Meetings

February Meeting: DJ Summers – Common Sense Institute

finola.annibella@yahoo.com

Presentation Outline

This discussion will examine the Colorado and the Denver metro area as it stands now. Most of the key metrics that defined the Front Range in the mi-2010s are markedly different now in the mid-2020s: demographics, growth rates and key economic indicators among them. The area’s future will depend on how leaders respond.

DJ Summers is Common Sense Institute’s Director of Communications & Research Operations. He oversees CSI fellows and research staff, coordinates with partners, iterates and analyzes projects and breaks down findings for the public, legislators and commercial leaders.

Prior to CSI, DJ attended the University of Utah and Syracuse University. He worked as a journalist, investigator and political researcher across the U.S. from Washington, D.C. to Alaska. DJ has a drive to understand complex truths and make them clear and accessible to the public and its leaders alike.

DJ lives in Denver and is a classically trained pianist. He devotes his spare time to practicing and studying music. When not at the piano bench, he has a regimen of strength training, combat sports and enjoying good Colorado beer.

Common Sense Institute is a non-partisan research organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of Colorado’s economy. CSI is at the forefront of important discussions concerning the future of free enterprise in Colorado and aims to have an impact on the issues that matter most to Coloradans. CSI’s mission is to examine the fiscal impacts of policies, initiatives, and proposed laws so that Coloradans are educated and informed on issues impacting their lives. CSI employs rigorous research techniques and dynamic modeling to evaluate the potential impact of these measures on the Colorado economy and individual opportunity.

 

January Meeting: Liam Murphy – Teaching the Autism Community Trades

Finola Annibella

Liam Murphy, Director of Development

As Director of Development at TACT – Teaching the Autism Community Trades, Liam Murphy brings a heartfelt commitment to inclusion, education, and empowerment. Guided by a deep belief that everyone, regardless of background or ability, deserves the opportunity to thrive, Liam plays a key role in advancing TACT’s mission to provide skilled trades training and employment pathways for individuals on the autism spectrum.

Liam’s work is grounded in the transformative power of connection—between students, families, communities, and opportunity. His continued relationships with current donors have not only deepened TACT’s impact but have also helped expand the brand to new corporate donors and business leaders who share in the mission.

Under his leadership, TACT continues to grow as a beacon of hope for neurodiverse individuals and their families. More than just a school, TACT represents Liam’s dedication to building a more inclusive future where students are supported not just in learning, but in living empowered, fulfilling lives.

December Meeting: Christine Meek, Neurobics

Finola Annibella

Get ready to fire up your neurons with Neurobics — a lively, interactive session designed to boost focus, flexibility, and fun. Through simple mental and physical exercises, you’ll discover how to strengthen your brain, spark creativity, and stay sharp in a world that’s always changing. Uplifting and energizing, this session will inspire you to embrace challenges with curiosity and confidence—while walking away with practical tools to keep your mind active anywhere, anytime.

With a background in education, Christine brings a teacher’s heart and passion for learning to every endeavor. Transitioning from the classroom to community engagement just before COVID, she has embraced diverse career roles such as financial advisor, notary, and loan officer. Currently, she proudly serves as a Medicare broker, finding joy in educating and empowering seniors alongside their trusted professionals. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds solace in travel, outdoor adventures like hiking and gardening, and the simple joys of spending time with her husband.

August Meeting: CrossPurpose – Modeling a Different Way of Walking Out of Poverty

Finola Annibella

Jason Janz co-founded CrossPurpose in 2008, influenced greatly by spending his childhood and adolescence in poverty.  His passion for social entrepreneurship and serving the poor is satisfied through his role as CEO, where he builds our staff team, sets the organizational culture and raises funds.  When he is not working, Jason enjoys bike riding and hanging out with his family.

CrossPurpose means “a contrary aim.”  We wanted to model a different way, a more dignified and holistic way, of walking with our neighbors all the way out of poverty.

