2022 Changemaker Award Recipients
Every year, Out Boulder County awards the Changemaker Award and Corporate Changemaker Award recipients as a part of The GAYLA. Congratulations to this year’s winners!
Margaret Katz Cann | Changemaker
Margaret Katz Cann believes that, as fundraisers, we are way too often in apology when we ask for money. As a Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC, PCC), Margaret specializes in leadership and fundraising coaching, board training and consulting. Margaret is passionate about the intersection of coaching with fundraising -- and works with nonprofit leaders to stop tripping over their ask, to connect to passion and leadership – and to step into the world of compelling fundraising.
Margaret is an experienced and joyful fundraiser, having spent 22 years helping to grow the Community Foundation Boulder County. She joined the foundation after writing the grant proposal for the grant that seeded the Open Door Fund. Prior to falling in love with fundraising, Margaret worked as a journalist. She is an active blogger and also co-authored a consumer guide for women, “The Feminist Dollar: A Wise Woman’s Buying Guide,” with her mother. As a resident of Boulder, she – unoriginally – likes to play outside.
Josie Heath | Changemaker
Josie Heath is the ultimate changemaker for Boulder County and beyond. For 21 years Josie Heath served as President of Community Foundation Boulder County. Currently, Josie is a Commissioner for the Colorado State Land Board. She has been an invited speaker at the White House, served two federal administrations, was one of the co-founders of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, has been inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, founded the Mile High Youth Corps, was a candidate for the United States Senate and served eight years as a Boulder County Commissioner. That’s just the half of it.
After Amendment 2, under Josie’s leadership at the Community Foundation, the Open Door Fund Endowment was created. Josie has been and continues to be a friend of many and an active ally of the LGBTQ+ community. She has changed the course of life in Boulder County for our community.
Josie and Sen. Rollie Heath have been married more than 60 years, enjoying their three children and seven grandchildren.
JVA, Inc. | Corporate Changemaker
JVA, Incorporated is a 140-person consulting structural, civil and environmental engineering firm headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with offices in Denver, Fort Collins, Winter Park and Glenwood Springs. JVA has a 66-year history of engineering experience serving architects and owners on building projects, site development and water/wastewater projects throughout the Rocky Mountain area and nationwide. Beyond JVA’s engineering work, they go above and beyond to create an inclusive environment for all of their employees. In addition to Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) representing Young Professionals and their Women’s Innovation Network, they recently established the LGBTQ+ ERG that recognizes and enhances diversity and inclusivity for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Non-Binary communities and allies. This group contributes towards the common vision where gender expression/identity and sexual orientation is respected and celebrated. The firm has offered trainings on pronouns, suggested books to read, and relevant resources to all staff. During Pride month this year, each office celebrated with a color battle to see who could wear more accessories of their team color. The majority of JVA’s staff participated! Tom Soell, one of the firm’s Principals, participated on the panel for the 2022 Out Boulder County ERG Mixer and he reflects JVA’s leadership in their commitment to providing a safe workplace. As an annual proud sponsor of Out Boulder County and Pride Fest, members of the firm represented JVA at a booth to show support and network with the Boulder community. These are a handful of the exciting things JVA does outside of their everyday business, and part of what makes it such a great place to work!