WiseWomen News

MONTHLY Newsletter

January 2025 | A hand forward. A hand back.

SAVE THE DATE - 2025 RETREAT

May 1 – May 2, 2025 | The Sebastian in Vail

It’s time to mark your calendar for our annual retreat! For those of you who have participated before, you know what a special time this is. For those who have never participated and for new members, you’re in for a treat! It’s a time to connect and deepen our relationships with one another while also focusing on ways to fully live out all of our hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

It’s also a ton of fun!

Because May 2nd is the Kentucky Derby, our theme this year is “Running Your Own Race”. We often get caught up in our comparisons of ourselves with others but each of us is a unique, amazing human being with our own race to run.

We’ll delve into our hopes and ambitions for the future, the strengths we bring to the journey, how we leverage our strengths, and how we get the help we need to win on our own terms. 

Don’t miss this chance to come together, learn, grow, laugh, and deepen our bonds with one another!

Cost:

Early Bird Price: $725 until March 1, 2025

Regular Price: $750 until March 28, 2025

Cost per person includes:

Two days of compelling content

Hotel room for the night

Complimentary valet parking

One-hour open bar for Thursday evening happy hour

Meals included: Buffet dinner Thursday evening, Breakfast on Friday, and Lunch on Friday

(Alcohol not included during dinner – cash bar available) 

1st Quarter Wine Around Hostess NEEDED

Quarterly Wine Arounds are a fun way to welcome our newest members and just gather for some social fun, but we need your help for our 1st quarter gathering.

Contact cohort leads Tammy Johnson or Linda Streeter to get details on hosting one of these social opportunities. It’s easy…the hostess picks a winery, brewery, or fun restaurant to host this event and Tammy and Linda will help her with the rest!

Email 2025 cohort leads: Tammy Johnson & Linda Streeter

There is still time to REGISTER for Kickoff 2025: Cocktails & Connection

January 29, 2025 | 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Vectra Bank Corporate Headquarters

Kick off 2025 in style with a gathering intended for ALL WiseWomen! Jump start your year by engaging with others and finding ways (if your schedule allows) to get involved.

Agenda includes:

• Overall update on our WiseWomen program

• Introduction of new Advisory Board members

• Opportunities to join a cohort

• Mingling and cocktails during the final hour.

Thank you Janet Lowe and Vectra Bank for hosting us!!

REGISTER HERE

Upcoming Dine Arounds

Dine Around Hosted by Eleanor Allen on January 22 at 5:30pm

Dine Around Hosted by Melissa Poole-Knight on March 27 at 5:30pm

Interested in hosting a Dine Around in the future? Email 2025 cohort leads: Tammy Johnson & Linda Streeter

Upcoming WiseWomen Gatherings and Activities

Kickoff 2025: Cocktails & Connections Hosted by Advisory Board on January 29 at 4:30pm

Exclusive Colorado Ballet Experience Hosted by Hillary Biskner on February 8 at 6:30pm

Dinner with Youth at Denver Children’s Home Hosted by Linda Streeter on February 13 at 5:00pm

Have a good idea for a social event? Email 2025 cohort leads: Tammy Johnson & Linda Streeter

Upcoming CiviCO Events

Bolded items are new from last month

We’re finalizing our event line-up for 2025

Know someone who would be great in WiseWomen?

Please fill out a rubric here to nominate her.

NOTE: You must be a member of CTLF WiseWomen for one-year to nominate prospective member

If you have questions about the process or criteria please contact either Erin Wolf (erinwolf0428@gmail.com) or Kathy Lawless (kathy@lifestorycurator.com).

Updates & Resources

Member Reimbursement Policy & Process

Please fill out an expense report form provided by CTLF (DOWNLOAD HERE)
Member will email their expense report with receipts attached to Leslie (lesliet@ctlf.org) for approval.
Leslie will forward approved reports and receipts to our accounting department.
Member will receive a Bill.com invite where they will create a free account and add their banking information for the reimbursement to be processed. (Ignore Bill.com request to submit an invoice after the account is set up)
We are no longer able to process reimbursements by check.

Contact Leslie Townsend if you have any questions: lesliet@ctlf.org

Who do I contact at CTLF?

Who do I contact at CTLF and for what?

