Nonprofit Engagement Commission

Liane is a nonprofit entrepreneur and leader. She started as an economist in Washington D.C. but veered early toward the convergence of policy, programming and the nonprofit sector. She co-founded and led Great Education Colorado through its first 10 years, and it remains a thriving organization dedicated to grassroots advocacy to improve public education.

Liane led Mile High United Way’s United for Schools (UFS) to concentrate on the societal factors that affect students. Using chronic absenteeism as a clear indication of a struggling student, the program provided wrap-around services to families and strengthened schools’ abilities to connect with their diverse families, resulting in improved academic results and reinforced partnerships between parents and schools. Liane joined Elevated Denver to reshape the way we tackle our community’s homelessness challenge. Elevated Denver shifts power to those with lived experience to create viable solutions. The results are sustainable, effective and community responsive.

Liane enjoys cycling, hiking and cross-country skiing under Colorado’s blue skies. She appreciates book club discussions, singing in a community choir and cooking with her husband.

Linda Foster has served as President & CEO of Jewish Family Service of Colorado since November 2018, where she brings strategic vision and dynamic leadership to the organization. Under her guidance, JFS has implemented an ambitious Strategic Plan focused on optimizing existing programs and expanding services throughout Colorado. Her proven track record of success spans both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, consistently delivering strong mission impact while ensuring organizational sustainability.

As a committed community leader, Linda currently contributes her expertise as a member of the Denver Nonprofit Engagement Commission. She has also played a key role in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives through her service on the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies DEI Committee.

Linda holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wellesley College and has enhanced her nonprofit management expertise through executive education at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management Center for Non-Profit Management.

Sydney Byer serves as the Director of Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives at Next50. In this role, she leads Next50’s public policy and strategic partnership agenda. She works to deepen relationships with leaders in aging, including federal, state, and local officials, policymakers, nonprofit advocates, and strategic partners who support the foundation's priorities. Sydney holds a B.A. in International Affairs and Spanish from the CU– Boulder and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Colorado – Denver.

Throughout her career, Sydney has spearheaded innovative projects designed to address complex challenges in aging and public policy, often collaborating across sectors to drive impactful solutions. She has held various roles in the nonprofit and public sectors in Denver, gaining experience in direct service, grant management, fundraising, and volunteer management. She is passionate about her work at Next50 and its potential to make a lasting, positive impact on the aging experience in Colorado and beyond. 

Dee Dee DeVuyst is the Executive Director of Radian, Colorado’s only nonprofit architecture and urban planning firm dedicated to advancing social equity in the built environment. With dual Master’s degrees in Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Dee Dee brings over 15 years of cross-sector leadership spanning the nonprofit, private, and government sectors. Her work centers on leveraging design, policy, and community advocacy to create more just and inclusive cities.

At Radian, Dee Dee leads a multidisciplinary team of architects, planners, and community advocates to co-design spaces and policies of belonging. Her approach is rooted in building partnerships and teams that foster radical empathy, increase representation, and advance design justice. Through this lens, she leads community-centered design and planning efforts to ensure that residents who have historically been excluded from these processes have the power, agency, and resources to shape their neighborhoods.

Dee Dee is a certified mediator and currently serves on the Denver Commission of Nonprofit Engagement, the Denver Board of Adjustment for Zoning Appeals, and the All In Denver board. She is bilingual in Spanish and is also a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Peru), an avid globetrotter, gardening enthusiast, and bike commuter.

Djuana Harvell, PhD is Director of Special and Innovative Projects within the be well Health and Wellness Initiative at The Foundation for Sustainable Urban Communities. In this role, she oversees the implementation of strategic programs with a reach of over 34,000 community members that advance community health, including efforts focused on health education, community engagement, policy and advocacy, multi-sector collaboration, and program evaluation. Her work centers on strengthening systems, empowering community voices, and expanding access to resources that support healthier communities.

A recognized community leader, Djuana has served on numerous boards and has received several awards. She currently serves on the DESIGN/HEALth Advisory Council, the Board of Directors of Girls, Inc. of Metro Denver, and Chairs the Charitable Partners Committee as a member of the Denver Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a public service organization.

Djuana is passionate about building partnerships, mobilizing communities, and developing leaders to advance health and well-being. She is a graduate of the Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado and the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership's Advanced Leadership Training Program, Healthy Community Design Program, and Coaching Academy. She holds a PhD in Pathology and Microbiology from the University of Nebraska as well as master’s and bachelor’s degrees in chemistry from Clark Atlanta University.

MaryBeth Lawson is the Vice President of Development at the Denver Public Schools Foundation who has nearly 15 years of experience helping folks accomplish their philanthropic goals while strengthening the support for and awareness of programs, missions, and goals. Over the course of her career, MaryBeth also supported the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work as their Executive Director of Development and was part of several municipal teams and nonprofit organizations, including the American Red Cross.

MaryBeth spends time engaged in community, currently serving on the steering committee for the Institute for Leaders in Development as Volunteer chair, is a member of the Advisory Committee for Community Impact at the Denver Foundation, is an appointed commissioner to both the Denver Women's Commission and Denver Nonprofit Engagement Commission, and is currently part of the 2026 cohort of the Denver Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Denver program.

Kyle Lephart began serving on the commission in the fall of 2024. He grew up in Wisconsin, then lived in New Mexico for many years, before arriving in Denver in 2023. He has held various positions within nonprofits since 2008, most recently as Executive Director with Canine Partners of the Rockies. He has strong ties to the nonprofit community through his volunteerism with a local Rotary Club and his philanthropy through local community foundations and groups like Guys Who Give. He believes strongly in the impact and importance nonprofits have on the community.

Joel Cox is a sustainability consultant and community organizer living in Southeast Denver focused on housing, mobility, and smart urban growth. He serves as Chair of the Inter-Neighborhood Cooperation Zoning & Planning Committee and as Mobility Chair for the University Park RNO, where he works to advance thoughtful development and transportation solutions. He recently launched the First Mile Free pilot concept to expand access to public transit through first- and last-mile connections.

Joel has worked across the private, nonprofit, and public sectors—founding a consultancy, serving as a founding nonprofit board member, and completing contracts with local government—and believes strong cross-sector alignment is key to solving Denver’s biggest challenges. He holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy from the University of Denver.