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Who We Are

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Vision: That every child has equal access to a quality education.

Mission: To provide children of lower-income families with scholarships to private schools in grades K-12, and to advocate for expanded school choice.

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ACE Founders

ACE Scholarships was founded in 2000 by Alex Cranberg, Charlie Gallagher, Ralph Nagel, John Saeman and the late Ed McVaney and John Walton to provide low-income parents with the freedom to choose the K-12 schools that are best for their children.

The founders’ vision was powerful but simple: that all children have access to great schools. The founders’ commitment to launch ACE was formed through many years of frustration with a lack of reform within the public school system and unsuccessful legislative efforts to provide publicly funded vouchers to families for private school.

They were also keenly aware that low-income students lagged far behind students of other incomes and that overall, American students continued to fall further behind students in other countries.

Guiding Principles

The founders were driven to launch ACE by these primary convictions:
  1. The American public education system is flawed

    The founders were well versed in education reform dating back to the early 1980’s when A Nation at Risk was published. Milton Friedman’s book Free to Choose was also an inspiration to them, as were pioneering education reform efforts in Milwaukee and Cleveland.The founders’ greatest inspiration was the late John Walton, who through his philanthropy encouraged leaders around the country to do something about an education system that doesn’t work for all kids, particularly students of color from low-income families. He was an early proponent of, and investor in, programs that provide immediate relief to students through privately funded programs offering private school choice. As Ralph Nagel put it, “the education of our children is the most important issue in our country and giving parents the ability to choose a school that works for their child is the simplest and most impactful reform we can champion.”

  2. Free enterprise and democracy work.

    Each of the ACE founders grew up in middle-income families and benefited greatly from the benefits of competition in business. Their personal life stories became the foundation of their belief that all families should be able to choose the academic environments that are right for their children. In every area of life where we have competition, products and services improve. Free enterprise breeds competition, which leads to innovation and efficiency and creates an accountable, customer-focused culture. If parents are able to leave, schools will work harder to keep them. This conviction was forged through the founders’ personal beliefs that America is the greatest country in the world and that democracy, free markets and competition work, allowing anyone to achieve the American Dream. Ed McVaney observed, “Free markets work and should be the basis of our education system because parents can then choose the right school for their children.”

  3. Parents know the best education environment for their kids.

    The founders believed that parents, not government bureaucrats, know what is best for their children. Cranberg explained, “ACE was created to empower parents to choose the best school for their children. Our mission is to ensure that parents and children have the ability to figure out which place fits them best.” Every child is different. Parents know their children the best and are therefore the best decision-makers for their children. The founders were impartial to the choice parents make, instead believing parents know best. ACE, therefore, does not limit the private school choices for parents or seek to influence parents in the choices they make other than financial eligibility, as defined by the federal Free & Reduced Lunch (FRL) guidelines. Over subsequent years, the ACE governing board has relaxed these financial requirements for families to better serve the communities we serve. However, in the spirit of our founders’ vision, in every circumstance, ACE families have significant financial need. Typical ACE families of four currently earn around $40,000 annually and an ACE scholarship covers at most only half of a student’s tuition, with a current cap of $2,000 for K-8 and $3,000 for high school. The ACE model expects parents to pay for a portion of their child’s tuition, and we know this comes at a great financial sacrifice. We also know that by having skin in the game, families are more invested and likely to succeed. As Cranberg reflected on this dynamic,“If they are coming to the table with their children, with their hopes, and with their money, I don’t see how we can fail them by not at least coming to the table with some funds.”

  4. Private schools offer great value and have open seats.

    During their initial investigation into how to improve education in America, our founders were struck by the quality and care that small private schools offer. These are not the elite college-prep schools that today charge $20,000 or more for tuition. Most private schools are small, humble enterprises with tuitions currently in the $8,000 to $12,000 range, but were able to do amazing things for kids. And these were schools with open seats and a willingness to serve low-income students who had been previously struggling in public school. “You could see that there was tremendous hope. That there were places in Denver where people were doing wonderful things with kids that weren’t supposed to be having wonderful things happen to them,” Cranberg recalled. The founders learned that the majority of private schools were faith-based and that in addition to finding a school that shared their family values, families chose such private schools because of safety and access to quality academics. Today, more than 85% of ACE partner schools are faith based. Over the past twenty years, as ACE data have demonstrated, year after year, that private schools offer all children a great education. ACE students usually enter their private schools one or two years behind grade level, but within three years at their new schools, catch up and thrive.

