Regis University Magis Medal Winners

Karen Kallenberg (Regis University ’08)

Karen Kallenberg has made a career of putting her faith into action through her work with Habitat for Humanity for the past 18 years.  While at Habitat for Humanity International, she managed a national program for high school and college campus chapters; provided consultation, training, and support to affiliates across the country; and helped to coordinate the 2003 Jimmy Carter Work Project.  In addition, she led five Global Village trips to build homes around the world and spent a summer working with the Philippines National Office to promote youth involvement with Habitat for Humanity. In her current role, Ms. Kallenberg works for the state support organization Habitat for Humanity of Colorado (HFHC).  At HFHC she provides training and organizational development for the 27 Habitat for Humanity affiliates that are building in 42 communities across Colorado.  She also supports the organization’s fundraising efforts.  Ms. Kallenberg recently joined the Master’s in Non-profit Management program at Regis University as an affiliate faculty.

Richard Swan (Regis University ’79)

Richard Swan is a member of the Board of Directors of Unbound, formerly known as the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging.  This service blends his Vincentian values of commitment to relationships and dignity of others with inspiration to make a difference in the world through service to others, as the Jesuits instilled in him. He is, and has been, active in many efforts of Unbound, which give families in developing countries the resources to educate their children, care for their elderly, and improve their livelihood. Mr. Swan and his family sponsor several children in Costa Rica, Guatemala, India and Kenya and has frequently traveled to do mission work in Guatemalan communities. He has led mission groups to give others the same opportunity and to meet the children or elderly they sponsor through Unbound. He also helps others bring joy to children living in poverty through his involvement with Toys for God's Kids, an organization that donates little wooden cars made by senior citizens. He previously served on the Board of the Center for Spirituality at Work, which brings people together to find creative solutions to societal issues, including a very successful program geared toward helping incarcerated women. "I try to live the Prayer of St. Francis, to be an instrument of peace. I believe that in giving, we receive and that we can bring so much more to places and people where there is doubt, despair and sadness. Mother Theresa said, 'Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.' Be open to where God might be leading you to serve with great love."

Jennifer Chavez Rubio (Regis University ’01)

Jennifer Chavez Rubio has been most successful in supporting corporations and foundations to contribute to the public good through their philanthropy. She is currently the Director of Gifts and Grants Management in the Office of Strategic Partnerships at the Peace Corps and directs strategic partnership development and fundraising activities. Ms. Chavez Rubio oversees the Peace Corps Partnership Program, a small grants program that supports grassroots development projects in the 65 countries where Peace Corps Volunteers serve. Previously, she promoted corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at Silicon Valley Community Foundation and Genentech, Inc., conducting grant making and managing an employee volunteer program for more than 10,000 employees. Ms. Chavez Rubio also conducted grant making at the San Francisco Foundation and Mile High United Way and she was the Director of Education Programs at Somos Mayfair, a grassroots non-profit organization in San Jose, CA. She started her career in service as a bilingual elementary school teacher in California and Colorado. Ms. Chavez Rubio earned a Master of Non-profit Management from Regis University, where she was also a Colorado Trust Fellow. She earned a bachelor's degree from Stanford University.