Community newsletters, emails about CTLF events, billing: engage@ctlf.org
General CTLF information and replies outside of billing: info@ctlf.org
Xan Pearson, CEO & President: xanp@ctlf.org
Leslie Townsend: lesliet@ctlf.org
- WiseWomen program management lead
- Primary contact for Advisory Board, Social, Board, and Leadership/Retreat cohorts
Lindy Lieg: lindyl@ctlf.org
- Member care and customer service for individual WiseWomen members
- Primary Ambassador cohort contact for new member services

Event registration cancellation policy

You must provide 1-week advance notice of your cancellation to Lindy Lieg at CTLF to receive a refund for most events unless otherwise indicated. For member-hosted events, cancellations under 1-week can only be refunded if the host fills the spot and the replacement registration is received by CTLF. Events like the retreat include custom cancellation dates that require more advance notice. The event cancellation information can be found in the event description on the registration page.

WiseWomen Roster

An updated membership roster will be published monthly in the Member Hub.

Member Hub

Don’t forget to use the Member Hub to find resources about WiseWomen. Click “Resources” from the left side navigation tabs.

Hillary Biskner has created some fantastic how-to guides for the Member Hub!

You can find them HERE and in the Resources tab in the Member Hub.

News & Congratulations!

WiseWomen Recognition

** Updates from Maggie Drucker **

Hillary Biskner – WiseWomen Co-Lead

Hillary Biskner is stepping off as your co-chair for us but will stay on as the past chair for historical guidance and reference.. Her orchestration and vision have been so helpful in setting up processing and collecting data. The board did a great deal of work this past year to document processes.

Nicole Zimmerman – Ambassador cohort Co-Chair

Similar to Hillary, Nicole has done a lot this year to document the process of recruiting and onboarding our newest members. The team has grown a lot and streamlining the roles has enhanced the knowledge and welcome we’ve provided to new WiseWomen.

Richa Singh and Kathy Keating – Learning and Personal Growth cohort

We conducted a survey this year and captured a large amount of data on what we do and what our members wish to learn about and contribute to. Their combined efforts will contribute nicely to the offerings we implement for 2025 and beyond.

Kim Carver – Connections and Resources cohort

Kim has helped to lead numerous cohorts over the past nine years and will likely still stay on a cohort or two as a contributor. We are often asked about the skill sets and specialty practices of our members for community speaking engagements. Kim has worked this year to start gathering some of this information. This will not only serve our community better, but it will serve each of us when we need a contact to help us personally or professionally.

Maggie Drucker – Social Cohort

Exploring fun opportunities to learn and enjoy our city have been a strong focus for Maggie’s involvement on the Social cohort. With past event planning and catering experience, the social team has facilitated monthly Dine Around dinners at member homes, taken us on graffiti tours of RiNo, to musical events, and held philanthropic events with St. Jude, Ronald McDonald House, Denver Children’s Home, Dress for Success and others. Maggie will stay on the cohort and will lead the philanthropic arm this year.

WiseWomen is self led and as such our volunteers orchestrate educational opportunities for professional growth as well as social events for stronger relationships with one another. We thank these ladies for their help and encourage you to find ways to get involved too.

Event Update Corner

UPCOMING EVENTS

Join us for our very first Kickoff 2025! Conversations and Cocktails will be held on Wednesday, January 29th. Vectra Bank will be hosting us at their beautiful new facility.

1st Quarter Dine Around

This year we are mixing things up a bit. Since these are very popular events, we want to encourage co-hosting and suggest that experienced hostesses pair with a newer member to hold one of these monthly events. The newer member will facilitate the theme or table topic for the event while serving as co-hostess.

Please reach out to Tammy Johnson or Linda Streeter to express hosting interest. We do our best to pick hostesses from all throughout the metro area.

January 22 – Eleanor Allen will be hosting at her home. Please visit the Events Calendar to join!

February 11th – Return to Denver Children’s Home to cook for the kids and make Valentine’s decorations/cards.

March 27th – Melissa Poole-Knight will be hosting a charcuterie making party at her place. You’ll nibble on tasty sample trays while making one of your own to take home!

1st Quarter Social Event

January 29th – Kickoff 2025 event at Vectra Bank

February 8th – Colorado Ballet Experience and a private champagne welcome reception/tour.

** NEW – WiseWomen Book Club, more details to come! **