  5. All people are created equal and deserve an equal chance to pursue the American Dream.

    The founders subscribed to the great American principle underlying both our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution: all people are created equal. They saw the large discrepancy in educational outcomes between white students and students of color in public schools, and knew better was possible. This “achievement gap” is not only a stain on America’s education system but a root cause of countless other social ills, and our founders believed school choice would help eradicate it. The founders were therefore intentional in establishing ACE support as a need-based scholarship, not a merit-based scholarship. They believed that families with financial need should have equal access to quality private K-12 options to help level the playing field throughout society. The founders did not place additional academic or other requirements on the family, above and beyond whatever requirements their school of choice has in place in order to further this vision. This vision paved the way for ACE to enter tax credit states in later years (Louisiana and Kansas, currently), as all publicly-funded tax credit programs nationally are need-based. Alex Cranberg said, “ACE serves as a reproach that demographics are your destiny, that if you’re poor that it explains your likely output in life.” John Walton, founder of the Children’s Scholarship Fund, declared “educational choice is the last great civil rights issue of our time.”

Major Foundation Partners

Children's Scholarship Fund

Board of Directors

DEBORAH FLORA
Partner/Co-Founder Lamplight Entertainment and Whetstone Media Group

NATASHA HARRIS
Principal, Biegert Group, Inc.

ERIC KOEPLIN
CEO Alpha Principle

RICK SCHMITZ
Partner, SKS Ventures

JOE SMITH
Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP 
(Chairman)

MATT TURNER
Managing Partner, MorningStar Senior Living
(Secretary)

LISA WALSH
Denver, CO
(Vice Chair)

MIKE WARD
Owner, Mike Ward Infiniti, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, McLaren, Fiat

BERT WILLIAMS
COO, Johnson Financial Group

LIZ WRIGHT
Denver, CO 

National Advisory Board

JUDY AND DICK AGEE
Founder & Chairman, Wapiti Energy and Bayou Well Holdings Company
Texas

JOY AND DONALD "BOYSIE" BOLLINGER
Louisiana
National Advisory Board Co-Chairman

GOVERNOR JEB BUSH
Florida
Honorary National Advisory Board Member

BETH AND JONATHAN CARR
President, Christian Brothers Foundation
Texas

MARILYN AND PETE COORS
Colorado

FRAN AND TERRY COMBS
CEO, Integrated Airline Services
Colorado

CATHY AND ALEX CRANBERG
Chairman, Aspect Energy, LLC
Texas

HEIDI CRUZ
Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Texas

CYNTHIA FISHER
Entrepreneur

LYNN FRIESS
Founder, Friess Associates
Wyoming
National Advisory Board Co-Chairman

