Meet the founders.
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Tom Lucero
CO-FOUNDER
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Leah Johnson
CO-FOUNDER
Tom Lucero and Leah Johnson have forged a partnership with the understanding that they will likely disagree at times - but when they do, they can still work together. Disagreement does not preclude civil discourse, conversations, and solutions. They firmly believe in the Tip O’Neill/Ronald Reagan school of politics - where you can disagree like heck and still be friends. Together, in partnership with BizWest, Tom and Leah have launched a nonpartisan candidate training to help mentor and elevate the next generation of elected officials in northern Colorado. They aim to think and act differently in the spirit of collaboration, problem-solving, and pragmatic leadership in order to keep our regional economy strong for generations to come.
Both having been elected officials themselves (on opposite sides of the aisle), Leah and Tom know the importance of training our elected officials on regional issues before they take office, and the vital need to promote civil and constructive discourse that promotes pragmatic, solutions-based leadership.
Meet Our Board.
Barbara Koelzer
Barbara Koelzer is the Regional Government Affairs Director for IRES, Northern Colorado’s multiple listing service, a post she has held since 2003. She received her BA and MA at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Kim Akeley-Charron
Kim Akeley-Charron grew up in Maine and earned her B.A. from the University of Maine (Orono, ME). She and her husband Eric moved to Colorado in 1992. Named the Executive Director of the Thompson Education Foundation (TEF) in Loveland in July 2012, Kim is committed to increasing the foundation’s support for students in the Thompson School District, as well as to the financial and organization growth of the foundation.
Prior to her role at TEF, Kim was the Cultural Events/Marketing Coordinator for the City of Loveland’s Cultural Services Department for almost a decade. With earlier experience at the Women’s College at University of Denver, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the University of Maine Alumni Association, Kim has a strong background in donor relations, events, and nonprofit management.
Jason Sherrill
Jason Sherrill is the CEO of Landmark Homes, a local business that builds communities by being a part of the community and works with local vendors and contractors to produce high-quality results. Landmark Homes develops communities along the Northern Colorado corridor from Longmont to Fort Collins.
L3 is a 501(c)(3), so your donations are tax-deductible.