About

When it comes to kids,

their future is ours to create

One Chance to Grow Up focuses on protecting kids across the nation from the dangers of today’s marijuana.

One Chance to Grow Up focuses on defending kids across the nation from the dangers of today’s marijuana.

we
protect
kids

For kids, everyone raising kids, and all those supporting them in the era of legalized marijuana: One Chance to Grow Up has your back.

We’re here to give you the words you need when you don’t know what to say. We’re here to teach you what you might not know. And to be the voice for kids that policymakers hear loud and clear.

It’s our mission to keep kids safe from all the dangers of marijuana commercialization. Kids don’t always know how to protect themselves, which is why we all need to step up.

We’ve been vigilant about the effects of THC on kids from the first days of legalization. We don’t take sides on the politics of legalization but instead serve as a reliable resource for parents, media, policymakers and all those who care about kids.

Meet the team

Left to right, Gina Carbone, Rachel O’Bryan, Henny Lasley, Diane Carlson, Doug Robinson, Julie Dreifaldt

Doug Robinson

Co-founder and Chairman of Advisory Council

Doug is chairman of the Advisory Council of One Chance to Grow Up. He is actively involved in the community, starting three nonprofits and most recently running for governor of Colorado in 2018. Professionally, Doug spent 27 years working as an investment banker, specifically in the technology sector. He is currently managing partner of Dry Fly Capital and adjunct professor of finance in the Leeds School of Business University of Colorado Boulder.

Henny Lasley

Co-founder and Executive Director

Henny was appointed by the State Marijuana Enforcement Division to serve on the stakeholder group focused on rulemaking for labeling and warning statements of marijuana products and social consumption. She speaks locally, nationally and internationally to health professionals, policymakers and parents sharing Colorado’s lessons learned about today’s marijuana and the impacts on kids. Henny has a B.B.A and B.A. in history from Southern Methodist University.

Diane Carlson

Co-founder and Policy Director

Diane has been a driving force in identifying, advocating for, and securing high impact youth protections since marijuana was legalized for adult-use in the state of Colorado. This includes positively impacting over 24 important pieces of legislation and executing highly effective education campaigns to include: “Can you Spot today’s Pot?” “Today’s ultrapotent pot: It’s not what you remember” “Dad/Mom is today’s Pot a hard drug?” among others. Diane has done extensive media and community education and outreach and has served on Colorado’s statewide marijuana education committee for the past seven years. Diane has a Master’s in Public Policy from the Kennedy School at Harvard University and a B.A. in History/Economics from the University of Maryland.

Rachel O'Bryan

Co-founder and Strategic Projects Director

Rachel, an attorney, has been involved in Colorado’s historic recreational marijuana legislative and regulatory process since 2013. She was appointed by the governor to serve on a subcommittee of the Amendment 64 Implementation Task Force, providing a voice of citizens. She has also served on several state Marijuana Enforcement Division regulatory committees. She has a B.A. from Brown University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.

Gina Carbone

Co-founder One Chance to Grow Up

Gina has represented One Chance to Grow Up on The Today Show, PBS, C-SPAN, Fox News, NPR and BBC, as well as interviews with Time Magazine, The New York Times, USA Today, and many other national and international media outlets. A third-generation Coloradan, she spent more than a decade working in public affairs in Washington, D.C., and New York City. She has a B.A. in Political Science from Fairfield University and an M.A. in International Affairs from American University in Washington, DC.

Julie Dreifaldt

Donor and Community Liaison

Julie works closely with donors and foundations, communicates with supporters, parents and is the liaison to the Advisory Council. Julie passionately advocates for kids and equips parents to talk about marijuana. She serves on Cherry Creek School District’s Parent Information Network (PIN) Board and Community Vaping Prevention Roundtable. Julie speaks locally to parents, trusted adults and school organizations about today’s marijuana and the impacts on kids. She has a BA in History and English.

