Jon Olafson
Jon Olafson (he/him/his), CODACC Co-Creator, Partner, Lewis Brisbois Jon principally practices trade secret and corporate espionage law, corporate governance and fiduciary duty disputes, and employment law. Jon currently serves on the Executive Council of the Colorado Bar Association, where he chairs the Racial Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity (“REDI”) Committee. He also serves on the Executive Council of the Labor and Employment Section of the Colorado Bar Association and the CBA’s Budget Committee. Jon is the President of The Nathan Yip Foundation, which provides grants to Colorado’s rural schools. Jon also sits on the Board of Directors for Opera Colorado and is an Emeritus Director for the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. When not volunteering with the CBA or with various Colorado-based non-profits, Jon enjoys spending time with his partner Jerry and their friends, family, and dogs. Jon helped create CODACC because he understands what it is like as a diverse attorney to navigate an already difficult profession. Plus, one of the best aspects of the CBA and the Colorado legal profession is its collegiality and ability to make lasting friendships and deep personal networks, something CODACC will help for many diverse attorneys across Colorado.
Spencer Rubin
Spencer Rubin (he/him/his), CODACC Co-Creator, Associate, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP. Spencer principally practices technology and commercial transactions across all industries, including aerospace, life sciences, advertising and marketing, music, IoT (including big data, cloud, and software), telecommunications, and manufacturing, and works with clients of all sizes from start-ups to Fortune 100s. Spencer was the Chair of the Colorado Bar Association Young Lawyers Division from July 2020-June 2021 and is actively involved in the American Bar Association and Colorado politics. Spencer is a basic Coloradoan, in that he likes hiking, cycling, Fitwall, snowshoeing, cruising on Lake Dillon, and having an après ski meal after not having skied. Spencer helped create CODACC so that attorneys and legal professionals across Colorado with diverse identities could make lasting friends outside of work and other professional associations more focused on networking or business development. In addition to CODACC’s strong REDI education, leadership, mentoring, and public service components, the overall structure of the program is geared towards creating these lasting friendships that cannot be replicated elsewhere, and Spencer is very proud to be able to offer others this opportunity with the assistance of the Colorado Bar Association (including many of its Sections) and all our generous private sector sponsors!
Leilani Argersinger
My name is Leilani Argersinger and I am a Corporate Associate at Dorsey & Whitney LLP focusing my practice in Emerging Companies, M&A, and Securities and Regulatory Compliance. I enjoy helping businesses to grow strategically and creatively and to be not only a trusted advisor to my clients, but a partner in expansion. I’m a Colorado native and love all of the lifestyle perks that Colorado offers. When I’m not working, I enjoy hanging out with my two rescue pups (Mikko & Landy), exploring new restaurants and destinations with my husband Michael, and learning new skills, doing yoga, and exploring other cultures. I look forward to connecting with more diverse attorneys in Denver through CODACC!
Melora Bentz 
Melora Bentz is a mediator, employee relations consultant, and restorative justice facilitator with a focus on solving problems via creative collaboration. She is the owner of Middle Path Mediation, LLC, where she leads parties in conflict to a middle path, a workable ground, toward resolution. She provides low-cost mediation services to parties in Denver City and County Courts with Court Mediation Services and conducts legal research and writing for The Office of Alternate Defense Counsel. Melora is the co-chair of the CBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Committee. Melora is passionate about equal access to justice, anti-racism advocacy, and helping people to transform conflict into opportunity. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, biking, hiking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and pets.
Teagan Boda
Teagan Boda is an Associate Attorney at Naylor & Geisel, PC, in Pueblo, Colorado. She focuses her practice primarily on representing clients with their estate planning, probate, and family law needs.
Teagan received her Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School in May of 2021. While at William & Mary, she participated in numerous clinical programs allowing her to protect the rights and interests of indigent clients, and leading to her earning the CLEA Outstanding Clinic Student Award for William & Mary. During her time in law school, Teagan was also actively involved with the Public Service Fund, Institute of Bill of Rights Law, and was a Senior Articles Editor for the William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal. Before attending law school, Teagan earned her Bachelor of Art in History and her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Colorado State University-Pueblo.
Sarah Carlson 
Sarah Rice Carlson is an associate at Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP, where her practice focuses on commercial litigation, arbitration, and construction and real estate litigation. Sarah represents and advises clients in all stages of litigation. Sarah is a graduate of the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During law school, Sarah served as the editor in chief of the University of Denver Water Law Review. Prior to joining DGS, she clerked for the Honorable Gilbert M. Román, Chief Judge of the Colorado Court of Appeals. Sarah has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, on mediation advocacy and negotiation. Sarah is also on the board for the Colorado Lawyers Committee, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals, and Senior Housing Options.
Jessica Meza
Mrs. Meza is a proud fist generation Peruvian-American. She is a former Colorado State Public Defender of 11 years. She started her own law firm Meza & Garlan, LLC. She is proud to provide Spanish-speaking clients with effective, knowledgeable and trustworthy legal representation in both family and criminal matters. CODACC gave her the courage to bring her authentic self to her legal practice.
Susan Minamizono
Susan Minamizono represents clients in insurance coverage disputes, bad faith litigation, and high-value personal injury claims. She has been recognized for her work by Colorado Super Lawyers in the area of insurance coverage since 2019 and received the Consumer Protection Award in 2021 from the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. Susan actively participates in committees that evaluate legislative bills that affect the rights of citizens in Colorado, offers pro-bono legal services to trafficking survivors and immigrant clients, participates in mock trials to educate middle and high school students regarding Colorado’s hate crime law, and engages in diversity, equity and inclusion work in her professional and personal life.
Christina Pettus
Christina is a Native of Kansas City, Missouri. She received her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University, a Historical Black College and University (HBCU), in 2005. In 2009, she graduated from Western Michigan University where she received her Juris Doctorate with a concentration in Litigation. Christina served as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Texas from 2016-2020. She currently serves as Assistant County Attorney for Adams County. Christina is a member of the Colorado Bar Association, Adams County Bar Association family law and elder law sections. She currently serves as Co-Chair for the Colorado Diversity Attorney Community Circle. In her spare time Christina enjoys travelling, music, reading, spending time with family and friends and rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs!
David Simmons 
Earned a J.D. from the University of Denver in 1985. He maintains a private immigration practice in Englewood, Colorado. As an Adjunct Professor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, he taught Immigration Law in English and Spanish. He is a member the Colorado and Central Florida chapters of The American Immigration Lawyers Association. He currently serves the Civil Air Patrol (USAF Auxiliary) as the Rocky Mountain Region Legal Officer, and is a National Legal Officer Emeritus. Active in pro-bono and community eduction efforts, he has worked with the Consulates General of Mexico, Guatemala, and Peru in Denver. He appears regularly on English and Spanish media, regularly publishes articles on Immigration Law, and has given lectures in English and Spanish before professional associations, governmental agencies, and universities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala.