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Board Retreat 2026

September 20–23, 2026 · Boulder, Colorado

Board Retreat 2026

Access Ventures The AV Foundation The Leadership Experience

Four days at the foot of the Flatirons. Board work, time together, and a bit of adventure.

Welcome

We're bringing all three boards together in one room.

We're bringing the Access Ventures, Foundation, and Leadership Experience boards together to set direction for the year ahead, alongside the people who make the work possible and the spouses who share their lives with them. Bring your spouse. There's real board work on the agenda and plenty of time to enjoy Boulder together. We'll keep this page current as details firm up, so bookmark it instead of watching your inbox.

At a glance

Dates
Sep 20–23Sunday through Wednesday
Where
Boulder, COFront Range · ~5,300 ft
Home base
St. JulienHotel & Spa, on Walnut St.
Fly into
Denver (DEN)~45 min drive to Boulder

Arrive → Work → Adventure → Depart

The flow

Four days, day by day

The high-level arc. We'll post anything new right here, so bookmark this page and check back.

DAY 01
Sunday
Sep 20
Arrivals & Welcome
  • DaytimeFly inWe're coordinating rides from Denver around your arrival time. Find your wave in Rides to & from Denver below.
  • 3:00 PMCheck in to St. JulienTime to rest, walk Pearl Street, or hit the spa. Map
  • 6:00 PMWelcome dinnerTogether at The Kitchen, 1039 Pearl St, Boulder. Map
DAY 02
Monday
Sep 21
Board Working Sessions All guests

Kiln · 2101 Pearl St, Boulder Map

Everyone's together for the sessions, spouses and guests included. Breakfast is on your own. Kiln is walkable, about 22 minutes, and those who'd like to can coordinate rides together that morning.

  • 8:30 AMSession oneLeadership, governance, membership & budget.
  • 12:00 PMLunch togetherCatered, on site.
  • 12:30 PMSession twoAVF pathways and AV program direction.
  • ~3:00 PMBreak, personal timeFree until dinner, roughly 3:00 to 6:30 PM. Rest, run, or explore Pearl Street.
  • 6:30 PMDine-aroundsSmall groups across Boulder. Find your table below.

Dine-around groups

Monday · 6:30 PM

Table 01
Bryce ButlerHost
River and Woods · 2328 Pearl St Map
  • Andrew Abrams
  • Jarrett Lettow
  • Jessica Abood
  • Stacy Edson
  • Farrah Cooper
Table 02
Brian MacKayHost
Brasserie Ten Ten · 1011 Walnut St Map
  • Eric Krauss
  • Julia Carter
  • Courtney Simmons
  • Carly Maxwell
  • Ryan Edson
Table 03
TJ AboodHost
Brasserie Ten Ten · 1011 Walnut St Map
  • Tanner Luster
  • Evan Carter
  • Justin Esquivel
  • Nichole Allen
  • Christina Abrams
Table 04
Brendon MaxwellHost
VINCA on Pearl · 1043 Pearl St Map
  • Gabe Cooper
  • AW Simmons
  • Crystal Esquivel
  • Sarah Oshinowo (no soy)
  • Erica Lettow
Table 05
Laura MacKay · no glutenHost
SALT · 1047 Pearl St Map
  • Toby Kurth (maybe)
  • Babatunde Oshinowo
  • Elisha Krauss
  • Bethany Butler
  • Josh Allen

We've budgeted $70 per person for dine-arounds. Bryce will walk through how we're handling the check at the retreat.

DAY 03
Tuesday
Sep 22
Into the Mountains

Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park

  • 8:00 AMCoffee & connectionGather at the hotel before we head up.
  • 10:15 AMShuttle departs St. JulienWe ride up together.
  • 11:15 AMLunch in Estes ParkOn arrival. Map
  • 12:45 PMOpen-air Jeep tourInto Rocky Mountain National Park with Green Jeep Tours, 157 Moraine Ave, Estes Park. MapHeads-up: the tour runs rain or shine, and it's cooler up in the mountains. Bring a rain or wind jacket, or layers you can peel off.
  • 4:00 PMShuttle back & breakPersonal time until dinner, 4:00 to 6:30 PM.
  • 6:30 PMGroup dinnerCasual, all together, back in Boulder. Location TBD.
DAY 04
Wednesday
Sep 23
Departures
  • All dayHead homeFly out as your schedule allows; no group sessions. We're coordinating rides back to the airport, so find your wave in Rides to & from Denver.

Before the room

Your read-ahead

A short packet so our time together goes to deciding, not catching up. Please review these before you arrive. Everything else we'll walk through live in the room.

Read closely · we'll decide

LX Governance

The LX working group's recommendations to the board: terms, nominations, structure, and the Member Advisory Council.

Open governance packet
Read closely · we'll decide

LX Bylaws

The LX bylaws with proposed amendments shown in redline. We'll discuss and vote together.

Open bylaws (redline)
Read closely · we'll decide

LX Membership Tiers

The proposed LX membership levels, with structure and benefits by tier.

Open membership tiers
For context

LX Year-End Plan

Where LX is headed through the end of the year: programs, priorities, and momentum.

Open year-end plan
For context

LX OKR & Influence Score

The 2026 OKR and membership health dashboard: where the numbers stand heading into the board conversation.

Open the OKR dashboard
Read closely · we'll decide

LX Budget

The FY 2026/27 LX budget. Come with your questions; we'll approve as a board.

Open the budget
Consent vote

AVF Policies

Two AVF policy updates, taken together on the consent agenda: fiscal sponsorship, and single-name holdings in the IPS.

Fiscal Sponsorship Policy Single-Name Policy
Read closely · we'll decide

AVF Pathways primer

A one-page primer on the circles platform: the kDAF, audience, the LX Community Foundation, and the 5% election.

Open primer
Consent vote

AV Policies

Three AV operating policies, taken together on the consent agenda.

Investment Policy Statement Accounting & Internal Controls Travel Policy

Home base

St. Julien Hotel & Spa

900 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302
stjulien.com · (720) 406-9696 · Map

  • Full-service spa
  • Flatirons views
  • On-site dining & bar
  • Fitness center
  • Steps from Pearl Street
  • Wi-Fi throughout

Boulder's own

The St. Julien is Boulder's flagship hotel, tucked at the western edge of downtown and the Flatirons in view. Our sessions, dinners, and the mountain shuttle all run from here.

Rooms are held under the Access Ventures block, so just check in under your own name. Check-in opens at 3:00 PM Sunday.

Rides to & from Denver

Getting there and back

Airport rides are Uber or Lyft, booked by you. Find your wave below, then send the receipt to Crystal for reimbursement, up to the cap shown (caps are per ride, not per person).

Arrivals · Fri Sep 18 – Sun Sep 20
WhenRideWhoReimburse
Fri, Sep 18 · 10:03aUber/LyftBrendon & Carly Maxwell (FWA)up to $100
Sat, Sep 19 · 10:25aUber/LyftJarrett & Erica Lettow (SAN)up to $100
Sun · 9:00aUber/Lyft XL, sharedTJ & Jessica Abood, Bryce & Bethany Butler (SDF)up to $140 total
Sun · 10:03/10:10aUber/Lyft XL, sharedCrystal & Justin Esquivel, Josh & Nichole Allenup to $140 total
Sun · 11:27aUber/LyftBrian & Laura MacKayup to $100
Sun · 12:20/12:30pUber/Lyft XL, sharedElisha & Eric Krauss, Ryan & Stacy Edsonup to $140 total
Sun · 2:51pUber/Lyft XL, sharedChristina & Andrew Abrams, Julia & Evan Carter (ATL)up to $140 total
Sun · 4:20pUber/LyftBabatunde & Sarah Oshinowoup to $100
Sun · 6:16pUber/LyftGabe & Farrah Cooper (PHX)up to $100
Wednesday, Sep 23 · Departures
Leave hotelRideWho (flight)Reimburse
6:30aUber/LyftJosh & Nichole Allen (9:15)up to $100
7:00aUber/Lyft XL, sharedTJ & Jessica Abood (9:40), Bethany Butler (9:40)up to $140 total
~7:30aUber/Lyft XL, sharedBrian & Laura MacKay (12:07), Bryce Butler (6:40p) · 8:30a breakfast in south Denver firstup to $140 total
7:45aUber/LyftChristina & Andrew Abrams (10:28)up to $100
8:15aUber/LyftBabatunde & Sarah Oshinowo (11:00)up to $100
9:15aUber/Lyft XXL, 6-seatJarrett & Erica Lettow (12:05), Julia & Evan Carter (12:10), Gabe & Farrah Cooper (12:17)up to $180 total
~11:00aUber/Lyft XL, sharedCrystal & Justin Esquivel (1:40), Ryan & Stacy Edson (2:00)up to $140 total
Own timingUber/LyftBrendon & Carly Maxwell (3:58)up to $100
Own timingUber/LyftElisha & Eric Krauss (7:20p)up to $100

A few folks are set apart: AW & Courtney Simmons are local and joining for dinners only (no rides). Tanner Luster is renting a car. Toby Kurth will slot into a wave once his flight is confirmed. Questions on your ride, or need to adjust a wave? Just ask Crystal.

Before you come

A few things to know

01 Getting here

Fly into Denver International (DEN). Boulder is about a 45-minute drive northwest, and we'll post ground transportation details here closer to the date.

02 The altitude

Boulder sits near 5,300 feet, and the Jeep tour climbs higher. Drink more water than usual and take it easy your first day.

03 The weather

Late September in Colorado is usually warm, sunny days in the 70s and crisp evenings in the 40s. Pack layers and a jacket for the mountains.

04 What to bring

Comfortable shoes for Pearl Street and the Jeep, sunglasses and sunscreen for the strong high-altitude sun, and something warm for Tuesday up top.

Questions

Anything you need before we gather, just ask.

Crystal Esquivel Chief of Staff · Access Ventures crystal@accessventures.org

Access Ventures · The AV Foundation · The Leadership Experience · Boulder 2026
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