PRESS CONTACT:
Jeannie McFarland Johnson, Director of Marketing and Communications
303.866.5786 | hc_media@state.co.us

”The work of History Colorado is as vital as ever,” said Gross. “In this changing world, we all deserve to see ourselves as part of the fabric of this state and have the opportunity to use our diverse voices to shape how it moves forward. I am honored to be part of this amazing board and support its mission to reach every Coloradan.”

Gross is the manager of social investments at Xcel Energy, where she oversees the company’s volunteer program, nonprofit engagement and the Xcel Energy Foundation grant program in Colorado. Before joining Xcel Energy, Gross worked in the nonprofit sector at organizations such as Downtown Denver Partnership and the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation.

Gross was recognized with the 2024 Brian Smith Award for Outstanding Community Leadership by Mile High United Way for her dedication to giving back to her community. In addition to History Colorado, Gross serves on the board of directors for The Park People, Mile High Youth Corps, B:CIVIC Advisory Board and the Colorado VOAD Advisory Board.

”We are deeply grateful that Bonnie is bringing her tapestry of professional skills and community passion to our board of directors,” said Dawn DiPrince, president/CEO of History Colorado & the State Historic Preservation Officer. “Bonnie’s unique voice and variety of experience will enhance our programming and the way we serve the people of Colorado.”

In addition to Gross’s appointment, Nancy Chisholm was re-elected as the board chairperson, and Kelly Brough was elected as the vice chairperson for the 2025 fiscal year. They join returning board members Penfield W. Tate III (past chairman), Richard Benenson, Brad Clark, Kayla Garcia, Kim MacDonnell, Jackie Millet, Zebulon Miracle, Claudia Moran-Pichardo, Kate Siegel Shimko and Paul Weissmann.

About the Board Leadership

Chairperson Nancy Chisholm is a senior global business leader with over 25 years of experience as an executive with Fortune 500 companies. Her broad leadership background includes general management, as well as senior functional and operational leadership roles both domestically and internationally. Most recently, Nancy served as Interim President for her alma mater, Western Colorado University (Western). Prior to this, Nancy spent more than 20 years with Tyco International, now part of Johnson Controls Inc. (NYSE: JCI). She served as President of Tyco Retail Solutions, a $1.3 billion global business unit, based in Zurich, Switzerland. Prior to this Nancy served as Vice President, Human Resources for Tyco’s $9 billion ADT Security Solutions global business unit. Previously she was Vice President & General Manager of ADT’s Western Region in North America with full P&L responsibility for $1.5 billion in revenue spanning 20 states. She was appointed to and served for two terms on the Board of Trustees for Western. She is currently Chair of their Elevate Western Campaign, a comprehensive fundraising campaign which is well on its way to its $80 million goal. Nancy graduated from Western with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Management’s Executive Leadership Program.

Vice chairperson Kelly Brough has also served on the board for Intermountain Health - The Peaks Region and The Denver Foundation. She has served on numerous boards during her career, most notably as the chair, vice chair, and as a member of the board of directors for Delta Dental of Colorado from 2012 to 2022. During her time with Delta, Kelly served on every committee and was a member of the Finance and Audit Committee for the duration of her tenure. She also had the opportunity to guide the development of a new parent company for Delta Dental of Colorado to allow diversification of the mission and invest in ventures that can help drive innovation and improve health care outcomes. Kelly now serves as an advisory board member for that fund -- Ensemble Innovation Venture Fund. Since 2021, Kelly has also served on the board for Haselden Construction, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity for Metro Denver, The Denver Zoo and Colorado Mesa University.

About History Colorado

History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that has served more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 145-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation which provides technical assistance, educational opportunities, and other access to archaeology and historic preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state. Additionally, the offices of the State Archaeologist and the State Historic Preservation Officer are part of History Colorado.

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and 10 other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information. #HistoryColorado