Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lorez Meinhold. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lorez, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

One of the moments that really shaped my worldview early on was when my aunt became paralyzed – when this happened, it changed her path. She never really focused on the things she couldn’t do or the path she couldn’t take anymore but took on every opportunity to make a change in the world. It inspired me to not be focused or bound by what is, but instead to look for what can be. So that’s how I see my leadership journey. When I see opportunities to make a difference in the world, I go for it. I see that same potential to make change for the better in every person, and in every community, that I work with. I’ve also been very fortunate to have strong mentors that have shown me the importance of servant leadership – they inspired me to pursue a life that was committed to equity, inclusive collaboration, and authenticity. I also need to recognize all the women that have surrounded me in my journey. My life has been touched, curated and uplifted by kind, smart, bold, and compassionate women of all races and identities. I am a product of those architects.

Lorez, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As the Executive Director for Caring for Denver Foundation, I am responsible for the planning, organizing, and directing of the organization’s operations and grant making. In this role I seek to bridge the gap that can exist between community and government. This role is really a culmination of the many jobs I have had in organizing community, policies and politics, and understanding how to leverage resources for needed change.

I am so proud of our journey, and so many community members have walked beside us, giving us their time, trust, and expertise. Together we have gotten more than $154m to over 256 organizations. More than 100,000 people in Denver were reached through these investments, and 9,000 Denverites received care in their communities. Together, we are changing lives and improving outcomes in our communities.

It is so important to engage community authentically in this work. We are better able to understand the problem we are seeking to solve and make sure the resources are where they need to be – in the hands of our communities. This work allows me to live out my passions – making a difference, creating systemic change, increasing equity in outcomes, and walking with community and partners in the needed change.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Being open to learning is key to success. Learning is a continuous journey in which you need to be open to introspection, feedback, and change. You have to be open to sharing personal successes, failures, and the reasons for both.

Learning in the problems you are seeking to solve creates shared knowledge. Then, you can use that knowledge to make better decisions and create better strategy (what do you want to do more of, do less, or do differently). This allows you to take on complex issues and maintain the patience to keep going. Learning also allows you to hold the “ideal” along with the “actual” as we seek to bring these two closer together.

Any advice for managing a team?

It is about seeing everyone’s strengths and investing in relationships.

You must be able to connect, motivate, and inspire a sense of ownership around purpose and shared objectives.

It’s about being authentic, approachable, vulnerable, and creating safe spaces.

It’s important to be focused on replacing ourselves – working toward a point where you are sharing your knowledge and creating opportunities for others.

Ultimately, it is about allowing people to learn into being a leader.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://caring4denver.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caring4denver/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caring4denver/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/51722982/admin/feed/posts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-vOmviIbyOz5_OolxXhOjw

Image Credits
Cyrus McCrimmon