Board of Directors

It’s not just about having access to world-class mentors. It’s about the quality of the time you get to spend with them. Chairlift conversations or hikes forge strong relationships far beyond business. No other network can give you that!

If you are interested in becoming a mentor please complete our mentor form and we will reach out to schedule a meeting to review the program with you. In the meantime please review our mentor handbook.

Jeff Resnick

Trond Skramstad

Emily Hickey

Emily Hickey is the Co-Founder and CEO of Chief Detective, a boutique social advertising agency that helps high-growth companies drive significant step-function changes in their revenue using social video content. In her work with Chief Detective, Emily has been an integral part of some of the most notable growth stories in apparel, beauty, fintech, and healthcare.

Emily is a veteran online growth expert, having spent many years prior to founding Chief Detective in Head of Growth roles at venture-backed start-ups in New York City. Additionally, Emily serves on the Board of Directors at apparel company Jenni Kayne, and as a mentor for early-stage start-ups through Telluride Venture Accelerator, and for Techstars NYC before that.

Emily is a graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and UNC-Chapel Hill, and after 20 years between NYC and the Bay Area, lives in the mountains of Colorado with her family.

Jesse Johnson

Jesse is a Managing Partner with Helios Capital Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on climate tech companies with a specific focus on energy storage. Helios manages over $100mln with investments such as Factorial, ZincFive and Solarlytics.

Jesse’s work has focused on early-stage investing and entrepreneurship at the intersection of business and the environment. He founded Q Collection, a leading sustainable design firm, the Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA), and has been actively helping to support and grow entrepreneurship in and around SW Colorado.

Jesse has invested in over 200 early-stage companies – either directly or through YX Capital, a dedicated early-stage family office fund he runs that is focused on cleantech companies. He served on the board of two companies sold to a Fortune 50 company. He also was a founding general partner for the Telluride Venture Fund (TVF). Before he saw the green light, Jesse was a Vice President for Jardine Fleming / Robert Fleming, helping institutions such as Fidelity, Tiger, and Soros invest in companies in Asia and South Asia.

Jesse lives with his wife and two boys in Telluride, CO. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and an MBA and a Masters of Environmental Management from Yale University. He serves or has served on the boards of organizations such as Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Johnson Family Foundation, Telluride Foundation, 1% for the Planet, Yale’s Center for Business and the Environment, and Harvard’s Center for Health and the Global Environment

Jeff Katz

Jeff has served as CEO of small and large companies. He’s currently CEO and Founder of Journera, a software infrastructure company serving the travel industry, funded by Andreessen Horowitz and BCapital. He has served as CEO of Orbitz, Swissair, NexTag, Leapfrog Enterprises, and worked as an executive in numerous roles at American Airlines for nearly 20 years.

Jeff has also served on the board of directors of numerous public and private companies including CA, RR Donnelley, Orbitz, and the very first social networking company, Friendster. He holds degrees from MIT, Stanford and the University of California.

Paul Major

After serving as the President and CEO of the Telluride Foundation since its inception in June 2000, in 2022, Paul transitioned to leading the Telluride Foundation’s supported organization Paradox Community Trust and its workforce housing initiative Rural Homes.

Prior to the Telluride Foundation, Paul worked as the Director of Business Development for Booth Creek Ski Holdings six resorts. Paul’s ski industry experience began in 1984 with the U.S. Ski Team in Park City, UT. He served as the Vice President of Athletics and Alpine Olympic ski coach, directing and managing all athletic aspects of the 6 Olympic sports of the U.S. Ski Team including 200 athletes, 60 staff and 50,000 members. Paul is a board member of the Colorado Association of Funders, Bright Futures for Early Childhood and Families, Mobile Accord and the Council on Foundation Community Foundation Leadership Team and chairs the Technology Task Force.

Paul holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado. He lives in Telluride, Colorado with his wife, Lois Whitesel Major, J.D., where they have raised their three, now adult children, Victor, Naomi and Malcolm.