Leadership

Tomi Amos is the Chief Executive Officer for KIPP Colorado Public Schools. As the daughter of immigrant parents and a product of a public school education, Tomi Amos deeply believes that education provides access and opportunities that put individuals and communities on a path towards social and economic influence and mobility. Tomi’s work in education is fueled by the possibility of this belief becoming a reality for all students in our country. Tomi spent many years working as both an educator and school leader in New York City and in the Denver charter school network. Prior to joining KIPP Colorado, Tomi served as the Executive Director for the Northeast Denver Innovation Zone (NDIZ). Tomi earned a B.A. in Political Science and International Studies from Trinity University, J.D. from University of Denver – Sturm College of Law, and M.Ed in Education Leadership from Columbia University.

When asked what makes her love KIPP, Tomi said, “Our KIPPsters! The possibilities and opportunities for KIPP Colorado are endless. There are a lot of exciting opportunities on the horizon to shape the future direction of KIPP Colorado.”

Taamiti Bankole is the Chief External Affairs Officer for KIPP Colorado. Before joining KIPP Colorado, Taamiti was the Director of External Affairs for Uncommon Schools and the founding Director of Operations for Leadership Prep Ocean Hill Middle Academy, an Uncommon school in Brooklyn. In this role, he co-founded the middle school and oversaw all operational aspects of the school, including finance, facilities, enrollment, assessments, student data and general school systems. Prior to this position, Taamiti worked at Denver Public Schools’ Office of School Reform and Innovation as a Charter Schools Associate and Policy Analyst and as a Litigation Associate at Simpson Thacher, LLP in New York City. Taamiti earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Law, Jurisprudence, and Social Thought from Amherst College, a Juris Doctor from The University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, and is a proud alum of the Broad Residency (2019-21). Taamiti obtained his Masters of Science in Education Leadership from Broad Residency. In his free time, Taamiti enjoys spending time with his husband and daughter. When asked what Taamiti loves about KIPP, he said, “I love working at KIPP because of our KIPPsters and the impact they will make in our communities and the world.”

Erica Garcia (she/her/ella) is a fierce talent practitioner with over 15 years of experience leading in education & nonprofits deeply within talent, recruitment, HR, staff & leadership development, and DEI. Most recently, she launched her own independent consulting company to partner with organizations looking to advance their people, talent, and hiring practices. Previously, Erica was the Managing Director of Staff Knowledge and Learning at Teaching Trust where she led staff learning and development, manager development, and DEI strategy. She has also served as the Director of Personnel and Talent at Aurora Public Schools in Aurora, CO, and the Senior Director of Talent and Human Resources at STRIVE Prep Schools in Denver, CO where she led recruitment, hiring, and human resources teams and work. Earlier in her career, she worked in schools as a teacher and an assistant principal. A first-generation college graduate, Erica earned a doctorate degree in law, a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in human resources and psychology and also previously served in the Armed Forces.

Erik Johnson is a product of public education and is deeply passionate about improving our education systems to ensure equitable access for all. Erik has more than twenty years of experience in financial leadership across the public education and technology sectors having previously served as the Director of Finance Policy at Los Angeles Unified School District and Chief Financial Officer of Denver Public Schools. In those roles, he was responsible for developing and improving policies that increased funding and supports for the highest needs students. Prior to embarking on his education career, he led the Financial Planning and Analysis group for Coresite, a national leader in colocation, cloud connectivity and interconnection data centers and served in several leadership positions in the finance organization of CenturyLink/Qwest communications. Erik and his wife are proud parents of a DPS student and enjoy the outdoors of Colorado.

Leah Peters is an experienced educator and senior leader with a track record of driving success and improvements across school academics, talent, and operations. Through her roles as Vice President of Academics at DSST Public Schools and Head of Schools at YES Prep Public Schools, she is experienced at establishing and leading effective cultures and systems of excellence, communicating and collaborating with key stakeholders, and strategically and creatively tackling complex challenges. As a Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator, Leverage Leadership Alumna, and former principal, Leah is passionate about building and supporting organizations that create a more just world. Leah is thrilled to join the KIPP Colorado Team and Family to learn, grow, and build together in service of our promise to cultivate joyful, academically excellent schools and programming - ECE through KTCC. In her spare time, Leah loves spending time with her husband and 2 daughters, cooking, reading, and hiking. When asked what she loves about her work at KIPP, she says “I love working at KIPP Colorado because I am blown away by the unwavering commitment to equity, the courage, joy, and dedication of the team, and the focus on the whole child."

