Past Presidents

Records prior to 2002 came from Retrospective: The History of CLAS, a 2010 publication edited by Bill McBride, Imogene Springer, and Jackie Swensson.

2010-2020

2019-2020: Alexis Thieme

2018-2019: Dave Wendelin

2017-2018: Johanna Zablocki

2016-2017: Jamie Hedlun

2015-2016: Julia Torres

2014-2015: Kate Farrell

Kate Farrell served as CLAS president in the 2014-2015 term.

2013-2014: Vince Puzick

Vince Puzick served as CLAS president in the 2013-2014 term. He taught at University of Colorado Colorado Springs and in Colorado Springs District 11, and worked for the Colorado Department of Education before retiring.

2012-2013: Mark Overmeyer

Mark Overmeyer served as CLAS president in the 2012-2013 term. He taught in Cherry Creek Schools and is currently an educational consultant.

2011-2012: Mike Wenk

Mike Wenk served as CLAS president in the 2011-2012 term. Dr. Wenk retired from Jeffco Public Schools and currently works as a consultant with Watson Wenk Group.

2010-2011: Amy Gutierrez Baker

Amy Gutierrez Baker served as CLAS president is in the 2010-2011 term. She is a digital teacher-librarian in Jeffco Public Schools.

2000-2010

2009-2010: Jill Adams

Dr. Jill Adams served as CLAS president in the 2009-2010 term. She is a professor at Metropolitan State University.

2008-2009: Snowden Campbell

Snowden Campbell served as CLAS president in the 2008-2009 term. She teaches in St. Vrain Valley Schools.

2007-2008: Julie Bailey

Julie Bailey served as CLAS president in the 2007-2008 term. She taught in Aurora Public Schools and Douglas County Schools.

2006-2007: Maggie Freeburn

Maggie Freeburn served as CLAS president in the 2006-2007 term. She taught at University of Colorado Denver.

2005-2006: Brannon Hertel

Brannon Hertel served as CLAS president in the 2005-2006 term. He taught in Jeffco Public Schools and was recognized with the NCTE High School Teacher of Excellence Award in 2004. He later changed career fields to work in the financial sector.

2004-2005: Starla Pearson

Dr. Starla Pearson served as CLAS president in the 2004-2005 term. She works in Aurora Public Schools.

2003-2004: Lary Kleeman

Lary Kleeman served as CLAS president in the 2003-2004 term. He teaches in Littleton Public Schools.

2002-2003: Dianne Sievers

Dianne Sievers served as CLAS president in the 2002-2003 term.

2001-2002: Carol Sullivan

Dr. Carol Sullivan served as CLAS president in the 2001-2002 term. She taught at Mullen High School.

2000-2001: Denise Campbell

Denise Campbell served as CLAS president in the 2000-2001 term.

1990-2000

1999-2000 and 1998-1999: Jim Hobbs

Jim Hobbs served as CLAS president in the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 terms. He taught in Denver Public Schools and was recognized with the NCTE High School Teacher of Excellence Award in 2005.

1997-1998: Alan Olds

Alan Olds served as CLAS president in the 1997-1998 term. He taught in Jeffco Public Schools and worked for the Colorado Department of Education.

1996-1997: Janice Mulvaney

Janice Mulvaney served as CLAS president in the 1996-1997 term.

1995-1996: Linda Reeves

Linda Reeves served as CLAS president in the 1995-1996 term.

1994-1995: Dave Wendelin

Dave Wendelin served as CLAS president in the 1994-1995 term. He taught in Jeffco Public Schools and currently works with the National English Honor Society.

1993-1994: Stevi Quate

Dr. Stevi Quate served as CLAS president in the 1993-1994 term. She taught in Adams 12 Five Star Schools, worked for the Colorado Department of Education, and served as co-director of Colorado Writing Project. She currently works with the Public Education and Business Coalition.

1992-1993: Louann Reid

Louann Reid served as CLAS president in the 1992-1993 term. She taught in Douglas County Public Schools and is a professor at Colorado State University.

1991-1992: Kathy Bellin

Dr. Kathy Bellin served as CLAS president in the 1991-1992 term. A professor at Metropolitan State University, Dr. Bellin passed away in 2003 (obituary).

1990-1991: Ron Marostica

Ron Marostica served as CLAS president in the 1990-1991 term. He taught in Cherry Creek and Littleton Public Schools, worked for the National Council of Teachers of English, and is currently in RE-1 Valley School District in Sterling.

1980-1990

1989-1990 and 1988-1989: Judy Dean

Judy Dean served as CLAS president in the 1988-1989 and 1989-1990 terms. She taught in Thompson School District.

1987-1988: Glenn Gray

Glenn Gray served as CLAS president in the 1987-1988 term. He taught in Poudre School District.

