Neal Marquez was appointed State Demographer in July 2026 after serving as the interim State Demographer since June. Prior to that role, Marquez’ focus was assessing the population dynamics of Colorado state to make informed population projections that assist in planning and research endeavors for state and local officials. Neal has represented DOLA in numerous speaking engagements across the state of Colorado, presenting on Colorado’s evolving demographic landscape. In addition, his work has been covered in a number of Colorado media outlets including the Colorado Sun, the Denver Post and Colorado Public Radio, among others. Prior to joining DOLA, he has worked with a number of state and local governments, nonprofits, and research groups conducting demographic research for planning purposes. Marquez has a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Washington as well as a Masters in Public Health from the University of Washington with a focus on statistical methods and migration.

Erik Abrahamson is a senior vice president with CBRE and has been involved in nearly $1 billion of transactions since joining the firm. Abrahamson was instrumental in CBRE’s expansion into Boulder. He brings a technical background in engineering, commercial property development, acquisition and dispositions to his agency brokerage role. Abrahamson is recognized as an expert in life science and office/flex real estate within the Boulder/Northwest Denver commercial real estate community. He has been involved in some of the region’s largest life-science transactions, and his client list includes Beacon Capital Partners, Clarion Partners, TriTower Financial Group, Steelwave, Graham Street and other institutional level owners in the greater Boulder/Denver region. Significant transactions that He has worked on include Agilent Technologies Nucleic Acid-Based Therapeutics land purchase and plant development in Frederick, a $185 million plant covering more than 135,000 square feet and Agilent Technologies’ purchase of 5555 Airport Blvd in Boulder.  Abrahamson advises institutional clients in one of the nation’s most dynamic and accelerating markets, Boulder. His knowledge and understanding of what drives the Boulder economy and what attracts tenants to Boulder makes Erik instrumental in his commercial real estate advising. Collectively, this expertise empowers his clients to effectively mitigate risk while leveraging all real estate opportunities in this evolving market.

Matt has lived in Boulder for more than 20 years. He started his time in Boulder studying astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Colorado, and later spent nearly a decade working for CU Boulder as an Astronomer and the Education Programs Manager for Fiske Planetarium. While at Fiske, Matt collaborated on several NASA research grants and produced nearly a dozen planetarium shows that are still used around the world. After leaving the University, Matt helped lead a group to create the nation’s first Dark Sky Reserve in Central Idaho. Since running for Boulder City Council in 2017, Matt has been heavily committed to local politics and advocacy. He served on a few community working groups and has been a regular advocate for flood protection, affordable housing and a more inclusive and equitable government. In 2019, Matt led the Coalition that supported progressive Boulder City Council candidates. Then in 2020, Matt led the “Our Mayor-Our Choice” ballot measure that now allows Boulder residents to elect our mayor using Ranked Choice Voting. Matt is currently a small business owner as a professional photographer, freelance astronomer and volunteers on a number of non-profit boards that support his values of environmental conservation, community stewardship and childhood education.

As Managing Director for Savills, Patrick Brady has committed his career to solely advising occupiers of real estate, helping them turn their facilities into a strategic business advantage. Through his tenure, he has developed an expertise in analyzing real estate portfolios, managing transactions, structuring complex financial solutions, risk mitigation and real estate cost reduction, all through real estate sales, leases and build-to-suits. Through his experience, he has built a strong understanding of how unique business needs – growth trajectories, budget projections, labor cost, and workplace optimization – affect real estate needs, both economically and operationally. Patrick joined Savills in 2013 after working as an executive for a boutique tenant advisory firm, where he grew the headcount of the company by over 450%. For over 15 years, he has overseen over 300 transactions across 25 markets, both domestic and abroad, valued at over $995M. He serves clients across a wide breadth of industries including financial services, legal, food and beverage, technology and media, health care, and not-for-profit.

