There are so many factors that affect how our lives turn out, but one of the most interesting is how our backgrounds give us unique strengths and perspectives that affect who we are as adults. We asked rising stars from the community to tell us about their background and upbringing and how they feel it’s impacted who they are today.

Peggy Dietz | Fine Art Photographer

I am from the Midwest but have lived in Colorado for the last 44 years. I am one of eight children and almost all of us have pursued some form of the arts in addition to having a career. I am the only one who pursued fine art photography and got my college degree in that field. Our parents encouraged our pursuits but required that we also have skills to survive in the work place. Read more>>

Jo Taylor | Owner and Editor of Colorado Public Works Journal

I am originally from the UK and initially worked for a small start up company selling office furniture. As the company grew, so did my skills and I worked my way up in the company over the 20 years that I was there, This allowed me to learn all aspects of the business, giving me a plethora of skills that could be applied to future jobs and the ability to hone in on areas that I enjoyed most. Read more>>