Meet the Board

Judith Briles, CEO of The Book Shepherd

CEO and President

Judith Briles is an encourager to authors and writers and known as The Book Shepherd. She is a Speaker, Author and Publishing expert, Host of the AuthorU-Your Guide to Book Publishing Podcast, and the Founder and the CEO of TheBookShepherd.com and Mile High Press. She’s the author of 43 books earning over 50 national book awards and published in 17 countries. Judith was the first person to receive the Dan Poynter Legacy Award in Nonfiction. She was honored to be named a Woman of Distinction from the Girl Scouts; is the Founder of AuthorYOU.org, the Colorado Authors’ Hall of Fame and visionary for the Aspiring Authors Scholarship program.

Pat Comiskey - CPA, CEO of Comiskey & Company

Treasurer

Pat is the founder of Comiskey & Company, P.C. is a full-service CPA firm specializing in taxation, accounting and auditing for construction, agriculture, and other industries for twenty-five years founded in 1984. Based in Denver, Colorado, he specializes in business advisory services, including tax planning and compliance, business valuations, and retirement/estate planning. Pat oversees all tax and tax-related engagements performed by the firm.

Dr. Doug Gilbert

Dr. Doug Gilbert is a highly experienced international entrepreneur, academic, and business professional. His current focus includes serving as the CEO of Lone Tree Academics LLC, an academic services provider serving higher education, and a recent startup of EduPartner.Solutions, a Data Analytics as a Service (DAaaS) venture assisting higher education institutions with student success strategies. He also serves as doctoral faculty for Walden University (USA), a visiting professor at Vilnius University (Lithuania), and doctoral faculty for UBIS University (Switzerland).

He holds a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix, a Juris Doctorate from the University of Iowa, and an M.B.A. from the Unversité de Genève (IMD) in Switzerland.

Doug’s past experiences include serving in senior management roles at several academic institutions, delivering strategy and transformation consulting to biotech companies in a Big 4 consultancy, leading international transformation projects for Novartis—a Swiss multinational, and co-founding Colorado’s newest city—the City of Castle Pines.

Mike Howard

Mike Howard, Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) for Microsoft Corporation, held global responsibility for vital security functions including operations, investigations, risk mitigation, crisis management, executive protection, security technology, strategy, intelligence, and employee awareness. Mike was the CSO of Microsoft for 16 years and 22 years with the Central Intelligence Agency, finishing as a Chief of Station.

As a security leader, Mike contributed to the field through key roles in numerous industry organizations: CSO Roundtable Advisory Board, Past President; International Security Management Association (ISMA), Past President; Security Industry Association (SIA), Board of Directors (former); and U.S. State Department Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Technical Threats and Risk Committee (Former Head).

Mike speaks regularly as a subject matter expert on security and leadership while using his extensive security background to help drive industry innovation. He has been profiled in the security press, including Security Technology Executive and Security magazines. And was named one of the most influential people in security by Security 500. Mike also currently serves as the Vice President of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation Board of Directors, is a member of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and he and his wife Janice have started the Michael and Janice Howard Foundation which provides resources for disadvantaged youth in the Las Vegas metropolitan area.

Mara Purl - CEO of Haven Books, LLC

Mara is the author of the best-selling Milford-Haven Novels & Novellas which have won 50-plus book awards and hit several best-seller lists. She was named 2019 Top Female Author for Fiction by The Authors Show. Her hit audio drama Milford-Haven, U.S.A., reached 4.5 million listeners on BBC Radio, and became the basis for her books, the first series to feature California’s spectacular Central Coast as its setting. Mara wrote for the Associated Press, Rolling Stone, and the Financial Times of London, among many others. As an actress, Mara is best known as “Darla Cook” on Days Of Our Lives, as well as for leading stage roles, and she co-authored (with Erin Gray) Act Right.

