Our Board Members
At the heart of the The Thrive Networks lies our exceptional board, a diverse assembly of passionate individuals committed to the growth of small businesses in our community. United by a shared mission to foster growth and resilience, each member brings unique skills and perspectives to the table, creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. Together, we strive to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve, nurturing a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and unwavering support. Join us on this journey towards personal and collective transformation, guided by the unwavering dedication and expertise of our remarkable team at The Thrive Networks.
Cory Arcarese
Board Chair
Cory Arcarese
Board Chair
Cory is an award winning, bilingual healthcare executive with more than 25 years of progressive business experience and an expansive portfolio which includes having assisted over 1,000 companies with strategic planning, capital access and business startup. Both a creative talent and a strategic thinker, with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and a Master of Science in Accounting, Cory is among the rare breed of strategic healthcare executives who excel in creative thought, expert negotiating and high-level analysis. Cory has a reputation for delivering above average results by collaborating with other organizations to provide above average patient care. An accomplished speaker, fluent in Spanish, Cory and her team work tirelessly to advance an organization. Her current position is the CEO of NTSOC, a nonprofit organization, serves southern Colorado families of children and young adults with disabilities by providing compassionate quality home care, case management, CNA training, and outpatient clinic therapy. Cory has been on the THRIVE board since 2022 and is also a Senior Business Consultant with the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center with a focus on Southeast COS. Immediately prior to working at NTSOC, Cory was the owner of CArc Business Consulting LLC for over 10 years– a business consulting agency specializing in financial analysis, lending processing, healthcare business strategy, small business strategy and startups. In 2021, Cory was one of the 22 people to watch in 2022 and in 2020 named a Woman of Influence in Colorado Springs by the Colorado Springs Business Journal. “Entrepreneurship is empowerment. Helping others understand the basics of running a business gives them the tools and opportunity to jump ahead of their competition. I love working with THRIVE!”
Charles Smith III
Vice Chair
Charles Smith III
Vice Chair
Charles M. Smith holds the esteemed position as Vice Chair of the Thrive Network and serves as the Director of Advocacy at CommunityWorks. He is deeply grateful to CommunityWorks for providing him with his first career opportunity after his release from prison. Mayor Yemi Mobolade has been a tremendous influence on Charles, serving as both a mentor and a friend, opening doors that eventually led him to join the Thrive Network team and the Public Safety and Solutions Committee. In addition, Charles actively participates on two advisory boards, one for Kayge Gaming and another for R&R Head Labs.
It is impressive to witness Charles' life transformation, from a prison cell to a corner office. However, he humbly believes that his personal background is of secondary importance compared to the positive impact he strives to make through his work and community involvement. Having experienced the significant challenges of life as a formerly incarcerated individual, Charles is dedicated to bringing relief to under-resourced communities, aiming to eradicate poverty by fostering entrepreneurship and creating employment opportunities. Charles has garnered considerable recognition and exposure in various publications, such as Hustle Weekly, Westword, Business Journal, and local newspapers.
While he is unquestionably passionate about leadership development, his ultimate aspiration is to lead a morally upright lifestyle in the face of God. Being hailed as a serial entrepreneur, Charles wholeheartedly embraces the concept of "Legal Hustle" as his personal brand. His motto, "From Pistols and Boots to Briefcases and Suits," perfectly encapsulates his remarkable journey. Charles possesses a fervent zeal for nurturing entrepreneurs, establishing businesses, and engaging in meaningful dialogue with stakeholders. As the co-founder of (CBX) Presidential Business Exchange, he demonstrates his unwavering commitment to the nonprofit realm.
Katie Carleo
Treasurer
Katie Carleo
Treasurer
Katie Carleo has over 10 years working in the realms of the built environment. She finds her passion at the intersection of built spaces and the people that experience them. Both a creative soul and a strategic thinker, Katie holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of New Mexico along with a Master of Architecture and Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado and is accredited by the American Institute of Certified. She has had work published in Architecture Record and Mother Earth News for her collaborative work on the Windcatcher House on the Navajo lands in Utah.
Katie continues to explore the relationship between people and the environments we inhabit through her embodiment work. Katie is a RYT-500 certified yoga therapist focusing in somatic work; her relatable ways of sharing mindfulness has a special way of making people feel seen and heard while offering loving insight into the mind and heart. Katie allows this unique lens on leadership and our environments to better guide her work and the work she does to support others.
Katie’s current leadership is in the role of Land Use Planning Manager for the City of Colorado Springs Planning and Community Development Department. Here she fills her days with work supporting a growing city and championing her staff to be mindful leaders in our community. She believes that service to each other is what connects us and why Katie continues her strong efforts as a public servant and compassionate leader.
Gregg Sheldon
Alumni and Board Member
Gregg Sheldon
Alumni and Board Member
Founder AutoShop Vocational PBC
Gregg, or as his friends call him, "3G", has built his life “Wide Open Throttle Therapy” aka WOTT, mainly Gregg’s chosen career path as an automotive vocational instructor. To a lighter extent, Gregg hits the throttle on WOTT with everything from riding and drag racing motorcycles, to being a racing, pit crewing, a “Used Part Art” artist and automotive mentor.
In his early 20s, Gregg received a BA in Psychology and found that working as a Social Worker in a school fulfilled his desire to help people. However, it wasn’t until one fateful school meeting when an autoshop teacher attended on behalf of a student that Gregg’s ultimate life goal came to him! Gregg realized that his true calling was to be an automotive vocational instructor. A few years later around the age of 30, Gregg left his career as a Social Worker and enrolled in a year-long automotive vocational training program then spent the subsequent years working in the industry as a technician.
