Meet the Team

THE PROFESSIONAL LEARNING TEAM

Jennifer Sheldon

Executive Director - Professional Learning

Jenn Sheldon is honored to serve as the Director of Professional Learning in Aurora Public Schools as this school district focuses on fulfilling the mission and vision that has been set. Jennifer has been in this role for almost six years. Prior to being at APS, she served as a school leader for seven years with most of her career being in Northern Colorado. She also served as an instructional coach, district RTI/MTSS specialist, and elementary teacher. Mrs. Sheldon states, "Our goal is to provide high-quality professional learning opportunities that will result in building the capacity of educators and leaders." She is truly passionate about the work she does and is always eager to connect. One of her main goals is to make sure that the work her team is doing is serving this collection of amazingly talented staff in the best manner possible. While she enjoys all aspects of her job her true inspiration and energy comes from watching others develop to their full potential. Most importantly, Jenni looks forward to each school year being filled with learning and fun!!!

Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Director - Professional Learning

Liz is thrilled to serve as the Director of Professional Learning. Liz has worn many "hats" in Aurora including Lead Coach and Professional Learning Coordinator. Prior to those experiences, she was a coach, PLC facilitator, and classroom teacher in multiple districts including Durham Public Schools (North Carolina), Cherry Creek School District (Colorado), and MSD of Wayne Township (Indiana). Her advocacy for educators and students has also included work as a Policy Fellow at Teach Plus Colorado, engaging with state legislators on education policy and funding. She has also represented APS multiple times at the Learning Forward National Conference, sharing insights on using human-centered design to solve challenges in public education.With a Master's in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver and an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University, Liz combines academic rigor with practical experience. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three little boys.

Mary Kelly

Instructional Coach

Mary Kelly is an Instructional Coach supporting P8 schools in the Northeast Region of Aurora Public Schools. Through her experiences in education, Mary has served as a teacher, teacher educator, instructional coach, and college professor, and has worked in countless programs and in multiple countries. Mary is passionate about anti-oppressive teaching and teacher education, and her experiences in urban, suburban, and international schools have inspired her to constantly consider ways to create humanizing and equitable education for both teachers and students alike. Mary earned her Ph.D. in Literacy Studies and Research on Teaching and Teacher Education in May 2018, encouraging her to consider literacy as a framework for equity. Following this passion, Mary joined APS as a member of the Professional Learning Team within the Division of Equity in Learning in July 2020. She is inspired by the opportunity to work alongside educators across the district in supporting the practices and tools necessary to create and sustain equitable and educative learning environments.

Daphne Stephens

Instructional Coach

Having over 20 years of classroom experience in grades 6th-8th, Daphne is beyond excited to join the Professional Learning Team as a lead coach! Prior to joining the PL Team, Daphne was a Teacher Partner at North Middle School before accepting the same position at South Middle School in the 2018-2019 school year. Daphne earned her BS in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English from the University of Northern Colorado. She also holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Denver in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. With a goal of supporting the creation of equitable, inclusive spaces for students and staff, Daphne is inspired by her amazing colleagues in APS who push her practice on a daily basis. In her spare time, Daphne enjoys reading, hiking, eating Ethiopian food and spending time with her family.

Lindsay King

Instructional Coach

Driven by a deep passion for strong and equitable public education, Lindsay King has spent her 14 year career in APS as a high school English teacher and Instructional Coach. Lindsay grew up in California and Ohio and received her BA in English and MA in Teaching from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. She is dedicated to empowering students, inspiring teachers, and innovating with leaders to dream of possibilities beyond what has been tried or understood in the past and is thrilled to continue serving APS as a Lead Instructional Coach.

Jeanette Simenson-Gurolnick

Instructional ToSA

I am returning to Aurora Public School after being an educational consultant for McREL and Thrively the past few years. I began my teaching career in Chicago Public Schools where I taught middle school ELA, Math, and Social Studies for 5 years. I moved into a technology coordinator role for 4 years and supported the district with digital assessment, professional development, and instructional design with technology. I then had the opportunity to work with the CPS - CS4ALL department in designing instructional integration with computer science in the K-12 environments. That gave me the experience to be an instructional innovation coach in Glenview District 34, where we focused on inquiry, classroom redesign, and STEM/Makerspace integration. My entire teaching career has allowed me the space to be innovative and to redesign some of the traditional systems in education. I am currently working on my doctorate in leadership with a focus on teacher retention and new teacher development. I am excited to bring this experience to the mentoring and induction program at Aurora Public Schools.

My husband and kids moved to Colorado from Chicago in 2019 and we are loving the outdoor lifestyle. Skiing, camping, playing tennis and padel, and concerts are a few of our favorite things to do. In my “free” time I enjoy watching my sons play sports, perform in plays, and play musical instruments. My daughter is getting her masters in social work and public policy at the University of Chicago and I am looking forward to the impact she will have on our youth.

Lourdes Gonzalez

Instructional Coach

Lourdes "Lou" Gonzalez started her educational career in the Recovery School District in New Orleans, Louisiana through Teach For America. Lou began her career as a classroom teacher and has taught in grades 2nd through 5th grade. She continued her career in curriculum writing, data management, and mentoring new teachers to the profession in two charter school networks. Once Lou moved to Denver, she began working in literacy intervention, instructional coaching, mentoring school instructional leaders, and teaching professional development units in Denver Public Schools. After 14 years in the education world, she has continued her passion for supporting students and educators as a Lead Instructional Coach for the Professional Development Department of Aurora Public Schools in 2023. With her focus on teacher retention and student outcomes, Lou is excited for the next chapter of her career in supporting educators and students in Aurora Public Schools.

Courtnie Wondras

Assistant - Executive Director of Professional Learning

Angelica Preciado

PLCC Administrative Clerk

Alba Martinez

Assistant - Director of Professional Learning