Janice Sinden: The Collection That Shapes a Leader

[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Katie Kramer, President and CEO of the Boettcher Foundation. Welcome to Colorado Leadership Stories

[00:00:08] where we talk to everyday courageous leaders who have made transformational impacts in their communities

[00:00:15] and are building a better state for everyone.

[00:00:18] You'll hear from leaders and organizations and communities throughout the state as we explore the idea

[00:00:24] that leadership is an activity that anyone can do.

[00:00:30] Joining us today is Janice Sindon, President and CEO of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

[00:00:39] Janice brings her wealth of experience having served as Chief of Staff for Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock

[00:00:44] where she navigated the complexities of running a major metropolitan city.

[00:00:48] Before taking the helm at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts,

[00:00:51] Janice has held diverse roles including Executive Director of Colorado Concern

[00:00:55] and Manager of Community Relations and Corporate Communications for Sharp Health Care in San Diego.

[00:01:00] Her dedication to community involvement and advocacy has earned her recognition as one of the most influential figures

[00:01:05] in Denver and Colorado at large. Janice, thank you so much for coming today.

[00:01:09] Thank you for the invitation.

[00:01:11] Well we're excited to spend some time with you and I know you're a fourth generation Colorado just like me.

[00:01:16] I know! I was so excited to understand that we share that bond.

[00:01:20] Yeah absolutely so maybe tell us a little bit about growing up here in Colorado to start with.

[00:01:25] Sure, thank you. Well I grew up in Fort Collins.

[00:01:28] My father's family had a dairy farm in Steamboat and my mom's family is multi-generational from Brighton, Colorado

[00:01:35] and they met at CSU and so I was born and raised in Fort Collins

[00:01:39] and just have deep ties to the Colorado landscape on so many levels.

[00:01:45] I really wanted to be a teacher and so had the opportunity to go to UNC

[00:01:51] which was so important to me and really put me on the trajectory for the rest of my life

[00:01:56] and it was wonderful because I just rolled off as a trustee at the university, my alma mater.

[00:02:03] Very good! It's neat to be able to...

[00:02:05] Go Bears!

[00:02:06] Go Bears! You got it!

[00:02:07] Wonderful. What were some of your earliest experiences with arts and culture in that scene in our state?

[00:02:12] So you know we didn't have a lot of resources when I was growing up

[00:02:16] but there were a couple of things that my mom was really focused on.

[00:02:19] One was our library so every week she would take us to the library and we had a hook in the bathroom.

[00:02:25] It was an art-share program so we would go and you would pick out a piece of art

[00:02:29] and then she would teach us all about it

[00:02:32] and so it wasn't that we would own the art but we would experience the art for a short period of time

[00:02:36] and so it exposed me to how important that is in your thinking and what you appreciate

[00:02:41] and that evolved into really having the opportunity to go to the Lincoln Center in Fort Collins

[00:02:47] which is an anchor institution in Fort Collins

[00:02:50] and so I had the opportunity to see a lot of different shows

[00:02:54] and then my very first Broadway show at the DCPA was when I was 18 years old

[00:02:59] my dad took my best friend and I to see Miss Saigon

[00:03:02] Oh awesome.

[00:03:03] and I felt the power of the big stage

[00:03:06] and how it tells a story about people in a world I would never experience

[00:03:11] and that was a very pivotal moment for me in understanding the contribution that the arts make

[00:03:17] so ever since then I have been an active patron in theater in particular

[00:03:23] and so when this opportunity came up

[00:03:26] I mean who says no to the Denver Center for the Performing Arts?

[00:03:29] Right well I want to hear more about the journey to get there

[00:03:32] because you've done a lot of different things in I think all three sectors at this point right

[00:03:37] so non-profit public service right in government as well as the private sector

[00:03:42] so diverse and impressive career trajectory

[00:03:45] so maybe talk about how some of those roles prepared you for your work at the DCPA

[00:03:50] or just the story about how did that sort of thread into this theme

[00:03:55] that has been your career and now you're here at the DCPA

[00:03:58] Well I talk about a collection

[00:04:00] I think all of us have people that have been incredibly pivotal in our lives

[00:04:04] to help inform the direction that we take

[00:04:08] and so my fifth grade teacher Ralph Ravenschlag was the very first person

