Former state Rep. Dianne Primavera, D-Broomfield, has replaced former state Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, as co-chair of the Colorado Women’s Legislative Caucus. Williams stepped down from the position she held for several years along with former state Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument, now a principal with Dentons, who continues in her role as a co-chair.

The caucus tries to foster communication between female state legislators of any political party, Primavera said at a Thursday, Jan. 12, reception at Randolph’s in the Warwick Hotel on Grant Street. Male legislators are welcome to attend caucus events as well.

“It’s the idea that you can’t hate someone for having a different idea if you get to know them,” she added. “So this is a chance for everyone to meet outside the Capitol, talk and get to know one another.”

Stephens agreed and told of how she and former state Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver, the new Denver district attorney, talked at a reception and got to know about each other’s family and outside interests.

“And we found it was easier to work with each other on the committees we were on,” Stephens said. “So it’s both professional and personal.”

A similar occurrence happened between Stephens and state Rep. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, Stephens added.

“I first thought she isn’t someone I wanted to know, but we got past the partisanship and found a common interest in holistic medicine,” Stephens recalled, and the two worked together on a bill that addressed that subject.