The Drop Off: EPIC Conversations About the Workforce of Today and the Talent of Tomorrow

In December 2024, EPIC partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation for the National Child Care Innovation Summit. This invite-only event, presented by the David and Laura Merage Foundation, brought together business leaders in Washington, D.C. for an intimate, engaging environment of workshops, panels, and networking—designed to turn inspiration into action in their own communities. 

On this episode of The Drop Off, we’r...

William Browning is President & CEO of Clayton Early Learning. He passionately leads Clayton’s work to build opportunities for children and families to live to their endless potential. With more than 30 years of distinguished leadership experience in strategic social impact development, program development, fundraising, change management, and business operations, he brings deep conne...

On September 10th, EPIC brought together Colorado business leaders to celebrate our 15th Annual Business Leaders Dinner in Glendale, CO. This year's event was a terrific success as we welcomed more than 275 business leaders, members and partners. On this episode of The Drop-Off, we welcome you to listen in on Nicole Riehl's Fireside Chat with Aparna Mathur, Senior Manager in Economics at Amazon and former Senior Fellow at the Harva...

Geta Asfaw co-leads The Asfaw Family Foundation International (AFFI), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with his wife Janice. Since the early 1980’s, Geta and Janice have operated their family business in the Denver Metropolitan area as owner/operators of McDonald’s restaurants. Throughout the years they have supported a number of community groups and organizations. To date, the family has served thousands of individuals. Geta is a...

With 40 years of executive leadership in medical device and health care services, David Perez serves as an independent board member of EPIC and advisor to several corporations and non-profit organizations. His expertise encompasses growing highly regulated global businesses organically through R&D and innovation and inorganically through M&A, leading within a variety of foreign, public and private equity ownership structure...

Sue Renner is the Vice President and Executive Director of The David & Laura Merage Foundation which creates opportunities for future generations through venture philanthropy by investing in initiatives, organizations, and ideas that move society toward a more equitable future for all. She recently announced her retirement as Executive Director.

On this episode of The Drop-Off, Sue joins Nicole Riehl to discuss her career, her ...

Beth Melton is the founder and principal consultant at Melton Strategic Solutions. Most recently, she served as a full-time local elected official in Routt County, Colorado. Her run for office and her work in office were motivated by a desire to support working families with child care solutions.

She is a part of the EPIC team and she joins our Nicole Riehl on this episode of The Drop Off to discuss her career journey, what she lea...

Colin Stewart is the Founder & CEO of STEM Child Care, a facility in Castle Rock, CO dedicated to providing an environment that is both safe and nurturing for children from six weeks to six years old, allowing your child to explore their passions and creativity while cultivating their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills.

On this episode of The Drop Off, Colin joins Nicole Riehl to discuss his unusual journe...

On October 4, EPIC brought together Colorado business leaders across industries to celebrate “Today’s Vision, Tomorrow’s Success” EPIC’s 14th Annual Business Leaders Dinner. The event was a tremendous success with over 220 area business leaders, EPIC members, and partners in attendance. In case you were not able to join, part of the evening featured a Fireside Chat with Natriece Bryant, Director of State Property for the Colorado D...

Ryan Beiser is Regional President and Head of Corporate Banking for PNC. PNC is constantly innovating to help their clients succeed and to have a big impact in Denver. They provide their customers with new ideas, offer valuable insight and create customized solutions that will help propel a business forward. Ryan is also Chairman of the Board for EPIC.

On this episode of The Drop Off, Ry...

Christine Benero is the President & CEO of Mile High United Way. On the About page of their website, they describe themselves thusly: "Working side-by-side with the community, Mile High United Way takes on critical human services issues facing our seven-county footprint including the Metro Denver, Boulder, and Broomfield communities. Through our community programs and initiatives, we focus on our three interconnected Community ...

Stacie Packard is President of Delwest Management Corp, a Denver-based real estate development firm focused on creating value within local communities through a unique combination of leadership and partnership. With a portfolio including multi-family rental properties (both luxury and affordable), whole communities of single-family homes, and renovated historical homes and buildings, Delwest is considered by its urban, federal and ...

Linda Weise is the President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective, a 501C3 dedicated solely to the preservation and revitalization of the historic Colorado Springs City Auditorium. She is also the Founding CEO of the Colorado Springs Conservatory (CSC). She established the Conservatory in 1994 to bring world-class performing arts education to the region.

On this episode of The Drop-Off, Linda shares her pro...

This month we met with Lisa Steven, Founder and Executive Director of Hope House Colorado and EPIC Executive Member. Hope House serves over 250 teen moms teaching how to achieve personal and economic self-sufficiency. Lisa explains that, “we don’t know where we would be without EPIC” and the opportunity to be a Project of Promise has been critical to remove the barriers and challenges of child care.

This episode is available on pod...

From oral health to universal pre-school, Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation's Adeeb Khan tells EPIC CEO and President, Nicole Riehl, how we all can have positive longterm outcomes by investing in children at an early age. Listen in as Adeeb explains how getting kids “set up on the right track” will help our workforce to be better off in the long run. 

This episode is available on podcatchers everywhere and the EPIC website. Pleas...

David Hammond served as EPIC’s Board Chair from 2019 to 2022 and has been critical to the organization’s growth and development since its inception in 2010. In this podcast, David tells Nicole about his interest in early childhood education and advocacy since he was a young father and the strategies that have been key to support the early childhood system in Colorado. 

David explains that emerging leaders now have powerful argument...

Nicole interviewed early-childhood champion, Susan Steele, recently-retired President and CEO of the Buell Foundation and EPIC founding board member. Among other things, Susan shares her serendipitous entrance as a leading changemaker for children and families in Colorado and how she learned to meet the pressing needs of the times. Listen as she shares her life experiences, successes, and how "anyone can be an advocate from whereve...

Steamboat Ski Resort is passionate about their employees and the community in Routt County. In mid-December EPIC interviewed them on opening day of their new child care facility. Learn how Steamboat “got over their skis” to tackle the problem of a lack of child care along with collaboration from EPIC’s Design Lab and others who contributed to the solution.

This episode is available on podcatchers everywhere and the EPIC website. Pl...