[00:04:12] that I recall in my collection outside of my family

[00:04:15] and he helped me understand the influence that education

[00:04:19] and a teacher can have on a student's life

[00:04:22] so I wanted to be Ralph Ravenschlag

[00:04:24] That's why I went to Greeley to be a teacher

[00:04:27] and then he and I were grading papers

[00:04:30] I was about ready to graduate and he said,

[00:04:32] Jamis you'd be a great teacher but I think there's something else

[00:04:35] and you have one of those moments where you're like

[00:04:37] you've got to be kidding me right now

[00:04:38] like this has been my plan

[00:04:40] but you hear these people

[00:04:42] he saw in me that there was an opportunity for me to affect change

[00:04:46] and be part of movements and things like that

[00:04:49] so the path led me to going to work for Wayne Allard

[00:04:53] who had been a Northern Colorado congressman for a long time

[00:04:57] and had just recently been elected to United States Senate

[00:05:00] so three days after I graduated from college

[00:05:02] I got in my car with my cat

[00:05:04] and I drove into the Beltway

[00:05:06] you know like I've arrived at the nation's capital

[00:05:09] and I worked for Senator Allard for four years

[00:05:12] we're not politically aligned as who I am today

[00:05:16] but he is a wonderful human being

[00:05:18] and I learned so much from him

[00:05:21] he said one thing that was really important to me

[00:05:23] I don't need you to believe what I believe

[00:05:25] I need you to know why you believe what you believe

[00:05:29] and at everything I've ever done in my life

[00:05:31] I have always tried to ground myself in that

[00:05:33] you and I might not have the same point of view on something

[00:05:38] but I can understand

[00:05:40] I don't have to agree

[00:05:42] and so that has allowed me to work for a conservative rural Republican

