Meet our Board

 Board Chair, The Ardent Grove Foundation 

Social Determinants of Health Manager, Quality Health Network

Tom Ventura is a program manager, analyst and communicator working to improve whole-person health among all Coloradans by enabling health care providers and community organizations to share information on the social determinants of health among their patients and clients. Throughout his career, Tom has enjoyed guiding health services teams in using data to drive improvement and telling the story of performance to show the impact of their programs. These experiences have enabled Tom to nurture his interests in evaluation capacity building and implementation science. He hopes for critical, evaluative thinking to become a core element of all health equity and quality improvement work. 

From my days as a trainee in the science and practice of clinical psychology through my present-day work in health care quality improvement, I am passionate about improving access to effective and affordable behavioral health care services. Today, I proudly work to build the capacity among Ardent Grove’s talented staff to address a critical service gap in our community by providing high-quality, low-cost trauma therapy to those who need it.

Prior to his career in health services consulting, Tom was an epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and a data manager at the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. In his prior community service work, Tom served on the Board of Directors for both the Blue Bench and Metro Denver Partners. Tom is an alumnus of the University of Illinois and has earned master’s degrees in Clinical Rehabilitation Psychology from Purdue University and in Public Health from the University of Colorado.

  Vice Chair, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Director - Federal Health Solutions, Telligen 

Tom Ventura is a program manager, analyst and communicator working to improve whole-person health among all Coloradans by enabling health care providers and community organizations to share information on the social determinants of health among their patients and clients. Throughout his career, Tom has enjoyed guiding health services teams in using data to drive improvement and telling the story of performance to show the impact of their programs. These experiences have enabled Tom to nurture his interests in evaluation capacity building and implementation science. He hopes for critical, evaluative thinking to become a core element of all health equity and quality improvement work. 

From my days as a trainee in the science and practice of clinical psychology through my present-day work in health care quality improvement, I am passionate about improving access to effective and affordable behavioral health care services. Today, I proudly work to build the capacity among Ardent Grove’s talented staff to address a critical service gap in our community by providing high-quality, low-cost trauma therapy to those who need it.

Prior to his career in health services consulting, Tom was an epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and a data manager at the Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect. In his prior community service work, Tom served on the Board of Directors for both the Blue Bench and Metro Denver Partners. Tom is an alumnus of the University of Illinois and has earned master’s degrees in Clinical Rehabilitation Psychology from Purdue University and in Public Health from the University of Colorado.

Board Treasurer, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Founder, North Stone Strategic Advisors 

Christina is the Founder of North Stone Strategic Advisors, where she partners with early-stage founders and executives as a fractional Chief of Staff. With a background in private wealth management, strategic management consulting, and business analytics, she brings a unique blend of financial acumen and operational expertise to help organizations scale with clarity, precision, and impact. Christina’s career has spanned advising high-net-worth families, building systems for growing businesses, and guiding leaders through complex transformations.

Why are you excited about Ardent Grove?
I’ve seen firsthand how the right mental health care can transform lives—restoring hope, strengthening families, and opening doors that once felt closed. That’s why I’m passionate about Ardent Grove’s mission. Their commitment to alternative and specialized therapies goes beyond traditional models of care, offering people options that meet them where they are. I deeply admire how Ardent Grove not only delivers exceptional behavioral health services but also invests in training the next generation of providers. Their dedication ensures more people will have access to the innovative, compassionate care that can make all the difference.

More about Christina...
Christina graduated from the University of Denver with a Master's degree in Applied Quantiative Finance. She is based in Denver, where she is actively involved in the local business and entrepreneurial community. Outside of work, Christina enjoys exploring the outdoors, planning her upcoming wedding, and diving into new ideas at the intersection of health, strategy, and human potential.

Board Secretary, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Associate Director, CMI Media Group  

Amanda is a Learning & Development professional with over a decade of experience helping organizations turn learning into a strategic asset. As Associate Director at CMI Media Group, she plays a key role in supporting enterprise learning goals—ensuring programs align with business strategy, meet evolving employee needs, and drive long-term impact. Her work blends thoughtful, people-first design with cross-functional collaboration to deliver meaningful, scalable learning experiences that empower individuals and strengthen organizational culture.  

Ardent Grove’s mission resonates with me on a personal level. I’m passionate about mental health awareness and committed to making mental health care more accessible—particularly for women and marginalized communities. I’m inspired by Ardent Grove’s dedication to expanding care through both innovative treatment and community-rooted support. With a background in Learning & Development, I’m equally drawn to their focus on training the next generation of therapists. I see education as a powerful tool for healing and change, and the opportunity to support an organization that combines care, learning, and equity feels deeply aligned with my values. I’m honored to contribute and be a part of the team.

I grew up and went to school in the Philadelphia area, where I earned a degree in Strategic Communications from Temple University. In 2017, I made my first cross-country move to Southern California, soaking up six sunny years before trading the beach for the mountains and relocating to Colorado in 2023. I’m a lifelong learner with a deep curiosity for the world and a love of exploring new topics, cultures, and communities. I enjoy traveling, kayaking, hiking, cooking, spin classes, graphic design, and painting.

Board Member, The Ardent Grove Foundation

 Lobbyist, Mendez, Barkis & Associates  

I am in my fifth year lobbying the Colorado General Assembly with Mendez, Barkis & Associates. I represent clients engaging on policies affecting criminal justice reform, the environment, housing accessibility and affordability, services for people with disabilities and the homeless, and protections for employee and consumers. Unlike many in my line of work, I have the good fortune to tackle issues that align with my values, while establishing meaningful relationships with those elected to make decisions that impact us all. This proximity allows me to successfully advance policies that can improve the lives of my family, friends, and neighbors. It’s demanding, chaotic work and I enjoy it greatly.

