Board of Directors

Rob Morrison Tiernan (Chair of Board)

Rob has spent the last 15 years in senior executive roles building bridges between companies and their markets. His focus on strategic positioning, effective communication and leadership through difficult transition has resulted in a number of successful mergers and acquisitions. Rob is now the Managing Director of Coherent Investments, LLC.

An interest in social and educational support developed early in high school when Rob volunteered his time to serve as a tutor at the Arizona state mental hospital. Since that time he has continued to provide support to his community and most recently became a trained volunteer with the Boulder Police Department’s victims assistance program. Rob is excited about the opportunity to be involved with Forward Steps and believes that it is only by working with and through people that our community and individual lives improve.

 

R. Milton Huffaker  (Secretary)

Few entrepreneurs can match the breadth and depth of Milton’s scientific and business achievements. Active in the space program at NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Wave Propagation Laboratory, he’s been recognized worldwide for his accomplishments.

But Milton’s commitment to people goes a step further. Early on he chose to support programs that benefited people and the human spirit. After he founded Coherent Technologies, Inc. (CTI) in 1984, the management and employees made it a goal to contribute 10% of their earnings to non-profits of their choice. Milton was also instrumental in developing Second Step, a transitional housing organization for people on public assistance, prior to its integration into Boulder’s Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA). In addition, he is a long time supporter of Boulder Mental Health and Boulder Community Foundation. He is currently the Manager of Coherent Investments, LLC.

David Ambroz  

Mr. Ambroz is a consultant with Fortune 500 companies assisting them to achieve their optimize and initialize their philanthropic goals. Mr. Ambroz is a graduate of the UCLA School of Law, and Vassar College. Emancipated from foster care at 17 Mr. Ambroz has remained intimately involved with foster care reform efforts ever since and in 2099 he launched an innovative Guardian Scholars Program at LA City College. David Ambroz serves as a Gubernatorial/Supreme Court Appointee to the CA Child Welfare Council; and as a member of the ABA Youth At Risk Commission. Mr. Ambroz is a regular contributor to the www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ambroz news-website, writing extensively about foster care. Mr. Ambroz was a founding member of the National Foster Youth Advisory Council (CWLA), a current member of the CWLA/Lambda Joint Initiative, and a current member of the Foster Care Work Group per the Youth Transition Funders Group. In 2009 the American Bar Association presented David with the Young Lawyer of the Year Award for his Child Advocacy work. Ultimately, all his volunteer work is vital to his key passion – to remember and give back to the communities from which he comes.

Dr. Wayne Allard

Former U.S. Senator Wayne Allard, DVM, announced he would not seek re-election to the United States Senate in 2007 when his term would end in January of 2009. He said it was time for him to return to the private sector after having never lost during his 26 years in elected public office. Wayne served the State of Colorado for 12 years in the United States Senate, 6 years in the United States House of Representatives, 8 years in the Colorado State Senate. While in elected office Senator Allard focused on business, tax, budget, defense, energy and health issues. At the end of his political career he wrote a book on Colorado’s US Senators.

Prior to his public service Dr. Allard had started the first small animal practice in Loveland, Colorado. He developed it into a certified member of the American Animal Hospital Association and had become a charter member of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. He authored several scientific papers on small animal veterinary medicine. As an active citizen in his community he served as Chairman of the Loveland Chamber of Commerce Legislative Affairs Committee and Chairman of the Larimer County Board of Health.

After retiring from elected office Dr. Allard started a public affairs and business development enterprise and a nonprofit Prion research entity. In addition he is counselor at the Livingston Group, LLC in Washington, D.C., senior advisor for the Air Force Academy Eisenhower Center for Defense and Space Studies, and a member of the board of directors of Forward Steps. Currently Dr. Allard is vice president for government affairs of the American Motorcycle Association.

Roberta Wolff (Treasurer)

An accomplished banker who started her career in Chicago, Ms. Wolff has spent the last 28 years in the Denver and Boulder area markets. She recently joined Colorado State Bank and Trust as their Vice President of Business Banking. Prior to Colorado State Bank and trust she was the Senior Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer at Guaranty Bank. Prior to Guaranty Bank, Ms. Wolff managed Corporate Banking in Denver for First National Bank. She has over 20 years of fundraising, board development and financial management experience. Ms. Wolff is married with children and has a blended family.

 

Jeff Mendel

Jeff Mendel has been a member of the Forward Steps Advisory Board since its inception in 2008.  Jeff’s experiences in many aspects of small business, entrepreneurship, non-profit and social services suit him well for the Board.  Jeff is a veteran of 25 years in the exciting craft brewing industry, the last 14 years as a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors at Left Hand Brewing Company of Longmont, Colorado.  He previously participated as co-founder of Tabernash Brewing Co., Indian Peaks Distributing Co. and the Colorado Brewers Guild.  In addition, Jeff worked six years at the non-profit Association of Brewers, served three years on the non-profit Boulder County Head Start Pre-School Policy Council, and most importantly took two years to be a stay-at-home foster father.

Jeff lives in Boulder with his wife, Daphne, and their two dogs (rescues, of course).  He currently serves as a consultant in the craft beer industry and teaches adult continuing education classes for the Boulder Valley School District.