Liz Charles

Passionate and collaborative, Liz (she/her) leads from the heart. “I chose the nonprofit sector and philanthropy because I wanted to be a part of reimagining and building a society where systemic barriers, oppression and inequities are dismantled to give space for a new way of being in community and taking care of each other.” 

As a Senior Program Officer, Liz leads strategy development and implementation for the Foundation's Primary Care and Adult Recovery funding priorities. She stewards relationships with internal teams, community leaders and organizations across the state to center, elevate and amplify lived experience and community expertise as we advance health equity throughout Colorado. Liz also works to identify innovative approaches to trust-based philanthropy and collaborates to help build the capacity of partner organizations. Her belief in the Colorado Health Foundation’s mission is visible in her desire to be a part of the organization’s coordinated action to challenge and uproot social and structural barriers to health equity and racial justice.

With more than 13 years of experience in community-based nonprofits and philanthropy, Liz understands the role financial investment plays in strengthening organizations and driving solutions to complex problems. Before moving to Colorado, she served as a senior program officer at the Kirkpatrick Family Fund in Oklahoma City, directing investment toward the health and well-being of communities across central Oklahoma and Colorado.  

Outside of work, Liz loves spending time in the mountains, including Rocky Mountain National Park, where you’ll find her hiking, rock climbing and camping. When she’s indoors, Liz enjoys listening to audiobooks, writing music, and sharing TikTok videos with her two teenagers. For Liz, life is good when she feels connected to her loved ones, she’s contributing to her community, and she is living with curiosity, openness, and a commitment to learning.

Education
BS, Psychology — Mid-America Christian University