Meet the Team

Julie Bengtson has 20+ years of human resource experience, much of which was spent in leadership roles in the hospitality industry. She has a passion for partnering with business leaders to create work experiences that align with strategic business initiatives and support efforts to create great places to work. Julie has led both tactical and strategic facets of HR management and has experience managing employment practices at the corporate level in multi-state environments. When Julie is not working, she enjoys adventures with her husband and son, including camping, hiking, skiing, biking, pickleball, and travel.

Cece Cardenas is a Certified Payroll Professional with over 18 years of Payroll experience which includes Multi-State Taxation. Prior to joining Obsidian Cece was a Senior Payroll Consultant and has worked with Clients from various industries on payroll, tax and implementation related projects. Cece has one adult son and currently resides in Las Vegas, NV.  She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Brady joined the Obsidian HR team in November 2022. With over a decade in the PEO industry, Brady
has experience building successful teams and implementing proven technology for customers. Prior to
joining Obsidian HR, Brady held leadership positions at multiple PEO’s, leading technology, support,
client implementation, and customer success teams. Brady is passionate about creating world-class
experiences for our customers and their employees, built from technology and service. Brady holds a
bachelor’s degree in Information Networking and Telecommunications from Fort Hays State University
and holds a Certified Associate in Project Management certification from the Project Management
Institute.

Outside of work, Brady enjoys going to the cinema, walking trails, tending to the yard, and spending
time with family. Brady is married with two four-legged friends and currently resides in the Kansas City, KS
area.

Colby Davis has been in the PEO industry since 2019 and joined Obsidian HR in May 2022. Colby has a Stanford MBA and was formerly with Boston Consulting Group and Central Intelligence Agency. Colby is married with four sons and currently resides in Lindon, Utah.

Sidney DeForest has 15+ years of experience in client service roles, over half of which have focused on the HR and Saas industries. She thrives on providing in-depth support that clients can depend on to simplify their workdays. In 2023 Sidney moved from Charlotte, NC to Golden, CO, and enjoys camping, cooking, and playing disc golf in her free time.

Katherine Garcia has over 17 years of experience in HR and benefits administration .She has been working in PEO for 7 years. Prior to joining Obsidian HR, Katherine held leadership positions at Paychex and CoAdvantage. She has a strong background in customer service and is very passionate about helping others. Katherine holds her 2-15 license in Health, Annuities and Life since 2018 and is licensed in CA, TX and Fl. When Katherine is not leading her team she enjoys spending time with her husband and four girls, volunteering at her church and playing with her fur babies.

Victoria Garrison has over 14 years of payroll processing, and 15 years
management experience. She has worked in the government construction,
construction, distribution, manufacturing, and hospitality industries. She is a serial
entrepreneur and sits on multiple 501c(3) boards. Prior to joining Obsidian HR
Victoria worked with isolved as an Implementation Specialist. Victoria currently lives
with her partner, Dave, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Victoria enjoys scuba diving,
competitive combat shooting, reading, and rescuing animals. She currently has 2
cats and 1 dog adopted from various rescue organizations. She adores her little co-
workers and spoils them outrageously!

Karen Gerold has over 20 years in the payroll & accounting industry. She is very passionate about providing excellent customer service and accuracy for her clients. She resides in Myrtle Beach, SC, with her Black GSD, Bear. Karen has a son who resides in Ohio [where she is originally from] and a daughter who also lives in Myrtle Beach. When not working, she loves spending time with her children, being in the kitchen baking and cooking; she enjoys walking with Bear, bird watching, and being outdoors in the sun.

Marisela has been a part of Obsidian HR since June 2022, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a strong dedication to client satisfaction. Prior to joining the team, Mari was the training superintendent for meteorologists in the Air Combat Command where she was able to fulfill her passion helping others. Marisela holds a Masters in Management and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Administration with a focus on values-based compliance programs. Beyond her professional pursuits, she enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, and two dogs.

Katie has worked in HR for over 8 years, spending 3 of those years specifically working in payroll. She was previously employed at Obsidian HR’s parent company, ProService Hawaii. She loves watching our clients succeed and grow and prides herself on providing excellent customer service as our Service Team Manager. In her free time, Katie enjoys being outdoors — hiking, swimming, playing pickleball and loves to travel and try new restaurants.

Brad Horn joined Obsidian HR in December 2023, bringing with him a rich background in software support and training spanning over 15 years. With 5 years of experience in the PEO industry and 8 years in payroll, Brad is well-versed in the intricacies of HR information systems. At Obsidian HR, he plays a pivotal role in maintaining and optimizing the company’s software systems, providing support and training to ensure seamless operations. In his leisure time, Brad finds pleasure in attending live music events, exploring the great outdoors, and indulging his passion for gaming. He actively engages in charity work, participating in events like the Extra-Life charity gaming marathon to support the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. Above all, Brad treasures spending quality time with his children and their three beloved pets.

Raleigh Hudson has been immersed in the field of Human Resources since 2019. Before joining Obsidian HR, he held various roles in HR and finance at Vail Resorts. Raleigh is committed to supporting business leaders in achieving their goals and fostering growth. Currently residing in the Denver Metro area, he enjoys skiing, tending to his garden, and spending time with friends and family.