Jennifer Yates

Grants and Organizational Coordinator

Jennifer, a mom of 3 Colorado teens, has been involved in local regulatory policy to advocate for strict nicotine and marijuana protections since 2014. She has passionately worked to educate and inform on the importance of protections for kids and was one of the earliest supporters of statewide youth protections when recreational marijuana became legal in Colorado. Jennifer brings 25+ years of business and management experience.

Caroline Jordan

Coalition and Communications Coordinator

Caroline works with One Chance to Grow Up in building vital coalition partners and creating streamlined communications through the creation and coordination of social media posts, videos, and graphics. She received a degree in Global Media with a concentration in Political Communication from Arcadia University in 2020 and has worked with a variety of individuals in diverse fields helping with their social media needs.

Ge'Swan Swanson

Community Engagement Coordinator

Ge’Swan (He/Him/His) is a student at the University of Colorado Denver, pursuing a major in biology and a minor in political science. He was introduced to the organization during his time with the Colorado Student Leaders Institute (COSLI). Ge’Swan is a member of One Chance to Grow Up’s Advisory Council in addition to interning and managing intermittent projects.

meet
the
team

One Chance to Grow Up Advisory Council

Doug Robinson – Chairman, One Chance to Grow Up–Managing Partner Dry Fly Capital
Jill Anschutz – Anschutz Foundation Board member; Community Leader
Celeste Archer – Executive Director, Colorado Student Leaders Institute
Wil Armstrong – Principal Three Tree Capital, Board of Trustees Colorado Christian University
Linda Brown – Board Member, 5280 High School; Community Leader
Gina Carbone – Co-founder, One Chance to Grow Up
Diane Carlson – Co-founder, One Chance to Grow Up; National Policy Director
Wendi Chamberlain – Community Leader, Registered Nurse
Hailey Dennis Perrego – CU Denver Student; Student Leader
John Faught – CEO and President, Kempe Foundation
Ken Finn, M.D – Physician and Owner, Springs Rehabilitation, PC
Jeff Hanson M.D – Neonatologist, Pediatrix Medical Group
Ted Harms – Community Leader
Henny Lasley – Co-founder and Executive Director, One Chance to Grow Up
Melissa Larson, M.D – Partner USAP; Board Certified General and Pediatric Anesthesiologist
Paula McPheeters – Community Leader
Rachel O’Bryan, J.D – Co-founder, author and policy advisor, One Chance to Grow Up
Lorrie Odom, M.D – Retired Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, private practice
Scott Pann – Senior VP, RBC Wealth Management
Sue Sharkey – University of Colorado Board of Regents
Ge’swan Swanson – CU Denver Student; Student Leader
Anna Weaver – Executive Director, Colorado Psychiatric Society
Dr. Marie Whiteside – Pediatrician and Community Leader

Advisory Council

Doug Robinson – Chairman, One Chance to Grow Up; Managing Partner Dry Fly Capital

Jill Anschutz – Anschutz Foundation Board member; Community Leader, Denver

Celeste Archer – Executive Director, Colorado Student Leaders Institute

Wil Armstrong – Principal Three Tree Capital, Board of Trustees Colorado Christian University

Linda Brown – Board Member, 5280 High School; Community Leader, Denver

Gina Carbone – Co-founder, Smart Colorado

Diane Carlson – Co-founder, One Chance to Grow Up; National Policy Director

Wendi Chamberlain – Community Leader, Registered Nurse, Golden

Hailey Dennis – CU Denver Student; Student Leader

John Faught – CEO and President, Kempe Foundation

Dr. Ken Finn – Physician and Owner, Springs Rehabilitation, PC

Dr. Jeff Hanson – Neonatologist, Pediatrix Medical Group

Ted Harms – Community Leader, Denver

Henny Lasley – Co-founder and Executive Director, One Chance to Grow Up

Dr. Melissa Larson – Partner USAP; Board Certified General and Pediatric Anesthesiologist

Paula McPheeters – Community Leader, Pueblo

Doug Morton – Former CEO and Chairman Sports Authority

Rachel O’Bryan, J.D – Co-founder, author and policy advisor, One Chance to Grow Up

