Qualifications of a Mentor
The mentor relationship is the most critical component of our program. Having a good mentor can mean the difference between veteran engagement and disengagement. For this reason, we approach our mentor selection process with much consideration and deliberation.
Here are the general qualities we seek in our mentors:
- passionate about helping veterans
- good listener
- have achieved success/is a leader in his/her profession
- being a veteran is a plus, but not a requirement
Beyond those qualifications, we match mentors to our veterans by compatibility of interests and personality. If you are interested or know someone who is interested in being a Salute Colorado veteran, please contact us.
Our Mentors
Ben DuBois
Director of Data Analytics, NIM Group
Ben DuBois is an analytics professional and is currently responsible for the Analytics team at the NIM Group. He leads a growing team of data scientists, business analysts and BI developers that execute projects across the company that improve business decision-making by using data while reducing the reliance on tribal knowledge. He holds both an MBA and BS in Mechanical Engineering from Gonzaga University where he also played on the Men’s Golf Team. When Ben is not helping solve business problems for the NIM Group, you will most likely find him spending time on the golf course!.
Caleb Bury
Vice President, Crescent Real Estate
Caleb is a graduate of Salute Colorado’s Valor Journey program and is happy to be giving back as a mentor. He served in the Air Force as a Civil Engineer from 2009 – 2016. During this time, he was stationed all over the world and is an Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran.
During Caleb’s last deployment in the Air Force, he made the decision to transition into the business world. He always had an interest in entrepreneurship and a growing interest in real estate. He transitioned out of the military by going back to school in Boulder, CO. He has worked for multiple commercial real estate firms and is currently responsible for regional acquisitions and asset management as well as deal structuring.
Caleb is a graduate of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He further obtained an MBA from the University of Colorado Boulder. He lives in Denver, CO with his wife and daughter and can be caught fly-fishing, skiing, exercising, or just generally outdoors when he’s able to break away.
Rob Matthews
Clinical Territory Associate at Intuitive Surgical
Rob Matthews grew up in Guam, Singapore, and Thailand. He attended the University of Colorado, Boulder and moved to Honolulu shortly after graduation to pursue life as a surf bum. After enjoying life on the beach, Rob joined the army and served 10 years as a Green Beret. He transitioned the skills honed in the army over to the CIA where he served as a contract Global Response Staff agent in Afghanistan for 5 years. Wanting to transition into another field, Rob went back to school and earned his MBA from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He currently works with Intuitive Surgical as a clinical sale rep for the DaVinci surgical robot system. Rob lives in the foothills outside Golden, Colorado with his wife, daughter, and dog.
Ewa Borowska
Executive Director at Peak to Peak Leadership
Ewa’s career spans over investment banking, fund management, consulting and teaching. She is an active investor. Prior to joining Christy and Jay Orris, Ewa founded a consulting firm advising institutions on leadership, governance, strategy, marketing, communications, transitions and finances. Before moving to Boulder, she was a senior member of the investment team for the Global and American Franchise strategies at Morgan Stanley in London. The team managed in excess of $10 billion in global long-only equity strategies. She joined Morgan Stanley in 1998 in its Investment Banking Division. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Ewa worked at JP Morgan in New York and London, Cambridge Associates in Boston, Linden Board of Education in Linden, New Jersey, and Shearman & Sterling in New York. She has served on a number of boards including Friends School in Boulder, Women’s Health in Boulder, as well as Board of Governors for the NewVic College in London.
Ewa started moderating seminars for Peak to Peak Leadership in 2018. She was drawn to the dialogue that explores values that make us most human: justice, equity, dignity, liberty and community. Because important decisions are not strictly economic or technical, but rather reflection of our values, it is important to understand where those values originate, how they are expressed and what impact they have on those around us. She was inspired by helping students of all ages to refine self knowledge, perspective and courage necessary to made leadership decisions that nourish rather than diminish our humanity.
Ewa holds an MBA from Amos Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a BA with honors in Comparative Literature from Yale University. She lives in Boulder with her husband and three kids.
Kyle “KMo” Moschetto
Managing Director of Solutions Architecture, SADA
At SADA, Kyle leads SADA’s cloud strategy and solutions capabilities. His remit includes leading next-generation solutions development to address Google Cloud customer challenges in data center exits, big data and analytics, application migration, infrastructure automation, and cost optimization.
Previously, Kyle served as a Solutions Architect, Solutions Manager, and the Global Lead for Data Center Transformation at Google Cloud. He has authored many Google Cloud solutions, whitepapers, and blog posts. He has been a CTO, Startup Founder, DevOps super-nerd, and is a combat-decorated US Marine Corps Veteran.
