Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame names 2027 inductees

The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2027 on July 22 in Denver, adding 11 contemporary and historical honorees as Colorado marks its 150th year of statehood. The class includes founder M.L. Hanson and leaders in education, health care, science, public service, media and advocacy.

Why it matters: - The Class of 2027 highlights women whose work changed Colorado in fields that shape daily life, including education, health care, science, public service and media. - The induction also marks Colorado’s 150th anniversary of statehood, giving this year’s honors added historical context. - The class includes M.L. Hanson, whose induction recognizes the founder of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and the vision behind the organization itself.

What happened: - The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2027 on July 22, 2026, at IMA Financial Group in Denver. - The new class brings the Hall’s total to 205 honored women. - Executive Director Barb Beckner said the theme for the year is “Dream Big.” - The inductees will be formally honored at the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame Induction Gala on March 26, 2027. - Businesses, organizations and community leaders are being asked to support the gala through sponsorships, corporate tables and attendance.

The details: - The contemporary inductees are Janine Davidson, PhD; Lucille EchoHawk; M.L. Hanson; Florence Hernández-Ramos; Rebecca Love Kourlis; Leslie Leinwand, PhD; Margaret A. “Peggy” Lemone, PhD; Donna Lynne, DrPH; Gail Schwartz; and Diane T. Wendt. - The historical inductees are Joyce Porter Arneill, Betty Jennings and Marcy Morrison. - Janine Davidson, PhD, is a former Air Force pilot and the first woman to fly the tactical C-130. - Davidson served as the 32nd Under Secretary of the U.S. Navy and has led Metropolitan State University of Denver since 2017. - Lucille EchoHawk, a citizen of the Pawnee Nation, has spent more than four decades advancing Native American child welfare and philanthropy. - EchoHawk co-founded the Denver Indian Center, the Denver Indian Family Resource Center and Native Americans in Philanthropy. - M.L. Hanson founded the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 1984 after serving as Assistant Vice President at United Bank of Denver. - Hanson later led nonprofit organizations and the Women’s Leadership Foundation. - Florence Hernández-Ramos founded Denver’s KUVO jazz public radio station. - Hernández-Ramos became the nation’s first Latina president and general manager of a jazz public radio station. - Hernández-Ramos also co-founded the Latino Public Radio Consortium. - Rebecca Love Kourlis is a former Colorado Supreme Court Justice who founded the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver. - Leslie Leinwand, PhD, is a molecular biologist at the University of Colorado Boulder. - Leinwand co-founded the biotechnology companies Myogen and MyoKardia. - Their work led to the first FDA-approved cardiac myosin inhibitor for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. - Margaret A. “Peggy” Lemone, PhD, was the first woman to become a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. - Donna Lynne, DrPH, served as Colorado’s 49th lieutenant governor and first chief operating officer. - Lynne later became CEO of Denver Health and led the 2024 ballot measure that secured the future of Colorado’s largest safety-net health system. - Gail Schwartz served two terms in the Colorado State Senate. - Schwartz sponsored the Building Excellent Schools Today, or BEST, Act to fund rural school construction. - Diane T. Wendt was the University of Denver’s first director of women’s athletics and a national advocate for Title IX. - Joyce Porter Arneill co-founded the National Federation of Republican Women and served as its first president. - Betty Jennings helped establish legal, licensed nurse-midwifery in Colorado. - Marcy Morrison was the first woman elected to the Manitou Springs School Board and later served in several elected and appointed roles across Colorado.

Between the lines: - The class reflects a broad definition of leadership, spanning civic life, science, health care, higher education, athletics and the arts. - The Hall’s decision to pair contemporary and historical inductees shows an effort to connect present-day achievement with long-term institutional memory. - Several inductees broke racial, gender or professional barriers, suggesting the Hall is emphasizing both accomplishment and firsts.

What's next: - The Hall will use the months ahead to build toward the March 26, 2027 gala. - Sponsorship and table sales appear to be a key part of supporting the event. - The organization will continue promoting the Class of 2027 as part of its education and public-engagement work.

The bottom line: - Colorado’s next Hall of Fame class spotlights women whose leadership reshaped institutions, expanded access and left a lasting state legacy.