Meet The Team

Conexus Insurance is a people first organization. We seek out people who share our core values and strive to create real connections with our clients in a way that makes Conexus feel like an extension of their business – a partner, not a vendor.

Managing Partners / Owners

Aaron Hoffman Managing Partner

Aaron Hoffman

Managing Partner

Aaron began his career in insurance after graduating from Colorado State University. Before forming Conexus Insurance with his business partners, he developed his insurance expertise as a producer and manager of RSS Insurance Services for 19 years before purchasing the agency in 2015. He is licensed in 16 states in property, casualty, health, life, and surplus lines. He loves learning about people and their businesses and has made it his passion to help our clients make sure they are properly protecting what’s most important to them. Aaron enjoys woodworking, camping, hiking, motorcycles, traveling, reading, and spending time with his family.

Sara Hoffman Managing Partner

Sara Hoffman

Managing Partner

Sara joined the insurance industry after graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in Business Marketing. She joined the agency (formerly RSS) in 1997 and focused on the marketing and accounting side of the business. She’s been married to her husband and best friend, Aaron, since 1995 and raised three daughters with him. When not assisting in the management of Conexus, telling its story, and directing the finance team, Sara enjoys spending time with her adult children, date nights with Aaron, cooking, reading, traveling, hiking, camping, and entertaining at her home in Broomfield.

Alex Pedersen

Managing Partner

Alex started his insurance career by getting a life insurance license in the state of Iowa back in 2000. He moved to Colorado in 2002, where he began to focus on Commercial, Property, and Casualty insurance. In 2007, he purchased his agency and formed Day Larsen Pedersen Insurance (DLP Insurance), which transitioned to Conexus Insurance Partners in 2022. He prioritizes building long-term, consultative relationships with his clients while advising them in best protecting their assets. Alex is an avid tennis player and golfer and loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.

Greg Beehler

Greg Beehler

Insurance Advisor

Greg Beehler

Insurance Advisor

Greg is a true Coloradan having been born and raised in Arvada, Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1993 with a degree in engineering. Greg continues to live in Arvada, loves spending time with his family, and is an active golfer and tennis player. Greg feels strongly about caring for his family and his customers. He says, “My honor and integrity are very important to me. It’s not only my goal to find the best price and coverage for my customers, but to help them understand what they are purchasing and why it’s important.”

Jessica Beuten

Jessica Beuten

Operations Assistant

Jessica Beuten

Operations Assistant

Jessica joined our agency as a customer service support team member in 2017 and became licensed in Property/Casualty insurance shortly thereafter. She wears many hats by assisting with account management, certificates, and project research. She comes from a large family (she’s one of seven kids) and is a Colorado native. She can speak sign language, as both of her parents are deaf. Jessica and her husband Darian have been married since 2016 and they have one son together named Dalton. Jessica took classes for a year in Business Administration and enjoys traveling, hiking, baking, knitting, and trying new foods. She loves watching “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation.” Jessica says the most important things to her are her faith, spending time with her family, and being active in her church.

Kevin Borunda

Kevin Borunda

Commercial CSR

Kevin Borunda

Commercial CSR

Kevin joined our team in July 2024.  Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Kevin moved to Colorado with his parents at the age of 10. He now resides in Thornton with his wife, Jasmine, their two children, Levi and Leilani, and their dog, Bambi. Kevin enjoys the outdoors, spending time with his family, and playing guitar and music. He is passionate about helping people and making friends. Kevin values God, his family, integrity, respect, and love above all else.

Dena Brown

Dena Brown

Commercial Account Manager

Dena Brown

Commercial Account Manager

Dena has served our clients and team for over 30 years! She has been married to her husband Charlie for 35 years and they have one daughter, Brittany, who is a Social Studies teacher in Jefferson County. Dena is also a dog lover, with three of her own named Snickers, Bailey, and Harley. As a Colorado Native, Dena loves the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies, and enjoys bowling, long walks, and time with her family who live in Westminster. Dena says that Conexus is like her second home and family, and she plans on retiring from our agency.

