BIO
While a single parent, Ellen Alires-Trujillo earned a B.A. from CU Boulder and a J.D. (Juris Doctor) from the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.
Her passion for Social Justice led her to use her law degree as an attorney at Colorado Legal Services for over 30 years. She represented low-income individuals with Family, Housing, and Health and Elder Issues. Working with Children’s Hospital, she was instrumental in developing Colorado’s first Medical Legal Partnership program, addressing the social determinants of health.
She mentors students of all ages, law students, and practicing attorneys. She actively engages in political causes and has served on several boards and advisory committees, including the Judicial Performance Commission, Colorado Hispanic Bar Association, Colorado Latino Age Wave, Adelante Mujer, Sturm College of Law Alumni Council, and the Denver Public Library’s Hispanic Acquisition Committee. In 2021, she received an award from the César Chávez Peace and Justice Committee of Denver for community members and organizations that follow Chávez’s ideals of nonviolence in obtaining justice for all people.
Ellen is passionate about cultural preservation and education, and for the last 20 years has been actively involved with Hilos Culturales (Cultural Threads), promoting the Indio-Hispano cultural traditions of Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado.