Senior HR Leader Peer Group

2025 Participants

Amy Gannon

Amy Gannon is the Chief of Staff and People Operations at a high growth healthcare technology company. She leads the Human Resources team and partner with the senior leadership team to shape our people strategy across the organization. She is also the founder and operator of a Denver based non profit, Stronger than box. 

Rachel Jaakola

Rachel Jaakkola serves as the Director of Human Resources at Barber-Nichols, where she has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company’s HR department. Starting as the first HR employee, Rachel built the department from the ground up, creating a sustainable framework that has supported the company’s expansion. Under her leadership, Barber-Nichols has doubled its employee base in just four years and continues to grow. Before joining Barber-Nichols, Rachel gained comprehensive experience at Tri-State Generation and Transmission as part of their Leadership Rotational Program. In this role, she worked across various departments, leading recruiting, onboarding, and employee benefits administration initiatives. After her time at Tri-State, she took a personal adventure, solo backpacking across 13 countries. 

Marla Jones Newman

Marla is the Center for Investigative Reporting’s vice president of people and culture brings a wealth of experience in shaping high-performing cultures, implementing robust professional development programs, and employing best human capital practices to attract and retain talent. Marla is committed to supporting, growing, and advocating for our vital workforce. Marla has written and presented regarding talent management and DEI. 

Stephanie Muller

Stephanie Mueller is the Chief Talent Officer at George J Priester Aviation.  She has been in the HR field for 25 years with six years of service in business aviation. In her current role, she leads human resource strategy and execution. Stephanie drives initiatives in succession planning, talent management, change management, organizational performance, training, and compensation. She is responsible for driving strategic HR leadership, aligning departmental goals with the company's strategic direction. Stephanie enjoys spending time with her family and loves live music. If she were not working in Human Resources, she would love to volunteer for an innocence organization advocating for the wrongly convicted.

Diane Rudolph

Diane Rudolph has been in HR since 2014, her whole career before that was at all levels of corporate event planning. Unbridled has grown from 40 employees when she transitioned to HR to nearly 200. She started as an HR Department of One and now leads a team of 5 people. She has also been a partner in the business since 2019 and became CPO in 2023. 

Ryan Simmons

Ryan Simmons is the Vice President of Human Resources at Colorado College. Ryan is committed to developing a culture where people can thrive together and as individuals. He has been fortunate to work with organizations such as Colorado College and Children's Hospital Colorado to help them create important outcomes for people committed to important missions. 

Becky Sipson

Becky Sipson is the Director of Human Resources for Pet Scoop in Denver, Colorado. She has grown with the company for the past six years in HR, focusing on Total Rewards, Leave Management, Benefit Management, Compensation, and Conflict Resolution. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver and a background in Event Management, and she holds a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from HRCI. Becky loves dogs, and is a long time volunteer for a youth horseback riding group in Golden, CO. She is passionate about working hand in hand with leadership and operations to create a culture of transparency and inclusion. 

Shana Stovall

Shana Stovall brings over 20 years of experience as a Human Resources Professional, honed through her service in the United States Army, her work as a Department of Defense Civilian, and her role at the Community College of Denver. She retired proudly from the United States Army Reserve in December 2022 after 21 years of active and reserve service. Shana believes in the business of people, dedicating herself to keeping the “human” in Human Resources and passionately leading staff members to the resources they need to succeed. 

Alethea Taylor

Alethea Taylor is a senior HR leader a specializing in HR Operations, HR strategy, talent management, employee engagement, and benefits optimization. She focuses on designing and implementing practical, results-driven solutions that align people, processes, and business goals. With a balance of strategic insight and hands-on execution, she can help enhance HR technology, streamline talent processes, and foster high-performing workplace cultures. Her approach is rooted in collaboration, data-driven decision-making, and a passion for building great employee experiences.