CBCA Welcomes Seven New Members to the Board of Directors

April Audain, MHA, joined Denver Health as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in September 2024. She is an accomplished health care finance professional with more than 17 years of experience in three different health care organizations, including 12 years at Parkland Health, a safety net health system. Audain has a Master’s Degree in Healthcare Administration and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

As CFO, Audain oversees the development and administration of financial policy and financial operations in the accounting, budget, business development, supply chain/procurement, the Denver Health Medical Plan (DHMP), revenue cycle, reimbursement, master planning/real estate, and banking/treasury management, contract management, financial audits, and compliance spaces.

Beth Moyski is passionate about creating vibrant, welcoming spaces in the heart of Denver. As Senior Vice President at the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP), she leads efforts to enhance the Downtown Environment and as part of the DDP Executive Management Team works to shape the city’s future and economic health. She also serves as Executive Director for the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District and the 14th Street General Improvement District. Beth’s career has always centered on building strong communities. Before joining DDP in 2014, she held leadership roles in local government as Assistant Town Manager for the Town of Superior and with the City of Greenwood Village. She also worked at the Colorado State Capitol supporting a State Senate Majority Leader, partnered with the Urban Land Institute on projects, and consulted on behalf of several local
governments and nonprofits.

Beth holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Colorado-Denver. She’s an alum of the International Downtown Association’s Emerging Leader Fellowship program and has a long history of community involvement—from volunteering at the Denver Art Museum for more than a decade to serving on boards like the Starlight Children’s Foundation and PlatteForum. Today, she’s Chair of the Board for the Downtown Denver Expeditionary School. Beth believes in the power of collaboration and creativity to make cities thrive—and she’s committed to making Downtown Denver a place where everyone feels at home.

Chris Otto is the office managing partner of the Plante Moran's Fort Collins office, where he helps lead manufacturing client teams for the Rocky Mountain region. He specializes in helping a wide range of family-owned and closely held businesses in the manufacturing and distribution, real estate, healthcare, publishing, and other industries reach their goals. Otto's experience spans over 30 years, and in addition to his audit background, he has experience in fraud prevention, forensic accounting, and litigation support and helps to grow the firm’s fraud prevention and detection practice.

Otto is a member of the AICPA, Colorado Society of CPAs, Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and Forensic CPA Society. He graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.S. in accounting and German studies. So, he's a big Kansas basketball fan. Rock…Chalk…Jayhawk!

Otto is often asked to speak at industry trade conferences and in front of client boards on fraud prevention and other related topics. Locally, he's been honored to be a board or committee member of many worthy organizations such as the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, the Fort Collins Foothills Rotary Club, the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce, SummitStone Health Partners, and more. Recently, Otto was named one of the Top 50 Most Influential Business Leaders according to BizWest. Past awards have included “40 Under 40” in Fort Collins by BizWest and Volunteer of the Year award from the Fort Collins Chamber of Commerce.

Time with his wife and children is always precious, and they have been fortunate to have the opportunities to travel as a family.

Fun fact: Otto really enjoys painting landscapes in the Bob Ross style. He tries to take a Bob Ross class once a quarter. He has some finished works in his office for clients, colleagues, and friends to see.

Daisy Fodness-McGowan is a longtime nonprofit executive, curator, and arts administrator with more than twenty years of experience leading cultural organizations, advancing arts education, and building community-centered creative initiatives across Colorado. As Executive Director of the RiNo Art District and Keep RiNo Wild, Fodness-McGowan oversees strategic planning, fundraising, financial sustainability, cultural facilities, creative placemaking, and district-wide programming, while strengthening public-private partnerships, governance systems, and artist-centered community development.

Previously, Fodness-McGowan served as Executive Director of Think 360 Arts for Learning, Colorado’s statewide arts education nonprofit. From 2010-2022, she led the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) Galleries of Contemporary Art across two campus locations. At UCCS, Daisy played a central role in a major capital campaign that brought the multi-venue Ent Center for the Arts online, and she helped launch and expand a significant public sculpture program for the university. She has a B.A. in Studio Art and a Masters in Public Administration.

Dana Manyothane has been a leader in Colorado’s cultural sector for more than a decade and has served on the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) staff since 2017. A Denver native, she previously served as Executive Director of the Colorado Black Arts Festival, where she helped strengthen statewide visibility for Black artists and expanded community participation. She currently chairs the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility (EIDA) Committee for the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA) and has served as a grant panelist for Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, supporting equitable public investment in arts organizations. Her volunteer work includes the African Leadership Group, the Colorado African Organization, and leadership roles with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., where she advances international awareness, cultural education, and women-centered initiatives.

Manyothane holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder and is the recipient of multiple recognitions, including the Denver Business Journal’s Leaders in Diversity Award, International Women’s Day Breaking Barriers Award from the African Leadership Group, and a Torch of Excellence Award nomination through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Outside of work, she is married and the proud mother of four, and enjoys terra cotta pot painting, reading, hiking, and attending cultural events. She has completed both a half-marathon and a full marathon.

Jesse Martinez is the CEO/Chief Social Impact Officer at Empowered, a nonprofit, arts, education, and community-driven consulting group. He is a seasoned leader with 20 years of experience in the education and the nonprofit space, dedicated to fostering equity and empowerment through community engagement. His analytical and strategic mind, coupled with effective management skills, has enabled him to successfully navigate complex environments and drive impactful initiatives. As a mission-driven professional, Martinez consistently demonstrates a proven ability to set and achieve ambitious goals. His career is marked by a track record of initiating and leading transformational change, while maintaining a diplomatic and results-oriented approach.

Throughout his career, Martinez has held various leadership roles, including Manager of Family Empowerment for Denver Public Schools, Internal Operations Coordinator for the Piton Foundation, and Program Manager of the Personal Investment Enterprise Program for Foothills United Way. These experiences have equipped him with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities confronting communities today and have allowed him to develop effective strategies for fostering positive change.

At Empowered, Martinez has provided strategic guidance to nonprofit clients, aligning their missions with community needs and forging partnerships with key stakeholders for deepened impact. Prior to his role at Empowered, Martinez served as the Executive Director of the Mexican Cultural Center and the Director of Community Support & Education at the Colorado Symphony, where he developed award-winning programs that celebrated cultural heritage and diversity. His ability to think creatively and translate ideas into action has made him a valuable asset to the nonprofit sector.

Lauren Schwartz is SVP, Events & Community Engagement & Executive Director of the Colorado Chamber Alliance (CCA) at the Colorado Chamber of Commerce. She is responsible for creating meaningful opportunities for the business community to engage, build community and support the Chamber’s mission while driving revenue across the Chamber’s signature events.

In addition, Schwartz leads the Colorado Chamber Alliance, a program representing 80+ local chambers from across the state that provides professional development and peer connection programs as well as advocacy support, enabling chambers to serve as a collective voice for business in Colorado.

Outside of work, Schwartz volunteers with organizations that have special meaning to her including serving as past president of the board for Susan G. Komen Colorado, and immediate past president for the Colorado Mountain Club Foundation.

Schwartz is married with three step-kids and a Bernedoodle. She’s an avid skier and hiker, 14er finisher, art lover and certified yoga instructor.

Schwartz earned dual Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master’s degree from the University of Denver. Originally from East Texas, she was also an AFS student, making Panama one of the places she calls home.