The Metropolitan State University of Denver Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors committed to the ongoing support of and advocacy for the University, generating philanthropic support for institutional priorities, backing program innovation and more.
The foundation will be enhanced by the addition of five new board members dedicated to this vital work: Annie Lee, Derek Longwell, Lisa Ali, Rachel Kaygi and Mike Davis.
“We are so excited to have such a high-caliber group of community leaders joining our board and helping us support MSU Denver’s mission,” said Christine Márquez-Hudson, vice president of University Advancement and executive director of the MSU Denver Foundation.
Annie Lee, J.D., president and CEO, Colorado Access
Annie Lee, J.D., is responsible for advancing Colorado Access’ corporate mission and provides executive oversight for all programs.
Lee is a trusted leader with extensive Medicaid experience in Colorado. Before joining Colorado Access in 2022, she was the executive director of community health and Medicaid strategies at Children’s Hospital Colorado, where she led partnerships to support holistic care models that address social determinants of health. Lee also served as senior director of Medicaid and charitable coverage programs at Kaiser Permanente Colorado, leading a payment-reform initiative and growing Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) membership. Earlier, she worked at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing in CHP+ and Medicaid benefits policy.
Lee is the governor’s appointee on the board of the State of Colorado’s health-insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado.
Derek Longwell, market president, downtown Denver, FirstBank
Derek Longwell has served as the president of the downtown Denver market with FirstBank for the past two years; he was previously president of the west market. Longwell has been with FirstBank since 2005, spending much of his career in the Denver Tech Center overseeing retail offices, loan officers, employees and a portfolio of $1 billion in loans and $3 billion in deposits. His responsibilities and experience include commercial and consumer lending, business development and relationship management, financial analysis, bank operations and more.
“As a native of Colorado, I’ve seen firsthand the impact MSU Denver has on our students, our workforce and our community,” Longwell said. “I’m excited to bring my energy to a place that provides the opportunity of education to all people and has been a critical engine of talent for our state for decades.”
Lisa Ali, chief people and sustainability officer, AngloGold Ashanti
Lisa Ali joined AngloGold Ashanti in 2022, bringing her unique technical background and deep experience in strategic human resources and business transformation in the multinational extractive sector. With more than 30 years of experience, most of it in extractive industries, Ali has worked in the United Kingdom, Latin America, the Middle East and Australia.
Before AngloGold Ashanti, Ali was the chief people and sustainability officer with Newcrest Mining. She led, developed and implemented strategies for people, sustainability, social performance, health, safety, environment, and external- and government-relations functions, ensuring integration and the delivery of business objectives.
Ali was head of transformation at Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiary companies before moving to Newcrest in 2020. She also held several senior positions, including vice president of human resources and head of talent and learning at BP.
Rachel Kaygi, managing director, IRN and GSSA, (ex officio) Board of Trustees representative
Rachel Kaygi is the managing director of IRN and GSSA, a network of political consulting firms specializing in research, data, general consulting and donor advisement. She directs overall operations, including campaign development, election research and the evaluation of investments.
Kaygi has been involved in various ballot measures, candidate campaigns and public-policy discussions at the city and state levels for over two decades. She served in a leadership role for the passage of Colorado’s Independent Redistricting Commissions, sat on the executive committee of Gov. Jared Polis’ inauguration and was appointed to the governor’s task force for developing guidelines for K-12 reentry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a result of navigating Denver Public Schools for her family, Kaygi is passionate about creating opportunities for all students and understands the importance of connecting K-12 to higher education and workforce development.
Mike Davis, Ph.D., head of school, Colorado Academy
Appointed in 2007, Mike Davis, Ph.D., is the 11th head of school at Colorado Academy. He teaches history and has led innovative curriculum, skill-building, technology and school culture projects. Davis has also overseen the development of top-tier facilities and promoted equity, inclusivity and a balance of academics, arts and athletics.
Davis previously served as head of the upper school at St. Stephen’s Episcopal, a coed boarding and day school in Austin, Texas. He also chaired the History Department and the Curriculum Committee and directed the outdoor education program.
A frequent presenter at the National Association of Independent Schools, Davis has been on NAIS’ Aspiring Heads Institute faculty since 2017. He serves on the Association for Colorado Independent Schools Board, helped to establish school standards and has chaired and co-chaired numerous school evaluation teams.
Read the complete bios of all board members and learn more about the MSU Denver Foundation.
