FEDERAL FACULTY & STAFF
DERO ARD, Coming Soon!
LOGAN BOCCARD, Sixth Grade Math Procedures Teacher, is from Broomfield, Colorado. He graduated with honors from Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. While in college, he played soccer and ran track. He spent two years at West Denver Prep as a Teach for America corps member. Now in his third year of teaching, Mr. Boccard continues to be eager to pass on his enthusiasm for education and math to his students. lboccard@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 313.
KRISTIE BURKE, Sixth Grade Reading Teacher, hails from Chicago, Illinois. She attended Western State College in Gunnison and received her B.A. in History from Northeastern Illinois University. Mrs. Burke loves all things outdoors and especially enjoys camping with her family and two dogs. Burke plans to keep her Midwest roots by showing off her love of the Blackhawks, Bears and all things Illini. She is excited to see her sixth graders transform into lifelong readers and hopes her love of learning is contagious. kburke@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017.
VICTOR CHAVIRA, Office Manager.
vchavira@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 300.
KACI COATS, Special Education Teacher, received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR, but prior to that spent most of her life in Namibia, Southwest Africa with her missionary family. She became a licensed Special Education Teacher in 2007 while working in youth corrections at the Betty Marler Youth Services Center. In her four years of working there, she developed a desire for all students to develop a love of learning and belief that they were capable of achieving educational success despite their previous school experiences. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her two sons. kcoats@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 327.
ALICE DOMINGUEZ, Seventh Grade Writing Teacher, graduated from Indiana University in 2007 with a B.S. in Language Arts Education. While there, she hosted a radio show and edited a creative arts magazine. After graduating, she moved to Las Vegas to teach eighth grade English, where she launched a weekend writing class and piloted her school’s inclusion program. In her free time, she can be found lurking around a bookstore, listening to NPR, or perfecting her morning cup of coffee. adominguez@westdenverprep.org; 303-573-2017 x 311.
CHRISTOPHER L. DOWDEN, Director of Student Life, is returning to WDP for his fourth year. He is a father of three and is a current resident of the Westwood neighborhood. Mr. Dowden has spent the majority of his life in the Denver metro area including graduating from Metro State with a BA in Political Science. He is a lifelong student and practitioner of community based action and currently engages in that wayof life by working as an administrator at WDP. cdowden@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 306.
LEE ESCHENROEDER, Seventh Grade Life Science Teacher, is from central Virginia, where he grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville having studied Biology and Philosophy. Upon graduation, Mr. Eschenroeder joined Teach for America and moved to Denver, Colorado. He is tremendously excited to share his love of science and the understanding of the world that it brings with his students at West Denver Prep. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Eschenroeder enjoys any amount of time spent outside, on his bike, or exploring new areas in Denver and Colorado. leschenroeder@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 333.
AIR GALLEGOS, Seventh Grade Reading Teacher.
agallegos@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 328.
PAUL GARCIA, Program Manager.
pgarcia@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 317.
JUAN PEDRO GARDUÑO, Eighth Grade Algebra Teacher, was born in Mexico City and holds both Mexican and US citizenships. He earned his Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from Tecnologico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He taught High School Mathematics for 18 years at the Centro de Aprendizaje y Desarrollo and Tec de Monterrey, Campus Cuernavaca in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. Mr. Garduño enjoys spending time with his wife, son, daughter and mini Dachshund dog, riding his bike and playing puzzle based video games. jpgarduno@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017.
GEORGE GILLETT, Sixth Grade World Studies Teacher.
ggillett@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 319.
LUPE GUTIERREZ, After School Student Support Coordinator, graduated from the University of Denver in 2011 with a BA in Communication and a second BA in Spanish.While there, she took part in a many campus groups including the Volunteers in Partnership program, the Latino Student Alliance and Pi Lambda Chi Latina Sorority, Inc. She does any volunteer work she can get her hands on because just like education, she too has a love for community service and being able to give back. She's been raised in denver her entire life after moving from Los Angeles thus enjoys any outdoor activity. Other than that, she can be found doing just about anything in the city but her favorite thing to do is trying out new dessert recipes and spending time with friends. lgutierrez@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017.
KATIE HOLZ-RUSSELL, Principal, is an alumnus of the Teach for America program. She is a veteran educator having taught middle school in The Mississippi Delta as well as in Denver, Colorado. She has also served as the Education Director for Breakthrough Kent Denver and as a member of the Upper School Faculty at Kent Denver School. Ms. Holz-Russell graduated with Honors from Knox College with a B.A. in English Literature and holds a Master of Education degree from Regis University. kholzrussell@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 309.
JESSICA HOUGH, Sixth Grade Reading Teacher, hails from Chicago, Illinois. She graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Boston College and is a current Teach for America corps member. Along with her TFA teammates, Ms. Hough has clenched the title for Denver Kickball Champions. She enjoys creating a love for reading in her classroom and is excited to see how her sixth grade students grow! jhough@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 332.
LIBBY MILLER, Eighth Grade Writing Teacher, is from a small town in northern New York State. After graduating from Bowdoin College with a degree in Sociology and Music, Ms. Nells joined Teach For America and taught high school special education in St. Louis, Missouri for two years. Ms. Nells earned her master of social work at Washington University in St. Louis, and while attending graduate school coordinated public service programs for the Gephardt Institute for Public Service. She is passionate about civic engagement, live music, and running, and has been known to write narratives about her dog, Artie, in eighth grade classrooms. lmiller@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 314.
