Racquel Garcia, NCPRSS
HardBeauty and HardBeauty Foundation
Hardbeauty.life & hardbeautyfoundation.org
For Racquel Garcia, authenticity is a lifeline that she was offered and now offers to others. As the founder of HardBeauty, Racquel is a passionate advocate for destigmatizing substance misuse and addressing systemic and familial obstacles. Racquel is a nationally recognized expert and serves in leadership roles with the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration Advisory Council (BHACC) and the Colorado Opioid Abatement Council.
Authenticity, to me, is the unwavering commitment to live, lead, and serve from a place of truth, where my lived experience as a woman in recovery from addiction, my values, and my actions are fully aligned. It is something I don’t just value; it is the foundation of everything I build, from HardBeauty to the way I show up in rooms that were not designed for voices like mine. The key elements of authenticity are honesty, self-awareness, courage, and consistency, especially when it would be easier to perform, conform, or stay silent.
Authenticity is demonstrated through transparency, by saying the hard things, by creating spaces where others can also show up fully seen, and by refusing to separate who I am personally from how I lead professionally. Culture and community can either nurture authenticity by making space for truth and lived experience, or suppress it by rewarding polish over honesty and compliance over courage.
The definition that resonates most with me is being unapologetically true to oneself while remaining deeply connected to others. My life and work have been shaped by choosing authenticity, even when it cost me opportunities, because it ultimately built trust, impact, and community far beyond what performance ever could. I embody authenticity by leading with lived experience in my professional work and staying grounded in my personal values, ensuring that my decisions reflect both integrity and purpose.
I feel most alive when I am in direct connection with people, whether in a recovery space, a hospital room, or a community setting, where truth is present, and transformation is possible. My signature approach to life and work is building bridges between systems and humanity, bringing heart, structure, and innovation together in spaces that have historically lacked compassion. My “why” is rooted in creating access, dignity, and connection for people navigating substance use, mental health, and recovery, and that purpose guides every decision I make.
I am a 48-year-old Colorado native, born in Pueblo and raised in Aurora, where I spent most of my early life before moving to El Paso County, specifically Palmer Lake, in my early 30s in search of something different, ultimately, in search of recovery. My journey has not been linear. I struggled with addiction and lived disconnected from myself and the life I was capable of. On Oct. 18, 2009, I lost my best friend to addiction, and that moment became a turning point for me. Shortly after, on Jan. 19, 2010, I entered treatment and have remained sober ever since. In 2016, I moved to Douglas County, where my family and I purchased our home, a place that reflects both where I've been and where I've chosen to go.
I am a woman who lives her recovery out loud. It is not something I separate from who I am, but it is the foundation of how I live, love, and show up in the world. I have been married for 29 years this May, and I am a mother to four children, as well as three bonus children who came into our home during times when their families were struggling. Family, resilience, and creating safe, supportive spaces for others have always been central to who I am. My life today is rooted in honesty, growth, and a deep commitment to doing the next right thing.
Jessica Salinas, MD
OB/GYN, AdventHealth Littleton
720-922-6240
As an OB/GYN, Dr. Jessica Salinasis deeply invested in the well-being of her patients, and by extension, the broader community. Her family-centered South Texas roots inform how she approaches patient care and her own care in the South Denver Metro area, the place she calls home now.
Authenticity, to me, means showing up as the same person everywhere, at home with my family, with patients in the clinic or hospital, or with friends and colleagues outside of work. When I’m fully present, myself, and genuinely curious, patients sense it, and we connect more easily. They trust me because they sense my honesty and sincerity. They feel that I’m being my authentic self.
My authenticity is rooted in my Hispanic heritage and growing up in South Texas. I was raised in a family-centered, relationship-first way, where you greet people warmly, ask about their day, and mean it.
During medical training, there was an expectation to be strong and efficient, to keep struggles private, and to push through. I worked to remain authentic, staying warm and human while still being direct, honest, and steady.
In patient care, it shows up in small, everyday ways. I listen first. I ask about family, support systems, work, and stressors because no one walks into an OB/GYN visit as a blank slate. I never assume cultural beliefs or preferences; I ask. Speaking Spanish helps me connect more deeply with my Spanish-speaking patients and allows me to ensure patients truly understand their options. Whether someone is anxious, grieving, celebrating, or somewhere in between, I try to meet them exactly where they are.
