School Governance

Board of Directors
Highline Academy’s Board of Directors is comprised of families and community members who share a commitment to policy governance and a specific commitment to Highline’s vision and mission. To contact our Board of Directors, please send an email to: Network@highlineacademy.org.

Board of Directors

Katherine Casey

Katherine Casey

2024 - 2025 Board Vice President

Katherine brings 20 years of experience in public education and community leadership. She currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer for CHIC, a Denver-based nonprofit addressing race and gender justice in education, criminal justice, and economic mobility. Prior to her work with CHIC, Katherine was Founder and Principal of ImaginEDU, a consulting firm focused on educational equity and innovation, and served as Director of Innovation in Denver Public Schools. She holds her BA from Stanford University and her Doctorate in Education Leadership from Harvard. Katherine is honored to serve on Highline's Board of Directors, where she hopes to bring her passion for learning, community, and social justice.

Email: KCasey@HighlineAcademy.org

Ambar Suero

Ambar Suero

2024 - 2025 Board President

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

Kaylee Hart

Kaylee Hart

2024 - 2025 Board Treasurer

Specializing in business banking and lending, Kaylee Hart is coming up on her 10th year at FirstBank as a Senior Vice President. Originally from Aurora, she has remained in CO through college at CSU and her career with FirstBank. At home she juggles the chaos with 1- and 2-year old boys, and centers her free time investing in the community through her church and non-profit board involvements. As she recently completed a 5-year Board term with a juvenile mentorship and gang intervention non-profit in Denver, she is excited to serve on the Board for Highline Academy Charter Schools.

Email: KHart@HighlineAcademy.org

Dotun Oladinni

Dotun Oladinni

Board Director

Adedotun (Dotun) Oladinni is a purpose-driven leader at the intersection of finance, technology, and social impact. As an Assistant Vice President at FirstBank, he leads initiatives that expand access to credit, promote financial literacy/education, and support inclusive economic growth. His work reflects a deep commitment to building systems that empower individuals and strength communities. Dotun holds three master’s degrees, including an MBA from the University of Houston-Victoria, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree in Management with a focus on technology. His academic and professional pursuit explores how financial technology and future-ready systems can enhance security, broaden access, and support sustainable economic participation. His commitment to systems-level change and passion for empowering young people reflect the values at the heart of Highline Academy. On the board, he brings strategic insight, cross-sector experience, and a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives.

Email: doladinni@highlineacademy.org

Nikea Bland

Nikea Bland

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Highline Parent

Honor 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

Ramone Carson

Ramone Carson

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Highline Parent

Ramone Carson currently works with leaders and professional teams across the country as an executive coach and change management consultant. Ramone served as a public school educator for over 20 years as a paraprofessional, teacher (elementary, middle, and high), instructional coach, principal, and as leadership coach and trainer. Ramone believes earnestly in the power of transforming organizations by inspiring teams and individuals to find confidence in their own solutions. His career has been dedicated to building, in both young people and working professionals, the mindsets and skill sets to become lifelong learners who are equipped to live healthy and happy lives that contribute to creating a nurturing society for all.

Email: RCarson@HighlineAcademy.org

Katondra Dunn

Katondra Dunn

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Highline Parent

Katondra Dunn is a social worker who successfully co-founded an educational program in Florida that supports low-income teens to become self-confident and motivated to succeed. Katondra developed the marketing for the initiative and helped grow it from infancy to a thriving program. She also worked as a social worker in Baltimore, Maryland doing family advocacy before she and her family moved to Denver. Katondra is looking forward to helping Highline Academy develop its marketing strategy. Email: KDunn@HighlineAcademy.org

Kelly Fleming

Kelly Fleming

2024 - 2025 Board Director

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

Drew Goltermann

Drew Goltermann

2024 - 2025 Board Director

Drew is an education leader and entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in K-12 education. After joining Teach for America and making significant academic gains with his students in Chicago, Drew founded and led a high-performing charter school in Los Angeles where 99% of students were accepted into at least one, four-year university. He now supports new school founders from idea to application to launch in his role with the Colorado League of Charter Schools. Drew holds a BS in Biology from Duke University and a MAT from National-Louis University. Outside of his passion for supporting innovation in schools, Drew enjoys time outside with his family and 2 boys, cooking, and the pursuit of the perfect surfing wave.