Krista Burnell

Krista Burnell

VP of Operations & HR

Krista Burnell

VP of Operations & HR

Krista joined the Conexus team in September 2023 as our Conexus People Champion – VP of Operations & HR. She’s spent the last 20 years honing her skills in Human Resource Management, Financial Strategy, Financial Operations, client experience, and strategic planning.  As a Colorado native, she grew up in Grand Junction, attended the University of Colorado, acquiring her degree in Business Administration-Human Resource Management, and now resides in Erie.  She, and her husband Mike, have four children, Dylan, Tyler, Kyle, and Avery and a dog named Zeus. Krista enjoys live music, spending time with her extended family, and sharpening her golfing and gardening skills!

Brissa Calderon

Brissa Calderon

Commercial Account Manager

Brissa Calderon

Commercial Account Manager

Brissa is a single mom to two beautiful kids, Erick and Naiara. She is passionate about spending time with them; but also enjoys anything outdoors, working out, Hot Yoga, listening to music, meditating, and spending time with friends. Her goal is to help her clients with whatever they need to the best of her ability.

Steven Caravella

Steven Caravella

Personal Lines Team Lead

Steven Caravella

Personal Lines Team Lead

Steven is a Personal Account Manager and has over 18 years of experience in the insurance industry. He’s performed every role in an insurance agency from Janitors Assistant to Agency Owner and brings a wealth of industry knowledge to his clients. Steven grew up in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and relocated to Denver, Colorado in 2020. Steven is an avid Green Bay Packers fan (Go Pack Go) and spends his spare time hiking, camping, biking. He is passionate about his family and taking the time to connect with others.

Kathy Carnahan

Kathy Carnahan

P&C Accounting Manager

Kathy Carnahan

P&C Accounting Manager

Kathy wears many hats for Conexus. Originally from Durango, Colorado, she graduated from Blair Business College with a Professional Accounting degree. She has been married to her high school sweetheart Kirk for 46 years. She is passionate about her three children and seven grandchildren, and enjoys gardening, canning, needlework, and the outdoors. Kathy enjoys helping her clients find solutions for their issues whether it’s billing, claims, or needing coverage. She also assists with accounting and human resources for the agency.

Julie Cooper

Julie Cooper

Commercial Account Manager

Julie Cooper

Commercial Account Manager

Julie joined our team April 2023 as a Commercial Lines Account Manager.  Growing up in Littleton, she is a Colorado-native who now lives in Arvada. Julie has a son named Corey, a daughter named Brittany, a granddaughter named Ruby, and is the second youngest in a family of 10 kids. Julie loves the Denver Broncos, traveling, and musical events, enjoys sewing and is passionate about animals!  In fact, Julie ran a dog rescue for over 10 years with her sister and is currently caring for 12 elderly dogs. She also has many chickens, four ducks, and two rescue mini pigs. Gaining her CRM and CIC years ago, Julie also says that it’s important to her to be there for her clients and provide exceptional service.

Carrie Gallegos

Carrie Gallegos

Personal Account Manager

Carrie Gallegos

Personal Account Manager

Carrie joined the Conexus team in February of 2024 as a Personal Lines Account Manager. Carrie is a Colorado native, growing up in the Denver and Lakewood area, and currently resides in Lafayette with her “fur baby” - a cat named Sadie. She enjoys reading, hiking, and walking outdoors, cooking, baking, spending time with family, and doing crafts. Carrie also loves podcasts about history, murder mysteries, news, and current events. Personal growth, learning, and animal welfare are also very important to her, as well as continuing her journey towards health and fitness.

Gabriella Glanz

Gabriella Glanz

Commercial CSR

Gabriella Glanz

Commercial CSR

Gabriella joined Conexus in June 2022 as a Commercial Lines CSR and assists the commercial account management team and our clients. She grew up in northern New Mexico and moved to Colorado in 2021 so she could be closer to family. She married her husband Michael in 2020 and they have an Australian Shepherd named Muggsie, who runs their lives. She is currently attending CU Denver. Gabriella enjoys camping, hiking, stand up paddle boarding, playing video games, and reading a good book.

