I Will, I Am, I Have.

Leadership

The Challenge Foundation employs a team of experienced and highly dedicated professionals who work with our mentors, teachers, students, and their families to ensure that Challenge Scholars reach their full potential academically, personally, and as members of our community.

Don McFall, Founder

Don McFall, a successful Colorado businessman who had worked with homeless and underserved populations, wanted to create a unique program for youth in these communities to provide a bona-fide chance of escaping the cycle of poverty. In the mid-1990s, Don gathered a like-minded group of citizens and formed The Challenge Foundation, Inc., a Colorado non-profit to support students through academic opportunities, including a dynamic summer program for middle school students and scholarships to independent college prep high schools.

Barbara Radigan (MSW), Acting Executive Director

Barbara joined The Challenge Foundation in December of 2013 after working as a case manager for the Mental Health Center of Denver. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in Community Health. Barbara developed her passion for working with students at Brown where she was a mentor for middle school girls and a manager for a student leadership program. In 2017 she earned her Master's Degree in Social Work at the University of Denver. Barbara has served as a student advisor and as the Director of Recruitment for Challenge and is excited to oversee the program as the Acting Executive Director.

Denver Staff

Holly Dichter (MNM), Director of College Program

Holly began working for The Challenge Foundation full time in August of 2007 after five summers as an intern and teacher in our summer program. She has a degree in Elementary Education from Regis University and has also completed her master’s degree in Non-Profit Management from Regis University. She also taught 2nd and 3rd grade in the Aurora Public School system for three years. Outside of serving as the Director of the Denver program, Holly directs her attention to helping our scholars as they apply to college and then navigate higher education institutions. She also keeps in close contact with all of our alumni, providing resources and support for their continued growth. Holly is fluent in Spanish, which enables her to communicate effectively with many Challenge families and applicants and she enjoys using her background in both education and non-profit organizations in her work at The Challenge Foundation.

Cristina Thayer – Student Advisor

Cristina joined The Challenge Foundation in October 2023 after working as an intensive learning paraeducator through Boulder Valley School District. Cristina graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, concentrating in Intervention and Prevention Science. During her time at CSU, Cristina developed the passion of helping others be their best selves through love of mentorship, academics, and enrichment. Cristina is a first generation student and is a bilingual Spanish and English speaker. Through her personal and work experiences, Cristina is passionate about continuing to provide meaningful work, achievement, and lasting relationships built on communication and support. Cristina is currently advising scholars from St.Mary’s Academy and St. Anne’s Episcopal School.

Connie Ferenbaugh (M. Ed.) – Mentor Program Coordinator

Connie joined the staff of The Challenge Foundation in the fall of 2023, after 21 years in the classroom in both Ohio and Colorado. She graduated from Bluffton University with a BA in Education and from Bowling Green University with a Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. Connie is excited to work with students, families, and mentors in her role as Mentor Program Coordinator. She believes her background in education and passion for helping students succeed will be integral in creating relationships that will help guide students through their years with The Challenge Foundation.

Hernaldo Pinon – Internship Coordinator, Challenge Advisor

Hernaldo joined the Challenge staff in January of 2023. He recently graduated from the Grenoble-Alpes University in France with a degree in General Linguistics. As a Challenge alum familiar with the work and mission of the foundation, Hernaldo was drawn to the idea of being able to help the scholars in the position he was once in. His brief time as an 8th grade English teacher developed his passion for mentorship and the importance of cultivating self-empowerment in young people. Hernaldo grew up in a low-income Spanish-speaking household in North Denver and is looking forward to sharing his journey with Challenge scholars. Hernaldo's role at Challenge is to advise scholars at Colorado Academy and Kent Denver. He will also be developing our internship program to connect with organizations that want to support Challenge high school and college scholars with internship opportunities.

El Paso Staff

Sylvia M. Hernandez – Director of Outreach and Engagement

Sylvia joined the Loretto Academy Challenge Program in August 2013. An El Paso native, Sylvia received her BBA and MBA from the University of Texas at El Paso and is a graduate of Loretto Academy High School. She credits her work, in the private, not-for-profit and higher education sectors, as preparation for guidance for each scholar on their journey through the program. Additional on-the-job training includes her service to the El Paso community as a board director and volunteer for various nonprofit organizations and her church. Sylvia values taking an active role in each girl’s discovery of her own voice, her passion for education, community and a joy of life. Each day brings a new adventure to celebrate, an untold story to tell, and unfamiliar obstacles to hurdle. Sylvia says of her work with the girls, mentors, donors and faculty, “each day my heart is full and overflowing, and I am grateful”.

Adriana Chavarria – Director of Student Programs and Services

Adriana joined the Loretto Academy Challenge Program in 2014 after spending several years teaching for Loretto Academy. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), and after graduation, joined the non-profit sector educating youth and their families on sexual assault and dating violence. During this time, Adriana developed a passion for serving those most in need by providing access to resources and education. In order to better serve the students and families of the Challenge Program, Adriana completed her master’s degree in Education: Curriculum and Instruction in 2020. She is honored to work with the gifted Scholars and their families in the Challenge Program and hopes to continue making a difference in the El Paso community for many years to come.

Phoenix Staff

Pam Fronk-Cole – Executive Director, Phoenix

Pam Fronk-Cole helped establish The Challenge Foundation in Phoenix in 2013. She received her degree in Psychology from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York, near her hometown. Throughout her professional career, Pam has worked in a variety of settings across the country with a common theme of providing hope and opportunities to underserved youth through access to quality education. Her work has been impacting young people in Phoenix for 13 years, and witnessing their success and accomplishments is what truly drives her. She believes that an all-encompassing approach that addresses the academic, emotional and physical needs of a child is critical to making a lasting impact on every scholar and family that she works with. In her free time, Pam enjoys running, swimming laps, reading and playing trains with her son Dillon.

Julie Chisholm – Director of Scholar and Family Support

Julie joined The Challenge Foundation in April 2015. A native of Massachusetts, Julie has a degree in Psychology from Boston College where she was a student-athlete and mentor. Upon graduation, she set out for a year of service as an AmeriCorps volunteer and was placed here in Phoenix. For nearly 17 years now, Julie has been working in the non-profit sector providing support, guidance and resources to youth who have the motivation and potential to attend college, but do not have the means to do so on their own. She is a strong advocate for youth in the community and believes that a holistic approach is the key to changing the trajectory of a child’s life. In addition to working with underserved youth, Julie is a passionate baker and a certified pastry chef. She enjoys any opportunity to overlap her love of baking and her work with the scholars, and so do they!

Kim Meltzer – Director of Scholar Advising

Kim joined The Challenge Foundation in July 2018. A native of Arizona, she received a bachelor's degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University with minors in Spanish and Sociology. After graduation, she moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina where she taught ESL classes and continued to study Spanish. Upon her return to Phoenix, Kim worked as an independent college advisor and discovered a love for supporting youth as they transition from high school to a post-secondary environment. She then moved into the non-profit world and spent seven years supporting youth on their journey to and through college as both a high school and college program manager. Kim is grateful to have the opportunity to work alongside students and families at The Challenge Foundation and wants to help students identify their educational and career goals, and ultimately, recognize their own potential. When she is not reading college guidebooks, Kim enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts, and gardening.