Our Staff

Started
2007, Founded the organization

Duties
Partnership Development, Strategy, Team Inspiration

Superpower
Tenacity & Being Inspired

Recent Accomplishments
Launching Bank Local First, Hiring and Training of New Staff, Building Partnerships with Xcel, CBID and more; Appointed to Denver Seeds Taskforce

About Mickki
Recognizing the need to reclaim our power to create community wealth, Mickki co-founded the Mile High Business Alliance in 2007. Currently serving as Executive Director, Mickki combines her passion for healthy communities with her experience as a small business owner. Her work with the business alliance focuses on organizing local business owners in working together to build a more locally focused and stable economy that doesn't sacrifice people and the planet for the sake of profit. In her spare time, Mickki likes to grow food, keep bees, play with babies and other generally silly things. Email Mickki.

Duties
Event Management, Campaign Coordination & Communications

Superpower
Making Everything Awesome

Recent Accomplishments
Brought together Buy Local Week campaign and two great events

About Valerie
Valerie is a Colorado native, and while not a stereotypical Coloradan, she finds energy, peace and balance in Denver. She has a BA from CU and a MS from DU but does not put much emphasis on those letters. Instead, she has a deep passion for local businesses and the amazing things that come out of our growing city. She loves building relationships with people, finding new and interesting ways to live more sustainably, and creating resilience in her community. At MHBA, she manages all of our programs like Buy Local Week and the Small Business Forum. She bakes a mean loaf of bread and thinks composting will save us all. Email Valerie.

Duties
Energy Program Membership

Superpower
Diplomacy

Recent Accomplishments
Recruited 100+ small businesses for free energy consultations, stepped in to make the Small Business Week forum come together

About Christina
As a student at Valparaiso University she became passionate about the environment and was involved with the environmental club on campus. After graduation Christina moved to Denver to be closer to the mountains and the budding eco-friendly city. She has joined the MHBA to head up their Energy Coordinator position and help provide its members with the tools to make their businesses even more successful through the reduction of energy consumption. Email Christina.

Duties
Local Flavor Guides, Membership

Superpower
Extreme Reason

Recent Accomplishments
Produced Tennyson Street Local Flavor Guide

About Melanie
Melanie is originally from Portland, Maine and moved to Colorado for graduate school. The high peaks, wildflowers, and sunshine made her fall in love with this state. While completing her degree in Environmental Leadership, she deepened her passion for sustainability and social justice. Working as the Outreach Coordinator, she connects with local businesses to spread the word about the awesome network we are creating in order to strengthen our local economy as we continue to help make Denver a great place to live, work, and play. Email Melanie.

Duties
Making everything run smoothly

Superpower
Organization, determination, and printer whispering skills

Recent Accomplishments
Mastering rebates, organizing our hidden messes (aka the closets), and constantly getting the printers up and running

About Hilary
While studying Entrepreneurship at Boston University, Hilary developed a strong interest in the local food movement and nonprofit business models. As a Colorado native and Denver sports enthusiast, she is overjoyed to be back in Denver and is enjoying supporting local businesses both with her work at MHBA and her paycheck. As the Program and Administrative Assistant she relishes in her ever changing task list and the challenges of keeping the printers working. Email Hilary.