[00:05:46] and a progressive urban Democrat

[00:05:49] I worked for Michael Hancock as chief of staff while he was mayor

[00:05:53] and so you know these people in my collection

[00:05:56] and then I over time had the opportunity to come back to Colorado

[00:06:00] and working for Colorado Concern

[00:06:02] I was exposed to men and women

[00:06:06] who have these important leadership roles

[00:06:08] Dan Richie, you know Dan and I have dinner every other week

[00:06:12] and he is still to this day a person that I turned to

[00:06:16] and he said there's an issue, there's a challenge

[00:06:19] there's a problem, there's a need

[00:06:21] and he guides me at every turn

[00:06:24] Don Quartz or Joe Blake

[00:06:26] you know there's these fabulous leaders that invested in me

[00:06:30] and helped shape who I would become as a leader

[00:06:33] and that same group was to introduce me then

[00:06:36] to Mayor Hancock when he was running for office

[00:06:39] in that big role

[00:06:41] and it was an arranged marriage

[00:06:43] and I was like this all the time

[00:06:45] we didn't know each other

[00:06:47] and what a leap of faith to say

[00:06:50] I'm going to trust folks in the community

[00:06:52] that see that there's a match here

[00:06:54] that we had enough and shared values

[00:06:57] and you know Mayor Hancock is still

[00:06:59] my first text message every day of my life

[00:07:02] it has been for 12 years

[00:07:04] and so he also has influenced me

[00:07:08] working for Colorado Concern

[00:07:09] I was working with the Titans of Industry

[00:07:11] I was working with people that often have

[00:07:13] you know put everything into building

[00:07:15] their own organization, their own company

[00:07:17] and working for Mayor Hancock

[00:07:19] I was working with somebody who was

[00:07:21] very grassroots oriented

[00:07:24] really lifting up communities

[00:07:26] that are overlooked left behind

[00:07:28] had a very personal experience

[00:07:30] I'd worked with both experiences

[00:07:33] and then when I got to the DCPA

[00:07:35] I really tried to harness

[00:07:37] all of the ancestors behind me if you will

[00:07:40] for this important role

[00:07:42] that I have never worked in the arts

[00:07:44] I had spent more than 20 years

[00:07:46] and like you said

[00:07:47] either in kind of a corporate advocacy

[00:07:50] or a non-profit and public sector environment

[00:07:52] but this was very different mission

[00:07:55] driven organization

[00:07:57] and it has changed my life

[00:07:59] it's a gift, yeah

[00:08:01] That's wonderful

[00:08:02] and so how do you think like

[00:08:03] with that journey

[00:08:04] how did that prepare you

[00:08:06] for some of the challenges

[00:08:08] that maybe being a part of the arts and cultural scene

[00:08:10] have been the last couple years especially

[00:08:13] Yeah, so I believe

[00:08:16] I have been introduced to people

[00:08:19] that are never too proud to ask for help

[00:08:22] advice, counsel

[00:08:24] take feedback

[00:08:25] and so for example

[00:08:27] you know on Friday, March 13th, 2019

[00:08:31] we shut the doors of the Dunbar Center

[00:08:33] for nearly 18 months

[00:08:34] Right

[00:08:35] and one of my most challenging moments

[00:08:37] was I was out for a walk two days later

[00:08:39] in my board chair

[00:08:40] Martin Sample and

[00:08:42] Navin Damond

[00:08:43] who was our finance chair

[00:08:44] called me

[00:08:45] and you know

[00:08:46] your heart stops

[00:08:47] because we've been through a lot

[00:08:48] and they're like

[00:08:49] we trust you

[00:08:50] and we've got you

[00:08:51] Wow

[00:08:52] and that is what community looks like

[00:08:54] and they did

[00:08:55] they asked really big tough hard questions

[00:08:57] but we pulled through

[00:08:59] and you know

[00:09:00] compared to a lot of our peers across the country

[00:09:03] I would say we're thriving

[00:09:04] and it's because

[00:09:06] I

[00:09:07] I sought counsel

[00:09:08] I sought support

[00:09:09] I listened to

[00:09:10] what our community needed

[00:09:13] in the recovery

[00:09:15] you know

[00:09:16] and we were one of the first places

[00:09:17] that people would come to

[00:09:19] to be in a shared public environment

[00:09:22] Right

[00:09:23] and it took a lot of trust

[00:09:24] that we were going to shepherd their health

[00:09:26] you know

[00:09:27] in that environment

[00:09:28] where you hadn't shared an armrest

[00:09:29] with anybody in a long time

[00:09:31] Right

[00:09:32] when you took down your mask

[00:09:34] and you know

[00:09:35] you shared oxygen

[00:09:37] figuratively and literally

[00:09:38] it was really powerful

[00:09:40] but it was having a community

[00:09:42] that helped stand with us

[00:09:44] as we

[00:09:45] as we did our comeback

[00:09:47] Well I did want to ask you about the pandemic

[00:09:50] specifically

[00:09:51] because

[00:09:52] what a difficult time

[00:09:54] especially for arts and culture

[00:09:56] and so I'm curious

[00:09:58] are there things that you feel like

[00:10:00] because of that

[00:10:01] that have made you

