Our Team

Kari Eckert is Robbie’s Mom and currently serves as Executive Director for Robbie’s Hope. Prior to raising two beautiful kids she was Owner of Roberts-Eckert Funeral Home in Forest Lake, MN. She has her graduate degree in Mortuary Science from the University of Minnesota and a degree in Psychology from North Dakota State University.

Jason Eckert is Robbie’s Dad and the Senior Vice President for the Global Nutrition Business Unit at Leprino Foods Company where he has worked for the past decade. He serves as Co-Chairperson and Treasurer for Robbie’s Hope. Prior to Leprino Foods Jason worked for Kraft Foods and Land O’Lakes in various technology and operational roles. He is a graduate of North Dakota State University with degrees in Food Science and Microbiology.

Mike is the retired Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Leprino Foods Company, where he was responsible for supply chain, legal, dairy policy & procurement, tax and other corporate affairs. Mike serves on the boards of the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Cheese Institute. Before joining Leprino Foods, Mike worked at Price Waterhouse for 18 years as a partner in the Audit group. Mike received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Princeton University and has done graduate work in accounting at Cornell University.

Sarah Schramm is a 16-year-old student at Westfield High School in Westfield, IN. She is deeply passionate about travel softball, music, and various forms of art. Sarah finds solace and joy in listening to music, drawing, and working out, which are some of her favorite coping mechanisms. Mental health holds significant importance in Sarah’s life as she has battled with it since childhood. Despite her struggles, Sarah embraces the opportunity to share her story, offering hope and support to those who need it. She is grateful for the chance to inspire others with her journey towards resilience and healing.

Scott Coe is a founder and president of Cultivator Advertising & Design, a 20-year-old branding agency based in Denver where he s a writer and brand strategist with a long history of working with consumer lifestyle brands. He is an advisor at Watson Scholars, a global social venture entrepreneurship program based in Boulder, as well as an occasional teacher and guest speaker at CU Boulder. His other non-profit work has included board leadership with the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinsons. He currently lives in Boulder with his wife.

Sharon McMeel is an experienced fundraiser and dedicated leader in the nonprofit sector. She began her career 15 years ago at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland and, after moving to Colorado in 2008, joined the Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation. In her current role as Senior Vice President, Sharon is responsible for managing a donor portfolio and co-leading all fundraising efforts for the Foundation which includes directly overseeing the Foundation Giving, Annual Giving, Family Giving, Prospect Development programs and the Colorado Springs office. She staffs two volunteer fundraising councils, one that includes medical staff leaders and the other that includes emerging philanthropists called the 2221 Society.

Originally from the east coast, Sharon is the proud mom of two children and enjoys skiing, hiking, traveling and art in her free time. Sharon is extremely passionate about mental health and suicide prevention. Her husband of almost 15 years, Cortright McMeel, took his life in 2013.

Gavin Faulkner is a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder, studying Media Production with a minor in Business.  He also work as a videographer and editor for TFL Studios. He first connected with Robbie’s Hope via participating in the Hall of Personal Expression before interning later in 2021. The organization’s mission is
deeply personal to him, shaped by his own experiences with anxiety and depression as well as those of friends and family.

Lila Paton is a second-year student at Syracuse University pursuing a dual degree in Finance and Public Relations. She is a former Robbie’s Hope employee, where she started as an intern during her senior year of high school. Subsequently, Lila earned a promotion as Program Coordinator and served in that role for six months before taking a gap year to pursue ski instructing prior to starting college. She is deeply committed to amplifying the voice of the younger generation and igniting change within mental health advocacy to attain a reality where it’s okay to not be okay.