GATES PUBLIC SERVICE FELLOWSHIPS
Senior executives in state and local government are under more pressure than ever to take on increasingly complex problems with fewer resources and a greater degree of public scrutiny. To find solutions, bring about change, and help people in organizations and communities face difficult challenges, public officials must strengthen their ability to exercise effective leadership in rapidly changing political and social environments.
2018 Gates Fellows at Harvard (Photo courtesy of Mary Coleman)
Since 1980, the Gates Family Foundation has partnered with Harvard University to send nearly 300 of Colorado’s civic leaders to the John F. Kennedy School of Government’s program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. The fast-paced, three-week program brings together a diverse group of prominent public leaders to find solutions to the critically important challenges they face — and lead their public agencies and communities toward effective results.
Participants leave this program with new skills and strategies for tackling complex challenges and a new passion and sense of purpose for public service. The interactive classroom allows participants to share ideas and gain insight from one another as they develop their ability to exercise effective leadership in rapidly changing political and social environments.
Program Details
Eligibility: Individuals working in Colorado state and local governments — elected, appointed, and career officials — will find the program extremely valuable.
Selection: Candidates are interviewed by a panel of Gates fellowship alumni and other distinguished Colorado leaders assembled by the Foundation; nominations are sent to the Kennedy School admissions committee, which is responsible for awarding Gates Fellowships.
Costs: Harvard provides a discounted rate of $16,900 for Gates Fellows participating in the three-week residential program in Cambridge — which includes tuition, housing, curricular materials, and most meals. Gates Family Foundation pays $16,000 of the discounted tuition costs directly to Harvard. Fellows or their employers must fund the balance of $900.
For more information, contact Lisa Rucker at Gates (303) 722-1881 or Christian Flynn.
APPLY FOR SUMMER 2025
Applications are open now for the Gates Fellowship to attend Senior Executives in State and Local Government. The 2025 sessions are scheduled for June 2 – June 20 and July 7 – July 25. Applicants may select either session. The application deadline for the Gates Fellowship is March 3, 2025.
“It’s an intense program.”
“It opened my eyes to a world of perspectives.”
Hear Gates Fellows describe the summer program, the lessons from peers and Harvard instructors, and how the experience has benefited them long-term.
2024 Fellows
Olympia Fay, Judge, Denver County Court
Michael Guzman, Director District C, Regional Transportation District
Conor Hall, Director, Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, State of Colorado
Anne Keke, Board of Directors, Aurora Public Schools
Julie McCluskie, Speaker of the House, Colorado State House of Representatives
Jeslin Shahrezaei, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Lakewood
Danielle Summerville, Cultural & Community Outreach Programs Manager, City of Colorado Springs
Lance Waring, County Commissioner, San Miguel County
Gates Fellowship 2018 Selection Committee. L-R: Chantal Unfug, Taylor Woods-Gauthier, Christopher Herndon, Joe Blake, Dan Gibbs, Tom Gougeon, Lisa Rucker
2023 Fellows
Candy Meehan, Mayor, Town of Norwood
Emma Pinter, County Commissioner, Adams County
Naquetta Ricks, State Representative HD40, Colorado State Legislature
Lisa Roy, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Early Education
Matt Scherr, County Commissioner, Eagle County
Liz Smith, County Commissioner, Gunnison County
Brad Wind, General Manager, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District
2022 Fellows
Note: Harvard’s 2020 and 2021 programs were cancelled due to COVID, so 2020 Gates Fellows attended the program in June 2022 along with Gates Fellows selected in spring 2022.
Ginger White Brunetti, Executive Director, Denver Arts & Venues
Liane Jollon, Executive Director, San Juan Basin Public Health
Shontel Lewis, Director District B, Regional Transportation District
Andrew Marsh, City Administrator, City of Idaho Springs
Kristin Stephens, County Commissioner, Larimer County
Anna Stout, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Grand Junction
Sean Strode, City Councilor, City of Rifle
2020 Fellows
Note: Harvard’s 2020 and 2021 programs were cancelled due to COVID, so 2020 Gates Fellows attended the program in June 2022 along with Gates Fellows selected in spring 2022.
