Justin Kruger

Founder and CEO

I founded Project Helping based on my personal experience with mental wellness. Like many people living with a mental health challenge, no one close to me knew I was struggling. I had a great job. I was successful. It seemed like I had everything – and truly I did. But privately, I was struggling. Then, something completely unexpected happened. I was invited to volunteer. It happened to be at a point in my life when I was really struggling. I had no clue that experience would not only change my approach to my own mental wellness, but also change my life trajectory. Volunteering immediately provided an outlet for me. The more I volunteered, the better I felt. The better I felt, the more I started to realize that volunteering was helping me improve my mental wellness. This experience inspired me to dig deeper into the wellness benefits of volunteering. I found two things. First, there was a great deal of research that supported the mental wellness benefits of volunteering. This part was no surprise. Second, I found no one had created a way to really leverage these mental health benefits. So that was the lightbulb moment! I was inspired to share what I had learned through my peronsal experience. That is where Project Helping started. We built this simple, elegant and impactful organization to leverage the mental wellness benefits of volunteering. Our goal was to make it incredibly simple to get involved in projects that are hand-selected to be the most impactful, hands-on project possible. I am incredibly grateful for the amazing support we’ve received along the way. We are a few years in, making an impact and having a blast. But we’re just getting started. Join in, there’s room for everyone!

• justin@projecthelping.org

Jessie Rodriguez

Communications Manager

“Our mission at Project Helping resonates strongly with my heart and my life. Depression is something I’ve struggled with since high school. Although anxiety and panic is still an ongoing battle, my mental health benefits from the impact found in volunteering. For that hour or two, my focus is on someone else and their needs and all of a sudden the weight in my chest doesn’t seem as unmanageable. There is power in serving others, as there is power in the act of love. We say it all the time: Do Good, Feel Good. But I can say from personal experience (I’ll let you in on a little secret) – it works.” Jessie is a Chicago native (and proud Chicago Bears and Cubs fan) that relocated to Denver for her undergraduate degree. Her plan was to always move back home but love, family, and those beautiful mountains made it difficult to leave. She is an English literature nerd at heart, passionate about psychology, and will always say yes to guacamole. As a Communications Manager, Jessie engages her love for hearing people’s personal stories while also feeding her passion for writing. Jessie is a proud mama (to a fearless two-year-old) and wifey to a sports fanatic husband. They live on the outskirts of Denver with their rescue puppy and are always looking for the next weekend adventure. Or can be found settling in for some Monday night football and homemade fajitas. With a side of guacamole, of course. “We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19

• jessie@projecthelping.org

Stephanie Johnson

Director of Operations

“I’m passionate about Project Helping because the mission resonates with me so strongly. I found Project Helping because I was struggling with my mental health and signed up to volunteer. I met Justin while serving breakfast to homeless youth, and knew from that moment that I wanted to help however I could. I still struggle with depression, and volunteering is one of the steps I can take towards positive mental health.” Stephanie cares about enabling people to be successful, and she makes that happen at Project Helping through the Kindful Leader Program. That means Stephanie spends her days finding and setting up monthly events with non-profit partners and recruiting and supporting Kindful Leaders. Stephanie moved to Denver from Cedar Rapids, IA. She earned a BA in English and French from Regis University. At home, Stephanie enjoys cuddling her husband and three kitties (or a heated blanket when all else fails), doing crafty things from sewing to remodeling bathrooms, and binge watching new (and let’s be honest, old) TV shows.

