PRESIDENT/CEO, CORAZóN PRINTING

Ana Temu Otting is a business owner, political campaign strategist, community activist, and lifelong organizer. Ana is the President/CEO of Corazón Printing, the only Latina-owned unionized print shop in the State of Colorado.

She founded this print shop with the vision of providing quick turnaround prints to fill the ever growing need in the political niche. Ana is also the Founder and Principal Consultant at Corazón Consulting LLC, a consulting firm specializing in political analysis, strategy, and implementation for candidates, ballot initiatives, advocacy organizations, and government agencies.

Temu Otting has specialized in human-centered strategy, community organizing, and event management for a decade and a half. She brings a wealth of knowledge on diligent event execution and comprehensive community engagement.

CONTACT SUSY, susy@susybates.com

Susy Bates is a seasoned professional who has worked in national, state, and local politics for nearly two decades.

Born and raised in Colorado, Bates has committed herself to creating and implementing operations that focus on breaking down barriers to access and representation in our political systems. Most recently, Bates joined a team to lead Move Colorado Forward, focused on raising revenue to address the lack of affordable child care in Colorado. She also ran the winning Freedom to Marry Colorado campaign to remove the ban on marriage for same-sex couples and the Natural Medicine Colorado campaign.

She is committed to ensuring everyone has access to what they need to thrive. She loves everything Colorado has to offer - from the mountains, to her family, to her 80 pound pittie.

PRESIDENT, SIMPLE MAJORITY

Jess Grennan is a winning political strategist with over twenty years of experience, known for her expertise in statewide ballot measures. Her extensive career includes work on federal campaigns, targeted legislative efforts, and forging powerful alliances.

For the past five years, Jess has dedicated her skills to the most challenging states politically, including Arizona. Jess’s personal battles with medical debt have fueled her determination to enact change, exemplified by her key role in passing Arizona's Prop 209, a measure protecting residents from abusive debt collection practices, which won overwhelming support with 72% of the vote. As the Campaign Manager, Jess was instrumental in the success of Colorado's 2024 Abortion Measure 79 with 61.9% of the vote. Additionally, she played an integral role in defeating detrimental legislation in Arizona during the 2024 cycle. A competent campaigner, Jess was pivotal in garnering 65% voter support for Colorado's Prop 106. Her swift execution of California's end-of-life choices legislation, completed in just 1½ years, assisted over 38 million people. 

As the founder of Simple Majority, she channels her passion and innovative strategy into her own firm. Jess resides in Missoula, Montana, where she indulges in her passions for art, cuisine, wine, rivers, and challenging the medical status quo.

FOUNDER, THE STEADY & UPSTREAM

Val is the Founder of Steady and Upstream, and she is spearheading the initiative to expand Emerge Colorado to every corner of the state. Building on Emerge’s success in empowering candidates, Val’s expertise in uniting people and assembling strong teams creates an exciting opportunity to elect a woman as Colorado’s Governor or even as a U.S. Senator.

With personal experience in running for office—facing both victories and losses—Val brings a wealth of insight to the table. She is currently a candidate herself, all while managing a thriving business, raising two kids, and caring for two dogs and two cats. As a cancer survivor, Val’s resilience fuels her dedication to this project, which focuses on creating policies and governance that truly work for women. And the best way to achieve this? Elect more women into office.

Let’s Go!

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, SIMPLE MAJORITY 

Victoria Nolten is a seasoned leader with a strong background in strategic planning, team management, and program development. As Chief Operations Officer at Simple Majority, she brings deep political expertise to building efficient, inclusive frameworks that support democratic engagement and legislative reform. Her leadership experience spans roles at Compassion & Choices, where she honed executive decision-making and strategic alignment as a board liaison, and six years in the fintech sector with positions at Bloom Credit and Simple Finance, where she led initiatives in project management, data analysis, and enterprise risk management.