Dr. Lorrie Odom – Retired Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist, private practice

Scott Pann – Senior VP, RBC Wealth Management

Sue Sharkey – University of Colorado Board of Regents

Ge’Swan Swanson – CU Denver Student; Student Leader

Anna Weaver-Hayes – Executive Director, Colorado Psychiatric Society

Dr. Marie Whiteside – Pediatrician and Community Leader, Denver

our
advisory
council

One Chance to Grow Up Youth Council

VANESSA T. -Littleton, CO

My name is Vanessa T. and I am 16 years old. I go to Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. The impact of marijuana use on youth across Colorado is an issue that matters to me because I see a lot of peers and friends use marijuana without knowing the damage they could be causing to themselves. Marijuana can leave lasting damage to youth’s mental and physical health; educating adolescents about these effects is huge. I want to help create change and protect teenagers my age in any way possible.

JAYLYNN W.-Bennett, CO

Hi there! My name is Jaylynn W. and I am a junior at Bennett High School. I am 16 years old and live in the rural town of Bennett in the Eastern Plains of Colorado. Unfortunately, I see the effects of marijuana and other THC-based products used within my local high school and middle school. I’ve had personal friends turn to it as a coping method, and others who have become addicted to marijuana, and the even sadder thing is we have middle schoolers being found with weed—- as middle schoolers! This issue is especially important to me because of the people I care about who are affected, and also due to the lack of knowledge and awareness among parents and schools.

MONROE C.-Colorado Springs, CO

My name is Monroe C. and I’m currently 16 years old and a junior at Liberty High School, with goals to attend Oxford University for an undergraduate degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). I am a military kid and have moved a lot, every time, watching high-achieving kids getting burnt out and turning to marijuana as a coping mechanism. Until I see dramatic changes in the American public school system that supports kids and wants to see them succeed; there need to be greater attempts to regulate marijuana use in teens.

SANJITA B.-Boulder, CO

My name is Sanjita B., I am 16 years old and live in Boulder Colorado. I am a junior in high school attending Peak to Peak Charter School. This issue is important to me because I have seen a few of my friends and classmates that I have grown up with start using drugs and I have seen how much it has changed them and impacted their lives as well. I want to make sure that people, especially our youth, are more educated on safe drug prevention and understand the dangers of it.

AISHA O.-Durango, CO

A bit about myself: I am a 16-year-old junior living in Durango, Colorado, and attending Durango High School. I believe that marijuana legalization is critically important not just for Colorado, but for our nation. Think the laws criminalizing marijuana are discriminatory and hinder the development of equality and the economy in many parts of the US. However, for this to happen, the country needs a model in which unjust laws can be rectified without harming our children, and One Chance to Grow Up’s mission of protecting kids must be at the forefront of our legislator’s priorities.

JUDE R.-Boulder, CO

I am 16 years old and attend Boulder High School. This issue matters to me because I have watched many peers and friends destroy their lives through marijuana usage.

ISABELLA G.-Westminster, CO

My name is Isabella G. and I attend Northglenn High School. A bit about myself: I’m a Colorado native, born in Thornton, and live in Westminster. Marijuana, especially the dangers, intrigue me because, throughout school, smoking was completely normalized even as a young kid. I have family members who smoke and use THC or CBD products for medical or recreational use. I want to know the risks so I can educate others and keep people safe.

OLIVER S. –Broomfield, CO

My name is Oliver S., I am currently 16 years old, live in Broomfield, CO, and attend Broomfield High School as a sophomore. Prior to moving to Colorado, I lived in Hudson, Wisconsin for 8 years. And have learned greatly from both states. Within BHS, the consumption of harmful substances such as marijuana and alcohol has impacted our student body, especially during school-wide events. I have known numerous individuals that have been impacted mentally and physically due to harmful substances and I want to advocate for those individuals that have started to venture down that path and don’t have a support system to help them back out. I want to work with my school and other schools across the country to advocate and improve the climate of harmful substances so that individuals do not feel alone in their struggles.