JEWISHcolorado’s Young Adult Division (YAD) Executive Committee is the leading voice for young Jewish adults between the ages of 21 and 45 throughout Colorado. Executive Committee Members work closely with the YAD Chair and JEWISHcolorado staff to guide YAD’s objectives, steward our community, and serve as representatives of both YAD and JEWISHcolorado in the greater Colorado Jewish community.

Lauren Hughes

Lauren Hughes lives in the snow-capped mountains of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. She works as the Director of Development for a local nonprofit and is passionate about helping those in need. Lauren wasn’t always connected to her Judaism; it wasn’t until her Birthright in 2022 that she re-connected with her Jewish identity. Since then, she has assisted her local Jewish Congregation (Har Mishpacha) in developing The Har, a program for young Jewish adults in her mountain town. She also participated in the 2025 Ramat HaNegev exchange cohort and traveled to Israel with YAD and JEWISHcolorado this past May! Lauren loves the outdoors and can be found skiing, kayaking, backpacking, and enjoying nature year-round. She’s also a passionate dancer and loves to perform on stage with a dance troupe she co-founded, the Yampa Valley Vixens, and performs yearly at Steamboat Dance Theatre. Lauren also loves music, traveling, poetry, and learning new languages.

Alex Markovich

I’m Alex Markovich, and I live in Denver’s South Hilltop neighborhood with my husband, Jack, and our two dogs. Originally from Illinois, I moved here about ten years ago to be closer to Jack, the Rocky Mountains, and everything else Colorado has to offer. I hold a Master’s in Architecture from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Southern Illinois University. As an architect, I primarily work on community-oriented projects, from housing to sports, entertainment, and recreation facilities. I was also a participant on this past years Ramat HaNegev exchange and had a very meaningful experience in Israel with YAD. When I’m not working, I enjoy painting and printmaking, traveling, reading, walking my dogs, hiking, biking, and scouring Denver for the best food and strange finds. I also find it rewarding to get involved in local politics, where I’ve been an advocate for affordable housing initiatives—including recent ‘smart stair’ building code reform efforts.