Staff Members

Our staff is committed to changing the lives of people.

The Fresh Start (FS) staff has over 100 years of combined experience in working with communities in order to educate youth.   FS’s management strengths range from youth treatment services to marketing.

Jeanne Granville

Jeanne M. Granville is the Executive Director and Co-founder of Fresh Start, Inc.  Jeanne has over thirty (30) years experience working with youth and families in community based assistance programs.   She has extensive experience as a manager, executive director, and field consultant; she has written grants, monitored programs, and administered multi-million dollar federal and state grants.

Jeanne spearheaded Fresh Start’s strategic planning process  which led the agency to redefine the agency mission, develop new programs which utilize research based family-centered best practices as well as promising  new co-investment strategies for families and children.  She is a well known and respected community leader and innovator, parent and volunteer.

Carmen Messina Velasquez

During her thirty years of working for the State of Colorado, Carmen Messina Velasquez served as the Colorado State Workforce Development Manager and Executive Director of the Colorado Community College System Foundation.  Prior to these positions she held management level positions in the Governor’s Office, and in various state agencies: the Division of Youth Corrections, the Department of Public Safety, the Division of Criminal Justice, the Department of Local Affairs, and the Division of Emergency Management’s Homeland Security Branch.

Her areas of expertise include: board training, program development, community collaboration and organization, public safety coordination, crime/delinquency prevention, grant management, program administration, and event planning.  Carmen is a member of the Board of Directors at the Colorado Safe2Tell program, the Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center, and the Denver Citizen Oversight Committee.  In addition, she has served on numerous other boards and community coalitions over the years and is always advocating for the wellbeing of families, youth, and children.  She is also a co-founder of the Colorado Coalition for Minority Youth Equality.