BizKidz International Board of Directors

   Chairman
Donna L. Sawaya has had a varied career which has included Computer System Integration & Networking and owning her own business, growing that business 500% in just two years. Ms. Sawaya has always been very active volunteer in her community, from building wheel chair ramps to cleaning up Garden of the Gods Park, and has been a regular at Habit for Humanity, Restore, and Project Cure. She is chairwoman of the William and Betty Osborne Trust, which administers support to 501(c) 3 organizations that support those in need on the Westside of Colorado Springs and Teller County. She is a member of the Pikes Peak Rotary Endowment (PPARE) which also supports 501(c) 3 organizations throughout El Paso and Teller Counties. Donna is the official International Ambassador for BizKidz International as she pursues her passions for both travel and helping children, a natural fit to help expand BizKidz International world-wide.

   Vice-Chairman
Eric Mench...biography forthcoming.

   Secretary
Jim Smith is currently Finance and Administration Director at Ecumenical Social Ministries in Colorado Springs, a family services organization, and is the Treasurer at Christmas Unlimited, an organization serving economically disadvantaged families and providing support for youth from group homes. In the 22 years prior to entering the nonprofit world in 2005, Jim had been employed in the private sector, holding accounting and consulting positions in the US and Europe, working with Hewlett-Packard - most recently as a "Solutions Engineer," and completing an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. Since entering the non-profit sector in 2005, Jim began pursuing completion of a Cerificate in Non-Profit Development from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

   Treasurer
Gary Buck has extensive experience in the computer industry, including both in hardware and software development. His initial experience was in the semiconductor development process; testing, quality checking, and reliability engineering relating to the manufacture of some of the first LSI-IC memory products with the IBM Corporation. Gary's software development experience includes process control and reliability, CAD, engineering analysis, and business / accounting software for the consumer market. He also has Quality Assurance experience in the industry: as Divisional Quality Manager for a disk drive manufacturer, as Plant Quality Manager for a large printed circuit board manufacturer, and as Product / Customer Support Manager for several software developers. On the entrepreneurial side, Gary has started-up and run several small businesses related to the electronics and computer industries; most recently providing computer and network support and consulting for local small businesses. Gary’s formal education includes a B.S. in Engineering Physics from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Denver.

   President
Juan Collazo has been serving Bizkidz International as its CEO and Director of Development since its inception. He is largely responsible for the spinning off and restructuring of Bizkidz of Brazil into Bizkidz International. During his short tenure he has begun to establish a strong presence locally and abroad for Bizkidz International by creating several projects benefiting our local youth and community while building bridges to projects nationally and overseas. He is currently working on establishing Bizkidz of Colorado Springs and expanding BizKidz International, as well as working towards his Masters in Divinty. Juan has been the owner of Creative Productions International since 1978, and has done non-profit and Ministry work for over 40 years. He is proud to have founded the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, sat on the founding board of the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is the founder of both the National Fatherhood Foundation and the Family and Relationship Center.

   Member at Large
Jess Arnsteen is a social entrepreneur and networker from Colorado Springs, CO. He is a founder and a director of BuyWell Coffee (buywellcoffee.com), a fair trade, organic coffee roastery in Colorado Springs. More recently, Jess founded New Harvest Gardens (newharvestgardens.com), a backyard vegetable gardening service and currently manages Green Acres Farm in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Jess is a huge asset to Bizkidz and his community as he teaches our youth entrepreneurship and connection. He is also involved in Big Brothers / Big Sisters. Jess graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs in 2004 and received his Bachelor's Degree in History and Philosophy from the Colorado College in 2010.

    Legal Counsel
David Auer is the Managing Partner of Auer, Woodley, Hilderbrand, & Sanders, LLP - a CPA and Consulting firm in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Over the past 26 years as a CPA and Attomey, David has consulted his clients regarding complex tax, legal and financial matters including business planning and transactions; merger, acquisition and divestiture due diligence; private equity structuring, due diligence, and contract negotiations; and trust and estate planning. Mr. Auer has worked with a variety of clients including: high net worth income individuals and family groups; trusts and estates, and privately-owned businesses in the development, supply, manufacturing, distribution, real estate, oil and gas, and professional service industries. He has a B.S.B.A. and a M.S. degree in Accounting from Oklahoma State University, a J.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and an LL.M. in Taxation degree from New York University School of Law. He has the Personal Financial Specialist designation from the American Institute of CPAs, and is a Fellow of the Esperti Peterson Institute, and s Fellow of the Estate and Wealth Strategies Institute at Michigan State University.