Donna has been with Obsidian HR and its sister company ProService Hawaii since 2004. She has over 30 years of experience in HR and has assisted many of our clients with a wide variety of HR challenges. Donna is fortunate to be one of those individuals who truly love their job!  A good day is any day that she can guide decision-makers on employment decisions geared to support the company while providing a great place for employees to work and thrive.  Another of her passions is sharing information with others and that passion brought her to Obsidian today.

Thomas Klem has worked in HR for five years with an emphasis on HRIS. Thomas has a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration and Entrepreneurship from the University of Colorado. Before joining Obsidian, Thomas specialized in HRIS and helped implement new HR tools. Thomas has a passion for creating best-in-class experiences for employees through the implementation of innovative and straightforward tools and business solutions. Outside of work, Thomas enjoys photography, traveling, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying all the activities the Colorado outdoors has to offer like hiking and snowboarding.

Lauren Lowery is an experienced HCM & Payroll Processing Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and service industry. She has over 10 years of experience within these industries. She is originally from South Carolina, but currently resides in Englewood, CO, with her fiancé, Michael, and her cat, Toulouse. Her favorite pastimes are hiking, traveling, and playing video games.

Melissa Merritt has two years of experience as a receptionist and over 4 years in customer service roles. She loves meeting new people and helping them learn alongside her. Her favorite things to do in her offtime are hiking, traveling, and spending time reading on rainy days.

Carmen Martinez has over 8 years of customer service experience with a strong focus in the service industry. She has over 2 years of experience in HCM payroll processing. She is originally from Northern California but currently resides in Denver, CO with her husband, Eduardo. When not working she enjoys fishing trips with her husband, painting, golfing or enjoying quality time with friends and family.

Melanie has over 20+ years of experience in HR, Benefits, and Customer Service.  She has been working in PEO for 11 years.  Before joining Obsidian HR, Melanie worked for Paychex and Oasis; she has a 215 license in Health, Life, and Annuities.  She has a Business Administration Associate, Organizational Management Bachelor, and Human Resources Management Masters.  Her strong faith background provides her peace and passion for helping others work through obstacles they encounter.   Beyond work, Melanie enjoys spending time with her husband and family (10 children and 9 grandchildren), traveling, and trying new things.

Jennifer Palka has worked in the PEO business for over 20 years.  She loves getting to know her clients and understanding their operations to help ensure all their needs are met.  What free time Jennifer has left after being a Girl Scout Troop Leader and Room Parent, is spent outdoors camping, Rzr riding, paddle boarding and trying to smoke the perfect brisket.

Brady has been in the HR and Payroll industry for over 6 years. Prior to Obsidian HR, Brady held management positions at ADP. He is passionate about creating a fun and winning environment for high-growth businesses. Outside of work, Brady enjoys golfing, traveling, and hanging out with friends and family.

Tawnie Rodriguez is an Air Force veteran and has over 10 years of HR-related experience.  She was previously employed by the Department of Defense as the Training Manager for Finance at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, CO, before coming to Obsidian HR.  Tawnie has an extensive background in customer service and strives to provide an excellent customer experience.  Tawnie resides in Panama City, FL, but is originally from the suburbs north of Chicago, IL, and is an avid Chicago fan [Go Bears & Cubbies].  She worked on furthering her education while in the military and graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management in 2014.  Tawnie enjoys traveling, hiking, and spending time with friends and family, especially her two kids.

Christina Sacha has been working with Colorado businesses in the area of sales, marketing, P.R. for 25 years. Her sales and business development background range from Medical Supply Sales, Finance, Real Estate, Construction and Development. She launched her own business, Creating the Perfect You in 2008 specializing in personal branding, public speaking and interview coaching. In 2010 she launched an additional division to her business, CTPY Productions for product launch events, production and event management. She is excited to now be in a position to partner with Colorado businesses offering PEO services. Outside of work, she enjoys live music, traveling and spending time with her fiancé and 2 adult children.

Teresa Sanchez has worked in HR for almost 10 years. She was previously employed at ProService Hawaii (Obsidian HR’s parent company) for over 7 years before coming to Obsidian HR. Teresa has a strong customer service background and is extremely passionate about helping our clients and their employees. Teresa resides in Denver, CO, but is from the state of Texas, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and traveling.

Jessica joined Obsidian in 2023 as Chief Operating Officer, bringing her wealth of knowledge and experience with other growing companies to the Obsidian team. Jess is an extremely proud University of Michigan alum and also received her MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. She started her career as a Consultant and Manager at Bain & Company. She subsequently was an operations director at Home Chef, a vice president at Doma, and supported portfolio operations at Rallyday Partners. When she’s not at work, Jess can be found adventuring in the outdoors, cheering for her beloved Michigan, or spending time with family and friends.

Kathy Vinson has 30 years of experience in human resources and business operations. Prior to joining Obsidian HR, Kathy held leadership positions at the Space Foundation, Verio, and OneComm. She is passionate about cultivating business growth, fostering vibrant organizational cultures, and pursuing operational excellence. Kathy and her beloved dogs and horses live in Black Forest, CO, where she enjoys cooking, riding, family gatherings, and anything outdoors.