Academy icon

Porter-Billups Leadership ACADEMY

PBLA aims to be a pivotal support system that nurtures the vision of younger leaders to dream big and achieve their goals. 

In 1996, Regis University Men’s Head Basketball Coach Lonnie Porter and his daughter Staci Porter-Bentley established the Lonnie Porter Leadership Academy to provide academic and leadership training to students in underserved communities in Denver.

In 2006, NBA star Chauncey Billups joined forces with Coach Porter in this effort and the program was renamed the Porter-Billups Leadership Academy at Regis University.

Billups and Porter grew up in inner city neighborhoods. They credit their success to the people who challenged them at a young age to work hard and get an education. The Academy is a way for them to support youth in the way that others supported them.

As Regis University’s flagship college prep program, scholarships up to full tuition to Regis are available to PBLA graduates once they successfully complete the multi-year participation requirement and qualify financially and academically for admittance. PBLA’s vision is to be a pivotal support system that nurtures the vision of young leaders to dream big and achieve their goals by offering a variety of relevant academic experiences. These include instruction in leadership, social justice, the arts, engineering, financial literacy, robotics and so much more. Providing students with ongoing exposure to a college campus each summer allows them to gain the confidence they need to apply for and attend college in the future.

PBLA founders Coach Lonnie Porter, Staci Porter and Chauncey Billups pose for a photo
Lonnie porter, staci porter-bentley, chauncey billups
students icon

OUR STUDENTS

220

220 students from grades 3rd-12th are served each summer at Regis University.
220 students from grades 3rd-12th are served each summer at Regis University.

271

271 students have graduated from the PBLA program.
271 students have graduated from the PBLA program

99.9%

99.9% high school graduation rate for PBLA students.
Since 2002, 99.9% of PBLA students have graduated high school. This is compared to the 79% rate of DPS.

87%

87% of students have attended or are currently attending college.
87% of students have attended or are currently attending college.

93

93 students have attended Regis University with 42 graduates to date.
93 students have attended Regis University with 42 graduates to date. 23 PBLA Alum are currently enrolled at Regis for the 2024/2025 school year.

45%

45% of the college bound students who are eligible have graduated.
45% of the college bound students who are eligible have graduated.

CURRENT ENROLLMENT

PBLA 2024 Academy Student Gender

Chart depicting 220 students who are enrolled in PBLA

PBLA 2024 Academy Ethnicity

LatinX 43%
Black 35%
Multiracial
Multiracial 15%
White
White 5%
Other
Other 1%
Asian
Asian 1%
graphic about students
students icon

OUR STUDENTS

220

220 students from grades 3rd-12th are served each summer at Regis University.

271

271 students have graduated from the PBLA program

99.9%

99.9% on time high school graduation rate (DPS rate is 79%).

87%

87% of students have attended or are currently attending college.

93

93 students have attended Regis University with 42 graduates to date. 23 PBLA Alum are currently enrolled at Regis for the 2024/2025 school year.

45%

45% of the college bound students who are eligible have graduated.

Current Enrollment

PBLA 2024 Academy Student Gender

Chart depicting 220 students who are enrolled in PBLA

PBLA 2024 Academy Ethnicity

bar graph of student ethnicity

VALUES

Perservere, Believe, Lead, Advocate

Perservere through adversity

Believe in yourself

Lead by example

Advocate for yourself and your community 

“To give deserving students a hand up, not a hand out.” – Coach Porter

“The potential for greatness lives within all of us.” 

“Walk in your greatness” – Coach Patton

“Because someone did it for me.” – Coach Porter

“As it’s been given to you, it’s your responsibility to pour back into others.” – Chauncey Billups

Preparing young leaders for the future

team icon

PBLA LEADERSHIP TEAM

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CHAUNCEY Billups

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ricardo Patton

FOUNDER EMERITUS

Lonnie Porter

DIRECTOR

Jennifer CLARK

Grant Writer

MEGAN WAYNe

Advisory Board Members

Dan Baker
Thomas Bannigan
Dr. Eric Barker
Peter Bentley
Piper Billups
Ken Carlson

Bob Clark
Kelly Condon
Bill Fortune
Dr. Mike Gerber
Chad Glauser
Wanda Harris

Don & Laurie Hicks
Tony Jones
Brian Kennedy
David Kubik
Carrie Langgard
Aaron Leatherwood

Michelle Leatherwood
Randy Miller
Mitch Morrissey
David Roth
Dwayne Ruffin
Dr. Bob Sancetta

Dr. Mitch Seemann
Jordan Sherrill
Paul Sherrill
Debbie Trujillo
Sean Tynan
Bob Willis

PBLA Associate Board

Lauren Appleby
Emily Bennett
Terry Carter-Davis
Jennifer Condon
Trey Cousin

Jordan Drummond
Beatriz Esparza
Alex Fullerton
Banafsheh Lari
John McEwen

Ben Nurney
Olivia Patrick
Cameron Powell
Alexcia Rodriguez
Alonzo Smith

Lauren Sparks
Taven Sparks
Rebecca Stout
Kelsey Tordjman

Nicole Trujillo
Madison Whitley

Group photo of the PBLA board members