TEPEYAC COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER

Denver

News: Renee Ferrufino, president and chief executive officer of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, is the 2026 Tortilla Titan, besting field of 10 competitors at the 29^th Tortillas for Tepeyac.

The fast-paced, good-natured contest was part of a fundraising luncheon held May 28 in the Denver Art Museum’s Sturm Pavilion. It raised $133,000 for the nonprofit Tepeyac Community Health Center located in Denver’s Elyria-Swansea neighborhood.

In addition to the Tortilla Titan top prize, Lola Salazar, founder and president of the Salazar Family Foundation, was named the Most Spirited Roller and Steve Staeger, the host of 9News’ “Steve on Your Side” consumer advocacy segment, received the nod for Picasso Wannabe for an effort that resulted in a tortilla resembling a slice of Swiss cheese.

Salazar was also the recipient of the People’s Choice Award, which is determined by the number of paid votes each participant received.

In addition, each contestant was tasked with creating a video showcasing their tortilla-making skills.

The prize went to Brad Baca, president of Western Colorado University in Gunnison, whose video showed him barreling down a steep rock formation on a mountain bike and running over his practice tortilla to attain the desired thinness.

The prizes — wooden rolling pins that had been hand-painted by artist Daniel Luna — were determined by a panel of judges who had been former competitors: Patricia Barela Rivera, Adeeb Khan, Sandy Wolf and Patty Baca.

Others who had put forth their best effort for a title were Janine Davidson, president of Metropolitan State University of Denver; Karen McNeil-Miller, president/CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation; Kehiry Castillo, co-anchor and multi-media journalist for Telemundo Colorado; meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo of Denver7; CBS Colorado morning anchor Michelle Griego; and Wes Allison, president/CEO of the National Western Stock Show and Complex.

In keeping with tradition, sports mascots Dinger from the Colorado Rockies, Miles from the Denver Broncos and Rowdy from the Metropolitan State University Roadrunners engaged in a flour-flying, masa-tossing competition where Miles emerged as the winner.

“Year after year, this masa madness excitement continues to grow,” observed Yolanda Ortega, a trustee of the Colorado Community College System, who emceed the competition with Jesse Ogas, the executive director for social responsibility at 9News. Tortillas for Tepeyac, she added, is an excellent example of “friend-, fund- and fun-raising.”

The last few years, Ortega said, “have reminded us of the need that is out there. We’ve faced some tough, tough moments, but the Tepeyac community always steps up. We’re a community that stands together, no matter what.”

Dr. Pamela Valenza, Tepeyac’s chief health officer, agreed.

“Times are hard. Our patients are feeling it, our staff is feeling it, but Tepeyac continues to show up with the best possible care and compassion.”

Which is important, said board chair Caroline Acha, because “We know exactly what happens when families delay health care:  Things that could have easily been treated early on escalate to a major issue.”

Despite the funding challenges, Acha said, “We will continue this high-level of care because we believe everyone deserves access to high-quality healthcare.”

Those supporting the cause included state legislators Adrienne Benavidez and Cecilia Espenoza; former Denver City Council President Ramona Martinez; Patty Salazar, executive director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies; Perla Gheiler, director of Denver’s Human Rights and Community Partnerships division; Yolanda Quesada, the city’s director of marketing and communications; and Tepeyac’s founder, Jim Garcia.

About the organization: Tepeyac Community Health Center is a nonprofit community health Center that has been providing affordable and accessible integrated care since its start in 1994, with services administered from a small home in North Denver. Today, at its state-of-the-art facility at 2101 E. 48th Ave., its comprehensive services range from preventive care to mental health counseling to routine dental care exams with a goal of decreasing routine visits to emergency rooms and creating healthier families overall.

Website: tepeyachealth.org

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