GES Campus
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Darlicia Campbell
Dean of Students and Culture
Darlicia is originally from Gary, Indiana but was raised here in Denver. She has worked in DPS since 2001. Darlicia has a degree in criminal justice specializing in Community Corrections.
Darlicia loves working with students and supports students in multiple ways eliminating barriers. With her free time she enjoys spending time with her adult children and grandchildren. She likes to go bowling, watching movies and traveling.
Genesis Zuniga
Office Coordinator/Secretary
Ms. Genesis is beyond excited to start her position for Colorado High School Charter GES.
Ms. Genesis is a Colorado native and is a fluent Spanish and English speaker. Her background is specialized in early childhood education, and has also worked in the medical field. Genesis is eager to work with the GES community and provide additional support for students and their families. During her free time she loves spending time with her beloved nephews and nieces, she enjoys working out, and cooking for her family and friends. Genesis also enjoys watching romantic and comedy movies
Sabrina Breaux-Lane
Interventionist
Mrs. Lane served the 2022-23 school year at GES as an Americorp Engagement Member. She is ecstatic to join the CHSC family this 2023-24 school year as one of the Student Interventionists.
Mrs. Lane was born in Los Angeles, California, but raised in Denver, Colorado. She comes from a
big family of 10 siblings where she is the oldest daughter. She is married and has a blended family of her own with five boys, and one girl.
Prior to working at a Colorado High School Charter GES Sabrina worked in various settings in the medical field, such as hospitals, nursing homes hospice, and home care. She also has a luxury picnic/event business that she runs during the summer.
Her hobbies are teaching youth dance groups at church, listening to podcasts, working out and spending time with her family.
Mrs. Lane’s life-long goal is to always find herself in the service of others.
David Brown
Principal
Mr. Brown returns to Denver after six years in Cherry Creek School District as an Administrator. Prior to working in CCSD, he worked 14 years in Denver as a Counselor and Administrator. Overall, he has worked 16 years as an Assistant Principal and Principal.
Mr. Brown grew up in Southern California and moved to Colorado in 1986 to be a student-athlete at CU-Boulder. He is a HUGE Lakers, Raiders and Yankees fan! He comes from a large family:7 sisters and 2 brothers and was raised by a strong, single mother. He is proud of the life lessons that he gained from this experience. Mr. Brown is grateful to his mother for all of their conversations.
While at CU-Boulder, he earned his BA in Criminology and played on the only National Championship football team in CU history! He holds his MA in Educational Counseling and Principals License from the University of Phoenix.
Mr. Brown values every moment he spends with his family and believes they give him his daily energy and drive to be the best person he can be. He loves to travel (particularly road trips) and exercise, Pilates and karate, and the lessons that comes from all of these experiences.
His goal every day is to be happy and make a positive difference in at least one person's life.
Micah Rose
Assistant Principal
Mr. Rose joined the Colorado High School Charter team in 2014 as a member of Teach for America. After two years teaching Composition at CHSC Osage, he helped to found the GES Campus and now leads the GES Instructional Team. He loves connecting and joking with students, coaching teachers, and building a strong sense of community in our school.
Prior to joining CHSC, Mr. Rose helped start a nonprofit that brings young American Jews to the West Bank to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He also spent a year as a soccer coach at Connecticut College before becoming an educator. Mr. Rose has a B.A. in Sociology & Anthropology with a minor in History from Swarthmore College in PA. He earned his Principal License and an M.A. in Education Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver.
Mr. Rose was inspired by his maternal grandfather who taught history in a rural VT public school and paternal grandmother who was a special educator in New York City.
In his free time, Mr. Rose enjoys time with his family – his wife, Marie, son Bellamy, and dog Phineas. He loves hiking, traveling to new places, reading, playing soccer, and cooking. His life goals are to be happy, learn every day, and live a life full of exploration and wonder.
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Kashmiere Dotson
School Counselor
Ms. Kashmiere Dotson is thrilled to join the Colorado High School Charter GES learning community as the new School Counselor. Her experience working with young adults at the Douglas County Student Support Center and her sister being an alumni caused her to carve a special nook for alternative education in her heart. Kashmiere has always been fascinated with the cultivation and creation of knowledge. As a high schooler one of her biggest accomplishments was creating a documentary film that investigated homelessness in Colorado. Carrying a fire for film-making and a desire to understand humans she went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Comparative Women’s studies with a concentration in Film and a Spanish minor from Spelman College. Kashmiere believes that each student's story is valuable and that their lived experiences are sources of knowledge. She is excited to help students and their families acquire the skills and strategies they need to speak up, be heard, and advocate for their education. In her free time Kashmiere enjoys binge watching Tiktoks, hiking, eating, teaching bible classes, and talking on the phone with friends and family.
