Did you know that October is #NationalPrincipalsMonth? To honor and celebrate their tireless dedication to our KIPPsters, we are sharing fun facts about each principal. We would like to spotlight our six exceptional principals for all that they’ve done for our Team & Family!
Darby West
Darby West is the Principal of KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary. Fun fact time! Did you know that Principal West is super athletic? She loves trail running and spending time in the mountains with her family in her free time. When she was younger, she was a competitive swimmer. Principal West is the founding principal of KSPE, and has grown the school to a fully built-out ECE- 4th grade biliteracy program! We are filled with gratitude for Principal West and her dedication to our littlest KIPPsters!
Elizabeth Dillon
Elizabeth Dillon is the Principal of KIPP Northeast Elementary. Principal Dillon has been at KIPP Northeast Elementary since 2015 when she started as a founding Kindergarten teacher! In her free time, Principal Dillon is a Jazzercize teacher. She also has an adorable dachshund puppy named Cricket! We are so appreciative of Principal Dillon’s 7 years of dedicated service to our Far Northeast KIPPsters!
Alana Raybon
Alana Raybon is the Principal of KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy, our founding school in Denver back in 2002. Principal Raybon is a published author and a Ph.D. student in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Denver. She also is a lover of music and listens to her favorite singers Mary J. Blige and Ms. Lauryn Hill on repeat! We are so lucky to have Principal Raybon leading KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy.
Stephani Olson
Stephani Olson is the Principal of KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School. Did you know that Principal Olson loves jazz? Her secret stress reliever is to prep dinner while listening to music in the evenings. Principal Olson has also recently become a grandmother to an incredible and sweet baby boy named Simon! We are beyond grateful to have had Principal Olson as part of our Team & Family for over 5 years!
Jessica Simpson
Jess Simpson is the Principal of KIPP Denver Collegiate High School Principal. In college, Ms. Simpson was a collegiate lacrosse player at Wooster College! She’s a huge hockey enthusiast and a diehard Chicago Blackhawks fan. She’s also a lover of animals and had an internship at a zoo. Ms. Simpson also loves chai lattes, no matter the weather! One thing’s for sure– we are so grateful for Ms. Simpson and her dedication to our KIPP Denver Collegiate tigers for the past 10 years!
Julia Rich
Julia Rich is the Principal at KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy. Did you know that Principal Rich has worked in 3 KIPP regions? She also has four incredible children– all who are KIPP scholars in the Far Northeast! As a lifelong learner, Principal Rich aspires to learn Spanish fluently! Her favorite educational leader of all time is Principal Baruti Kafele. We are so thankful to have Principal Rich as an integral part of our Team & Family!