• stephanie@projecthelping.org

Tricia Denniger

Kyndfulness for Kids Director

“I learned about Project Helping during the worst year of my life. I initially met Justin to inquire about a possible future position and was shocked by how much the mission and vision of Project Helping positively impacted my ability to process a year I would not wish on my worst enemy. I have known that it is my calling to work with or on behalf of children from a very young age. I have over a decade of advocating, supporting, guiding, challenging and loving youth from all walks of life. My “little brothers” Tyler and Tre became the initial reason for this passion when they were placed in our home while I was in high school and what continues to motivate me to believe in and pour into the lives of our most valuable assets -our youth. As they say, “It takes a village,” and I sincerely believe in the healing power of positive, consistent adults for children navigating our tricky world.” Tricia is a proud Colorado native, born in the gorgeous mountains of the Vail Valley. She started skiing when she was just three years old and has fond memories of camping, hiking, and taking in all that our wonderful state has to offer. She was blessed to be able to spend high school near all of her extended family in Iowa where she learned she actually doesn’t hate country music and how much beauty the often-overlooked state really does have. From there, Tricia earned a CSWE-accredited BA in Social Work at Hope College (MI), her MSW at the University of Illinois at Chicago (IL), a JD with a concentration in Children and Families at Barry University (FL), and spent a life-changing semester in Philadelphia (PA). She strongly feels that these varied experiences created an opportunity to have depth and understanding of diverse populations that she would have otherwise missed. Tricia and her husband, Andrew, moved back to Colorado in early 2012 and have no plans of leaving anytime soon. When not working, you can find Tricia taking a million snapchats of her sweet rescue-mutt, Hobbes, watching her crazy-athletic husband compete, camping and climbing mountains with girlfriends, doing any and all things social or planning her next international adventure. She is passionate and tenacious and could not be more excited to manage, grow, and develop K4K into the thriving program she knows it will soon become.

• tricia@projecthelping.org

Shelly Waggoner

Vice President, Human Resources & Customer Experience at MGMA

Shelly A. Waggoner, MS, CEBS, SHRM-SCP, is the Vice President, Human Resources & Customer Experience at MGMA and serves as a member of the Executive Team. With over 20 years of experience in Human Resources, Shelly is an Executive leader optimizing the customer experience through the lens of the employee experience. Shelly is passionate about people, leads with purpose and loves giving back to the community in which she lives. Shelly holds a Master of Science degree in Organization Leadership/Human Resources Management from Regis University. Shelly received her certification as a Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) from the International Foundation of Employee Benefits Plans and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She is also SHRM-SCP certified from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).

• swaggoner@mgma.com

Rick Hoberg

Director of SEO at Blue Moon Digital

• hobergr@gmail.com

Matt Stewart

Financial Representative at Northwestern Mutual

Matt grew up in Bernville, Pennsylvania with three younger siblings (Patrick, Derek, and Brooke). He attended Coastal Carolina University where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing. After graduating in 2005, Matt moved to Colorado to pursue a career in the golf industry. He attained membership into the Professional Golf Association of America and accepted a position as an Assistant Golf Professional at Cherry Hills Country Club, the same year he graduated from Coastal. After spending six years at Cherry Hills he accepted the Head Golf Professional position at the Fox Hill Club, in Longmont. Matt changed careers in 2012 and is now a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual’s Cunningham Group. He focuses on retirement income, estate, and business planning. His mission is to help bridge the gap in our education system regarding financial literacy. Outside of work Matt enjoys spending time with his wife, Megan, and their dogs. Additionally, he loves spending time with family and friends, golfing, playing basketball, working out, hiking, climbing, skiing, biking and connecting people. Matt also enjoys being involved in the community and among other things serves on the board for Project Helping. Matt believes that the most important investment you can make in life is the creation of loving and trusting relationships. “The effect you have on others is the most valuable currency you have.” Jim Carey

• matt.stewart@nm.com

Michael Warren

Owner at Land Elevated

• mmwarren@gmail.com

Josh Hansen

Corporate Controller - BMC Investments

• joshthansen@gmail.com

David Eichler

Founder at Decibel Blue

• +91-89898989898
• david@decibelblue.com

Charlie Johnson

Broker/Owner at WC Johnson, LLC

Charlie is a native of Southern Wisconsin and a graduate of the University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business. Upon graduating in 2007, with a B.S. in Business and an emphasis on Finance and Real Estate, he moved to Denver to pursue a career in real estate. Charlie comes from a family of entrepreneurs and from a young age he and his brother (Bill) talked about starting a business together. In 2010 that plan came to fruition in the form of a full-service commercial real estate business – WC Johnson, LLC. The company focuses on sourcing and syndicating value-add commercial real estate investments and new development opportunities in Colorado, Wisconsin, and Florida. Volunteering and philanthropy are very important to Charlie. He is a long-time Big Brother and former Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. His favorite thing about volunteering is that it is not a zero-sum equation. In his free time, Charlie takes advantage of the many outdoor recreational opportunities Colorado has to offer. Charlie is thrilled to work towards making the world a better place through Project Helping!

• +91-89898989898
• cjohnson@wcjre.com

Cenee LaTulippe

Director Program Portfolio Management at Newport Capital Bancorp

Cenee is a senior leader and executive skilled in transforming business operations and implementing strategic plans to solve challenging problems. She sits as a COO within client organizations helping drive strategic vision, targeting bottom-line initiatives and changing the trajectory of the business. She has fulfilled complex assignments and roles across diverse industries; including insurance, technology, and finance for both “Fortune 500” companies and startups. She has delivered solutions to major business problems that have required expert communication, experience, and strong technical skills; on time and on budget. Skills include corporate finance, call center optimization, acquisition execution, software development, project and program management, change management and product management. Cenee is a Colorado native happily married to her husband Brett who is a firefighter with North Metro Fire Rescue. Together they have a son, named Brecken, who is silly and loves getting into trouble. Their family, including their two dogs, love to spend time outside being active, traveling and playing/watching sports. Cenee is excited to bring passion of impact applied to her professional skillsets for Project Helping!

• +91-89898989898
• Cenee@ncdfund.com

Brooke VanHavermaat

Founder at Ella Bliss Beauty Bars

• +91-89898989898
• Brooke@ellablissbeautybar.com

Andrew Chambers

VP Marketing at Corus

Drew is a New Yorker who has been in Colorado for over 8 years. After moving out to Colorado, Drew joined GLC, where he helped build the business development and marketing teams, eventually becoming Chief Marketing Officer. Drew decided for a change and sold his interest in GLC in July of 2018, diving headfirst into the world of startups with Corus. Corus is a revolutionary market research marketplace, focused on helping companies get insights from real people. This dovetails nicely with the idea of Project Helping, which is to put real people in positions where they can help one another. Drew was invited to a Project Helping event in 2016 by Rhett Trees, and found a cause that was both incredibly important and also being solved in a unique way. When not working Drew is an avid cyclist, skier, and reader. He's especially fond of biographies, particularly those centered around major actors in the Civil War. He lives in Denver with his wife Katie and their two vizslas Moselee and Oaklee. He's a graduate of Middlebury College with a focus in economics.

• drew@cor.us

Fredrick De Loizaga

Office Brokerage at CBRE

Frederic was born in Koln, Germany, and moved to Colorado when he was five. He attended Arapahoe High School and then Regis University where he graduated from in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology. From Regis Frederic was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and played three years of professional baseball in their minor league system. For the past eleven years, he has worked at CBRE as a Tenant Advisor. Outside of work Frederic spends his time with his wife and their young daughter and on the golf course as much as possible. Frederic has spent time working with other organizations such as the CU Cancer Center, Lukemia & Lymphoma Society, Big Brother Big Sisters of Colorado and the CBRE Cares Board and loves the mission and passion of Project Helping and having the opportunity to be involved.

• Frederic.deLoizaga@cbre.com

Rebecca Gillis

Manager, Global Business Development at Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade

Rebecca Gillis is the Global Business Development Manager with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. In her capacity, Rebecca works on domestic and international business recruitment, expansion, and retention for her home state of Colorado. Her industry focuses include outdoor recreation, cybersecurity, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. Before joining OEDIT, Rebecca was with Colorado Lending Source, a community development non-profit emphasizing sustainable small business growth throughout the state. In 2014, Rebecca earned her MA from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in International Relations and International Economics. Before studying at SAIS, she graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a BA in Political Science and a concentration in International Comparative Politics. She is a Colorado native who enjoys trail running, camping, and reading.

• rebecca.gillis@state.co.us

Lindsay Anderson

Lover of art. Advocate for mental health. Teller of stories.

Lindsay Anderson is originally from South Bend, Indiana. She has undergraduate degrees in Graphic Design from Purdue University’s School of Technology and Fine Arts from Indiana University South Bend in Printmaking, and a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Denver’s School of Art and Art History. Lindsay loves all things Art; including French Impressionism, Art Nouveau, art museums, handmade papers and prints. She has lived in Denver for ten years and through her work at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional has developed a passion for mental health advocacy and education.