Kai Monét
Social Studies Teacher
Ms. Monét is ecstatic to be beginning her educator journey with Colorado High School Charter GES. Being a New Orleans, Louisiana native and Fall 2022 graduate from Louisiana State University (LSU) with degrees in Theater: Design & Technology & African and African American Studies. Geaux Tigers! During her time there she participated in TEDXLSU, devised pieces of theater, launched multiple businesses, and soaked up as much knowledge as she could.
Ms. Monét is a Teach-For-America 2023 Denver, Colorado Corp Member and very grateful to be a part of the CHSC-GES community. She is very passionate in providing a more inclusive understanding of history. Presenting accurate historical content, ensuring marginalized groups and individuals' stories and experiences are not erased.
During her free time, Ms. Monét can be found doodling away on her iPad or in deep creative thought. She takes great pride in her love for crafting and expanding her entrepreneurial visions. But when that’s all said and done, Ms. Monét is consumed with a squad of yorkipoos: Scoota (M), Savagé (F), Snicker (M), & Saquoia (F). Two complete generations to be exact :).
Sam LoPilato
Science Teacher
Sam LoPilato graduated from the University of Central Florida where she majored in Chemistry Education and minored in Women and Gender Studies. During college, she also served as the vice president of Alpha Sigma Kappa - Women In Technical Studies and secretary of the UCF chapter of the American Chemical Society.
Ms. LoPilato hopes that as a science teacher that her students will develop a passion for the subject and learn to think more deeply about the world around them in order to grow into confident young leaders of their communities.
In her free time, Sam likes to read books, try new foods and coffees, go swimming, and hang out around the house with her cat, Cheeto.
Lucy Benoit
Post Secondary Support Specialist
Ms. Benoit joined Colorado High School Charter team in 2022. Ms. Benoit in a Colorado native but hasn’t spent her whole life here. Prior to being a part of the CHSC team, Ms. Benoit was a 3rd grade teacher through Teach for America in South Dakota. She loved working with students and has a passion for educational advocacy which she continued while living in Hawaii. In Hawaii Ms. Benoit worked as a legal clerk for the state House of Representatives and served as a volunteer for Hawaii Kids Can, an educational equity nonprofit on Oahu.
Ms. Benoit majored in Political Science at Colorado Mesa University where she graduated Cum Laude. College is where Ms. Benoit learned to love education and was involved in student government, political science clubs and was fortunate enough to attend a conference in Washington DC with the nation’s top leaders on a scholarship. Before college, Ms. Benoit graduated from Columbine High School in 2013.
These days, outside of work Ms. Benoit is focused on her little girl and is devoted to raising a strong daughter. They can be found hiking, playing at the park, walking their beloved dog (Prairie) or snuggled up watching Moana on the weekends. Ms. Benoit also enjoys traveling and plans on showing her daughter their Louisiana roots and exploring the world together.
Clark Callahan
Executive Director of CHSC
(720)305-8516
Clark has a deep passion to help all young people realize the value, freedom, and responsibility that comes with education. Clark received his B.S. in Communications and Economics from the University of Northern Colorado, an MBA from Fairfield University and an Ed. M in Urban Educational Administration from Columbia. Bringing 15+ years of experience working in education. When Clark is not at school, you will find him enjoying a medium rare cheese burger with sweet potato fries and a soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie with a little vanilla ice cream on top. A dedicated family man, Clark values every moment he gets to spend with his wife and three children. Clark also enjoys running, skiing, hiking, knitting, and painting.
Jennifer Lilly
Director of Finance and Human Resources
Jennifer joined CHSC in 2020. She has an accounting degree from University of New Mexico and an MBA from Colorado State University. She is a CPA. She spent the first part of her career doing financial analysis and the second part doing taxes. Having had more fun than anyone has a right to have doing taxes, she decided another career change was in order. Working in the educational environment has been a breath of fresh air. While she doesn’t directly work with students, she does strive to keep the wheels on the bus behind the scenes! When she’s not at work, you’ll find her taking things out of her puppy’s mouth. She loves to travel and spend time with her kids.
