journalism Studies Department and completed internships with the Women’s Foundation of Colorado and Colorado Photographic Arts Center, specializing in digital marketing and social media management.
From her high school days onwards, Albani has been actively involved in community service, dedicating her time to youth coaching, mentoring, and tutoring. Her passion extends to mental health, wellness, and recovery, reflecting in her commitment to making a positive impact on the world and those around her each day.
Benny Samuels: Benny Samuels is a seasoned multicultural, multi-lingual leader in health, human service, and social change. Presently, she serves as President of AYA Foundation, Colorado’s first Black-serving community foundation.
In her 35-year career, she has led transformational programs that have resulted in increased access, equity, voice, and power (in the form of self-sufficiency) for children, families, and communities, with an intentional emphasis on supporting communities of color and those living in poverty and furthest from opportunity across Colorado and nationally. Accomplishments in her career include the Statewide Colorado Family Planning Project, which reduced unintended pregnancies in Colorado by 40% in four years. Benny also implemented the W.K. Kellogg Foundation multi-million-dollar grant investment and flagship national demonstration project, Community Voices, enrolling thousands of children in the Child Health Plan Plus and uninsured adults into Medicaid and the Colorado Indigent Care Program.
More recently, Benny served as the chief marketing officer and chief operating officer for Nurse-Family Partnership, where she led the operations of a $56 million investment to scale the model by making it accessible to thousands of first-time mothers living in poverty through a national, cultural– and age-responsive marketing campaign and business development strategy.
Dianne Myles : Dianne Myles is the CEO of Dope Mom Life. Dianne found her passion for storytelling and community. Her team fulfills the company’s mission daily to tell authentic, impactful stories that shift viewers’ perspectives and garner engagement. Dianne’s life experiences have given her a unique opportunity to be a powerful messenger and connector. Dianne prioritizes spending time with her two adult children, DJ and Tiara, who attend CU Denver, as they are her world. She also spends countless hours volunteering for organizations and serving on boards. Dianne is also a celebrated business leader in the community, having won several awards, including a Heartland Emmy.
Sylvia Lambe: Sylvia Lambe, the CEO of Lambe PR, is a public relations expert and an accomplished BBC journalist with an insightful skill for impactful storytelling. Her rich background in media and communications, coupled with her award-winning tenure as a radio producer in London, has equipped her with a unique perspective on driving meaningful change through tactical messaging. Sylvia is recognized in Denver, for her dedication to amplifying marginalized voices and her commitment to integrity in journalistic storytelling.
At Lambe PR, Sylvia leads comprehensive media and marketing campaigns for diverse nonprofit and public sector organizations, consistently delivering impactful content and media coverage to engage and inform communities. Her career highlights include pioneering brand awareness strategies for organizations like Black Pride Colorado and Juneteenth Music Festival.
Tasha Jones: Tasha Jones champions the development of integrative marketing strategies meticulously tailored to amplify the significance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. With an unyielding commitment to storytelling through an inclusive perspective, she brings forth the power of representation by embracing the tapestry of lived experiences and voices from a myriad of identities.
In addition to her vast marketing experience, Tasha has carved a niche as a distinguished executive coach, empowering leaders to navigate their professional journeys with clarity and conviction. She has masterminded an executive session titled “Boldly Forward: Leading with Impact.” This immersive experience is designed to guide participants in charting their imminent career milestones, employing what she refers to as the “Focus Four Principles.” These principles, ingeniously extrapolated from corporate fiscal strategies, serve as a compass to align individual aspirations with organizational goals.
