When Debra Lappin talks about her life, what emerges is a story of resilience, reinvention, and the extraordinary power of women supporting women. At the heart of her journey, through demanding years of law school, the turmoil of a life-altering illness, and the fulfilling years of giving back, sits something simple, steady, and profoundly meaningful. Friendship.
Kris Hoeltgen (left), Rosemary Collyer (center), and Debra Lappin (right) in June 1977 at law school graduation
One friendship that stands out began in the first weeks of law school. It carried three young women through the challenges of securing this graduate degree in the early 1970s and the realities of being among the few women in the room, a circumstance that repeated itself throughout their careers. Decades later, it still brings them together twice a week on Zoom. This friendship inspired a new endowed scholarship fund at The Denver Foundation, which Debra Lappin, Rosemary Collyer, and Kris Hoeltgen hope will shape similar journeys for generations of women to come.
Where it all started
Debra and Kris still remember the early days vividly: long workdays as paralegals at a Denver law firm, snowy walks across downtown Denver to night classes at the University of Denver (DU) law school campus, then located in the center of the city, quick coffees and sandwiches grabbed at the law school café, and the constant sense of having to prove oneself in a male-dominated environment.
At the time, fewer than 15% of the class were women. So, when Debra and Kris heard another woman in class speak with stunning authority about the first few amendments to the Constitution, they knew immediately: They wanted that woman in their study group. Rosemary joined them, and lifelong connections were born. And what a powerful combination they made: all three graduated among the top 10 students of their class and eventually went on to successful legal careers – Rosemary eventually became a federal district court judge, Kris continues to practice real estate law in Denver, and Debra’s early career focused on oil and gas where she became general counsel of Dome Petroleum in the early 1980s.
From turmoil to triumph
Debra, as national Chair of the Arthritis Foundation, 1997, New York City, with Paul Volker (former head of the Federal Reserve Bank) and James Bradley (former Senator and NBA star), together with other notable leaders in the New York community
In the mid-1980s, Debra’s life underwent an abrupt change. A severe autoimmune disease forced her to step away from a hard-won partnership at the global law firm Mayer Brown & Platt. She had worked tirelessly to become one of the few women partners in the firm, so losing that identity was devastating. Volunteering became her lifeline.
What began as a volunteer position with the Colorado chapter of the Arthritis Foundation blossomed into a new career entirely.
Eventually rising to become national board chair of the foundation, Debra emerged as a leading voice for patients and their relationship with the federal research enterprise. She was invited to serve on advisory committees to the directors of the National Institutes of Health, and later with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This work gave her purpose during the most challenging years of her illness and enabled her to channel her experience into advocacy, public health, and global health diplomacy. “It saved my life,” she says simply.
Debra’s retirement celebration in December 2023
In the late 1990s, new monoclonal antibody treatments gave her a second chance at a career in law and policy. She regained her health and eventually led the life sciences consulting practice in Washington, D.C., at the global law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath. Through her consulting practice, she managed groundbreaking policy development and public-private partnerships, including the adoption of open-access policies for federally funded research, the passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, coverage for pediatric vaccine innovation, and the convening of public-private partnerships in Alzheimer’s clinical trials and patient-focused drug development. She retired in 2023, but the lessons from that period – purpose, community, and the healing power of service – left an indelible mark.
Reconnecting and re-igniting purpose
A portrait of Rosemary Collyer, painted during her time as a federal judge
Five years ago, the three law school friends reunited in a new way. Rosemary, who had become a highly respected federal judge in Washington, D.C., was facing a tragic and rare neurological illness stemming from her earlier battle with ovarian cancer. Debra felt an immediate pull to reconnect the trio. She tracked down Kris, and now these three friends meet twice every week by Zoom.
These calls are Rosemary’s key source of social connection. As her condition has progressed, Debra and Kris have learned to follow her speech, listen differently, and, most importantly, continue to laugh with her, just as they did in their 20s. The calls also sparked an idea.
Through volunteer work and inspired by family and friends, Debra decided to give back through her estate. She wasn’t sure at first what direction it would take. Having held a donor-advised fund at The Denver Foundation, Debra had developed a strong sense of trust in the foundation’s work. But when she learned about The Denver Foundation’s scholarship programs, she had what she calls an “aha moment.” An endowed scholarship fund could honor the careers and the friendships that shaped her life.
Then something remarkable happened, changing the trajectory of this whole idea. Rosemary’s husband, Phil, asked, “Why wait to have this funded through your estate? Why don’t you try to make this happen while you are alive to see this vision take shape?” This caused the group to collaborate in new ways. Joining this challenge, Debra’s husband, Craig Kramer, stepped up to make a transformative personal commitment to the scholarship fund, and today this group is finalizing the guidelines and the collective funding for a new scholarship in 2026. Debra Lappin and Kris Hoeltgen celebrate Debra’s 75th Birthday in Estes Park, Sept. 2025
The scholarship provides annual tuition support for a woman attending the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and a community that connects each scholar with those who may precede or follow them. Recipients will meet each other through an annual convening at The Denver Foundation, which Kris and Debra, who remain local residents, will attend.
According to Debra, “We want this scholarship to build a roadmap for the support that women can give each other, the kind of support that mirrors that which each of us drew from our study group.” Kris added, “We will do our best to pass on to this next generation of women in the law the irreplaceable support that women supporting women can mean.”
Debra speaks with emotion about how much the scholarship means to her and the group. Rosemary and Kris stress how much their weekly Zoom calls mean to each of them. For Rosemary, the calls are a place for social connection as she bravely meets the challenges of a progressive neurological condition. For Kris, who lives alone and practices law as a sole practitioner, the calls provide a break in routine and offer an invaluable source of support and feedback on every aspect of life and work.
For each woman, the renewed friendship has underscored the enduring value of relationships forged early in life. Today, this friendship of three lawyers who met at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law more than 50 years ago is inspiring the new generation of women to step into their futures with community, confidence, and connection.
The Denver Foundation offers more than 80 different scholarship opportunities thanks to its partnership with dozens of donors, including the Reisher family and the Reisher Scholarship Program, one of the largest scholarship providers in the state of Colorado. If you’re interested in learning more about creating a scholarship fund or an endowed scholarship fund to honor someone or something in your life, reach out and find out how you can change the future.
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