Denver Business Journal's 40 Under 40

Every spring, the Denver Business Journal honors 40 outstanding local professionals under age 40 for their business success and community contributions. In March 2021, these four CU Denver alumni have been recognized for their contributions to their organizations and the Denver community.

Raymael Blackwell MPA ‘16
Raymael Blackwell is currently a program officer at the Community First Foundation and has created and led mentoring programs for students in the Denver public school system. He is also an active member of the newly formed CU Denver SPA GOLD Board. Pictured top left.
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Robert Henry Franklin, II MPA '10
Robert Franklin II is the Diversity, Health Equity & Inclusion Program Manager for Children’s Hospital Colorado and has been active in associations including the Denver Mayor’s Youth Commission, the Colorado Public Health Association, the Denver Afterschool Alliance, the Aurora Health Alliance, the Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence, and the Family Leadership Training Institute. Pictured top right.
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Travis Leiker MPA ‘14 
Travis Leiker is a Senior Director of Development and Philanthropic Advisor at the University of Colorado. Travis leads a team of professionals, overseeing strategic efforts to secure investments in CU’s education, healthcare, and diversity priorities. He recently completed a $3.25 million fundraising initiative benefiting diversity scholarships at the School of Medicine and honoring the School’s first Black graduate—Charles Blackwood, MD (1947). Beyond his professional duties, Travis remains active in the community. He is past president of the NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado (now Cobalt Advocates). And today, he is president and executive director of Capitol Hill United Neighborhoods (C.H.U.N.). The organization is Denver’s largest and oldest registered neighborhood advocacy group focused on the city’s most vexing issues. In this role, Travis works to bring diverse constituents together to help guide Denver’s urban planning including parks preservation, building coalitions to support the homeless population, and promoting socioeconomic justice at all levels of the city. Pictured bottom left.
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Murphy F. Robinson, III MA '15 
Murphy Robinson is the Executive Director of the Department of Public Safety and the Deputy Mayor for the City and County of Denver overseeing management, discipline, human resources, administrative support, and policy direction for Denver Police, Fire, and Sheriff’s Departments. He is active in multiple community organizations, including the I Love You Guys Foundation, and sits on the Visit Denver Board. Pictured bottom right.
Connect with Murphy on LinkedIn