Five local leaders and one company were honored with the Colorado Governor’s Citizenship Medals. 

Each year since 2015, the governor of Colorado has bestowed the honor on citizens and organizations that inspire excellence and public service. The medals are considered the state’s highest honor, recognizing significant contributions to communities across Colorado. 

“Each year, it is an honor to award the Governor’s Citizenship medals and celebrate the incredible people, organizations, nonprofits, and businesses, committed to bettering Colorado,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a news release. “The six recipients selected this year have gone above and beyond in their commitment to our state. On behalf of all Coloradans, I thank those being honored for working to make Colorado a great place to live and inspiring others to do the same.” 

The medal recipients will be recognized during a ceremony on Jan. 25 at History Colorado Center as part of Colorado Leadership Month. 

The six award categories and recipients are as follows: 

• Colorado Mountain Leader Medal – John Fielder, a posthumous recognition of the legacy of Fielder – a man known as “Colorado’s Photographer.” Through his images, Fielder gained a reputation as a champion of environmental conservation. During his career, he received the prestigious Ansel Adams Award from the Wilderness Society and Sierra Club. His name now graces the annals of the Colorado Tourism Hall of Fame, and his life’s work finds its home to make multigenerational effect at History Colorado. Fielder died at the age of 73 back in August.
• The Vanguard Legacy Award – Carlotta Walls LaNier, Ph.D. She is known for her pivotal role in the civil rights movement, standing as the youngest member of the historic Little Rock Nine. In 1957, they made history as the first black students to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, a significant battleground for the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case. LaNier moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State College, known today as the University of Northern Colorado. She is an inductee in the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, as well as the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Additionally, she’s a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and the NAACP’s Spingarn Medal.
• Emerging Community Leader Medal – Osvaldo Garcia Barron, Boulder High School. Recognizing a young community leader, the Pitzer College (Calif.) freshman and former Boulder High School student served as an intern for the Office of Equity and Belonging. In this capacity, he compiled research on immigrant legal defense funds across the country, contributing to the forthcoming City of Boulder Legal Defense Fund.
• Public and Community Service Award – Lauren Young Casteel – president and CEO, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. The award honors a government or community leader who serves the public through innovation, operational excellence, and progressive vision. Young Casteel is the president and CEO of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, billed as the only statewide, community-funded foundation protecting the progress and advancing gender, racial, and economic equity for all Colorado women. According to information from the Governor’s Office, she has more than doubled the foundation’s annual grantmaking total, reaching $2.76 million in fiscal year 2022-23, while diversifying WFCO’s giving communities and investments.
• Growth and Innovation Award –John Street, CEO and co-founder, PAX8. He’s recognized as an entrepreneur who has led with exceptional ingenuity and growth, while inspiring and creating new possibilities among all in Colorado. Throughout his career, Street built four start-ups in Colorado – Telephone Express, USA.Net, MX Logic, and in 2012, Pax8 – all of which garnered Inc. 5000 status. He has served as a mentor for many of Colorado’s business leaders over the years.
• Corporate Citizenship Medal – Steamboat Ski and Resort Corp., recognizes the Colorado-based company for its impact on the state. Most recently, Steamboat took the lead in developing an employer-based childcare facility with spaces for 35 local children to find a collaborative solution for a crisis in their community and blaze a trail for employee support in rural and resort areas, according to the news release. Steamboat continues to lead the way in sustainability with audits and innovative approaches to climate issues that affect its community and industry.