The Badass Women of Central Park (Denver) Podcast

Lauren Ross, Badass

Lauren Ross is a licensed clinical social worker and leader in the field of school mental health. With over 22 years of experience in public education and clinical settings, Lauren is passionate about creating spaces of belonging, support and resilience for youth and families. Lauren currently works at Cherry Creek School District where she serves as a leader of the mental health team, with over 170 school psychologists and social workers.
In 2019, she trained under Brené Brown to become a Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator. She has brought this training to the public education and nonprofit sectors to build courageous leadership skills with the amazing humans doing hard and important work. In 2022 she shared the story of Project Village on the stage of TEDxCherryCreek, encouraging all of us to show up in social media space with greater courage, compassion, connection and community.
She lives in Denver, Colorado, with her amazing musical husband David, as well as their two children (Jade and Maya) and their schnoodle (Oreo).  
 
1) Link to TEDx talk video
2) Link to Project Village website
3) Link to youth mental health resource page: https://bit.ly/YouthMentalHealthResources

Gina LaMay, Badass

Gina moved from Madison, WI to Denver, CO in 2014 with her daughter Zena…who just happens to be a dog.  
 
She has twenty years’ experience in the mental health industry and a passion for understanding and taking care of people and animals.  Using her outgoing personality, she started to introduce herself to the community in Denver and specifically in Central Park where she was accepted with open arms…or should I say open paws, as a new woman entrepreneur.  
 
The people she started networking with taught her about the industry and also helped her realize her own ability. The concept of her company logo and slogan are a combination of the services she provides, as well as a reflection of her love of basketball and fur babies alike.  G-DOGZ PET SERVICES LLC, “Your Streets, Our Game”. She decided to start G-DOGZ Pet Services to offer the highest-standard of care, competence, and trust for her clients.

Jen Mathes, Badass

Jennifer Mathes owns Allstate – The Mathes Agency located in the heart of Central Park with her husband Rob.   She attended Ohio University and upon graduation moved to New York City to begin her career in the insurance industry.  After almost a decade climbing the corporate ladder in NYC, she left the city and her career, and moved to Pittsburgh.  In 2013, Jen moved to Denver with her husband and started their family.  She has lived in Central Park since moving here and loves this community.  Once her children began attending school she was eager to volunteer in their school and local organizations.  While enjoying getting to know other parents and people in the community she craved working again and ended up opening an insurance agency in the neighborhood in 2017.  She currently lives in The North End with her husband, two sons, dog and turtle.

Sarah Cox, Badass

Sarah Cox is the lead clinical social worker on the Vulnerable Elder Services, Protection, and Advocacy (VESPA) Team at University Hospital in Aurora, CO. Sarah grew up in New York City and got her undergraduate degree from Brown University. She attended the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work and received her Masters in Social Work with an emphasis in geriatrics and a certificate in animal assisted social work. At the University of Denver, Sarah was the recipient of the John A. Hartford Foundation Progress Scholarship, a leadership training program in geriatric social work. Sarah has over a decade of experience working with older adults and their caregivers. That experience includes interdisciplinary team management, coordinating care in the community, Assisted Living and long term care placement, end of life care coordination and support, and mental health support for older adults and their caregivers. Sarah currently resides in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver with her husband, three girls, and two pups. 

Heather Hope, Badass

Heather Hope (Wyszynski) has a heart for serving others. She thinks there is nothing more rewarding than giving back and helping to build others up. She also understands the power of communication. We are always connecting with others through the ideas we convey and the way we present ourselves.
 
She is an 8-year resident of Central Park and Colorado native. She owns the House of Colour franchise in Denver. Based in the UK and established in 1985, House of Colour is the leading global color and personal style consultancy. Her aim: help clients cultivate confidence through color and style analysis.
 
She has 20+ years experience developing and executing public relations and marketing campaigns in the corporate and non-profit sectors at organizatons like Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Girls Inc, Junior Achievement, Up with People and the Denver Public Library. This includes extensive public speaking, training, and media relations experience.
 
