Board of Advisors

The Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) Board of Advisors exists to advance the mission of the School by raising charitable contributions to support the students and programs of GSSW.

• Dr. Sarie E. Ates-Patterson, PhD, LCSW
  

  Dr. Patterson is a University of Denver graduate with a Ph.D. in Education and a Master’s in Social Work. A Colorado Licensed Clinical Social Worker and owner of SE Inspired, LLC, she brings over 20 years of experience in social work, mental health, and education. Her dissertation, in partnership with the Colorado Department of Education, analyzed over 17,000 student cases to develop actionable steps addressing social injustice in education.

  She has led major initiatives across Denver, including the $4.5M Mental Health Expansion Program for Denver Public Schools, and developed tools and resources to assess and support student mental health. As a liaison among DPS, Denver Human Services, law enforcement, and legal agencies, she has coordinated crisis response, professional development, and policy implementation.

  Dr. Patterson has served on multiple boards, including the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office, CASA Adams & Broomfield Counties, and the STEAD Charter School. She’s a Barbara Jackson Scholar and has been honored by the Denver Department of Human Services. Currently, she is Project Manager for the 2025 Black Health Summit, in partnership with Connect for Health Colorado and DU’s Graduate School of Social Work.

  Her expertise spans research, policy analysis, leadership development, and cultivating high-impact, equity-driven environments in education and human services. 

• Barbara Kreisman, Ph.D.
  

  Barbara’s background transcends more than 30 years in the field of Leadership, Organizational Development and Strategic Planning. She is currently affiliated with the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging, Ritchie School of Engineering at the University of Denver (KIHA) where she cofacilitates, with her husband Scott McLagan, courses on the subject of Reimagining Retirement. Barb formerly was Associate Dean of the Daniels College of Business, responsible for leading the Executive Education and the Executive MBA Program for 18 years. Prior to joining DU, Barbara worked for a variety of notable companies—including Dell Technologies, Motorola Semiconductor, and Fisher Controls, a subsidiary of Emerson Electric, in a Strategic Human Resource & Organizational Effectiveness capacity.

  Barb serves as an advisory board member for the Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging and also the DU Graduate School of Social Work. She was recently named to the Colorado Commission on Aging and is the founding principal of an organization called Purposeful-Aging.org which features a website, blog and newsletter on subjects related to Aging. She hosts a monthly Wisdom Group which meets monthly at DU.

  Her academic achievements consist of a Ph.D. in Leadership & Organizational Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin; a master’s degree from Arizona State University and a second masters University of Texas at Austin. Her undergraduate work was in Journalism at the University of Wisconsin. At age 73 she returned to school and completed a year-long Leadership and Society Fellowship at the University of Chicago focused primarily on the field of aging..

  Barb served as Board Chair for Wish of a Lifetime/AARP, an organization focused on changing the image of senior citizens in our society; is a Hospice volunteer, along with her two Golden Retriever therapy dogs; was named as a Trustee (Foundation Board) of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where she also is on the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Business and Economics. She is a former member of the Denver Health Hospital Foundation Board and is a member of the Colorado Chapter, International Women’s Leadership Forum.

• Richard Lewis
  

  Mr. Richard Lewis, founder of RTL Networks, Inc. (www.RTL-Networks.com) and the RTL Foundation (www.RTL-Foundation.org), is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and William and Mary’s MBA program. Additionally, he has a Masters degree in Computer Systems Security and 30+ years of military and corporate leadership experience. Mr. Lewis received his honorable discharge from the US Air Force at the rank of Captain after serving his country in Desert Storm/Operation Southern Watch and various international assignments. 

  Mr. Lewis has served in senior management positions for Cisco Systems, Qwest and Avaya, and as President/CEO of RTL Networks, Mr. Lewis has been honored and humbled to have received dozens of awards for his business contributions, including: E&Y’S 2019 “Entrepreneur of the year for the Mountain Desert Region”; The Department of Defense’s “Small Business of the Year in Pikes Peak Region”; CISCO System’s “Business Partner of the Year in the Public Sector”; Ranked within Black Enterprise Magazine’s “Top 100” List of Largest Black-Owned Firms in the USA; and multiple entrees in INC Magazine’s Esteemed “500” and “5000” Listings. 

  Mr. Lewis is a former All-State football player, Track and Field High School All-American and College Western Athletic Conference Champion. Mr. Lewis is a vigilant advocate of health, fitness, who has earned reputation for excellence based on extensive community involvement with programs known to increase the quality of education in minority communities and provide access to capital and improving legislation for small and minority-owned businesses. 