Email: DGoltermann@HighlineAcademy.org

Alex Landau

Alex Landau

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Highline Parent

Alex Landau is the Co-Executive Director of the Denver Justice Project which works to transform law enforcement, end mass incarceration, and seek racial justice. He leads a project in the Adams 14 school district to help schools incorporate restorative justice practices. Alex has served on multiple commissions to advise the Mayor and the City of Denver on public safety and law enforcement reform. He looks forward to serving on the Reach Together Committee with Highline. Striving for equity for marginalized people is his driving mission.

Email: ALandau@HighlineAcademy.org

Sloan Macy

Sloan Macy

2024 - 2025 Board Director

Sloan Macy holds a master's degree in education and taught at a Title I school for eleven years. She brings her experience in educational consulting in principal support for turn-around schools across the nation to the Highline Team. Sloan joined her family's business in real estate development and now enjoys analyzing financials and maximizing her business goals. She is looking forward to helping Highline be fiscally responsible while increasing salaries to remain competitive. Sloan identifies as a white woman who has lived in Colorado her whole life.Email: SMacy@HighlineAcademy.org

Grace Nailing

Grace Nailing

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Highline Parent

Grace Nailing is originally from Uganda, coming to the US in 2005. She is currently working as a Nursing Home Administrator for a community here in Denver. She has a Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration and Health Services Management. She has been in the Health Care industry for 16 years and enjoys enriching the lives of our seniors everyday. She is the proud mother of two wonderful girls who attend our Southeast campus. Her interest to serve on Highline's board was inspired by her late father, an attorney, who was a board member for so many schools in Uganda, and her mother who was a teacher and a principal before she retired. Grace explained that 'Education is all we had growing up, and I think it's a very important chapter in our children's lives and for parents to be involved.Email: GNailing@HighlineAcademy.org

Kenny Smith

Kenny Smith

2024 - 2025 Board Director

Kenny brings over 15 years experience working in K-12 education systems across Colorado and nationally. Since moving to Colorado in 2008, his experience includes time at the Colorado Department of Education, Denver Public Schools and the Colorado Charter School Institute. Kenny is currently a Consultant at Education First, a national education strategy consulting firm. Kenny’s areas of expertise include data analysis and strategic and improvement planning.Email: KenSmith@HighlineAcademy.org

Joe Whitfield

Joe Whitfield

2024 - 2025 Board Director, Alumni Parent

Hon. Joseph Whitfield is an attorney, community servant and dedicated family man who brings experience in law and a passion for helping others to the Highline Academy Board of Directors. A District Court Judge in Colorado’s 18th Judicial District, he is the past President of the Sam Cary Bar Association, Colorado’s official black bar association. Judge Whitfield volunteers his time with the ADL, the NAACP, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, and as a coach in local youth sports leagues. Judge Whitfield’s Board service is inspired by his passion for Highline’s mission of equity in education, along with a deep-seated desire to give back to the community. Email: JWhitfield@HighlineAcademy.org

Christine Ferris

Christine Ferris

Highline Academy Executive Director, Ex Officio

Christine Ferris M.S.ed. is a veteran educator who has worked in public, private, and charter schools since 1989. She founded and led Our Community School, a K-8 charter school in Los Angeles CA from 2005 to 2013. In 2009 the school was recognized as the charter school of the year in CA for their progress toward narrowing the achievement gap. Since moving to Denver in 2013, Ms. Ferris has worked as a consultant for several charter schools both locally and nationally.

Email: CFerris@HighlineAcademy.org

Vanessa Rodriguez

Vanessa Rodriguez

Principal, Highline Academy Northeast, Ex Officio

Ms. Rodriguez has been in education for 17 years. She began teaching at Highline Academy Southeast and taught there for 4 years. Ms. Rodriguez was a critical player in the founding of Highline Academy Northeast in 2014. In 2019, she was promoted to the administrative team as the Community and Culture Liaison, overseeing partnerships between the school and community, leading efforts to inform and implement the school’s core values, managing grants received from CDE, supervising, coaching, and evaluating teachers. Ms. Rodriguez applied for the Principal Licensure Program - Graduate Certificate at Colorado State University in July 2021. During this time, she served as the Assistant Principal. Ms. Rodriguez assumed the role of Principal for the 2022-23 school year.

