The Community Foundation Boulder County announces the first Nino Gallo Leadership Award recipient, Angela Maria Ortiz Roa. Angela was selected from a list of other community leaders nominated as best exemplifying the attributes of its namesake, Nino Gallo.
The Community Foundation Boulder County announces the first Nino Gallo Leadership Award recipient, Angela Maria Ortiz Roa. Angela was selected from a list of other community leaders nominated as best exemplifying the attributes of its namesake, Nino Gallo.
Described as an inspiring single mother, student, and worker, Angela was nominated in part for helping to expand environmental awareness and Latino leadership in the Boulder community through her work with FLOWS — Foundations for Leaders Organizing Water and Sustainability — at University of Colorado Boulder. FLOWS works to provide a solution to social justice and environmental issues by serving low-income communities with energy and water conservation upgrades and information, increasing community member’s leadership capacity, and helping to lower residents’ energy and water bills.
The native of Colombia is a first- generation student who recently received her degree from Metropolitan State University, thanks in part to the PIE program (Personal Investment Enterprise) which Nino Gallo led for many years. In addition to her work at CU, she is also a trilingual interpreter (English, Spanish, and Sign languages).
Her nominator wrote: “Angela’s leadership style embodies principles rooted in collaboration and social justice. To me, a leader is one who makes others feel competent and safe to take a step forward. In my experience working with Nino, in both personal and professional capacities, he always made me feel heard, competent, and safe to explore my own expertise, my own potential. I see that in Angela, through her facilitation and leadership.”
Recipients will receive a $1,000 gift thanks to fundraising efforts by the community. Bob Norris, environmental scientist and activist generously offered a match of $10k to establish the award. The community responded with contributions exceeding $12k and the Foundation’s BRAVO Fund Advisory Committee voted to contribute its total grant dollars this year to the Award Fund. Bob said, “my contribution is a mere fraction compared to what Nino did for our community.”