• Lindsay.Anderson@du.edu

Kevin Davis

Strategic Account Executive at UMR

• davis.kevin@umr.com

Jay Radochia

Helper and Advocate, Outdoor Adventurer, People-First Technologist

Jay grew up between Gloucester Massachusetts, York Maine and Bennington Vermont with a 3-year stint in Dublin Ireland. He attended Concord Academy, then Tufts University where he majored in Human Factors Engineering and minored in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Film Production. After school, he worked for a startup software company in multiple customer-facing roles, where he learned to solve people and business problems with technology. He fulfilled a lifelong dream of moving west after the business sold and has fallen in love with Denver’s caring community and mountain backdrop. Jay has passions for helping others, playing in the mountains, ocean and rivers, and exchanging stories and cultures. His proudest accomplishments: made a documentary for PBS, restored a boat and built 6 libraries in rural Nicaragua.

• james.radochia@gmail.com

CJ Bathgate

Licensed Clinical Health Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health

CJ Bathgate is a licensed clinical health psychologist based in Denver, CO. She is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health, where she is the lead mental health coordinator for the Adult Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Clinic. National Jewish’s Adult CF Clinic is the largest in the country, serving a large section of the Mountain West, including Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and parts of adjoining states. As both a behavioral health researcher and clinician, Dr. Bathgate specializes in facilitating health and behavior changes using in-person and technology-based interventions. Her expertise within these areas surround sleep, chronic health conditions, stress management, mood disorders, and relationship functioning. Recent projects she has been heavily involved in include designing and implementing a telehealth stress management program for adults with CF and designing an online intervention aimed at improving sleep using cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Dr. Bathgate holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan, an Ed.M. and M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver.

• drcjbathgate@gmail.com

John Whiteside

Director of Revenue at Wishlist

John Whiteside moved to Denver from Michigan to pursue a career in technology sales in early 2015. His first sales role in Denver was for a telecommunications organization where John learned technology sales skills to lead him to his next opportunity, Wishlist Rewards. Wishlist helps organizations reward and recognize with their employees with experiences. Through recognition and meaningful rewards, we help our clients accelerate performance, increase engagement, and improve retention. In his role at Wishlist, John directs the sales strategy, leads the Wishlist sales team, and has helped the business maintain an aggressive growth rate. John holds a B.B.A. from the University of Michigan - Dearborn with a focus on Marketing. In his free time; John enjoys water skiing, snow skiing, and tennis, and golf.

• John@wishlistrewards.com

Brent Ham

NavPoint

• brent.ham@navpointre.com

Robert Kross

Denver Metro Chamber

Robert Kross has worked for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce for the past three years as a Membership Representative. The Chamber works with the Denver business community to focus on critical issues that will determine the health of our community and economy to lead to a prosperous future. His role specifically focuses on building Chamber membership through new member acquisition, retention, as well as keeping current members involved Prior to working at the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Kross worked with the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Downtown Denver Business Improvement District helping with public affairs, communication and marketing. This position enabled Mr. Kross to quickly learn about the Denver business community, and what it takes to grow a strong business economy with in a region. Mr. Kross attended the University of Missouri, where he received a BSBA in Marketing and a minor in Sociology. He is also currently sitting on the Associates Board for a local non-profit called Project Helping. Mr. Kross has lived in Denver for the past five years and enjoys hitting the links as well as mountain actives such as skiing, fishing, hiking and camping.

• robert.kross@denverchamber.org

Kaylee Pott

Residential Real Estate Broker with RE/MAX Professional

Kaylee is a licensed residential real estate broker with RE/MAX Professionals, serving clients around the Metro Denver area. Kaylee was born and raised in Littleton, Colorado and attended college at the University of San Diego, earning a degree in Business Administration and a minor in Biology. Prior to entering the real estate industry, Kaylee worked in sales at CereScan, a brain imaging company headquartered in Denver, and as a patient care coordinator at Kaizen Brain Center, a specialized clinic in San Diego focusing on the treatment of patients suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries and Alzheimer's Disease. Kaylee intends to bring the different aspects of her healthcare background, passion for helping those struggling with mental illness, and love for real estate together to benefit the community around her. Kaylee also enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring new restaurants and experiences around Denver.

