Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame names its Class of 2027

The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2027 on July 22 at IMA Financial Group in Denver, honoring 10 contemporary and three historical inductees. The class is part of Colorado’s 150th statehood anniversary and will be formally celebrated at the Hall’s gala on March 26, 2027.

Why it matters: - The Class of 2027 adds 13 women to the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, bringing the organization’s recognized total to 205. - The announcement lands during Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood, giving the class added historical context. - The 2027 class reflects leadership across education, science, healthcare, public service, media, philanthropy and advocacy. - The Hall also honors founder M.L. Hanson, linking the new class to the organization’s origins and long-term mission.

What happened: - The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame announced the Class of 2027 on July 22, 2026, at IMA Financial Group in Denver. - The Hall says the class theme is “Dream Big.” - Executive Director Barb Beckner said the inductees represent courage, opportunity and community impact. - The inductees will be formally honored at the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Gala on March 26, 2027. - Businesses, organizations and community leaders are being invited to support the gala through sponsorships, corporate tables and attendance.

The details: - The contemporary inductees are Janine Davidson, PhD; Lucille Echowhawk; M.L. Hanson; Florence Hernández-Ramos; Rebecca Love Kourlis; Leslie Leinwand, PhD; Margaret A. “Peggy” Lemone, PhD; Donna Lynne, DrPH; Gail Schwartz; and Diane T. Wendt. - The historical inductees are Joyce Porter Arneill; Betty Jennings; and Marcy Morrison. - Janine Davidson, PhD is a former Air Force pilot, the first woman to fly the tactical C-130, and the 32nd Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy. - Davidson has served as president of Metropolitan State University of Denver since 2017. - Lucille Echowhawk has spent more than four decades advancing Native American child welfare and philanthropy. - Echowhawk co-founded the Denver Indian Center, the Denver Indian Family Resource Center and Native Americans in Philanthropy. - M.L. Hanson founded the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984 after serving as Assistant Vice President at United Bank of Denver and later leading nonprofit organizations and the Women’s Leadership Foundation. - Florence Hernández-Ramos founded Denver’s KUVO jazz public radio station and became the nation’s first Latina president and general manager of a jazz public radio station. - Hernández-Ramos later co-founded the Latino Public Radio Consortium. - Rebecca Love Kourlis is a former Colorado Supreme Court Justice who founded the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver. - Leslie Leinwand, PhD is a molecular biologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. - Leinwand co-founded Myogen and MyoKardia, and that work led to the first FDA-approved cardiac myosin inhibitor for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. - Margaret A. “Peggy” Lemone, PhD was the first woman to become a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. - Donna Lynne, DrPH served as Colorado’s 49th lieutenant governor and first chief operating officer. - Lynne later became CEO of Denver Health and led the 2024 ballot measure that secured the future of the health system. - Gail Schwartz served two terms in the Colorado State Senate and sponsored the BEST Act for rural school construction. - Diane T. Wendt was the University of Denver’s first director of women’s athletics and a national advocate for Title IX. - Joyce Porter Arneill co-founded the National Federation of Republican Women and served as its first president. - Betty Jennings helped establish legal, licensed nurse-midwifery in Colorado and founded the University of Colorado’s faculty midwifery practice. - Marcy Morrison was the first woman elected to the Manitou Springs School Board and later served as an El Paso County commissioner, state representative, mayor of Manitou Springs and Colorado insurance commissioner. - The Hall says its inductees come from fields including education, science, business, the arts, healthcare, public service and advocacy. - The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame was founded in 1985 and uses education, storytelling and public engagement to preserve women’s legacies. - The Hall’s announcement included social media links on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The class pairs contemporary leaders with historical figures to show continuity between past barriers broken and present-day influence. - Naming Hanson as an inductee is also a self-referential moment for the Hall, since its founder now joins the roster of honorees. - Several inductees are tied to institutions that shaped statewide systems, including higher education, healthcare, public broadcasting, legal reform and rural schools. - The mix of honorees suggests the Hall is emphasizing impact that reached beyond one profession and into broader civic life.

What’s next: - The Hall will honor the Class of 2027 at its gala on March 26, 2027. - Sponsors, corporate hosts and attendees can support the event ahead of the ceremony. - The inductees’ stories will continue to be used by the Hall in education and public-engagement efforts.

The bottom line: - The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame is using its 2027 class to spotlight women whose work changed Colorado’s institutions, public life and future.