2024 Planning Team

Jill Marek

Executive Director, Event Organizer, Curator

JAM_biophoto.jpg

Leah Rybak

Marketing + Communications Director, Speaker Selection Committee

Leah RybakDirector of Marketing

Andrew Dengate

Art Director, Speaker Selection Committee

George Gerchow

Lead Sales Director, Past Speaker

Stephanie Ralph

Director of Speaker Coaches, Past Speaker

Kiarra Grant

Brand Manager, Graphic Designer, Storyteller

Angie Hildebrand

Culture Manager, Speaker Selection Coordinator

Justin Hildebrand

Speaker Selection Committee

Meri Louko

Sales Director

Cailin Ellis

Sales Director, Marketing Manager

Dave Servinsky

Public Relations Lead, Sponsorship Coordinator, Speaker Selection Committee, Past Speaker

Gretchen Reid

Community Engagement Lead

Mike Lewis

Event Experience Designer, Logistics Lead

Jason Ardell

Event Experience Designer

Melanie Ash

Event Experience Designer

Eligar Sadeh

Alumni Lead, Community Building and Relationships, Past Speaker

Erin Robison

Lead Speaker Coach

Ashley Girodo

Event Day Production

Sarah Messina

Speaker Coach

Molly Ren

Speaker Liaison, Stage Manager

Sharon Cavanaugh

Speaker Coach

Stacy Smith

Speaker Coach, Past Speaker

Jenn Kaye

Speaker Coach

2024 Advisory Board

  • Andrew Dengate, Chair

    Andrew finds peace at the crossroads of a good sweat and a crisp beer, or between wildness and beauty, or even somewhere near an engaging conversation and a talented acoustic performance. He is a professional artist, currently working with a restaurant group to manage and provide creative solutions for nine businesses. He also provides graphic solutions for Breckenridge Tourism Office and The Colorado Trail Foundation.

  • Leah Rybak, Vice Chair

    Owner of LMR Consulting, a local boutique strategic marketing agency, Leah is a storyteller at her core, whether that be writing content for a website or crafting creative and compelling copy for ads and flyers. Her background includes vast experience and interest in content creation and management, digital marketing, advertising, and marketing.

  • Linsey Hempel

    Linsey Hempel, Treasurer (interim)

    Currently the Executive Vice President of Finance and Strategy for Pinnacle Mountain Homes, Linsey's professional canvas is painted with diverse strokes, offering strategic business guidance and specialized support in accounting, software, systems, and finance. Her expertise is sought after across multiple businesses, where she is known for her smart, hardworking, and dedicated approach to fostering growth and efficiency.

  • Stephanie Ralph, Secretary

    Stephanie Ralph started working in libraries in 2003. She has held positions at every level of the organization, including serving as the Library Director in Grand County and as the current Director of the Summit County Library. She is the recipient of the Special District Association of Colorado: 2018 James T. Walker Leadership Award 2018. She is a 2021 TEDx Breckenridge Speaker and a TEDx Speaker Coach.

  • George Gerchow

    George is currently Head of Trust at MongoDB and was formerly Sumo Logic's Chief Security Officer & SVP of IT. George Gerchow brings over 20 years of information technology and systems management expertise to the application of IT processes and disciplines. His background includes security, compliance, and cloud computing disciplines.

  • Alex Rae Cooper Metzger

    Alex Rae is a leader of People and Culture at The Pinnacle Companies in Frisco, Colorado. She attended Humboldt State University in northern coast of California where she studied International Finance and Spanish. Alex Rae is passionate about our mountain community and loves to help create a space where people can grow and flourish.

  • Jill Marek, ex officio

    Jill Marek has established herself as a leader and pioneer in creative direction, events and experience strategy by delivering purpose-driven results while integrating an empowering objective that stimulates people to take action. Her versatile background includes experiences with companies and clients such as Internet Pictures Corporation (iPix), the White House, Marcus Buckingham (clients: Gap, Cisco, Hilton, Patagonia), The Anthony Robbins Companies and more.