Staff

Aiden joined BRITE Collaborative in 2022 and became the Programs Director in 2023. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Aiden has lived in Austin, TX and Tucson, AZ before settling in Denver in 2018. Aiden attended the University of Arizona for his undergraduate program and graduated University of Denver’s MSW program with a focus on organizational leadership and policy practice in 2022. Aiden worked in behavioral health for the first 5 years of his career, utilizing and training staff on how to use a combination of restorative justice practices and dialectical behavioral therapy to support youth with mental health conditions. Aiden has a passion for using restorative approaches to build sustainable and healing-centered systems of care for our communities in Colorado. Before coming to BRITE CO Aiden worked with the Circle’s Project, a community collective focused on RJ, to bring restorative programming and circle work to a community corrections facility called Project: Elevate. Aiden is an avid Nuggets fan. He enjoys snowboarding, playing basketball and running role-playing games for his friends in his spare time.

Con una pasión por impactar positivamente el bienestar de las personas y las comunidades, me he comprometido a abogar y apoyar a las comunidades marginadas. Armado con una comprensión de los desafíos únicos que enfrentan las poblaciones diversas, me esfuerzo en cerrar las brechas en la accesibilidad a los recursos y empoderar a las personas. Habiendo nacido en México, aporto una perspectiva cultural que profundiza mi compromiso con poblaciones diversas. Esta experiencia mejora mi capacidad para construir conexiones significativas, fomentar la confianza y apoyar diálogos abiertos e inclusivos que impulsen cambios positivos dentro de las comunidades a las que sirvo. Impulsado por un compromiso con la justicia y la equidad, dedico mis esfuerzos a elevar a las comunidades marginadas y promover su bienestar. Mi trabajo se centra en abordar las barreras sistémicas y promover el acceso equitativo a los recursos, con un enfoque en empoderar a las personas para amplificar las voces marginadas.

With a passion for positively impacting the well-being of individuals and communities, I have committed myself to advocate and support marginalized communities. Armed with an understanding of the unique challenges faced by diverse populations, I strive to bridge gaps in resource accessibility and empower individuals. Growing up in Mexico City, I bring a rich cultural perspective that deepens my engagement with diverse populations. This background enhances my ability to build meaningful connections, foster trust, and support open, inclusive dialogues that drive positive change within the communities I serve. Driven by a commitment to justice and equity, I dedicate my efforts to uplifting marginalized communities and advancing their well-being. My work centers on addressing systemic barriers and promoting equitable access to resources, with a focus on empowering individuals to amplify marginalized voices.

Shalene has spent her career working to help transform communities and unite them in a common vision; this work has taken her all over the world. While a graduate student at Loyola University Chicago she worked with volunteers to help refugees and immigrants fully integrate into their new communities and earned a Master's degree in Social Justice and Community Engagement. She spent several years living in Nairobi, Kenya and working throughout Africa assisting refugees in their process of resettlement to the United States. While there, she had the privilege of spending time in Rwanda during their extended period of mourning every April after the 1994 genocide. She witnessed their reconciliation process in action and was forever inspired by their commitment to relationship and reintegration. After working with CASA programs, victims of violent crime and unhoused families, Shalene began her work with BRITE CO in 2019 as Development Director. She works at the local level to assist the public sector, local citizens, and other stakeholders in their efforts to better support thriving, integrated communities and became BRITE CO’s Executive Director in April 2021. When she isn’t serving as the Executive Director, Shalene spends her time outdoors and indulging her epicurean side while hanging out with her teen-aged daughter and their community.

Board of Directors

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