Megan is a community social worker with more than 10 years of experience. She brings a wealth of expertise to our work; her background includes direct service with young people, community-building, and advocacy. Most recently, Megan was the Program Manager for Denver Shared Spaces, helping nonprofits connect commercial real estate with social impact. She has also worked as a counselor with young people and their families. This varied experience informs her work, and brings to Building Bridges a rich set of skills and expertise that will support the organization as we grow our work with young people here in Colorado.

Liz Hamel originally joined Building Bridges in the summer of 2014 as a Colorado Program Facilitator and worked as a Summer Intensive and School Year Facilitator for two years. Liz’s background creating and facilitating programs with various communities is grounded in her love for transformational leadership development, social justice work, and creative non-traditional education. As a bilingual community organizer, Liz worked alongside immigrants to develop leadership and bring immigrant voices to the policy process. She has worked in many educational settings, most recently with groups of parent leaders as partners in their students’ education. Additionally, Liz teaches as an adjunct faculty and has assisted with Latin American social work immersion courses. Liz is passionate about Building Bridges’ unique and powerful programming because it creates spaces for participants to be their true selves while challenging them to connect their individual and group experiences to larger social issues. Liz holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Spanish. Originally from Kansas, Liz has lived in Denver since 2008 and enjoys reading, history, exploring new places, musicals, coffee, Jayhawk basketball, and spending time with her family, friends, and dog Rory.

Laura comes to Building Bridges as an MSW intern through the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. She has worked in community food justice for the past 6 years, teaching gardening and cooking classes for young children and facilitating a social justice leadership program for teens focused on urban farming. Laura is passionate about youth voice and agency in social justice movements, and is inspired by Building Bridges’ proven model for personal and community transformation. Originally from North Carolina, Laura received her BA in International Studies and History from the University of Richmond. She enjoys crossword puzzles, ultimate frisbee, spending time with family and friends, and exploring the beauty of the Colorado mountains.

Jenny Medrano is a community and youth leadership developer in the City of Denver. She is very passionate about developing young leaders of diverse backgrounds, and equipping them for leadership in multicultural settings. She is also dedicated to working in community partnerships to further equip adult leaders in the areas of cultural intelligence and social justice.

Tabea is excited to join Building Bridges as an MSW intern attending the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver. She earned her BSW at Indiana Wesleyan University and has worked as a family case manager and after school co-facilitator serving families experiencing poverty in Indianapolis. Tabea is passionate about developing genuine community, challenging systemic sources of oppression, and empowering youth, families, and communities celebrate diversity, live authentically, and overcome barriers to self-determination and wellness. In her free time, Tabea enjoys exploring new places, hammocking, reading, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.

Raegan first began her journey with Building Bridges during the 2015-2016 Summer Program Team. She fell in love with facilitation and the organization and remained involved. Raegan is currently finishing her B.A. in education, with an emphasis on history and social work. She believes that social learning is the key to the success of the world. She is family oriented, and enjoys spending her free time with her parents and two younger brothers. Raegan loves board and card games, and she looks forward to her weekly dose of Cats the Musical!