Holly Reef
President
Holly Reef has been selling real estate in Colorado for 25 years. She is currently an agent for RE/MAX Professionals and maintains a strong reputation for customer satisfaction. Holly has sold real estate from Estes Park to Canyon City, but her focus is the Denver Metro Area. She is a full-service agent working with both buyers and sellers.
Holly has a strong commitment to the Denver community and is involved with several nonprofit organizations, including Project Angel Heart, the Denver Rescue Mission, Project TBI Freedom for Warriors, Sack Lunch for the Homeless and Children’s Miracle Network. She is currently on the Board of Directors for Rocky Mountain Human Services and is Auction Chair for Shining Stars Foundation. “It is a gift to be able to give back to my community. Denver is a thriving city and the changes I have seen amaze me. It is continually ranked as one of the top cities to live. I agree! I am passionate about Colorado.”
Holly earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Marketing and Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Dave Krook
Board Member
After serving four years in the Presidential Navy Honor Guard, I began my career in 1986 as an entry-level installer. Through hard work and commitment to continuous learning, I rose through the ranks to become a General Manager, fulfilling my goal of leading my own market.
Guided by my father’s lessons—“Never ask someone to do something you’re not willing to do yourself, and never forget where you came from”—I’ve always prioritized people in my approach to leadership. Throughout my career at Comcast, I’ve focused on building strong teams, advancing technology, and delivering exceptional service. Most recently as the Senior Director of Headend operations. I’m proud to look back on a career defined by growth, innovation, and a commitment to putting people first. I love what Colorado Horse power stands for in support of our Veteran Community.
Theresa Echols
Treasurer
Theresa is the secret ingredient that keeps Colorado HorsePower running. As our treasurer and controller, Theresa makes sure that our funds are directed to provide the most value to our students and their families. Theresa is a Colorado native and has resided in Castle Rock with her husband Cliff since 1968. She retired from the Douglas County School District in 2010 after 21 years in and finance department.
Theresa enjoys Colorado living and spending time with her animals which include horses, cattle, cats, and dogs, all of which keep her busy. A wonderful day is a trail ride with friends seeing elk, deer, antelope, and coyotes in pastures close to home. Her belief is that a horse has a calming, comforting that enriches the rider, caregiver, and bystanders. Theresa believes volunteering brings a sense of happiness through serving others.
Mark Renn
Board Member and Chief Wrangler
As our chief wrangler, Mark oversees the care of our wonderful horses and the horsemanship curriculum. Mark also works closely with our Horsemanship for Heroes members where he helps them establish an important bond with our horses.
Mark is the co-owner of Meadowbrook Farm, the ranch where Colorado HorsePower has been operating since 2009. On the ranch, Mark and his partner, Leigh Anderson, raise Dexter cattle, Peruvian horses, and llama’s. Mark grew up on a dairy farm in northern Wisconsin and has worked with horses and cattle most of his life. As they say, “you can take the boy out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the boy”.
Mark is the former Chief Executive Officer of The CS Team, a career marketing firm located in Denver, Colorado. Mark has also been actively involved in leadership roles in several community non-profit organizations including the Chair for the Denver / Boulder BBB Foundation and various roles in the other Denver organizations. Mark has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and is a Registered Career Consultant (RCC) and a Career Management Professional (CMP).
Michael Ditchfield
Board Member
Michael is a former professional athlete and best-selling author. He worked as a Goodwill Ambassador to Africa for Project CURE and was a board member and President of the Colorado Coalition for Genocide Awareness. He has been instrumental in the development of Project Mercy in Ethiopia, the Born to be Free Foundation and Mandela Academy in Ghana and the Sixteenth of May Foundation in Sudan. Michael is a current board member of the Shining Stars Foundation here in Colorado and is a partner in four restaurants in Denver, Aspen and Las Vegas.
Chris Lobello
Board Member
Chris Lobello has worked in a variety of fields ranging from his 25 years of experience in Asian financial markets to the CEO of a traveling, animal-free circus here in the United States. He has lived and worked in Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Japan. Chris teaches in MBA programs around the world and previously served as a Visiting Fellow at INSEAD’s Center for Decision Making and Risk Analysis.
Prior to his entry into financial markets and business he studied physics and mathematics at Benedictine University, worked at Fermilab and served in the US Peace Corps in Benin. Chris speaks Mandarin Chinese and a West African variant of French and holds an EMBA from INSEAD. In 2020 he and his wife relocated to Colorado so that their son could experience a more traditional American childhood experience and Chris and his son volunteered for Horsepower shortly thereafter.
Brandon S. Wagoner
Horsepower Advisor
Brandon Wagoner is a veteran of the United States Air Force. He served 24 years in various operational assignments and leadership roles, including F-4E/G Wild Weasel weapons system officer and electronic warfare officer, F-15E Strike Eagle weapons system officer, and commander Joint Tactical Air Control Party. Brandon served numerous combat tours in the air and on the ground throughout numerous named operations.
Brandon is currently employed with one of the major prime defense contractors with greater than 18 years in a requirements and capabilities role. In this capacity, he coordinates throughout his corporation to establish & nurture relationships with Department of War warfighters, understand adversary capabilities, develop comprehensive strategic solutions, and be a trusted teammate with our Department of War services.
Brandon graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Sciences. He holds a Master’s of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle University and is a graduate of numerous service schools and specialized training courses.
Brandon’s wife has four horses … two Percherons, one Belgium and one Quarterhorse …. That he helps tend to daily at their home. He is familiar with care and tending to them since they’ve had horses for over three decades.
Jack Arendale
Board Member
Jack Arendale is a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, accomplished federal healthcare executive, and current IT leader with more than 25 years of distinguished leadership in military medicine, TRICARE policy development, and DoD/VA integration initiatives. Born into a military family, he moved frequently as his father served as a U.S. Marine Corps officer and later federal executive, while his mother raised him and his older sister before working in county public health services; the family eventually settled on and operated a small cattle ranch in northeastern Kansas, where Jack learned the timeless values of hard work, resilience, and ingenuity that unite all farm and ranch families. He brings this deep-rooted connection to the land and animals to Horse Power, passionately supporting the organization’s mission to provide a powerful path to self-discovery and healing for military personnel, veterans, and their families through the transformative power of the horse.
Leigh Anderson, M.D.
Horsepower Advisor
Dr. Leigh Anderson serves as a certified riding instructor and medical advisor to the board. Dr. Anderson served as a Rehabilitation Medicine specialist and national physician leader for the Department of Veterans Affairs for over 35 years. His continued service to Colorado Horsepower reflects his ongoing dedication to our Veteran community.