Friends and colleagues describe Heather as positive, engaging, and energetic. She loves being outside and creating lasting memories with Brandon, her husband of 15 years, and two young children – ages 6 and 8.

Lori Pratt, Badass

Lori Pratt is business owner, mom, and champion of women everywhere. She was born and raised in PA, and grew up with two sisters and an absolutely amazing single mom. As an adult, she has lived across this country, coast to coast, from San Francisco to Arlington, VA. She and her husband, Michael, spent a year living abroad in London, UK, where they traveled around Europe and Africa. They eventually landed here in Denver, CO, and have been here for the last 11 years. They have two young boys, and are very family oriented. Lori has spent her life obsessed with design, color, texture, style. Living in so many different places has given her the opportunity to take a look at what design means to different people and cultures, and what people really want to feel in their homes. 
 
After spending years working in the homes of friends and family, Lori decided to take a huge leap of faith and open her design business. Closing in on 10 years, it has been a wild ride, full of life and learning, and really getting to know people. A few years ago, she and a friend, both working in interiors, decided to start Designed Life Delivered, because they wanted to provide an easy service for people looking to make small changes in their homes seasonally. Owning two businesses while working as a pseudo stay at home mom certainly has it’s challenges, most of all scheduling and getting everything done! But, she wouldn’t have it any other way. 
 
While Lori continues to do design work on a referral basis, her focus is Designed Life Delivered, with the intention of huge growth. If asked what her long term goal is for herself and DLD, she will tell you “We will be on the Today Show! And to bring DLD into the homes of people everywhere, sharing our love for style and loving your home”. “

Carol Fennell, Badass

Carol Fennell holds both a Bachelor of Science, and a Master of Fine Art (MFA) in painting from Northern Illinois University in 1992 and has been creating and showing ever since. Her work has been in numerous exhibitions, and she has shown in galleries for over twenty years including Sedona, Omaha, Chicago, Santa Fe and Vail, and Breckenridge. She has been fortunate to have over one hundred installations in public places including hospitals, health care offices, law firms, veterinary facilities, airports, and private collections such as Melissa and Doug’s (toys) home. 
Fennell resides in Colorado with her two boys, husband, and a home full of art. When she is not in the studio, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and writing historic fiction.
 
IG: Carol_Fennell_Art
FB: Carol Fennell ARt
WEb: Carolfennell.com and www.thrivecreativecommunity.com

Liz Gonzalez-Lara, Badass

Liz Gonzalez-Lara founder of Beauty on Location Studio and co-founder of Dos Amigas Meals. Key elements to her success in business are passion, reliability, and professionalism, which have been applauded in BRIDES magazine, The Knot, Wedding Wire along with many other publications. 
She is honored to work with Presidential families, runway models, Silicon Valley Execs, and everyone in between

Alecia Wellen, Badass

Rachel Baumel, Badass

As a breast cancer survivor, my goal is to help other women with their battle to fight cancer.  In 2018, I had four surgeries for breast cancer and ovary removal.  I created a pillow system to make myself more comfortable while sleeping on my back.  I had to find pillows and put them together to make a comfy, and cozy cocoon.  My husband called it the "life raft."  I started lending my pillow system out to women in our support group who also had surgery.  They loved it and said that it truly helped them sleep after their surgeries.  I realized that people can really benefit from this pillow system after surgery.  As we all know, sleeping is critical for healing.  This pillow system helps you sleep, therefore heal.  
 
A little more about me, I am 48 years old with two beautiful and amazing daughters and a loving and supportive husband.  We have two amazing dogs, Cal and Sunny.  I recently retired from being a family law attorney mediator, where I helped people work through conflict.  I am also a serial entrepreneur.  I get a lot of energy from starting projects and businesses and meeting a need in the community.  Helping people is extremely important to me.  I truly hope that the Sleep Again Pillows can help you sleep again.