VRodriguez@HighlineAcademy.org

Sarah Verni-Lau

Sarah Verni-Lau

Principal, Highline Academy Southeast, Ex Officio

Sarah Verni-Lau is the principal at Highline Academy Southeast. She has been with Highline for 13 years; serving the school first as an 8th grade language arts teacher for 7 years and more recently as an instructional coach and assistant principal. Sarah attended Loyola Marymount University where she received her undergraduate degree in English and Secondary Education and completed the ALPS cohort program, a joint Education Leadership Masters and Principal Licensure program, through the University of Colorado at Denver.

Email: SVerni-Lau@HighlineAcademy.org

Board Meeting Dates & Docs

Highline Academy Board meetings for 2025 - 2026 are held in-person and virtually via Zoom. Families, staff, and community members are encouraged to attend the monthly meetings. View the 2025-26 School Year Board Meeting calendar here. Click on the Zoom link to join virtually (virtual access is also provided for in-person meetings). The agenda and corresponding Board packet documents are available 3 business days prior to the meeting and are linked below in the assigned dates.

24-25 Highline Board Meeting

June 9, 2025

June 9, 2025

Aug 1, 2025

Aug 1, 2025

Aug 25, 2025

Aug 25, 2025

Sep 29, 2025

Sep 29, 2025

Oct 27, 2025

Oct 27, 2025

Dec 8, 2025

Dec 8, 2025

Jan 26, 2026

Jan 26, 2026

Feb 23, 2026

Feb 23, 2026

Mar 23, 2026

Mar 23, 2026

Apr 27, 2026

Apr 27, 2026

May 18, 2026

May 18, 2026

Jun 8, 2026

Jun 8, 2026

Prior Years Archive

Prior Years Archive

Board Committees

COMMITTEE WORK

COMMITTEE WORK

Highline’s Board uses a committee structure to conduct legwork on key issues and facilitate due diligence to attain our strategies. In light of our strategic goals, as well as the main responsibilities of the Board, we have developed a committee structure that focuses on our community's core REACH values of Responsibility, Empowerment, Aspiration, Citizenship, and Honesty. Our students strive to achieve the following REACH values:

REACH Up: Recognition of academic excellence
REACH In: Recognition of self-growth
REACH Out: Recognition of service to the community

Highline Academy Board members are expected to serve on at least one committee.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Financial Committee: Oversees fiscal duties, such as budgeting and audits.

Dec. 4, Jan. 23, Feb. 19, Mar. 19, Apr. 23, May 14, Jun. 4 from 1:00-2:00pm MST

Virtual Meeting

The Finance Committee shall be responsible for oversight of the fiscal matters of Highline Academic Charter Schools. The Finance Committee is commissioned by and responsible to the Board of Directors. It has responsibility for working with the school leaders to create the upcoming fiscal year budget; presenting budget recommendations to the Board; monitoring the implementation of the approved budget on a regular basis and recommending proposed budget revisions; recommending to the Board an auditor to perform an annual third-party financial audit; oversight of the annual audit; and recommending to the Board appropriate policies for the management of the school’s assets.

REACH TOGETHER COMMITTEE

REACH TOGETHER COMMITTEE

REACH Together Committee

Nov. 12, Dec. 10, Jan 14, Feb. 11, Mar. 11, Apr. 8, May 13 from 6:00-7:00pm MST

Virtual Meeting

The REACH Together Committee is tasked to assess our progress toward the goals in our strategic plan and support more inclusion work as an organization. The following are the specific tasks of the Committee:

Review the Black Excellence Report and provide feedback for the current and coming school year
Partner with the Reach Up committee to determine how the community can connect with and meaningfully support subgroups of students where academic growth/achievement is needed
Help to plan a family + community workshop
Advise Reach In committee on any Board training needed to support committee initiatives
Review reports from the HR Director on how we are doing with hiring and retaining staff of color
Ask for and review examples from teachers about lessons and curriculum that incorporate committee work

REACH IN COMMITTEE

REACH IN COMMITTEE

REACH In: Governance Committee

Nov. 13, Dec. 11, Jan. 8, Feb. 12, Mar. 12, Apr. 9, May 14, Jun 11 from 12:00-1:00pm MST

Virtual Meeting

REACH In Committee: Leads the Board’s efforts to ensure all leadership (Board and Administrative) are working to create an organization-wide culture that empowers all stakeholders. This committee works on identifying, recruiting, and onboarding new Board members, evaluating the E.D., supporting the principal evaluations and ongoing training and self-assessment of the Board.

