Brandon DesJarlais, a spirited resident of Venice Beach, California, is a name synonymous with the thrilling world of longboard skating. His fame began as a competitive downhill racer and was magnified when he stunt-doubled for Vin Diesel in the film xXx 3: Return of Xander Cage. The “2020” Tokyo Olympics saw his longboard dancing skills celebrated in a commercial for Facebook Groups. Having skated across 26 countries, Brandon’s journey on the board extends far and wide. Yet, his heart is rooted in teaching and community building, leading to initiatives like co-founding Amp Skate and the birth of Beyond the Board, a non-profit that has impacted 20+ states and 50+ cities.
Brandon’s life is an extraordinary blend of action, innovation, and generosity. His trails tell tales of inventive coaching methods, free workshops, online tutorials, and instructive camps. Beyond being a skating icon, he is a teacher, an entrepreneur, and an inspirer. His passion transcends skating, seen in his creation of the Shred Sled and his non-profit’s 150+ community activations. His efforts are a testament to his relentless pursuit of building positive, active communities, empowering thousands across the nation.
Whether gliding down a California hill or through waves of collaboration, Brandon’s energy resonates with kindness and commitment. His contribution to the sport, community, and humanity has been bountiful and enduring. There’s no denying that his engagement with the world goes beyond the board, creating a wave of positivity that’s likely to reverberate for generations. Brandon DesJarlais is not just a skater, but a global symbol of bringing people together, one ride at a time, a perfect fit for the universal mission of connecting hearts and minds.
Steve Gerald
Steve Gerald is from the Washington, DC Area which is widely considered to be America’s #1 grassroots recruiting area for basketball he has coached at multiple high schools in the DC area including Henry Wise HS, Friendly HS, and most recently National Christian Academy. In the past 20 years he has coached over 300 division 1 players, dozens of whom have gone on to play in the NBA. Beyond being a coach he has a long history of being a Founder of successful team entities within the basketball community. Steve is the director of the DC Region for annual “Coaches Vs. Racism” college basketball showcase, one of the founders of the National High School Hoops Fest (#1 HS event in USA), as well as being the founding member of Team Takeover Basketball Club (#1 grassroots organization in USA) his coaching prowess comes from involvement with Team Takeover Nike’s EYBL (best grassroots league in the world), his running Unsigned Prospects since 2005 as well as his multiple youth programs.
Beyond his basketball pedigree his professional accomplishments are just as impressive. Steve has accumulated 20+ years in federal government cybersecurity services supporting US Department of Defense, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services amongst others. More recently Steve Founded Strategy Link Consulting a special situations entity within the cyber security sector. Steve’s entrepreneurial drive and attitude of gratitude is what caught Greg Noble’s attention and prompted him to extend an invitation to the Capital Collective. There is no doubt that his team focus on the court will translate to a culture of execution and devotion within the Teocalli Organization. We are genuinely pleased to have Steve Gerald as a part of Teocalli Capital Partners.
Louis Pilloni is an individual that has contributed so much to so many things. Very few outside of the world of skateboarding know the fame and following that this trailblazer in the sport garnered from a long list of accomplishments. As Louis often says “ I am your favorite skaters favorite skater.” But he is much more than just a former skater. As both a downhill skateboarder and an engineer he has designed and developed equipment for companies such as Loaded, Sector 9 and Arbor.
From his early days with Loaded Longboards, to his work with SkateHouse Media, and most recently his involvement with Sector 9, Gullwing Trucks and Rad wheels, Louis has affected this sport and community in a very real way. As the Captain of the Sector9 Downhill Division he mentored, taught and coached many riders that would go on to be ranked in the World top ten. Louis has had so many roles throughout his life from trailblazer to founder, extreme athlete to chief marketing officer. He is a mentor, a teacher and a leader that is as comfortable going 70 MPH down a Colorado mountain road on a skateboard as he is hitting a 12 foot wave on a surfboard in Hawaii.
More recently he has become a critical part of an engineering company while raising a young son along with his beautiful wife. His greatest skill is in his intellect and keen eye for opportunities within the business landscape. His place within the Teocalli Collective is a natural and so far his contributions have been plentiful.
Mindy Strum is a Colorado Native and has resided in Crested Butte for the past three decades. She met Teocalli Capital Partners Founder, Greg Noble, on the slopes of Crested Butte where he first taught his 3 kids to ski. It is in Crested Butte where Teocalli was first conceived as Teocalli is the name of one of Crested Butte’s most challenging ski runs.
Her past exploits as both a pro skier and a spokesperson for several causes has always put her in the middle of positive action. Her passion for the outdoors is in her blood and can be traced back to her ranching roots that go back six generations in the Colorado Western Slope. Mindy understands the value of sustainable practices in everyday living. Inspired by the pure beauty of Crested Butte, Mindy developed a deep passion for giving back to her community that remains a focal point and thrives to this day. Her resolve stuck with her through her growing up in the area and starting a real estate business that offers a work platform for others to find a rewarding profession. She is a natural born entrepreneur and beyond real estate investing she has interests in the stock market, nonprofits and adaptive sports.
Mindy’s life story is full of success which comes from unmatched passion : she has spent time as a Ski Guide for the Crested Butte Resort, a commercially successful Action Sports Model, an Extreme Big Mtn. Ski Competitor and if that weren’t enough a fly fisher, a pro mountain bike and an action sports equipment developer. Mindy volunteers for numerous non-profits and is happy spending her days keeping Colorado, Florida and the World an amazing place to live, one program at a time. There is no arguing that she is a perfect fit for not only the character and culture of our firm but its pursuit of success.