The Team

Austin Wright | Co-founder & CEO

  • Austin Wright is the Co-founder and CEO of MDKeller.

    Prior to MDKeller, he served as President and COO of a tech startup based in Texas and California. Preceding that, he was the Director of Advancement of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, which included the Kingdoms of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.

    He has advised Members of the United States Senate, House of Representatives, and other elected officials at the state and local level, served on many non-profit boards of directors, and acted as a confidential advisor to numerous public officials, business and religious leaders.

    Immediately following high school, he joined the United States Navy, serving as a Marine Basic Combat Skills Specialist (RP). He was recalled back to Active Duty in 2005 to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Some of his military awards and decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Award (Gold Star in lieu of four awards).

    He holds a Masters Degree in Philosophy from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and most recently completing a program of study at Pontificia Università della Santa Croce in Rome. He was a fellow with the Leonine Forum for the 2019-2020 inaugural Los Angeles cohort.

    Aside from his professional career, he spent nearly six years in seminary formation studying to be a Roman Catholic Priest.

    Some of his Philanthropic work includes serving on the board of Regina Caeli Academy, an accredited PK-12 Classical homeschool hybrid academy, located in cities across the United States; a member of the board of advisors of Carry your Cross, Boston, MA; and serving on the Junior Board of the Fairest Love Family Shrine, Los Angeles, CA.

Harrison Butker | Co-founder, President & COO

  • Harrison Butker is the Co-founder, President & COO of MDKeller. Founded in 2021, MDKeller is an American holding company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Kansas City, Missouri. The company's holdings include Shepherd’s, Clear Cut Brands, MDK Talent,, Madison Manufacturing, and MDK & Associates. Each company operates independently, but shares in the core mission of "shared values, shared success.”

    Aside from his entrepreneurial work, Mr. Butker is also the three-time Super Bowl Champion placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs and is one of the top kickers in the National Football League. A devout Catholic, he is married to his high school sweetheart and together they have three children.

    He supports many causes important to him and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Regina Caeli Academy, an accredited PK-12 Classical homeschool hybrid academy, located in cities across the United States. Butker is the current Honorary Chairman for the Dream Factory of Greater Kansas City, an organization dedicated to helping make dreams come true for critically or chronically ill children.

    Born and raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, Mr. Butker’s love of sports started at a young age when he began playing soccer as a center defender. While attending The Westminster Schools, he played football, basketball and soccer. He was a captain in all three sports and would break several records as the kicker on the football team and help lead the soccer team to three state championships.

    After a record breaking high school career Butker received a full scholarship to kick at The Georgia Institute of Technology. At Georgia Tech, he excelled academically in the number one Industrial Engineering program in the world, along with setting a number of school records on the football field, most notably, finishing his career as the all-time leading scorer in school history.

    Butker was selected 233rd overall by the Carolina Panthers in the NFL Draft. After Week 3 of the season, he would go on to be signed by the Kansas City Chiefs off of the Panthers practice squad. His NFL debut would happen during Monday Night Football on October 2, 2017, where he would kick the game-winning 43 yard field goal.

    
Having just finished his seventh season with the Chiefs, Butker set an NFL record for longest field goal in a Super Bowl at 57-yards in the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII. He finished the season with a nearly perfect record, only missing two field goals all season long.

    He was blessed to kick the game-winning field goal in the 2022 AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals and the game-winning field goal in Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles. Additionally he holds the Chiefs franchise and Arrowhead Stadium field goal record at 62 yards in his first game back after a four week absence due to an injury in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals in 2022.

    Butker is known for his God-given skills on the football field, but it is his Catholic Faith that brings him the most joy. He is an outspoken advocate for the Traditional Latin Mass, Pro-life causes, and being a man of virtue, to name a few. He has appeared on countless shows, podcasts, and articles speaking to being a man in a world that is becoming increasingly secular and absent of God. By grounding himself in his vocation as a husband and father, Mr. Butker has been able to use his platform to push others To The Heights.

Anthony Oliverio | Strategic Advisor

  • Anthony Oliverio is a Strategic Advisor at MDKeller, working on a variety of exciting projects including developing strategy, and driving growth by identifying new opportunities in the funeral industry.

