The Board

Paul grew up in Glendale, Wisconsin and moved to Colorado in 1998 for better weather and great skiing. Paul joined the DJCC in 2019 and became a board member and treasurer in 2022. He began his career in accounting and worked as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), in public accounting and private industry, for 30 years. In 2017, Paul joined Transamerica Financial Advisors where he now helps individuals, families, and business owners achieve their financial goals and dreams.

Paul’s mission is to eradicate financial illiteracy (one client at a time), so that families can take control of their financial future, dream again, and create a better life for themselves and their children. Financial illiteracy is the #1 economic crisis in the world, which impacts more than 5 billion people across the planet.

Unlike the rest of the financial services industry, who overlook the majority of Americans, we serve these families by first teaching them how money really works and then helping them create the financial security and independence they deserve. To do this, Paul utilizes a comprehensive step-by-step planning approach that begins with a discussion of the client’s personal and professional GOALS and DREAMS, to provide them a financial roadmap (plan) for the future which aligns with their goals and dreams.

Paul and his wife Rebecca have a teenage daughter Michaela and a cat Mia. When Paul isn’t serving his clients, he can be found skiing, biking, hiking, working out or spending time with family and friends.

Gitit is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Colorado. She has a deep passion to work with people in order to increase their self- awareness toward themselves, while focusing on their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Gitit was born and raised in Israel where she worked as a social worker for the Holon municipality. She obtained her master’s degree in Counseling, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from California State University, Fullerton in 2013. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work since 2001 from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and moved to Colorado in 2014, whereshe now practices as an LPC.

Gitit has a wide experience working with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, including veterans, people struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, and grief. She believes that therapy should be personally targeted, focus on the individual’s needs, and their faith, while providing practical tools for them to utilize. In her mind, every person deserves to have the best opportunity to improve his or her life and get the best support they need. Her goal is to assist people in improving their social as well as their emotional issues to help them reach mental peace and to be able to move forward with their lives. Since 2022, Gitit is the owner of a private practice named Connecting Dots Counseling, where she works with adults who experience anxiety, loss, or relationship issues. Gitit is helping her clients identify that they have a choice and the power to make a change in the cycle within them and experience a better lifestyle while moving forward to a fulfilled life.

Jesse Blum is a Denver-born native who was honored to serve as the President (Rosh) of the Denver Jewish Chamber of Commerce for two years and now serves as Immediate Past President.

He has been the Chosen Auto Educator for 13 years with Greenwood Automotive.  His role is to assist clients with automotive purchases of new and pre-owned vehicles to finance, lease, and buy outright. While the industry term is auto broker, Jesse says educator to ensure every client learns the best options for their automotive needs.

When not working, Jesse spends time with his wife, Caity, their dog, Piper, and cat, Alaria.

Jesse has found the DJCC to be vital to his continued business growth and strives to live through Jewish values.

Brett Minzer has been in the IT (Information Technology) industry for the last 40 years. He loves to serve his clients needs. His motto is simple. “We Always Get It Done.” His company is an outsourced IT provider for small businesses with 25 or less employees. They handle computer hardware, software, cloud services, managed services, security both information and physical. Their goal is to meet the needs of our clients and never treat them as if they were a number.

Brett has been a part of the Denver Jewish Chamber of Commerce for almost 2 years. He serves as a board member happily, and recommends the organization with alacrity. We are here to serve our clients needs 24/7/365. 

Mollie joined Robert W. Baird & Co as a financial advisor in 2020.  She began her career at Wells Fargo in the Business Banking Group where she worked to establish long-lasting relationships with high net-worth business owners. She has 11 years of industry experience helping clients build business plans and continually assisting them by reviewing and auditing their financial statements and business processes.

She believes in focusing her time on the client’s goals with their best interest in mind and completes a comprehensive financial plan for all clients. By focusing on the client first and foremost, she’s able to partner with her team to provide a complete wealth management solution and interact with the clients on a more frequent and personal basis. Investment education is pertinent to her practice, and she prides herself on providing investment education for every client on a regular basis.

Mollie attended Seattle University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. She’s a native to Denver and grew up in Washington Park area. She stays active in her community by serving on the board of the non-profit organization Alliance of Professional Woman as well as a committee member with Woman in Healthcare. She’s also been a part of the Denver Rescue Mission for over 7 years. In her free time, she enjoys teaching and practicing pilates, playing pickleball and golf, traveling with her husband, and reading.

Brian Gold has been an active member of the Denver Jewish Chamber of Commerce for more than 2 years.  As one of the newest board members, he’s working to expand both the visibility and membership of the Chamber through collaboration and advertising with other organizations.

Brian has more than 32 years of experience as a mortgage lender and business owner. He is passionate about empowering clients through education and clear guidance. The goal is to ensure every borrower understands their options and feels confident in their decisions, making the home financing process smooth, informed, and stress-free.

Marissa Firstenberg isn’t your average accountant—she’s a high-energy, ecommerce-savvy financial partner who brings clarity, confidence, and momentum to every business she supports. With over five years of specialized experience in the ecommerce world, Marissa knows exactly how to tackle sales tax, inventory challenges, and the behind-the-scenes financial chaos online businesses face every day.

What truly sets Marissa apart is her passion. She genuinely cares about her clients and shows up ready to solve problems others overlook. Whether she’s streamlining messy inventory systems, cleaning up sales and use tax filings, or ensuring your company stays compliant, Marissa brings a solutions-first mindset that transforms the way businesses operate.

And here’s the part most business owners don’t realize: hiring an expert accountant can save your company thousands of dollars every single year.
Marissa helps businesses uncover hidden savings such as:

• Identifying missed deductions (shipping, merchant fees, software subscriptions, returns, etc.)—often resulting in thousands saved at tax time.
• Preventing costly penalties from incorrect or late sales tax filings.
• Catching inventory valuation errors that can inflate taxes or underestimate profits.
• Optimizing cash flow by spotting unnecessary expenses, duplicate charges, or inefficient vendor setups.
• Fixing reconciliation issues that can lead to misstated financials and expensive corrections later.

If you want someone who brings both brains and energy to your books—and helps protect your bottom line—Marissa is the partner you can count on to elevate your business.

Scott Draudt is a seasoned business development and sales executive with a proven record of driving growth through strategic leadership, solution-oriented thinking, and relationship-based execution. With deep experience in sales, project management, and client engagement, his approach is rooted in Customer Centric Selling, leveraging goal analysis, cross-department collaboration, and consultative strategies to uncover and solve complex challenges.

Scott has worked closely with C-level executives and department heads in healthcare and education markets and is known for building long-term partner and channel relationships. He has led high-performing teams, streamlined processes, and trained professionals in both proprietary and widely adopted sales systems.

Scott is also the founder of Alooma Solar; a company focused on empowering homeowners and businesses to achieve energy independence through clean, renewable power. He views solar not just as an environmental solution, but as an economic one—helping people save money, reducing their reliance on volatile utility markets, and contributing to a cleaner, more resilient planet. His work connects the dots between local food systems, clean energy, and the long-term health—both physical and financial—of individuals and communities alike.

In addition to his business leadership, Scott is passionate about food sustainability and community health. He actively supports initiatives that promote urban agriculture, food forests, and edible landscapes, supporting organizations that turn underutilized land into productive, nourishing spaces. He believes growing one’s own food fosters personal health, self-reliance, and stronger, more connected communities.

He converted to Judaism 15 years ago and continues his personal growth as a committed student of Jewish learning and values. He brings to the board a thoughtful, mission-driven perspective shaped by decades of leadership, community involvement, and a deep belief in service.