ALAMOSA — It happened in 2017, somewhere between Denver and Durango.

Elena Burr, Adams State University Class of 2015, and her husband were hiking along the Colorado Trail, spending time high up after they had been feeling a little down. Both had just quit their jobs — Burr didn’t feel connected to the corporate role she took after graduating from Adams State University with a finance degree.

Suddenly, 10,000-plus feet above sea level, she experienced a jolt of clarity: True fulfillment in her life would arrive only if she dedicated herself to meaningful work that positively impacted lives. Burr had been yearning for the same sense of community and purpose she had experienced as a Grizzly student and swim team member.

“I like to say that I had an early midlife crisis,” Burr says. “But the truth is, life is short. You have to chase the feeling of what makes you complete and fulfilled.”

That a-ha moment was the start of an awe-inspiring journey for Burr, who set out to align her career with her values. Over the past few years, she has been a remarkable advocate for health equity and community empowerment across the globe. Her dedication to building optimal social, mental and physical well-being has earned her recognition as a rising star in the public health and nonprofit landscape.

It also has earned her Adams State University's Exceptional New Alumnus Award. Initially taken aback and humbled by the honor, she says it's a testament to the power of community and inspiration from colleagues who share her passion for public health and fellow alums who shared a transformative experience on campus.

Burr will be recognized at the 2023 Alumni Awards Banquet on Sept. 22, in the Student Union Building. For reservations, visit adams.edu/alumni/homecoming/; call 719-587-8110; or emial [email protected].

Empowering lives, building communities

Shortly after the Colorado Trail hike, Burr found her calling at Esperança, a global health nonprofit committed to fostering better futures for families in underserved and marginalized communities. (The group changed its name to Advance earlier this summer.)

In less than a year, Burr advanced from an administrative role to Esperança’s marketing manager, a role she held from 2018-2023. During that time, she was a key strategist for donor-stewardship initiatives, managed the nonprofit’s press relations, and created and implemented a content-marketing strategy that helped Esperança surpass its $2.2 million fundraising goal.

Meanwhile, she traveled across Phoenix, and into Mexico and Peru, witnessing major health disparities firsthand. She vividly recalls meeting a boy in Peru named Leo, whose family was among the last living descendants of the Incas. He had come out of his dilapidated house carrying blankets, and when Burr greeted him and touched his hand, “it was the coldest thing I’d ever felt,” she recalls. “I just sat there for a minute, rubbing his hand between mine. That was our only form of communication, because I couldn’t say ‘sorry’ or ‘we’re here to help.’ It was a moment that will live with me forever.”

Inspired to make a difference, Burr used her storytelling and photography skills to capture the experiences and images of families involved in Esperança projects around the globe. She presented them in a clear, powerful way that elicited emotion and support from donors. She also led the effort to revamp Esperança’s website and digital presence.

Her work shined a much-needed spotlight on different aspects of the global-health crisis, while amplifying Esperança’s mission. “She was able to focus the brand and messaging to better tell the stories of our work,” says Tami Bohannon, the nonprofit’s chief advancement officer. “Managing the communications team and strategy, she dove into learning how to best use social media channels and grew our followers. Website design was new, but no problem for her to learn about, understand and implement.”

Burr blossomed, seizing new opportunities to stretch her capabilities. She took part in a leadership institute offered by the Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Global Management, working with participants from diverse corners of the world. In that program, she led her group to make a compelling recommendation on expanding health and wellness programming for underserved populations in California, Texas and New Mexico.

Burr also has taken on active roles in Arizona's public health and nonprofit communities, serving as the volunteer marketing committee chair for the Arizona Health Equity Conference and the public relations committee chair for the Young and Empowered Women's Association.

“Public health is such an important topic because it affects every aspect of your life. It really dictates your future,” Burr says. “If we if can dedicate more resources to ensuring that everyone has access, and a level playing field to start off their lives, then the potential we're offering people is unlimited.”

In February 2023, Burr left Esperança to become communications manager at Foundation for Senior Living (FSL), which provides safe homes, nutritious meals, home-care services and education to under-resourced communities worldwide. Its mission aligns seamlessly with Burr’s passion for health, independence and dignity for all.

“Service has always been part of my life. I think it’s what keeps us human,” she says. “If you can provide a service to the community alongside good, genuine people who you can learn from, then all the better. Those are the positions I try to put myself in — with people who are dedicated to a cause and are always looking to grow.”

Embodying the Adams State spirit

Adams State’s culture of camaraderie and support struck an immediate chord with Burr during her freshman year in 2012. It was a pivotal year on campus, as the institution transformed from Adams State College to Adams State University.

She recalls a vibrant atmosphere brimming with the feeling of growth and new beginnings, and immediately felt at home in the intimate, welcoming environment. “The air around campus was all very exciting. I really felt the energy around their motto ‘Great Stories Begin Here,’ because I was starting a new chapter in my life.”

Burr’s Grizzly story included close-knit bonds with members of Adams State’s housing community (she became a resident’s assistant during her sophomore year), inspirational conversations with her professors and impressive success in the water for the women’s swim team, where Burr formed lifelong friendships with teammates.

Her fellow swimmers provided one of her most-cherished memories at Adams State, when her coach and entire team drove to Arizona to comfort her at the funeral of her father, who had passed away suddenly. “They all wrote me such thoughtful cards that I still have to this day,” Burr says. “That's the kind of team that it was, and that's the kind of people they are.”

It's the kind of lasting imprint that made Burr’s college experience so memorable, and the kind of heartfelt compassion she believes is needed now to create a more just, inclusive, thriving world for all.

“I feel like everything I’ve done has been a collaborative effort,” Burr says. “And I wouldn’t be at all who I am today without the community I found at Adams State.”