Leah Chelist

I graduated from CU Denver with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. I was working as a Clinical Mental Health Therapist and quickly discovered that being a therapist was not my life’s passion. Guided by my fascination with human behavior, I transitioned into HR and landed my first position with a start-up multi-family real estate firm. The combination of HR and real estate was interesting, challenging, and exciting – I knew I had found a great career fit. 

Now I’m the Executive Vice President of People at NexCore group, where I utilize my 15 years of combined experience across mental health and human resources to build strategic advantages through human capital. I take pride in being innovative and proactive in implementing best practices for company employees and their well-being, and I find joy in figuring out a formula that aligns and inspires a workforce under a compelling company purpose. 

At the end of the day, I love supporting professionals and businesses to do their best work. I believe that when we help employees become the best versions of themselves, we unlock potential and catalyze success for everyone involved. 

My skills in HR include:

• Talent Management
• Organizational Design
• Manager and Executive Support and Coaching
• Leadership Development
• Strategic Human Capital Planning and Development

I have lived in Denver for 15 years. I am married to an artist named Kyle Malone, who works for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Kyle and I met playing competitive volleyball. We have two children, ages 4 and 6, and 2 pups. We love to travel, spend time with friends and family, and explore Denver’s mountains and wonderful music scene.