Even if you are from the same neighborhood as someone else, you might still be coming from different places. Where you are from is a complicated question and it elicits complicated, but interesting and thought-provoking responses. We’ve shared some of those responses below.

Katie and Scott Hittelman | Event Designers

Scott is from New York. He did some work on and off Broadway in tech theatre as well as lighting and av for some big name musicians. His love for the theatre spills over into his creative set design and custom decor that he comes up with. He loves to think out of the box when brainstorming fun new ideas with clients and colleagues. Katie is from Southern California and brings with her a boho vibe into her floral and decor design. She seems laid back with a calm demeanor which helps keep clients’ stress under control during a big event but deep down she loves her spreadsheets and planners. Read more>>

Verona Matthews | Project Manager

I was born in South Africa. 8 years ago the company my husband works for offered him a position at their Denver offices and well here we are. It has been such a whirlwind – as I never imagined myself ever immigrating. I have a close-knit family and have worked a corporate career my entire adult life, but having this amazing opportunity present itself was a challenge I was more than willing to take. Moving to the US was an opportunity for me to reinvent myself and truly do what made me happy. Read more>>

Ian Zinner | Freelance photographer, videographer, and drone pilot

I was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and raised outside of Toronto, ON. When I was in high school, one of my main hobbies was mountain biking and I started documenting my friends and I on our bikes. That progressed into working for the school yearbook. As it came time to move onto university, I decided to major in photography, and well…the rest if history. Read more>>

Lenise Villarreal | Lover of fashion and other less shallow things

I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. My background and upbringing as a Mexican-American millennial growing up here in the 90s certainly shaped and impacted who I am today. I am proud of my family heritage, but my upbringing was culturally traditional, and I was discouraged from exploring things that did not conform to my assigned gender. Given the early 90s context, it wasn’t surprising that my parents didn’t fully understand or support my early exploration of gender boundaries. Read more>>

Andres Sosa | Live Audio Engineer

I’m originally from a town called Merida, in Venezuela. It’s a college town, surrounded by mountains, which also brings a lot of tourism as we have the highest peaks in the country. I grew up surrounded by a melting pot of different people, cultures, arts and academia. I personally attended dental school, but most of my friends attended some form of art school, or belonged to an orchestra, theatre group, or creative collective. I was so inspired by all of this that ended up joining a couple bands that quickly gained a good fan base, and we did some very interesting things. Read more>>

Sherri Mabe | Artist

Northern Colorado was home for my first 26 years, both my childhood and college years. I was born in Denver. Our family history dates back to the pioneers who settled on the eastern Colorado plains to become farmers, and also, to the Spanish settlers who migrated from the Santa Fe area to the San Luis Valley, becoming farmers and ranchers. During the 1930’s, my maternal grandmother taught school in Garcia Colorado, which is mostly a ghost town now. So, my family roots are deeply tied to Colorado. Read more>>

Joanna Meyer | Founder and Executive Director – Women, Work, & Calling

I’m a long-term Coloradan and have lived in the Denver metro area for almost 35 years. Early in my career, I traveled the world working for a global nonprofit, but when my nieces were born I knew I wanted to invest in their lives, so I came home. My father was raised on a ranch outside Ft. Morgan and I feel a deep connection to Colorado history and areas of the state beyond the Front Range. I was raised in a Christian home and faith plays a central role in my life today. Read more>>