Erin Hottenstein

Founder of Colorado 50-50

Erin Hottenstein founded Colorado 50-50, a community group dedicated to gender parity in elected office and on boards and commissions. In just over two years, Colorado 50-50 has held trainings and events around Colorado with more than 450 people participating. The group is very active on social media and played a key role in advocating for a better work environment at the Colorado Capitol.

Hottenstein is also an Associate Trainer and Vice President at Public Speaking for the Professional. She has 20 years of experience as a trainer in corporate, collegiate and community settings. She has taught courses in presentation and communication skills, personality styles, goal achievement, self-esteem, personal finance and stewardship. Hottenstein holds certificates in coaching and training. During her early career in journalism, she worked in radio, television and print for which she earned numerous awards at the state and national level. This background, along with her subsequent work in public relations, has been a valuable asset to clients who are facing challenges with external communications.

VoteRunLead to put on a full-day campaign training in Denver

In May, we partnered with VoteRunLead to put on a full-day campaign training in Denver. We were so excited to train 50 women that day! (Photo credit: Alisa Geiser).

Casual, low-barrier ways for potential women candidates to meet elected women officials

We added socials to our mix of events. We wanted to create casual, low-barrier ways for potential women candidates to meet elected women officials. The elected women have been so great about "paying it forward" and encouraging the next wave of women leaders. This was at our March 2019 social.

One of my favorite T-shirts.

Winning With Women 2017

Our first Winning With Women was in May 2017 in Fort Collins. We were honored to have a former Congresswoman, a former mayor and a school board member. There have only been four women elected to Congress in Colorado's history. We have never had a woman governor or a woman senator. Obviously, we want to change that!

Colorado 50-50 is 100% volunteer powered

Here are some of our great volunteers! We usually have maps showing various political boundaries at Winning With Women, so you're seeing one of our maps.

Get the Harry Potter reference?

I love this "Can't Wait To Vote" t-shirt from Momsrising.org!

Jena Griswold's campaign 2018

In 2018, I volunteered on Jena Griswold's campaign. She was running for Secretary of State. There had been a number of very qualified women of various parties running for those top state executive seats, but after the primaries Griswold was the only woman candidate (of a major party) left at the executive level. Happily, she won! Colorado has had only five women secretaries of state.

The Longmont, Colo., showing of "Councilwoman" a new documentary about a Dominican-American hotel housekeeper who runs for office in Providence, RI.

This was at our recent Longmont, Colo., showing of "Councilwoman" a new documentary about a Dominican-American hotel housekeeper who runs for office in Providence, RI. Afterward we had a panel discussion with a state representative, a city councilwoman, and a union organizer.