Executive Director

angell pérez, M.A.

Angell Pérez has been with CCFC since January 2012 and has extensive experience in youth development, community organizing, and intentional anti-racist approaches to non-profit work. Angell served as the Director of Teen and Outreach Programs at Girls Inc. of Metro Denver for 5 years and previous to that she was the Program Manager for Denver City and County’s Youth Opportunity Girls Empowerment Program for 5 years under Mayor Wellington Web’s Administration. Angell has also worked at other local community organizations in the Denver area such as Mi Casa Resource Center and Denver Area Youth Services.

Under her leadership, she has been responsible for growing the capacity of these organizations and leading equity and inclusiveness initiatives to meet the needs of youth and families in the Denver community. Angell brings a strong passion for community, youth empowerment, and intentional anti-racist approaches in community organizing. She received an independent bachelor of arts degree in Equity and Social Justice from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a Certification in Non-Profit Management and a Master of Arts in Ethnic Studies from Colorado State University with a Certificate In women’s Studies. Angell is also an alumnus of the Community Resource Center’s Non-Profit Leadership and Management Program, the Spirit In Action; Standing In Our Power Transformative Leadership for Women of Color Program, The Denver Foundation’s Executive Directors of Color Institute, and is a Transformational Leadership for Change Fellow.

Angell has a personal connection to CCFC’s mission as both her parents were incarcerated when she was a child and she also witnessed her brother become a target of the school to jail pipeline being arrested and detained at the age of 12. During the time CCFC founders were convening to combat the infamous summer of violence in Denver, Angell was a teen heavily entrenched in the violence that plagued communities of color in Denver and the police response that followed. Angell witnessed many friends and family members suffer from gang murders and incarceration. These incidents transformed her life and inspired her to fight for justice in poor communities of color that experience violence and criminalization. Angell believes in the beauty of healing, intergenerational community building, the resilience and strength in her community and is committed to providing opportunities for youth to reach their full potential and to heal, dismantle violence, stay out of the criminal justice system and reach their full potential.

Contract Financial Manager

Kathy Maestas

Kathy Maestas is an independent consultant working with a variety of local nonprofits and small businesses and has more than 25 years of experience. Kathy holds a B.S. in Accounting from The University of Denver and a Masters of Public Administration with a Concentration in Nonprofit Organizations from the University of Colorado at Denver Graduate School of Public Affairs. Many of Kathy’s interests include working with youth, the Latino community, women of color, and the disability community. Often her efforts are through informal means such as meeting individually with people one on one. Kathy finds joy in assisting people and organizations behind the scenes, empowering them, watching them grow and finding their own version of success, and always being there for support and to cheer them on as needed! Kathy has a sincere passion for helping people and building strong long-lasting relationships, which is evident in both her professional and personal life. Kathy is most proud of her three children, Sierra, Sage & Sofia.

Healthy Hood Initiative Program Manager

Paloma Soto

Paloma Soto Leyva started off with CCFC as a youth when she was in high school, participating in Xinatchli and Hueliti. She started volunteering and interning and got hired as a Program Assistant for the Healthy Hood Initiative. Paloma now coordinates the program which is responsible for feeding the community.vLiving around the Globeville/North Washington area her whole life, Paloma experienced the impacts of food apartheid. It was a challenge for her community to have access to nutritious, affordable food. The impact she wants to have on her community is to lift that financial burden for families and give them access to nutritious and culturally relevant food, with the dignity families deserve. To be and show up as your best self, you must eat- eat good food.