Elsa I. Holguín

Elsa Holguín, is an admired and successful Colorado Latina leader, and serves as the President and CEO of the Denver Preschool Program. She overcame adversities placed on her by society, always exceeding expectations, and leaving a legacy of empowerment and progress in her wake. 

At the Denver Preschool Program, Holguín helps children meet their goals and dreams by constantly improving early childhood education. Holguín has devoted her whole career to making positive, lasting change, in the Colorado community, for each child and family, she truly cares about helping every member obtain equality. Holguín’s work has allowed mothers to grow their careers and work lives while having the peace of mind that their children are in good hands at school.

Before starting the Denver Preschool Program, Holguín promoted and founded ten different Colorado organizations fostering help in the community. She is an established and well-respected leader in Colorado with a known history of representing philanthropic institutions in areas of early childhood education, family economic success, economic development, leadership development, advocacy/public policy and public-private initiatives.  

Founded by Holguín, the Business Center of Women at Mi Casa Resource Center is nationally acknowledged by the Small Business Administration as an example to follow and considered a reliable community source through its teachings. Holguín has helped and mentored thousands of women to build and expand their businesses with her mentoring and leadership through the Business Center for Women. 

In 2017, she played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Women’s Foundation of Colorado. Holguín continues to play a vital part in the achievement of its goals, values, and mission. Her multifaceted efforts have enriched the lives of individual women and girls while contributing to gender equality and empowerment initiatives in Colorado.

Wherever help is needed, Holguín is always there to work on whatever is at hand, with her incredible gifts of interpersonal communication, problem-solving, finance, and empathy, she works with people until a result is found. A staunch advocate for professional development Holguín fosters a culture of growth and support within her teams. Holguín’s mindset is results-driven and community-oriented. These efforts have impacted Colorado’s economy, academics, and the community. For example, in 2022, the Denver Preschool Program granted Denver families $18.2 million for pre-school tuition and piloted the Preschool for 3s and the DPP scholarships. Elsa’s lived experience as an immigrant provides her with unique insight to better provide solutions to systemic responses in early childhood education. Programs developed by Holguín help prevent poverty from being a factor in not receiving a well-rounded education. During COVID-19, Holguín made it possible for about 5,000 preschoolers to remain in school to ensure that their parents could continue working. 

Holguín was honored with a Women of Distinction Award by the Girl Scouts of Colorado. In 2023, Holguín was one of the frontrunners for 9News Leader of the Year. Holguín notable accolades include the Denver Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award, and she was honored as one of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce 25 Most Powerful Women in Business Award.  Holguín is a catalyst for positive change, and influences the direction of businesses, and early childhood education in the nation.