Young Education Professionals-Colorado
Home
|
Leadership Team
The Executive Board
|
Shelby Edwards, Treasurer
Shelby is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in education policy at the University of Colorado Denver.
Recently, Shelby worked at the Donnell-Kay Foundation as the 2011-2012 Education Policy Research Fellow. During the fellowship, Shelby researched new models for alternative education/multiple pathways, public pension policy, school finance reform, and achievement goals for Denver Public Schools.
Outside of education policy, Shelby is frequently found slowly running around the city parks, crafting at home, studying at the coffee shop, or volunteering in her community.
Her background is in non-profits, having worked with the Americorps*VISTA program and for United Way of Hancock County in Ohio. She earned her BA from Bowling Green State University in Sociology and History.
Shelby is currently pursuing her Masters of Public Administration with an emphasis in education policy at the University of Colorado Denver.
Recently, Shelby worked at the Donnell-Kay Foundation as the 2011-2012 Education Policy Research Fellow. During the fellowship, Shelby researched new models for alternative education/multiple pathways, public pension policy, school finance reform, and achievement goals for Denver Public Schools.
Outside of education policy, Shelby is frequently found slowly running around the city parks, crafting at home, studying at the coffee shop, or volunteering in her community.
Her background is in non-profits, having worked with the Americorps*VISTA program and for United Way of Hancock County in Ohio. She earned her BA from Bowling Green State University in Sociology and History.
Tim Farmer, At-Large
Tim is the Membership Director of the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE), a state partner of the Association of American Educators.
Tim graduated from Louisiana State University, the first in his family to earn a college degree. After graduating, he taught 7th grade remedial reading at an urban Jacksonville, Florida school as a member of Teach for America. Wanting to have a bigger impact on the future of the education system, he became involved with Professional Educators Network of Florida -- a non-union professional association for teachers. He led an effort that resulted in membership in his region quadrupling from 70 to over 300 members in six months.
Tim is now leading a similar effort with PACE in Colorado. He is a vocal advocate for elevating the teaching profession, writing frequent op-eds and articles that have appeared in Education Next, Ed News Colorado, The James Madison Institute Journal, the Colorado Springs Gazette, as well as a number of other publications.
In addition to being PACE’s Membership Director, Tim is also working on his law degree as an evening student at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.
Tim is the Membership Director of the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE), a state partner of the Association of American Educators.
Tim graduated from Louisiana State University, the first in his family to earn a college degree. After graduating, he taught 7th grade remedial reading at an urban Jacksonville, Florida school as a member of Teach for America. Wanting to have a bigger impact on the future of the education system, he became involved with Professional Educators Network of Florida -- a non-union professional association for teachers. He led an effort that resulted in membership in his region quadrupling from 70 to over 300 members in six months.
Tim is now leading a similar effort with PACE in Colorado. He is a vocal advocate for elevating the teaching profession, writing frequent op-eds and articles that have appeared in Education Next, Ed News Colorado, The James Madison Institute Journal, the Colorado Springs Gazette, as well as a number of other publications.
In addition to being PACE’s Membership Director, Tim is also working on his law degree as an evening student at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law.
Hanna Nichols, Secretary
Hanna Nichols is Policy Analyst for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy organization focusing on K-12 education, early childhood issues, and child health.
She has background primarily in education policy, most recently working on the School Finance Partnership, a group convened by the Children’s Campaign. Prior to joining the Children’s Campaign, Hanna worked as an educator, teaching both in Colorado and abroad. The highlight of her career up to joining the Children’s Campaign included spending two years teaching English and Western Culture in Budapest, Hungary.
Hanna holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado-Denver and attained her BA in History and Political Science, along with a teaching certificate, from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Hanna Nichols is Policy Analyst for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, a nonprofit advocacy organization focusing on K-12 education, early childhood issues, and child health.
She has background primarily in education policy, most recently working on the School Finance Partnership, a group convened by the Children’s Campaign. Prior to joining the Children’s Campaign, Hanna worked as an educator, teaching both in Colorado and abroad. The highlight of her career up to joining the Children’s Campaign included spending two years teaching English and Western Culture in Budapest, Hungary.
Hanna holds a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado-Denver and attained her BA in History and Political Science, along with a teaching certificate, from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
Amanda Skrzypchak, At-Large
Amanda currently works at Teach For America, Colorado as a Manager of Special Projects on the Teacher Preparation Team. Amanda works to support the onboarding, development and preparations of Colorado's newest teachers.
She also served as the Donnell-Kay Foundation's first Education Policy Fellow, where She worked on a number of projects, including co-authoring a report “Blended Learning: Best of Both Worlds” and researching Denver Public Schools’ performance framework for multiple pathways schools.
Before moving to Colorado, Amanda was a Teach For America corps member, teaching 7th and 8th grade Math, Reading and Social Studies in the South Bronx. Amanda also spent time teaching Reading at KIPP Stand Academy in Minneapolis where she also served as the 5th grade level chair.
Amanda earned a Masters of Social Work degree in Community Leadership and Policy from the University of Denver. During her time at DU, Amanda worked with Denver Public Schools to increase the number of Gay Straight Alliances by over 120% in one school year. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Outside of education, Amanda loves to travel, go for bike rides, eat frozen yogurt and support Wisconsin sports teams. Amanda was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin.
