As part of the #MyBoulderSummer series, we’re highlighting the best and brightest in various industries in Boulder, Colorado. Today, we’ll put local pioneers in the technology and education fields under the microscope to see just what effect they’re having on Boulder’s community.
Brad Feld is a venture capitalist who spends his time with his wife in Boulder and in Homer, Alaska. Brad is deeply involved in the technology industry and in supporting innovators in the field: he is a founding partner of the Foundry Group, a firm specializing in funding technological entrepreneurs and turning their business ideas into industry-leading companies. Additionally, he co-founded Techstars, an accelerator dedicated to connecting and educating those in tech startups around the world. He is also committed to using technology to improve the standard of living in communities through the Anchor Point Foundation.
Along with co-founding Techstars, David Cohen is a mentor at the company with decades of experience in the technological startup world. He has invested in companies like Uber, Twilio, FullContact, and Sphero, eventually totaling in more than $80 billion in value. He is a true entrepreneur and investor: he’s only interviewed for one job in his life, and he is currently invested in over 1000 technological startups through Techstars Ventures.
Kristen Lawrence & Leslie Newman
Kristen Lawrence and Leslie Newman are the founders of Science Galaxy, an organization aiming to revolutionize the way families and communities spend time and interact with one another. Science Galaxy partners with local and international innovators to create more pathways for children and their families to engage in meaningful STEM–science, technology, engineering, math–learning. They are interested in creating a space in Boulder where everyone can learn, create, explore, interact, and evolve. Kristen Lawrence taught Planetary Geophysics at Stanford before moving to Boulder to start Science Galaxy, and brought this passion for science, teaching, and community with her to Colorado. Leslie Newman brings years of experience in communications and the nonprofit sector to Science Galaxy, where she continues to foster curiosity and creativity in her family and community.
Terry has been in education for 23 years and is currently a fifth grade teacher at the Boulder Community School of Interactive Studies. BCSIS is forging a new path forward in education by embracing key tenets of several teaching pedagogies with the knowledge that education is constantly evolving. To that end, the school’s classes focus on unit-based project learning as opposed to separate subjects. Terry is also a faculty member at the Passageworks Institute. This nationwide organization is dedicated to creating greater social and emotional understanding and cultural responsiveness for individuals and groups. He focuses on teaching these skills to educators, making teachers and schools more inclusive.
These individuals are making Boulder, and the world, a better place through their inspiring work in the tech and education fields. Stay tuned for influencers in other industries as our #MyBoulderSummer series continues. Be sure to post pictures on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram with the hashtag #MyBoulderSummer to highlight everyday luxuries and influencers in our city. Each post enters you into random, no-contest giveaways we will hold all summer long!