[00:10:03] either personally

[00:10:04] or just the organization stronger

[00:10:06] as a result of just

[00:10:08] going through that adversity

[00:10:10] So

[00:10:11] we went from 350 employees to 35

[00:10:14] pretty much over 9

[00:10:15] Wow

[00:10:16] We lost 100 million in revenue

[00:10:18] and

[00:10:19] I don't even know how many shows we canceled

[00:10:21] the heartbreak was

[00:10:22] real profound for the artists

[00:10:24] and for the community

[00:10:26] and

[00:10:27] how we came back differently

[00:10:29] is being

[00:10:30] more

[00:10:31] focused on the well-being

[00:10:33] of the people on stage

[00:10:34] and off stage

[00:10:35] We've changed ours

[00:10:37] we've changed programming structures

[00:10:39] we've changed

[00:10:40] how we welcome people

[00:10:42] in our spaces

[00:10:43] The list is long

[00:10:45] of how the functionality

[00:10:47] of theater has changed

[00:10:49] I'm going to say it

[00:10:50] we have canceled

[00:10:51] two shows right now

[00:10:52] different shows

[00:10:53] for numerous performances

[00:10:55] because of COVID

[00:10:56] Before COVID

[00:10:58] we would have said the show must go on

[00:11:00] and we'd figure out a way

[00:11:01] now we're like

[00:11:02] someone is sick

[00:11:03] and the best thing we can do

[00:11:04] is care for them

[00:11:05] and come back up

[00:11:06] when everyone is safe

[00:11:07] and

[00:11:08] better

[00:11:09] you know

[00:11:10] and so that is better

[00:11:11] for the actors

[00:11:13] and the sector

[00:11:14] and

[00:11:15] I think that it gave us

[00:11:16] a lot of time to say

[00:11:17] who are we to community

[00:11:19] We really recognize

[00:11:21] who has not been with us

[00:11:23] who has not felt

[00:11:24] that the arts are for them

[00:11:25] the stories that we put on stage

[00:11:27] we are more reflective

[00:11:29] and more mindful than ever

[00:11:31] and I often say

[00:11:33] back to the arm rest example

[00:11:35] we are probably one of the only places in the world

[00:11:37] where

[00:11:38] you and I don't know each other

[00:11:40] we don't know each other's politics

[00:11:43] religion

[00:11:44] philosophy

[00:11:45] where we came from

[00:11:46] our family situation

[00:11:48] and we choose to be in an environment

[00:11:50] where somebody

[00:11:52] is going to tell a story

[00:11:54] and they may change our lives

[00:11:56] that shared experience

[00:11:58] and so I am so grateful

[00:12:00] that this is a treasure

[00:12:02] for people

[00:12:04] to come together

[00:12:06] and listen and learn

[00:12:07] and often be uncomfortable

[00:12:09] sometimes cry

[00:12:10] lots of times laugh

[00:12:11] and so I do believe

[00:12:13] that we have been part of the healing

[00:12:15] and bringing community back together

[00:12:17] so thank you

[00:12:19] for that question

[00:12:20] Thank you for answering it

[00:12:21] I was

[00:12:22] and is it back

[00:12:23] are we back?

[00:12:24] Janice

[00:12:25] Yes

[00:12:26] so

[00:12:27] mostly I would say

[00:12:29] the story is the same

[00:12:31] across so many sectors

[00:12:33] others that have come before

[00:12:35] me on the show

[00:12:36] I am sure I have talked about

[00:12:38] the challenges

[00:12:39] that everything costs more

[00:12:41] the supply chain is real

[00:12:43] the workforce has evolved

[00:12:45] and so our

[00:12:47] revenue is not keeping up with our expenses

[00:12:49] but we are adjusting our business model accordingly

[00:12:52] a lot of our peers

[00:12:54] across the country

[00:12:56] they shuttered and didn't come back

[00:12:58] but I think in Colorado

[00:12:59] because we have a CFD

[00:13:01] the scientific cultural facilities district

[00:13:03] that it was a safety net

[00:13:05] and for the first time

[00:13:07] ever in the history of our country

[00:13:09] Congress acted and supported the arts

[00:13:12] Senator Bennett

[00:13:14] and Senator Hickenlooper were at the helm

[00:13:16] standing with the arts and culture sector

[00:13:18] passing the shuttered venue operator grant

[00:13:21] which gave up to 10 million dollars

[00:13:23] to organizations like ours

[00:13:25] that you did not have to pay back

[00:13:27] in order to ensure that we would come back

[00:13:29] as long as we were responsible

[00:13:31] with our resources

[00:13:33] so this is a moment

[00:13:35] that we've never seen before

[00:13:37] and one that I hope we will continue to advocate

[00:13:39] for more investment in the arts

[00:13:41] and support across

[00:13:43] all forms of government

[00:13:45] but SCFD is

[00:13:47] you know

[00:13:49] I traveled all over the world with the mayor

[00:13:51] and people would say how did you do that

[00:13:53] and I said it's the Colorado way

[00:13:55] you know it's having seven counties

[00:13:57] come together and say we're going to fund

[00:13:59] 300 arts organizations

[00:14:01] in seven counties

[00:14:03] and make sure that no matter how big or how small

[00:14:05] that we invest in our values

[00:14:07] which is you know a vibrant arts

[00:14:09] and culture sector.