We approached this challenge holistically because while poverty shows its effects financially, the solution is often relational and spiritual.  This informed what is now the mission of CrossPurpose: “to abolish economic, relational, and spiritual poverty through career and community development.”

To this end, we doubled down on building social capital with our families and lived by the maxim, “There is no significant change without a significant relationship.”  For the last ten years, our weekly family dinners have been the place where lifelong friendships have been formed between our families, volunteers, donors, and staff.

June Meeting: 2025 Legislative Session, Impacts to Colorado Businesses

finola.annibella@yahoo.com

We are excited to host Dave Davia, CEO of Colorado Concern who will recap the 2025 legislative session and explain how it will impact the Colorado business climate.

Called “a person of action and someone who knows how to build an organization, raise money, take the tough meeting, and make the hard ask,” Dave Davia’s position as CEO and president of Colorado Concern is a fitting role given all that he’s accomplished not only professionally, but also as a charitable, civic, and governmental leader. Dave Davia is a tenacious agent of change.

For nearly 30 years, Davia has served the state of Colorado’s economic viability in a variety of private and public capacities. Most recently, he accepted the invitation to join Colorado Concern as its CEO, leading more than 140 CEOs in a collaborative effort to accelerate a positive, non-partisan business environment for Coloradoans. His sphere of influence includes advocating for practical business solutions and unifying community leaders against tough economic challenges with common-sense answers.

He’s worn the hats of CEO, board chair, member, founder, chief fundraiser, and city councilor, to name a few. A business and finance major from Metropolitan State University, Denver, and a fifth-generation Denver native, Davia brings political savvy to the table that transcends party lines. Ultimately, he believes that a unified government and diverse voices foster the most meaningful change for all Coloradoans.

April Meeting: Jay Mays, Founder of Pitch Lab

Finola Annibella

What Stand-Up Comedy Can Teach You About Transforming Sales Teams and Accelerating Growth

Join Jay Mays, Founder of Pitch Lab, for an exploration of how stand-up comedy principles can transform your sales org’s bottom line. Learn how to equip your sales team with strategies that win deals without discounting, differentiate from competitors, and prevent costly prospect ghosting. You’ll walk away with actionable approaches that elevate your sales culture and accelerate your revenue growth. And yes, there will be jokes—because in business as in comedy, timing is everything.

Jay Mays’ sales career started in 1996 when he learned to sell dial-up internet accounts and web hosting plans to small businesses. Back in those days he used 4×6 index cards in an orange Nike shoebox as a CRM. Over the past 25 years a lot has changed, but not Jay’s love for helping clients succeed. He’s booked hundreds of “closed won” deals with marquee clients like AT&T, Red Bull, and the Miami Marlins to name a few.

For the sake of optimism, Jay never keeps track of his “closed lost” deals. That said, there are a handful of heartbreaks from which he pulls some of his best sales stories and lessons. For the past 9 years, Jay’s been a sales consultant and trainer, helping B2B business owners and their sales teams differentiate from the competition, build stronger connections, and win more deals.

Learn more about Jay by visiting him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaysmays/

March Meeting: Papa Dia, Founder/Executive Director of the African Leadership Group

Finola Annibella

Our very own, Solomon Muwanga will be interviewing Papa Dia, Founder and Executive Director of the African Leadership Group (ALG), a Colorado nonprofit created in 2006 to help improve the quality of life for African immigrants and members of the diaspora.

A native of Senegal, Papa immigrated to Denver in 1998.  He used his first job, stocking books, to teach himself how to read, write and speak English.  From an entry-level position in a local bank, Papa over the next 18 years climbed the ranks to become a regional vice president.  In 2017, Papa left banking to focus his full attention on running and growing ALG. 

Papa serves on the boards of the Denver Botanic Gardens, Energize Colorado, and is a member of the prestigious Livingston Fellowship. 

In addition to running ALG, Papa leads several businesses and nonprofits working in or based in Senegal.