The Colorado Trust Announces Appointment of Two New Trustees

Contact: Julian Kesner, (303) 539-3147, [email protected]

The Colorado Trust, a foundation dedicated to creating fair and equal opportunities for Coloradans to lead healthy lives, has appointed Betty Velasquez and Rev. Louise Westfall to its Board of Trustees.

Velasquez, who was born in the San Luis Valley and lives in La Junta, has served as director of the southeast and south central regions for the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) since 2004. She has several years of experience working with underserved populations, particularly as state monitor advocate for CDLE. Velasquez assists migrant and seasonal farmworkers through field visits, on-site training and meetings and more. She has served with the La Junta City Council since 2012; the Arkansas Valley Farmworker Coalition since 1994; the Arkansas Valley Regional Medical board since 2014; and the Otero Junior College Foundation board since 2015, among several appointments.

Westfall is senior pastor and head of staff at the Central Presbyterian Church of Denver, a position she has held since 2011. She previously spent a decade as senior pastor and head of staff at the Fairmount Presbyterian Church in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and also has served in pastor roles at churches in Michigan and Iowa. Westfall has served on the board of the Presbyterian Foundation since 2008, and has been a member of Rotary Club 31 since 2013, serving as a high school scholarship mentor for three years. Westfall received her Doctor of Ministry from the San Francisco Theological Seminary, where she also received a faculty prize for her dissertation.

“I’m thrilled to have Betty and Louise joining our effort to advance the health and well-being of all Coloradans,” said William Wright, MD, chair of The Colorado Trust Board of Trustees. “They both bring wonderful perspectives and backgrounds that will help inform our work.”

Velasquez and Westfall replace Gail Schoettler, PhD, and Rev. R.J. Ross, who both concluded 10 years of distinguished service as Trustees in December 2016.

About The Colorado Trust
The Colorado Trust is a foundation dedicated to achieving health equity—ending inequalities that affect racial, ethnic, low-income and other vulnerable populations, so that everyone can achieve good health. The Trust believes all Coloradans should have fair and equal opportunities to lead healthy, productive lives regardless of race, ethnicity, income or where we live. The Trust focuses on policies and information related to advancing health equity, as well as projects that address health equity in partnership with communities throughout Colorado. For more information, please visit www.coloradotrust.org.