Nick is a Colorado native, born and raised in Pueblo. As a first-generation college student, he believes deeply in advancing educational opportunities for all Colorado Latino students. Nick has over 20 years of national experience in philanthropy and non-profit leadership. He also has a background in higher education, having worked in various leadership roles at the University of Chicago, DePaul University, and the University of Denver. He earned his BA in Anthropology from the University of Chicago and MS in Public Service Management from DePaul University. Nick currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Colorado Nonprofit Association. In 2024, Nick was appointed by Governor Jared Polis to the America 250—Colorado 150 Commission, in partnership with History Colorado. He is also a proud and active alumnus of the National Hispanic Institute (NHI), a nationally recognized non-profit organization focused on engaging Latino high school youth in community leadership opportunities that advance our quality of life. In 2022, he was honored as the NHI Person of the Year.

Email: nlopez@laef.org

Sarah Alarcon is a proud Chicana from Texas and a former high school English teacher, swim coach, and financial advisor. Sarah taught abroad in Colombia and Spain where she infused her passion for poetry into teaching high school students English. Sarah received her BA in English & Creative Writing from Texas A&M University and her Secondary Education Certification from the University of Texas at Austin. She also holds FINRA Series 7 & 66 Licenses. Sarah is deeply committed to community engagement and is a member of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) Denver Chapter. As an educator and finance professional, her ganas for growing educational pathways for students, building wealth in the Latine community, and serving as an engaged leader in our community is undeniable. Sarah is excited to be a part of the LAEF team at this pivotal time in its history as we plan and build for the future.

Email: salarcon@laef.org

Melissa is a proud LAEF alum and first-generation college graduate committed to expanding educational access and success. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Colorado State University in Fort Collins and a Master of Arts in Counselor Education, with a specialization in School and Career Counseling, from the University of Colorado Denver. Over the past nine years, she has led the design and implementation of innovative programs that celebrate diverse communities, foster meaningful partnerships, and empower scholars to succeed.

Email: mmuniz@laef.org

Lia holds a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with concentrations in Political Science and History from The Florida State University and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration and Leadership (HEAL) from Adams State University. With over 25 years of experience in youth leadership development, Lia believes everyone has the capacity for leadership and a responsibility to being active members of their communities. Previously, she served as the director of the HEAL graduate program at Adams State University and was a regional project administrator for the Colorado Trust, a health equity foundation. Additionally, she is a member of the National Hispanic Institute’s Board of Trustees and served as the Education Director for their Colorado Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Session from 2010 to 2021.

Email: lcarpio@laef.org

Kourtney oversees accounting & finance at LAEF.  She brings 15 years of professional experience where prior, she was a Finance Director for a large non-profit organization with locations in Colorado and Utah, managing account staff and all aspects of financial management for activities throughout North and South America, as well as managing accounting for a family business during this time. Kourtney has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Phoenix and an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree in accounting from Mesa University. She is also an Intuit Quickbooks Pro Advisor. Kourtney is the owner and founder of Onward Financial.

Erika received her bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of San Diego, California. She went on to pursue her M.Ed. in Educational Counseling from National University. She comes to LAEF and InsideTrack with 10+ years working in a K-12 school setting, along with 4 years of retail banking. Her passion has always been helping others at any capacity but found her calling in academic counseling. Her coaching strategies consist of believing that we are all capable of fulfilling our personal and academic goals, so long as a game plan is in place.