Business Outlook Forum 

Civic Leadership for Business

Lauren Schwartz is an award-winning nonprofit leader who serves as Director of Investor Relations for the Colorado Chamber and Executive Director of the Association of Colorado Chambers of Commerce (ACCC). 

Her mission is to ensure that business leaders across Colorado are fully engaged in the process of securing Colorado’s economic future, and that their voice is heard at the state capitol and in Washington, D.C.

Outside of work, Lauren volunteers with organizations that have special meaning to her including serving as past president of the board for Susan G. Komen Colorado, and immediate past president for the Colorado Mountain Club Foundation.

Lauren is married with three step-kids and a Bernedoodle named Banks. She’s an avid skier and hiker, 14er finisher, art lover and certified yoga instructor.

Lauren earned dual Bachelor degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Master’s degree from the University of Denver. Originally from East Texas, she was also an AFS student, making Panama one of the places she calls home.

Civic Capacity

Andrea Palm-Porter, hailing from Wisconsin and settling in the Roaring Fork Valley in 1997, epitomizes Midwestern determination and leadership. Her journey reflects the power of passion, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Beginning at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, Andrea showcased unwavering dedication to her growth. With a degree in Business Administration, specializing in Leadership & Marketing, she laid the groundwork for a remarkable career spanning three decades.

Continuing her quest for knowledge, Andrea pursued a Master's in Organizational Leadership from CSU, slated for completion in May 2024. While one of her colleagues said “ Why are you doing that? You should be teaching it.” This pursuit reflects her insatiable appetite for her area of expertise, growth, and her commitment to staying at the forefront of her field.

Throughout her career, Andrea has left an indelible mark on every organization and community she has been a part of. Recently with her involvement with the Boettcher Foundation and CSU in the creation of a leadership ecosystem throughout the state of Colorado, her leadership prowess, coupled with her innate ability to foster meaningful relationships, has been the cornerstone of her success. Whether it's leading Roaring Fork Leadership, facilitating transformative workshops, spearheading innovative projects, or nurturing talent, Andrea's impact is felt far and wide.

Shaping Your Community - Moderator

Dwayne Romero has over 27 years of managing and leading real estate development and investment firms in several Rocky Mountain resort communities. He is Co-founder and CEO of The Romero Group, a multi-dimensional real estate management, development, investment, and realty (Romero Group Realty) firm in the Roaring Fork Valley. The Romero Group manages over 65 master HOA communities and Metropolitan Districts in the region, as well as over 100,000 sf of commercial assets in the area. The Romero Group (and its subsidiaries) employ over 120 associates in the Valley, and owns significant resort and commercial real estate holdings, including the Snowmass Mall and major portions of Lakota Canyon Ranch and Lakota Links Golf Course in New Castle, CO. The Romero Group’s central headquarters are in Willits Town Center in Basalt, CO.

A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, Dwayne Romero served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers for seven years, including a leadership role in combat in the Persian Gulf War. His efforts earned him a Bronze Star Medal for leadership valor. Romero graduated from several U.S. Army leadership schools, including U.S. Army Ranger School as a distinguished honor graduate. He also earned his master’s in business administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School.

In 2011 Dwayne Romero served as the Executive Director for the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, a cabinet position for former Colorado Governor (now US Senator) John Hickenlooper. He also served three years on the Colorado Economic Development Commission. He led the Governor’s “Bottom Up” statewide economic development efforts and then launched the “Colorado Blueprint”, the former Governor’s successful economic development plan for recovery, growth and sustainability.

Dwayne Romero is active and involved in several local community efforts and organizations. He was elected to serve two terms on Aspen City Council (2007-11 and 2013-15), and concurrently served on the Board of Directors of both the Aspen Fire Protection District and the Roaring Fork Transit Authority. He was a 20-year member of the Aspen Rotary Club and is Past President of the Aspen Historical Society. He served two terms on the Aspen School District Board of Education, including as President in 2019/2020. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for Compass/Aspen Community School and is also an elected Board Member for the Snowmass Village Water and Sanitation Board. He and his wife Margaret have been married for 32 years and together raised three daughters in Aspen.

