Founder

Patricia Gorman Barry, Ph.D., R.N.

Dr. Barry founded BrainWise in 1994. The developer of the BrainWise Program, she is a former adolescent, school, and migrant health nurse. She also has taught college research courses and served as lead instructor for the pilot test of the BrainWise curriculum with inner-city students. Dr. Barry has more than 25 years of experience working with at-risk youth and has spearheaded more than 30 research studies on topics ranging from domestic violence to general consumer issues. Her extensive research has played an instrumental role in the development and testing of the BrainWise lesson plans and student workbooks. Since she first started the organization, Dr. Barry has trained more than 2000 individuals to teach, co-facilitate, or administer the program in schools, youth agencies and nonprofit organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and China.

Board Members

Tom Ballance

A former Vice President and General Manager of MCI Wireless and former President of Richochet, Ballance has thirty years of sales, marketing, and executive management experience in Information Technology. He first became involved with the BrainWise Program in 2001.

Hon. Terrance Carroll

An attorney and Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives. Rev. Carroll is a former police officer and an ordained minister whose work with urban youth and juvenile offenders has earned him many recognitions, including "African-American Who Makes a Difference and "Up and Coming African-American Leader."

Donald C. Eberle

Telecommunications Attorney and former State Legislator, Deputy Denver District Attorney, and Head of Colorado's Task Force on Homeless Youth. Mr. Eberle is a Founding Director of the BrainWise Program and has served on the Board since 1995.

Michele J. Falivene

Senior Vice President, First American State Bank, specializing in Commercial Business Development and Private Banking. Her prior professional experience includes 22 years with Bank of America and predecessors, working in multiple facets of the banking industry. She is on the Board of Directors for The Wildlife Experience Museum and is a committee member for the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and was secretary of Denver Mile High Rotary where she has been a member for several years.

Dan Himelspach

Co-founder and a principal of Dispute Management, Inc., Dan graduated from the University of Denver Law School and received advanced negotiation training from Harvard Law School. He designed and implemented the commercial mediation program for the Colorado Judicial department, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Early Neutral Evaluation Program and the Settlement Assistance Program in Denver District Court. He has served on the board of several nonprofit community organizations, and is a former president of Denver Mile High Rotary. He has an undergraduate degree in chemistry, and served with the U.S. Army Special Forces and was an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers.

Doug Kinney

Senior Account Executive for eCollege, specifically responsible for managing the educational partners for K12- including product development, marketing, sales, service and future development. He has more than 15 years of sales and sales management with companies such as Raindance Communications, OraLabs Inc. and his own international distribution company Bridgeway® International LLC. Mr. Kinney is also an advisor to eSciencelabs.com and has been a volunteer for Junior Achievement, Big Brother, Whiz Kids, Denver Sports Commission and Mile High Ministries.

Rebecca Persing

Dr. Persing received her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Case Western Reserve University and has a background in public health, clinical practice and education, safety education, and case management. In addition to Maternal Child and Corrections nursing practice, she has held faculty positions at The Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and The University of Colorado Denver. She currently supervises the Jefferson County Public Health Nursing/Human Services Collaboration Program, where she created a model of nurse home visitation that uses BrainWise to help vulnerable populations make responsible health, family and employment choices.

Advisory Board

Andy Austin, M.S.

A hydro-geologist and engineer who serves on the Cherry Creek School District’s Special Education Advisory Committee as a parent advisor.

Virginia Castro, MSW

Former Director of Social Workers, Denver Public Schools.

Ricardo Esparza, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

Barbara Maes, J.D.

Partner Maes & Maes, Board Member Mi Casa Resource Center

Bob McKenzie

Board Member of Crown Castle Communications and former President of OneComm Inc.

Irv Moskowitz

Director, University of Northern Colorado Center for Urban Education.

Steve Silvers

A principal in GBSM Inc. and active in several community organizations Including the American Red Cross, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Jewell Dean Underwood

EEO Administrative Officer, Regional Transportation District

Dottie Wham, M.A.

Former Colorado State Senator