LANE AND BOBBI GRIGSBY
Founder & Chairman, Cajun
Industries LLC
Louisiana

SUSAN AND CHAZ  MUELLER
Texas

DIANE AND JEFF RIGGS
Principal - Essex Financial Group

LINDA AND EDDIE RISPONE
Louisiana

CAROL AND JOHN SAEMAN
Colorado

HANNA SKANDERA
Colorado

SUSAN AND RICK SCHMITZ
Colorado

KEELY AND SCOT SELLERS
Colorado

CECE AND MATT STULLER
Founder, CEO, and Chairman, Stuller, Inc
Louisiana

LISA AND TIM WALSH
CEO, Confluence Builders, LLB

LIZ AND CHRIS WRIGHT
CEO, Liberty Oilfield Services, LLC
Colorado

NANCY AND MIKE ZOELLNER
ZF Capital, Managing Partner, Colorado

Colorado Board of Trustees

Austin Akers CEO, Bison Oil & Gas

Don Bailey Chairman & CEO, Triton Investment Company

Bill Bergner President, Berco Resources, LLC

Ed Bernau Denver, CO

Graydon Bevis CEO, Pella Windows & Doors of Colorado, Inc

Jim Boots President & CEO, Boots Construction Company

Mark Brinkerhoff Managing Partner, Brinkerhoff Restaurants

Dick Brown Denver, CO

Matt Call Principal & CEO, NavPoint Real Estate Group

Patrick Callahan Broker, Confluence Land Company

Blake Carlson Partner, Carlson Land Development LLC

George Caulkins Principal, Greendeck Capital

Scott Clark Chairman & CEO, The True Life Companies

Meg Duke Denver, CO

Jason Dunn Partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Schreck, LLP

Lori Durham Denver, CO

Rick Eldridge President & CEO, The Intuitive Companies

Gregg Engles Partner, Capital Peak Partners

James Evans Lobo Logistics

Darren Fisk Founder, CEO & CIO, Forum Real Estate Group

Nate Ford Partner, Perkins Coie, LLP

John Fox Chairman, Augusta Jane Oil & Gas, LLC

Mike Fries President & CEO, Liberty Global, Inc.

Caleb Gates Denver, CO

John Grier President, Crimson Midstream, LLC

Tom Hamilton HF Corp

Natasha Harris Principal, Biegert Group, Inc.

Dave Hunter Chairman, Financial Designs, Ltd.

Lou Hutchison CEO and Founder, H-D Asset Management, LLC

John Ikard Denver, CO

Brandon Johnson CEO, Johnson Financial Group, LLC

Mike Johnson President, Johnson GEO

Tom Jorden Chairman, CEO & President, Cimarex Energy Company

Mike Kennedy President, Point Rider Real Estate LLC

Armen Khadiwala Founder & Private Wealth Advisor, Apogee Wealth Advisors

Eric Koeplin CEO, Alpha Principle

Don Law President, Prima Exploration, Inc.

Paul Libner CFO and Treasurer, Royal Gold, Inc

Steve Lockton EVP and Owner, Lockton Companies of Colorado, Inc

Sharon Maffei Principal, SAM Lifestyles

Jonathan Marsico Owner, Ship Sticks

John Martin Denver, CO

Mark McCammon Managing Partner, Strength Capital

Scott McLean Denver, CO

Kelly Millen Denver, CO

Tim Miller Chairman, Pivot Point Ventures

Kevin Mize Founder, KM Investments

Nick Morris CEO, Western Paper Distributors

Jimmy Mulvihill Academy Partners Group, LLC

Ralph Nagel President, Top Rock Investments, LLC

Joe Niebur President / Owner, Niebur Development, Inc.

Mike O'Shaughnessy President, Lario Oil & Gas Co.

Bill Owens Senior Director, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Walt Rakowich Retired CEO, ProLogis Foundation

Scott Reiman President, Hexagon, Inc.

Perry Rickel Founder and CEO, Marrick Medical Finance LLC

Audrey Robertson Co-Founder & CFO, Franklin Mountain Energy, LLC

Kristine Robertson Denver, CO

Jon Robinson EVP Regional Chief Credit Officer, UMB Bank of Colorado, N.A.

Jeff Ross President & CEO, Ross Aviation

Jamie Sabatier CEO, J Sabatier and Company

Craig Saeman Chief Development Officer, Catholic Charities of Denver

Dick Saunders Founder, Saunders Construction, Inc.