Josh is the original visionary behind the River and Woods concept. His restaurant career began when he co-founded DiningOut Magazine in 1998. Since then, he’s opened a number of restaurants in Boulder, Golden, Denver and Sun Valley, Idaho. He owns River and Woods on Pearl Street and East & Co. in Flatiron Park, and was an original founding partner in T/aco, He has invested and collaborated in Rayback Collective and Mr. Oso and co-founded Boulder Restaurant Week. Josh serves on the executive committee of Visit Boulder and the Public Policy Committee at Downtown Boulder. He’s a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and enjoys all things Colorado, including skiing and mountain biking. Originally from New Jersey, Josh moved to Colorado in 1997 and lives in Boulder with his wife, Kate, and their two sons.

Jennifer Fox is the primary owner and managing broker of Fox Property Management, where she and her team oversee the management of over 1,200 investment properties across Boulder County and beyond. Since founding FPM in 2002, Jennifer has built a reputation for growth, both within her company and across the broader real estate market. Her leadership has driven significant expansion, attracting a diverse client base and creating innovative business opportunities. As a real estate investment expert and market authority, Jennifer is a trusted resource for clients seeking to maximize their property investments. She offers specialized guidance to long-term investors, helping them prepare homes for sale and navigate the complexities of the real estate market. Her ability to anticipate market trends and provide strategic advice has made her a sought-after thought leader in the industry. Jennifer is actively involved in the real estate and local business communities. She is a member of the NARPM, Boulder Business RAISE, and 100+ Women Who Care. Additionally, she shares her expertise by serving on several nonprofit boards, including the Albion Colorado Soccer Club, Fairview Choir Organization and the Dickinson Family Foundation where she contributes her knowledge of business development, culture and operations.

Charlene Hoffman is CEO of Visit Boulder, the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. At 26, Hoffman co-owned a Chicago software engineering firm. After moving to Boulder in 1997, she became the highest-ranking female executive at a global CAD/CAM software company. At Visit Boulder, she led the creation of a lodging assessment district that gives the city’s tourism marketing a dedicated, long-term funding source, and she played a major role in bringing the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder beginning in 2027. That work earned her the 2025 Governor’s Award for Outstanding Colorado Tourism Champion. She also oversees business operations at Larry’s Boot Fitting during ski season, and lives in Boulder with her husband and three children.

Bill Holicky is involved in a variety of project types in addition to participating extensively in the local and regional planning and design community.  He has served on the City of Boulder Planning Board, the City’s Affordable Housing Task Force, and the PD&S Advisory Board. He has taught Architectural Design at the University of Colorado, provided expert testimony for the Congressional Hearing on Energy Efficient Planning and TOD, and has served on the Boulder Design Advisory Board.  Bill has been the architect of many of Coburn’s distinguished projects and has headed projects receiving awards from the EPA, Historic Boulder, Sunpower, NAHRO and others. Red Oak Park, for which he was the Project Architect, won the Urban Land Institute Global Award for Excellence. The Commons, another award-winning project he led, was the first large scale multi-tenant net-zero building in the country.  He specializes in planning and entitlements, mixed-use projects, multi-family housing, affordable housing, retail, office, and breweries. He has extensive experience in sustainable design with projects ranging from net-zero energy to LEED platinum. Bill has an undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and a Masters from the University of Colorado. He is a registered architect in Colorado and is a member of the American Institute of Architects.

Kristofer Johnson, AICP, PLA, is the Comprehensive Planning Senior Manager for the City of Boulder and guides the city’s long range land use planning, historic preservation, urban design, and urban wildlife programs. Previously, he served as a Principal City Planner for Urban Design with the City and County of Denver, and as a private sector landscape architect and planner focusing on projects that highlighted quality design, environmental stewardship, and livable neighborhoods. In his current role, Kristofer collaborates with community members, policy makers, and city staff from multiple departments to develop and implement Boulder’s land use policies through the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. He holds an undergraduate degree in Botany from the University of Wyoming, a graduate degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois, and a graduate certificate in Real Estate Investment from Harvard University.

Jay Kalinski is the owner and managing broker of Re/Max of Boulder and owner of Re/Max Elevate. He is an experienced lawyer, Realtor, and veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Kalinski grew up in and around Boulder, obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado Boulder, his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley Law School, and  his MBA from the University of Colorado.  He also leads the Kalinski Team, which has more than a decade of experience helping people buy and sell real estate along the Front Range.

