Our Story
In 2017, Realness Project’s executive director, Laurie Lazar, began co-facilitating a Victim Impact Class at the Boulder County Jail. While the participants were engaged in the discussions, she wondered if the class had real long-term, transformational impact on the participants’ lives. With a Masters in Education and a certification in AR (Authentic Relating), Laurie’s curiosity began to grow as she started to visualize adding in the critical tools of AR into the curriculum. For example, how might the participant’s lives be impacted if they were intentionally trained to address conflict through skillful communication? Could the experiences of AR give inmates a higher percentage of success once released from incarceration?
In a serendipitous moment, Laurie connected with friend and colleague Ryel Kestano, who was using AR methods while mentoring men at the Boulder County Jail. His company, Authentic Relating Training International, had just launched a two-day program called “The ART of Being Human,” and they delivered it throughout Europe and the US to the general public. Together, Laurie and Ryel brought the first-ever Authentic Relating workshop to the Boulder County Jail in January of 2018.
Many of the men in this workshop had been in Laurie’s Victim Impact class, and now she was able to observe their marked difference in engagement and excitement through the AR method.
After two days of training, participants began to convey their feelings about the ineffectiveness of their previous therapy and intervention programs, expressing that there was nothing like this program offered in the correctional system and how vital it would be to expand into the Department of Corrections regionally and nationally.
That weekend was a game-changer for Laurie. She began reaching out to prisons throughout Colorado, offering the two-day workshop. From the movies, many of us know that it's not so easy to break out of prison. But what we don’t learn is that it's also hard to break in! Laurie called many prisons before one finally said yes. The first prison they delivered The ART of Being Human in was the highest level of security prison, Centennial Correctional Facility in Canon City, CO. The class was half men who are labeled as sex offenders and half mentally challenged men. They didn’t know if this group would be receptive. And yet, even though the skepticism, a transformation occurred.
Laurie’s questions were being answered as she witnessed personal transformation happening for the participants. After delivering the workshop to dozens of incarcerated people in several institutions, the Realness Project was born!
As of 2024, Realness Project has delivered workshops to nearly 1000 men and women in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
We invite you to join us as we imagine a world where we can collectively shift how we communicate, breaking down walls and barriers that separate us racially, culturally, and socioeconomically. And breaking generational cycles of distrust, violence, addiction and incarceration. Now that is transformation!
Our Team
Laurie Lazar, Executive Director
In response to requests from incarcerated graduates, Laurie committed to taking Authentic Relating programming throughout the prison system. In 2018, she co-founded Realness Project. She brings a rich tapestry of corporate experience spanning IT, finance, HR, and recruiting, all seamlessly interwoven with her educational background in teaching and curriculum development. With her steady hand guided by reason and compassion, Laurie has charted the course for Realness Project, steering it through the ebbs and flows of its noble mission.
For Laurie, true vitality is found in the company of those who embark on the profound journey of self-discovery, embracing their humanity as they seek growth and forge connections. She is an unwavering advocate for the indomitable human spirit and the profound healing that comes from being truly witnessed, known, and acknowledged for one's authentic self. In the grand tapestry of existence, Laurie believes in the power of genuine connection to mend the soul and kindle the spark of transformation.
Our Board of Directors
Wes Williams | Chairman
Dr. Wes Williams joined the WellPower in 2007 and now serves as vice president and chief information officer, overseeing WellPower’s information systems. Wes was a 2020 Denver Business Journal C-Suite Award honoree and was also awarded the 2020 Colorado CIO of the Year Corporate ORBIE, honoring chief information officers who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership.
Prior to joining WellPower Wes was at Mental Health Partners in Boulder, Colorado, working as a child and family psychologist before switching from clinical practice to health IT to implement MHP’s electronic medical record. Wes graduated with a bachelor’s degree and honors in psychology from Stanford University. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He is a licensed psychologist in Colorado.
Vanessa Carmean | Treasurer
Vanessa is a co-founder of Boulder Health Tech Meetup, Denver Digital Health Meetup, and focuses on health system partnerships at KeyCare, a virtual care company. Vanessa is passionate about using health care technology to improve access to care, patient experiences, and outcomes. She has worked with organizations from Fortune 100 companies to the start-up/entrepreneur community at the intersection of science, technology, and health care. Prior to her roles at health tech companies, Vanessa led strategic sales teams at Zayo and earned a PhD in neuroscience from the University of Colorado.
Anthony Martinez | Secretary
Anthony Martinez currently lives in Denver, CO. He is thrilled to be a member of the board at the Realness Project for a multitude of reasons: 1) he truly believes in the power of human connection and how it can serve as a major catalyst for change, and 2) he has lived experience with incarceration as a former justice impacted individual. Over the last ten years Anthony has been diligently rebuilding his life and finding great success. In his professional capacity he’s an award winning District Manager for Goodwill and oversee 9 retail stores in Northern Colorado.
Richie Kendall
Richie joined the Board in April 2021. He is the co-founder and CXO of Goodworld and former CEO with a successful exit. Richie has 12 years of tech, sales, UX design, film, media, identity, and storytelling experience. He has directed, produced, and edited award-winning documentaries and branded content. Richie has worked with industry-leading brands including Mastercard, Forever21, Canon, New Belgium, Pentax, Marmot, Rawlings, Fruit of the Loom, Frontier Airlines and more; he has collaborated with some of the nation's leading advertising agencies, including CP+B and Space 150. He envisions a world powered by generosity, collaboration, and compassion where Corporate Social Responsibility, Influencer Marketing, and Next Generation Philanthropy collide.
Carrie Paycok
Carrie Yasemin Paykoc is a Managing Director at Innsena, a health care technology go-to-market consultancy. Carrie works closely with health tech companies, policy makers, not-for profits that include health information exchange organizations to identify, design, and implement strategies and solutions for unmet health and tech needs.
Last- but not least she is an advocate for tribal health and digital equity and worked closely with Colorado and Alaska leaders to ensure broadband investments for rural and tribal areas.
Jurney Poland
When introduced to the Realness Project, its’ mission resonated deeply with Jurney. As a Criminal Justice major, she had first-hand knowledge, and realized how fraught the criminal justice system was and at the time wanted no part of it. Instead, she became a paralegal to appease her interest in the legal system. Twenty years later and nearly as long ago, she transitioned to the study of alternative health care. At long last – her passions have merged. The work of the Realness Project helps to heal relationships and her work with individuals helps to heal physical, emotional and spiritual imbalances. Jurney is ecstatic to be working with this organization volunteering and on the Board. She is living a life of balance between her dreams and her reality.