Adam Sayers President, Axia Energy II, LLC

Rick Schmitz Partner, SKS Ventures, LLC

Mark Sexton Chairman and CEO, Evergreen National Resources

Terry Shadwick President, BarnLight Capital LLC

Joe Smith Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP

George Solich President, FourPoint Energy, LLC

Mike Starzer Managing Partner, Sixth Creek Energy

Betsey Unger Denver, CO

Wouter van Kempen CEO, DCP Midstream, LLC

Greg Vigil President, Castle Rock Resources II, LLC

Tim Walsh CEO and Founder, Confluence Companies, LLC

Mike Ward Owner, Mike Ward Automotive

Dick Weil CEO, Janus Capital Group

Peter Wells Chairman, Wells Property Holdings, LLC

Charlie Wesley CEO, Thoroughbred Resources

Don Wolf Chairman, Enduring Resources, LLC

John Woodward Partner, Spierer, Woodward, Corbalis & Goldberg, P.C

Chris Wright CEO, Liberty Energy

State Boards

Colorado Board of Trustees

Austin Akers CEO, Bison Oil & Gas

Don Bailey Chairman & CEO, Triton Investment Company

Bill Bergner President, Berco Resources, LLC

Ed Bernau Denver, CO

Graydon Bevis CEO, Pella Windows & Doors of Colorado, Inc

Jim Boots President & CEO, Boots Construction Company

Mark Brinkerhoff Managing Partner, Brinkerhoff Restaurants

Dick Brown Denver, CO

Matt Call Principal & CEO, NavPoint Real Estate Group

Patrick Callahan Broker, Confluence Land Company

Blake Carlson Partner, Carlson Land Development LLC

George Caulkins Principal, Greendeck Capital

Scott Clark Chairman & CEO, The True Life Companies

Meg Duke Denver, CO

Jason Dunn Partner, Brownstein Hyatt Farber & Schreck, LLP

Lori Durham Denver, CO

Rick Eldridge President & CEO, The Intuitive Companies

Gregg Engles Partner, Capital Peak Partners

James Evans Lobo Logistics

Darren Fisk Founder, CEO & CIO, Forum Real Estate Group

Nate Ford Partner, Perkins Coie, LLP

John Fox Chairman, Augusta Jane Oil & Gas, LLC

Mike Fries President & CEO, Liberty Global, Inc.

Caleb Gates Denver, CO

John Grier President, Crimson Midstream, LLC

Tom Hamilton HF Corp

Natasha Harris Principal, Biegert Group, Inc.

Dave Hunter Chairman, Financial Designs, Ltd.

Lou Hutchison CEO and Founder, H-D Asset Management, LLC

John Ikard Denver, CO

Brandon Johnson CEO, Johnson Financial Group, LLC

Mike Johnson President, Johnson GEO

Tom Jorden Chairman, CEO & President, Cimarex Energy Company

Mike Kennedy President, Point Rider Real Estate LLC

Armen Khadiwala Founder & Private Wealth Advisor, Apogee Wealth Advisors

Eric Koeplin CEO, Alpha Principle

Don Law President, Prima Exploration, Inc.

Paul Libner CFO and Treasurer, Royal Gold, Inc

Steve Lockton EVP and Owner, Lockton Companies of Colorado, Inc

Sharon Maffei Principal, SAM Lifestyles

Jonathan Marsico Owner, Ship Sticks

John Martin Denver, CO

Mark McCammon Managing Partner, Strength Capital

Scott McLean Denver, CO

Kelly Millen Denver, CO

Tim Miller Chairman, Pivot Point Ventures

Kevin Mize Founder, KM Investments

Nick Morris CEO, Western Paper Distributors

Jimmy Mulvihill Academy Partners Group, LLC

Ralph Nagel President, Top Rock Investments, LLC

Joe Niebur President / Owner, Niebur Development, Inc.

Mike O'Shaughnessy President, Lario Oil & Gas Co.

Bill Owens Senior Director, Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Walt Rakowich Retired CEO, ProLogis Foundation

Scott Reiman President, Hexagon, Inc.

Perry Rickel Founder and CEO, Marrick Medical Finance LLC

Audrey Robertson Co-Founder & CFO, Franklin Mountain Energy, LLC

Kristine Robertson Denver, CO

Jon Robinson EVP Regional Chief Credit Officer, UMB Bank of Colorado, N.A.

Jeff Ross President & CEO, Ross Aviation

Jamie Sabatier CEO, J Sabatier and Company

Craig Saeman Chief Development Officer, Catholic Charities of Denver

Dick Saunders Founder, Saunders Construction, Inc.

Adam Sayers President, Axia Energy II, LLC

Rick Schmitz Partner, SKS Ventures, LLC

Mark Sexton Chairman and CEO, Evergreen National Resources

Terry Shadwick President, BarnLight Capital LLC

Joe Smith Partner, Bartlit Beck LLP

George Solich President, FourPoint Energy, LLC

Mike Starzer Managing Partner, Sixth Creek Energy

Betsey Unger Denver, CO

Wouter van Kempen CEO, DCP Midstream, LLC

Greg Vigil President, Castle Rock Resources II, LLC

Tim Walsh CEO and Founder, Confluence Companies, LLC

Mike Ward Owner, Mike Ward Automotive

Dick Weil CEO, Janus Capital Group

Peter Wells Chairman, Wells Property Holdings, LLC

Charlie Wesley CEO, Thoroughbred Resources

Don Wolf Chairman, Enduring Resources, LLC

John Woodward Partner, Spierer, Woodward, Corbalis & Goldberg, P.C

Chris Wright CEO, Liberty Energy

Colorado Board of Advisors

Andy Aye Colorado Market President, US Bank

Gary Beaulieu Principle, Innovest Portfolio Solutions, LLC

Christian Bienvenu Managing Director, SVP, Sr. Relationsip Manager, PNC Bank, N.A.

Gabe Bodhi CEO, Tekton Group

Chris Brown Vice President, CRH Americas, Inc.

Lindsay Brown Executive Vice President, Hughes Marino

Steve Buretz Senior Vice President, CAZ Investments, LP

Tony Burke President, Pinkard Construction Co.

Enrico Cacciorni Managing Partner, Red Lodge Development, LLC

Judy Cain Partner, Plante Moran

Wayne Cavanaugh Founder & CEO, Ninja Nation

Mike Corbett Vice President, Innovest Portfolio Solutions, LLC

Melissa Corrado-Harrison Managing Director - Wealth Management, Corrado Harrison & Associates

Stacey Duke President and Managing Partner, BDO

Leigh Dunn Manager/VP of Philanthropy, Engineered Demolition, Inc.

Ann Durham LIV Sotheby’s Global Real Estate Advisor, Ann Durham Properties

Jae Edwards Principal & Co-Founder, Dublin Development

Tracy Forst Managing Director, Aon Risk Solutions

Norm Franke Regional President, Alpine Bank

John Freyer, Jr. President, Land Title Guarantee Company

Jennifer Gilliland Denver, CO

Sergio Gutierrez JP Morgan Chase Foundation

John Hill CEO, Quince Associates

Mike Hommel Owner, Designs by Sundown

Brian Jumps Member, Jumps Law

Craig Kinard Managing Director and Financial Advisor, UBS

Jon Kinning EVP/COO, RK Mechanical, Inc.

Kurt Kittleson President & CEO, K2 Commodities LLC

Mark Korell Principal, Tower Rock Investments, LLC

Jeff Lang VP Energy Practices, IMA Financial Group, Inc.

Dave Lederhos VP, Commercial Acquisitions, Global Pacific Properties

Bruce MacDonald Owner & President, MacDonald Hardwoods Co. Inc.

Travis McAfoos Principal, Kentro Real Estate

Mike McCubbin Vice President, IMA Financial Group, Inc.

Marvin McDaniel Denver, CO

Walker Monfort Vice President, Corporate Sales, Colorado Rockies Baseball Club

Sara Montgomery Wealth Transfer Specialist, Plante Moran

Lindsay Morton Gaiser Owner and Vice President, Andrisen Morton

Frank Nessinger Executive Vice President, FourPoint Energy, LLC

Adam Ostermiller Vice President - Strategic Business Development, LPL Financial

Carl Piske President, Alta Products LLC

JB Richardson COO, Cherry Creek Insurance Agency, Inc.

Audrey Robertson Co-Founder & CFO, Franklin Mountain Energy, LLC

Greg Schmidt CEO & Chairman, Saunders Construction, Inc.

Melanie Schmieding Director, Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated

Nate Schnabel Owner, NAS Properties

Barry Shames Business Consultant, Cairn Strategies

Matt Smith Partner, Holland & Hart LLP

Reed Smith SVP, Employee Benefits Practice Leader, BOK Financial

Justin Soucie Denver, CO

Brett Spitzer EVP and Managing Director, NAI Global Corporate Solutions

Jenna Stapleton Executive Director, Stapleton/Harmes C. Fishback Foundation Trust

Mark Stonehocker Manager, Stonehocker Farms, LLC

Stephen Storey Partner, BPT Performance Consulting

Ryan Sullivan Founder, Waypoints Energy

Adam Truitt Principal, Financial Designs, Ltd.