[00:14:11] We are so grateful that there's an SCFD here

[00:14:13] We sure are

[00:14:15] Thank you voters for doing that

[00:14:17] to make it accessible

[00:14:19] for everybody and I think the DCPA

[00:14:21] does have a huge part in shaping the cultural

[00:14:23] landscape in the state

[00:14:25] and I wonder how you think about that now

[00:14:27] or even into the future

[00:14:29] Sure, so we

[00:14:31] engaged 499

[00:14:33] unique schools across the 64 counties last year

[00:14:35] it's funny we've said

[00:14:37] Allison could we've just gotten to

[00:14:39] 500? You know turn it

[00:14:41] 499 but that's such a wonderful

[00:14:43] thing that we're able to deploy

[00:14:45] artists into the schools

[00:14:47] and we don't always have to come to us

[00:14:49] and you know when we do the Bobby G's

[00:14:51] which are high school musical competition

[00:14:53] you know we'll have

[00:14:55] 50 plus schools

[00:14:57] from across the state participate

[00:14:59] and so we're fostering

[00:15:01] a very vibrant

[00:15:03] arts and culture and live theater

[00:15:05] sector and I think

[00:15:07] we play a big role in that

[00:15:09] even if you don't want to be an artist

[00:15:11] it sticks with you

[00:15:13] I mean my mom was a stagehand

[00:15:15] in high school and you know I think that's why

[00:15:17] that through line of making

[00:15:19] sure that my brother and I had the opportunity

[00:15:21] to go to the theater was

[00:15:23] so important and then now I

[00:15:25] have the brilliant opportunity to be a leader

[00:15:27] in it so anything we can do

[00:15:29] and you know this better than

[00:15:31] anyone in the work that you do

[00:15:33] the arts funding in schools has

[00:15:35] been eliminated in many

[00:15:37] cases significantly reduced in others

[00:15:39] and so anything that we can do

[00:15:41] to ensure that we are bringing

[00:15:43] arts and culture opportunities to

[00:15:45] classrooms whether it's

[00:15:47] Colorado or the San Luis Valley

[00:15:49] or steamboat we want

[00:15:51] to do everything we can to support

[00:15:53] the children in our communities

[00:15:55] okay that's great so say more about

[00:15:57] that just a little bit relative to outreach

[00:15:59] and I know you do a lot of partnerships too

[00:16:01] but I think people just in the name

[00:16:03] maybe don't know right Denver Center

[00:16:05] for the Pouring Arts and here you are

[00:16:07] working statewide so tell us more about that

[00:16:09] so it is difficult

[00:16:11] to say that something we've struggled with a little bit

[00:16:13] with the name because it does

[00:16:15] feel limiting but at the

[00:16:17] end of the day people come

[00:16:19] far and wide to see theater

[00:16:21] and we do everything we can

[00:16:23] to bring theater to them as well

[00:16:25] so we have a

[00:16:27] team education community engagement

[00:16:29] and between

[00:16:31] the let's call it 13 team members

[00:16:33] they're doing everything they can

[00:16:35] to deploy on book stars

[00:16:37] which is you know learning in literacy

[00:16:39] for little children Shakespeare in the parking lot

[00:16:41] where we're putting

[00:16:43] a troop of actors with

[00:16:45] a truck out in a community

[00:16:47] to drop in McBeth

[00:16:49] or Midsummer Night Dream

[00:16:51] or Romeo and Juliet and have 14

[00:16:53] year olds talk about a story that was

[00:16:55] told in the 1400s and is

[00:16:57] as relevant today as it was then

[00:16:59] and that it may be the only

[00:17:01] time that they have an opportunity to see

[00:17:03] a live performance like that

[00:17:05] and you never know you know what that will do

[00:17:07] for them as they you know

[00:17:09] evolve in their own life

[00:17:11] and their families and things like that

[00:17:13] so and

[00:17:15] we have really wonderful programs

[00:17:17] with education in general

[00:17:19] so we bring arts into the curriculum

[00:17:21] their core curriculum so let's use an example

[00:17:23] of your fifth grade teacher

[00:17:25] and you're talking about tectonic plates

[00:17:27] and the kids are like oh my gosh

[00:17:29] we're learning about tectonic plates

[00:17:31] and so we'll send in a teaching artist

[00:17:33] that's going to teach the teacher

[00:17:35] how to make it very kinesthetic

[00:17:37] you know and dynamic

[00:17:39] so that they're learning but they're also

[00:17:41] experiencing art in their classroom

[00:17:43] so we love marrying up core curriculum

[00:17:45] with arts and culture

[00:17:47] you know steam at every turn

[00:17:49] wherever we can

[00:17:51] we're excited to do that

[00:17:53] absolutely well and I think the arts too

[00:17:55] just speaking of education have

[00:17:57] such an opportunity to

[00:17:59] help advocate for equity

[00:18:01] and educational resource opportunities

[00:18:03] and so we're really excited because

[00:18:05] we are preparing to put

[00:18:07] on our spring Dumber Public Schools

[00:18:09] Shakespeare Festival

[00:18:11] and we will have 6,000 kids

[00:18:13] and we have a lot of

[00:18:15] students that are

