Our Leadership
Meet Brian
- Owner and Partner at Pioneer
- Proud father of three
- Moonlights as a cross-fit coach at The Firm
- Metallica fanatic
He leads with HHC by
Humbly and quietly serving others from the background. From a personal goal to a grounding belief, this idea was the birthplace of HHC culture.
Want to connect with Brian? He can be reached at Brian.Westerhaus@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Molly
- Owner and Partner at Pioneer
- Spends her weekend watching her boys wrestle or play baseball
- Known at Pioneer for her belly laughter
- Loves her gym, The Firm
- Reads constantly on almost any topic
She leads with HHC
With small town heart and hustle, which is personally meaningful to her. Molly grew up in Olivia, MN a small town of 2,500 people, who care deeply about each other, their families and community, and the professions they’ve carefully chosen to contribute meaningfully to the world. She believes you can be world-class and kind at the same time.
Want to connect with Molly? She can be reached at Molly.Koenen@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Laura
- Owner and General Manager, Minneapolis
- Loves being active outdoors (with the exception of winter!)
- Can be found cheering on her sons at a hockey rink, baseball field, or football field
She leads with HHC by
Being fiercely committed to the growth and empowerment of our team and clients, as well as to building community in the workplace and beyond. We are encouraged to bring our whole self to work and are hungry to meet new challenges and opportunities that our clients bring forward.
Want to connect with Laura? She can be reached at Laura.Nelson@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Craig
- Managing Director, Denver
- Brings 15 years of consulting experience in digital transformation, strategy, organizational effectiveness, and healthcare
- Can be found on weekends in the great outdoors, skiing, camping, and coaching his kids in youth sports.
He leads with HHC by
I’m passionate about helping clients succeed. I like bringing clarity to complexity, creating alignment on the things that matter, listening with humility, and building solutions that connect people and processes in ways that truly improve how work gets done.
Want to connect with Craig? He can be reached at Craig.Adams@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Lane
- Chief Finance Officer at Pioneer
- An avid outdoorsman who loves backcountry skiing & bird-hunting
- Doubles as an adventure guide for his children
He leads with HHC by
Working behind the scenes to solve problems and move organizations forward in service to our clients. He also loves having a great time supporting other Pioneers!
Want to connect with Lane? He can be reached at Lane.Elmer@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Holly
-
Practice Director, Organizational Effectiveness and Strategy & Execution
- Loves outdoor adventures and anything in or by water
-
Passion for helping organizations achieve success through people and talent
She leads with HHC by
Unlocking the potential of people to help drive business strategy and goals, I focus on fostering an environment where individuals can thrive, align their strengths with organizational objectives, and innovate with purpose. By cultivating a culture of growth and collaboration, I enable teams to achieve impactful results while staying connected to the bigger picture.
Want to connect with Holly? She can be reached at Holly.Williams@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Shane
- Practice Director of Data Analytics
- Always up for a fishing trip out west or up north
- Love spending time with his family at their cabin
- To many people’s surprise, he is colorblind
He leads with HHC by
Believing that HHC is the force that holds Pioneer together and helps deliver for their clients. Our practice synergies work in harmony, but it is our values that help differentiate Pioneer from our peers.
Want to connect with Shane? He can be reached at Shane.Jensen@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Shawn
- National VP of Client Development at Pioneer
- Brings 30+ years leading revenue growth and business development.
- Connects strategy, process, and people to create results that last.
- Busy father of 4
- Disney expert and outdoorsman
He leads with HHC by
Drawing on experience both inside corporations and on the consulting side. Shawn knows what works, keeps relationships front-and-center, and turns plans into measurable wins.
Want to connect with Shawn? He can be reached at Shawn.Curti@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Mike
-
Leads as National Practice Director of Technology at Pioneer, guiding cross-functional teams to address complex HR and finance system challenges.
-
Brings expertise in process improvements across industries like mining, healthcare, utilities, and education, with a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
-
Focuses on delivering transformations grounded in data-driven insights, lean principles, and effective collaboration.
He leads with HHC by
Leveraging his extensive experience in technology and business transformation to foster collaborative environments, approaching challenges with humility, and maintaining a relentless drive to deliver innovative solutions that align with clients' strategic goals.
