About the Foundation
Robbie’s Hope Foundation is on a mission to empower teens with the knowledge that
it’s ok, to not be ok.
Board of Directors
Kari Eckert is Robbie’s Mom and currently serves as Executive Director & Co-Chairperson for Robbie’s Hope. Prior to raising two beautiful kids she was Co-Owner of Roberts-Eckert Funeral Home in Forest Lake, MN. She has her graduate degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota and a degree in Psychology from North Dakota State University.
Jason Eckert is Robbie’s Dad and the Senior Vice President for the Global Nutrition Business Unit at Leprino Foods Company where he has worked for the past decade. He serves as Co-Chairperson and Treasurer for Robbie’s Hope. Prior to Leprino Foods Jason worked for Kraft Foods and Land O’Lakes in various technology and operational roles. He is a graduate of North Dakota State University with degrees in Food Science and Microbiology.
Adela Pena attended El Paso Community College in Texas. She was a former Pan American World Airway’s Flight Attendant for 5 years, then served as Executive Administrative Assistant to the President SCO Colorado Funeral and Cemetery Services and Olinger Mortuaries and Cemeteries for 15 years. Currently she holds the position of Manager, Office Administration at Leprino Foods Company. Adela developed a strong sense of service and devotion to volunteering thought her career and currently serves on the Leprino Community Impact Team and is an active member of the CIT The Family Tree team. Ms. Peña is a Colorado Notary Public since 1996.
Mike is the retired Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Leprino Foods Company, where he was responsible for supply chain, legal, dairy policy & procurement, tax and other corporate affairs. Mike serves on the boards of the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Cheese Institute. Before joining Leprino Foods, Mike worked at Price Waterhouse for 18 years as a partner in the Audit group. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and has done graduate work in accounting at Cornell University.
Molly Lange is a graduate from University of Colorado Denver. Molly was on the women’s golf team at her previous school, William Jewell College, where she competed at the division II level. Additionally, she is a member of the Psi Chi and Alpha Lambda Delta honor societies.
Sarah Schramm is a 16-year-old student at Westfield High School in Westfield, IN. She is deeply passionate about travel softball, music, and various forms of art. Sarah finds solace and joy in listening to music, drawing, and working out, which are some of her favorite coping mechanisms. Mental health holds significant importance in Sarah’s life as she has battled with it since childhood. Despite her struggles, Sarah embraces the opportunity to share her story, offering hope and support to those who need it. She is grateful for the chance to inspire others with her journey towards resilience and healing.
Scott Coe is a founder and president of Cultivator Advertising & Design, a 20-year-old branding agency based in Denver where he s a writer and brand strategist with a long history of working with consumer lifestyle brands. He is an advisor at Watson Scholars, a global social venture entrepreneurship program based in Boulder, as well as an occasional teacher and guest speaker at CU Boulder. His other non-profit work has included board leadership with the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons. He currently lives in Boulder with his wife and two daughters.
Sharon McMeel is an experienced fundraiser and dedicated leader in the nonprofit sector. She began her career 15 years ago at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and, after moving to Colorado in 2008, joined the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation. In her current role as Senior Vice President, Sharon is responsible for managing a donor portfolio and co-leading all fundraising efforts for the Foundation which includes directly overseeing the Foundation Giving, Annual Giving, Family Giving, Prospect Development programs and the Colorado Springs office. She staffs two volunteer fundraising councils, one that includes medical staff leaders and the other that includes emerging philanthropists called the 2221 Society.
Originally from the east coast, Sharon is the proud mom of two children and enjoys skiing, hiking, travelling and art in her free time. Sharon is extremely passionate about mental health and suicide prevention. Her husband of almost 15 years, Cortright McMeel, took his life in 2013.
Staff
Kari Eckert is Robbie’s Mom and currently serves as Executive Director for Robbie’s Hope. Prior to raising two beautiful kids she was Owner of Roberts-Eckert Funeral Home in Forest Lake, MN. She has her graduate degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota and a degree in Psychology from North Dakota State University.
Contact her at: kari@robbies-hope.com
Ella Chapman current serves as the Program Manager for Robbie’s Hope. Ella grew up in Arvada, Colorado and graduated high school from Holy Family. This December, she received her Bachelors in Business Administration and International Marketing from Regis University.
As a Denver native, Kim DeVigil has deep roots in the community and has served on numerous non-profit boards and committees. She currently serves as the Director of Communications for Robbie’s Hope and is on the Board of Directors for the Evergreen Special Adventure Club (ESAC). She is a past board member of the Colorado Hispanic Youth Leadership Awards and Big Brothers of Metro Denver (now Big Brothers/Big Sisters). In addition, Kim has volunteered with the Evergreen Lake Plunge, served on the scholarship committee for Girl’s Inc., and has been an ardent parent booster for the Lakewood High School Theatre Company since 2011.