Board of Directors

As an immigrant, Dr. Rocio Pereira, MD is focused on the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity-related diseases in underserved communitites, particularly Latinos. Currenlty an Endocrinologist at Denver Health, Associate Professor at the Univeristy of Colorado.  She is the Director of the CREAndo Bienestar Diabetes Prevention Program implemented by VUELA. Dr. Pereira has been a practicing clinician and researcher for over 15 years. 

Lilia Cervantes, MD is the Associate Professor with the Division of  General Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado, Department of Medicine, Denver Health.  Dr. Cervantes’ personal reality as a first-generation, English-as-a-second-language Latina has directly informed her deep commitment to caring for the underserved.  Her research on End Stage Kidney Dialysis was highlighted in NPR and then in August 2018 when she was interview by CNN’s Sanjay Gupta.

Elisa (“Lisa”) Zúñiga Ramírez is a Principal and Senior Portfolio Manager for Segall Bryant & Hamill who received her BSBA from the University of Colorado at Denver and her MBA from Regis University. Lisa has served on various Boards in a variety of sectors. A philanthropist and supporter of community organizations, Lisa received the 2016 “Unsung Heroine” award from the Latinas First Foundation for her work in the Latino community.

 Maria Milagros Kneusel-Rivera is a Registered Nurse and has a master’s in nursing education, a master’s in healthcare ethics, and a Doctorate in Nursing Practice with an emphasis in quality improvement. Maria has worked in various clinical settings from acute care to public health. Currently she is the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Consultant at Centura Health. Maria is also an affiliate professor of nursing at Regis University, where she teaches Health Policy. Her professional interests focus on the dignified care of underserved populations, and the use of Promotoras (Latino community health workers) to improve care access for Latino communities. Maria is the past president of the Denver chapter of the National Association of Hispanic nurses and received the National Hispanic Nurse of the Year award in 2021 for her efforts to vaccinate and educate the Latino community during the Covid pandemic.  

Kim Benson, MBA, is a retired healthcare business executive whose 35-year professional career focused on timely data collection, smart process design and interdisciplinary care delivery, all with the goal to improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, and practice effectiveness. Ms. Benson’s community volunteer commitments are in the areas of public education, youth mentoring and healthcare non-profits.

Elizabeth Rumbel (she, her) is a Senior Workforce Development Specialist at the Public Health Institute at Denver Health (PHIDH).  In this role, Elizabeth coordinates and directs strategic support initiatives for PHIDH’s unique services, with emphasis and expertise in workforce development, engagement, education, customer experience, and quality improvement.  Prior to joining PHIDH, Elizabeth served as the Healthy Living Coordinator for the Denver Housing Authority’s Mariposa Neighborhood, a nationally recognized redevelopment initiative, and worked to ensure health equity was uplifted within the natural and built environment, social and mental wellbeing, and transportation, access, and safety.  Elizabeth earned an MA in Social Change from the Iliff School of Theology and a BS/BA from Rider University in Business Administration.  She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter (Oscar and Charlie) in Colorado’s great outdoors and has a bucket list item to visit every U.S. National Park.

Araceli del Carmen O’Clair is a dedicated educator in the Denver Public Schools.  She has served the children of Denver and their families as a teacher, curriculum specialist and elementary school principal in a dual language Montessori school.  Currently, she has returned to the classroom as a reading intervention teacher.  Additionally, she is a trainer for Whole School Leadership, where she continues to grow and help others grow in all leadership capacities.  She is especially passionate about helping others grow and evolve in their cultural mindset as she consults and supports school leadership teams using the Intercultural Development Inventory.  She attended the University of Denver, Ritchie Program for School Leaders: Executive Leadership for Successful Schools to obtain her elementary school principal’s license.   Araceli holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education from the University of Colorado, Denver.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Worcester State University in Massachusetts.  As a proud Latina connected to her roots, she treasures the gift of being bilingual and bicultural.  Moreover, she acutely understands the need for a leadership movement that is grounded in respect for humanity.    Araceli lives in Denver with her husband and two teenage children.  She loves to spend time outdoors and especially loves to hike and snowshoe with her furbaby, LC.