Jamie Vanderberge

Senior Relationship Manager

Jamie Vandenberge is a Senior Relationship Manager for Bank of America in their Global Commercial Bank division. Jamie works to build and support business relationships for middle-market companies headquartered in Colorado. She recently returned to a career in finance after spending a decade focused on product development and systems integration for large and small software companies in Boulder. When Jamie is not at work she prefers to spend her time with her three young children and husband of 12 years. She has rarely been known to turn down an invitation for a sporting event, an opportunity to travel, or a request for help.

• jamie.vandenberge@baml.com

Sarah Lehmann

Principal and co-owner of Ebb+Flow Creative

Sarah Lehmann is Principal and co-owner of Ebb+Flow Creative. After more than a decade working in communications for non-profit and fundraising organizations, in 2015 Sarah joined her longtime friend and creative partner, Shane Kendrick, at Ebb+Flow Creative – with a mission to serve passionate people and impact-driven organizations through strategic, creative and effective branding and design. Previously, Sarah served as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Denver Public Schools Foundation, contributing to the vision and executing the strategy that helped the organization grow 112 percent in fundraising revenue from $6.6 million to $14.1 million during her five-year tenure. Prior to that role, she served as Marketing and Public Relations Manager at the Vail Valley Foundation, marketing art, athletic and education programs across the Vail Valley and Eagle County. Sarah holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sarah serves on the board of directors for Project Helping, an innovative organization that improves mental wellness by creating meaningful volunteer experiences and inspiring Kyndfulness; and on the advisory board for PCs for People, a social enterprise that recycles computers from businesses and government agencies and provides them at little or no cost to families who otherwise could not afford them. Sarah lives in Golden with her husband Jon and two dogs and can be found in the mountains hiking and skiing when she’s not at her desk.

• sarah@ebbflowcreative.com

Rhett Trees

Equity Partner at Caddis Capital Investments

Rhett Trees is a soulful entrepreneur, interested party, seeker, audiophile, investor, traveler, philanthropist, loving father, and average husband. He grew up in humble beginnings near a small, blue-collar town in northern Indiana to a loving family. Since then, he has been pursuing his life mission: "To touch someone's soul today." The universe has been conspiring on Rhett's behalf for decades and his passionate efforts in the business community have been fertile grounds for the growth of others. Currently, he is the Founder and CEO of Seneca Capital Partners and its affiliates with a keen focus to provide clean, safe affordable housing to their residents across the country. Rhett sits on several not-for-profit boards including: Project Helping, Kelley School of Business Alumni Board at Indiana University, ACE Scholarships and Levitt Pavilion. When he’s not working, Rhett enjoys fly fishing, live music, scuba diving, cycling, golf and spending time with his wife and their 2 young children.

• rtrees@caddiscapitalinvestments.com

Erin Carpenter

Founder and Therapist at Thrive Counseling

• erin.f.carpenter@gmail.com

Cindy Carrillo

Retired Founder and CEO of Work Options Group and Founder of CC Blue Ranch

Cindy Carrillo was the Founder and CEO of Work Options Group from 1986 until 2009 when she sold the business to a major competitor. Work Options Group successfully developed, marketed and administered a new employee benefit providing temporary care to the family members of employees, which was highly subsidized by the employers, allowing employees to meet their work responsibilities when they had a breakdown in their child or elder care. The benefit was sold to Fortune 100 companies, resulting in the provision of services to over 1 million employees when the company sold. After the sale of the company, Cindy “retired” by purchasing a small ranch in SW Colorado where she has spent the last 7 years designing and building her own little slice of heaven called CC Blue. During that time, Cindy started her own coaching business assisting people in all stages of their careers and has also capitalized on the unique location, beauty and set up of the CC Blue Ranch, by developing it as a short-term rental property for events, & company team building retreats. Cindy has over 40 years of business experience, including private enterprise, retail, non-profit, and government sector work. She has developed significant leadership and management skills, has strong fiscal management and organizational development expertise, and has developed a proficiency in mentoring, coaching, meeting facilitation and public speaking.