Colorado High School Charter
Front Office Staff
Meet the GES Staff
If you would like to contact any of the teachers or staff, please click the email button below their description.
Alena Hopkins
English Teacher
Alena Hopkins was born in Colorado and has spent many years living and working in the Denver metro area. She received a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of Northern Colorado and a Masters of Humanities with an emphasis in Women and Gender Studies from CU Denver. After teaching English Language Arts in the Park Hill and Skyland neighborhoods for several years, Alena joined the GES community in 2018. Since then, she continues to teach English and has worked with leadership to bring Concurrent Enrollment courses to GES. Additionally, as an Instructional Coach, she has played a key role in developing instructional systems that support student growth and achievement. Outside of the classroom, Alena enjoys hiking, reading, and yoga, as well as spending time with her partner and two small children. Alena looks forward to continuing to foster meaningful relationships with students, empowering them to become critical thinkers, empathetic individuals, and lifelong learners.
Rajpaul Pannu
Math Teacher
Rajpaul Pannu is a first generation Indian-American who comes from Oakland, California, where he served as a Math Educator in a public charter school setting. What attracted him to Colorado High School Charter- GES is the emphasis on restorative practices to foster teacher-student relationships, along with the opportunity to expand on his skillsets as an educator. More importantly, Rajpaul is excited to work with the GES community and become familiarized with the beautiful City of Denver. During his free time, Rajpaul is a professional runner, racing distances upwards to a hundred miles. He also enjoys reading up on nutrition, strength training, and general health on his free time and takes pride in being a huge Las Vegas Raiders fan.
Katrina Jewell
Special Education Teacher
Katrina is excited to be part of the CHSC team. She started as a substitute teacher for all subjects and grade levels. As a substitute teacher, she stumbled upon special education and loved it. She eventually obtained a full-time paraeducator position at a special education separate school. She relocated to Denver and enrolled into CU Denver’s ASPIRE program to obtain her teaching license in special education. In her spare time, Katrina enjoys cooking, writing, and data analysis. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and dogs.
Cameron Tafoya
GED and Online Instructor
Cameron Tafoya is our online GED and Diploma Teacher, a new position and program designed to expand opportunities for students who are interested in completing their GED or Diploma online. Cameron has a Bachelor's in Psychology from Colorado State University. Over the past four years Cameron has held various positions at an online/blended high school, most recently serving as an Electives Teacher. Prior to serving students, Cameron worked with young people in residential settings and addiction programs. Cameron enjoys gardening and spending time with his family. You can most likely find Cameron exploring nature and going on adventures.
Mr. Reyes joins the CHSC GES team from Austin, Texas after teaching middle school English and Literacy for three years in both the charter and public school setting. He graduated with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin under the Urban Teachers program where he studied the intersection of Critical Education, psychology, social work and culture studies. Mr. Reyes is committed to supporting any and all youth in their own quest for self-liberation and self-fulfillment. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Reyes has designed courses and curriculum with the Mind and Life Institute and We Do It For The Culture, an online curriculum that leverages the power and depth of HipHop to engage students in social emotional learning. He will also be presenting in the National Council of Teachers of English annual conference as a digital literacies researcher in the Fall of 2022. In his free time, Mr. Reyes enjoys reading, writing, listening to rap, hiking and spending time with his magical black cat, Surita.
Casey Rooney
Art Teacher
Casey Rooney is a Chicago native and a graduate of the UIC College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts, where she studied Graphic Design. She has worked on various projects with clients like BMW Chicago Technology, MTN Dew, Pepsi, and Bubly in her professional career, and ran her own freelance graphic design business for 5 years.
Casey discovered her love for art instruction when she worked as a Craft and Design Instructor at the YMCA of the Rockies. She continued her career there as an Art Specialty counselor and eventually an Outdoor Education Instructor. She just finished her second year in the classroom where she developed her own 4-year Fine Arts program. She loves connecting students to nature, their inner-well being, and art and creativity as a whole. She focuses on teaching creative planning and approaches that can be applied anywhere in life, and taking out the intimidation factors and barriers around the world of Fine Art. Her biggest love is seeing a student connect and wildly pursue their own act of creating and giving to the world, and creating a safe, accepting space for all students. She believes art should feel like coming home to yourself.