Amanda currently works at Teach For America, Colorado as a Manager of Special Projects on the Teacher Preparation Team. Amanda works to support the onboarding, development and preparations of Colorado's newest teachers.
She also served as the Donnell-Kay Foundation's first Education Policy Fellow, where She worked on a number of projects, including co-authoring a report “Blended Learning: Best of Both Worlds” and researching Denver Public Schools’ performance framework for multiple pathways schools.
Before moving to Colorado, Amanda was a Teach For America corps member, teaching 7th and 8th grade Math, Reading and Social Studies in the South Bronx. Amanda also spent time teaching Reading at KIPP Stand Academy in Minneapolis where she also served as the 5th grade level chair.
Amanda earned a Masters of Social Work degree in Community Leadership and Policy from the University of Denver. During her time at DU, Amanda worked with Denver Public Schools to increase the number of Gay Straight Alliances by over 120% in one school year. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Pace University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Outside of education, Amanda loves to travel, go for bike rides, eat frozen yogurt and support Wisconsin sports teams. Amanda was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin.
Kristina Tabor Saccone, Co-Founder and Chair
Kristina Tabor Saccone is co-Founder and Chair of Young Education Professionals-Colorado. By day, she is a senior account executive for K-12 education at Communications Strategy Group, a Denver-based communications firm. Saccone has a decade of experience working in K-12 journalism and at education nonprofits, and now her clients include schools, education entrepreneurs and others in the for- and not-for-profit education market.
Previously, Saccone was the Director of Communications for The Donnell-Kay Foundation, a Denver-based nonprofit family foundation. There, she oversaw a website redesign, a logo overhaul, report writing, editing and design, event planning and a wide variety of other strategic communications projects. She also assisted the foundation’s partners with their communications efforts, including local and national non-profits, school districts and the state department of education. At the Foundation, she specialized in the topics of blended learning, the dropout crisis, innovative school models and entrepreneurship and school finance.
Originally a journalist, Saccone got her start at the PBS NewsHour, where she worked on the live nightly news program in Washington, DC, and with their roving producers based in Denver. When her career moved from public television to public radio, she began at Colorado Public Radio as a producer and reporter and continued as a daily beat reporter for Aspen Public Radio. At the local NPR stations, Saccone mainly covered the education beat, learning the ins and outs of the classroom, the work of teachers and administrators, as well as policy, funding and politics.
Saccone lives in Denver with her husband and two dogs. In her free time, she teaches and blogs about sewing. Saccone has a bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She was born and raised in the Washington, DC area.
Kristina Tabor Saccone is co-Founder and Chair of Young Education Professionals-Colorado. By day, she is a senior account executive for K-12 education at Communications Strategy Group, a Denver-based communications firm. Saccone has a decade of experience working in K-12 journalism and at education nonprofits, and now her clients include schools, education entrepreneurs and others in the for- and not-for-profit education market.
Previously, Saccone was the Director of Communications for The Donnell-Kay Foundation, a Denver-based nonprofit family foundation. There, she oversaw a website redesign, a logo overhaul, report writing, editing and design, event planning and a wide variety of other strategic communications projects. She also assisted the foundation’s partners with their communications efforts, including local and national non-profits, school districts and the state department of education. At the Foundation, she specialized in the topics of blended learning, the dropout crisis, innovative school models and entrepreneurship and school finance.
Originally a journalist, Saccone got her start at the PBS NewsHour, where she worked on the live nightly news program in Washington, DC, and with their roving producers based in Denver. When her career moved from public television to public radio, she began at Colorado Public Radio as a producer and reporter and continued as a daily beat reporter for Aspen Public Radio. At the local NPR stations, Saccone mainly covered the education beat, learning the ins and outs of the classroom, the work of teachers and administrators, as well as policy, funding and politics.
Saccone lives in Denver with her husband and two dogs. In her free time, she teaches and blogs about sewing. Saccone has a bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. She was born and raised in the Washington, DC area.
Jeremy Tarbutton, At-Large
Jeremy currently serves as a 7th grade math teacher at DSST: Green Valley Ranch Middle School and previously worked as the Staff Recruitment Coordinator for DSST Public Schools. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.B.A. in Marketing and later obtained his M. Ed. in Teaching from the University of Houston. After completing his undergraduate, Jeremy joined Teach For America-Houston where he taught grade 8 science for three years, served as science department chair, and coached basketball, track, and cross-country. While teaching in Houston, he was the recipient of the KBR Science Teacher of the Year award and was chosen as the Alternative Certification Program Intern of the Year.
Jeremy is a proud father of a 4 year old hound mix, and his interests include running and frequenting dog parks, experiencing the outdoors, live music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Jeremy currently serves as a 7th grade math teacher at DSST: Green Valley Ranch Middle School and previously worked as the Staff Recruitment Coordinator for DSST Public Schools. He graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.B.A. in Marketing and later obtained his M. Ed. in Teaching from the University of Houston. After completing his undergraduate, Jeremy joined Teach For America-Houston where he taught grade 8 science for three years, served as science department chair, and coached basketball, track, and cross-country. While teaching in Houston, he was the recipient of the KBR Science Teacher of the Year award and was chosen as the Alternative Certification Program Intern of the Year.
Jeremy is a proud father of a 4 year old hound mix, and his interests include running and frequenting dog parks, experiencing the outdoors, live music, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
