Growing Up Boulder Founders 

Louise Chawla

Louise Chawla is Professor Emerita in the Program in Environmental Design at the University of Colorado Boulder, former Co-Editor of the journal Children, Youth and Environments, and former International Coordinator of the Growing Up in Cities program of UNESCO. She currently serves as a Research Fellow with the Community Engagement, Design and Research Center in the Program in Environmental Design and as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Children and Nature Network. She publishes widely on the subjects of child and youth participation in design and planning and the development of active care for the natural world.​

Debra Cushing

Debra Cushing is currently a senior lecturer at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Brisbane, Australia, where she lectures on Landscape Architecture and also serves and the higher degree research coordinator for the School of Design. Previously, Dr. Cushing was an instructor at The University of Colorado where she was also a member of the Steering Committee for the Institute for Ethical and Civic Engagement. During her time at The University of Colorado she received the Marinus Smith Staff/ Faculty Recognition Award from The University of Colorado Boulder Parents Association and also acquired over eighteen thousand dollars in class development and delivery grants. The research she is doing now primarily focuses on the participation of youth in community design and planning, park design, intergenerational community engagement, and design pedagogy. She has published some of her research on these topics in various journals, such as in Pedagogy and community engagement in environmental design courses and Developing cultural responsiveness in environmental design students through digital storytelling and photovoice.

David Driskell

David Driskell helped launch Growing Up Boulder while serving as Executive Director of Planning, Housing and Sustainability for the City of Boulder from 2009 to 2017. He subsequently served as Deputy Director for Planning and Community Development for the City of Seattle, before rejoining Baird+Driskell Community Planning, where he leads participatory planning and policy initiatives. David is the former UNESCO Chair for “Growing Up in Cities” at Cornell University, and author of Creating Better Cities with Children and Youth​​ (UNESCO/Earthscan, 2002) as well as numerous articles. He has taught courses on community-based planning and action research at Cornell, Stanford and UC Berkeley; led training programs in Canada, The Netherlands, Jordan, India and Kenya; and directed child and youth action research initiatives in Bangalore, New York, and Nairobi.

Deirdre Pilch

Currently serving as the superintendent of Greeley-Evans School District 6, Dr. Deirdre Pilch represented Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) during the founding of Growing Up Boulder. In her role as BVSD deputy superintendent and assistant superintendent, Dr. Pilch served as a collaborator and champion of GUB's work in the schools. Dr. Pilch's career in education is marked by her leadership at the classroom, school, and district level. She is devoted to ensuring every student graduates on time with the skills they need to enter college or a career.

​During her tenure in District 6, Dr. Pilch led the adoption of a new strategic plan and introduced a shared-decision making model of leadership which led to a restored relationship with the Greeley Education Association. Dr. Pilch has helped lead two successful campaigns to secure additional revenues from voters for District 6. 
​
Dr. Pilch completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Wyoming and holds a Master’s degree and an Educational Specialist degree in secondary school administration from the University of Central Missouri. Her Doctorate of Education is in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Kansas.

Dorthy Rupert

The Honorable Dorothy Rupert, local leader and former Colorado State Senator, helped found Growing Up Boulder in 2009. Dorothy served 35 years as a public high school teacher and counselor, 14 more years in the Colorado House and Senate, and decades in the peace and women’s rights/human rights movements. She has consistently supported education, relentlessly and courageously tackled difficult legislative issues, and traveled the globe for peace. Dorothy embodies commitment, passion, vitality, caring, sincerity, never-give-up determination, and joy.She was among the 1000 women nominated by the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, in 2005.

Willem van Vliet

Willem van Vliet— , professor emeritus, CU Boulder, initiated Denver’s Child- and Youth Friendly Initiative (2004-07). Based on this experience, in late 2008 as Director of the then Children, Youth and Environments Center, he proposed to David Driskell, long-time friend and newly hired Boulder’s Director of Planning, a partnership between the City, the University, and the local school district to develop a rights-based approach that would make Boulder the first child-friendly city in the U.S. Its goal was to carry out place-based projects as precedents enhancing and demonstrating the competence of children and youth in making valuable community contributions. Willem envisioned an eventual culture change that would support children’s participation in local planning as routine. To that end, Growing Up Boulder sought to create synergies with existing community organizations, especially to incorporate underrepresented voices. After retiring in 2014, Willem remained an interested observer and occasional advisor.