[00:18:17] doing that kind of research

[00:18:19] and we've got a lot of

[00:18:21] students that are

[00:18:23] doing that kind of research

[00:18:25] and we're also looking at

[00:18:27] some of the new

[00:18:29] programs and we're also

[00:18:31] have 6,000 kids

[00:18:33] you know in the bar

[00:18:35] coming downtown with their swords

[00:18:37] and their ruffs around their neck

[00:18:39] and you know they're long flowing dresses

[00:18:41] and some will dress up like Star Wars

[00:18:43] because why not you know

[00:18:45] and they are acting

[00:18:47] they are telling stories

[00:18:49] they are writing

[00:18:51] they are sharing community

[00:18:53] and learning how to I mean the thing about acting

[00:18:55] is two people having a conversation

[00:18:57] it's giving, it's taking, it's receiving

[00:18:59] every sense of the word and so

[00:19:01] that's a partnership with Dumber Public Schools

[00:19:03] where

[00:19:05] and there are other schools that participate as well

[00:19:07] but that we're bringing youth together

[00:19:09] to really lift up and celebrate

[00:19:11] theater in our community

[00:19:13] you know we have probably

[00:19:15] 230 pretty substantial

[00:19:17] partnerships it could be

[00:19:19] with Cleo Parker Robinson

[00:19:21] or with Colorado Symphony

[00:19:23] or the Arvada Center

[00:19:25] or you name it we're happy to

[00:19:27] have a partnership one that we're really really proud of

[00:19:29] is Family Theater Company

[00:19:31] which is dedicated

[00:19:33] to people with disabilities

[00:19:35] and so they rehearse with us

[00:19:37] they put up their

[00:19:39] big main stage production in our theater

[00:19:41] every year and

[00:19:43] we learn as much from them as they do

[00:19:45] from us and we share

[00:19:47] patrons and audiences

[00:19:49] and we are better for it

[00:19:51] because I think it speaks to accessibility

[00:19:53] which is a huge value for

[00:19:55] everyone

[00:19:57] we're always open to new partnerships as well

[00:19:59] so if there are arts organizations

[00:20:01] or quite frankly

[00:20:03] any community organization that is looking

[00:20:05] for a way to convene

[00:20:07] to bring people together

[00:20:09] we have beautiful spaces

[00:20:11] that we also want to make available to community

[00:20:13] I am Denver, Rowena Alagria

[00:20:15] who's with us City

[00:20:17] she does film debuts with us

[00:20:19] bringing back Chinatown

[00:20:21] there's been debuts

[00:20:23] and we have helped to facilitate

[00:20:25] film is stories too

[00:20:27] and so community dialogue

[00:20:29] lots of talk backs

[00:20:31] we do lots and lots of talk backs

[00:20:33] so if students groups are coming in

[00:20:35] from all over the state to see a show

[00:20:37] we also don't want it to be a one way experience

[00:20:39] we do everything that we can

[00:20:41] to make sure they can unpack the story

[00:20:43] like what did that feel like

[00:20:45] why did that happen

[00:20:47] what did you learn from that

[00:20:49] why did that anger you

[00:20:51] provoke something in you

[00:20:53] that gives you a call to action

[00:20:55] so we bring in experts

[00:20:57] and educators

[00:20:59] and civic leaders

[00:21:01] to help facilitate these conversations

[00:21:03] with young folk

[00:21:05] and after many of our main stage productions

[00:21:07] as well

[00:21:09] you're not left

[00:21:11] processing on your own

[00:21:13] but processing with the theater community

[00:21:15] that you're sitting with

[00:21:17] I'm excited that we can lift up

[00:21:19] issues and enjoy

[00:21:21] I mean you know where it just was

[00:21:23] fun and silly and that we can celebrate that as well

[00:21:25] absolutely

[00:21:27] well, Janice you are just a giant

[00:21:29] in this community and

[00:21:31] have been recognized in so many ways

[00:21:33] and I want to talk about your leadership a little bit here

[00:21:35] but Janice is recognized

[00:21:37] as one of the 50 most influential people

[00:21:39] in Denver by 5280 magazine

[00:21:41] she's a woman of distinction

[00:21:43] by the Girl Scouts of Colorado

[00:21:45] and of course a distinguished alumnus

[00:21:47] of University of Northern Colorado

[00:21:49] and so many things

[00:21:51] and so your contributions have been immense

[00:21:53] and I'm curious kind of what is the

[00:21:55] recipe you think that has made you

[00:21:57] so successful and impactful as a leader

[00:21:59] in all these different contexts

[00:22:01] well, I have a wonderful family

[00:22:03] you know again

[00:22:05] it all starts at home

[00:22:07] and when people ask me like how are we going to

[00:22:09] address the challenges of our time

[00:22:11] I say it starts with the children

[00:22:13] it starts with the children at home

[00:22:15] and so you know I'm very fortunate

[00:22:17] to have a family that loves me

[00:22:19] and has supported me at every turn

[00:22:21] and then I go back to my collection

[00:22:23] yes, I loved that theme

[00:22:25] from Ralph Ravenschlag

[00:22:27] my fifth grade teacher to Nancy Ture

