Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock
MICHAEL B. HANCOCK is Denver’s 45th mayor, and second African American to hold this position. Raised in the Mile High City since 10 months old, his passion for Denver and its people continue to drive the work that he and his Administration do each day.
With an equity-focused approach, Mayor Hancock has prioritized investing in the city’s children and youth, started record investment in affordable housing and tripled funding for services for those experiencing homelessness, hired more police and firefighters to keep our residents safe, and embraced technology as a Smart City to make government resources work smarter and more impactfully for residents. Mayor Hancock continues to push Denver forward as a global leader and has secured 16 direct international flights positioning the City to do business all over the world and create jobs here in the city. Under Mayor Hancock’s leadership, Denver has become known as a top U.S. city for startups, especially minority and women-owned businesses, one of the best places to live and is working to make sure that all residents, no matter which background they represent, can experience the success that Denver has experienced.
With the onset of COVID-19 hitting many U.S. cities, Mayor Hancock and his Administration quickly pivoted the City’s budget to meet the needs of Denverites, especially those who are most vulnerable and often disproportionately impacted, by securing millions of pieces of PPE for frontline workers, funding for programs to assist residents who need help paying for basic needs, including rent, utilities, mortgages, food and other shelter, and bulking up Denver’s response efforts for people experiencing homelessness. From fighting for much-needed hotel rooms, to creating two 24-hour shelters equipped with beds, restrooms, COVID-19 testing, support services and most of all a safe, warm space for our unhoused residents, Mayor Hancock continues to dedicate resources and time around-the-clock to reaching all of Denver’s residents, especially those who need it most.
Mayor Hancock received his B.A. and from Hastings College, and MPA from the University of Colorado, Denver.
The Mayor’s government service began on Denver City Council, where he served for eight years, including two terms as City Council President. His work in the community did not start there. He worked for the Denver Housing Authority and National Civic League, and was the youngest President of an Urban League chapter in America. He is a die-hard Denver Broncos fan and served as an early mascot for the football team in his youth. Mayor Hancock is 51 years old and is the proud father of three children: Alayna, Jordan and Janae. He and his wife, Mary Louise, a renowned local performing artist, have been married for 27 years.
Suzana Deng, MBBS, MHCL | Rapid Response Team Lead | Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
Dr. Suzana Deng is a COVID-19 Rapid Response Team Lead at Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
Suzana Deng is medical doctors who trained in her home country, Sudan. Due to war, she came to the United States as a refugee in 1999 and settled in Denver. She got certified by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, to start residency but decided to have a family and become a full-time homemaker.
After taking time off to raise a family, she went back to school and got a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership in Healthcare Organizations from University of Denver in 2019. She was a CLLARO Legislative Fellow at the Colorado State House of Representative in 2019. Her main he same year she was a CLLARO Fellow. Her main focus was policy analysis.
Her main interests are; Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health.
Stephanie Sandhu, MD | Family Medicine Physician | STRIDE Community Health Center
Dr. Stephanie Sandhu is a family medicine physician and the Associate Director of Clinical Quality and Clinical Risk Mitigation at STRIDE community health centers. She completed her training at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the Saint Joseph Family Medicine residency program. She was named a Pisacano Scholar in 2014.
Before entering medicine, Stephanie was a community organizer. It was through fighting for housing and labor justice that she found her passion for health equity. She has developed various trainings focused on racism in healthcare, with a particular focus on racial bias. She has lead these trainings at various residencies across the state and at the Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies (CAFMR). She has a particular interest in how the standardization of care and quality improvement can improve racial health disparities.
Stephanie is proud to work at STRIDE because she believes in their mission driven work and loves serving patients of all ages in her community.
Heather Kelly | Family Nurse Practitioner | STRIDE Community Health Center
Heather Kelly is a Family Nurse Practitioner and a Regional Medical Director at STRIDE community health centers. She completed her training at Simmons College in Boston. She has been working at STRIDE since 2011 as a Family Nurse Practitioner and feels passionate about health equity and access to care for all. Her clinical care focuses on care for the entire community, including groups that have not had access to care in the past.
Terri Richardson, MD | Family Nurse Practitioner | STRIDE Community Health Center
Dr. Richardson attended Stanford University and received a BS in biology; received MD degree from Yale University School of Medicine; and completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.
Dr. Richardson has over 32 years of experience as a clinician, health educator, mentor, and volunteer in the health arena. She is currently a board certified Internist at Kaiser Permanente, Colorado. Prior to Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Richardson worked at Denver Health for 17 years and was an Associate Professor, Department of Internal Medicine. Other past administrative positions include Program Manager Denver Health Senior Wellness Center and Medical Director of the Eastside Family Health Center.
She has served on several volunteer boards and as a speaker around health care issues impacting the African American community. Dr. Richardson is currently the CBHC Vice Chair of the board and the Chair of the Health Access Committee. Additionally, she serves as the team lead on various CBHC projects.
