The Team Bios
Staff at Coal Creek RISE ILC
Megan Clayton, RISE Teacher (2023-Present)
The new RISE Special Education Teacher for Coal Creek August 2023. Bios coming soon.
Natalie Zisman, Speech Language Pathologist SLP (2019-Present)
2019-2020 was Natalie's first year at Coal Creek Elementary School. As a speech-language pathologist, she has worked with students ages birth-18 in the school setting. This is her fourth year working in an Autism Intensive Learning Center at BVSD.
While Natalie is on maternity leave, Marcie McNeil will be substituting in her place.
Nicole Porter, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (2023-Present)
A new Board Certified Behavior Analyst will be joining us for the 2023-2024 school year.
Becca Stenzel, MA, Occupational Therapist OTR/L (2019-Present)
Becca holds a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota and undergraduate degrees in Therapeutic Recreation and Outdoor Education from St. Cloud State University. She has been an Occupational Therapist in BVSD since 2014. She has experience working with people with a wide range of abilities in multiple settings including schools, hospitals, in-home care, camps, and provide hippotherapy in addition to working at BVSD. In her free time, she enjoys skiing, cooking, home remodeling projects, hiking, and enjoying all that Colorado has to offer.
Josh Kakes, School Psychologist (2023-Present)
A new psychologist will be joining us 2023-2024 school year. Bio coming soon.
Lauren Romanoff, Paraprofessional (2019-Present)
Lauren has been with us since RISE started at Coal Creek. She has been a preschool para educator with Boulder Valley School District since 2011 when she moved to Colorado. She is from Upstate NY and got her A.A.S. in Early Childhood Education and B.S. in Education and Psychology at Russell Sage College. What she is most excited about for this school year is to grow and learn with the RISE program at Coal Creek. In her spare time you will often find her on the trails with her dog Bella or volunteering at an animal sanctuary.
Stephanie Nevarez, Paraprofessional (2023-Present)
Coming soon...
Kimberly Heestand, Paraprofessional (2022-Present)
Kimberly is new this year, transferring from Centaurus High School and joined us for 2022-2023 school year. She has an incredible background that brings a wealth of knowledge to our school.
Kelly Lemon, Paraprofessional (2023-Present)
Coming soon...
Prior Coal Creek Staff 2022-23
Prior RISE Staff 2019-2023
Kudos to all of the amazing staff who worked in the Coal Creek RISE program prior to 2023.
Teacher: Michelle Eckrode
BCBAs: Grace Wayman, Stephanie Gregory, Jewel Sale, Amy Bachorz.
Psychologists: Demian Mesa-Hall, Suzi Hackett
Paraeducators: Michaela Wagner, Francesca Candela, Maggie Perkoff, Donna Ewing, Stacie Wagner, Liz Chriest, Cassidy Gillard, Carol Hughes
Michelle Eckrode, Prior RISE Teacher (2019-2023)
Hello! Michelle Eckrode was the RISE Intensive Learning Center Autism Spectrum program teacher from 2019-2023. For the 2023-2024 school year at Coal Creek Elementary, she is the Special Education Resource Teacher.
Thank you everyone for your time and support in the years I worked with your children! I am still in the building if the new teacher has any questions!