Gilbert Achay spent over a decade in local and national nonprofits, engaged in youth programs and health advocacy. For nine years he worked at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, serving the company’s philanthropic initiatives on health and racial equity. He is also a diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant with the Sankofa Leadership Network. 

Originally from Hawai’i, Gilbert grew up learning about his grandparents’ experiences as union workers in the sugarcane plantation fields. This spurred his interest in organizing and contributing to social causes that address power imbalances. He has a B.S. degree from the University of Minnesota, with concentrations in Child Development, Psychology, and Holistic Health, and is a graduate student in counseling psychology at Saint Mary’s University.  

Mollie A Bailey has a BA in Hospitality, Meeting and Travel Administration from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She is a proud mama to her daughter and son, she has worked for the department for 12 years and one fun fact is her given name is Mallene which is of Norwegian origin.

Liz Bell has a BS in Hotel Administration. She lives in Basalt (near Aspen) and is part of the PEACHnet PBRN. She has a background in special needs advocacy and suicide prevention and a particular interest in the intersectionality of social, physical and mental health factors in fostering wellbeing for everyone.

Andrew Bienstock, a trained practice facilitator/clinical health information technical advisor, brings his deep knowledge of clinical quality measures, strong connections to our key data partners, and experience with data on multiple practice transformation efforts in Colorado.

Kristen Blume is part of the Clinical Affairs Team and "is very happy to be a part of that wonderful group of people!" She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Biological Science and minors in mathematics and French. She spent a few years working in pain management as an office manager/practice administrator prior to coming to the university. For fun, she likes reading, skiing, hiking with her dog, and rock climbing. 

Taryn works on a variety of projects in the Department of Family Medicine as a Research Services Senior Professional. Xe is also a part of the Research Services Professional Leadership Team, LGBTQ+ Hub Advisory Committee, and helps to lead the DFM Gender Equity Committee. Outside of the University of Colorado, Taryn is an inclusive yoga instructor and offers trainings in adapting yoga instruction to create Body Positive and LGBTQIA+ inclusive spaces. Xe also has their BA in Art History.

Veronica Russell is a Business Services Professional and has her BA in Quality Systems Management and her MA in Organizational Leadership.

Danika Buss is a Research Services Professional and has their BA.

Natalie Buys leads the AMC Research Administration Information Network (RAIN).

Michael began his time with the Department of Family Medicine in December 2022, bringing with him acute care, emergency care, ambulatory care, surgical services, and higher education strategic planning, finance, and operations experience of over 20 years. Michael earned a Master of Science in Health Services Administration from Regis University and has been a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality for over 12 years. My role encompasses budgeting, financial analysis, and resource management, all aimed at supporting our mission, “To heal, teach, discover, and connect. Together.”

Liz Campbell has been the Communications Program Manager for the Department of Family Medicine since October of 2023. She oversees the Communications Specialist, makes web edits, leads strategic communications efforts, sends or guides internal communications, and more! Liz has a BA in English and Communications from Chestnut Hill College, with minors in both Business and Art History. Formerly, she was the Director of Advancement Communications at Haverford College in Pennsylvania, where she worked for 11 years. 

Vanessa Case is a Program Manager at the Farley Health Policy Center and Senior Research and Policy Analysis Professional in the CU Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She received her Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology, is working toward a master’s in health administration (10/2025), and has researched and managed in multiple disciplines. Her interests are in improving health care for groups that have conflicts with health care systems' current level of accessibility.

James Chin is a Senior Finance Director and has his MS in Accounting from NYU Stern School of Business.

Ryan Coel is an IT Senior Professional and has his BS in Information Technology Management from University of Wisconsin–Stout.

Lauri Connelly, MS, is a Research Services Principal Professional who has worked with the Department of Family Medicine for the past seven years. She has a BA in psychology and an MS in occupational therapy. Her clinical interests include health promotion, education, and patient-centered outcomes.

Kristen Curcija is a Research Services Senior Professional and the coordinator for the High Plains Research Network (HPRN) and has been with the Department of Family Medicine since May 2016. Her research experience and interests include diabetes, loneliness, drug and alcohol screening, treatment for opioid use disorder, and improving mental health in rural communities. Kristen has experience in quantitative and qualitative data collection, management, and analysis through survey administration and key informant interviews.  She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Benedictine University and a Bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Kansas State University.

Kyra deGruy Kennedy has over a decade of experience in policy and community change and has played a critical role in the passage of more than 50 state policies in Colorado. Having started her career as a care manager for a primary care clinic, she’s dedicated her life to creating more access and affordability to quality health for Coloradans. When she’s not spending her time fighting to build a better future, she can be found in nature with her husband and daughter, or gardening in their suburban farm. She also has her BS in Integrative Medicine and BS in Biology.