Women Who Make a Difference Awards
The Women Who Make a Difference program celebrates individuals who are creating meaningful change at CU Boulder. Each fall, the campus community is invited to submit nominations recognizing women who uplift, support and inspire others. Nominees, and those who nominated them, are honored for the impact they make across campus.
A Tradition of Recognition and Community
The Women Who Make a Difference program began in 2000 when student staff in the CU Boulder Women’s Resource Center set out to recognize one outstanding woman on campus. After receiving an overwhelming number of powerful nominations, they chose to honor all eight nominees—launching a lasting CU Boulder tradition of celebrating community impact.
While the Women’s Resource Center is no longer on campus, the Center for Cultural Connections & Community proudly continues this tradition, recognizing individuals whose contributions strengthen our campus community.
Honoring a Lasting Legacy
This program builds on the legacy of trailblazers at CU Boulder, including:
- Mary Rippon, the university’s first woman professor
- Lucile Berkeley Buchanan, the first Black woman to graduate from CU
Their leadership and resilience helped shape CU Boulder into what it is today and continue to inspire future generations.
Women Who Make a Difference carries that legacy forward by recognizing those who are making an impact right now—through leadership, care for others and commitment to building a more inclusive and supportive community.
Past Recipients
Anastasia Gallegos-Roque
Danielle Hodge
Jessica Gutiérrez
Jennifer Tobin
Jordin Clough
Marlene Goldman
Paula Lopez Alvarez de Neyra
Rebecca Lankford
Amada Munoz
Barbara Bogner
Carmen Donohoe
Chantal Baca
Charlize Spagnoletti
Clara Gauthier
Dawn Fettig
Emily Greenwood
Emily Ekart
Emma Stine
Erin Fletter
Fabiola Mora
Heather Kenny-Duddela
Jackie Juarez
Jessica Sharley
Irene Blair
Kate Kimball
Kelly Stritzinger
Kristel Jeline Brown
Lane Terry
Lauren Mason
Dr. Lynda Duran
Dra. Maria Castro Barajas
Dr. Nabilah Carlon
Mary Stivison
Michelle Schroder
Michelle Pagnani
McKenzie Larson
Molly Bandimere
Nora Gonzalez
Paulette Erickson England
Rebecca Safran
Susan Ulrich
Virginia (Ginnie) Benson
Aisha Nammari
Ann Herrmann
Ann Piano
Bernadette Stewart
Beth Amsel
Carla Eugene
Cherie Summers
Cristine Wiedinmyer
Debra Sparn
Erika Eckert
Giovanna Ruffolo
Johanna Maes
Kelly Ebert
Lily Board
Maggie Cornelius
Manasa Kolavennu
Marcia Yonemoto
Meagan Goulian
Megan Stephenson
Nimisha Mallela
Rebcca Komarek
Sara Swain
Sherri Sanders
Shloka Dhar
Sophia Wonneberger
Soraya Latiff
Yoriko Morita
Amanda McKenzie
Anila Narayana
Dana Parcher
Erica Peck
Jana Jones
Jazmyne Peters
Kathryn Dailey
Katy Flanagan
Lily Knaeurt
Loati Bullo
Madeline Azari
Maria Aguilar
Michele Simpson
Nikki Hutchinson
Rebecca Machen
Renee Rains
Akirah Bradley-Armstrong
Alexis McClain
Alisha Stewart
Angela Bielefeldt
Angelica Juarez
CheyOnna Sewell
Chrissy Harrison
Dyonne Bergeron
Essence Duncan
Evangelyne Eliason
Holly Olivarez
Jessie Finocchiaro
Judy Taub
Larrisa Alire
Leisha Conners Bauer
Leslie Safadi
Michele Ritter
Monika Weber
Rajshree Shrestha
Roxane Ruggles
Sharon Van Boven
