Mary Lou Makepeace

Who is Mary Lou Makepeace?

Mary Lou Makepeace has led the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado as executive director since 2003. She also serves as vice president for Colorado programs of the Gill Foundation. Prior to joining the Gill Foundation, Mary Lou was the executive director for Leadership Pikes Peak, where she managed an array of community leadership programs designed to develop leadership skills and promote civic involvement.

She was Colorado Springs' first female mayor, serving from 1997 to 2003. As mayor, she led a nine-member city council, served as chairman of the board of Colorado Springs Utilities and provided oversight to city-owned Memorial Hospital. In addition, she is an adjunct faculty member for the Center for Creative Leadership at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, as well as running the Mary Lou Makepeace Group.

From 1974-82, Mary Lou was a caseworker working with child abuse cases, and an administrator for the El Paso County Department of Social Services. She then served as executive director of the Community Council of the Pikes Peak Region, assisting in the development of the Montgomery Center for the homeless, Project Cope to assist low income and elderly with utility bills, and the award-winning Golf Acres Senior Services Complex. She led the child placement agency, STAY, Inc., from 1995–1997, providing out of home placement services to troubled adolescents.