Colorado Music Hall of Fame is thrilled to announce five prominent community leaders have joined its Board of Directors in 2025:
- Tim Aragon, General Counsel of Denver Broncos;
- Brian Edelman, President of Live Nation Rockies Region;
- Lisa Kaufmann, Senior Political Advisor to Colorado Governor Jared Polis;
- Brian Kitts, Chief Business Development & Marketing Officer of Denver Arts & Venues;
- Simone Ross, CEO of Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce.
In addition, board member RD Sewald was appointed as Vice Chair of Colorado Music Hall of Fame’s board of directors serving with board co-chairs, Scott Tobias and Paul Epstein.
“These new additions to our board bring some incredible leaders to our already deeply talented board. Simone Ross, Lisa Kaufmann, Brian Edelman, Tim Aragon and Brian Kitts all have amazing ties to the community and each brings a special expertise to the Colorado Music Hall of Fame board — not to mention a shared love of music and this state’s musical heritage,” states Scott Tobias, board co-chair and founding member.
Denver native Tim Aragon’s work is deeply rooted in the community. “I already know several of the other board members,” he says, “and they are great people so I look forward to collaborating with them to honor the music industry in our great state.” After almost two decades at global law firm Hogan Lovells’ Denver office, he entered his first season as general counsel for the Denver Broncos in 2022. Aragon holds numerous civic board positions, including with the Colorado Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Another Denver native Brian Edelman has always been a music fan. His fond memories of his first concert—the Jackson 5 Victory Tour at Mile High Stadium in 1984 helped inspire a future career in the music business. After earning a degree at CU Boulder, Edelman moved to LA and spent 25 years at William Morris Endeavor (WME). There, he represented artists like Snoop Dogg, Nas, the Marley Brothers and others. He returned to Denver last year to lead Live Nation’s Rockies Region. “Now that I’m back in my home state, I would love to play my part to help The Hall grow into the best in the country!” he says.
Lisa Kaufmann serves as Senior Strategic Advisor to Governor Jared Polis, after previously serving as Chief of Staff to Governor Jared Polis, and senior advisor to Congressman Joe Neguse. Kaufmann is the co-founder of New Era Colorado, a nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and training a new generation of active citizens and young leaders in Colorado. “It’s an honor to serve on the board of Colorado Music Hall of Fame and contribute to their important mission of fostering the music industry and supporting Colorado musicians. Our music talent and world class venues are a big part of what makes Colorado a special place to live and visit.”
Marketing-expert Brian Kitts has been with Denver Arts & Venues since 2011 serving as Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer. Kitts also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver, where he earned both a B.A. and M.A. in Communications. Serving the community, Brian also sits on a number of other nonprofit boards including the You Can Play Project – the world’s largest organization challenging homophobia in sports. When asked about his favorite Colorado musician, Kitts says it “varies by the minute and goes from John Denver to Dianne Reeves to Griz and whoever is in front of me at a bar.”
Colorado-native Simone Ross plays a crucial role in community-building, change management and inclusion/equity practices in Colorado. Ross is not only the CEO of Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of the Colorado Women’s Chamber Foundation, she also serves as a consultant, is a popular public speaker, community board member, and has held numerous appointed positions in local government. Describing Colorado’s music scene as “a hidden gem,” Ross shares that some of her favorites include Hall of Famers: “Aside from my great-grandfather, George Morrison Sr., Diane Reeves is at the top of my list. Her voice is flawless, smooth, rich, and she has mastered the instrument that is her voice. She leaves me in awe.”
In addition to these five new board members, R.D. Sewald, who has served on The Hall’s board since 2022, was recently nominated as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. With two decades of experience in state and local government, he has served as political advisor to two Denver mayors and two Colorado governors, including Wellington Webb and John Hickenlooper. As co-founder of Sewald Hanfling Public Affairs, he has been a trailblazer in efforts to modernize and restructure regional cooperation and support the business community, putting Colorado on the map as a national and global leader for the future economy. Sewald is a pillar of the Colorado community. As a music fanatic himself, Sewald tells us one of his favorite Colorado musicians is Big Head Todd and the Monsters. “Music is vital to keeping people alive and making the world feel better,” he says. “No matter the language.”
“The amazing strength of this board is reflected in our new vice chair: R.D. Sewald. Since joining the board, he has been a driving force behind many of our initiatives and fundraising successes,” says Scott Tobias. “R.D.’s deep roots in the community, his love of music and his commitment to our mission make him the perfect fit to elevate The Hall to a new level. I have known him for over thirty years, and I am truly excited to have him as a partner in running our organization.”
These new additions to The Hall’s already exemplary board of directors set the organization up for continued success. With our recent move to and partnership with the Colorado Convention Center, the finalization of our Colorado Music Tourism Strategy and our work in support of the mental health of our music industry, the future under this leadership holds a lot of promise for expanding The Hall’s impact—amplifying Colorado’s musical legacy on a national stage, driving cultural tourism and economic growth, and deepening our commitment to the well-being of the people who make the music possible.