Rachel has deep roots and connections in her hometown of Denver, Colorado. She has a great dedication to the arts and creative communities in Denver. Her love of the creative community grew from a desire to connect with like-minded people and to give back. She found her chosen family through the arts, social justice pursuits and through community advocacy particularly for immigrant and refugee communities. Rachel has gained a sense of belonging within the arts and creative communities and they have endowed upon her the beauty of cultural traditions she is proud to pass along to her daughter, Annalisia. Rachel graduated from the University of Colorado at Denver with a Bachelors of Science in Business Management and earned a Certificate in Executive Leadership with an emphasis on the issues and challenges affecting the Latinx Community/Population and holds a Certificate in Inclusive Leadership/Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility. Both certificates were earned at the prestigious Latino Leadership Institute (LLI) at the University of Denver. Her professional background includes 25 years in the design/build industry as a Business Operations executive, however her passion has always been in the arts.
Rachel is a founding member and CEO of Colectiva, a collective of creatives that curate culturally inspired experiences that elevate and promote Latino Creatives via culture, art and cuisine. Colectiva’s mission is to reclaim Latino culture from appropriation and to ensure creatives are compensated fairly. Rachel is also a founding member and curator of Calaveras en mi Ciudad, a mobile calaveras exhibit celebrating the traditions of dia de los muertos and is a co-founding member of La Feria del Tequila-the first and only tequila festival in Colorado founded by 3 women that identify as Latinas. In service to her community, Rachel currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Artisti-co, Vice Chair of the Mexican Cultural Center, is a Member of the Board of Directors for Latinas First Foundation and the Coalition Against Global Genocide, is a member of several municipal LatinX Advisory Councils, is a Covid-19 Vaccine Ambassador and a Mental Health Anti-Stigma Ambassador in partnership with the Metro Denver Partnership for Health/Colorado Health Institute focusing on the Latinx community. She is a member of the Colorado Women’s Foundation Development Committee and Empowerment Council and She is also a member of the Scientific and Cultural District Community Acts Fund Advisory Council.
Rachel has provided consulting services for many organizations. Her consulting services range from Public Relations, Community Connections and Collaborations, Culturally Relevant Information Sessions, Communications, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility work, Anti-appropriation and Building respectful culture, Business Services, Non-profit Sector Specialization, Grant Writing/Development, Social Media and other Marketing, Covid-19 Resources and Relief, Logistics, Project Management, Event/Conference Planning and Production. Most recently she has provided consulting services for: University of Colorado at Denver, The Mexican Cultural Center, Museo de las américas, The Denver Latino Commission, Latin Fashion Week Colorado, Colorado Day of the Dead Festival, The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Front Range Community College, Newman Center for the Performing Arts, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, The City and County of Broomfield, L’ATTITUDE Conference, 3 Margaritas Restaurant, Latinas Líderes y Emprendedoras, Artistico, Chef or Death Podcast, Calaveras en mi Ciudad, several Visual and Performing Artists, small business owners and La Feria del Tequila.
Her other interests include strengthening her leadership skills, writing/wordsmithing, travel/adventure, great cuisine and libations, supporting local businesses, meditating, experiencing the world through her daughter's eyes, connecting with friends old and new, and fine tuning her abilities as an intuitive being. Things she's most known for: cheering her friends and family along from the sidelines, promoting their ventures with enthusiasm and having a knack for knowing what the latest/hottest/coolest things are.