Denver Sister Cities Names Interim Board

Denver Sister Cities International has named an interim six-member Board and raised its Colorado Gives goal to $10,000 as it manages ten partnerships.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Civic Engagement

Wide daytime photograph of a tree-lined Denver avenue with a brick civic building on one side and distant foothills on the horizon. — Denver Sister Cities International named an interim six-member Board and raised its Colorado Gives goal to $10,000 while managing ten partnerships. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Denver Sister Cities International announced an interim Board of Directors, with Cherish Edwards serving as Chair, Mark Dillen as Vice Chair and Secretary, and Fred Kaplan as Treasurer. The organization also raised its Colorado Gives fundraising goal to $10,000.

Why it matters

The interim Board will guide Denver's ten sister city partnerships until a regular election is held at the January 2027 Annual DSCI Members Meeting. The Denver-Dnipro Friendship City agreement, signed by Mayor Mike Johnston, adds a new partner to the city's international civic ties.

The Colorado Gives goal rose from $8,000 last year to $10,000 this year, and the first Denver-Dnipro fundraiser raised $4,000. How the interim Board will set 2027 priorities remains to be determined.

The players

Denver Sister Cities International

A Denver nonprofit that manages the city's ten sister city partnerships and student exchange programs.

Mike Johnston

The Mayor of Denver who signed the Denver-Dnipro Friendship City partnership agreement on June 3.

The details

Voting to fill Board vacancies took place September 28-30 and was open to all DSCI members, with the Board certifying results on October 8. Susan Weller, Jim Wagenlander and Jeff Popiel complete the six-member Board, while Janice Pugh-Wohler continues as General Manager.

June 3: Mayor Mike Johnston signed the Denver-Dnipro Friendship City agreement.
September 28-30: Voting to fill Board vacancies took place.
October 8: The Board certified the election results.
October 26: Interim Board announcement was released.
January 2027: The Annual DSCI Members Meeting will hold a regular board election.

Civic Ties

Denver's Friendship City agreement with Dnipro, Ukraine, signed by Mayor Mike Johnston on June 3, adds a new international partner to the city's network of ten sister city relationships. The interim Board's leadership will shape how that partnership is reviewed after one year for possible full Sister City status.

Denver residents who want to take part in sister city projects, student exchanges, or fundraising can engage with the organization directly. The Colorado Gives campaign offers a way to support these programs financially this year.

The takeaway

Residents interested in global civic ties can join DSCI, support the Colorado Gives campaign, or take part in the upcoming member election. Staying involved helps shape how Denver's sister city partnerships grow.

What happens next

The interim Board will serve until a regular election is held and results are confirmed at the Annual DSCI Members Meeting in January 2027. The Denver-Dnipro partnership will be reviewed after one year for possible full Sister City status.