In Ardent Grove, I see an opportunity to serve my community in a completely different capacity. It’s no secret that accessing quality mental health services is far too difficult for far too many, and we all know someone who would benefit from additional support. It’s an unfortunate reality that demands our attention. The chance to help grow an organization that seeks to meet that challenge head on in creative and effective ways is inspiring and appreciated. I’m humbled to be on the team.

Before joining Mendez, Barkis & Associates, I worked for the Democratic caucus at the Colorado State Senate – serving on the staff consecutive senate presidents. The experience affirmed in me the capacity for individuals to affect change on a broad scale and the importance for policymakers to hear from and be held accountable by their constituents. Prior to that, I was Program Director for the Ngaathaje Development Organization; a small nonprofit providing aid to refugees returning to South Sudan after it gained independence in the wake of the Sudanese Civil War. My time delivering supplies to primary school students there was as challenging as it was fulfilling, and a period of considerable personal growth.

Board Member, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Founder of Denver Metro Counseling  

Julie is the Founder of Denver Metro Counseling (https://denvermetrocounseling.com), a group mental health practice located in Denver. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, EMDR Consultant, and a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Therapist.   

Prior to and during her career in mental health, Julie has worked in public health at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and has served on the Board of Directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - Illinois Chapter and the Colorado Coalition for Suicide Prevention. She also served on an Advisory Committee for The Second Wind Fund (SWF) and currently provides consultation support for SWF providers. 

I believe whole-heartedly in the mission and vision of Ardent Grove Foundation. First, being able to offer low-cost, high-quality therapy for those in need is a gap that can be tricky to fill - and they do. Second, the training that students receive through the agency is top notch and their students and clinical team are treated with exceptional care. Why it this important?? Because this training and care provided to the clinicians extends to the care they provide with clients. This would have been my number one choice for training placement as a clinician had I lived in Denver and it existed at the time. I am grateful to have this opportunity to support the mission of and clients, students, clinicians, and leadership impacted by of Ardent Grove. 

I love travel, comedy, learning, exploring, going to the movies, being in nature, mountain biking, sunrises and sunsets, and long walks on the beach :) I spend most of my time thinking about my pup, Miss. Mr. Kenobi, Obi Wan. The best good girl ever.  

Board Member, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Victim Advocate, Denver District Attorney’s Office  

Jason Anderson is currently a Victim Advocate at the Denver District Attorney’s Office.  He has been with the City and County of Denver since 2006.  He has extensive experience working with victims of crimes in cases at every state and local level of criminal prosecution. Jason has also served for over 20 years on non-profit and governmental Boards and Commissions for various organizations and committees throughout Denver and Colorado.  He hopes his experience working with victims and survivors of crimes helps give insight to the Board of The Ardent Grove Foundation around the absolute necessity of quality mental health care in our communities.

Why are you excited about Ardent Grove?

I am so honored to be on the Board of The Ardent Grove Foundation. I am excited by Ardent Grove’s commitment to innovative treatments and modalities.  Their devotion to training new therapists and increasing the accessibility to mental health care resonates greatly with me. Finally, as a member of the LGBTQ community, I am so thankful that Ardent Grove makes very clear their dedication to trauma informed care for all communities.

More about Jason...

Jason is a native of Colorado and while he has lived all over Colorado, he has called Denver his home for the vast majority of his life. He attended and graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver.  He has previously been on the Board of Directors of Metro Denver Partners, The Blue Bench, and The Partners Mentoring Association. He has been on various other governmental commissions and committees including the Complete Count Campaign – 2020 Statewide Census Committee, the Executive Committee of GIVE5 Mile High – a Program of the Denver Mayor’s Office, the Community Corrections Board of Denver and the Denver County Court Judicial Disciplinary Commission, among others. In his free time Jason prioritizes his close friendships, travel and all things Star Trek.

Board Member, The Ardent Grove Foundation; Principal, Tower Rock Investments, LLC 

Mark is a Principal at Tower Rock Investments, LLC, a family-owned investment fund focused on real estate, agriculture and private equity investments. Since 2018, he has been responsible for identifying and managing investment opportunities for the fund.

Why are you excited about Ardent Grove?

I am very excited about serving Ardent Grove and helping to grow access to affordable mental health while assisting in the development of trauma clinicians. I married a social worker 25 years ago and throughout my years of marriage and parenting, I have learned the importance of children, families and individuals being able to access mental health services in a safe, dignified environment that is affordable to all.

More about Mark...

Prior to Tower Rock, I served as President of AmFirst Bank, a community bank with locations in Colorado and Nebraska. After attending the University of Nebraska, I began my career in public accounting with Ernst & Young providing services to banking and mortgage banking clients. I have previously served on the Board of Sungate Kids and the Advisory Board of ACE Scholarships. My wife and I have 2 college aged kids.

Board Member, The Ardent Grove Foundation

Principal, Housing and Economic Justice Advocate

Melissa Mejía is a leader in Colorado housing policy, advocating policy change to promote housing and economic justice statewide. Melissa formerly worked as an aide in the District 3 Council office, serving Denver’s diverse, historically Latino/Chicano, and rapidly changing Westside. As the inaugural Head of State and Local policy at Community Economic Defense Project, she led legislative campaigns passing tenant and consumer protection bills in Colorado and Denver, including advocacy and bill language development on state land use policy. Melissa’s goals are centered on promoting equity in practice ensuring that no one is left out of the conversation simply because they do not yet have the right tools. These goals have been central while serving on the Denver Mayor’s housing transition committee, Denver Planning Board, and working in various coalitions and advisory capacities for policy campaigns, housing policy implementation, civic and economic justice, and organizational equity practices. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver. 

Why are you excited about Ardent Grove?

More to come!

More about Melissa...

More to come!