Our Team
Stephen Brown
Founder & CEO | Brown Development Group
For more than 30 years, Stephen Brown has built some of Colorado’s finest custom homes, combining thoughtful design, exceptional craftsmanship, and hands-on project management to create homes that stand the test of time.
Since founding Brown Development Group in 1994, Stephen has developed a deep understanding of Colorado’s Front Range—particularly Boulder and Denver’s most established neighborhoods. His work includes highly customized residences reflecting a wide range of architectural styles, from traditional and timeless to contemporary and modern.
Stephen brings a builder’s perspective to every project, working closely with architects, designers, craftsmen, and homeowners from the earliest stages of planning through construction and final completion. His approach is centered on quality, attention to detail, integrity, and a commitment to doing things the right way.
Experience & Expertise
30+ years of experience building fine custom homes throughout Colorado's Front Range
Extensive experience in Boulder and Denver, including the Hilltop and Crestmoor neighborhoods
Expertise across a wide range of architectural styles, construction methods, and interior finishes
Hands-on experience managing complex, high-end residential projects from concept through completion
Strong relationships with leading architects, designers, subcontractors, craftsmen, and local professionals
Deep knowledge of Colorado's construction environment, permitting, development, and building processes
Experienced in both speculative and custom contract residential construction Licensed and insured
A Colorado Builder
Stephen's career has been built around a simple philosophy: build it right, build it to last, and stand behind the work.
After more than three decades in the business, Brown Development Group remains focused on delivering highly personalized homes with an uncompromising commitment to quality. Every project is approached individually, with an emphasis on craftsmanship, communication, and creating a finished home that exceeds expectations.
Joe Nelson
Lead Project Manager
Joe Nelson brings more than 30 years of hands-on construction experience to his role as Project Manager at Brown Development Group. Joe has worked alongside Stephen Brown since 2009, creating a long-standing partnership built on trust, experience, and a shared commitment to building exceptional homes. His career has been built from the ground up—literally—and that experience gives Joe a unique understanding of what it takes to turn an architectural vision into an exceptionally built home.
Joe began his career in South Denver framing custom homes while attending Barnes Business College at night. Those early years gave him a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, structural integrity, and the importance of getting the details right from the very beginning. Over the decades, he has developed extensive experience across every phase of residential construction and holds both Class A and Class C contractor licenses.
At Brown Development Group, Joe is involved in the day-to-day execution of each project, working closely with architects, engineers, designers, subcontractors, and homeowners. He has the technical knowledge to understand the complexities behind a sophisticated custom home, but just as important is his ability to communicate clearly, anticipate challenges, and keep everyone moving toward the same goal.
Joe believes that successful construction is built on relationships and accountability. He takes personal ownership of his projects and understands that building a custom home requires hundreds of decisions, countless details, and constant coordination. His steady presence in the field helps ensure that those details are handled properly while maintaining the quality, schedule, and budget expected on every Brown Development Group home.
After three decades in the industry, Joe still enjoys the process of watching a home take shape—from the first days on site through the final details before a homeowner walks through the door. His combination of hands-on building experience, technical expertise, communication, and commitment to craftsmanship makes him an integral part of the Brown Development Group team.
For Joe, the goal is simple: build it right, communicate throughout the process, and deliver a home everyone involved can be proud of.
Ben Romero
Project Manager
Ben Romero brings more than 25 years of residential construction experience to his role as Project Manager at Brown Development Group. With a career rooted in high-end residential electrical construction and custom homebuilding, Ben combines extensive hands-on knowledge with one of his greatest strengths: his ability to work with people. Clients appreciate his approachable personality, clear communication, and genuine commitment to making the building process a positive experience.
Ben spent much of his career in residential electrical construction, with nearly half of that time focused specifically on new custom homes. Working throughout Denver, particularly in Hilltop, Crestmoor, and Cherry Creek gave him extensive experience with the complexity, level of detail, and high expectations that come with sophisticated residential construction. It also gave him a deep appreciation for the neighborhoods and communities where Brown Development Group builds many of its homes.
Ben’s interest in construction has always extended well beyond a single trade. He enjoys understanding how all the pieces of a home come together and being involved from the earliest stages of construction through completion. That passion ultimately led him to expand into general contracting five years ago. Today, Ben is a Class C licensed general contractor, bringing decades of field experience and trade knowledge to the management of an entire project.
At Brown Development Group, Ben works closely with homeowners, architects, designers, engineers, subcontractors, and vendors throughout the construction process. His technical background allows him to understand the details behind a complex custom home, while his ability to communicate and build strong relationships helps keep the many people involved in a project working together toward the same vision.
