The board members and staff turning our mission into daily action for kids and families nationwide.
Guided by volunteer leaders and staff who live our mission every day.
MEET OUR BOARD & STAFF
Setting strategy, providing oversight and executing our vision.
Ruann Ernst, Ph.D
Board chair
Ruann Ernst is former chairman and CEO of Digital Island, a managed hosting and internet services company that was acquired by Cable & Wireless PLC.
Ruann Ernst is former chairman and CEO of Digital Island, a managed hosting and internet services company that was acquired by Cable & Wireless PLC.
Dr. Ernst is a three time graduate of The Ohio State University (OSU). She worked in industry with Hewlett-Packard (HP), as general manager of the Financial Services Business Unit and as a General Manager with General Electric (GE) in Information Services. She has also served as director of the Medical Computing Services Division and assistant professor of Medicine and Computer Science at The Ohio State University, and as a congressional fellow in the Office of Technology Assessment.
Dr. Ernst has served on several corporate and non-profit boards, including IHS-Markit (acquired by S and P Global, SPGI), Digital Realty Trust (DLR) and the Ohio State University (OSU) Foundation Board where she is a Lifetime Director. She currently serves on the board of XOArmor and on the Advisory Board for the Fisher College of Business at OSU, and as Board Chair of Healthy LifeStars, a non-profit addressing childhood obesity.
Ruann and her husband, Bill Riffle, live in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Basalt, Colorado.
Deb Kelly
Vice chair
Deb has been a partner of Genesis, Inc. since 1995. Prior to that she was VP of Business Development for the Gatorade business of The Quaker Oats Company.
Partner, Genesis Inc.
Deb has been a partner of Genesis, Inc. since 1995. Prior to that she was VP of Business Development for the Gatorade business of The Quaker Oats Company after serving for 10 years as Quaker’s VP of IR and then Corporate Affairs. Prior to Quaker Deb was IRO for Esmark and Lowes Companies. She began her career as a buy-side securities analyst.
Deb has advised senior management and boards of directors concerning strategic positioning, value creation and integrated communication programs, providing a capital markets point of view. Her experience combines leadership, communication and traditional packaged goods marketing skills with a strong background in finance gained as a securities analyst and honed as an investor relations executive. In 2001, she became the second-ever honoree to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Investor Relations Magazine, and in 2015 was named a NIRI Fellow.
Deb was a member of the blue-ribbon Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Corporate Disclosure. She served on the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) board of directors, chaired the original NIRI Task Force on disclosure issues, and served as president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter for the 1997-1998 year, continuing as a director for several years thereafter. She has also been a member of the board of directors of Perdue Farms since 1996 and is a member of and has chaired the Audit, Compensation and Governance Committees. Deb is also an NACD Governance Fellow and a member of the Women’s Corporate Directors, where she currently so-chairs the Visionary Awards Committee.
Jean Cobb
Treasurer
Guy Gunther
Board member
Guy is the VP / GM for residential and small business fiber at Lumen Technologies, where he leads marketing and sales and the end-to-end customer experience for the Quantum Fiber brand.
VP / GM Lumen Technologies
Guy is the VP / GM for residential and small business fiber at Lumen Technologies, where he leads marketing and sales and the end-to-end customer experience for the Quantum Fiber brand. He has been with the company for 22 years and has worked in multiple organizations, including finance, strategy, and local markets.
Prior to Lumen, Guy worked asa consultant in the technology and communication practices for management consulting firms and lead teams responsible for launching new products, expanding markets, and operationalizing mergers and acquisitions. He also has experience in service delivery for device manufacturing and building new distribution and customer support organizations for two startup companies.
Guy received his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Colorado and his MBA in marketing and economics from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
In addition to Healthy LifeStars, Guy currently serves on the board of the Sun Corridor Economic Development Corporation. He and his wife, Karen live in Castle Pines, Colorado and have two children currently in college.
Mary Michel
Board member
Mary is an attorney in the San Francisco Bay area. As a Deputy and Supervising Deputy Attorney General, she represented the State of California's constitutional officers, executive, and judicial branches, and control agencies in advice and litigation roles.
Attorney
Mary is an attorney who has practiced in both the public and private sectors in the San Francisco Bay area. As a Deputy and Supervising Deputy Attorney General, she represented the State of California's constitutional officers, executive and judicial branches, and control agencies in advice and litigation roles.
She has also served as counsel to and legistlative advocate for a California state water control agency. In private practice, she was the Vice President and CEO of a boutique law civil litigation law firm. Her responsibilities spanned HR, government compliance, fiscal management, and all related business matters.