She has written more than 200 audio plays, as well as screenplays and theatrical plays. Mara is a frequent speaker at writing conferences and women’s events; and is an Audible narrator of audio books and has won 10 awards as an audio performer. Mara is CEO of Haven Books, LLC, where she consults for authors in multiple genres. Visit www.MaraPurl.com and www.HavenBooks.us.

Richard Rieman, CEO of Imagination Videobooks

Richard Rieman is the CEO of Imagination Videobooks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit that creates and publishes videobooks and audiobooks of existing illustrated children's books for children with vision challenges. Richard is known in Denver as “The Audiobook and Videobook Wizard.” He is an acclaimed authority on audio and video self-publishing. He has consulted and produced hundreds of Indie-published audiobooks and is the author of the Global eBook Awards Gold Medal Winner The Author’s Guide to AudioBook Creation. Richard is Past President and Board Member of the Nonprofit “New Beginnings.”

Mary Salas, Co-Owner of Peak Wealth Strategies and Director of Wealth Management & Planning

As a Certified Public Accountant and Personal Financial Specialist, she’s been advising and guiding individuals, families, and business owners since 2004. Her professional memberships include the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants, and CREW-Denver (Commercial Real Estate Women).

Linnea Tanner

Linnea Tanner is an award-winning author of historical fiction / fantasy set in ancient Rome and Britain. She has extensively researched ancient history, mythology and archaeology, and has traveled to sites described in her books. A Colorado native, she attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry.

Linnea is currently the president of the Denver Woman’s Press Club, a volunteer reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, and a blogger who hosts author blog tours and reviews their books. The link to her website is: www.linneatanner.com

Barbara Winter

Barbara Winter retired as the Chief Community Officer at Ent Credit Union in 2019, where she coordinated community outreach and philanthropy along the Front Range. As Executive VP, she also had responsibility for HR, Training, Payroll, and Real Estate development and property management. She has been involved as a board member or leader with many organizations including Executive Women International, Goodwill of Colorado, Silver Key Senior Services, Penrose-St. Francis Hospital, CHI Colorado Foundation, Pikes Peak United Way, Pikes Peak Council – BSA, Pikes Peak YMCA, Western Museum of Mining & Industry, Pikes Peak Prep charter school, and BBVA Bank.

She currently serves on the boards of the Penrose-St. Francis Health Foundation, Goodwill of Colorado Foundation, ComCor, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, and the Manitou Springs Urban Renewal Authority, as well as the Colorado Springs 2C Road Advisory Committee.

Barbara has been recognized for her leadership by the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the Colorado Council of Girl Scouts, Colorado Springs Business Journal, Pikes Peak YMCA, the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce, Silver Key Senior Services, and Leadership Pikes Peak. She is a graduate of the Center for Creative Leadership program.

She calls Manitou Springs, CO home with her husband, David.

Jill Wright

 As a creative director, Scott invests his soul and imagination into every product that he works on. Trained in the exclusive City Design School, he has several years of experience in the field and dozens of highly successful projects and campaigns. Scott has been named Most Promising Designer in his field of expertise for six years in a row. 

Julie Bernard - CEO of Bernard IP Law

Julie is a registered patent and intellectual property attorney who brings twenty-five years of experience to the table. Julie focuses her practice on US and international patents, US and international trademarks, copyrights, intellectual property portfolio strategy and management, transactions and licenses, and technology transfer. Julie provides balanced general, transactional, and intellectual property legal advice based on her significant experience and proven track record related to patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and the structuring and negotiation of licenses and other agreements.

Dianemarie (DM) Collins

Dianemarie “DM” Collins has over thirty years of experience in public relations. Her clients have been featured on Good Morning America, ABC Nightline, The View, CBS MarketWatch, CNBC Power Lunch, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal among other media outlets.

Since 2001 Dianemarie has hosted and produced the Online television program, The DM Zone which features lively interviews of highly creative and talented professionals. A veteran performer in acting, singing, dancing and choreography, DM appeared in productions from Broadway and off-Broadway to nightclubs and dinner theaters throughout the country.