Ben is particularly well suited to the collaborative nature of custom homebuilding. He takes the time to understand what clients are trying to accomplish, communicates openly throughout the process, and works closely with the entire project team to solve problems and keep construction moving forward. His calm, personable approach has made him a trusted resource for clients and an important connection between the homeowner, design team, trades, and Brown Development Group.
After more than 25 years in residential construction, Ben still enjoys seeing a home evolve from plans and ideas into a finished residence. His combination of construction knowledge, attention to detail, communication skills, and natural ability to connect with people makes him an integral part of the Brown Development Group team.
Ben’s goal with every project is simple: to deliver a beautifully built home that reflects the client’s vision and meets the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. After 25 years in the construction industry, he still finds the greatest satisfaction in seeing a project come together and handing the keys to a client knowing that he was involved in bringing their vision to life.
Trisha Cohen
Interior Design | Principal, Trish Cohen Design
Trisha Cohen brings more than 25 years of interior design experience to Brown Development Group and plays an important role in helping us create homes that are as thoughtful on the inside as they are architecturally distinctive on the outside. As Principal of Trish Cohen Design, Trisha works closely with Brown Development Group, our clients, architects, and construction team throughout the design and building process.
A graduate of Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Trisha grew up surrounded by architecture and design. She spent a decade specializing in kitchen and bath design before establishing her independent practice, giving her an exceptional understanding of both the creative and technical sides of luxury residential design.
At Brown Development Group, Trisha helps guide everything from space planning and cabinetry to materials, finishes, fixtures, lighting, and furnishings. Her ability to understand a client's vision and translate it into a cohesive, highly personalized home makes her a natural extension of the Brown Development Group team.
Trisha's design perspective is also influenced by her love of travel, architecture, and different cultures. She brings those experiences back to her work, creating interiors that feel sophisticated and current while remaining comfortable, functional, and personal to the families who live in them.
Micah D’Hondt
Design Associate | Trish Cohen Design
Micah D’Hondt brings a unique combination of creativity, organization, and attention to detail to the Brown Development Group design process. As a Design Associate with Trish Cohen Design, Micah works closely with Trisha, Brown Development Group, our clients, and construction team to help carry each home's design vision from concept through completion.
A graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in Marketing, Micah began her career planning architecture and design events for a leading office furniture manufacturer. The experience strengthened her skills in organization, logistics, and project coordination while also sparking her interest in the world of design. She later spent several years in the medical software industry before starting her own event planning business, which she successfully operated for nearly 20 years.
In recent years, Micah has brought that experience and creative energy into residential design. Her background in event planning translates naturally to the custom home process, where countless details, decisions, schedules, and people must come together seamlessly. Working alongside Trisha, Micah assists with materials, finishes, furnishings, selections, and the many details that give each Brown Development Group home its individual character.
Micah approaches every project with a simple goal: make it perfect for the client. She understands that a custom home should not only look beautiful, but should reflect the people who live there and the way they live.
Outside of design, Micah enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, cooking, entertaining friends, staying active, and walking her dogs. A homebody at heart, her appreciation for family, friends, food, and home is a natural extension of the warmth and personality she brings to every project.
Rachel Walker
Senior Vice President, Commercial Lending — Bank of Colorado
Banking & Financial Partner — Brown Development Group
Rachel Walker has worked side by side with Stephen Brown and Brown Development Group for more than a decade and is considered an integral part of the Brown Development Group team.
When a Brown Development Group client needs construction financing, Rachel is our go-to banking partner. Over the years, she has worked directly with our clients to help navigate the construction lending process from the early planning stages through completion of their homes. The relationship and level of trust have been exceptional, every BDG client we have referred to Rachel for construction financing has chosen to work with her.
Rachel understands the custom homebuilding business, the complexities of construction lending, and, just as importantly, how Brown Development Group operates. Her experience, responsiveness, and ability to work collaboratively with our clients and project team have made her a valuable part of the building process.
Originally from Fort Worth, Texas, Rachel moved to Colorado after graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 2002 with a degree in Finance. She joined Bank of Colorado in 2013 and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending. She specializes in commercial and residential real estate lending as well as working capital loans.
Rachel has built her career around developing long-standing relationships and helping her clients successfully meet their banking and financing needs. That philosophy closely aligns with the way we approach our relationships at Brown Development Group.
After more than ten years of working together, we don't simply consider Rachel our banker. We consider her a trusted advisor, a partner, and part of the Brown Development Group team.
