Top local executive: Liesl Perez
Top local exec job title: Chief Growth Officer
Denver-metro employees: 41
Corporate giving philosophy: At Axis, we believe corporate giving isn’t just about writing checks. It’s about sparking change that ripples outward. When you help one person heal, you don’t just transform their life; you strengthen families, workplaces, and entire communities. That’s why our giving is rooted in sustainability: the impact compounds, creating lasting benefits that extend far beyond a single moment of generosity. For us, philanthropy is not charity. It’s proof that every person’s transformation can help entire communities thrive.
How does your company focus its giving?
Axis doesn’t limit our giving to a single nonprofit. Instead, we intentionally partner with multiple organizations whose missions expand mental health care beyond medication and appointments. For example, we support social prescribing programs with the Denver Botanic Gardens and Boulder Street Arts, offering patients experiences that nurture connection, creativity, and healing in community settings. These partnerships remind patients that mental health is not something to hide or be ashamed of, but a part of life that deserves support and celebration. Our vision is to continue growing these collaborations with organizations that create safe, welcoming spaces where people can feel seen, valued, and included. When patients feel connected to a community, their recovery is stronger and more sustainable.
How do you measure impact?
At Axis, we measure the impact of our giving by focusing on both people and outcomes. We track how many patients and community members participate in programs we support–like social prescribing with the Denver Botanic Gardens and Boulder Street Arts. We then gather feedback on how these experiences affect their sense of connection, hope, and well-being. Beyond numbers, we look at the ripple effects: Are patients more engaged in their care? Are communities showing greater openness to mental health conversations? We also assess sustainability by monitoring how often patients return to these resources and how partnerships evolve over time. For us, true impact is when a single investment in one person’s healing creates momentum for healthier families and more compassionate communities.
How are your philanthropic efforts changing?
Yes. At Axis, we’re expanding our philanthropic efforts to engage other mental health clinics to donate. We’ve already successfully launched a First Responders program, teaming with other mental health clinics to provide first responders with free mental health care after Denver cut mental health services to just 12 hours per year. Building on the success of our partnerships with Denver Botanic Gardens and Boulder Street Arts, we are actively exploring collaborations with additional organizations that can help patients experience healing through nature, creativity, and community.
How do you get employee buy-in?
At Axis, giving back isn’t an afterthought: it’s woven into our culture from day one. During recruiting, we highlight our philanthropic commitments and share real case studies that show how our team’s efforts have changed lives. Once people join, we keep the momentum going by sharing impact metrics and patient stories in company-wide communications so everyone can see the difference their work makes. Our prescribers, technicians, and staff aren’t just aware of these efforts–they’re deeply invested. Many willingly stay late to care for pro bono patients because they believe in the mission and see firsthand how corporate giving transforms lives. That shared sense of purpose creates natural buy-in: our people know they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
Anything else to share?
At Axis, we believe you don’t have to be a large or long-established company to make giving a priority. We’ve only been in business for five years, but by our second year, we made corporate giving part of our DNA. Giving isn’t just about writing big checks: it’s about showing up with creativity, time, knowledge, and an abundance mentality. We’ve learned that sharing expertise, volunteering hours, and opening doors for others can be just as powerful as financial contributions. Our philosophy is simple: if you build generosity into your culture early, it grows with you–and so does your impact on the community.
Read original story here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/c/partners-in-philanthropy-2025/38531/partners-in-philanthropy-award-winner-axis-integrated-mental-health.html