Brandon Busch
Owner, Lift Chocolate
Brandon Busch served as a helicopter pilot in the US Marine Corps from 2004-2013 with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Brandon is currently a reservist, serving as a Forward Air Controller/Joint Tactical Air Controller at 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company at Joint Base Lewis McChord. In his volunteer role at Salute Colorado, he has acted as a mentor for a USMC Veteran and has spoken on a panel about transitioning from military service to private sector work. Since 2017, Brandon has been the owner and head chocolatier at Lift Chocolate in Boulder, CO. He enjoys being part of the Salute Colorado community because of the opportunity to connect with transitioning veterans and assist them when able. Further, he appreciates the power of the Salute network and its core mission.
Carey Mason
Founder/CEO of DEI4BIZ LLCCEO, The Alternative Board
Carey Mason is the Founder/CEO of DEI4BIZ, LLC helping business integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their processes and culture. A Cornell Certified Diversity Practitioner, Carey supports businesses who seek to create an inclusive work environment that embraces diversity and provides equitable opportunities that benefit employees, clients, and the community. Carey provides strategic planning, employee assessments, training, coaching, and consulting specifically tailored to assist businesses in their efforts to change their company culture.
Prior to starting his consulting practice, Carey amassed more than 35 years of experience in Human Capital Management, with extensive senior executive experience in marketing, product development, sales, operations, human resources, and customer service working with businesses of various sizes throughout the U.S., Australia, and Southeast Asia. His consulting practice employs proven business methodologies that improve financial management to expand services and profitability.
Carey supports several non-profits including Break Through, the Community Foundation of Boulder, Cultivate NGO, Fertile Ground, the Humane Society of Boulder Valley, Out Boulder County, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Las Vegas, TGTHR, and Salute Colorado.
Carey received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky, his Master of Arts degree from the Ohio State University, and his Diversity Management Practitioner Certification from Cornell University. Carey and his wife, Amy reside in Boulder, Co.
Nate Llerandi
Vice President, Enterprise Sales, Kapost
For more than a decade, Nate has leveraged his passion for mentoring and coaching others to achieve more than they think possible into successfully leading software sales teams in the Boulder/Denver corridor. He has also been coaching endurance athletes for more than 25 years, helping them prepare both physically and mentally for some of the most grueling competitions on the planet.
Prior to his career in technology sales, Nate raced triathlon professionally for nearly a decade. Along with representing the USA in the Pan Am Games (3rd), Goodwill Games (5th) and annually at the World Championships (best placing of 4th), he was perpetually ranked as one of the top athletes in the world (highest ranking of 6th worldwide).
Nate received his B.A., Anthropology from Kenyon College, where he was also a 13-time All-America and 1-time NCAA champion. Nate lives in Lafayette, CO with his wife and in his free time can be found riding his bike up any of the multiple canyon roads of the Front Range.
Mark Hinson
Senior Manager, Oracle Corporation
Mark Hinson currently serves as a Senior Manager in the Oracle Corporation, responsible for sales and service of cloud and technology solutions for the Department of Defense. Mark served in the US Army from 1990 to 2005, and his military assignments include duty as an Infantry Platoon Leader, a section leader in the 9th Infantry Division Automation Management Office, and command of the Signal Team in a Training Support Regiment as an Army Reservist. Mark transitioned from active duty service in 1993, and left reserve duty in 2005. His prior corporate experience includes roles as a help desk technician, technology consultant, sales and leadership positions with the IBM Corporation, and as the North American sales director with cyber security services firm IOActive. Mark holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from Clemson University and a Certified Information Systems Security Professional designation from the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium. He resides in Erie, CO with his wife, Kristen, and has 3 adult children in Virginia, Ohio and Alaska. Mark spends his free time skiing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain and road biking, and volunteering with Ignite Adaptive Sports at the Eldora Mountain Resort.
Eric Rutherford
Eric Rutherford was raised in Boulder and has been active in the local real estate market as both a real estate broker and investor. After graduating from Fairview High School, he attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Eric served as class president and graduated from the FBI Academy in Virginia. Eric graduated from the University of Colorado with a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 2004.
Eric has a talent for hunting down good investments and is a firm believer that integrity is the basis for any relationship. Clients include SERVPRO, Arapahoe roofing, Conda Family Partnership, Moosehead Beer, Thistle Community Housing, and PODS among others.
In 2008, Eric earned the GREEN designation for sustainability. In 2012, Eric earned his CCIM designation, (Certified Commercial Investment Member.) As a CCIM, Eric is a recognized expert in the disciplines of commercial real estate, a designation that is held by less than 6% of the commercial brokers.