Mary has served as a member and Chair of a city commission and as a founding board member of a local non-profit assisting women with workforce re-entry. Currently, she is on the board of a non-profit that manages private recreational amenities for a residential community in Lake Tahoe.
Mary and her husband Michael reside in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kurt Miller
Board member
Mr. Miller is an independent consultant and advisor to early stage healthcare companies and nonprofit organizations focused primarily in the Health and Wellness spaces.
Independent Consultant
Mr. Miller is an independent consultant and advisor to early stage healthcare companies and nonprofit organizations focused primarily in the Health and Wellness spaces. In addition to these types of organizations, he also has extensive experience working with health insurance companies, provider groups, public health organizations and pharmaceutical companies, as well as non-governmental organizations focused on various Healthcare needs and issues.
He typically works with c-level executives to formulate business strategies, define and develop new programs and services, and plan / oversee various initiatives focused on improving health outcomes, reducing medical costs and enhancing customer service.
Prior to this he was a senior executive with Accenture, where he led the Care Management, Wellness and Prevention practice, as well as the Health Services Corporate Citizenship program.
Jerre Stead
Board member
Jerre Stead is passionate about combating childhood obesity and has been a long time friend of Healthy LifeStars. He continually presents as a wise advisor, strong cheerleader, coach and caring friend.
Chairman, Stead Impact
Jerre Stead is passionate about combating childhood obesity and has been a long time friend of Healthy LifeStars. He continually presents as a wise advisor, strong cheerleader, coach and caring friend. Not only has he given immeasurably of his time, talent, treasure and touch but he has also made introductions to individuals, to businesses and to community partners who have made significant contributions to advancing the mission of the organization.
Stepping through their contributions over the years:
• Jerre was an early believer in the organization and incredibly generous in providing the funding which enabled the organization to hire its first professional leadership.
• He was instrumental in the organizations’ first geographic expansion beyond Arizona to Colorado and in establishing the Colorado Advisory Board.
• Jerre was a key strategic partners in defining a 6-year partnership plan with The Salvation Army, in “selling” the plan to Army leadership and in providing the funding for execution. They remain deeply involved ensuring that the program grows as planned and is deployed nationally per the strategic plan.
• Jerre serves as Chair of the Board of a for-profit start up which was founded as the result a pilot family wellness program initially developed by Healthy LifeStars.
Throughout, he has been a strong supporter of the metric oriented entrepreneurial approach of the organization. In addition to ongoing invaluable counsel and guidance as an Advisory Board Member, he remains active in advancing and supporting our individual
team members and pushing us at every turn to achieve our vision of growing a generation of LifeStars.
Christian Wise
Board member
Christian Wise Smith is a former Fulton County Assistant District Attorney and City of Atlanta prosecutor with over a decade of legal experience. He currently serves as a criminal defense attorney in private practice and non-profit founder.
Attorney
Christian Wise Smith is a former Fulton County Assistant District Attorney and City of Atlanta prosecutor with over a decade of legal experience. He currently serves as a criminal defense attorney in private practice and non-profit founder.
After seeing the need for reform in the justice system, Wise Smith ran for Fulton County District Attorney and Georgia Attorney General, campaigning on platforms of prosecutorial reform and community-focused justice. He is also the author of "Wiseup Adventure Series: Chris and Key Go Vote!", and interactive non partisan children's book about civic engagement.
Alec V. Miller
Board member
Alec V. Miller is the Principal of Fargin Ventures, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that invests in transformational mixed-use development projects across Ohio.
Principal, Fargin Ventures
Alec V. Miller is the Principal of Fargin Ventures, a vertically integrated real estate private equity firm that invests in transformational mixed-use development projects across Central Ohio.
Prior to launching Fargin Ventures, Alec served as Vice President of Real Estate at Schiff Capital Group, where he established and managed the firm’s joint venture platform. He successfully partnered with leading commercial real estate sponsors to develop and acquire assets across the Midwest, gaining deep expertise in structuring complex real estate transactions. Building on this experience, Alec founded Fargin Ventures to offer investors direct access to institutional-quality real estate opportunities, partnering with top-tier sponsors to unlock value across multiple asset classes.
Beyond his work in real estate, Alec is actively involved in the community. He is a founding member of the Southern Ohio chapter of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) and continues to serve on its board, supporting initiatives that enhance the well-being of Israel’s soldiers and their families. Additionally, Alec is heavily involved with the local JewishCommunity Center (JCC), serving as a host committee member for both the annual gala and the golf outing.
Preston Miller
Board member
Founder of TriScottsdale Foundation.