Joseph Logan is co-founder of the Colorado Innovation Institute, a long-term initiative focused on growing Colorado’s economy, attracting innovation capital, and creating jobs and opportunities across the state. His current work examines the connected conditions that determine whether innovative companies start, grow, and remain here, including policy, capital, talent, infrastructure, housing affordability, and the cost of doing business. For more than 25 years, Joseph has worked as a strategic advisor, executive coach, and forecaster to founders, CEOs, leadership teams, and investors navigating structural shifts before they become consensus. He helps organizations translate emerging economic, technological, and workforce signals into decisions about strategy, growth, and organizational design. He is also the founder of The Expansion Effect and writes The Build, a recurring BizWest column on the leadership moments, team dynamics, and strategic shifts that determine whether companies scale or stall.

Ben Molk serves as managing director for Crescent Real Estate LLC and is based in Denver. His responsibilities include oversight of the office vertical. In this role he is responsible for acquisitions, dispositions and asset management, as well as working jointly with the leasing and property management teams in Crescent markets. Previously at Crescent he oversaw over 1 billion dollars in acquisitions, management and dispositions and directly managed all phases of the firm’s Boulder assets. Molk joined Goff Capital Partners as vice president in February 2007 prior to its conversion to Crescent Real Estate LLC in 2016. While at GCP, he was involved in the acquisition of more than 1 million square feet of office. Prior to joining GCP, Molk worked at Chotin Asset Management where he developed the bond surveillance software and acquisitions models utilized in the re-securitization of over 6 billion dollars of mortgage-backed securities. Molk graduated from The University of Montana in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science.

Isabella is the Senior Project Manager for Economic Development for the City of Lafayette, where she leads initiatives to support small business growth and attraction, and collaborates with partner organizations to advance strategic priorities. Previously she managed business retention and attraction efforts in Lakewood. Isabella’s original passion for Economic Development started in Florida with the cities of Orlando, and Largo where she led annexations and negotiated incentive agreements, resulting in more than $30M of new taxable value (pre-development). She holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Central Florida and is a Certified Economic Developer. In her free time, you can find Isabella exploring all Colorado has to offer.

Danica is founder and owner of Trestle Strategy Group, a real estate strategy and planning firm specializing in custom, collaborative consulting for complex real estate development projects. Trestle’s success is grounded in Danica’s extensive network and her ability to bring new vision and ideas to projects in order to build capacity, develop strategic alliances, empower community support, and implement innovative solutions. Working as a consultant to developers, nonprofits, governmental agencies, schools and universities, Danica has a proven track record for directing and managing a diverse portfolio of projects. Her background in urban planning, real estate, environmental science, marketing, and sustainability, combined with a community focused mindset, provides a unique perspective for pursuing non formulaic approaches to design and urban planning challenges. As an advocate for affordable housing solutions and community focused outcomes, Danica has partnered with local municipalities to implement several post flood recovery and resilience based projects in Colorado, including affordable replacement housing in Lyons and a multi-year stabilization project for an existing mobile home park in Boulder.

Ellen Robertson is a dynamic and talented program and project coordinator with expertise and interest in economic and community development, public policy, youth development, leadership, and research. Her background includes extensive economic research experience and work with a number of groups, including the American Peace Corps of Albania and the United States Trade Representatives (USTR), on creating tangible and feasible local development and economic policy changes. She is passionate about researching and analyzing complex issues to come to effective, logical answers.

Heidi Schamber is a partner and commercial real estate broker at Market Real Estate in Boulder, Colorado, specializing in commercial leasing and sales as well as multifamily acquisitions and dispositions. Since entering brokerage in 2016, she has closed more than $200 million in transactions, building on a career that began in portfolio management in 2007. Heidi is a dedicated advocate for small businesses and investors across Boulder County and beyond, known for creative problem-solving and a hands-on approach to every deal. Off the clock, she’s a proud “boy mom” of two and runs a semi-farm homestead with chickens and goats. She brings the same hustle and heart to real estate that she does to running a household, emergency snacks included.

