Insights, News Future Health Leaders of Denver: Health Career Connection Celebrates First Intern Cohort Aug 25, 2026 Denver Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email This summer marked an exciting milestone for our portfolio organization, Health Career Connection (HCC), as they launched in January 2026 and completed their inaugural Denver internship cohort. Throughout the summer, students gained valuable professional experience, built lasting connections, and explored meaningful career pathways in the health field. When we first invested in Health Career Connection (HCC), our community made one thing abundantly clear: they needed direct pathways to high-paying, sustainable careers. We heard this priority echoed across hundreds of community conversations, and HCC’s work delivers exactly that. From an inspiring orientation that welcomed students into the program to a meaningful closing celebration recognizing all they accomplished, the program showcased the power of investing in the next generation of health sector leaders. Tepayec Interns and Staff 01/08 Health Career Connection Staff and Rebecca Gorrell 02/08 CLLARO Staff and Interns 03/08 CommonSpirit Staff and Intern 04/08 Healthier Colorado CEO and Intern 05/08 Annie Lozano Speaking 06/08 Interns 07/08 Latinx Therapist Project Staff and Intern 08/08 Student & Host Site Experience “My HCC internship experience was truly the most incredible environment to grow in. From the immersion we obtained at our host site, Tepeyac Community Health Center, to the HCC professional development series we attended as interns, I was exposed to an entire network of health careers and pathways I didn’t know existed or were possible. As someone who was looking to go into Family Medicine before the internship, Tepeyac demonstrated how centering community, even from the perspective of quality, risk, and compliance, significantly impacts the care patients receive, and as an intern, I was able to be a part of those processes. After the internship, I feel so much more prepared to explore all the possibilities of public health and medicine, while keeping my community the root of what I do. I cannot thank HCC and the Green Light Fund for not only providing an opportunity, but also for giving us a network of support. Thank you!” Abby Vsetecka HCC Denver Student Intern “Given the fast-paced environment at Tepeyac Community Health Center, we need to be very selective regarding interns that we assign to the various departments within our organization. All of our HCC interns were extraordinarily well prepared and were ready to contribute as part of our day-to-day operations and provide meaningful support to our managers and directors. In one instance, our HCC intern conducted an extensive series of patient interviews (in Spanish) and summarized the data for the Tepeyac Director who was managing this project. Needless to say, our experience with HCC exceeded all of our expectations!” Jim Garcia CEO and Founder of Tepayec Community Health Center “This internship allowed me to see public health beyond the classroom, as real people, real partnerships, and real opportunities to create change. It gave me the confidence to recognize that my voice and perspective belong in this field. As I prepare to graduate, I’m excited to carry this experience forward and pursue a career in epidemiology, where I hope to help build healthier and more equitable communities.” Israa Alazzawi HCC Denver Student Intern HCC interns gained hands-on experience at host sites including Colorado Cardiac CPR, CommonSpirit Mountain Region, Tepeyac Community Health Center, Colorado Latino Leadership and Advocacy Research Organization, Healthier Colorado, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, Denver Public Health Department, Craig Hospital, Latinx Therapist Project, and MSU Denver. Throughout the course of the internship, students experienced what it’s like to work in the healthcare industry, from nursing and mental health to health administration, anesthesia, safety and quality, and human resources. The interns also received guidance from Annie Lozano, the new Regional Program Director leading Health Career Connection in Colorado. “Watching our inaugural Denver cohort grow and shine this summer has been incredibly meaningful for me as HCC’s new Denver Regional Program Director. These emerging leaders showed up with curiosity, professionalism, courage, and a genuine commitment to learning, while making real contributions to their organizations and communities. They are bright, talented, and eager to use their skills to make their communities healthier and help build a healthcare system that is more accessible, equitable, and responsive to the people it serves. I am incredibly grateful to have had a behind the scenes view of their growth this summer, to watch their projects take shape, and to know that I will continue to see how these experiences help shape their career paths. As our first summer program comes to a close, I am proud to see them join the HCC alumni community with greater confidence in themselves, greater clarity about what comes next, and a deeper understanding of just how much they have to offer as leaders in healthcare.” – Annie Lozano By bridging the gap between education and employment, HCC advances economic mobility in our community and strengthens the workforce that keeps our health sector resilient. As we celebrate the success of HCC’s inaugural Denver cohort, we are grateful to the students, host sites, and partners who made this milestone possible. We look forward to seeing the lasting impact these future healthcare leaders will have on our community.
