The following positions are running unopposed

OFFICER Positions

•  PRESIDENT (2024): Keith Meyer. Sloans Lake Citizen’s Group
•   VICE-PRESIDENT (2025): Joanna Rosa-Saenz Harkness Heights Neighborhood Assoc.
•  TREASURER (2025): Greg Sorensen Neighbors for Greater Capitol Hill

AT-LARGE Positions

•  At-Large #3 (2023-25): Ryan Wolff Old San Rafael Neighborhood Organization
•  At-Large #4 (2023-25): Amber Kraska Harkness Heights Neighborhood Assoc.
•  At-Large #5 (2023-25): Lou Radars Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Assoc.

In order to vote in this election your RNO must be a current member of INC in good standing and you must be the designated representative of your RNO

Candidate Statements for INC’s March 2023 Election

As a way of giving our membership a chance to get to know the candidates, we had each candidate provide a brief written statement addressing two questions:

• What motivates or interests you in serving the mission of INC by serving on the board?
• What talents, passion, and/or perspectives do you have that you would bring to the efforts of the INC?

All candidates will have a chance to speak at the March 11th Delegate Meeting before the election is held. Please note: All candidates are running unopposed for these positions

Candidate for President: Keith Meyer is a delegate from the Sloans Lake Citizen Group and has lived in Denver 16 years.

My professional background is in law and non-profit organizing. In addition to working on several national and statewide political campaigns, I’ve also worked to organize RNOs on the Northside of Denver around sustainability and equity goals. I did this by bringing together 10 RNOs to create a voice for Northside issues.

Stabilize, Sustain, and Soar! – Visioning INC in 2023

As Co-Chair of the Climate and Sustainability Committee for the last year, I’ve spent the better part of the past twelve months listening. I’ve heard the history of INC in Denver from those who have been here long before me. I’ve listened to the challenges that RNOs face in neighborhoods across the city. And, I’ve listened to concerns from delegates and members that INC needs to be more deliberate in addressing diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI). Since becoming vice president last fall, I’ve worked to address these concerns by getting INC to Stabilize, Sustain, and then Soar.

I can’t be more proud of the work the Board has accomplished since our sudden leadership changes last fall. Together we’ve done a lot over the last six months to stabilize INC. We did this by holding a board retreat last December, refocusing our efforts on aiding RNOs through programming and advocacy this year and developing concrete steps towards creating a more inclusive organization. During the February 2023 INC community meeting, I laid out a programming vision for the year summing up these efforts; Every Block, Every Voice.

In addition to our upcoming community programming, my goal for the remainder of 2023 is to work to sustain INC as an organization and make it a better tool for member RNOs going forward. We are excited to bring back our annual awards dinner this September in addition to making sure we can continue to be a valuable resource for RNOs when they need assistance accessing city services and issues. To do this effectively some much needed organizational and administrative hurdles must be addressed. My goal is to continue working on these with the Board throughout the remainder of the year to put INC on a more sustainable path moving forward.

Maya Angelou wrote that, “it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from”. For me, this quote really sums up INCs rebuilding work in 2023. I believe that by working through our challenges, and consistently being deliberate about improving diversity and inclusion as an organization, INC will be ready to once again Soar in 2024!

Candidate for Vice-President: Joanna Rosa-Saenz is a Denver Native and delegate from Harkness Heights. She is a single mother of 3 amazing DPS students who has spent 20 years Grassroots Latina community organizer NW Denver and Metro surroundings.

What motivates me to serve on the INC board is my ‘passion of advocacy’, being the VOICE of voices that are unheard.  I would love to see INC reflect the diversity of our communities and I believe I can help us get there. I facilitate inclusive dialogue amongst diverse community members and stakeholders. I am also Chair of the Education Committee. I hope that in the future of INC can be more directly involved in more local communities, social engagement and education. –Joanna

Candidate for Treasurer:  Greg Sorensen is a delegate from Neighbors for Greater Capitol Hill, has lived in Denver for 47 years, but have only been involved with INC for the last 6 years.

It is important the INC’s financial records are in accordance with its mission and purpose. I would like to see INC focus efforts on helping RNOs from an organizational standpoint so they can interact more effectively with the city. As our motto suggests, neighborhoods work better when they work together.