REACH OUT COMMITTEE

REACH OUT COMMITTEE

REACH Out: Fundraising and Community Outreach

Nov. 19, Dec. 17, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, Mar. 18, Apr. 15, May 20 from 5:30-6:30pm MST

Virtual Meeting

REACH Out Committee: Leads the Board’s effort to become a known charter brand throughout Denver for serving a diverse and inclusive student body in a program that creates academic, personal, and civic excellence for all students. This committee develops the marketing, outreach, and fundraising plans to help us better tell our story to a larger community.

REACH UP

REACH UP

REACH Up: Academic Accountability

Dec. 3, Jan. 21, Feb. 18, Mar. 18, Apr. 22, May 13, Jun. 3 from 4:30-5:30pm MST

Virtual Meeting

REACH Up Committee: Leads the Board’s efforts to provide oversight for the academic program and the civic and personal excellence programs that are central to the mission. This committee develops and maintains a board dashboard to look at academic civic and personal data with a particular focus on monitoring the achievement gap.

Board Policies, Procedures, & Charter Docs

For more information about Highline Academy Board policies and procedures, or for an application for Board service, reference the links below.

Guidelines for Public Comment at Highline Academy Charter Schools Board of Directors Meetings.

For the purposes of this policy, “Chair” refers to the Chair of the Highline Academy Board of Directors

Pursuant to the Colorado State Board of Education Operating Procedures, the Highline Academy Board of Directors should at every regular meeting provide time for citizens to address the Board and the timeframe should be made public through the posted public notice.

The information outlined below provides details on public comment procedures for in-person and virtual meetings. Members of the public can also submit their comments in writing to the board at nbland@highlineacademy.org for distribution to all members.

Public comment will be held shortly after the meeting is called to order on the first day of each regular meeting (usually a Monday) unless designated otherwise when the agenda is made public.
Registration for public comment will open a half hour prior to the start of the board meeting.
Sign-up for the morning public comment is limited to 10 speakers and registration is first-come, first-served. The number of speakers for public comment is determined by the chair.
Comments are limited to three minutes per speaker. Time will be monitored by staff using a timer. When that time expires, the speaker is permitted to complete a sentence but should make no further remarks.

The chair may extend the agenda item. While offering a public forum is important to the board, it is also necessary to ensure that the board allows enough time to conduct its regular business.

At the discretion of the chair, public comment may be closed and reopened at a later time or date to be announced.

Additional Information

Public comment submissions may not be related to personnel matters or quasi-judicial issues pending before the board. This will also be announced at the beginning of the public comment and posted on the registration form.
The board chair reserves the right to limit the time available for public comment.
Any written public comment that is submitted via email will be uploaded to BoardDocs. Documents submitted to the Board are public records. If you have information that you wish to keep private (names, address, phone numbers, etc.) please remove the information before submitting the document to the board.
All board meetings are recorded. Those recordings are available on the Highline Academy website as part of the permanent, public record.
Signs, banners, and other distracting items are not allowed in the board room. Staff will ask you to leave materials outside the room or you may be asked to leave.
All speakers, and those in attendance, shall conduct themselves in a non-disruptive manner. Cheering, snapping, clapping and other distractions are not allowed during or upon completion of any public comment.
Board members do not respond to public comments during this segment of the board meeting.
Public comment will not be taken at special meetings.

Virtual Meetings

If the monthly board meeting is held virtually, public comment can be submitted in written format (nbland@highlineacademy.org) by 5:00 p.m. the day before the meeting. It will be read aloud by staff at the selected time on the agenda.

Do's and Don'ts for Giving Public Comment

DO:

Introduce yourself and where you are from. If you are speaking on behalf of an organization, identify the organization and your association.
If speaking to a specific agenda item, limit your remarks to the subject of the agenda item and avoid repeating what others have said.
Be brief, to the point, and concise.
If you believe an issue needs to be explained in-depth, and you bring handouts, please pass them to staff prior to making your comments. Be sure to include your name and date of the meeting on the handout.

DO NOT:

Expect the Board to answer questions you may have.
Expect the board to be able to intervene with school district issues. As Colorado is a local control state, district-specific issues should be resolved locally.
Attempt to argue or debate with the board.
Discuss personnel matters with the board. This should be done in private with the chair and/or vice-chair of the board.