1986-1987: Paul Bellin

Paul Bellin served a second term as CLAS president in the 1986-1987 term.

1985-1986: Judy Gilbert

Judy Gilbert served as CLAS president in the 1985-1986 term. She taught in McCook, Nebraska and Yuma, Colorado, later working for the Colorado Department of Education before becoming the curriculum director at Eagle Rock School in Estes Park. Judy passed away in 1997 (obituary).

1984-1985: Nola Gill

Nola Hopkins Gill served as CLAS president in the 1984-1985 term. She taught in Douglas County Public Schools. Nola currently lives in Texas.

1983-1984: Jean Capillupo

Dr. Jean Capillupo served as CLAS president in the 1983-1984 term. She taught in Cherry Creek Schools, Jeffco Public Schools, and Brighton School District 27J.

1982-1983: Jackie Swensson

Jackie Swensson served as CLAS president in the 1982-1983 term. She taught in Adams 12 Five Star Schools and is a professor emerita of English at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

1981-1982: Sandra Heartman

Sandra Heartman served as CLAS president in the 1981-1982 term. She taught in Littleton Public Schools.

1980-1981: Paula Hodges

Dr. Paula Hodges served as CLAS president in the 1980-1981 term. She taught in Douglas County Public Schools and was a professor at Colorado State University. In retirement, Paula lives in Oklahoma.

1970-1980

1979-1980: Dave Korn

Dave Korn served as CLAS president in the 1979-1980 term. He taught in Adams 12 Five Star Schools.

1978-1979: Ron Warren

Ron Warren served as CLAS president in the 1978-1979 term. He taught in Poudre School District.

1977-1978: Margaret Sparkman

Margaret Sparkman served as CLAS president in the 1977-1978 term. She taught in Adams County School District 50 (now Westminster Public Schools.) Margaret passed away in 2011 (obituary).

1976-1977: Paul Bellin

Paul Bellin served as CLAS president in the 1976-1977 term. He taught in Boulder Valley School District and Greeley-Evans School District 6.

1975-1976: Dexter Peak

Dexter Peak served as CLAS president in the 1975-1976 term. He taught in Colorado Springs District 11 and at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Dexter passed away in 2017 (obituary).

1974-1975: Bob Evans

Bob Evans served as CLAS president in the 1974-1975 term. He taught in Jeffco Public Schools.

1973-1974: Ethel Zinn

Ethel Zinn served as CLAS president in the 1973-1974 term. She taught in Colorado Springs District 11, taught courses for the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and was later elected to the Colorado Springs District 11 Board of Education. Ethel passed away in 1985.

1972-1973: Bill McBride

Bill McBride served as CLAS president in the 1972-1973 term. He taught in Manzanola and Poudre School Districts. He is a professor emeritus at Colorado State University. Dr. McBride received the NCTE Distinguished Service Award in 2009 and the CLAS Legacy Award in 2016.

1971-1972: Jim Hamilton

Jim Hamilton served as CLAS president in the 1971-1972 term. He taught in Aurora Public Schools.

1970-1971: Ruth Cline

Dr. Ruth Cline served as CLAS president in the 1970-1971 term. She is a professor emerita of English Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

1963-1970

1969-1970: Imogene Springer

Imogene Springer served as CLAS president in the 1969-1970 term. She taught in Denver Public Schools. She received the NCTE Distinguished Service Award in 1983 and the CLAS Legacy Award in 2017.

1968-1969: Alton Barbour

Dr. Alton Barbour served as CLAS president in the 1968-1969 term. He was a professor emeritus at the University of Denver. He received the NCTE Intellectual Freedom Award in 1997 and the CLAS William McBride Writing Award in 1998. Dr. Barbour passed away in 2015 (obituary).

1967-1968: Sr. Philomene Schiller

Sister Philomene Schiller served as CLAS president in the 1967-1968 term. A professor emerita of English at Loretto Heights College in Denver, Sr. Philomene passed away in 2003 (obituary).

1966-1967: Nick Wilson

Nick Wilson served as CLAS president in the 1966-1967 term.

1965-1966: Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed served as CLAS president in the 1965-1966 term. He taught in Denver Public Schools, creating the DPS Summer Theater Program. Jerry passed away in 2011 (obituary).

1964-1965: Claud Henry

Dr. W. Claud Henry served as CLAS president in the 1964-1965 term. He was a professor of English at Colorado State University. Claud passed away in 1984.

1963-1964: Betty Spehar

Dr. Betty Spehar served as CLAS president in the 1963-1964 term. She taught in public schools in Denver, Leadville, and Crested Butte and at the University of Colorado at Boulder before completing her career at Western State College (now Western State Colorado University). Betty passed away in 2009 (obituary).