Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation
Denise Mickelsen is currently the Communication Director at the Colorado Restaurant Association. Prior to their current role, Denise worked as a Food Editor at 5280 Magazine, Senior Acquisitions Editor at Craftsy, and held various editorial positions at Fine Cooking magazine, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Saveur magazine, and Fleur de Sel. Denise holds a Bachelor's degree in History from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Science from City Honors School. Denise brings a wealth of experience in culinary content creation, editorial strategy, acquisitions, and building relationships with key stakeholders in the industry.
Colorado Restaurant Association & Foundation
Founded in 1933, the Colorado Restaurant Association (CRA) is the leading trade organization for the state's dynamic foodservice industry. The CRA represents, educates, and promotes an industry comprised of more than 12,400 eating and drinking establishments that provide Colorado with more than 238,000 jobs – 7% of employment in the state - and $14 billion+ in annual sales. The CRA has 5,000+ restaurant members and over 200 vendor members that provide products and services to the foodservice industry. The CRA offers independently-owned restaurant members a dual membership with the National Restaurant Association (NRA). Established in 1987, the Colorado Restaurant Foundation (CRF) is the philanthropic arm of the CRA. The CRF is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization governed by a board of directors made up of restaurants, industry experts, K-12, and post-secondary hospitality educators. The CRF's mission is the training, support, and advancement of all individuals currently in or entering the foodservice industry.