[00:22:29] Nancy was the first female

[00:22:31] CEO that I remember seeing

[00:22:33] in my life

[00:22:35] when I was working on it Rocky Flats

[00:22:37] on the cleanup enclosure

[00:22:39] and I saw this fierce woman

[00:22:41] leading one of the

[00:22:43] largest engineering companies

[00:22:45] in the world and I was like

[00:22:47] if she can do it so can I

[00:22:49] and so I would say that

[00:22:51] having people that have invested in me

[00:22:53] and stayed with me as a mentor

[00:22:55] you know I'll be 52 in two weeks

[00:22:57] and it's interesting to say

[00:22:59] then how am I doing that

[00:23:01] how am I finding young people

[00:23:03] that are on their journey

[00:23:05] and you know giving them permission

[00:23:07] to make mistakes and try things

[00:23:09] and experiment and you know

[00:23:11] for everything you do that you would have done

[00:23:13] different there's a lesson

[00:23:15] and so that has

[00:23:17] really kind of been the chord

[00:23:19] throughout my professional experience

[00:23:21] and you know board service

[00:23:23] has been so important to me as well

[00:23:25] whether it's the Dunbar preschool program

[00:23:27] or being on the judicial

[00:23:29] nominating commission or visit Dunbar

[00:23:31] or the Dunbar Chamber like

[00:23:33] I sit at the table sometime and I'm like

[00:23:35] I can't even believe that

[00:23:37] little baby Janice from Northern Colorado

[00:23:39] you know is sitting at these tables

[00:23:41] and my ancestors behind me

[00:23:43] are like wow you know

[00:23:45] breaking glass ceilings

[00:23:47] and hopefully sitting at

[00:23:49] tables and my

[00:23:51] gender has gone away in many ways

[00:23:53] you know you think of

[00:23:55] lots and lots of political women

[00:23:57] that put themselves out there

[00:23:59] and the sacrifices that they made

[00:24:01] and they did that for us

[00:24:03] for you and me you know they

[00:24:05] carved a path and so I hope

[00:24:07] that my commitment to service

[00:24:09] is doing the same thing

[00:24:11] for my niece who just turned 8

[00:24:13] and future generations of

[00:24:15] children of all walks of life

[00:24:17] Oh it is Janice I mean

[00:24:19] you're part of other people's collections I think

[00:24:21] Thank you I would be delighted

[00:24:23] Yeah absolutely well

[00:24:25] you know I wonder what advice

[00:24:27] you would give to your niece

[00:24:29] or other leaders that aspire

[00:24:31] to have an impact

[00:24:33] like you've had

[00:24:35] it's funny because

[00:24:37] most people that have worked in

[00:24:39] an intimate environment with me

[00:24:41] know my mantra

[00:24:43] is right

[00:24:45] not fast

[00:24:47] and that is really hard for some folks

[00:24:49] you know I really want to understand

[00:24:51] an issue, an opportunity

[00:24:53] you know thinking through

[00:24:55] the vision

[00:24:57] and for me

[00:24:59] sometimes can let the perfect

[00:25:01] be the enemy of the good but

[00:25:03] I want to make sure that who likes it

[00:25:05] who doesn't like it, who needs to know

[00:25:07] what are the risks if we do it

[00:25:09] what are the risks if we don't do it

[00:25:11] so I think that is a really

[00:25:13] important tenant of who I am

[00:25:15] and so I would impart that to

[00:25:17] other folks is you know

[00:25:19] you can be incredibly reactive

[00:25:21] but I think

[00:25:23] the best lesson in being proactive

[00:25:25] is right not fast

[00:25:27] Oh I love that

[00:25:29] Thank you That's a great one to take home for me too

[00:25:31] Okay

[00:25:33] and I want to ask you because

[00:25:35] you did mention you have your family

[00:25:37] and this is something I think about

[00:25:39] as a career loving mother that I am too

[00:25:41] but I'm curious

[00:25:43] how do you balance all of the things

[00:25:45] you've got this really important job

[00:25:47] For me

[00:25:49] the self care is

[00:25:51] going for walks, beautiful friendships

[00:25:53] seeing my family

[00:25:55] eating healthy, going to bed at 8 30

[00:25:57] like you know

[00:25:59] being able to turn it off

[00:26:01] and feeling okay with it and modeling that

[00:26:03] Right

[00:26:05] I mean and I'll say it honestly when I got to the Denver Center

[00:26:07] the show must go on was real

[00:26:09] I mentioned it about before COVID after COVID

[00:26:11] but even

[00:26:13] just in the psychology

[00:26:15] of theater

[00:26:17] it hasn't been celebrated that

[00:26:19] you should have self care

[00:26:21] you should take time off

[00:26:23] you should have a beautiful fulfilling life

[00:26:25] outside of the organization

[00:26:27] I feel as a leader if I can model that

[00:26:29] you know lifting up

[00:26:31] celebrating people when they

[00:26:33] have a staycation

[00:26:35] or a daycation

[00:26:37] whatever it might be

[00:26:39] we really promote self care

[00:26:41] so I do my very best to model that

[00:26:43] Thank you for doing that

[00:26:45] That's a hard thing to do

[00:26:47] Lightning round questions

[00:26:49] first of all is what is your favorite Colorado hobby?