    Anthony recently resigned from active duty after serving as an Infantry Officer in the Marine Corps for 9 years. During that time, he deployed to Africa and the Middle East, and has served in multiple leadership positions, leading Marines and Sailors in preparation for combat operations. His most recent assignment was serving as a faculty instructor at The Basic School and the Infantry Officer Course, the Marine Corps’ premier leadership academy. During this time, he trained and mentored over 1,000 Lieutenants in leadership, tactics, ethics, and operations. Following this tour, he was among the top Captains selected to attend resident professional military education, and subsequently selected for promotion to the rank of Major.

    Anthony is a graduate of Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C, and has returned to the area as an MBA candidate at the Darden School of Business. He will complete his executive MBA in May of 2024.

    Anthony is married to his high school sweetheart, Maddy, and they have four young children. He and his family are parishioners at St. Rita’s Parish in Alexandria, VA.

Russell Abdulla | Strategic Advisor

  • Russell Abdulla is a Strategic Advisor at MDKeller, working on a variety of exciting projects including real estate development.

David J. Murphy | Strategic Advisor

  • David Murphy is a Strategic Advisor at MDKeller, working closely with the co-founders on a variety of exciting projects.

    Additionally, Mr. Murphy is the Program Director for the Church Properties Initiative at the Fitzgerald Institute for Real Estate. Prior to his appointment, David co-founded QuoVadis Catholic, a non-profit that places young adult Catholic professionals in underutilized Church property. He has consulted parishes, dioceses, and Catholic schools on innovative real estate topics, and is also involved with a number of Catholic start ups.

    After graduating with a degree in Political Science and a minor in Theology, he served six years with the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot flying the MH-60S. Following his active duty service, he spent a year as a seminarian with the Congregation of Holy Cross and was a Visiting Scholar for the Fitzgerald Institute, focusing on Church Properties.

Daniel Ambuul | Senior Operations Specialist

  • Daniel Ambuul is the Senior Operations Specialist of MDKeller. In this role his portfolio includes: corporate communications, external relations, and operations.

    Mr. Ambuul studied Philosophy at Hillsdale College where he participated in the Collegiate Scholars Program. He is currently in his second year of law school at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. Mr. Ambuul is blessed with nine younger siblings who were raised in the Catholic faith alongside him. Pope John Paul II’s philosophy of personalism has defined the way that Mr. Ambuul strives to apply his Faith to a proe context.

    Mr. Ambuul serves on the board of his school’s Saint Thomas More Society and Federalist Society. He participated in the First Liberty Fellowship, Blackstone Legal Fellowship, and spent a summer studying John Henry Newman at the Russell Kirk Center. In his free time, he enjoys playing competitive pickleball and reading 19th century Russian Literature.

Harrison Butker, Sr. | Analyst

  • Harrison Butker, Sr., is a Financial Analyst at MDKeller. In this role, he is responsible for a variety of financial activities including forecasting, performing research and analysis, financial models, budgeting, assisting with financial planning, preparing reports, and assisting with M&A.

    Mr. Butker is married with two children and holds an MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School.

Zachary B. Morley | Senior Associate

  • Zachary Morley is a Senior Associate at MDKeller. In this capacity he oversees a number of areas, including the Corporate Leadership Program and the talent management portfolio at MDK Talent.

    Upon completing an economics degree at Saint Louis University, Mr. Morley was inducted into the John Jay Institute’s highly-esteemed fellowship program. Thereafter, he studied at the Heritage Foundation, where he learned under the tutelage of scholars at the cutting edge of their fields. He is currently attending law school at his alma mater.

    A cinephile and student athlete since childhood, Zach has had a lifelong obsession with entertainment media—both as a casual enjoyer of the arts and athleticism, and as a student of mass media’s impact on modern society. In an industry infamous for its many moral abuses, he desires nothing less than helping entertainers maximize their professional potential while remaining steadfast in their Virtues. He is married to his beloved wife Elizabeth, with whom he has a daughter.

Andrew Reasor | Advisor

  • Andrew Reasor is an Advisor at MDKeller. In this capacity he continues to assist in a variety of areas as needed.. He recently transitioned to the position of Accountant at RubinBrown LLP.