CAROL NOLLSCH, Special Education Teacher, is originally from Los Angeles, California. The Denver area has been her home since her move to Colorado. She has a B.A. in Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, from California State University at Los Angeles. She taught deaf children in Los Angeles for five years and retired from Denver Public Schools as a special education teacher of students with mild/moderate disabilities where she spent the majority of her teaching years at the middle school level. She is thrilled to be back at WDP for her second year. She has a passion for reading and outdoor activities such as skiing and golf. cnollsch@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 327.
JESSICA NUNN, Data and Intervention Specialist, is from the suburbs of Detroit,
MI. She earned a B.S.E in Chemical Engineering from the University of
Michigan, expanding her knowledge and perspectives on the world. Ms. Nunn
feels compelled to positively impact education inequalities and inspire
students to strive for college. In addition to her passions in math and
science, Ms. Nunn enjoys hiking, spending time with her family, and
cheering for the Michigan Wolverines. jnunn@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 327.
LESLIE PARKER, Sixth Grade Math Problem Solving teacher, has recently moved to Denver from Baltimore, MD, where she taught upper elementary for three years. Following teaching, she joined the development staff for Teach For America – Baltimore. Mrs. Parker earned her business degree at the University of New Mexico in her hometown of Albuquerque and later received her Masters of Arts in Teaching at Johns Hopkins University. Mrs. Parker is excited to return to the classroom and make Denver home. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Jordan, and their dog, exploring the outdoors of Colorado. lparker@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 315.
BRYAN POPE, Seventh Grade Pre-Algebra Teacher, is from Saint Louis, MO. He is a second yearTeach for America corps member and strongly believes in the organization's mission to end educational inequality. Mr. Pope has a B.B.A. in Finance from THE University of Texas, where he spent his time working to bring influential speakers to campus and filing income tax returns for low-income residents in Austin. Mr. Pope also enjoys skiing, reading and watching college and professional sports (Hook ‘em Horns!). bpope@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 302.
JESSICA SAVAGE, Sixth Grade Science Teacher.
jsavage@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 318.
ALICIA SCHAEFER, Seventh Grade Reading Teacher, graduated from The University of Oregon with a B.A. in International Studies and Spanish. After she graduated, she journeyed down to Phoenix to join the Teach For America corps and taught both 7th and 8th grade. While there, Ms. Schaefer earned her Masters of Education with Arizona State University. She is ecstatic to be involved in the West Denver Prep community and the united movement for preparing our students for college. Outside of our community, she enjoys biking, hiking, skiing, and traveling. aschaefer@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 320.
RILEY STOUFFER, Eighth Grade Science Teacher. Ms. Stouffer graduated from Cornell University in 2010 with a degree in Animal Science and a minor in Agribusiness Management. She then went on to earn her Masters of Education from Stanford University. Ms. Stouffer spends her free time playing with her many pets, reading good books, and running in the beautiful Colorado weather, but never before the necessary dose of caffeine for the day. rstouffer@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 316.
WENDI SUSSMAN, Special Education Teacher.
wsussman@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 327.
REBECCA UTTON, Assistant Principal and Principal-in-Training, was born in Durango, Colorado, but grew up in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended college in New York City at Barnard College, and also she has a Master in Education from Pace University and a Master in School Leadership from Harvard University. She taught seventh grade science for five years in Brooklyn, New York including two years as a Teach for America corps member. When she is not thinking about teaching and learning, she enjoys running, swimming, and cooking. Her favorite book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. rutton@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 310.
EILEEN WEBSTER, Eighth Grade World Studies Teacher. Before joining the West Denver Prep faculty in July 2010, Eileen Webster served the Development Director and Program Manager for a startup school in Wilmington, Delaware, called Serviam Girls Academy. After her experience at SGA, she applied and was accepted into Teach for America’s 2010 Corps. As a teacher, Ms. Webster wanted to gain experience in a high performing charter school setting. Prior to being involved in education, Ms. Webster worked as a legal advocate for adults with disabilities at Community Legal Aid in Wilmington, Delaware from 2006 to 2008. Directly after college, she spent one year in Mexico City at a group home for homeless teenage girls. She is excited to learn from the amazing systems that WDP has in place and apply the experience she has gained to further the mission of the school. ewebster@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 334.
BRANDON KIRK WILLIAMS, Seventh Grade World StudiesTeacher. Hailing from outside of Chicago, Brandon is a second year Teach For America corps member. He studied intensive intermediate Arabic at the American University of Cairo during summer 2011 and plans to return next year to sharpen his Arabic skills. He graduated with a BA in history from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and has an MA and PhD coursework in history from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was assistant editor at Diplomatic History and published an article on a Denver-based transnational labor organization. He's excited to lead World Studies classrooms at the Federal campus and hopes to push children to continually form their identities and sense of place in time through the critical study of history. bwilliams@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 325.
MIMI WILLOUGHBY, Eighth Grade Reading Teacher, was born in Denver, grew up in Pennsylvania, and has been back in Denver for the past 8 years. She is a proud University of Pittsburgh alum with a B.A. in Rhetorical Communication and a study abroad experience in Australia. After working for radio and television, she received her MA in Secondary Education in English Instruction from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Along with her work and studies, Mrs. Willoughby has a love for traveling, family, reading, writing, and athletics. She is enthusiastic about West Denver Prep and is thrilled about her students. mwilloughby@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 323.
HANNAH WRIGHT, Sixth Grade Writing Teacher. Ms. Wright grew up in South Londonderry Vermont. She recently graduated from graduated from University of California at Santa Barbara with a degree in psychology and emphasis in environmental studies. She is a current 2011 Teach For America corps members. She is thrilled to be working with the West Denver Prep team and teaching 6th grade writing. She enjoys a medley of activities including, spoken word performing, skate-sailing, snowboarding, and salad concocting. hwright@westdenverprep.org, 303-573-2017 x 362.
