Rebecca Holmes Named “2021 Most Admired CEO” by Denver Business Journal

Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) President and CEO Rebecca Holmes has been named 2021 Most Admired CEO by Denver Business Journal. Selected from a field of more than 100 nominees, Holmes is one of 21 leaders in the Denver metro area to receive recognition for transformational leadership and community impact. In an announcement published on Oct. 21, 2021, Denver Business Journal said the award honors the top-ranking executives whose forward-looking leadership is shaping their organizations, sectors, and greater community.

Rebecca has positioned CEI as the go-to expert on K12 education in Colorado, walking the talk on innovation and powerful cross-sector collaboration. Her approach centers on cultivating robust partnerships between education, community, and economy, driving systems to produce relevant and equitable career and college outcomes. Rebecca led CEI’s remarkable response to COVID-related school closures, supporting leaders and families alike to survive and thrive during education’s greatest disruption.

Rebecca commands possibility, purpose, and optimism while maintaining focus on the need for significant change. She is quick to remind other leaders that education and parenting are the two cornerstones of our shared future – a belief instrumental to simultaneously reinvesting in public education while also demanding something radically new from it. As a leader, partner, and boss, Rebecca builds relationships and teams grounded in trust, authenticity, and a commitment to public systems that are designed for the success of all kids and communities.

“The CEI staff and Board of Directors extend congratulations and appreciation to Rebecca for her outstanding vision and leadership. Rebecca could be leading in any industry; Colorado is fortunate that she chooses to focus on schools, families, and communities across our state,” said George Sparks, CEI board chair and Denver Museum of Nature and Science president and CEO.

In addition to her organizational leadership at CEI, Rebecca has served on numerous boards and state working groups that reflect her commitment to equity, innovation, and youth leadership. Most recently, Rebecca has actively worked to leverage her education and business leadership in support of families. She launched Future Ready Families in September 2021 to empower parents and caregivers as advocates in their children’s education and provide robust resources to inform decisions about education and child development post-COVID.

The Denver Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO program honors outstanding chief executives (and those holding equivalent titles — including, but not limited to, owner, executive director, president and managing principal) in the Denver metropolitan area in for-profit and nonprofit companies.