Victoria holds a bachelor’s degree in business management and a master’s in strategic leadership. She lives on a farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and balances her professional work with raising her 8-year-old. She is also deeply engaged in her community, teaching homesteading at a local college and championing sustainable living. These activities reflect her commitment to fostering resilience and impact both in and beyond the workplace.

PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIST

Upstream is thrilled to welcome Elena Mendoza, a seasoned leader with a passion for service and community impact. As a proud first-generation Latina, Elena brings extensive leadership experience in education and nonprofits, having served as a classroom teacher, assistant principal, and senior education director. She holds a Bachelor's in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Elementary Education and a Master's in Administration and Supervision. A lifelong learner, Elena is also an alumna of renowned leadership programs like the Circle of Latina Leadership, EMERGE Colorado, and the Latino Leadership Institute.

Elena’s dedication to uplifting communities extends beyond her professional roles. She has served on nonprofit boards such as COLOR and the President’s Leadership Class at CU Boulder, and she currently sits on Denver’s Commission for People with Disabilities and the Denver Women’s Commission. When not working or volunteering, Elena enjoys quality time with her family. Upstream is excited to have Elena supporting its mission and advancing meaningful community work.

FOUNDER, OFFICE OF BS

Blair brings over a decade of experience in both visual & verbal communications. From the Colorado Capitol to nonprofits to small businesses to universities to tech startups, Blair has navigated nearly every sector to implement forward-thinking & creative communications strategies.

Blair graduated from Auburn University with a major in Graphic Design and a minor in Sustainability. Their affection for being a guinea pig runs deep as they were part of the first graduating class of Auburn’s Sustainability minor. While at Auburn, Blair had the honor of receiving the Presidential Full Scholarship and was a recipient of the prestigious annual President’s Award.

Life beyond 2D design
Blair has developed their own product line under their design studio name, Office of BS. They’re now preparing to launch a guide collective & gear rental company in Taos, New Mexico. They’re also in the process of pursuing a life-long dream of building affordable, sustainable, off-grid housing for artists in Taos County.

Check out their work >

DIGITAL ORGANIZER & CONTENT STRATEGIST

Upstream is fortunate to have Zara’s creativity on our team. She brings content and strategy to our clients, campaigns, and candidates that feel fresh and are innovative. She listens and then brings her artistic capabilities to everything that she does.

She is a Colorado native and an experienced digital strategist specializing in digital organizing and content strategy. She brings a unique and innovative perspective to the digital landscape from working in the private sector at multiple marketing agencies to executing digital strategies for political clients, candidates, and single-issue organizations. She has a proven track record of utilizing data-driven digital practices to help clients win big, and she is passionate about using her skills to advance causes close to her heart. She graduated from Colorado State University in 2017 with a degree in Journalism and Media Communications and Business Management. Her free time is spent painting, traveling, and obsessing over her dog Rosebud.

Check out her work >

PRESIDENT, FOR THE WIN COMMUNICATIONS
STRATEGIC ADVISOR, UPSTREAM

Katie has been a passionate advocate and driving force in local politics since relocating to Colorado from her native New York. She quickly immersed herself in the dynamic world of Board of Education races, becoming an active participant in these critical campaigns. Over the years, Katie has collaborated with both candidate and ballot issue campaigns across Adams, Jefferson and Denver counties, steadily building her expertise and impact.

A dedicated lifelong learner, Katie earned her undergraduate degree in English from Hartwick College, followed by an MBA from Wagner College. She furthered her education with a Master’s in Higher Education Administration from New York University and an advanced certification in college admissions consulting from UCLA, showcasing her commitment to personal and professional growth.

Katie’s recent roles highlight her leadership and versatility. She served as Campaign Manager for Shannon Bird in Colorado’s House District 29 and held key positions as Communications and Field Director for both Debbie Ortega’s Denver Mayoral campaign and Flor Alvidrez’s bid for Denver City Council District 7. Through these experiences, Katie has demonstrated her ability to drive strategy, foster community engagement, and deliver meaningful results.