Lynn Griffin

Lynn Griffin

CORE Team Lead

Lynn Griffin

CORE Team Lead
Lynn joined our team in 2022 as a Core Commercial Team CSR. Lynn grew up in Michigan and moved to Colorado in 2006. She attended Pikes Peak Community College where she received an Associates of Arts, Dance. Lynn is an avid lover of the art and entertainment-dance, music, film, and live events. Before starting her career in the insurance industry, she previously worked with production companies like AEG Presents at the world renown Red Rocks Amphitheater. Over the last couple of years, she has taken up gardening, cooking and DIY projects. Lynn loves helping people, solving problems, encourages curiosity, and has a thirst for knowledge that keeps her always learning. 
Jeremy Hoye

Jeremy Hoye

Employee Benefits Advisor

Jeremy Hoye

Employee Benefits Advisor

Coming Soon

Scott Hughes

Scott Hughes

Insurance Advisor/Partner

Scott Hughes

Insurance Advisor/Partner

Scott grew up in Iowa, but moved to Colorado right after graduating from the University of Iowa in 2004. He worked in banking and advertising while getting his Masters in Business in 2009. He joined the agency that same year and has been in insurance ever since. Scott and his wife Evie have been married since 2015 and they have a 5 year old son and a baby daughter.
Scott is a loyal fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and enjoys following professional golf as well. His hobbies also include snowboarding, golf and traveling. Scott enjoys being involved in the Westminster community and helping business owners protect their growing businesses. He believes this world we live in is smaller than we realize and it's important to treat others with respect as our paths are likely to cross more than once in a lifetime.

Jessie Karlovitch

Jessie Karlovitch

Commercial Account Manager

Jessie Karlovitch

Commercial Account Manager

Jessie joined the Conexus team as a Commercial Account Manager in November of 2023. Jessie grew up in Florida with her three younger sisters and moved to Colorado when she transferred to Colorado State University from the University of Central Florida in 2019 to complete her degree in Business Administration-Marketing.  She enjoys snowboarding, hiking, self-improvement, learning new things, and football…specifically the New York Jets! She says her family, friends and career are very important to her.

Rena Kennedy

Rena Kennedy

Benefits Accounting & Payroll Manager

Rena Kennedy

Benefits Accounting & Payroll Manager

RSS welcomed Rena and her wealth of health insurance industry knowledge to our agency in June of 2016. Rena has worked in the health benefits industry for over 18 years and is licensed not only health and life, but also in property and casualty insurance as well. She is a Colorado native, grew up in Denver and has a 16-year old daughter named Shelby. Rena loves the outdoors and staying active. She enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, backpacking, snowboarding, biking, working out, swimming and boating. She loves spending her time with family and also enjoys watching sports. She says she is passionate about everything she sets her mind to and loves to try and experience new things, and always gives it her all.

Erin Krueger

Erin Krueger

Office Administrator

Erin Krueger

Office Administrator

Erin joined our team in April 2024 as our Office Administrator. A Colorado native, she grew up in Westminster, and graduated from Standley Lake High School before pursuing her degree in Business, specializing in Marketing and Hospitality, at Colorado Mesa University. Currently calling Arvada home, she shares her space with her boyfriend and their rescue dog, Tux. Erin is interested in continually learning new skills, ranging from mastering new technology and her cooking abilities, to new cross stitch and crocheting patterns. She enjoys being outside, gardening, crocheting, cross stitching, and being around friends and family. She’s passionate about promoting a positive and inclusive community, and offering her skills, knowledge, and experience to others. She also believes in recognizing the potential in everyone and being a good listener, since you never know who you’ll meet along the way and the friendships you can make. 

Paula Lamp

Paula Lamp

Commercial Account Manager

Paula Lamp

Commercial Account Manager

Paula joined the Conexus team in 2012. She has nine years of experience within the insurance industry and is currently a Commercial Account Manager. She grew up in Winner, South Dakota, with her sister, mother, and grandparents, but then moved to Colorado in 2012. Paula enjoys camping, ladder golf, badminton, movies, board and card games, sports, and music. She is passionate about her family and wants to make sure she does good by her clients which include being detail-oriented and consistent, and helping her clients to the best of her ability.

