Our leadership team
With many years of experience in construction, business, and technology, here’s the team that’s leading the way at Forge.
Mark started and leads the Forge team. In 2010, fresh out of graduate school and having never had a job in the “real world,” he undertook his first entrepreneurial venture (or at least the first one that generated revenue): Intrepid. Bootstrapped from inception to exit, Intrepid used an apprentice-style training model to create one of the largest mobile development firms on the East Coast before selling to Accenture in 2017. Mark loves building companies and solving problems, but when he’s not doing that, you can find him cooking, running, playing chess, and thinking about how technology is going to change our lives. He is mission-driven, the father of three incredible kids, and wakes up every morning to build and power the next-generation trades worker.
Mark Kasdorf
Founder/CEO
Mark Kasdorf
Founder/CEO
Mark started and leads the Forge team. In 2010, fresh out of graduate school and having never had a job in the “real world,” he undertook his first entrepreneurial venture (or at least the first one that generated revenue): Intrepid. Bootstrapped from inception to exit, Intrepid used an apprentice-style training model to create one of the largest mobile development firms on the East Coast before selling to Accenture in 2017. Mark loves building companies and solving problems, but when he’s not doing that, you can find him cooking, running, playing chess, and thinking about how technology is going to change our lives. He is mission-driven, the father of three incredible kids, and wakes up every morning to build and power the next-generation trades worker.
Benn leads the team that designs, builds, tests, and deploys Forge’s augmented reality solutions, career visualization tools, and operations software. Prior to Forge, Benn was Head of Engineering for Accenture’s Digital Products Northeast org, where he managed a team of 80 mobile, web, and devops engineers building software products for brands like Northeastern University, MIT, Marriott, Saucony, and many more. Benn has over 20 years experience architecting and implementing software solutions in both small and large company environments, and he holds a Masters of Science in Engineering Management degree from Tufts University. Ben loves swing dancing, stage managing, and producing musicals. His favorites have been Lolanthe and Chess with the MIT Gilbert & Sullivan Players.
Benn Salter
Head of Technology
Benn Salter
Head of Technology
Benn leads the team that designs, builds, tests, and deploys Forge’s augmented reality solutions, career visualization tools, and operations software. Prior to Forge, Benn was Head of Engineering for Accenture’s Digital Products Northeast org, where he managed a team of 80 mobile, web, and devops engineers building software products for brands like Northeastern University, MIT, Marriott, Saucony, and many more. Benn has over 20 years experience architecting and implementing software solutions in both small and large company environments, and he holds a Masters of Science in Engineering Management degree from Tufts University. Ben loves swing dancing, stage managing, and producing musicals. His favorites have been Lolanthe and Chess with the MIT Gilbert & Sullivan Players.
Brendan leads External Affairs at Forge, including communications, government relations, and stakeholder engagement. He spent over a decade working in government and politics, serving as Chief of Staff to former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. After his time in government, Brendan was the founding Executive Director of HubWeek, a civic partnership founded by Harvard, MIT, Mass General Hospital, and The Boston Globe. Prior to Forge, Brendan had a Fellowship at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and still serves as a board member for the Climate Beacon Initiative. He has also worked extensively as a communications strategist and advisor to CEOs, elected officials, and startups, with a focus on the intersection of public policy, private investment, and scalable business solutions.
Brendan Ryan
Head of External Affairs
Brendan Ryan
Head of External Affairs
Brendan leads External Affairs at Forge, including communications, government relations, and stakeholder engagement. He spent over a decade working in government and politics, serving as Chief of Staff to former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. After his time in government, Brendan was the founding Executive Director of HubWeek, a civic partnership founded by Harvard, MIT, Mass General Hospital, and The Boston Globe. Prior to Forge, Brendan had a Fellowship at the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and still serves as a board member for the Climate Beacon Initiative. He has also worked extensively as a communications strategist and advisor to CEOs, elected officials, and startups, with a focus on the intersection of public policy, private investment, and scalable business solutions.
Growing up in a multi-generational family of woodworkers and builders, Christof learned all about lumber and building at work in his father’s sawmill. He drew on that experience to create the Forge Apprentice Program, which he now heads as program director and lead teacher. Christof earned a master of science in mathematics, discovered his love for teaching as a fellow at Boston College, and worked in the actuarial field for several years before returning to his woodworking roots. (Before joining Forge, he was a furniture and cabinet maker working out of Fort Point Cabinet Makers.) He enjoys hiking, biking, grilling, and walking the dog with his favorite people in the world—his family. He visits his extended family in South Africa every year.