Justin Vigil grew up in Houston, TX, and graduated from Texas A&M University as a first-generation college student. After graduating from college, he became the Homeless Program Coordinator at Prevent Blindness Texas ensuring homeless individuals in Houston had access to eye exams and glasses to better their lives. Justin has a passion for educational equity so students from underserved communities have access to get the education they deserve and the guidance they need to live choice-filled lives. Justin leads so students and families see someone who looks like him be successful every day. Justin spent a decade working at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, TX. Justin has led as a Registrar, Director of Campus Operations, Director of School Operations, and Managing Director of School Operations. He has a passion for ensuring that systems and structures are in place to provide excellence for schools and districts to increase student achievement outcomes. In September 2021, Justin joined the KIPP Colorado team as the Chief of Staff and Operations to work with the CEO and Executive Team to advance KIPP Colorado in its next phase of strategy and growth. When asked what he loves about KIPP, Justin said, “I love working at KIPP because we have the privilege and opportunity to make a long-lasting impact on the communities we serve by fulfilling our promise to students and families to provide an exceptional education so student can live choice filled lives.”

Elizabeth (Liz) Dillon grew up in New York and earned a B.A. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland in 2009. Liz received a Master’s degree from the University of Colorado, Denver in Curriculum and Instruction. She was a founding member of the KIPP Northeast Elementary (KNE) kindergarten team proudly teaching the classes of 2028 and 2029. Liz served as Assistant Principal of the Lower Elementary at KNE for three years, overseeing ECE, Kindergarten, and 1st Grade. She now serves as the Principal of KNE.

Liz says she loves KNE’s “vision of excellence and equity in education for all students and the unique value of justice. I stay each year because I believe that in partnership with students and families, we are helping to create meaningful and joyful learning experiences for children.”

Joining the KIPP Colorado Team and Family as principal at KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School (KNDMS) in 2017, Stephani Olson has been tremendous in transforming the school culture, students, and staff alike. At KNDMS we foster a joyful and loving community, where we work in partnership with families and local community organizations to support our students on a path to success. I am honored to be the principal at KNDMS where we help our students to become lifelong learners, innovative problem solvers, and social change agents, while affirming their unique identities and true selves. We are committed to preparing our students with the academic and social-emotional skills to pursue whatever path they choose.

Kris Cercone is a passionate educator who began their journey in the field of mathematics before transitioning into a leadership role. Raised in Indiana, Cercone’s love for mathematics and teaching led them to pursue higher education at the University of Colorado Boulder. It was during their time at CU Boulder that Cercone discovered their true calling and developed a deep appreciation for working with students.
After going to college, Cercone embarked on a fulfilling career as a math teacher. They dedicated themselves to helping students unlock the beauty and logic behind numbers, hoping to inspire a love for learning. During that time, Cercone worked in several neighborhood charter schools but spent the most time in Park Hill and Montview before coming to the far northeast to KNDLA as a Geometry teacher. After a few years as a teacher leader, Cercone transitioned to an Assistant Principal role right before the pandemic.
As Interim Principal, Cercone hopes to provide stability during times of change and KNDLA while also being dedicated to fostering a positive learning environment that will have a lasting impact.

Darby West is our founding Principal at KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary. She graduated from Northwestern University in 2006 from the School of Education and Social Policy with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services. In 2012, she graduated with masters from Columbia University Teachers College with a degree in Literacy Instruction. Darby began at KIPP NYC eight years ago because she wanted to find a home with a team of people who believe in the Power of ‘AND’, meaning that from the individual to the organizational level, we seek to find broken paradoxes and prove that in a world of black and white or yes and no, we can find a third way and show that two seemingly mutually exclusive ideas are not. Rather, when they work together, both can succeed. We are never scared to ask the hard questions. We build schools for and with our communities and seek to amplify voices around us for equity and access.

Alana Raybon is a seasoned educator with experience achieving excellent outcomes in public and private school settings. Alana found her calling to education while working with teens at a youth home, and later as a paraprofessional. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.A. in education, she moved to Texas where she taught for 10 years as a 3rd-7th grade lead teacher to a diverse population in Houston. Alana pursued her master’s degree in educational policy at Vanderbilt University while teaching for 3 years as a middle school English teacher.

Alana served as the founding Director of Curriculum and Instruction at DSST Middle School at Noel Campus for 3 years. She was a School Director in Training and the Interim School Director at DSST Middle School at Noel Campus, in which she led the community through the difficult challenge of educating during a pandemic. Alana is currently a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Denver.

Jessica (Jess) Simpson began her educational journey in the College of Wooster with a BA in Biology and eventually went on to earn an MA from Columbia University, NYC, Summer Principals Academy program. Jess has been an educator in Denver for 11 years, 9 of them at KIPP Denver Collegiate High School. Over the years, Jess held roles as science teacher, STEM chair, Dean of instruction, Assistant Principal, and Principal.

When asked why Jess loves KIPP, she says it’s “because of what it means to be a KDC Tiger, and what it means to be a part of an organization of passionate, excellent educators committed to serving others.”

