On May 16th, the RFL community came together at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village to celebrate our 2025 Academy and Mastermind graduates. Nearly 80 individuals – alumni, families, partners, and supporters – gathered in support of this year’s theme: Unite. And unite we did.
Together, we welcomed 28 new Academy graduates and 9 Mastermind graduates into the RFL alumni community. These 37 individuals represent the future of leadership in our region – courageous, creative, and committed to building better communities.
Our keynote speakers, Chris McDowel, 2010 Academy alumnus, and Taylor McBride, 2025 Academy alumnus, reminded us how leadership is a lifelong journey – one that begins with intention and grows through shared experience. Academy Faculty member Pierre Powell inspired us all with his call to stand at “the edge of possibility” and to boldly imagine what comes next for ourselves, our communities, and the collective future we’re shaping together.
We were deeply moved by the reflections of Rosa Saucedo, 2024 Mastermind, 2025 Academy participant, and current RFL board member, and Susan Harig, 2018 Mastermind alumna and current RFL Board President, who spoke with clarity and heart about what RFL has meant to them and why this work matters now more than ever.
A special thank you to our generous sponsors, who made the evening possible:
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Leadership Partner: Alpine Bank
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Leadership Supporter: Holy Cross Energy
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Leadership Advocates: Poss Architecture + Planning and Interior Design and SGM
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Beverage Sponsors: Quality Brands of the Rockies and the Riviera Scratch Kitchen
This moment of celebration is also a moment of transition, our graduates move forward, and we turn our attention to those who will follow. Applications for the next RFL Academy cohort are open now, with a deadline of July 15. If you or someone you know is ready to grow as a leader and create lasting impact, we invite you to apply.
As we continue this important work, we ask you to consider supporting RFL through a donation. Your gift helps fund scholarships and sustain the programs that shape the next generation of local leaders. Every dollar makes a difference in expanding access to leadership development that is rooted in authenticity, equity, and action. If you’d like to learn more about donations for RFL, please reach out to our Development Director, Lizz Bailey, at lizz@rfleadership.org.
Thank you for being part of this community. Together, we are leading the way forward.
With heart and belief in all that is possible,
Andrea Palm-Porter
RFL Executive Director