    Mr. Reasor studied Accounting and Theology at Benedictine College and is currently preparing for his CPA examinations. The Catholic faith has played a vital and irreplaceable role in his upbringing and development. Inspired profoundly by the writings of Pope St. John Paul II and St. Josemaría Escrivá, he aims to combine the faith and business in new and effective ways that are rooted in the Church's social teaching.

    At Benedictine College he was a part of the Gregorian Fellows Leadership Program, which combines intellectual and moral formation with practical leadership skills, and was a member of the Röpke-Wojtyła Fellowship, a political philosophy fellowship at the Catholic University of America.

    He has had a variety of experience not only in academia, but also in the financial sector, agriculture, and as a manager of people.

Board of Advisors

Alyson G. Barker, JD

COO, Biomimetek

  • Mrs. Alyson Barker is the Chief Operating Officer of Biomimetek, Inc.

    She is a a senior retail and consumer product company executive with a proven track record of assisting public and privately held companies to grow and operate their businesses while mitigating risk and maximizing shareholder value.

    Alyson’s career reflects demonstrated success in leading significant M&A deals, large-scale transformational initiatives at both public and private companies, including founder-led start-ups and industry disrupters, brand protection efforts and the implementation of risk mitigation strategies.

    Biomimetek, Inc., a biotechnology company that is changing the landscape of haircare through its patented K18-branded technology that reverses and repairs hair damage in just four minutes. As COO, Alyson oversees K18’s strategic initiatives, operations, innovation and new product development (including responsibility for its in-house scientists, partnerships and research initiatives with academic and industry scientists and oversight of clinical trials), human resources, regulatory, compliance, legal and corporate governance functions. K18 was recently recognized by Fast Company’s 2023 list of most innovative companies.

    Before joining K18, Alyson served as President of DB Holdings Shops LLC, the largest operator of Drybar-branded shops in the United States, with 90 of the nearly 150 shops in the chain. As President, Alyson was the most senior executive in the company and had responsibility for the operational performance of its 90 shops. Prior to that, Alyson served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer of Drybar Holdings LLC, with oversight and responsibility for the Company’s Technology, Operations, Human Resources, Legal, Construction, Real Estate, Business Development and Franchise teams. In her time with Drybar Holdings LLC, Alyson led a series of M&A transactions that resulted in the sale of the company’s Product division and franchise rights and helped grow the fleet from 45 to nearly 150 shops.

    Alyson has a rich background in all aspects of brand protection, intellectual property and digital technology, dating back to the start of her career as an intellectual property lawyer. This background has enabled Alyson to lead a number of strategic licensing and partnership initiatives in the U.S. and international markets as well as providing leadership to her company’s eCommerce and Digital teams in transforming website and mobile capabilities, launching an industry-leading customer data platform and integrating an in-house customer service team with an off-shore provider.

    Earlier in her career, Alyson was General Counsel at Lucky Brand Dungarees and General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for The Wet Seal, Inc. (WTSLA). Under Alyson’s leadership at Wet Seal, the National Law Journal recognized the company as the Southern California Law Department of the Year for Corporate Compliance. Alyson started her career as an intellectual property attorney, most recently at Jones Day.

    Alyson is also engaged in a number of faith-based and secular community and business initiatives, including serving as a member of the Board of Visitors for the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America, the Board of Regents for J Serra Catholic High School, and as a Director of 6XHoyas Ventures LLC (an entity focused on elevating the culture through secular and faith-based initiatives and investments that recognize the beauty of the person and the value of faith in society) and is a Board member of her Legatus Chapter.

Gellert Dornay

Director, Ceylon Bancorporation

  • Mr. Gellert Dornay serves as Director for Ceylon Bancorporation, Inc., assisting the Management Team in strategic direction and governance.

    Son of a Hungarian immigrant father and native Seattleite mother, Gellert Dornay was raised with 8 siblings and attended an independent Montessori preschool and grade school founded by his parents. Eager to maximize contribution, he was married, had attended three different universities, helped launch a boutique coffee roaster and welcomed their first child by the time he hit legal drinking age.