Lauren Abuhadema is the Senior Director of Regional Student Experience and Culture. She is a Colorado native, a wife and a mother to two girls. Lauren began her education career teaching middle school science in New York City at Uncommon Schools. In 2016, she moved back to Colorado to continue teaching science at DSST Public Schools. Lauren has worked as a culture leader in numerous roles such as Dean of Students, Associate School Director and School Director in Training at DSST. Now as the Senior Director of Region Student Experience and Culture, Lauren provides development and support to culture leaders at each campus to ensure all students have an exceptional experience full of joy, rigor and identity-affirmation.

Dr. Mark Carroll is the Senior Director of Data and Technology. He holds a Ph.D. focusing on Educational Data Science for research in novel learning environments from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His mixed-method research includes machine learning, latent variable modeling, and text mining for evaluating learning in complex systems. Mark also received an M.Ed. in Educational Technology and a bachelor’s in music education from UNLV. Mark served as a high school symphony orchestra conductor and teacher, administrator, and technology chair before beginning his research and professional career in administration, educational data science, and business intelligence. Mark is currently a fellow in the National Fellowship of Black and Latino Male Educators where he and his brothers focus on supporting diverse underrepresented populations in education. Before joining KIPP Colorado, Mark was an Executive Director of Strategy, Analytics, and Assessment for the College of Education at UNLV.

Cheryl Babcock is the Senior Director of Academic Strategy. She is a California native who began her education career teaching middle and high school in Dallas, Texas while also completing her Master's degree in Teaching and Learning through Southern Methodist University. Cheryl then moved to Houston and continued as an Assistant Principal of Instruction at KIPP Texas Public Schools. Following her time as an Assistant Principal, Cheryl worked as a Regional Achievement Specialist supporting both ELA and Social Studies 5-12 in Houston. She and her family moved to Denver, Colorado in 2021 where she joined KIPP Colorado as the Manager of Academic Initiatives. After a year in the role, she was elevated to a Director-level position. Now, as the Director of Academic Strategy, Cheryl supports with leadership programming (including curriculum and assessment K-12), strategy, leadership of external partnerships, Instructional Leader Development, academic progress monitoring, and programmatic change leadership.

Amanda Baram is the Senior Director of Special Services. She is a New York native who pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary and Special Education at the University of Delaware. After graduating in 2012, she moved to New Orleans to begin her career in special education. Amanda held numerous roles, progressing from a special education teacher to the Director of Special Education for a charter organization of six pre-k through 8th grade schools before moving to Denver in 2022. Between 2016-2018, Amanda participated in the Special Education Leader Fellowship, or SELF, which is a New Orleans-based leader fellowship that provides targeted support and training for leaders in the field of special education. In the 2020-2021 school year, Amanda provided mentoring and coaching for special education leaders across the state of Louisiana as part of LDOE’s Special Education Fellow Academy. Amanda earned her master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from George Washington University in 2021. Amanda is driven by her passion for creating educational spaces where all learners are able to thrive as their most authentic selves. As the Director of Special Services, Amanda supports KIPP Colorado’s programming for diverse learners, which includes special education, section 504, gifted & talented, mental health, and multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS).

Déla Fyfe is the Senior Director of Regional Operations at KIPP Colorado. She is a Denver native who began her education career teaching Kindergarten and 2nd grade in New Orleans while also completing her Master's degree in Elementary Education through Johns Hopkins University. She returned to Denver in 2016 as the founding dance teacher at KIPP Northeast Elementary. Following her time in the classroom, Déla moved into the Assistant Principal of Operations role where she lead school operations through two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the Director of Operations, she supports school-based operations at our six campuses by coaching our Assistant Principals of Operation and ensuring that our schools have the operational support and systems they need to create safe and joyful schools.

Jael James is the Senior Director of K-12 Language Acquisition. She is a New York native who moved to Phoenix AZ before settling in Colorado in 2015 with her husband and daughter. Jael has worked within Education over the last 14 years in numerous roles. What drives Jael is her belief that all students should have access to equitable education. Currently, Jael works as the Regional Director of K-12 Language Acquisition. Jael supports Multilingual Education Departments at each campus (including curriculum, assessment K-12 and MLE compliance).

Richelle is the Senior Director of Human Resources. Originally from Massachusetts, Richelle Moulin-Geisen relocated to Denver to pursue her Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing at the University of Denver. After graduating, she spent several years working at a local Marketing/PR agency, but she realized that she did not find the work motivating. Through an unexpected turn of events, Richelle pivoted away from Marketing to join KIPP Colorado Public Schools as an HR Associate in 2016. Richelle felt drawn to the opportunity to build the new Human Resources and Talent functions in support of KIPP Colorado’s staff – work that has continued to motivate and inspire her since then. Growing up in a family full of educators, Richelle has witnessed first-hand the power an amazing, caring educator can have on the life and future of a student, particularly for students who do not have the same access to guidance or resources as others. Though she knew the classroom wasn’t for her, Richelle is honored to support KIPP Colorado’s team to be the best educators they can be for our students and families.