Matt Turner Managing Partner, MorningStar Senior Living

Shabana Walker Vice President of Customer Experience, Comcast

Bert Williams COO, Johnson Financial Group, LLC

Paul Williamson President, Colorado Region, UMB Bank of Colorado, N.A.

Colorado Associate Board

Martha Borre Associate Managing Director, CIBC Bank USA

Margarita Bravo Chief Creative Officer, Margarita Bravo Interior Design

Craig Brede Managing Partner, Lincoln Energy Partners

Evan Burden Consultant, Voluntary Solutions Inc.

Brooke Carnie Manager of Suite Services, Denver Broncos Football Clu

Cort Carpenter Denver, CO

Satish Chander CFO, K&G Petroleum

Mike DeLeon President, Bank of Colorado

Tom Fitzgerald CEO, Fitzgerald Investment Management Company LLC

David Foley Principal, Makers Commercial

John France CEO, Bear Peak Power

Lucas Giokas Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Private Bank

Kelsey Goldberg Account Executive, Zoom Video Communications

Brian Hartley Vice President/Broker, Live Water Properties

Kelly Johnson Chief Legal Officer, Telarus

Annie Kay Pilates Instructor, D Town Pilates

Ryan Lawless Founder/Managing Principal, Renegade Capital

Matt Lengel Wealth Management Advisor, Denver Private Wealth Management

Zach Leonard Managing Director, CIBC Bank USA

Greg Litvak Principal, Highlands Vista Group

Chancy Love Managing Partner, Protera Investments, LLC

Matthew Miller Chief Development Officer, Alliance Animal Health

John Obering President, Helm Energy, LLC

Rob Peirce Executive Vice President, USI Colorado

Natalie Piquette Division Manager, Accounting and Finance, Bradsby Group

Alex Riggs Vice President, Production, Essex Financial Group

Anne Sherwood Lead Assistant General Counsel, Xcel Energy, Inc.

Margo Simpson Denver, CO

Sean Sjodin Owner, Sjodin Consulting, LLC

Charlie Smith Senior Vice President, CAC Specialty

Scott Smith  Managing Director, Wealth Advisor, Cresset Capital

Matt Tracey Marketer, United Energy Trading, LLC

Wesley Weise Senior Vice President, Bank of America Private Bank

Mary Ann Whetzal HR Director, Liberty Energy

Louisiana Board of Advisors

BOYSIE BOLLINGER Chairman and CEO of Bollinger Enterprises, LLC

MIKE DEHART President of Federated Management Services, Inc

MILTON GRAUGNARD Executive Vice President with Cajun Industries, LLC

LANE GRIGSBY Chairman at Cajun Constructors, Inc.

MANNY PEREZ DE LA MESA Former President/CEO at Pool Corp.

EDDIE RISPONE Chairman at ISC Constructors, LLC

RALPH STEPHENS Director at Postlethwaite & Netterville

MATT STULLER Founder and Chairman of Stuller Inc.

PAT TRAHAN Vice Chairman at First Horizon National Bank

RICHARD ZUSCHLAG Chairman and CEO of Acadian Ambulance

Montana Board of Advisors

CRAIG BARRETT Retired CEO/Chairman, Intel

ROBERT BEERS Billings, MT

JOE BILLION Retired Owner and Chairman, Billion Auto Group

JERRY CASHMAN Founder and Owner, Cashman Nursery & Landscape

BRIAN CEBULL President, Nance Resources, Inc.