My style is pretty simple: warm, approachable, and clear. I speak plainly, follow through on what I say, and try to create a space where patients feel seen and safe. My “why” keeps me grounded as I care for women and families during some of the most important moments of their lives. Even on hectic days, that purpose pulls me back to center.
After more than a decade practicing in the Highlands Ranch and South Metro area, I’ve grown to love the family-focused community and the easy access to the outdoors, where I can reset. I love hiking, uphill skiing, biking, gardening, and cooking, and I find that I have this in common with many in our community, including my patients. This affords another way to genuinely connect by being myself and sharing things that bring me so much joy.
Christina Hoffeld
Principal/Owner, Hoff House Health
hoffhousehealth.com
Christina has worn many hats in her lifetime: wife, mother, sister, friend, business owner, and community member. Before she was a local health insurance broker, she was a chef. Classically trained, she has worked all over the country in high-volume restaurants, fine dining, and as a private chef in people's homes. Motivated by a desire to be a present parent, she changed professions and hasn’t looked back.
Authenticity is EVERYTHING to me! I am known for being outspoken and a little direct. Typically, if it is on my mind, it is coming out of my mouth! I cut through the small talk because I want to get to know people and learn about them. No one questions where they stand with me. They know, because I won't change to make others comfortable. I spent too much of my life making myself palatable for everyone, and I did not know who I really was. Those days are long gone. Being comfortable with who you are and letting that emanate is the best!
I am a champion for speaking openly about our struggles. One of those aspects is adoption. From childhood, I knew I would have at least one adopted child. My maternal grandmother and my father were orphans. This knowledge rooted something deep in me; I knew I could do better for at least one child than my father and grandmother had. I did not know adoption would be THE ONLY option.
The dream was four children because I love big families. I grew up in one, and the constant buzz of energy is comforting and infectious. We were fifteen people deep, just a regular Sunday. While it overwhelmed him, to me, it was like a drug. However, there were other plans for us.
My husband and I suffered miscarriages, two rounds of IVF, and a failed surrogacy. I talk about this, not because I want sympathy or pity, but because I want other women to know they are not alone. I want to normalize talking about our challenges, the heartbreak, and the need to stop pretending everything is ok.
Our son was born on October 13, 2022. Motherhood was always going to happen for me; I just did not plan on adoption being the only way. Our son was made for us. He is the carbon copy of both of us. He and I share the same dimples, personality, and joy. It is part of our authenticity.
Amy Mays
Executive Director, The Happy Crew
thehappycrew.org
Amy Mays is known as the “teenage whisperer.” Whereas many adults feel dumbfounded by teenagers, she sees precious pearls and undiscovered potential. Founder and Executive Director of The Happy Crew and The Happy Crew Coffee House and Highlands Ranch resident of 29 years, Amy says, “I love Jesus, I love my husband, I love my family. I love true connection. I love watching people come alive with hope.”
Authenticity means being genuine and living in alignment with my faith and values. It’s being the same person in private as I am in public. It comes from knowing my “why” at my core, and using that as the litmus test for the decisions I make.
For me, authenticity starts in the gut. It resonates, it settles in my heart, and I know it’s true. Living authentically means embracing the messiness of life. It means being open to learning and growth, willing to examine my thoughts from different perspectives. It allows me to stay in my lane with ease and lean fully into what I’m passionate about.
I am deeply passionate about teenagers. I believe they are some of the most talented, open, ambitious, creative, and insightful people on the planet. They bring incredible energy to their pursuits. They think differently. They ask hard questions. This is where my strengths come alive by listening to them, creating space for them to explore and express themselves, and walking alongside them as they build deeper understanding and connection. It’s instinctive for me, like something rooted deep within and refined over time.
At the center of that passion is my family. I treasure watching them learn, grow, celebrate success, and navigate failure. Our relationships are deep and steady, not defined by circumstances. That same passion extends to working with high schoolers and encouraging them to lean into who they truly are without getting lost in comparison, to hold onto their uniqueness, and to recognize their inherent value.