Believing in giving back, over the years DM has donated her time and talent for a variety of worthy efforts. Those non-profit organizations benefited via board positions or volunteering with fund raising, marketing and public relations skills.

Danielle Hampson

Danielle Hampson created “The Authors Show®” more than 15 years ago when “podcasting" was not yet a word. The show was preceded by several other audio and video shows she produced and hosted online as well as on traditional radio. The success of “The Authors Show®” encouraged her to start the production of a “twin” show in French, which saw its debut in summer 2020. With such longevity in the podcasting space, she is often asked to speak to publishing industry organizations and groups of authors on the topic of utilizing audio & video as a book marketing tool.

As a multilingual Cross-Cultural Expert and International Business & Marketing Consultant educated in Europe, Danielle has traveled the world helping business executives in small and Fortune 100 companies develop & implement global marketing & distribution strategies, as well as a non-destructive testing specialist in the automotive and aerospace industries. As the founder of a business networking organization with multiple chapters across several states, she has also helped thousands of entrepreneurs & managers develop and improve their networking skills. Often referred to as the "Queen of Win-Win", it is that philosophy that has helped her gain the respect of clients across continents. She also puts her skills to good use volunteering time and resources with nonprofit organizations, and has traveled multiple times to China to help accelerate women leadership and to teach university students business networking, interviewing and show production skills.

Elizabeth (Betty) Heid

Elizabeth (Betty) Heid is the executive producer of the film series “Great Colorado Women”. Two of her films have won Heartland Emmy Awards. Another was awarded the Los Angeles film award for “Inspiring Woman in a Film”. Her professional experience includes: owner, founder and CEO of two small multi-million dollar businesses: a consulting agency and a job placement agency. Previously, she worked for several Fortune 500 companies where she was a senior executive.

Ms. Heid is a Colorado Native. She is a life-long volunteer focusing on education, women’s issues and history. She has served as chair or a member of many boards and is the past chair of the board of directors of the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame.

She holds an undergraduate and a master’s degree from the University of Denver. She is also a certified mediator. Her hobbies include golf, bridge, travel, reading, exercising and is a world-wide traveler.

Dan Janel

Dan Janal is known for his pioneering work in helping thousands of small businesses, speakers, authors, coaches, and consultants get publicity to help build their careers through his PR LEADS program that introduces reporters to subject matter experts.

The Los Angeles Times called Dan “an online marketing expert” because he wrote one of the first books ever written about Internet marketing in 1994. He was on the marketing team that launched America Online (AOL). He has written and edited thousands of press releases, newspaper articles, and blog posts.

Dan is an award-winning newspaper reporter and newspaper business editor. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from Northwestern University. He has interviewed President Gerald Ford and First Lady Barbara Bush.

He has lectured globally, from Beijing to Budapest and across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. He’s taught at Berkeley and Stanford. Dan has written and published more than a dozen books which have been translated into six languages.

His current services include press release writing and distribution, so you get those “as seen on logos.”

For information about his PR services, go to www.PRLEADStoPROFITS.com.

John Kremer - Book Marketing Expert and Author

John is an expert on book publishing and marketing. He is also founder of The Book Marketing Network and has worked with thousands of authors.

The owner of Open Horizons Publishing in Taos, New Mexico, he is the editor of the Book Marketing Tip of the Week newsletter. He is the author of several books on publishing and marketing, including 1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers. He has also designed the Book Marketing Magic program and the Blog Tour Palooza program.

Dr. Penny Rafferty Hamilton

Dr. Penny Rafferty Hamilton is a multi-award winning writer and pilot. She is a Laureate of the Colorado Authors’, Women’s, and the Aviation Halls of Fame. Her books include Granby, Then & Now, America’s Amazing Airports, and 101 Trailblazing Women of Air and Space. She co-holds a World Aviation Speed Record. Learn more at www.PennyHamilton.com