Team

Originally from Colorado Springs, Ben left the Pikes Peak region to obtain a BA in Economics at Davidson College in 2005. He began his career working in finance, and more specifically, wealth management, primarily in New York City. He earned a Masters in Business Administration from Wake Forest University in 2011 and took that opportunity to move into higher education. Ben returned to Davidson College to work in development, partnering with donors and other funding organizations to develop need-based financial aid and other college programs.

In 2014, he was recruited to the University of Bath, in Bath, UK as a Senior Development Manager, and head of development for the School of Management. Once again, Ben was responsible for working with funding partners to develop new scholarship and research programs at the University. He returned to Colorado Springs in 2018 to lead the Sachs Foundation.

Ben has served in multiple advisory roles throughout his career including serving as a representative on the Davidson College Investment Advisory Committee and multiple Presidential task forces at the college, and as a development advisor to the Board of Trustees at the Holburne Museum in Bath, UK. He currently serves as a Trustee for the Colorado Springs School. In his free time, you can usually find Ben on a hike, listening to a great album, or reading a comic book at a local coffee shop.

Born in Southern California and raised in Las Vegas, Nev., Pamela was brought up with an appreciation for education. Graduating from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2012 with a Bachelors in Sociology, Pamela began to look at the career path that kept calling her back; social services. From working with homebound seniors, to providing behavioral treatment plans for youth, to supporting people with developmental disabilities, social work became a passion for Pamela.

In 2016, Pamela graduated from the University of Denver with a master’s degree in social work and emphasis on Family Systems. Pamela began working to support marginalized students in out-of-school time in Denver, Colorado’s Five Points and surrounding neighborhoods.

​Pamela serves on the board of directors for Safe Passage, and Pikes Peak Children’s Museum, chairs the El Paso County Block Grant Advisory board and is a commissioner with the 4th Judicial Court Commission. She was named as Next Generation Leader Award winner through the National After-School Association in 2017 and a Fellow with the National Institute of Out-of-School Time with Wellesley College. As a first-generation student, Pamela personally knows how education and representation matters to a person, their family, and their community. In her spare time, Pamela can be found hiking, going to food festivals and spending time with family.

Brook was born in southern Idaho but raised as an Air Force brat in Guam, Japan, Hawaii, Montgomery, Ala., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Tucson, Ariz. She graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology.

Being active as a volunteer since high school, Brook rolled her volunteering into a career as a Volunteer Coordinator for various non-profits such as the Idaho Botanical Garden, World Center for Birds of Prey, Pima Air and Space Museum, Girl Scouts of Colorado, and Goodwill of Colorado.

In her spare time, Brook can be found spending time with her two daughters, husband, and dog, finding new food spots, exploring Colorado, and helping with her daughters’ Girl Scouts troop.

Anna Taniguchi is passionate about uplifting her local community through an equity and inclusion-driven lens. Skilled in building innovative pathways to advance and highlight mission impact, Anna brings over four years of expertise spanning across higher education philanthropy, nonprofit marketing, and strategic communications experience.

Anna joins us from the San Francisco Marin Food Bank, where she expanded their leadership giving, stewardship, and special events programs to advance food security in Bay Area communities. With an educational background in English Literature from the University of California, San Diego, Anna is a creative and strategic writer and communicator poised to oversee our marketing and outreach initiatives, community engagement, and strategic communications work.

Her leadership will be crucial to expanding our network of alumni and supporters, forging partnerships with like-minded organizations, and ensuring that the Sachs Foundation’s impact continues to grow.

In her free time, Anna enjoys exploring new coffee shops, cooking, watercolor painting, hiking, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Katie’s career began in Colorado Springs as a first grade teacher at Giberson Elementary School. After three years in the classroom, and a school operations position at a local Denver high school, Katie joined the external affairs team at Teach For America Colorado. Over the span of seven years, Katie played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s fundraising infrastructure, crafting funder strategies, and leading initiatives to enhance culture and operations for the regional team.

Most recently, Katie has been an independent contractor, leveraging her diverse skill set to support an array of clients. She’s supported these clients with everything from project management to fundraising strategies to building operational practices.

Strong relationships and partnership are at the center of how Katie operates and she is excited to bring that skill to her work as the Managing Director of Partnerships at The Sachs Foundation.

Katie mostly grew up in Charleston, SC where she graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Sociology from the College of Charleston. She became an American citizen in 2013, as she was born and lived in England until she was 8 years old. Katie loves to travel, cook, connect with friends, and spend time with her husband and two cats in the wonderful city of Denver.

With a decade of experience in college and career counseling, community engagement, program management, and strategic leadership, Jazmin is eager to bring her expertise to the Sachs Foundation as Director of College and Career Counseling. As a distinguished educational leader and the first in her family to graduate college, Jazmin’s personal journey has cultivated a profound respect and empathy for students. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology with a Minor in Business from Colorado State University and completed her Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. Her personal journey fuels her commitment to advocating for all students, understanding the challenges they and their families face, and believing in their potential to achieve their dreams.

Jazmin’s educational philosophy emphasizes equitable access and meaningful relationships as keys to student success. Her role as an inspirational leader focuses on creating systems and removing barriers to help students and their families reach their aspirations.

In her most recent position, Jazmin played a key role in implementing restorative justice practices at Gateway High School, leading to a 400% decrease in out-of-school suspensions and improved student engagement and mental health support. Her work significantly advanced school performance, climate, and culture.

Previously, at the Aurora Public Schools Foundation, Jazmin launched the first College and Career Center at Hinkley High School. Her efforts led to a remarkable increase in scholarship attainment from $1.5 million to $11.2 million over five years, improved college retention and degree attainment, and the creation of a robust postsecondary readiness program. Jazmin also forged strategic partnerships and ensured equitable access to post-secondary opportunities for students and their families. Due to the success of this initial center, College and Career Centers are now established in all APS high schools.

Jazmin is excited to support Elevated students in Denver and Colorado Springs and contribute to the Sachs Foundation’s mission of advancing racial equity for Black Coloradans through our Elevated and Scholarship Programs.