Want to connect with Mike? He can be reached at mike.kemp@thepioneerteam.com or via Linkedin
Our Directors
Meet Jason
- Delivery Director, Data & Analytics in Minneapolis
- Passionate about engineering solutions to harmonize data
- Favorite hobby is carpentry and home renovation
- Loves taking his family to the MN Zoo and Children's Museum
He leads with HHC by
At Pioneer we work with our clients to find the data solutions that best fit their business needs. We offer expertise in a wide variety of technologies and industries with the goal of delivering products that are robust, cost-effective, and easy to support.
What to connect with Jason? He can be reached at Jason.Traynor@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Will
- Delivery Director, Strategy & Execution
- Brings 15 years of experience in program management, and strategic consulting for utilities
- Served as an expert witness in support of electric utility rate and rider filings across the United States
He leads with HHC by
Bringing a learner's mentality to his work — he seeks to connect people and ideas in service of strategies that balance perspectives, inform deliberate decision-making, and deliver results.
Want to connect with Will? He can be reached at William.Ludlow@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Kevin
- Brings 15 years of expertise in financial turnarounds and operational excellence.
- Aligns strategic vision with disciplined finance and process frameworks, unlocking measurable value.
- Excelled at Alvarez & Marsal, steering performance improvement initiatives across diverse client portfolios.
He leads with HHC by
Humbly and quietly serving others from the background. From a personal goal to a grounding belief, this idea was the birthplace of HHC culture.
Want to connect with Kevin? He can be reached at Kevin.Vega@thepioneerteam.com
Meet Dan
-
25 years of customer-facing experience in consulting, specializing in solution development, sales, account management, and industry leadership.
-
Proven expertise in executive communication, sales pipeline cultivation, data-driven decision-making, and large-scale solution development
-
Loves watching his kids do the things they love (currently baseball and volleyball)
-
Always training for his next marathon
He leads with HHC by
Meet Nick
- Director of Strategy & Execution
- Brings over a decade of experience in Project/Portfolio Management, and strategy development within regulated industries.
- Skilled at driving highly complex business transformations from start to finish.
- Nick spends his free time chasing his toddlers around parks in the Denver area and raising money for the Denver Children's Foundation.
Nick leads with HHC by
Meet Katie
-
Senior Director of Talent Acquisition at Pioneer
-
Brings over a decade of experience in recruiting, talent strategy, and business development
-
Skilled at building high-performing national recruiting teams and supporting executive hiring across industries
- She loves all things outdoors, and you can usually catch her hiking, mountain biking, or skiing with her family.
She leads with HHC by
Meet Khaled
-
Director, Strategy & Execution at Pioneer
-
Strategic, people-centric leader skilled in project management, strategy development, execution, and cross-sector collaboration
-
Guides executive teams through their most complex energy programs, sustainability integration, operational transformation, and turning boardroom vision into on-the-ground execution
-
Outside of work, he’s an avid reader, a published creative writer, enjoys intense workouts, and never misses a good game of squash
He leads with HHC by
Guiding organizations with curiosity, clarity, and a solutions-oriented mindset. Khaled listens deeply, meets clients where they are on their business journey, and helps them uncover opportunities for meaningful progress. His leadership is fueled by connection, creativity, and a drive to simplify complexity into action.
Want to connect with Khaled? He can be reached at Khaled.Abdellatif@thepioneerteam.com or via LinkedIn.
Meet Anne
- Organizational Development leader specializing in change management and organizational design
- Strategic partner who collaborates with client at all levels to drive innovation
- Practice leader with expertise in methodology development and strategic planning
- Avid runner and competes in marathons
Anne leads with HHC by:
Creating collaborative partnerships and team development. Her hungry drive shows in her strategic problem-solving and delivery excellence, while staying connected via strong client relationships and key contributions to Pioneer's Gives Back (PGM) program.
