Announcing the Latest Addition of BEN Advisors for Fall 2024
Elizabeth Andora
Role: CHRO
Expertise: Aerospace, Human Capital, Private Equity, Technology, Venture Capital
Bio: As a Chief People Officer and culture champion, Elizabeth achieves results through designing and delivering people strategies, scaling organizations, and guiding leaders. An organizational influencer for PE, VC, and Public Companies, she excels at facilitating and solving complex issues through C-Suite partnerships and cross-functional relationships.
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Hailey How
Role: Board Member, Founder, Investor, Partner, Serial Entrepreneur
Expertise: BioTech/Digital Health, Marketing, Operations, Sales, Technology, Venture Capital
Bio: A seasoned healthcare leader adept at spearheading innovation, commercialization, and business development initiatives within the healthcare and technology sectors. Recognized for pioneering, crafting, and implementing strategies that drive revenue growth, bolster market presence, attract top-tier talent, bring new products to market, and enhance profitability.
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Stephanie Hughes
Role: Executive Management
Expertise: Natural Products, Operations
Bio: Stephanie leads Fresca’s client services and product commercialization functions. During her 12 years at Fresca, she built and oversaw Fresca’s customer-first approach and project management disciplines, while embracing Fresca’s culture of problem-solving and resourcefulness. Prior to Fresca, Stephanie spent 25+ years as a leader and entrepreneur in the Direct Marketing Industry, responsible for business development and client services. She was a core member of an executive team for five start-up business ventures
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Ashish Kothari
Role: CEO
Expertise: BioTech/Digital Health, Consulting, Consumer Products, Human Capital, Operations
Bio: Ashish is the Founder and CEO of Happiness Squad, a Boulder-based company focused on helping individuals and organizations catalyze human flourishing to unlock their full potential. Prior to this venture, Ashish was Partner with McKinsey, based in Denver focused on Leadership development at scale, Top team effectiveness and helping companies drive organizational change, especially in the context of transformations. He is a trained Ontological coach and has a passion for helping leaders build psychologically safe and human-centric organizations to unleash the full potential of individuals, teams, and organizations.
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Colleen Kazemi
Roles: Advisor, Consultant, Founder, Principal, Serial Entrepreneur
Expertise: BioTech/Digital Health, Consulting, Marketing, Natural Products, Operations, Technology
Bio: Colleen Kazemi is a dynamic leader with over two decades of experience advancing economic equity across public, private, and philanthropic sectors. A natural connector, she thrives on collaborating with those who share her scrappy determination, particularly individuals from underrepresented communities. As the former CEO of a Denver-based nonprofit, Colleen led initiatives in trust-based philanthropy and community engagement.
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Bethany Parker
Roles: CEO, CFO, Advisor, Consultant, Executive Management, Investor
Expertise: Channel Development, Consulting, Finance/Accounting, Human Capital, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Technology
Bio: Bethany Parker is the Founder and CEO of Cresso Collective, an organization focused on helping companies thrive with robust Strategy, Operations, and Leadership. Before starting Cresso, she was the CEO of AVL Growth Partners. While at AVL, she rebranded and positioned the company to expand its service offerings and geographic footprint. Bethany has worked for twenty-plus years in various leadership roles for high-growth companies in the services and technology space, including SquareTwo Financial, Xero, and Skupos. She studied at the University of New Hampshire, the Whittemore School of Business and Economics, and the University of Colorado.
Bethany won the Best In Biz International Executive of the Year Silver Award. She was also a Denver Business Journal 40 under 40 nominee featured in a Denver Business Journal Executive Voice series. She is a CU Denver Finance Advisory Council member and often a guest lecturer to undergraduates. She is an activator with SheEO and an investor in the Denver venture capital community.
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Peter Pittman
Role: Advisor
Expertise: Consulting, Finance/Accounting, Natural Products, Private Equity, Sales, Technology, Venture Capital
Bio: Pete Pittman is a Financial Advisor with Aspen Leaf Wealth Management; he specializes in sustainable investing and purposeful planning for impact entrepreneurs. He is passionate about supporting mission-driven companies with an ESG 401k while helping their owners intentionally align their investments with their values. Pete has been involved with small business since childhood and enjoys being a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs who are committed to business as a force for good. Aspen Leaf is a Certified B Corp due to our dedication to building a dynamic and inclusive economy that works for everyone.
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Cameron Pope
Role: CTO
Expertise: Consulting, Technology
Bio: Cameron Pope leads technical organizations by example, fostering a spirit of intellectual curiosity, diligence, and innovation. He empowers teams to identify and solve business problems faster, at less cost, and have more fun doing it. He is passionate about creating scalable, secure, and user-friendly solutions that leverage the power of cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
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Ellen Robinson
Role: Executive Coach
Expertise: Consumer Products, Finance/Accounting, Human Capital, Marketing, Operations, Sales
Bio: Ellen Robinson is the Founder and Managing Principal of the Robinson Coaching Group (RCG), an executive coaching practice she launched in 2012. In her coaching practice, she works with senior professionals and emerging leaders, supporting them in leading and living in a highly effective and satisfying way. She also works with business partners and teams to improve team effectiveness, addressing change, leadership, and overall organizational effectiveness. She works with clients across industries and company stages.
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Andrew Schremp
Role: CEO, Advisor, Board Member, Executive, Founder, Investor
Expertise: BioTech/Digital Health, Operations, Private Equity, Sales, Technology
Bio: Andrew Schremp is an entrepreneur, executive, investor, and advisor who has led startups from founding through exit. He has deep experience investing in and leading companies with a focus on product, strategy, and go-to-market within the software industry. Andrew is a Director on Bow River Capital’s Software Growth Equity team. In this role, Andrew is responsible for managing all stages of the investment process from transaction through portfolio management and exit.
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Jen Thompson
Roles: CEO, Advisor, Consultant
Expertise: Consulting, Operations
Bio: Jen Thompson is Founder and CEO of ALKMY Advisors, a consulting firm focused on M&A integration and strategy execution. ALKMY’s mission is to cultivate positive and sustainable change for our clients and community. With over 20 years of professional experience, she has led executives and business leaders through new product launches and go-to-market readiness, M&A integrations, complex technology implementations, and project/strategy management office leadership.
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Alexandra Tune
Role: Consultant
Expertise: BioTech/Digital Health, Energy, Finance/Accounting, Technology
Bio: Alexandra Tune is a Managing Director in Deloitte’s Audit Advisory Practice. She leads the Denver Office Audit Advisory Technology and Emerging Growth Practices She specializes in the Technology, Climate Tech, Healthcare and Health Technology industries. She is passionate about working with companies as the grow and scale up and assisting them prepare for successful exit events.
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Justin Vaughn
Role: Attorney, Advisor, Board Member
Expertise: Aerospace, Consumer Products, Human Capital, Legal, Private Equity, Technology
Bio: As a 30-year experienced business attorney and advisor, Justin Vaughn is privileged to provide general counsel, board governance, and advisory services to for-profit and non-profit businesses. Most of his time is spent helping to resolve legal issues and identify risks, but his business acumen also includes developing strategic priorities, team building, problem-solving, implementing EOS and OKR-type systems, formulating employee engagement methods, and guiding strategic and private equity M&A transactions.
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Special thanks to the BEN Community for referring this roster of experts to increase the capacity and impact this organization provides Colorado’s entrepreneurial community.