Casey now runs a humble art business when she’s not at school, and spends her time (when not making art) on road trips, doing (reasonable) hikes, going to concerts, dancing (not well), and exploring new areas in Denver. She may or may not have a podcast for every problem—and if not—she will definitely find you one. She gets through the day with astrology, pictures of cats, and a good breakfast.
Sean O'Malley
Civics/Social Studies Teacher
Mr. O'Malley has been in education for 7 years. Sean earned his undergrad degree from Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona. He has a major in History and a minor in Graphic Design. His teaching certification was earned through Metro State. His goal is to help young adults be prepared when they leave high school. Sean wants to build real connections between himself and his students and help them build real connections with the world.
Sean has played sports his whole life, and can still dunk a basketball. He loves hiking, biking and anything outdoors with family and friends.
Jennifer Sun
Science Teacher
Jennifer Sun was born in Beijing, China. She grew up in Norman, Oklahoma, and moved to Colorado to attend Colorado State University (CSU), where she earned a Master's degree in chemistry. During her graduate studies, she had the opportunity to assist in developing and teaching the first-ever hemp and cannabis chemistry course at CSU, which is still being taught today. This experience sparked her interest in education. After graduation, Jennifer worked in industry for two years,
which provided her with a solid foundation of how scientific knowledge is applied outside of the classroom.
Jennifer is excited to pursue her passions of teaching at CHSC and is eager to make genuine connections
with her students in order to help them succeed.
In her free time, she enjoys yoga, climbing, traveling, and spending time with her dog. She is passionate about personal wellness, and seeks to provide a warm, open, and engaging space for students in her classroom.
Allegra Reiber
Math Teacher
Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Allegra came to Denver in 2007. She earned a BA in Mathematics from Northwestern University and an MS in Mathematics from Notre Dame, so you may catch her teaching with a Lake Michigan accent. Her first mathematical love is algebraic topology (ask her why doughnuts and coffee cups are the same). Ms. Reiber taught mathematics at the University of Denver for (13) years. She transitioned to public secondary teaching in 2020 to share her love of ideas, actively support equity in education, and help young students express their mathematical voices. Alongside her love of mathematics, Allegra adores communication, imagination, and theatre. Away from work, she enjoys learning new things, meditation, watching movies with her husband and family, singing too loudly, and playing video and board games.
Amanda Bauer
Humanities Teacher
Amanda Bauer is the English 3 teacher and Multilingual Coordinator at CHSC GES and is looking forward to her 4th year at GES. Originally from Denver, Amanda's love for literature and exploration led her to teach English in South Korea for several years before deciding to formally pursue a career in education. She holds a deep appreciation for the power of words and the intricacies of life, which she instills in her students every day. Beyond the classroom, Amanda's adventurous spirit takes her on exciting journeys around the world. She loves to travel and immerse herself in new cultures, embracing the beauty of diversity and learning from every experience. When she's not globetrotting, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors, camping under the stars, and relishing the serenity of nature. Amanda shares her living space with two delightful cats and a lovable, four-legged companion who never fails to brighten her days.
Nerjes Swade
Interventionist
I am Nerjes Swade, a first-generation Iraqi-American with a background in Criminal Justice, Sociology, and Communications. I obtained my degree from the University of Colorado Denver's School of Public Affairs, and my passion is to inspire the next generation of leaders.
Advocacy is a concept that is deeply ingrained within my mindset. Growing up, school was my second home, and within its walls, I found my voice. My educators recognized my potential long before I did, and I hope to pass on that inspiration to others.
Guided by my educators, I participated in imperative social issues that impacted my local community. Before starting college, I campaigned for awareness about gang violence in Denver's struggling neighborhoods, shed a light on the school-to-prison pipeline, and organized a Cultural Festival that honored and celebrate the diversity of our student body.
My goal is to act as a catalyst to the unique flame that I believe resides within every individual and to be greater than socioeconomic restrictions. As William Ernest Henley wrote in "Invictus," "I am the master of my fate, / I am the captain of my soul."
When the season calls for it, you can find me surfing, snowboarding, and white water rafting or simply soaking up the sun. I believe creativity is healing. My favorite creative pastimes are painting, writing, theater, performing slam poetry, and anime.