Veronica Gonzalez
Abbey Strusz
Crystal Lay
Janice Torkildsen
Jennifer Morales
Jennifer Williams
Kristie Soares
LeeLee Graham
Roshanne Ebrahimian
Alicia Sepulveda
Amanda Scuderi
Anna Polovin
Brie Waterman
Caitlin Stiltner
Cam Perdido
Elana Benitez
Haruko Greeson
Jessica Gonzales
Johanna Maes
Laurie Langdon
Lindy Stein
Margaret Murnane
Olivia Gardner
Pilar Prostko
Ruscha Cohen
Shelly Bacon
Sophia Surage
Victoria Hand
Beth Myers
Brittany Garcia
Elizabeth Wilmer
Heather Winner
Heidi Day
Isabella Fallon
Jennifer Stratford
Katherine Semsar
Laurel Amsel
Luz Macias
Meagan Gabaldon
Megan Clark
Rachel Kammen
Samantha McAllister
Amy Molina
Andrea Zelinko
Barbara Parker
Blanca Rangel
Connie North
Dr. Johanna Maes
Ebtihal Esaadi
Erika Sandoval
Eve Wesson
Kathryn Tisdale
Katy Armstrong
Lauren Hoos
Lilia Cisneros
Marcia Yonemoto
Maria Luz Rosario
Michelle Gabrieloff-Parish
Natalia Bennell
Nikki Hutchinson
Nuria Silleras-Fernandez
Rayna Oliker
Rose E. Castorena
Rosie Compean
Sara Reed Jamieson
Serene Singh
Shannon Gray
Shelly Howard Whitmore
Theresa Manchego
Alyssa Willet
Andrea Zelinko
Bhuwan Chalise
Dr. Celeste Montoya
Dr. Julie K. Lundquist
Erin Dewese
Kathryn Dailey
Katia Tarasave
Maria Valdez
Mary Whitmore
Michaele Ferguson
Nigisti Bayna
Rachel Stonecypher
Tami West
Terri Baldridge
Tess Eidem
Yemesratch Lemma
Barbara Haggerty
Emily Pfleghaar
Glenda Russell
Glenda Schofield
Hannah Jones
Jill Patterson
Johanna Karasik
Kelsey Brown
Lan Hayes
Marah Quinonez Dominguez
Maria Castro Barajas
Stephanie Moon
Tanya Kearns
Thuyvi Vo
Vasudha Daver
Alex Garcia
Alexandria Erkenbeck
Aljoana Gilmore
America Ramirez
Andrea Zelinko
Blanca Rangel
Boneth Ahaneku
Brisa Gonzales
Claire Garand
Diana No
Divya Reddy
Eileen Sherman
Elizabeth Bittel
Elizabeth Morningstar
Eva Fuentes
Galina Siergiejczyk
Hannah Wilks
Heather Winner
Heidi Vielhaber
Irati Nahele Barrena
Jenny Withycombe
Jessica Ladd-Webert
Jill McWilliams
Julie Volckens
Katherine Larson
Kathryn Daily
Kristen Luna
Lee Scriggings
Lily Au Yeung
Lisa Howley
Magnolia Landa-Posas
Maria Garibay
Maria Valdes
Marianne Moulton Martin
Marina La Grave
Mary Dando
Meghan Myron-Karels
Melissa Rubin
Patrice Thorenson
Rayna Oliker
Robin Kolble
Samantha Miller
Sandra Valenzuela
Shannon Lacy
Tamara Williams Van Horn
Teresa Wroe
Thu Van Tran
Tina Tan
Vicki Vanderwerf
Abby Hills
Adelle Monteblanco
Alasyn Zimmerman
Ali Skewes-Cox
Amanda Linsenmeyer
Amma Kootin
Caitlin Pratt
Celeste Montoya
Christine Thai
Cleopatra Estrada
Debra Naranjo
Dorothy Rupert
Elaina Verveer
Elisa Facio
Elizabeth Dutro
Elizabeth Roberts
Ellie Falleta
Erin Greenhalgh
Eva Adler
Fran Dutro
Genevieve Friesen
Joyce Kinde
Juliet Jung
Katie Oliviero
Lauren Cross
Layne Hubbard
Lora Roberts
Megan Frewaldt
Merlyn Holmes
Miranda Aragon
Nola Salisbury
Richa Poudyal
Ruchi Malhotra
Sarah Williams
Shaheen William
Stephanie Baldwin
Stephanie Esquibel
Stephanie Grant
Sweta Adhikary
Taylor Simmons
Valerie Contreras
Vanessa Dunn
Anca Radulescu
Anne Lester
Cecilia Valenzuela
Christina Gonzales
Cindy Cabrales
Claire Alpert
Colleen Scanlan-Lyous
Diane Shimamoto
Emily Tofte
'Funmi Oyatogun
Heilit Biehl
Jamey Lockley
Jill McWilliams
Joan Baccino
Karen Lund
Karen Raforth
Karlie Johansen
Kim Kushner
