ALL schools in the district are responsible for meeting the needs of identified gifted and talented students. Please view this document to find your school’s GT representative and contact info: Gifted and Talented Teacher/Point of Contact
Embedded Files
DPS Gifted and Talented Department
DPS Gifted and Talented Department
Phone: 720-423-2056
Email: giftedandtalented@dpsk12.org
Mailing Address: 1860 Lincoln St, 8th Floor, Denver, CO 80203
GT Central Team Leadership
GT Central Team Leadership
Dr. Jennifer Lemoine
Department Director
jennifer_lemoine@dpsk12.net
Dr. Jennifer Lemoine’s career in education spans over 20 years as an educator, leader, and advocate in schools with diverse populations. She brings her passion for the unique learning and social/emotional needs of gifted learners to the DPS team. Jennifer is a National Board Certified Teacher in Exceptional Needs, has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Supervision, holds endorsements in Gifted Education and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners, and recently completed her doctoral program at the University of Denver in Curriculum and Instruction: Gifted Leadership. Jennifer believes in educating the whole gifted child which includes both affective and academic needs with a lens on equity and inclusion. When not working with or advocating for gifted learners, Jennifer enjoys spending time adventuring with her family.
Dr. Meryl Faulkner
Senior Manager
meryl_faulkner@dpsk12.net
Dr. Meryl Faulkner is passionate about disrupting, dismantling, and redesigning systems and practices to ensure equity for gifted students in Denver Public Schools. Her main areas of advocacy are equitable Gifted identification practices, acceleration, GT teacher rights, and the early identification of gifted students. In 2020, she received her doctorate from the University of Denver in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in Gifted Education and a Gifted and Talented Director administrator’s license. Prior to working as a Senior Manager in the GT Department at DPS, she has held the role of GT Program Manager, GT Curriculum Specialist, GT Itinerant teacher and Regional Team Specialist, general education classroom teacher, paraprofessional, and custodian. Her volunteer work spans across several Gifted education organizations as she is the National Association for Gifted Children's Early Childhood Network Chair, a board member for the Colorado Academy for Educators of the Gifted, Talented, and Creative (CAEGTC), and is a Parent Director on the Governance Board at Stargate School for Gifted Children. Beyond the Gifted education world, she is an escape room enthusiast, gamer, and enjoys stargazing with her daughter.
Nathan Burt
GT Program Manager
nathan_burt@dpsk12.net
Nathan Burt holds a Masters degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Gifted and Talented Education from the University of Northern Colorado where he has taught courses as an adjunct professor in Gifted and Talented courses for Masters-level students. Nathan also holds an EdS in Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado and holds an administrative licensure as a Director of Gifted and Talented Education for the state of Colorado. He has been in education for 12 years, teaching for 8 of those years (with 4 of those years being in a Gifted and Talented classroom) and, most recently, serving as a Gifted and Talented Curriculum Specialist with Denver Public Schools.
Bertie Fiz
GT Program Manager
bertie_fiz@dpsk12.net
Roberta “Bertie” Fiz has been working for DPS for 17+ years. She served as a ELA-S 4th grade teacher, art teacher, librarian, GT teacher, the HGT program specialist at Morey Middle School, and, recently a High School Curriculum Specialist for the DPS Gifted and Talented Department. Bertie is passionate about encouraging all students in order that their academic, social and emotional needs are met. To her, this means promoting students’ self-awareness and building their self-advocacy skills. She has a Master’s in Special Education with an emphasis in Gifted Education from the University of Northern Colorado. Bertie is also the Communications Director for the CAEGTC. Away from the office, Bertie enjoys parenting teenagers, sewing, gardening, and traveling.
GT Central Team Staff
GT Central Team Staff
Brian Beard
GT Curriculum Specialist
brian_beard@dpsk12.net
Brian Beard has a Bachelor’s Degree in English with an emphasis in Secondary Teaching and a Master’s Degree in Special Education with an emphasis on Gifted Education from the University of Northern Colorado. He has 16 years in 6-12 English and Language Arts classrooms having taught several classes at each grade level. He loves time in the mountains with his family. He is also the current program chair for the Global Awareness Network for the National Association for Gifted Children.
Erin Brauer
GT Curriculum Specialist
erin_brauer@dpsk12.net
Erin Brauer has been in education for over 12 years and holds a Masters in Teaching with her Gifted and Talented endorsement. Her undergraduate degree is in Communication and English and she worked in nonprofit administration for 10 years before switching paths to become a middle school ELA teacher. After spending four years in Wisconsin, Erin spent years in both Cherry Creek and Jeffco school districts working with all levels of learners, including four years in a GT center middle school. Over the years in education, Erin has worked with district leadership teams to do strategic planning, curriculum development and alignment, as well as mentored other teachers, and implemented a talent pool process to bring more diversity to her gifted classroom and classrooms across the school. Erin is passionate about reading and writing and using ELA to learn about ourselves and the world around us. Outside of education, Erin loves yoga, reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with the best Westie named Yeti.
Tara Cilke
Operations Coordinator
tara_cilke@dpsk12.net
After earning her Master’s Degree in Business Psych with an emphasis in Organizational Learning, Performance and Change, and working for the last 15+ years in HR Organizational Development/Employee Relations, Tara decided she needed a change of pace. While she had a brief dalliance in filmmaking, she ultimately decided she wanted to try her hand in the ever exciting realm of education. When she's not trying to bring smiles to her co-workers' faces with office humor, patiently listening to families, finding answers to the unanswerable, or trying to locate that one sticky note of many that states the meaning of life (where did I put that?)...Tara enjoys photography, writing, her ever-growing TBR list, and petting any dog she can find.
