Meet our Experts in Colorado:
Penny Brenden – Denver
Donna Evans – Denver
Donna Deteau – Denver
Kristie Bender-Carey – Colorado Springs
Penny Brenden – Denver
Penny Brenden, a born connector, is known as the “Networking Queen” in the Denver Metro area. Growing up in Littleton, Colorado, she has done everything from owning Penny Bright Housecleaning when she was 18, to managing a restaurant with over 60 employees. Never meeting a stranger, Penny has a way of building a connection to everyone she meets and then making sure that she shares that connection with others.
Most entrepreneurs are lacking in the basic skill of how to network and Penny helps them to feel more comfortable and confident in any networking atmosphere. She does this through her Art of Networking Seminars and The Connecting Experts trade shows. As a member and leader of many organizations around Denver, Penny continues to grow her connections and make new friends wherever she goes. She is THE person to know!
Her desire is to help you get connected with the people you need in your life and business
Click here to explore further with Penny
Donna Evans – Denver
Donna uses her extensive corporate, higher education and non-profit experience in strategic planning, career coaching, human resources, organizational development, community and business advancement and marketing and communications helping professionals realize their market and growth potential. She has been a keynote speaker and led training and development workshops on various topics to hundreds of leaders.
Donna served in human resources in a large technology company hiring full-time employees in engineering, IT, finance and administration and manufacturing, among others. Additionally, she founded and ran a large temporary staffing agency placing hundreds of temporaries in numerous jobs. She has been responsible for professional development and training across multiple locations for hundreds of employees and is well versed in organizational development and strategic planning. As the president & CEO of a large Chamber of Commerce she led significant growth initiatives in all aspects of the organization experiencing a 280% growth in budget and 260% growth in participation. She is particularly proud of creating the Top 25 Most Powerful Women event and founding the Women’s Leadership Foundation.
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Donna Deteau – Denver
Donna has worked for both large corporations and nonprofits. In addition, she founded and ran three businesses in the course of her 40+ career years. For the past several years, she has been a consultant to nonprofit Executive Directors. Her business expertise includes strategic planning, networking and connecting, organizational development, and marketing and communications, with an emphasis on business and relationship building.
Donna’s greatest strengths are problem solving, creative thinking, and creating/nurturing relationships and communty. This led her to create highly successful fundraisers for nonprofits, lead Boards of Directors in collaborative & effective decision-making, and coach Executive Directors/CEO’s in growing their businesses. She has been a keynote speaker and recently developed/led workshops in preventing burnout among executives. Donna believes strongly in giving back and volunteerism and to that end, for the past five years, she has provided holiday meals to a Denver nonprofit that serves adults with mental disabilities.
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Kristie Bender-Carey – Colorado Springs
Kristie is a licensed business consultant who uses her extensive and very successful business background to assist companies in realizing their full market potential by using strategic planning, career consulting, human resources, organizational development, community involvement and business advancement through marketing and communications. She is quick to point out one of her many strengths, “I focus on ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking, offering creative financing solutions and providing business clients with a high level of service.” She has been responsible for professional development and training across multiple locations for their employees and clients, she is well versed in organizational development and strategic planning. Besides talent acquisition, she is experienced in the rapid transition of new employees, workforce retention, professional development, performance planning/evaluation and coaching for success and has keynote speaking experience before large groups.
Kristie began her financial services career in 1980 with Shearson American Express in Iowa. For 20 years she was owner and president of American Finance Inc., a commercial real estate lender in Colorado Springs. She transitioned into the banking world as Vice President for Business Development with one of Colorado Spring’s largest banks and then Market President for two other large, publicly traded banks in town. Kristie is a member of Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and served on their Board of Directors. She is a member of the Colorado Springs Housing and Building Association, Colorado Business Women, National Association of Women in Construction, Realtors Commercial and Industrial Society and the Pikes Peak Association of Realtors.
She has been recognized many times as a true community top business performer, being voted one of Colorado Spring’s “Women of Influence”. She has been featured in the Business Journal’s “One-on-One” Column, and in the Style magazine as one of Colorado Springs “People to Know”.
Kristie is a member of the American Paint Horse Association, a volunteer certified family investigator for the Pikes Peak Region CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates for Children) and has been involved in fundraising efforts for the Diabetes Foundation. She is on the Board of Directors for the local Alzheimer Association and served as a member the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Board for Directors.
She and her husband run a working cattle ranch outside of Colorado Springs, have 5 children and 5 grandchildren.