Our instructors

Heidi has a notable career in public service and community leadership. In 2011, she was elected as Thornton's Mayor where she served until December 2019. During her tenure, Heidi held key leadership roles, chairing the Metro Mayors Caucus, the E470 Board of Directors, and the Mile High Flood District, while also serving as President of the Ralston House Child Advocacy Center and on the Board of Directors for the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG).

Heidi's commitment to community and regional collaboration continued after her mayoral term. She currently serves on the boards of Ralston House, Almost Home, the Front Range Community College Foundation and the E470 Transportation Foundation. In 2016, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Denver with a Bachelor's in Political Science and later earned a Master's in Public Administration in 2018. Between January 2020 and June 2023, Heidi worked as the Director of Opioid Response for Colorado's Attorney General, Phil Weiser. In this role, she united all counties and nearly every municipality in a Memorandum of Understanding, directing opioid settlement funds to local initiatives. For her efforts, the AG's Opioid Response team received the Johns Hopkins Inaugural Award for Excellence in the Application of Opioid Litigation Practices.

Heidi's leadership philosophy centers on the belief that effective local governance requires a regional perspective. She advocates for a cooperative approach to addressing major issues like housing, homelessness, transportation, water, growth, and energy, recognizing that these challenges extend beyond municipal borders. Heidi remains dedicated to advancing the work that supports the collective success of metro area municipalities.

Jenifer Freeman is the Founder and CEO of Constellation Strategies, LLC. With more than fifteen years of experience in politics, policy, and community engagement in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West, and across the country, Jenifer brings a depth of expertise and relationships that drive results. 

Jenifer has seasoned capabilities managing external relationships and issues with government officials, third party stakeholders, industry organizations and community partners. In addition, Jenifer has developed programs to address critical issues, such as recycling, water, workforce development and economic empowerment with a range of partners and stakeholders. Her work has incorporated communications strategies and execution to augment success of the work and tell the stories externally.

Throughout her career, Jenifer has prioritized community and industry engagement with extensive board work. Currently, she serves on the Board of Directors for Recycle Colorado, the Board of Directors for Circular Colorado, Member of the Central Regional Board of the USO. Previously, she has served on the Boards of the Colorado Restaurant Foundation, A Precious Child, and Circular Action Alliance in Colorado.

For 7 years, she served as the Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs for Swire Coca-Cola, USA covering multiple states. Prior to Swire Coca-Cola, Jenifer served as the VP of State Government Affairs for UnitedHealth Group, Principal at Parquet Public Affairs, and Deputy Executive Director of the Democratic Attorneys General Association. In addition to government affairs, community engagement, and communications, her professional experience includes political consulting for statewide campaigns, operations management for a national political committee, and issue management for national trade groups.

Jenifer holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree from the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Studies.