2023 Judging Panel

Meet Our 2023 Judges

Colorado Companies to Watch was born out of a unique partnership with the State of Colorado and the private sector who understood the importance of recognizing the valuable contribution of 2nd Stage Companies. Today this strong relationship continues. We are honored to have the particpation of these State and Industry Professionals in selecting our 2023 Finalists and Winners.

Erin Beckstein

Judge Moderator

Melodie Reagan

Judge Facilitator

Finalist Judging

Ashley Mount

Program Manager

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Ashley Mount currently serves the State as a Program Manager supporting multiple Strategic Fund Initiatives at the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. She has extensive experience in workforce development, community college and career technical education program development, federal grant management as a former Director of the Carl D. Perkins Grant, as well as a background in business operations and capital construction as a former Procurement Official.

Ashley has helped advance regional strategic planning in partnership with business, education, and industry as a part of her past tenure within the Colorado Community College System, and is passionate about developing initiatives to advance economic empowerment and prosperity for all Coloradans.

Stephanie Veck

Project Director

Maher & Maher

Stephanie Veck serves as a Project Director for Industry Engagement & Work-Based Learning and supports Maher’s technical assistance work.   Stephanie joined Maher & Maher in 2018, bringing over 30 years of business, education, economic and workforce development experience to the Maher team. Prior to joining Maher, Stephanie served as managing director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council (CWDC) where she was responsible for coalition building to create an integrated talent development system that met the needs of students, jobseekers, workers, and businesses. This work to align education, training, workforce, and economic development efforts with the needs of the industry, helped ensure that every person has access to education and training, and a path to a good job, great career and successful life. While at the CWDC she co-chaired the Governor’s Workforce and Education Cabinet, and led the establishment of TalentFOUND Colorado’s integrated talent development network, the Colorado model for Sector Partnerships, industry-led Career Pathways, and a statewide commitment to integrating a work-based learning continuum into education for youth and adult learners.

Renise Walker

Assistant Director of Systems Innovation

Colorado Workforce Development Council

Renise serves as the assistant director of systems innovation for the CWDC Office. Serving as an active leader for the CWDC Office, Renise represents the CWDC Office at state and national conferences and continues to innovate and be a thought leader in the talent development landscape in Colorado and nationally. She is responsible for critical relationship development with external partners and provides management and alignment of CWDC's efforts to lead and support industry-led networks, develop and strengthen career pathway systems, and implement stimulus-funded initiatives in support of Colorado's economic recovery. Prior to joining the CWDC in 2015, Renise led the backbone efforts of a collective impact initiative working to advance affordable housing, workforce development, and economic mobility for underserved populations in the nation’s capital.

Walker believes strongly that enacting large-scale social challenges requires a willingness to innovate, break down silos, and collaborate across traditional boundaries. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Colorado College and a master’s in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs. As a proud third-generation Coloradan, Renise cares deeply about the future of Colorado and creating and sustaining opportunities for Colorado residents.

Lee Wheeler-Berliner

Managing Director

Colorado Workforce Development Council Office

As the Managing Director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council Office, Lee manages the execution of strategies to develop and sustain an industry-led talent development system in Colorado. By forging relationships with industry and public partners at the local and state level, Lee helps to ensure the alignment of talent development efforts statewide. Lee has been with the CWDC since 2014 and brings extensive project management and leadership experience to this role. He previously worked as an independent consultant for mission-driven for-profit and nonprofit entities, as well as holding senior leadership positions with Hunger Free Colorado and Colorado Court Appointed Special Advocates. Lee holds an MBA with a concentration in social entrepreneurship from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and is an active coffee drinker at his local Edgewater coffee shop.

Winner Judging

Colorado Companies to Watch seeks a diverse group of business leaders throughout the State of Colorado to join our panel of judges who offer unique perspectives to the confidential judging process.

Mickele Bragg

Director

Schacht Spindle

Compassionate executive leader with P&L responsibility, operational excellence, culture, product development, sales and marketing; consistently leveraging strong leadership skills to drive sales, improvements and productivity.