Brandon Lee

Brandon Lee

Commercial CSR

Brandon Lee

Commercial CSR

Brandon Lee joined our team in August of 2024. Although Brandon’s parents hail from Asia, he has lived in various U.S. cities, spending a significant amount of time in California before relocating to Colorado in 2017.  He graduated from CU Boulder, where he obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in business administration with an emphasis in Accounting and Marketing. Brandon is passionate about music and is a proud alumnus of the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. He plays bass in his band, HRZN. In his free time, he enjoys playing video games, spending time with his dogs — Ocho, a pit bull, and Atlas, a chihuahua — and spreading positivity to those around him.

Hilary Lynch

Hilary Lynch

Commercial CSR

Hilary Lynch

Commercial CSR

Hilary joined our team September 2022 as a Commercial Lines CSR. She has over 12 years of experience in commercial insurance and is a Westminster, Colorado native, attending Standley Lake High School. She currently resides in Thornton with her husband Brian, 13-year-old son Kage, 17-year-old stepdaughter Kylie, and her two dogs, Rex and Tolkien.  Hilary loves music, baking, and spending time in the mountains and with her family. She is passionate about people, helping others, and building relationships.

Ernesto Marquez

Ernesto Marquez

Insurance Advisor

Ernesto Marquez

Insurance Advisor

Ernesto has worked in the insurance industry for 17+ years and works with our commercial clients as an insurance advisor Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, he lives in Denver with his family of four that includes his wife Jaya, his children Ciana and Cruz, and their family pup named Rocky. He is passionate about his family and friends, but for the last 15 years, he has also enjoyed coaching baseball at Denver North High. In 2012, he was nominated for and won the Colorado Rockies Adult Leadership Award for his work in the local Hispanic community.

Angela Mattei

Angela Mattei

Employee Benefits Advisor

Angela Mattei

Employee Benefits Advisor

Angela joined our insurance team in June of 2015. She has been working in the health insurance industry for over 24 years and holds a health and life insurance license. She loves meeting new people and prides herself on the relationships she builds with her clients. Angela lives in Thornton with her husband and best friend René. She has one beautiful daughter named Jennaé and a four-legged child named Preston. Angela is a huge Broncos fan and loves spending time with her family, being crafty and creative with her daughter, decorating and spending lots of time outdoors in our beautiful state. She says her goal is to continue to grow and prosper as a businesswoman and educate her clients in every way possible in this ever-changing world of healthcare reform, but to also enjoy and cherish each moment in life with her family.

Karina Mendoza-Garcia

Karina Mendoza-Garcia

Commercial Account Manager

Karina Mendoza-Garcia

Commercial Account Manager

Karina has lived in Colorado for the last 22 years with her husband Renato and their four kids Allyson, Isabella, Alexis, and Evelyn. She is a licensed Commercial Account Manager and loves getting to know her customers! She is passionate about helping others and in her spare time Karina enjoys nature, camping, and hiking.

Sara Nash

Sara Nash

Commercial CSR

Sara Nash

Commercial CSR

Sara has been with Conexus since 2007 and she loves her job! She has lived in Iowa and Ohio but now lives in Colorado Springs. Sara has a daughter who lives nearby and a grandson who lives with her. Her two dogs Delilah and Ziva are also part of the family. She loves to read, go for walks, and grow plants and flowers. Sara is passionate about the equality of all people and the compassionate treatment of animals.

Adrian Neacsu

Adrian Neacsu

Commercial Insurance Broker / Partner

Adrian Neacsu

Commercial Insurance Broker / Partner

Adrian Neacsu has focused on commercial insurance for the last 15 years. Outside of work, Adrian enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and enjoying local cuisines.

Evie O'Brien

Evie O'Brien

Personal Account Manager

Evie O'Brien

Personal Account Manager

Evie joined our agency in 2022 and has over six years of experience in the insurance industry. Born and raised in Colorado, she comes from a large family of eight and has a twin sister. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, bowling, tubing, windsurfing, camping, fishing, and loves finding a good book to read.

Morgan Ocker

Morgan Ocker

Commercial CSR

Morgan Ocker

Commercial CSR

Morgan joined the Conexus team in October 2023. She grew up and lived in Texas with her family (older brother and younger sister) until she moved to Colorado with her sister, Adyson, cat Allie, and husky dog named Juli in 2023. Morgan enjoys working on anything creative, especially painting and photography. She loves the outdoors, hiking, camping, drama documentaries, Dr. Pepper, and houseplants! She says building relationships and having empathy and compassion for everyone is extremely important to her and she wants the best for her clients.

Erica O’Connor

Erica O’Connor

Personal CSR

Erica O’Connor

Personal CSR

Erica joined Conexus in February 2023. She grew up in El Paso, Texas, attended University of Texas at El Paso, and graduated from the University of North Texas with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. She’s lived in Colorado for over 20 years and currently resides in Erie with her husband James, their two daughters Avery and Sydney, and their two dogs, a Maltese named Coconut, and a Shih tzu named Chloe. Erica enjoys staying active (kickboxing, hiking, walks with dogs, golfing with family), attending her daughters’ sporting events, cooking, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends. She’s passionate about being kind, living life with purpose and integrity and giving back to others. Erica most values her family, faith, friends, health, happiness, and job success.

Logan Johnson

Logan Johnson

Personal Account Manager

Logan Johnson

Personal Account Manager

Logan joined our team in May of 2022 as a Personal Lines Account Manager. Logan grew up in small-town Missouri and moved to Colorado with her husband in 2021. Logan has a seven-year-old daughter named Brynnin, and a 12-year-old stepson named Mason. She loves watching anything true crime related, visiting her hometown in Missouri, traveling, and spending time with her family. 

Lisa Rayburn

Lisa Rayburn

Employee Benefits Account Manager

Lisa Rayburn

Employee Benefits Account Manager
Lisa joined our team May of 2022 as an Employee Benefits Account Manager. Lisa has over twenty-five years of experience in the Employee Benefits space! She is a Colorado native, growing up in Lakewood, but calls Arvada home now with her husband Nick. She loves spending time with her family, especially with her granddaughter Adley. Lisa enjoys camping, tennis, wandering antique stores, flea markets and estate sales, and is a fan of the Denver Broncos and Colorado Avs. She says she’s passionate about her work and creating great experiences for people which in turn creates great relationships. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Ernie Schaefer

Ernie Schaefer

Insurance Advisor

Ernie Schaefer

Insurance Advisor

Ernie has been in the insurance industry since 1972, and owned RSS Insurance Services from 1995-2015 before transferring ownership of the business to his daughter and son-in-law so he could spend more time doing what he loves most- traveling with his wife of 53 years, Terry. Ernie has lived in Colorado since 1985, and has a degree in business from Black Hills State University. He loves restoring antique furniture when not traveling, advising some legacy clients, spending time with his five grandchildren, and spoiling his cat Thomas.

Tara Scheffelmaer

Tara Scheffelmaer

Commercial Lines Team Lead

Tara Scheffelmaer

Commercial Lines Team Lead

Tara joined our team early in 2023. While born and raised in Montana, Tara has lived in Colorado since 2015 with her husband Ray and their two daughters, Brenna, and Shelby. She earned her associate degree in Accounting at Montana State University College of Technology, as well as her CISR designation in 2007 and her CIC designation in 2017. Tara enjoys camping, traveling, barbecuing, trying new recipes on her smoker grill, and supporting and watching her daughters in their various activities. Tara values providing great customer service, treating others how she would want to be treated and learning, continuously. 