[00:26:51] My favorite Colorado hobby

[00:26:53] is live theater

[00:26:55] Of course it is

[00:26:57] Of course it is

[00:26:59] I should have guessed that

[00:27:01] At every size of theater

[00:27:03] and I don't want it to just be traditional theater

[00:27:05] or musical theater

[00:27:07] I love the opera, ballet

[00:27:09] anything

[00:27:11] and I would say live music like going to Red Rocks

[00:27:13] and things like that too

[00:27:15] And what is your favorite Colorado Landwork?

[00:27:17] Well and I think

[00:27:19] my favorite place to look out of

[00:27:21] is the second floor window

[00:27:23] at the Dunford Museum of Nature and Science

[00:27:25] when you look at

[00:27:27] the Rocky Mountains

[00:27:29] and the Skyline

[00:27:31] and City Park

[00:27:33] and it is such an iconic

[00:27:35] view that to me like fulfills

[00:27:37] you know it just lifts me up

[00:27:39] and there's no better place

[00:27:41] I think to look out a window

[00:27:43] and see the beautiful Colorado Landwork

[00:27:45] That is, I can picture that

[00:27:47] absolutely and even better

[00:27:49] if you can go on the fourth floor

[00:27:51] and see the museum and really see it

[00:27:53] with no glass

[00:27:55] That's a great one

[00:27:57] Janice what action hero do you most identify with?

[00:27:59] She is a living action figure

[00:28:01] Wilma Webb

[00:28:03] I mean

[00:28:05] she is

[00:28:07] an action hero

[00:28:09] in everything that she has ever done

[00:28:11] from bringing Martin Luther King Day

[00:28:13] to Colorado

[00:28:15] to being an advocate

[00:28:17] before it was the movement that it is now

[00:28:19] with equity, diversity and inclusion

[00:28:21] and access being an advocate for women

[00:28:23] I cannot say enough

[00:28:25] things about that

[00:28:27] very special woman and I am

[00:28:29] beyond grateful she is in my life

[00:28:31] and the life of so many people in Colorado

[00:28:33] so she wears a cape

[00:28:35] here here agree with that

[00:28:37] that's a wonderful one and a great tribute

[00:28:39] she's wonderful

[00:28:41] okay what are you currently binging

[00:28:43] show book, podcast, something that

[00:28:45] really has your attention right now

[00:28:47] so I am

[00:28:49] a super fan of

[00:28:51] Britbox, Acorn, BBC

[00:28:53] so I love watching

[00:28:55] foreign television

[00:28:57] shows and I recently came across

[00:28:59] The Gulf which is

[00:29:01] very strong

[00:29:03] murder crime investigation

[00:29:05] story that happens

[00:29:07] in New Zealand

[00:29:09] and it's very

[00:29:11] intriguing what I appreciate is I think

[00:29:13] a lot of the non-U.S.

[00:29:15] shows are not quite as violent

[00:29:17] as some of our

[00:29:19] television and so it's a really

[00:29:21] really good one that's very suspenseful

[00:29:23] so The Gulf is great

[00:29:25] love it, thanks

[00:29:27] well appreciate you coming and spending some time

[00:29:29] with us today and hearing about

[00:29:31] all the things going on at the DCPA

[00:29:33] and thank you Janice

[00:29:35] thank you for joining Colorado leadership

[00:29:37] stories where we hope to

[00:29:39] inspire the next generation

[00:29:41] of Colorado community builders

[00:29:43] doers and difference makers

[00:29:45] Colorado leadership

[00:29:47] stories is presented by the

[00:29:49] Betcher Foundation

[00:29:51] the Betcher Foundation supports Colorado

[00:29:53] by empowering leaders and communities

[00:29:55] with tools to tackle challenges

[00:29:57] and pursue opportunities

[00:29:59] building a better state for everyone

[00:30:01] within 85 plus

[00:30:03] year legacy of giving back

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