New Denver Chapter Brings Empowering Women as Leaders to Douglas County

Empowering Women as Leaders, a 20 year old Texas based nonprofit, opened its first chapter outside Texas in Denver on December 27, 2025, bringing new scholarship and mentorship resources to Douglas County residents. The Denver board includes Castle Pines residents Brenda Ferguson as president, Colleen Norwine as STAR program director, and Anita Valdez Hohenstein as mentorship director. The chapter has already formed partnerships with Metropolitan State University and CU Denver to reach nontraditional female college students known as STARs.

The chapter selected LaToya Morgan as its first STAR. Morgan is a first generation college student and a nursing major at Metropolitan State University who plans to pursue a master’s degree to become a women’s health nurse practitioner and certified midwife. The organization said it will focus its efforts on scholarships, mentor matching and networking opportunities while building the governance roles needed for fundraising and program expansion.

For Douglas County the new chapter ties local philanthropy directly to higher education access and the healthcare workforce. Castle Pines board leadership anchors the effort in the county and offers residents opportunities to mentor, sponsor or volunteer as the chapter grows. Support for first generation and nontraditional students can shorten time to degree and improve job readiness, outcomes that translate into tangible local benefits when graduates join the regional labor market in nursing and women’s health care.

EWL Denver is seeking mentors and sponsors to populate program roles and to support scholarships for STARs. The partnerships with Metropolitan State University and CU Denver create a channel for identifying students who juggle family or work responsibilities while pursuing degrees, and for connecting them to local professional networks that can lead to internships and employment.

The initiative arrives at a moment when communities across Colorado are focused on workforce development in health care and on improving educational access for adult learners. For Douglas County residents, involvement can mean supporting a nearby student pursuing a health career, expanding local access to women’s health practitioners, and contributing to a nonprofit that now has two decades of experience running mentorship and scholarship programs. Community members interested in participating may contact the Denver chapter directly through Empowering Women as Leaders for opportunities to mentor, sponsor or volunteer.