EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As Founder and Executive Director, Laurie Lazar leads the strategic planning, program development, fundraising, and overall management of Realness Project. With over 30 years of experience in business and technology, Laurie has held leadership roles such as Director of HR at Level 3 Communications and Executive Recruiter for Fortune 100 companies. She also holds a BS in Education with a focus on Curriculum Development. Laurie believes that her most significant credential is her deep experience and unwavering commitment to empowering individuals to transform their lives. In her free time, Laurie enjoys practicing yoga and making delicious meals with ingredients from her garden to share with her husband and finicky feline friends: Phineas and Zuri.

COURSE FACILITATOR

As a Course Facilitator, Certified Peer Support Specialist, and member of Realness Project’s Source Team, Shawna Pierson acts as a liaison between those who are currently incarcerated and those who serve on the Leadership Team. During her four years of incarceration at La Vista Correctional Facility Shawna was fortunate to participate in Realness Project programming. The course was life changing work and she knew that she wanted to be a part of it upon her release. Shawna brings to her role her experience as a former participant of Realness Project’s programming while incarcerated as well as her lived experience modeling the principles of authentic relating in every area of her life. Shawna is a mother, grandmother, and manages a Salon in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. 

COURSE FACILITATOR

As a course Facilitator, Patrick brings a deep respect for and experience with Authentic Relating and group facilitation. He lives for connecting deeply with others and helping everyone to feel seen and valued, especially those that have been told they shouldn't exist or are less than human. He has a profound belief in the power of vulnerability, bringing his own history of addiction, isolation, and PTSD into the spaces he holds and is always striving to foster the most trauma-aware experiences possible. In his downtime, Patrick is on a constant quest to spend more time in the mountains or on his bike, even if his two cats would prefer he remain at home with them on the couch.

COURSE FACILITATOR

As a Course Facilitator, Shani brings a decade of experience in holding space, facilitating deep work, and bringing out people’s strengths and innate joy. Shani is deeply honored to be serving the women at Denver Women’s Correctional Facility’s Therapeutic Community and is humbled by their hard work and tenacity. Shani is also the creator and facilitator of a healing group practice called Journey Writing Circles, which she leads at women’s addiction and mental health treatment centers and is the author of the book Being Ana: a memoir of anorexia nervosa. As a lifelong writer, Shani believes that writing and speaking your truth heals. She lives in the mountains of Colorado with her teen son and her partner where she practices and teaches yoga, cooks feasts, reads poetry, and camps in the woods. 

DONOR & DATA ENGAGEMENT MANAGER

As the Donor & Data Engagement Manager, Breanna supports the Realness Project by managing donor data, including audience segmentation and outreach—ensuring the right messages reach the right people, from donor communications to newsletters. She studied sociology and social work with the intention of working in community-based support, particularly alongside individuals who are incarcerated or have been formerly incarcerated. While her path led her into the world of donor data and fundraising—now working full-time in higher education fundraising at the University of Michigan—her passion for community connection never waned. Breanna first interned with Realness Project during college and recently found her way back, drawn to its mission and the opportunity to reconnect with meaningful, people-centered work. She lives in northern Michigan with her husband and pets, and loves to spend her free time reading, baking, and cooking. 

PRESIDENT

Anthony P. Martinez is the Regional Turnaround Manager for Goodwill Colorado as well as an 

award-winning leader featured on Fox News, the Gazette Magazine, Forbes Magazine, and the National Campaign for Goodwill International ‘New Lives’. As President of Realness Project’s Board he is responsible for ensuring compliance with laws and regulations that apply to the organization’s business activities, establishing priorities for board meetings and executive committees, managing and identifying risks associated with its business activities, and ensuring all activity aligns with the organization’s mission. Anthony believes in the untapped potential in underserved communities and that people need a second chance as he once had the same need and someone took a chance on him. He lives in Denver, Colorado with his family, which includes his young daughter and a Maine-Coon cat named B-mo. In his spare time he likes to read, stay active, and watch his daughter grow up.

TREASURER

Caz Bzdek is the founder and pioneer of the Dueling Pianos® Official, Dueling Pianos Road Show, 4 Grands 8 Hands®, Mobile Dance Club™ and StrikeAChord.org as well as Treasurer of Realness Project’s board. Caz has performed for and done business with over 250 Fortune 500 Companies and continues his altruistic and philanthropic work via his Music Therapy Mobile concept. Educated at CU Denver/Boulder in Business Management and certified in Music Therapy, he also taught many classes on finance, credit building and business startups. Caz was the 1995 recipient of the Young Entrepreneur Association’s Award and has been performing publicly since age six. After serving four years of a twenty year financial crimes racketeering prison sentence, and overcoming past trauma and abuse, he now brings his diverse experiences, business acumen, event planning expertise, and performance passion to Realness Project. Caz lives with his wife and daughter in Denver, Colorado.