With more than a decade of public administration and economic development experience, Jeff Schreier leads initiatives that foster business growth and community engagement. Currently serving the City and County of Broomfield, he has created and restructured local incentive and assistance programs, enhanced business outreach, and developed strategic partnerships to drive economic vitality. His past roles include the town administrator for Eaton, where he managed community development, the local Housing Authority, and infrastructure planning. Jeff holds an M.A. in Political Science from CU Denver.

As president and CEO of the Boulder Chamber, Tayer leads the organization that serves as Boulder’s unified voice for business interests, advances the community’s economic vitality, and provides valuable business support services. Prior to joining the Boulder Chamber in 2012, Tayer was public affairs and communications director for the pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Roche Colorado Corp., and policy development director in the Boulder city manager’s office. Tayer also spent six years as the Boulder area’s elected representative to the Regional Transportation District. A native of Brookline, Massachusetts, Tayer earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, spent a couple of years working on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, and moved to Boulder 31 to earn a law degree from the University of Colorado. He now resides in south Boulder with his wife, Molly, and enjoys playing in the outdoors, accessing local cultural attractions and generally loves his community.

High-energy, personal commitment and top-quality service with a smile make Lisa Wade one of Boulders’ Realtors of our time. Having lived in the area most of her life, she can help you find exactly what you’re looking for, and/or knows your neighborhood well. Averaging $9 million in sales each year with approx 25 sides, ½ listing and ½ buyers, Lisa maintains a busy Real Estate business. But never too busy to give personal attention to her clientele or their referrals. Serving areas from Boulder south to Thornton, north to Loveland, east to Erie and west to Estes Park.

As the Associate VP of Economic Vitality and Special Projects, Matt doggedly pursues ways to create and connect opportunities between businesses, job seekers, and burgeoning professionals of Boulder and its surrounding communities. Matt has over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications related to business development and K-12 education. Prior to his role with the Boulder Chamber, he served as the Director of Community and Business Development of St. Vrain Valley Schools, where he helped align career technical education with pertinent skill building activities, local industry needs, and regional workforce initiatives. Over the past three years, Matt has assumed leadership roles with several chambers, economic development, workforce, and sector partnership boards. He takes a hands-on approach with this work and looks for ways to simplify systems, share impactful stories, and build relationships that improve the economic vitality of our local community. 

Mark Woulf has been with the city since 2018, serving first as a senior manager in Community Vitality before becoming lead of the budget team in 2021. In this key strategic role, Mark developed and oversaw the implementation of a strategic and more coordinated budget process that seeks to align funding with key priorities and demonstrated outcomes. Under his leadership, the city has made significant strides in budgeting for resilience during uncertain and constrained times. 

Mark has also distinguished himself as a trusted advisor across the organization in understanding both gaps and opportunities, identifying and distilling policy options, and collaborating with colleagues and external partners to address challenges. 

Prior to coming to Boulder, Mark served as assistant city manager with the City of Englewood, as well as director of Food and Alcohol Policy for the Mayor’s Office in Madison, Wisconsin. He has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado-Denver and a bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Christopher Wood is editor and publisher of BizWest, a regional business journal covering Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer and Weld counties. Wood co-founded the Northern Colorado Business Report in 1995 and served as publisher of the Boulder County Business Report until the two publications were merged to form BizWest in 2014. From 1990 to 1995, Wood served as reporter and managing editor of the Denver Business Journal. He is a Marine Corps veteran and a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder. He has won numerous awards from the Colorado Press Association, Society of Professional Journalists and the Alliance of Area Business Publishers.

Vanessa Zarate serves as economic-vitality manager for the City of Louisville. As an experienced economic developer, Zarate works  closely with private and public-sector partners to create strong, diverse and sustainable communities. She  has a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the University of Denver and is a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council. She also has a real estate license. Zarate is skilled at analytical thinking, problem-solving, public speaking, and social networking. She uses those skills to identify and attract new businesses, facilitate site selection, development and redevelopment, provide incentives and assistance, and foster partnerships and collaboration among stakeholders. She has successfully recruited large employers to my communities as well as supported many local businesses throughout creation, growth and continued success. She works closely with utility operators, workforce development agencies and quality of life businesses to help ensure that people and businesses are not only welcome, but can thrive in my community. She is passionate about making a positive impact on the local economy and the quality of life of the residents.