Founder TriScottsdale Foundation
1968-75 US Army Officer/Aviator 1975-86 Marketing & Acquisitions, Baker Mining Equipment 1986-96 President/CEO, American Paper Group, Ltd 1997-2001 President, Cactus Bolt/Therapy Rehabilitation Services/Emergency Response Staffing 2005-07 Chairman, Administrative Enterprises Inc.
Elizabeth Kurfess
Board member
Elizabeth is an activator of people, ideas, teams, and organizations. She works with leaders navigating growth, change, and high-stakes decisions. Her career spans commercial leadership, human performance, and organizational transformation, inside global corporations, high-growth startups, and as an executive coach.
Leadership Advisor / Executive Coach
Elizabeth is an activator of people, ideas, teams, and organizations. She works with leaders navigating growth, change, and high-stakes decisions. Her career spans commercial leadership, human performance, and organizational transformation, inside global corporations, high-growth startups, and as an executive coach.
Her career began at GE, where she joined the Experienced Commercial Leadership Program. Over her time at GE, she worked across the company's industrial, financial, and consumer businesses, helping pioneer some of GE's first Internet of Things (IoT) and connected products, work that led to a US patent. She built the commercial foundation and global leadership experience that still shapes her work today.
For over 10 years, Elizabeth has coached founders, C-suite executives, and senior leaders at the world's most ambitious companies, including OpenAI, Meta, Salesforce, DoorDash, Sweetgreen, CLEAR, and Hinge. She has delivered leadership development, culture, and top team effectiveness work at McKinsey & Company, eBay, and WPP, and served on the Faculty for Women's Leadership at Meta. In 2024, a long-standing coaching client invited her inside the company as Chief Marketing Officer and later Chief Growth Officer. It was an opportunity to move from coach to operator and experience firsthand the realities of scaling a venture-backed business.
Aaron Nicholson
Chief Executive Officer
Aaron has a passion for working with nonprofits and a keen understanding of the needs of others. With over 30 years of experience, he has led mission-critical work in organizational development and program design.
Aaron has a passion for working with nonprofits and a keen understanding of the needs of others. With over 30 years of experience, he has led mission-critical work in organizational development and program design. Aaron is highly skilled in capacity building, management, community partnerships, fundraising, strategic planning, policy design, and program evaluation. His consulting work has taken him to nonprofit organizations, school districts, government agencies, and senior executives in the U.S. and abroad, where he focuses on solution-oriented and collaborative approaches.
Aaron is known for fostering trust and openness to support providing creative learning experiences, facilitating organizational growth, and defining strategic priorities. His expertise lies in identifying each organization's unique needs and tailoring solutions that drive positive outcomes. Aaron's previous role as the National VP of Development for the National CARES Mentoring Movement allowed him to further his passion for supporting communities and making a difference.
Outside of work, Aaron finds joy in spending quality time with his wife and two sons, exploring new places, and engaging in outdoor activities.
Janitza Vasquez
National Program Director
Janitza brings more than a decade of experience working in education, youth development, mentoring, and program management. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and thrive.
Janitza Vasquez serves as the National Program Director for Healthy LifeStars®, where she leads program implementation, partnership development, and strategic growth efforts across the country. In her role, she works closely with schools, youth-serving organizations, community partners, and program staff to expand access to The LifeStar Challenge™ and ensure high-quality programming reaches children nationwide.
Janitza brings more than a decade of experience working in education, youth development, mentoring, and program management. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to learn, grow, and thrive. Her work has focused on supporting students both inside and outside of the classroom through mentoring programs, educational initiatives, and community partnerships.
She is passionate about helping children develop healthy habits that support the wellness of the whole child. Janitza believes that physical health, emotional well-being, confidence, and positive decision-making are all interconnected and critical to a child's long-term success. This belief is what drew her to Healthy LifeStars® and continues to inspire her work each day.
Kerri Osborne
Consultant
Kerri's professional background includes more than twenty‑five years in nonprofit leadership, with experience spanning fundraising, program strategy, and national operations.
I serve as the Development Consultant for Healthy LifeStars®, supporting the team in building and implementing a sustainable fundraising strategy. My day‑to‑day work includes strengthening donor engagement, shaping revenue plans, and serving as a thought partner on organizational development, so the team has the systems and structure needed to grow with intention.
I care deeply about kids’ health because I’ve seen how early habits shape confidence, learning, and long‑term opportunity. My career began in early childhood education, where it was clear that wellness and movement are foundational to a child’s ability to thrive. Supporting an organization that helps children build healthy habits feels both urgent and hopeful.