I began working with teenagers as a church youth director, and it felt natural from the start. Relationships were at the core which meant listening well, leaning in, asking open-ended questions, and creating space for authenticity. I love hearing people’s stories, their motivations, their dreams, and watching them imagine and build their future.
My goal is to create spaces where people know they matter, they feel a true sense of belonging, and they can fully be themselves. Spaces where questions are welcomed, ideas are explored, and growth happens through connection.
Taylor Davis
Division Chief, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office
dcsheriff.net
Does the name Taylor Davis sound familiar? The Highlands Ranch community collectively held its breath for Taylor and several other law enforcement officers on a horrific day not long ago. Now serving as the Division Chief for the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department, she bravely and authentically shares her story.
December 31, 2017, changed my life. Three months into my job with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, a "routine" mental health call in an apartment escalated into a tragic ambush. Several responders and citizens were injured, and we lost Deputy Zack Parrish III. I was also gravely injured but managed to reach safety.
For a long time, my memories of that day were unclear. The first time I did a welfare check at an apartment after the incident, my body reacted before my mind did. Before that moment, I couldn't truly recall those details, only fill them in from body cam footage.
What I'll always remember from that day is the overwhelming sense of care once I was clear of the apartment. I remember the incredible EMTs who immediately shielded and tended to me, providing comfort when I was at my most vulnerable. A sergeant who placed his hand on my knee, a gesture to let me know I was safe, before driving me away from the scene and seeing my fellow survivors for the first time, knowing that we now shared a bond that only we understood. I remember the Sheriff placed his hand on my forehead, telling me it was okay without words, though in that moment, I'm not sure either of us believed it. I recall seeing my family for the first time afterward, knowing they had to grapple with a kind of trauma I would never understand. In the quiet following the news of Zack's passing, a nurse held me as I grieved, and I found myself being comforted by Zack's wife - a grace I'll never forget on a day filled with such heavy emotion.
Afterward, I found comfort in my family, coworkers, and a supportive community. I sought the mental health help I needed.
People often ask if I ever wanted to quit. The answer is no. I love my job, my community, and my coworkers. This tragedy is part of my story, but it doesn’t define me. The strength I found afterward is what does.
Annette Bergeon
CEO, Endow
Annette is passionate about Endow's mission to help women encounter their identity, dignity, and the beauty of our feminine vocation. After a successful leadership career at Chrysler Motors and BASF Corporation, she and her husband moved to Colorado to raise their family. It was then that she joined an Endow group and found the experience to be transformational. After her children were grown, she joined the leadership team at Endow.
We live curated lives. Images are edited, moments staged, and captions refined until they present a perfected version of ourselves that we want others to see. In a world saturated with carefully constructed impressions, we encounter very little that is raw, unfiltered, or real, and the result is a quiet but persistent loneliness. This loneliness is especially acute among the young, who are growing up with fewer opportunities for genuine face-to-face encounters. Where earlier generations depended on extended family, neighbors, and friends simply to navigate daily life, we now order our groceries, manage our finances, and interact with others without ever leaving home. But humans were not made for isolation. We were created for relationships, in all of their messiness, and it is only in relationships with others that we rediscover what it means to be fully human.
The antidote to uber-curation is authenticity, which begins with self-discovery. To live authentically is to ask: Who am I? Why was I created? What gifts has God entrusted to me? Which desires consistently draw me toward the true, the good, and the beautiful? These questions are difficult, and unfortunately, answers can rarely be found alone. We come to know ourselves through those who love us and can, like a mirror, reflect our identity and dignity back to us.
At its heart, authenticity is a matter of congruence, the alignment of the way we live with the truth of who we really are. When approval becomes more important than integrity, we begin to fragment. But when we are free to choose what is true and good, even at personal cost, our lives grow unified. As St. Edith Stein wrote, authenticity unfolds when the unique form of the soul is allowed to develop according to God’s intention for it.
Our modern culture often misinterprets authenticity as “being true to your feelings.” Yet while feelings change, the truth does not. Authentic living means aligning our actions with our conscience, resisting the pressure to perform or conform, and choosing the good even when it is difficult.