Connect with Anne at Anne.Tinklenberg@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Meet Carrie
- Leader in relationship management and building client partnerships
- Drives growth and impact by turning complex challenges into practical solutions
- 10 years of experience in delivering lasting value for mid-market and enterprise accounts
- Enjoys Pilates, biking, and podcasts
Carrie leads with HHC by:
Staying curios, seeking to understand client needs before offering solutions. Her hungry commitment to continuous self-improvement and connected focus on building lasting relationships position her to drive meaningful impact for Pioneer's clients.
Connect with Carrie at Carrie.Aslagson@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Meet Leticia
- Transformation change leader specializing in operating model design
- Passion for partnering with client executives to navigate complexity
- Innovation driver with proven expertise in AI business transformation
- Fluent in French and Spanish
Leticia leads with HHC by:
Empowering clients to own their transformation journey while pushing boundaries on how AI can redefine organizational effectiveness. She builds strong relationships with business leaders, demonstrating genuine passion for understanding each organization's unique pressures and culture.
Connect with Leticia at Leticia.Wamulumba@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Meet David
- Global, M&A leader skilled at driving multi-billion dollar integrations and acquisitions
- Expert in executive partnership and technology transformations including product development roadmapping and GTM strategy
- A dynamic change-maker who drove the enrollment of Pledge 1% increasing social impact in his local community
- A life-long motorcycle rider and racer
David leads with HHC by:
Partnering with client executives to drive complex M&A transformations while championing social impact and community engagement. He builds deep cross-functional relationships across teams and geographies, demonstrating hunger for results balanced with humility and genuine care for people.
Connect with David at David.Orella@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Meet Ken
- 30 years of experience leading technology & data strategy, digital transformation, and system integrations
- Expert in partnering with executive teams to modernize their technology environments and implement complex data platform & analytics transformations
- A former CIO who built his own successful technology consulting business and is ready to expand Pioneer's Data Analytics & Technology practice in the Denver market
- An nature-lover and adventurer at heart who explores the country in a custom camper van
Ken leads with HHC by:
building genuine connections with executive teams and leveraging his desire to drive measurable technology and data outcomes. He approaches each transformation with humility and genuine care for people. He balances relentless pursuit of innovation with a commitment to truly understanding client needs.
Connect with Ken at Ken.Monblatt@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Meet Jess
- 8+ years of experience in talent strategy and recruiting, with a genuine passion for connecting great people with exceptional opportunities
- Trusted talent acquisition expert who designs candidate and colleague experiences that feel thoughtful, welcoming, and authentically valued from the very first interaction
- A leader who builds inclusive, strategic teams that drive business growth while helping people find roles and workplaces they genuinely love
- Mother of 2 who finds time for a great workout class and that perfect cup of coffee to fuel her days
Jess leads with HHC by:
approaching every interaction with a candidate or colleague by listening deeply and bringing empathy to the recruitment journey. She is hungry to deliver measurable outcomes and build connection at every level, while building teams that drive business growth.
Connect with Jess at Jess.Sundly@thepioneerteam.com or LinkedIn.
Our Advisor Team
With over 20 years of experience in building and scaling organizations, strategic consulting, and driving transformative business growth, Nathan has a proven track record of success in creating high-performing teams and fostering winning cultures. Nathan is currently the Founder and CEO of Redwing Capital Group.
Prior to founding Redwing Capital Group, Nathan served as President of AIM Consulting, leading the team to deliver innovative technology solutions and exceptional business outcomes. His career began in management and technology consulting, progressing through executive leadership roles at Experis and Excell Data, where he honed his expertise in talent development, operational excellence, and customer-focused strategies. His passion centers on guiding teams through clear, strategic growth plans with a relentless commitment to remarkable client experiences.
Jennifer Stone is an experienced human resources leader with a track record of driving talent strategies, fostering strong workplace cultures, and supporting business growth. She currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) at Owens & Minor.
Before joining Owens & Minor, Jennifer was Vice President of Human Resources for the Medical Surgical Portfolio at Medtronic, a global medical device company. Prior to that, she spent over 20 years at Target Corporation in various leadership roles, including Head of Talent Management, where she led workforce strategy and organizational development initiatives.
Passionate about making a broader impact, she also serves as a board member of The Owens & Minor Foundation, which focuses on strengthening communities through charitable and civic contributions.