Sherri Creel
Part-time Support
sherri_creel@dpsk12.net
Sherri Creel has a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Oklahoma State University and a Master’s in Special Education with an endorsement in Secondary Math from the University of Texas at Dallas. She has worked for DPS for 30 years, 12 years in the classroom and the rest of her tenure at the Gifted Education Office. She is a 3rd degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo and has been training for 15 years. She loves to travel and hopes to spend the majority of her retirement traveling the world.
Dr. Vanessa Ewing
GT Curriculum Specialist
vanessa_ewing@dpsk12.net
Dr. Vanessa Ewing holds degrees in educational psychology, school counseling, and curriculum/instruction. Her experience includes 25 years experience as an instructor in teacher education programs, serving as a teacher and principal of gifted children, and doing cognitive assessments for gifted children. Vanessa works with elementary schools in identification and programming for gifted children. She also leads classes in early childhood education and previously led gifted courses for university students. She is passionate about varied educational models for student needs, twice-exceptional students, and creativity. When not working, Vanessa enjoys time with her son, traveling, and painting.
Dr. Michelle Godzinski
GT Psychologist
michelle_godzinski@dpsk12.net
Michelle holds a PhD in School Psychology and is a National Certified School Psychologist. Her experience includes 10 years working across a wide variety of settings, including as preschool teacher, a behavior therapist with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their families, working within the Colorado Crisis network, and most recently as a school psychologist in DPS, primarily working with center based students in the MI-A program. This is her 2nd year as part of the GT team. Her areas of interest are twice exceptional students, specifically, teachers' ability to identify and educate these students, as well as the overall social and emotional wellness of all students. When not working, Michelle enjoys hanging out with her 3 dogs and cat Purrogi, as well as doing the most difficult jigsaw puzzle she can find.
Jennifer McDonough, NCSP
GT Psychologist
jennifer_mcdonough@dpsk12.net
Jen began her career as a social worker in child protection which led to her decision to advocate for children and families and pursue the field of school psychology. With over 24 years of experience as a school psychologist, Jen joined the Gifted and Talented team after working extensively at all levels in the school setting (elementary, middle and high school). Jen has held leadership positions in other metro districts and has obtained a principal licensure. Jen is passionate about removing barriers to learning and providing equitable practices in her field, specifically with twice exceptional students. In her free time, Jen enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains, gardening, and beach vacations. She is also a huge college basketball fan as she hails from Louisville, Kentucky…Go Big Blue!
Greg Moldow
GT Curriculum Specialist
gregory_moldow@dpsk12.net
After 18 years teaching high school English, Greg’s been teamed up on GT program building in DPS’s traditional high schools, close to 40 total. Alongside school site teams and our own devoted central team, he’s training students to advocate for their academic needs, connecting them to professors and professionals to cultivate curiosity, mentoring them through some underachieving fog, etc., etc. Anything to advance the cause of our youngsters. Beyond that, larger DPS initiatives consume him: he’s knee deep in vertical teaming ventures between middle and high school teachers, building networks of community partners with real world problems to solve, reimagining the college admissions portfolio process with the help of colleges across the nation, and lots more. He loves to hike with family, swim, read, and obsess over his cats.
Stacey Pendleton
Assessment and Technology Specialist
stacey_pendleton@dpsk12.net
Stacey started working in the GT office in November 2016. Prior to that time, she taught history courses at the University of Colorado Denver and Metropolitan State University, while simultaneously serving as the Director of Operations for the state affiliate National History Day program. She has worked with Jeffco School’s GT program in assessments and summer enrichment programming. She is currently serving as the Technology Governor for the Colorado Academy for Educators of the Gifted, Talented, and Creative. She has also co-authored the book Make a Great Day: Daily Thoughts for Children. Outside of work, she spends her time cooking, writing, hiking, going to the movies, travelling, thrift shopping, and attending as many concerts as humanly possible (especially at Red Rocks).
Alesandra Rodriguez
GT Curriculum Specialist
alesandra_rodriguez@dpsk12.net
Alesandra Rodriguez has a Master’s Degree in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education with an endorsement in Special Education. She has more than 10 years of teaching experience in different grade levels in Montessori and in dual-language education. She is passionate, dedicated, and committed to advocating for the identification and programming of gifted and talented students in underrepresented populations and with multiple exceptionalities. Alesandra is an avid Montessorian; she is active in the community participating and presenting in Gifted and Talented conferences and is a board member for the Colorado Academy for Educators of the Gifted, Talented, and Creative. Outside of work, Alesandra loves hiking, yoga, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Maggie Rowbottom
GT Curriculum Specialist
maggie_rowbottom@dpsk12.net
Maggie Rowbottom has taught in DPS for over 8 years in many different areas. Her roles included elementary ELA-S instructor, ELA Academy mentor teacher, and Gifted and Talented itinerant. She has found passion in taking on and creating new leadership roles for herself to improve school culture. She has created and piloted classroom instructional models, materials and enrichment programs to promote equity, and ideas for school-wide GT collaboration with great success. She is passionate about learning and educating staff about culturally responsive gifted education to identify and support all students. In her free time, Maggie enjoys traveling, being active in the mountains year-round, and attending local community events and festivals.
Page updated
Report abuse