02/23/2026
🚨Months ago a “NOT YOUR AVERAGE WELLNESS CONFERENCE” was planned🚨
Several months ago—after hosting Colorado LevelUP! in 2022, 2023, and 2024—we made a decision: Colorado once again deserved its own homegrown responder wellness conference. And so, LevelUP! 2026 was born.
I’ll be honest — the motivation wasn’t always easy to find. The planning. The work. The time. Juggling multiple personal and professional priorities. Bringing in new planners as former key planners transitioned out. Finding the right theme. Vetting speakers. At times, it felt daunting.
But we knew we could do it because we, as with past conferences, were
We believed Colorado’s responders and their families deserved something uniquely theirs…something built by those who understand the culture, the stress, and the calling.
That renewed commitment became the foundation of “LevelUP! 2026 - Stronger Together”
Reuniting our conference planning leadership team with my partner in crime, Jordan Long
(Revital Colorado), his wife Kym Cade Long, and Calling’s own “MC Amazing” Joseph Lovett — I knew we were building something special…again.
Then the pieces started coming together.
Incredible volunteers stepped up, putting parts of their own lives on hold to bring this vision to life. We truly could not have done it without them.
Grace Church Of Arvada Online opened its doors, helping us steward resources so more funds could go directly toward serving responders and their families, rather than a hotel that was not emotionally vested in the conference’s success. Grace’s volunteers, many without a direct responder connection, volunteered simply out of appreciation for what our responders face everyday. And don’t get me started on their outstanding audio-visual team that would create an experience to elevate the experience.
Our business sponsors — Front Line Law, LLC
(title sponsor), Colorado Fallen Hero Foundation, Olinger Mortuaries and Cemeteries Olinger Andrews, Chad A Leigh, and many others…invested generously as a way of saying “thank you” to those who serve.
Powerful speakers stepped up — individuals who share our passion for making life better for responders and their families.
Then February 19th, Day 1, arrived.
Were we ready? Would it all come together?
We planned hard. But more importantly…we prayed hard.
At 8:30 AM, the LevelUP! 2026 kicked off with a welcome video, produced by our own Luke Mielke from Code-4 Counseling, and for the next two days, 350+ plus watched as responder wellness made historic advances.
LevelUP! 2026 became our best conference yet — not because of one person, but because so many believed in the mission. So many believed in our public safety professionals and the families who stand beside them.
And now?
Conversations are already underway for LevelUP! 2027, and the momentum is building.
Slponsors are stepping forward and committing financial support to help make next year’s conference even stronger.
! Always!