  • BOARD OF TRUSTEES (Emeritus) | Denver Mile High United Way 

  • FORMER, COLORADO COMMISSIONER & CHAIR | Colorado Civil Rights Commission 

  • FORMER, COLORADO COMMISSIONER | Business Experiential Learning (BEL) Commission 

  • FORMER, BOARD CHAIR | Denver Branch of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank 

  • FORMER, BOARD CHAIR | Colorado Black Chamber of Commerce 

  • FORMER, BOARD CHAIR | Colorado Youth at Risk 

  • FORMER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Colorado Forum 

  • FORMER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Rocky Mountain PBS 

  • FORMER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Denver Metro Sports Commission 

  • FORMER, BOARD OF DIRECTORS | Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce 

  • FORMER, EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER | Denver Council of The Boy Scouts of America

• Kara Nance, Ph.D.
  

  Dr. Kara Nance is a cybersecurity innovator, educator, and entrepreneur with over three decades of experience advancing the fields of computer science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. She is the Founder and CEO of Security Works, LLC, a research and consulting firm specializing in national security and advanced cyber operations, and the Founder of Cyber Outreach, a nonprofit organization that provides free technology training and resources to K–12 teachers across the United States, with a focus on supporting underrepresented populations in STEM education.

  Dr. Nance previously served as a Professor of Computer Science and Department Chair at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, a Research Professor at Virginia Tech’s Hume Center for National Security and Technology, and Director of AI Initiatives at the University of Denver. In addition to her academic leadership, she has held key roles in government and industry. Her research and leadership have been supported by more than $50 million in competitive federal grants and contracts from agencies including the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Defense.

  A recognized thought leader in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, Dr. Nance has authored or co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and holds a U.S. patent in secure software systems. She is the lead author of the second edition of The Ghidra Book: The Definitive Guide, an influential text widely used in reverse engineering and cybersecurity education. Her contributions have been recognized through multiple awards, including the Office of the Director of National Intelligence Award for Outstanding Service, the Usibelli Outstanding Service Award and the Dennis Demmert award for outstanding service to Alaska Native students.

  Dr. Nance is a Senior Member of the ACM and IEEE, a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), and serves on several national and international advisory boards in information security and education. She brings to the GSSW Board of Advisors a commitment to advancing equitable access to technology, strengthening cyber resilience, and fostering human-centered approaches to innovation. In this role, she is particularly interested in helping social work professionals incorporate technological advances such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital tools into their workflows to enhance impact, efficiency, and client outcomes.

• Diane Simard
  

  Diane M. Simard is a life commentator and business strategist determined to turn chaos into clarity. She is the author of three award-winning books, one of which was named the best breast cancer books of all time by Book Authority. Her latest release, Unlikely Gifts Unwrapped, is a Literary Titan gold book award winner and has received numerous five-star reviews.

  When she’s not advocating to bring more attention to the intersection of mental health and cancer, Diane—who was diagnosed with Stage 3c breast cancer in 2015—walks on the treadmill as she catches up on 30 years of landmark television shows she missed while spinning in the vortex of corporate America as a business executive, board member, and angel investor.

  Within a few short months of finishing cancer treatment, she founded the Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE) at University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. Other honors include Top 25 Most Powerful Colorado Women in Business, Outstanding Woman in Business – Technology & Telecom, and Aurora Chamber Woman of the Year. More info at DianeMSimard.com.

• Marcie Taylor, MSW
  

  With over three decades of experience in criminal justice, behavioral health, and social work, Marcie Taylor is a dedicated advocate for systems-level change and community well-being. She earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Denver in 1993 and her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies from Colorado State University in 1991.

  Her career began in Jefferson County, Colorado, where she served in various pretrial and probation roles from 1992 to 2001, including as a Pretrial Officer, Senior Case Manager, and Probation Officer in both Juvenile ISP and the Female Offender Program. Since 2004, she has worked as a consultant with Intervention, Inc., supporting evidence-based practices and program development.

  She currently serves on the leadership team of Behavioral Treatment Services, where she has held roles as President, Secretary, and Member at Large since 2015. Her commitment to education and community engagement is reflected in her service on the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work Council of Advisors (2020–present) and her past board membership with The Bridge Project (2017–2019), a DU initiative supporting youth in Denver’s public housing neighborhoods.

  Throughout her career, Marcie has remained deeply committed to advancing justice, equity, and support for underserved populations through collaborative leadership and innovative programming.