School Governance

Board Vice Chair

Ambar Suero is a dedicated bilingual professional with over 18 years of experience in promoting educational equity and community advocacy across Colorado. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Teach For America Colorado, Ambar has held key leadership roles that have significantly advanced opportunities for underrepresented communities. Her career has been shaped by her personal experiences as a young Latina immigrant and ESL student, which gave her first-hand insight into the barriers faced by underserved students. This fueled her passion for community-driven change and set the trajectory for her career.

Ambar is deeply connected to the Denver community as a proud DPS parent and an active advocate for inclusive education. She also serves on the Latino Education Advisory Council (LEAC) for Denver Public Schools, where she advises on policies and practices that impact Latino students and families. Her commitment to elevating the voices of students, families, and educators is driven by both her professional experience and her personal journey as a mother and community leader.

email: ASuero@HighlineAcademy.org

Board Member

Honorable Nikea T. Bland is a judge in the Second Judicial District Court. Prior to her appointment, Judge Bland was a criminal defense attorney and public defender. She currently serves on the Community Corrections Advisory Council and has previously served as a member of the University of Colorado Law Alumni Board. Judge Bland enrolled both of her children at Highline Academy's southeast campus because Highline fosters a diverse and equitable community, and provides a supportive academic atmosphere. As a public servant, Judge Bland's service on the Highline Board is inspired by Highline's pledge of civic responsibility, which she strives to instill in her children and the Highline community at large.

Email: NBland@HighlineAcademy.org

Board Member

Bill Knous currently serves as the Senior Director of Quality and Growth at the Colorado League of Charter Schools, where he leads statewide efforts to strengthen school quality, expand access to high-performing charter options, and support the growth of innovative models across Colorado. His expertise in community engagement, student recruitment and enrollment, and building healthy, high-performing teams is mission-critical to the continued health and success of the charter sector in the state. Bill is passionate about ensuring more students and families have access to high-quality educational opportunities throughout Colorado.

A Denver native, Bill grew up attending Denver Public Schools. Prior to joining the League, he served as a School Director for DSST: Public Schools. He has also served as the Secondary School Principal of Colegio Granadino, a K–12 school located in Manizales, Colombia. He earned his B.A. in History from the University of Wyoming, a certification in Nonprofit Management through Temple University, and an M.A. in Secondary Education from Villanova University. He also completed the National Principals Fellowship through the RELAY Graduate School of Education, is a 4.0 Essentials Fellow, and is the co-founder of an educational startup called Gran Via Education. He is proudly fluent in Spanish, loves reading, and all things Denver sports.

Email: BKnous@HighlineAcademy.org

Board Secretary

Kelly Fleming is a fundraising professional who works primarily for political candidates in Virginia. Kelly also actively works on special projects for the Colorado Democratic party. She has experience planning events and serving on other non-profit boards. Kelly has a strong understanding of finances and volunteers at her church along with our Board Treasurer Kaylee Hart. Kelly is looking forward to introducing Highline to new donors in Denver. 

Email: KFleming@HighlineAcademy.org

Board Treasurer

Ashley Andersen is a seasoned nonprofit leader with two decades of experience spanning operations, development, communications, and community engagement. She currently serves as Vice President of Revenue & Operations at Colorado Succeeds, where she oversees fundraising, finance, HR, and organizational strategy in service of advancing education and workforce outcomes across the state. Prior to joining Colorado Succeeds, Ashley held senior roles at Denver Kids, Inc., Capital University, and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, where she led multimillion-dollar fundraising efforts and strategic initiatives.

A Denver native and proud public school parent, Ashley is deeply committed to ensuring all students have equitable access to high-quality learning experiences. She holds a master’s in public administration and a bachelor’s in political science from the University of Dayton, and is a certified professional through the Society for Human Resource Management. In addition to her service on the Highline Board, she’s been an active volunteer and committee member for several Denver-based education and civic organizations.

Email: AAndersen@HighlineAcademy.org