Evelyn Baker, Deputy Executive Director, Community Planning and Development, City and County of Denver
Kristin Bronson, City Attorney, City and County of Denver
Robin Brown, Vice President of Development, Colorado Mesa University/CEO of CMU Foundation
Hilary Cooper, Commissioner, San Miguel County
Shawn Gullixson, President Board of Education, Colorado Springs School District 11
Crestina Martinez, Chief of Staff, Colorado Governor’s Office
Bethleen McCall, Council Member, City of Yuma
Ben Tisdel, Commissioner, Ouray County
2019 Fellows
Yolanda Avila, Colorado Springs City Council, District 4
Jennifer Bacon, Denver Public Schools Board of Trustees, District 4
Greg Felt, Chaffee County Commissioner, District 2
Dominique Jackson, Colorado House of Representatives, Member, District 42 (Arapahoe)
John Messner, Gunnison County Commissioner, District 1
Rebecca Mitchell, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Director
Angelika Schroeder, Colorado Board of Education, Board Chair
2018 Fellows
James Burack, Director, Colorado Dept. of Revenue, Marijuana Enforcement Division
Richard Cimino, Commissioner, Grand County
Mary Coleman, School Board Member District 11, Colorado Springs
Kari Distefano, Town Manager, Town of Rico
Ernest House, Executive Director, Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs
Jovan Melton, State Representative Colorado General Assembly
Rachel Richards, Commissioner, Pitkin County
Amanda Schoultz, Senior Council Aide, City and County of Denver
Tom Strand, Councilman, Colorado Springs
2017 Fellows
Shailen Bhatt, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Transportation
Barbara Bynum, Commissioner, Colorado State Land Board, Division of Natural Resources
Crisanta Duran, Speaker of the House, Colorado General Assembly
Lisa Flores, School Board Member, District 5, Denver Public Schools
Christopher Hansen, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Lois Landgraf, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Rebecca McClellan, State Board of Education Member, Congressional District 6, Colorado Department of Education
Dominick Moreno, State Senator, Colorado Senate
Scott Vargo, County Manager, Summit County
2016 Fellows
James Eklund, Director, Colorado Water Conservation Board
John Kinkaid, County Commissioner, Moffat County
Jackie Lecce Miller, Director of Youth Programs, Great Outdoors Colorado
Lynn Padgett, County Commissioner, Ouray County
Ellen Roberts, President Pro Tempore, Colorado State Senate
Anita Seitz, Councilmember, City of Westminster
Sky Stuart, Senior Policy Advisor and Legislative Director, City and County of Denver
2015 Fellows
Aaron Huckstep, Mayor, Town of Crested Butte
Sallie Clark, County Commissioner, El Paso County/National Association of Counties
Rhonda Fields, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Veronica Figoli, Chief Officer Family and Community Engagement, Denver Public Schools
Tobin Follenweider, Deputy Director, Colorado State Board of Land Commissioners
Brittany Petersen, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Matt Sturgeon, City Manager, City of Rifle
2013 Fellows
Lynn Johnson, Executive Director, Jefferson County Human Services
Nancy Jackson, County Commissioner, Arapahoe County
Matt Jones, State Senator, Colorado General Assembly
Nicholas (Nick) Mitchell, Independent Monitor, City and County of Denver
Chris Nevitt, City Council Member, City and County of Denver
Janice Sinden, Chief of Staff, Office of Mayor Hancock, City and County of Denver
Mary Beth Susman, President, Denver City Council, City and County of Denver
2014 Fellows
Katie Baldassar, President of the Board, Lake County School District
Mike Bordogna, County Commissioner, Lake County
Thomas Davidson, County Commissioner, Summit County
Kathryn Hill, Chief Operating Officer, History Colorado
April Montgomery, Program Director, Telluride Foundation
Jennifer Sobanet, Chief Operating Officer, Colorado Department of Higher Education
Larry Wolk, Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
2011 Fellows
Dan Gibbs, County Commissioner, Summit County
Scott Gessler, Secretary of State, State of Colorado
Elizabeth McCann, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Eric Hansen, County Commissioner, Adams County
John Kefalas, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Elaine Mariner, Director of Creative Industries, Office of Economic Development and International Trade, State of Colorado
2012 Fellows
Irene Aguilar, State Senator, Colorado State Senate
Christopher Herndon, City Council Member, District 8, City and County of Denver
Claire Levy, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
John Lucero, Deputy Director, Office of Economic Development, City and County of Denver
Dan Pabon, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Christine Scanlan, Director of Legislative Affairs and Senior Education Policy Advisor, Colorado Governor’s Office
Larissa Chantal Unfug, County Administrator, Mesa County
Angela Williams, State Representative, Colorado General Assembly
Finally, also in 2023 a total of $410,956 previously committed by Gates to the 
A total of $1,110,956 committed to the 
In 2019, the Community Development program committed $932,500 in strategic grants to 13 organizations and $465,000 in responsive capital grants to 12 organizations. New impact investments supporting vibrant communities in 2019 included a $500,000 MRI to 
Our Focus Landscapes initiative, a key element of our Natural Resources program, underwent a comprehensive review, revision, and re-launch in 2019. This initiative was launched in 2011 to help Colorado achieve landscape-scale conservation through the protection of private lands in specific geographies. A great deal of progress was made in North Park, southeast Colorado, and the San Luis Valley, resulting in more than 200,000 acres of farm and ranch lands conserved, along with their associated ecological values. The strategic review process was done in close partnership with the land trust organizations representing those geographies, providing lessons-learned and an exploration of emerging opportunities. The revised Focus Landscapes initiative will first focus on two geographies: