Our Executive Team
Jessica Taylor |Chief Executive Officer, President of bēkən Holdings, Principal Partner of Overture, Principal Partner of Array
Jessica holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. After spending 15 years in the Wealth Management industry (with an emphasis on Operations and Compliance the last 12 years), Jessica joined Beken with a desire to take her leadership skills and professional contributions to a new level. Her first two years at Beken were spent as the Chief People Officer overseeing the People Operations (Human Resources) department as well as leading the Compliance department. In her role as Chief People Officer, she fostered an environment of inclusivity, collaboration, and growth while establishing relationships and trust within all staff levels of the organization.
As CEO, she will not only continue what she has started but will prioritize an unwavering commitment to clear communication, a solutions-oriented approach and, with the collaborative support of the Beken Executive Team, is dedicated to our organization’s strategic priorities. She will maximize her experience and talents for organizational effectiveness as well as be a resource to the people supporting our programs and divisions within Overture, Beken, and Array.
Jessica spends her free time volunteering, trying new restaurants, and traveling with her husband and two children.
Dana Paulson | chief operating officer
As Chief Operating Officer of bēkən Holdings, Dana leads the organization’s operations while prioritizing the strategic direction of bēkən Holdings and its affiliates. Dana recently served as the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships of bēkən Holdings, a role that included leading the organization’s strategic initiatives including efforts to advance diverse funding sources and sustainability of the organization.
Dana brings 25 years of Human Services experience, from her start in data analytics to the past 12 years in operational leadership. Dana earned her CORe certificate from Harvard Business School in 2023. Her specialties in the Human Services industry have included program development, operating efficiencies, and helping organizations meet extensive standards of excellence.
She has a passion for discovering new resources to build greater efficiencies throughout the organization and enjoys the challenge of getting buy in from internal and external stakeholders along the way. Dana is dedicated to supporting the CEO and Executive Team in the organization’s vision and strategic priorities.
VANESA HYSON | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
As Chief Financial Officer, Vanesa is responsible for all the financial functions, including accounting, audit, treasury, and corporate finance. Her career spans more than 25 years of varied experience in financial management, business leadership, and corporate strategy.
Vanesa holds a BASc degree from University of the Pacific, in Business, Management and Economics, an MBA with a concentration in finance. Vanesa earned her Six Sigma Green belt certification while at General Electric CEF and her PMP certification through Duke University.
Her approach is to lead teams through complex financial landscapes and use data-driven solutions to optimize financial health. Vanesa will use her vast finance and management experience across various industries to achieve significant improvements in financial performance and operational efficiency at Beken Holdings.
In her spare time – Vanesa enjoys hang time skydiving, taking deep breaths in instructing yoga classes, volunteering at Children’s Hospital, and mentoring High School students on financial literacy.
Michele O'Brien | CHIEF Information OFFICER
Michele holds three degrees in Computer Science and has a diverse technical background spanning 20+ years, assisting organizations, large and small, modernizing their technology footprint while ensuring their cybersecurity and compliance risk is reduced. She focuses on communication with staff through trainings and documentation, ensuring staff feel comfortable with the software and hardware they use.
Michele’s real-world experience as a project manager and operational excellence director allows her to quickly find efficiencies and successfully deploy solutions. Michele received her CORe certificate from Harvard Business School in 2023. She uses her knowledge in data management to get the right information to the right people so they can make timely strategic decisions.
Our Leadership Team
Shannon Kluth | director of people operations
Shannon Kluth received her Bachelor's Degree in 2012 from the University of Colorado in Boulder. She has 15 years of experience supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. From direct care to director-level positions overseeing program growth and development, Shannon finds her passion in helping others reach their highest potential.
Shannon has 5+ years of experience working in different leadership capacities and has extensive expertise in employee development, program development, and streamlining processes and practices.
Shannon is passionate about advocating for employee best practices and overall development and talent acquisition. She is excited to be in a role that will allow her to maximize her experience in the employee lifecycle and general human resource practices.
When Shannon is not working, she spends her days with her husband, two kids, and two dogs experiencing new things and opportunities.
Jordan Higgs | Marketing and Communications Manager
Jordan Higgs, a Nashville native, currently residing in Wisconsin, is an alumnus of Middle Tennessee State University. He primarily focused his studies on Marketing, Business, and Computer Science. He was a senior member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, America’s Leadership Fraternity, and captained the university’s Varsity Men’s Soccer team during his tenure.
Jordan’s marketing expertise stems from his love of content production. This love for creation has allowed him to work with many small businesses, tech startups, and larger companies such as Disney. In addition to this, Jordan has helped aspiring creators by working as a consultant to foster relationships between influencers and brands.
Jordan rarely gives up his hobbies and fills his free time with them whenever he can. If he is not playing soccer, he writes music, plays online games with his brother, or works on his photography/videography skills. Most of all, Jordan enjoys relaxing with his two cats and girlfriend, Justine.
Jordan started with bēkən Holdings in 2021 and has enjoyed every moment. What excites him most about the organization and its partners are the people and the missions they strive to fulfill. Jordan lives by the mantra, “Surround yourself with good people, and you will do great things.” Jordan is looking forward to the great things that he and bēkən Holdings will do.
Jenelle Wininger | Director of Quality and Compliance
Jenelle works remotely in Michigan but got her to start with Overture 5 years ago in our Metro, Colorado office as a Program Coordinator. Jenelle, her husband, and her fur babies moved to Michigan about a year and a half ago and loved the lake life. It was a hard goodbye, but she has been fortunate to stay connected in all of our states and travels back and forth.
She has served in many positions, including the Metro Residential Program Manager and Residential Director. Still, She seems to have found her calling in the quality assurance/compliance side with her most recent role as the Director of Quality Improvement for Overture. She is so excited to expand her knowledge with our organization. She started with this company to gain experience and expertise in her field, but our vision for innovation and progress is one (of many) reasons for her continued dedication. She is eager to learn the dynamics of all our operations to deliver a more cohesive approach. She is very excited to be working closely with the bēkən/Overture/Array team!