Ben Griffin, a lifelong Central Florida native, brings a passion for leadership and community service to the Tree House Foundation. A graduate of Seminole State College’s Automotive Technology Program, Ben earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in 2013. As Senior Operations Manager at CarMax since 2010, Ben has led a team of 150 associates to consistent top performance, including recognition as Florida’s highest-performing CarMax location for several years. Ben’s commitment to giving back is evident in his leadership of the CarMax Cares initiative, where he oversaw 19 stores and over 2,000 employees in impactful community projects. He also brings valuable board experience from his time with the Lake County Technical College Board.

Samantha Chester is an attorney specializing in the area of Affordable Housing and Tax Credits. She represents for-profit and nonprofit developers in the acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, operation and disposition of affordable housing projects. Samantha has experience in negotiating and closing affordable housing transactions, including large affordable housing portfolio sales and acquisitions, low income housing tax credits, new construction and acquisition and rehabilitation, non-profit development and tax exemptions, and joint ventures with non-profits.

Ryan Vandenburgh is a Senior Vice President at Valley Bank in Tampa, Florida, specializing in commercial real estate lending. With over 18 years of experience in the financial sector, Ryan has built a strong track record in construction and development financing across multiple asset classes, including multi-family, retail, office, and investment properties. Prior to joining Valley Bank in 2019, he served as Vice President at both Atlantic Coast Bank (later Ameris Bank) and Trustco Bank, where he focused on supporting clients through strategic lending solutions that drive growth and community development.

Jason Chepenik currently serves as senior vice president of the Retirement + Wealth division of One Digital. Jason is focused on providing fiduciary guidance to corporate retirement plans. His unbridled energy and passion is what his clients and team love most. Whether he’s advocating for stronger fiduciary responsibility, lending his financial knowledge to a local non-profit, or championing financial literacy for the next generation, Jason keeps a strong sense of “the why” within his work. Jason is also the founder of the 4.01k Race for Financial Fitness ™ helping to raise more than $1 million to support community based financial literacy programs. Jason has earned a degree in Management with a concentration in Finance from Tulane University.

Traci is a community relations professional with more than 20 years of experience in community engagement, public relations, nonprofit leadership, training, coaching, and management. She currently serves as Director of Strategic Community Initiatives with Bright Community Trust, where she works to build partnerships and initiatives that strengthen communities throughout Central Florida. Throughout her career, Traci has held leadership roles with Heart of Florida United Way and Junior Achievement of Central Florida and has served as an educator with Orange County Public Schools. She also brings extensive experience in volunteer engagement, leadership development, mentoring, and executive coaching. Traci is certified in Volunteer Administration and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), further strengthening her expertise in developing people, teams, and community-centered programs. With a longstanding passion for serving Central Florida, Traci brings valuable experience in community partnerships, strategic leadership, and relationship building to her service on the Board of Directors.

Kristopher Jensen is an experienced corporate attorney who advises clients on mergers and acquisitions, financing, corporate governance, and complex corporate and securities matters. He is known for bringing a thoughtful, practical approach to navigating sophisticated legal and business challenges. Prior to beginning his legal career, Kristopher served in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologic linguist, an experience that helped shape his commitment to leadership, service, and problem-solving. Kristopher earned his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he served as Senior Editor of the Stanford Law Review. He also holds an Arabic Language Certification from the Defense Language Institute and a B.S. from the University of Florida. Kristopher brings valuable legal, governance, and strategic expertise to his service on the Board of Directors. Prior to his legal career, Kristopher served in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologic linguist.