Our Team
Jared Stepp
Executive director
Service Affiliation: US Army
Jared brings experience in small business and law firm management to the role of Executive Director. Jared served for six years in the US Army Infantry, including a deployment to Mosul, Iraq in 2004. After being honorably discharged, Jared graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University Chicago with dual degrees in Finance and Economics. He then earned his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University School of Law. After gaining experience in civil litigation, Jared established his own firm with a focus on elder law. In 2019, he relocated to Colorado where he currently resides with his wife and three children. In addition to his leadership role at the Post 1 Foundation, Jared remains an active member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1.
Board Members
Michael Mitchel
Board Chair, Founder
Service Affiliation: US Navy Veteran
Michael owns OC National Search and served as the Executive Director for Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1 from 2013-2016. In 2014, the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce (DMCC) named VFW Post 1 the Small Non-Profit of the Year and 9News selected him as one of three 2016 Leader of the Year Finalists. In 2014, Michael created the Post 1 Foundation as a 501c3 to support the VFW Post 1 Veteran Community Center Capital Campaign. He also created the Veterans Arts Council that has grown to become a signature program at VFW Post 1. As the Executive Director of the Post 1 Foundation, he has expanded its mission to build, support and preserve Veterans’ service programs for VSOs throughout the Metro Denver community.
Andy Benson
Board Member, Secretary
Service Affiliation: US Army Veteran, USMA graduate
A Systems Engineer with the Defense Contract Management Agency, Andy oversees risk oversight on satellite design, development and production. Andy’s prior experience includes roles as a Systems Engineer at the VA, and Senior Program Manager with the Home Depot Foundation. After graduating from the United States Military Academy, Andy served with distinction as a US Army Ranger and was awarded multiple Bronze Stars. Andy is a West Point Society of Denver Board member.
Andrew Perry
Board Member, Treasurer
Service Affiliation: US Marine Corps Veteran
Andrew moved to Denver in the summer off 2019 from Atlanta and quickly became an active member in the Veteran community. After serving over four years in the United States Marine Corps, Andrew entered into a career of financial planning, partly after observing service members being preyed on by predatory lending. His interests include Jitsu and the Colorado outdoor lifestyle.
Tom Ramar
Board Member, Partnerships
Service Affiliation: US Navy (ret.)
Tom is a serial business development startup entrepreneur executive. A “Mustang”, Tom enlisted in the United States Navy and retired as a Lt. Commander. Tom has extensive experience in cybersecurity both while on active duty and in the technology sector. An active member of the Denver Veteran community, Tom served on the USS Colorado Committee to raise funds for the Plank owner crew of SSN 788. Additionally, he served as the VP of Legislative Affairs, National Director and Regional President of the Rocky Mountains for the Navy League of the United States. A graduate of Pepperdine with an MBA and US Naval War College, Tom enjoys all the outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer.
Erin Morris
Board member, Compliance
Service Affiliation: US Army Veteran
Erin is an attorney and a Partner with Sedrick, Schumann, Johnson, McGarr, Kaminsky, & Shirley, where her practice focuses on insurance coverage litigation and defense, as well as all employment-related matters. A former Major in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Erin served as JAG in the 101st Airborne Division and Advisor for the U.S. European Command. She is also the author of the children’s book, “Who is Sam the Soldier?”
Erin is active in the Colorado Bar Association Military and Veteran’s Affairs Section, a board member of Defenders of Freedom, and an advisory board member of the National Military Spouse Network.
Holli Keyser
Board member, Communications & Marketing
Service Affiliation: Military Family Member; Veterans Advocate
Holli has extensive experience directing communication strategies for non-profit organizations including the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, Johnson & Wales University, and the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. As a military family member, Holli is passionate about serving those who have served. She was a founding coordinator of the Denver Metro Chamber’s and CU’s Boots to Suits program, helping veteran military students transition from the classroom to the workforce. She is also a volunteer public affairs officer for VFW Post 1. In 2017, the VFW Post 1 presented Holli the Citizen of the Year Award for public relations and outreach support.
Volunteer Staff
Denise King
Leadership Veteran Program advisor
Denise’s program management of Leadership Denver is the template from which Leadership Veteran was formed.
As Leadership Denver’s Program Director, her invaluable experience and insight in program and curriculum development will guide the development of Leadership Veteran to fruition.
Denise holds an MS in Adult Education and Human Resources Development.
She also serves on the national board for the Association of Leadership Professionals and the Governor’s Commission on Community Service.
Drake Carpenter
dIRECTOR OF partnerships
Service Affiliation: US Army
A graduate of the University of Denver and veteran of the US Army NCO corp., Drake is an experienced project manager who currently works in sports marketing for a local Denver corporation. Drake’s 10 years of experience on nonprofit committees, as well as a diverse background of community involvement in the Denver area will contribute to Leadership Veteran’s goals of growth and VSO participation.
Angie Johnson
Research
Service Affiliation: Military Family; Veterans Advocate
Angie is the Director of Research, Talent Sourcing and Operations with OC National Search. She supports the Foundation with research, resource identification and other critical operational needs. Both of her grandfathers served in Europe and Korea while in the United States Army. Her uncle was a fighter pilot in WWII.
Advisory Board
Brook Kramer
Service Affiliation: Veteran Advocate
Brook has served as a Senior Executive and Wealth Management Professional for Wells Fargo, First Western and other financial institutions. Her philanthropic contributions include the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, Girl Scouts of Colorado, Colorado Children’s Chorale, Governor’s Mansion Perseveration Fund and the Salvation Army of Metro Denver. In recognition of Brook’s contribution to the community, she was named Woman of Distinction, a finalist for Outstanding Woman in Business, 9News Leader of the Year nominee and member of Leadership Denver, Class of 2017.
Bill Lindsay
Service Affiliation: US Marine Corps
Bill is a past Board Chair of Craig Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Colorado’s Commission on Affordable Health Care. He is a current board member of the Rose Community Foundation. Bill is a former Board Member and former Chair (2010-2011) of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and was the Chair of Colorado’s Blue-Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform in 2007.
Bill has a B.A. in Political Science and was most recently the President of Lockton Companies’ Benefit Group in Denver. He now has a consulting practice, Lindsay3, LLC
Gaven Gregory
Service Affiliation: US Army Veteran
Gaven is the Vice President of Retail for Valley Wide Cooperative. Prior he served as Division Vice President for True Value Company after serving over 11 years as the Executive Director for the Home Depot Foundation. As a Captain in the United States Army, Gaven’s deployments included Iraq and Korea.
Al Rosabal
Service Affiliation: US Air Force Veteran
Al is an Executive Partner with Gartner and consults CXOs regarding strategic issues. Prior experience includes CEO for Galvanize, COO & CTO with National CineMedia and CTO for the City and County of Denver. Al graduated from the United States Air Force Academy, earned an MBA from Boston University and currently serves on the board for Rocky Mountain PBS and the Colorado Technology Association.
Jim Stevens
Service Affiliation: US Army
Jim Stevens is the current Commander of VFW Post 1 and oversees the Veterans Art Council. While serving in Vietnam, Jim was shot in the head during a combat mission, leaving bullet fragments in his head. Twenty-three years later, one of those fragments caused a stroke, leaving Jim legally blind in just 30 minutes. Jim’s innovative and award-winning portraits are painted across hundreds of fishing-line monofilament threads drawn taut inside a glass case. The holographic-like work earned two first-place ribbons at the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, edging out more than 3,300 other artists.