JARED HAUSKINS Financial Advisor, Edward Jones Investments

COLLEEN HOWELL Managing Director, Global Data Company

JAY JAMIESON Vice President, Leavitt Group

ELLIOT JUSTIN, MD CEO, Justin MD LLC

JENNI LEACH, Ph.D., LCPC  Great Falls, Montana

MATT MCDONNELL Owner, Big Sky Collision Center

MARC PIERCE Co-Founder & CEO, Warm Springs Productions

RAY THOMPSON Founder & Former CEO, Semitool

RICK UNGERSMA President & CEO, Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply

CHRIS WRIGHT CEO, Liberty Energy

Houston Board of Advisors

JUDY & DICK AGEE Founder & Chairman, Wapiti Energy and Bayou Well Holdings Company
Houston, TX

ADRIENNE & SNEHAL AMIN Founder, The WindAcre Partnership
Houston, TX

CHARLENE BRANDAU President, Avvento Foundation
Houston, TX

JONATHAN CARR Foundation President, Christian Brothers Automotive
Houston, TX

CATHY AND ALEX CRANBERG Authentic Agility
Houston, TX

HEIDI CRUZ Managing Director, Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Houston, TX

COLLEEN DIPPEL Founder and Executive Director, Families Empowered
Houston, TX

BRAD FREELS Chairman, Midway Companies
Houston, TX

JOHN LODGE Lodge Lumber
Houston, TX

KHALED SALEM Managing Partner, Williamsburg Enterprises, Ltd. 
Houston, TX

KELLEY & BRENT SOUTHWELL Chairman, PJS of Houston Inc
Houston, TX

HANNAH & PAUL WOLFERT  Senior Vice President & Managing Director, Wells Fargo
Houston, TX

Wyoming Board of Advisors

STUART ATNIP President, American Title Agency

FOSTER FRIESS President, Friess Family Foundation

SAM GALEOTOS Executive Chairman, Green House Data

ALEX MAHER Owner/Broker, Live Water Properties

BARBARA TRUE Eighty-Eight Oil

JENNIFER TRUE Verdad Foundation

PETER WOLD President, Wold Energy Partners & CEO, World Oil Properties, LLC 

EVA ZIMMERMAN Zimmerman Family Foundation

Leadership Team

MIKE COLEMAN
Chief Program Officer

JASON DIFRAIA
President

ROGER PATTISON
Chief Development Officer

MIKE PRITCHARD
Chief Financial Officer

NORTON RAINEY
Chief Executive Officer

Staff

JAY BALLARD Development Database Coordinator

SINDY BECKERLE National Foundations Manager

ERIK BILLINGER President, Western Region, Colorado

JO BRINKERHOFF National Events Manager

HANNAH BUNCH REBER Director, ACE Arkansas

LISA BURKE Staff Accountant

TINA BURKE Director of Development Operations

MIKE COLEMAN Chief Program Officer

JASON DIFRAIA President

KIRSTEN EASTWOOD VP of Scholarships

JACKIE GUGLIELMO Vice President of ESA Programs

RHONDA GONZALES Senior Accountant

KARI HEBBLE VP of Development & Planned Giving

CATHERINE "CAT" HENDRIX National Alumni Affairs Director

DACIA HENSHAW Senior Director of Marketing

DENISE HERNANDEZ Program Coordinator, Public Programs

RITA HOEFT Controller

AJ KUHLE Director, ACE Kansas

MELISSA LANDRY President, ACE Louisiana

JON LINEBERGER President, ACE Texas

HALLE MATHUES Human Resources Director

ELISE MATSON National Foundations Assistant

MACKENZIE MURRAY Director of Private Scholarship Programs

ALEX NUÑEZ Associate Director of Development, ACE Houston/San Antonio/Austin

BRITTANI O'BRIEN VP of Development, Colorado

DAVID OLSON President, ACE Mississippi

ROGER PATTISON Chief Development Officer

MARCY PHANNENSTIEL ESA Program Specialist

MIKE PRITCHARD Chief Financial Officer

NORTON RAINEY Chief Executive Officer

LINDSEY RHODES Director of Public Program

SHELLEY ROGERS President, ACE Houston/San Antonio/Austin

CALLI RULON Senior Events Coordinator

LISA RUSSELL President ACE Montana & Wyoming

RYAN SCHMITZ Development Associate, Colorado

SHEILA SILLETTO Executive Assistant

ALEX WALSH Data Engineer