St. Catherine of Siena said, “Be who God created you to be, and you will set the whole world on fire.” Her words remind us that authenticity is not self-invention but courageous fidelity to God’s design. When we live from that truth, our lives become radiant with purpose, and the impact we can have is far greater than anything we
Zoe Romero
Owner, BREMAN Hospitality: Entrambu Catering, Colonnas & Cencalli
Together, Zoemi (Zoe) Romero and Connie Lamb run Entrambi Catering. In Italian, Entrambi means “both” and fits their food and approach, representing authenticity at its core. Both refined and casual. Both elevated and grounded. Both work and family. And both these women have multiple areas of professional interest. entrambicatering.com
Authenticity is the backbone of everything I have built and continue to build. I am a mother of three and the owner of BREMAM Hospitality, which I created from the ground up. Being a mom and owning a business are part of the same story for me. Every decision I make in my restaurants translates to my dinner table, and everything I teach my kids, I strive to live out loud in my business.
Cencalli, Entrambi, and Colonnas are concepts I designed, but they are also expressions of who I am. Each has its own soul, flavors, and reason for existing. I refused to settle for anything less than exceptional pride when looking at what I have constructed throughout my career. While awards are wonderful, I don’t believe they define a business. Instead, a business achieves its legacy through day-to-day interactions, honest choices, and genuine connections. As a minority business owner, that truth hits differently. Second chances are rare, so every interaction, every guest, every relationship matters.
My desire to showcase the beauty of Latino culture led me to partner with local chambers to create Latino Committees in Parker and Littleton. These committees produced events that added another dimension of richness to the communities we call home. We strive to teach people that our Latino culture goes far beyond food; it is art, music, history, and heart.
"I want my children to know that passion is not a luxury, but a strategy. The lesson is that when you do what you love with everything you have, you reap the rewards."”
I want my children to know that passion is not a luxury, but a strategy. The lesson is that when you do what you love with everything you have, you reap the rewards. That is the beauty of life. And for my children, my community, and every person who has ever doubted what they were capable of, passion is the proof behind the success.
Connie Lamb
Director of Catering, Entrambi
Authenticity, to me, is the courage to show up fully, grounded in who you are and expressed through what you create. In the catering world, that means more than just great food. It’s about intention and creating experiences that feel genuine, thoughtful, and memorable.
At its core, authenticity is rooted in integrity, consistency, and connection. It’s demonstrated in the details, the way ingredients are selected, how a menu is crafted, and how a team comes together to bring an event to life. Guests may not always see everything behind the scenes, but they feel it. Authenticity creates trust, elevates the experience, and turns a meal into something meaningful.
After more than 35 years in hospitality, I’ve learned that the most successful events aren’t just executed well, they’re felt. My approach to catering is to create experiences that reflect both the client’s vision and the heart behind our work. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a large-scale event, we focus on quality, connection, and a sense of ease that allows guests to truly enjoy the moment.
I feel most alive in the energy of an event coming together, when every detail aligns, and the room is filled with connection, conversation, and joy. That’s my why: to bring people together in a way that feels effortless, elevated, and real.
Authenticity isn’t a trend. It’s the ingredient that makes everything better.
Entrambi Catering
Entrambi Catering is where connection, culture, and cuisine come together to create unforgettable, authentic experiences. Rooted in the spirit of hospitality, we believe food is more than something you serve; it’s something you feel. Authenticity is at the heart of everything we do, from thoughtfully sourced ingredients to menus that reflect both tradition and creativity.
Our name, Entrambi, meaning “both” in Italian, represents the balance we bring to every event: elevated yet approachable, refined yet welcoming, intentional yet effortless. We honor the vision of each client while infusing our own passion for genuine, heartfelt hospitality.
Whether we’re serving an intimate gathering or a large-scale celebration, our goal is to create experiences that feel real, connected, and memorable. Guests may not see every detail, but they feel the care behind it.
At Entrambi Catering, authenticity is our foundation. Because when food is created with purpose and served with heart, it becomes something more. It becomes an experience worth savoring.
Authenticity, to me, is the unwavering commitment to live, lead, and serve from a place of truth, where my lived experience as a woman, my values and my actions are fully aligned.