Lauren Smart
Lesa Morris
Mariama Diallo
Megen Princehouse
Mindy Wilding
Pat Culpepper
Rachel Killam
Rebecca Maytubby
Rev. Dr. Melanie Ann Downs Rosa
Rhonda Chesnutt
Seema Sohi
Tamara Williams Van Horn
Terri Baldridge
Valerie McBride
Angela Greenwald
Ashley Ladd
Catherine Altman
Catherine Lasswell
Claire Yang
Dola Saha
Donna Sockell
Dr. Sarah Massey-Warren
Dr. Doreen E. Martinez
Elaina Verveer
Elisabeth Long
Emma Perez
Erike Munter
Jan Owens
Jessica Bradley
Kelsey Yearout
Laura Koch
Leysia Palen
Maia Andreasen
Mandy Walker
Melinda Piket-May
Michele Jackson
Ofelia Morales
Peggy Gordon
Rebecca Dickson
Regina Tirella
Sally Ingraham
Sarah Dawn Haynes
Stephanie Wong
Susanna Wang
Amy Javernick-Will
Angela Palermo
Ashley Winder
Bethany Pruett
Bethy Leonardi
Bette Sellers-Anderson
Cindy Swartzendruber
Deb Coffin
Diane Debella
Diane Martichuski
Dr. Susan Clarke
Eleanor Keeling- Ehlert
Elizabeth Danson
Evy Valencia
Hannah Wilks
Jonna Fleming
Kathleen Douglass
Laurel Amsel
Lily Board
Lynn Hall
Mary Long
Michele Ritter
Michelle Ellsworth
Nancy Grabowski
Natalie Smutzler
Nivea Soto-Lightbourn
Pat Sullivan
Patricia Rankin
Peggy Tucker-Ortega
Revi Sterling
Ruth Ellen Kocher
Sandra Lane
Schermisia Chambers
Tamara Meneghini-Stalker
Tina Pittman Wagers
Vannessa Gordillo
Yetunde Akinde
Amber Dahlin
Amy Austin
Beth Osnes
Carmen Cool
Colleen Schmidt
Dawn Stanley
Debra Frazier
Dr. Veronica House
Eileen McMahon
Erin Kane
Jennifer Armstrong
Joanne Belknap
Julieanne Combest
Kristi Graham-Gitkind
Maria Ruiz-Jargon
Marlene Deutsch
Mary Ann Shea
Melinda Barlow
Michele Richey
Omaira Bankston
Pamela Menert
Rebecca Brown Adelman
Rebekah Dury
Regina Case
Sabrina Sideris
Sandra Lane
Susan Villalobos-Boehm
Terri Stankiewicz
Theresa Halsey
Alyssa Willett
Ann Glover
Ashley Scroggins
Ayla Besemer
Barbara Grogan
Bela Mohapotre
Bella Mody
Bree Schaffer
Carmen Grace
Dr. Jane Elvins
Dr. Karen Raforth
Dr. Leonora Olivia
Elvira "Elvie" Strehle Henson
Ericka Randall
Glenda Schofield
Jan Strobel
Jennifer Tixier
Jenny Natapow
Maria Acosta
Melisa Martinez
Michelle "Mid-d" Miles
Patty Berger
Rajshree Shrestha
Sam Sacher
Sara Noah
Sarah Haynes
Susan Smith
Victoria Bull
Women of AFROTC
Cathy Comstock
Cayla Chavez-Murphy
Christine Kelly
Claudia Mills
Cleo Estrada
Deborah Kulas
Eliza Woloson
Emily Ambrose
Erika Alexander
Evelyn Ogg
Evie Brau
Gaia Mika
Jan Owens
Jane Elvina
Karen Schuster
Kyoko Saegusa
Lindsay Eppich
Madeline Johnson
Margaret LeCompte
MaryAnn Sergeant
Meg Moritz
Megen Princehouse
Micklina "Pia" Peter
Miriam Barrere
Rochelle Scott
Seana Lowe
Sharon Read
Teresa Hernandez
Wynona Bice-Stephens
Zan V. Johns
Cat Altman
Deb Coffin
Dr. Alice F. Healy
Dr. Polly McLean
Dr. Shoba Rajgopal
Ginnie "Diyn" Logan
Kim Glasscock
Lolly Gold
Lori Lynn Lander
Lynne Walling
Mary Ann Tucker
Melina Hernandez
Pat Beals Moore
Patricia Gassaway
Susan K. Avery
Tangie Sutton
Vivian Cozens
Barbara Kulton
Carol Lynch
Carole Gentry
Cheryl Koelling
Dara Burwell
Deborah Viles
Doris Hass
Gaxella Bensreiti
Gretchen Long
Joan Gabriele
JoAnn Silverstein
Karen Boyd
Katheryn Rios
Laura Border
Lucia Baker
Marcia Ragonetti
Meg Rapp
Neja Ahuja
Obdulia Castro
Office of Diversity & Equity
Patricia Sullivan
Sandra Youghans
Valerie Embry