Ben grew up exploring the red rocks of the Fountain formation and the Dakota Hogback of Jefferson County, Colorado. He spent his Colorado childhood on skis and snowboards on the mountains above the valleys where he and his family launched dry flies to rising trout. College studies took him to the San Juans of Durango, where, when not registering classmates to vote or going on deep backcountry trips, snowboarding and fly fishing further inspired his love for our wild treasures and dedication to protecting them.
Ben’s understanding of connecting the past to the present led him to Washington, D.C., and a job with the National Council of History Education. Later, in the Boston area, he served as field staff in statewide political campaigns and then served as Co-founder and National Political Director for American Promise, a cross-partisan organization working to end the undue influence of big money and corporate power in our political system and overturn Citizens United vs. FEC. There, Ben became nationally recognized in his work for democracy reform, honing skills in organizational development, campaign management, communications, public policy, and grassroots engagement.
Most recently, Ben served as Vice President at the Erikson Group, where he developed strategy for congressional campaigns and advocacy organizations. He currently serves on the Advisory Board of Rank the Vote, a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding Ranked Choice Voting.
If you want to find Ben, he’s usually in the alpine zones or the waters of the Northeast with his wife, Amy, and two badass kiddos, Lailah and Judah. Advisory: He’s always delighted to share his favorite roots and rocksteady reggae playlists.