Christof Franzsen
Head of Training
Christof Franzsen
Head of Training
Growing up in a multi-generational family of woodworkers and builders, Christof learned all about lumber and building at work in his father’s sawmill. He drew on that experience to create the Forge Apprentice Program, which he now heads as program director and lead teacher. Christof earned a master of science in mathematics, discovered his love for teaching as a fellow at Boston College, and worked in the actuarial field for several years before returning to his woodworking roots. (Before joining Forge, he was a furniture and cabinet maker working out of Fort Point Cabinet Makers.) He enjoys hiking, biking, grilling, and walking the dog with his favorite people in the world—his family. He visits his extended family in South Africa every year.
Mae is focused on building Forge’s people operations. As one of Forge’s original team members and a true “Jane of all trades,” Mae has had a hand in creating all of the core functions that we rely on today: finance, data, people operations, and more. Prior to Forge, she led the finance team at Intrepid and helped shepherd the company through its acquisition by Accenture in 2017. Her passion for building the next-generation trades worker was sparked as a child by watching her father’s work in construction. When she’s not in the office, you can find Mae outside, biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and wrangling her daughter and dogs.
Mae Deluca
Head of People Operations
Mae Deluca
Head of People Operations
Mae is focused on building Forge’s people operations. As one of Forge’s original team members and a true “Jane of all trades,” Mae has had a hand in creating all of the core functions that we rely on today: finance, data, people operations, and more. Prior to Forge, she led the finance team at Intrepid and helped shepherd the company through its acquisition by Accenture in 2017. Her passion for building the next-generation trades worker was sparked as a child by watching her father’s work in construction. When she’s not in the office, you can find Mae outside, biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and wrangling her daughter and dogs.
Olivia is our Forge Chief of Staff and wears many hats, including leading our marketing team. She brings with her experience from a wide range of Boston startups in media, construction, healthcare, digital marketplaces, and video. Her superpower is getting things done, and she loves building things from scratch — from brands to teams to plans. When she’s not at Forge, you might find her cooking an Alison Roman recipe, seeking interior design inspiration, or walking around the neighborhood with her husband trying to get their baby to take a nap.
Olivia Loycano
Chief of Staff
Olivia Loycano
Chief of Staff
Olivia is our Forge Chief of Staff and wears many hats, including leading our marketing team. She brings with her experience from a wide range of Boston startups in media, construction, healthcare, digital marketplaces, and video. Her superpower is getting things done, and she loves building things from scratch — from brands to teams to plans. When she’s not at Forge, you might find her cooking an Alison Roman recipe, seeking interior design inspiration, or walking around the neighborhood with her husband trying to get their baby to take a nap.
Scott leads the finance team at Forge. He focuses on collecting, analyzing, and reporting on crucial financial information to support and enable company growth. Prior to Forge, Scott served as CFO of two separate NASDAQ listed medical device companies. He’s led teams through consistent revenue growth and a successful acquisition. When he’s not in the office, Scott enjoys cooking, skiing and regular walks with his wife and two puppies. Once his son graduates from college, he hopes to pursue his dream of owning a classic muscle car.
Scott Areglado
Head of Finance
Scott Areglado
Head of Finance
Scott leads the finance team at Forge. He focuses on collecting, analyzing, and reporting on crucial financial information to support and enable company growth. Prior to Forge, Scott served as CFO of two separate NASDAQ listed medical device companies. He’s led teams through consistent revenue growth and a successful acquisition. When he’s not in the office, Scott enjoys cooking, skiing and regular walks with his wife and two puppies. Once his son graduates from college, he hopes to pursue his dream of owning a classic muscle car.
As the General Manager, Sean's focus is to run and grow our Boston business and enable our Boston team to do their best work. Sean spent over nine years as an officer in the United States Coast Guard, followed by a career in manufacturing and operations in the consumer electronic and electric vehicle industries. When he's not building high performing teams at Forge, Sean can be found spending time with his wife and two children, playing soccer, or fixing something around the house.
Sean Munnis
General Manager
Sean Munnis
General Manager
As the General Manager, Sean's focus is to run and grow our Boston business and enable our Boston team to do their best work. Sean spent over nine years as an officer in the United States Coast Guard, followed by a career in manufacturing and operations in the consumer electronic and electric vehicle industries. When he's not building high performing teams at Forge, Sean can be found spending time with his wife and two children, playing soccer, or fixing something around the house.