In 2017, Gregg became a Social Entrepreneur and opened the door to AutoShop Vocational PBC in order to train the next generation of automotive technicians using experiential-based learning utilizing a curriculum he developed. Since then, AutoShop Vocational PBC has graduated several successful classes of students. Despite the success of ASV PBC, Gregg realized he needed to develop his business skills in order to continue to grow his training program. To meet this goal, he applied to and graduated from the Thrive Network program in 2019. As a graduate of The Thrive Networks, Gregg brings a unique perspective to his role as a Board Member.
Moni Hernandez
Board Member
Moni Hernandez
Board Member
Monica (Moni) Hernandez, Executive Committee Vice Chair CEO and Owner of Viva Marketing and Consulting Moni is a Colorado Springs activist and co-founder of Fiestas Patrias—The largest Hispanic Heritage Festival in southern Colorado the first year it attracted 27,000 in attendance and in year 2 it grew to 43,000 in attendance. This 2-day multi-day festival celebrating the Latino population and its contributions in the greater Colorado Springs area. She is active in various community organizations and has served and continues to serve on various non-profit boards including:
Latina Equity Foundation (a community initiative aiming to enhance opportunities and the lives of Latinas in the area of Colorado Springs) current board member.
Rise Southeast (a community initiative aiming to enhance opportunities in the southeast area of Colorado Springs) current board member.
Thrive Network (an organization that supports local entrepreneurs and small business owners) current board member.
Centro de la Familia (an organization serving the mental health and social needs of the Latino community) current board member.
Moni is a member of Pikes Peak Women and is well-known in the Hispanic community in southern Colorado as a person who champions causes and activities that have broad social impact. With an extensive background in radio broadcasting and digital marketing, in 2022, Moni co-founded Viva Marketing and Consulting, a firm offering comprehensive marketing services to businesses. Her past professional accomplishments include working as a radio personality and content contributor (in English and Spanish) at several California radio stations and organizations. She has worked in several capacities for companies including Wolfhouse Radio, Univision Radio, Clear Channel Communications now known as iHeart Media, Entravision, and as an on-air personality for the only Spanish language radio station in Colorado Springs.
Jeff Zearfoss
Board Member
Jeff Zearfoss
Board Member
Jeff Zearfoss, owner of Common Cause Catering and Local Relic brewery in Colorado Springs, was named by Catholic Charities USA as its Volunteer of the Year for 2018. He has been a lead cook for 13 years at the Marian House Soup Kitchen operated by Catholic Charities of Southern Colorado. He and wife Melissa founded Common Cause to employ people moving out of homelessness and domestic- abuse situations. He also is a board member of the Colorado Institute for Social Impact.
Jackie Gonzales
Board Member
Jackie Gonzales
Board Member
Jackie is a Business Banker with American Bank of Commerce. She specializes in SBA lending and enjoys working with businesses to help them achieve their financial goals.
Jackie has the experience and expertise to work within a variety of different business sectors and understand the challenges that come with business ownership.
She currently serves on the Small Business Advisory Council with the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, is a Certified Consultant for the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center and serves as the Secretary of the Board for the Children’s Literacy Center.
She was named the Colorado Springs Chamber Ambassador of the Year in 2015 and 2023, was the SBA Colorado Volunteer of the Year in 2018, a finalist for the Athen Award in 2020 and a finalist for the Small Business Person of the Year in 2022.
She is a Colorado Springs native who has been married to her husband Paul for 38 years and has 2 daughter and 5 grandchildren.
Denise Larzo
Alumni and Board Member
Denise Larzo
Alumni and Board Member
As Director of Memberships for Pinnacle’s Advance Primary Care, Denise leverages over 10 years of business development experience in digital marketing and community engagement. During this period, she has spearheaded numerous volunteer programs. Most recently, she founded the Safe Housing and Rehabilitation Outreach Network (S.H.A.R.O.N).
Her primary role involves grassroots business development serving as a highly visible ambassador for Pinnacle in the southern Colorado region. This includes extensive networking with business groups, attending community events, and handling PR & media relations.
She attended Pikes Peak State College with an emphasis in Business Management and Marketing. Recently, she completed The Thrive Networks’ Business Development Program.
Denise is a Colorado native originally from Denver who currently resides in Colorado Springs. Her passion is for serving the community in any capacity afforded to her. She enjoys being an empty nester but still loves cooking and hosting gatherings for family and friends. Also, traveling, photography, and rollerblading.
Sandra Lopez
Board Member
Sandra Lopez
Board Member
Sandra is passionate about seeing entrepreneurs succeed and achieve their goals. With 10+ years of financial experience, she has helped hundreds of business owners gain equitable access to capital. Sandra has a deep understanding of the unique challenges that entrepreneurs face and how to secure the necessary funding to start, grow, and sustain their businesses. As an immigrant from Colombia and an entrepreneur who started her own small business, she brings a unique perspective and invaluable experience to her role.
Sandra is a dedicated small business advocate who believes that small businesses are the key to our economic growth. She also advocates for Latinas in the community through her work with the Latina Equity Foundation, is a regular speaker at Mi Casa Resource Center, and volunteers as a mentor for accelerator programs in Colorado. In her spare time Sandra enjoys exploring the hiking trails of Colorado and traveling to unique destinations around the world.