Our Team

Donnie Gerault

Donnie Gerault is President and Chief Executive Officer of OTAVA, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in the managed cloud and IT services industry. He has a strong track record of scaling organizations and driving growth, with previous leadership roles at Lenovo, Atos, and as CEO of Cloud49. Known for his strategic vision and people-first leadership style, Donnie is focused on building on OTAVA’s strong foundation and guiding the company through its next phase of growth.

Ben Stiles

Ben has an extensive technology background that includes running global engineering teams, building comprehensive IT modernization strategies and scaling platforms for start-ups. He has led senior engineering teams at Lockheed Martin, built national technical sales teams, managed IT budgeting/reporting for publicly traded companies and developed technical products and services portfolios along the way.

Ben discovered a passion for helping IT leaders navigate tough business challenges and began designing comprehensive IT solutions to match. His goal is to always help companies get the most out of their technology investments while creating clarity around their goals, capabilities and future needs.

Ben has stayed in the Colorado front-range since graduating from Colorado State University and enjoys lots of sunshine with his wife Dana and kids, Daniel and Makayla. Weekends are spent at basketball games, gymnastic competitions, and trying to run a little farther and faster than last weekend. Ben can be found regularly speaking at technology conferences regarding AI, risk and security compliance, cost reduction and cloud best practices.

Stefan Richardson

Stefan Richardson, Senior VP of Business Operations at OTAVA, has a remarkable 16-year career in information technology. His areas of expertise encompass Healthcare IT, Managed Services, and Cloud Services. Stefan is a versatile asset to OTAVA, excelling in project management and technology strategy.

His commitment to process enhancement has been pivotal to OTAVA’s growth. Stefan’s adept problem-solving abilities have streamlined operations and cementing the company’s status as a leader in the IT industry.

Beyond his professional achievements, Stefan finds tranquility in nature. As an enthusiastic outdoorsman, he enjoys hunting and fishing, relishing nature’s challenges and rewards. Nonetheless, his greatest source of happiness is spending quality time with his family, creating cherished memories, and strengthening their bonds.

Justin Himebaugh

As Vice President of Finance, Justin leads OTAVA’s finance organization, overseeing financial planning and analysis, accounting, budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and strategic financial initiatives. He partners closely with our executive leadership team to support sound business decisions, operational excellence, and the company’s continued growth.

Justin brings more than 30 years of finance leadership experience across technology, professional services, and high-growth organizations. Most recently, he served as Director of Finance at Worksighted, where he transformed the finance function, strengthened financial operations, improved profitability and cash flow, and helped prepare the company for a successful acquisition. Throughout his career, he has been recognized for building scalable financial processes, driving continuous improvement, and partnering with leadership to achieve long-term business success.

Outside of his professional role, Justin has been an active member of the Institute of Management Accountants for many years and has participated in the Grand Rapids Chamber CFO Roundtable, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning and leadership within the finance community.

Ben Taghehchian

Ben isn’t new to the technology game. Since 1996 he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry: Sales, Support, Engineering, Consulting. You name it, and Ben’s probably done it. But his real passion for growing businesses stemmed from starting and selling one of his own, and has inspired him to lead other organizations to their revenue objectives. His track-record in tech includes building sales teams, channel programs, doubling and tripling revenue streams using effective strategies, and creating a culture of success.

As VP of Sales at OTAVA, Ben uses this wealth of experience to insightfully navigate our sales strategy toward its goals. Leading by example, Ben puts in the work and walks-the-walk every day, never missing an opportunity to share his knowledge with his colleagues. A coach, mentor, and all-around team player, Ben is the engine behind OTAVA’s accelerating growth and an invaluable asset to the team.

While scarce, in his free time Ben enjoys restoring old boats, cars, and trucks in his garage. His most recent project is restoring his Hummer H1. If he’s not tinkering around, Ben can likely be found on Austin’s Lake Travis fishing, waterskiing, or otherwise enjoying the water with his family. Ben lives in Austin, TX with his wife, two sons, and two dogs, Archie and Brownie.

Justin Keller

Bio Coming Soon!

Neil Solt

As Director of Sales at OTAVA, Neil Solt leads sales initiatives focused on helping organizations address complex cloud, security, infrastructure, and business continuity challenges. He works closely with customers, partners, and internal teams to develop technology strategies that align with business objectives while delivering exceptional customer experiences and long-term value.

Neil brings more than 18 years of technology sales leadership experience spanning cloud services, cybersecurity, digital transformation, SaaS, public sector, and enterprise technology solutions. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions across high-growth technology organizations, building and developing successful sales teams, driving revenue growth, strengthening customer retention, and helping organizations navigate evolving technology landscapes. Prior to joining OTAVA, Neil held sales leadership roles with organizations including Granicus, Oxygen Forensics, Atos, and other technology-focused companies, where he led strategic growth initiatives across commercial, enterprise, and public sector markets.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Neil is actively involved in his community and several professional organizations. He has served with InfraGard and HTCIA, participated in emergency preparedness and community response initiatives, and contributed to local education and youth programs such as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as well as USA Climbing. His commitment to service and leadership reflects his passion for building strong teams, supporting the community, and fostering continuous growth both professionally and personally.

Frank Arnett

Frank Arnett is the Director of MSP & Strategic Growth at OTAVA, a provider of secure, compliant, multi-cloud solutions and data protection. With more than 20 years of experience, Frank is a channel expert committed to operational leadership and strategic growth.

Michael Caldwell

Bio Coming Soon!

Christy O’Neil

Christy O’Neil is the National Director of Channel at OTAVA, bringing nearly a decade of channel leadership experience and a strong record of building high-performing partner ecosystems. With a background in the investment industry and entrepreneurship, she combines strategic insight with a collaborative leadership style to drive growth and transformation.

Here at OTAVA, Christy leads initiatives that empower channel partners through education, tools, and engagement strategies designed to improve productivity and reduce business risk. She is known for her relationship-first approach and her belief that people do business with people they like and trust.

Ioana Banciu

Ioana is very passionate about psychology, and comfortable in building human relations and providing professional mentoring and guidance to people around her. Inspired by human relationships, she believes continuous development and learning always drive personal and professional success. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology,  from Cluj – Napoca – Romania and has an international Train the Trainers certificate.

Over the past 15 years of her professional experience, she has acted in a few different strategic Human Resources roles, providing leadership guidance. Ioana helps drive business growth at OTAVA in the international and US markets through her Human Resources strategies and recruitment processes.

Ioana is always looking to add a valuable impact in the people and culture at OTAVA. She is passionate about exploring new cultures and diverse human approaches to life, hence her extensive traveling around the globe. She is dedicated to her family and always looking to enjoy good time with friends – especially at live music events!

Steve Parlee

Steve has been in the Information Technology business for over 24 years. He started his IT career staffing the help desk, working for a small regional Citrix reseller, and moved up to the Director of Engineering. Later, he served as the Chief Technology Officer for a mid-size accounting software service provider in Seattle, Washington.

For the last four years, Steve has contributed to OTAVA®, leading different teams, including the Manager of Service Integrity, Director of Network Operations and Security, and he now serves OTAVA as the Chief Information Security Officer.

When he is away from work, Steve is a full-time traveler living with his wife, Jackie, in a forty-foot RV. Over the last three years, “on the road,” they have circled the country and plan to start the next loop in 2024. Steve likes to say, “Home is wherever I park it for the night.”

As he travels, Steve enjoys fly fishing, and while he graduated from Portland State University in Oregon, he remains a loyal Oregon Ducks fan.