December 6, 2018
Lecture 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Networking 5:30 p.m. +

Colorado State University
Iris & Michael Smith Alumni Center,
Canvas Stadium

Born in Colorado, Mitzi was raised as the 4th generation on the family farm in Yuma. She attended the University of Northern Colorado, graduating with a Spanish degree and a TESL minor. She is a graduate of the Sustainable Transformation Program, University of Northern Colorado, Monfort Institute; the Johnson & Johnson UCLA Health Care Executive Program, John E. Anderson Graduate School of Management at University of California; and the Regional Institute of Health and Environmental Leadership, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center & University of Denver.

While attending UNC and after, Mitzi worked for 14 years at North Colorado Medical Center in information technology; outreach services development; interpretation; quality and patient advocacy; and project management. Those experiences served her well when she became the clinic manager at Sunrise Community Health in 1998; she still loves the multiple hats one wears when working in a nonprofit organization. After serving as the director of operations, Mitzi became Sunrise’s chief executive officer in 2006.

Under Mitzi’s leadership, Sunrise has more than tripled in size and today is a recognized state and national leader in HIT adoption, integrated health care services, safety net collaborations, and professional health education.

Mitzi is humbled to be recognized as a BizWest Media Northern Colorado Woman of Distinction Honoree in Health Care; a North Range Behavioral Health Community Champion; a Colorado Community Health Network Community Health Advocate and Exceptional Leader in Workforce Development; an awardee of the National Association of Community Health Centers Health Professions Education & Training Award; and an awardee of the Community Health Association Mountain/Plains States Exceptional Administrative Leadership Award.

Proud to be on the Sunrise team serving over 41,000 people in need in northern Colorado, Mitzi volunteers on several state and local boards, including Colorado Access and KUNC. She and her husband, Jeff Fisher, have 3 children, all graduates of University High School in Greeley, CO. Brady is a 2016 CSU graduate in the Hospitality Program; Brock will be a 2018 CSU graduate in the Construction Management program; and Madison is currently a sophomore at CU Denver, interested in architecture.

Hanging in Mitzi’s office is this grounding thought from Marianne Williamson: “We are completely at choice who we will be today in our interactions with others. Compassionate, kind, giving, and forgiving will create one set of probabilities. Angry, judgmental, critical, and defensive will create another one altogether.”