    Dornay helped Java Trading Co. bring specialty coffee to the masses on three continents over his 15 year tenure, leaving shortly after a private equity sale in 2006.

    As a practicing Catholic, Dornay developed a strong desire to promote human dignity through business, which led to co-founding Axia Home Loans in 2007. Homeownership contributes greatly to family and economic stability. Under Gellert’s leadership as CEO, Axia grew to fund over $1 billion annually, helping thousands of families become homeowners. Dornay is the only newcomer to successfully build a national mortgage bank during the Great Recession.

    In 2016, Axia became the first 100% employee owned mortgage bank. Just as owners take better care of homes and communities, so do the hundreds of employee owners at Axia who now participate in company ownership and contribute to a stronger and more just and equitable economy.

    Dornay continues the promotion of human flourishing through involvement on several nonprofit and for profit boards of entities focused on being forces for good in society. Some of these include: Life Legal Defense Foundation, Global Institute on Church Management, Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton, Nic Nac Naturals, Patmos Hosting, Portage Bank Holding Company, 1571 pb.

    Gellert and his wife Elizabeth were blessed with 11 children and recently fled Seattle, relocating to the right side of the mountains in Spokane (Eastern Washington).

Stephen D. Minnis, JD

President, Benedictine College

  • Mr. Stephen D. Minnis is the president of Benedictine College in Atchison, KS.

    A native of St. Joseph, MO, Mr. Minnis graduated from Benedictine College in 1982. He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Washburn University in 1985 and Master of Business Administration degree in 1993 from Baker University. He served as an Assistant District Attorney and as General Attorney, Director, regulatory policy at Spirit Corporation before becoming President of Benedictine College in 2004.

    Since 2004, Benedictine College has seen unprecedented growth. The enrollment has increased from 1,000 students to over 2,000. Benedictine has built 11 new residence hall buildings; six academic buildings; has built new or renovated every dorm room, classroom and athletic facility on campus; a Marian Grotto; opened a campus in Florence, Italy; began a nursing program, an engineering program, and an architecture program making it one of few liberal arts schools and Catholic Schools in America with engineering and architecture.

    During his presidency, Benedictine has for the first time been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best Colleges and recognized by the Cardinal Newman Society as one of the top 20 Catholic universities in America. Under his leadership, the college has launched the Thompson Center for Integrity in Finance and Economics, the John Paul II Fellows, the Center for Integral Ecology, and the Center for Beauty and Culture. Recently, Benedictine College announced a new vision to Transform Culture in America.

    Minnis was a contributing author to Inside the Mind: Achieving Success as a CEO (©2008 Thomson Reuters/Aspatore) and has given numerous talks on spirituality in the workplace and academic freedom to groups across America, including the Heritage Foundation, Legatus, and Catholic Charities. He was one of only five college presidents to be included on the Committee on Catholic Education Ex Corde Ecclesia Working Group in Baltimore in 2012 and he was invited by the Vatican to participate in the 2012 Pontificia Comisión Para América in Rome. In November of 2021, Caritas in Veritate (CiV) honored him as a distinguished leader in the international community and in the Church with the organization’s Papal Award.

    Minnis is married to Amy (Kohake), a 1984 graduate of Benedictine College. The couple has three children and four grandchildren.

Jesse Sullivan

Founder & CEO, Alter

  • Mr. Jesse Sullivan is the Founder and General Partner of Alter, a global tech venture capital firm. He founded Alter with a desire to use entrepreneurship to combat global poverty.

    Mr. Sullivan previously served on a counterinsurgency team in Helmand Afghanistan, where he advised US military and NATO strategy. After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, he advised the Haitian Ambassador and for the largest refugee camp. He realized that while charity and military solutions are necessary momentary bandaids to stop the bleeding, the only lasting solution is to create millions of jobs so mothers and fathers can provide for the basic needs of their children. We need compassion with real results.

    The core values in Jesse’s life are faith, family, and service. As a married father of 7, he a former Republican Candidate for Governor of Illinois. A member of the 2019 Presidential Leadership Scholars, he has a Masters in Global Governance from Oxford as well as an MBA from Stanford University.