Cilia Kohn

Digital Marketing Manager

Development Counsellors International

Cilia is a 10-year veteran in economic development and place marketing. She is currently transitioning from Grand Junction Economic Partnership to serve as the digital marketing manager for Development Counsellors International. Cilia has developed and implemented marketing efforts to support business and talent recruitment in Mesa County. She also has to consult one-on-one with new and expanding businesses on their growth marketing strategies. Prior to GJEP, Cilia has had a rich and diverse marketing and communications career, from fashion PR in New York, to leading a marketing team at Regis University in Denver and serving clients all around the country at leading place marketing agency Development Counsellors International. Cilia has earned a Bachelor of Science from the Fashion Institute of Technology and a Master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She currently lives on the #westslopebestslope with her husband and two children. 

Barry Levine

CEO and Founder

BJL Advisors

Barry Levine is CEO and Founder of BJL Advisors, a business advisory firm. The firm specializes in providing turnaround and restructuring services; operational, financial, and organizational improvement services; mergers and acquisitions services; and exit planning. Previously, Barry has served as CEO, COO, CFO, and General Counsel for several public companies and private companies owned by private equity and venture capital firms in a variety of industries, including consumer products, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology. He was also a founder and owner of a middle-market consumer products company. In these roles, he was responsible for successfully revitalizing and growing the companies. Barry started his career with a leading Wall Street based law firm focusing on mergers and acquisitions and corporate financings. Over the years, he served on the Boards of several non-profit organizations.

Pam Peccolo

Director of Partnerships

Rockies Venture Club

Pam Peccolo serves as Director of Partnerships for Rockies Venture Club, a Denver-based nonprofit that educates and connects entrepreneurs and investors. RVC also is the longest running angel investing group in the U.S. On behalf of RVC, Pam builds and maintains reciprocal business relationships with corporations, nonprofits and government entities. An innovation "evangelist," Pam co-founded and served as the first executive director of Prime Health, Colorado's community of health care innovators. When not working, she is usually reading books about science, practicing speaking Italian and looking for the best cannolis in town.

Jeremy Schupbach

Senior Manager Advocacy, Government Affairs and Policy

Merchant Risk Council

Jeremy Schupbach is an experienced strategist – working in policy and government affairs. He has extensive experience in government affairs and lobbying, connecting with diverse stakeholders, helping to create legislation to advance Colorado laws, and shape policy across a vast spectrum of issues. He is excited to bring his experience to Proactive MD and honored to support the meaningful work of the clinical and corporate teams.

Jeremy has had the privilege to work with the majority of state agencies and maintains close connections to many political and policy groups. His extensive experience leading public policy initiatives and legislative strategy for a variety of organizations with distinctive agendas has produced a 95% success rate at the Capitol. Jeremy is passionate about building relationships and evoking the values of the stakeholders he represents. He is active in his community, serving in consultative and advisory roles for various organizations and teaches at Regis University. In his spare time, Jeremy is an avid cyclist, and loves exploring Colorado from his bike.

Derek Taniguchi

Chief Operating Officer

Net-Results Marketing Automation

Derek Taniguchi is an experienced growth-oriented leader who specializes in solving complex business challenges, implementing operational frameworks, and developing high-performing and high-functioning teams. His exemplary problem-solving skills have allowed him to translate strategic vision into a clear, realistic, and effective action plan for multiple early and growth-stage companies.

Armed with his life-long passion for continuous growth and improvement, Derek developed the Employee Development Plan (EDP) in 2013 which provides team members with a specific action plan to take their professional and personal lives to the next level. His unmatched ability to align his team and execute on strategy led him to be the serving Chief Operating Officer for two separate Colorado Companies to Watch (CCTW) winners and Outside Magazine’s #30 out of 100 Best Places to Work (2017).

A Colorado native, Derek spends his free time with his beloved family and friends or partaking in Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) competitions.

Sara Zervos

Co-Founder

The Pao App

Sara Zervos is co-founder of Pao (say “pow!”), a mobile application that helps people find and share the world’s best places to eat, play or stay. At Pao, she is COO and CFO and heads data analytics.
She transitioned to Pao after 20 years in the finance industry, where she most recently managed over $20 billion in international fixed income assets as Head of the Global Debt team at OppenheimerFunds. Sara also launched BizzyChicks, a venture aiming to improve financial literacy among young women and entice them into careers in the business world.

She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Economics from the University of Rochester, and a B.A. in Economics from Arizona State University.   She has held seats on the Federal Reserve’s sub-committee on Foreign Exchange, the UBS Research Advisory Board, and the Emerging Market Trading Association Board. Sara has been a contributing writer for Forbes.com and HuffingtonPost.com. She has traveled to 58 countries (and counting), loves the outdoors and spending time with her two children, two dogs, and three cats.