SPONSOR A PORTRAIT
Debra Bueno
Advocate for Latino Children
Debra empowers youth and has decades of being a community advocate for at risk Latina children. She grew up in a family of migrant farm workers. Debra, working at and as the Director of the North Side Aztlan Center over 30 years, created numerous clubs and classes to keep youth off the streets and out of trouble. Debra has also been the Board Chair for the Cinco De Mayo festival in Fort Collins for many years prior to her retirement.
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Dr. Carole Makela
Collegiate Innovator/Advocate Mentoring Women
Carole is a professor in School of Education and the first recipient of the Faculty Council Harry Rosenberg Distinguished Service Award (outstanding individual service to CSU Faculty Council). She has been a leader on the University Curriculum Committee for many years and has made extraordinary service contributions to the School of Education, the College of Health and Human Science, CSU, and the field of Family and Consumer Sciences for many decades. Carole received the Soroptimist Making a Difference Award for Women in 2015 for inspiring and encouraging other women. Her impact continues as a collaborator, mentor, advisor, professor, and community volunteer. Carole helped to establish the local Better Business Bureau and the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Northern Colorado.
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Donna Visocky
Enterprising Business Woman/Advocate for Impoverished Young Women
Donna was owner of Bella Spark magazine and creator of Evening of Extraordinary People Series. When Donna lost her youngest child to a car accident, her world came crashing down. Donna created the Kristi Visocky Memorial Golf Tournament and Kristi’s Big Night Out. These events were to give back to the community by providing scholarships for impoverished young women to attend higher education to help them break the chain of poverty. Through her Extraordinary People Series, Donna brought leading edge speakers to our community such as Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer.
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Ida Patterson
Healthcare/One of Fort Collin's First RN's
Deceased
Ida was one of the first two nurses at the Fort Collins Hospital which was located at the corner of Olive and Mathews streets. In the Fort Collins.
"Miss Ida Patterson, of Fort Collins, Colorado who has been visiting Millwaukee relatives for a few weeks has just entered the Elms Hospital, where she will prepare herself for duties of a trained nurse." (Telegraph from Milwaukee WI, June 21, 1904)
"Miss Ida Patterson started on the 2nd , for Milwaukee, where she will spend a few days with her cousin, Margret Watrous, before beginning a two year course in the hospital as a nurse." (Rocky Mountain Collegian, Volume III, Number 9, May 1, 1894)
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Dr. Jan Carroll
Advocate for Families, Children & Single Mom’s
Retired, previous CSU Extension Director for Federal and Civic Engagement, Jan serves and has served in numerous roles at CSU and the state in support of families and children. Jan, a long- time member of the Junior League of Fort Collins, was a charter member of the Women Give organization that provides scholarships to single moms to help pay for child care as they complete their education. Her insightful projects through CSU Extension has impacted not only our community, but the nation and international women/girls as well. Jan has also invested her time in service to youth and families at risk and has provided training programs for individuals through the United Way, Loaned Executive and Board of Directors. Jan has committed her entire life to service in support of other, especially youth, single mom’s and families.
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Libby James
Athlete/Accomplished Distance Runner & Mentor for Girls
Libby is one of the most accomplished distance runners on the planet having only begun her running career at age 40. She is a freelance writer and a children’s book author and has mentored young girls for over 12 years in a Climb Wyoming program. She is still a mentor to young and older adults. Libby logged her first world record in 2011 for the 75-79 age division at the Bolder Boulder 10K.
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Mable Evelyn Gormley Preble
Attorney/First Woman Mayor of Fort Collins 1972
Deceased 2018
While at CSU, Mable obtained her graduate degree in Counseling and was a counselor in student health prior to the pursuit of her law degree at age 50. She became the first woman Mayor of Fort Collins in 1972 where she championed the city through the “Designing Tomorrow for Today” initiative. She helped bring to fruition a new city library, the Lincoln Center, the Poudre River Parkway, Transfort and Care-a-Van among many other pro-Fort Collins projects. She practiced law in Fort Collins and in 1986 became the judge for the 8th Judicial District of Colorado. She was the first woman in Fort Collins to join the bench. Mable has received many awards over the years.
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Marcile Wood
Educator and Advocate for Women
Deceased
Marcile developed and directed CSU’s adult education programs and co-chaired the CSU Women in Development Committee. Marcile helped to establish the Volunteers Clearing House in 1967 and the United Day Care Center and the Women’s Center in Fort Collins in 1970. The Marcile N. Wood Award was created by the City of Fort Collins Women’s Commission in 1992 to recognize the efforts of people in our community whose volunteer or professional work improves the quality of life for women in Fort Collins.
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