Cort Siegele

Cort Siegele

Employee Benefits Account Manager

Cort Siegele

Employee Benefits Account Manager

Cort Siegele joined the Conexus team in July 2022 as a Benefits Specialist, assisting in our Employee Benefits department. Cort grew up in Lakewood, received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University, and now lives in Denver. He is the youngest of four brothers (Chase, Chance, and Connor). Cort has a dog named Winston, is a Marvel movie fan, enjoys Fantasy Football, and loves playing golf and watching the Kansas City Chiefs (we won’t hold that against him 😉). He likes spending time with family and friends and being true to himself is very important.

Elizabeth Stark

Elizabeth Stark

Personal CSR

Elizabeth Stark

Personal CSR

Elizabeth joined our team in 2021. She grew up in Wichita, Kansas and studied at Kansas State University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2017. After graduation, she moved to CO with her partner, Kenneth. They married in 2019 and have a dog, Ava, and two cats, Samson and Misty. She enjoys spending her time working on crochet projects, watching sci-fi shows, and playing games of all kinds with friends. She also enjoys hiking and camping trips during the summer months. Elizabeth believes it is important that she’s continuously improving herself for the betterment of her family, community, and society as a whole.

Brian Stevens

Brian Stevens

Commercial Account Manager

Brian Stevens

Commercial Account Manager

Brian joined our team in May of 2022. While he grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, he’s been a Colorado resident since 2006, and now lives in Arvada with his wife, Mary, his two sons and bonus daughter, and his rat terrier, Indiana Jones.

Brian has degrees in History and Special Education. He earned his insurance license in 2014. He is a Certified Insurance Counselor since 2020 and earned a Transportation Risk and Insurance Professional certification in 2023. Brian was a middle school teacher for 14 years before starting his insurance career and a volleyball and basketball coach for 20 years.

He loves all things outdoors, and is a Boston Marathon qualifier, ultramarathoner, fly-fisher, and gardener. Training for long races has made him an audiobook listener, and he loves to read history and classical literature. He roots for Colorado pro teams (especially the Rapids), but his sports fan heart belongs to his alma mater, the Wisconsin Badgers.

Lastly, Brian says that integrity, kindness, and constant learning are very important to him.

Alyssa Tonsager

Alyssa Tonsager

Employee Benefits Specialist

Alyssa Tonsager

Employee Benefits Specialist

Alyssa joined our team in September 2024 as an Employee Benefits Specialist, supporting our Benefits team.

Originally from River Falls, Wisconsin, Alyssa earned her bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in Spanish from the University of Wisconsin. In 2024, she relocated from Florida to Louisville, where she lives with her boyfriend and their two cats, Leo and Zuko.

Alyssa enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it’s hiking, fishing, or paddle boarding. In her free time, she also loves reading, journaling, and cooking, as well as exploring wineries and breweries. She's passionate about continuous learning, her family, her career, entrepreneurship, leadership, and making a positive impact on others.

Irving Valdez

Irving Valdez

Commercial Account Manager

Irving Valdez

Commercial Account Manager

Irving Valdez joined the Conexus Small Commercial team in June of 2022. He grew up in Texas and moved to Colorado in 2016. While the majority of Irving's immediate family still resides in Texas, they originally hale from Chihuahua, Mexico, specifically Colonia Villanueva.

Irving has nine years of insurance experience and earned an associate's degree in Drafting and Design. He's a hobby fisherman/angler and spends much of his time serving at and with his church in different outreaches and ministries. He's dedicated to always doing the right thing and says he's passionate about relationships and serving people in any way he can.

Heather Walpert

Heather Walpert

Employee Benefits Account Manager

Heather Walpert

Employee Benefits Account Manager
Heather joined the Conexus team in September 2023 as an Employee Benefits Account Manager. She grew up in Scottsdale, AZ with three brothers (but spent her summers in Montreal with her grandparents) and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Business Law. She then spent five years in Chicago working as a Benefits Coordinator before moving to Denver 2021.  She enjoys anything outside and being in the sun. She loves camping, paddle boarding, golfing, skiing, hiking, and adventuring to new parts of Colorado. Heather is also a big sports fan and loves watching games, especially football and hockey.  She also says that she has true passion for working with kids with special needs and has been involved with the Special Olympics Young Professionals Board. 

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