Shaping Your Community - Panelist 

Ben Wolff, originally from Baltimore, MD., Ben moved to Snowmass Village in 2007 after graduating from The Ohio State University where he was a captain of the Lacrosse team.  After gaining several years of experience in the hospitality industry, Ben joined Frias Properties in 2015 as Director of Operations.  In 2019, he was promoted to General Manager, where he demonstrated exceptional leadership with the Aspen operations and property management teams.  In addition to his outstanding service and work ethic, Ben has been integral in onboarding many new HOAs and condos while continuing to provide excellent service to existing clients.  In 2022, although the vote did not go in our favor, Ben represented Frias Properties at multiple Aspen City Council meetings, lobbying against the tax increase and the limitation of STR permits.  Due to his unique ability to manage people while balancing the needs of multiple customers, including property owners, HOAs, and vacation rental clients, Ben became a Managing Partner/Owner in 2023.

Ben continues to be highly involved in the daily operations of Frias Properties, focusing on HOA management, condo & unit management, and Owner & guest relations.  In his off time, Ben is a coach with the Aspen Lacrosse Club, serves as the HOA president at the Woodbridge Condominiums, and serves on the Board of a local non-profit – Brake the Cycle, which funds clean water and bicycles in Zambia.  Ben enjoys skiing, cycling, hiking, climbing, and walking his dog, Brutus, throughout Snowmass Village with his wife, Laci.

Shaping Your Community - Panelist

Hannah Berman is the Sustainability and Philanthropy Senior Manager at Aspen Skiing Company where she works on environmental advocacy, community philanthropy, and runs access programming to host 3,000+ local kids and nonprofits on the hill. She is also the Executive Director of the Environment Foundation, which has donated more than $4.5 million to fight climate change and foster environmental stewardship. Hannah is a newly elected member of Basalt Town Council and serves on the board of Mountain Family Health.

She was a 2022 Fellow at the Clean Energy Leadership Institute and helped pass the mill levy to increase teacher pay in the Roaring Fork Valley School District in 2021. Her previous roles include a water lead-tester (recommendation: avoid the lead), cake baker (record: 16 lbs of butter), and environmental consultant (conclusion: not enough skiing included). At Bowdoin College, she majored in economics and environmental studies.

Shaping Your Community - Panelist

Emily Taylor is the Communications and Development Manager at Aspen Center for Physics, which brings over 1,000 theoretical physicists to Aspen each year, nurturing cutting-edge research in physics and related disciplines. She has served on the board of the Aspen Fire Protection District since 2022, where she currently serves as Secretary. She recently joined the board of the newly formed Aspen Wildfire Foundation, which is proactively protecting our community from the realities of climate change by working to mitigate the threat of wildfire. She has worked in nonprofits since moving to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2012, including the Woody Creek Community Center and Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). She is currently the chair of the Entertainment Committee of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Aerie #184, where she volunteers to book local music, which is also one of her passions. Her band, Sweet Bangs, has played locally since 2015.

She is an avid community volunteer and has volunteered for Aspen Film, Theatre Aspen, Windwalkers Equine Assisted Therapy & Learning Center, Woody Creek Caucus, the Gonzo Foundation, and Food & Wine. She participated in ISSYP Community Organizing training in San Antonio in 2013 and in 2015 completed Roaring Fork Leadership and the Our Community Listens program. At Pomona College, she majored in Studio Art.

Power of Public Speaking

Alycin Bektesh is the Public Affairs Manager for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, responsible for creating a conduit between ACRA membership and policymakers. She began her career as a journalist in 2006, working as a photographer and columnist for Brooklyn culture magazine Pomp & Circumstance. In 2010 Alycin obtained her Master’s Degree from Indiana University’s Ernie Pyle School of Journalism, and went on to serve as News Director of WFHB Bloomington Community Radio for the next five years.

Alycin was named News Director at Aspen Public Radio in 2017 and that year her work was recognized by the Colorado Broadcasters Association under the category "best documentary or mini series." The following year her series examining affordable housing in the region earned her the CBA award for best community event in the state. In 2019 Alycin was hired by the Aspen Daily News to launch the publication's first podcast.