Having a firm financial footing is important for any organization. I am also treasurer for two other organizations, and I seek to make sure that financial records are properly maintained and members are notified in a timely manner about the fiscal health of the organization. Using QuickBooks for INC has made generating financial reports easier, helping the board and committees make educated financial decisions.

THREE CANDIDATES FOR THREE AT-LARGE BOARD SEATS (In alphabetical order)

Amber Kraska is a delegate from Harkness Heights (HHNA), a small NW Denver RNO, just east of 44th and Lowell and is a Colorado native who has lived in Denver for the last 20 years.

In my current role as president of HHNA, a large part of my work is to establish a strong relationship with other RNO’s in our area. We teamed up with BRUN, Berkeley-Regis United Neighbors, for a very successful diaper drive during the holiday season. We will be doing park clean ups this spring with BRUN. My desire to be an INC board member is driven by my passion to continue to find more opportunities to collaborate with other RNO’s.  I truly believe we have more strength when we work together for a joint cause. Denver is such an amazing city to us all and INC has such a vast outreach to continue to help the city grow in a positive direction.

I am seeking this position as an At-Large Delegate to continue to listen to the voices of Denver residents and hopefully find solutions and more importantly for me, give back. I am very passionate about how RNO’s can provide resources, donations, money (through fundraising) or whatever the needs are for non-profits, food banks, shelters, and other organizations in need. I am also very passionate about gardening and saving water. I feel with more knowledge and know-how, more people would grow gardens and food rather than grass. My vision for myself in this role is to be a connector from RNO’s to local organizations in their area that may be in need and also to continue the goal of making Denver a green city. I can also be a hole filler when there are gaps and other jobs within INC that need to be filled. Planning events is another strong suit of mine.

Being a Colorado native and long-time Denver resident, my enthusiasm for doing for others, giving back and living a life with the goal to have the least amount of impact on the space we call home, will assist me in doing my best to fulfill the mission of INC. I look forward to the opportunity to serve all of the Denver residents. Thank you!

Lou Raders is a delegate from the Cherry Creek North Neighborhood Association. I moved into the Denver neighborhood of Cherry Creek East in 1985. I have lived at four other addresses in the Cherry Creek area until getting married and moving my current home in Cherry Creek North in 1995.

I have been involved with various city agencies and RNOs.  I have been involved in the Cherry Creek North Area Plan and have served on several committees looking at development and transportation issues in and around the Cherry Creek area. I have also been involved with the City’s equity and rezoning task force, which has been shut down for now, the Cherry Creek curbside use area plan (focusing on parking permits) and the Denver Moves Cherry Creek transportation plan.  I also serve as the chair of the Cherry Creek steering committee, which involves numerous RNOs in the area, the Cherry Creek Mall, the Cherry Creek, business, improvement district, and the Cherry Creek area business alliance.  I practiced law with the same firm for 37 years before retiring in 2019.  As a lawyer, I have experience in land-use, zoning, public financing and problem solving.  The city of Denver functions with its residents through the RNO system and by and through INC.  As such, INC plays a critical role in sharing city resources and information with the residents throughout the city who participate in the RNO structure.

I have participated with INC previously in assisting with the rewrite of the bylaws. I think I bring a particular expertise in corporate governance that would assist INC to meet it’s mission to work with and through the RNOs to bring city information and resources to residents so that residents and neighborhoods have a voice.

Ryan G. Wolff is a delegate from Old San Rafael and has been a Denver resident since 2022. As a community member of Denver, I am passionate about improving the lives of those around me. My commitment to community engagement and strong leadership and communication skills make me an ideal candidate for INC.

I have a proven track record of active participation in various community organizations and have gained valuable experience in project management, event planning, and fundraising. I am a great listener and strive to understand the needs and concerns of all community members. I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming community where everyone feels heard and valued.

I am interested in serving as a member of the INC board to bring further collaboration, inclusion, and progress to our committee and respective RNOs. If elected to INC, I promise to bring my positive attitude, enthusiasm, and dedication to the role, including my passion for our city and our community. I am committed to working collaboratively with other board members and community stakeholders to identify and address issues facing our society. I will advocate for policies that promote equality, social and environmental justice, and sustainability and ensure that our community remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

I am a passionate and committed community member ready to bring my skills and experience to INC. I am confident that I can make a positive difference in the lives of those around me in partnership with INC members and brother/sister RNOs, and I would be honored to serve in this capacity. I appreciate your consideration for this important role within our community,