Leadership Summit 2025

Jarvis Caldwell

Senate Minority Leader

Representative Jarvis Caldwell, an Air Force veteran who served for 10 years, is deeply connected to the large veteran community in HD 20, which encompasses the Air Force Academy. 

Married to Rheanne with two sons, Jaxon and Colton, Representative Caldwell is committed to representing the district’s families and addressing their concerns. He prioritizes law and order, public safety, and protecting parental rights. Recognizing the state’s challenges with illegal immigration and the resulting fentanyl crisis, he seeks to lead efforts to restore safety and stability in Colorado while advocating for school choice and community empowerment.

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Kaci Coats

Executive Director, Collaborative for Exceptional Education

Kaci Coats received her BA from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas, and her MA in Special Education Administration and Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Kaci taught and led special education for eight years in Youth Corrections and Public Charter Schools and then led the Student Services department for a network of 11 schools as the Senior Director of Student Services at STRIVE Prep, Denver. In this role she managed a team of experts to develop network programming in the areas of Special Education, Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS), English Language Development, Mental Health, and Gifted and Talented.  In her role as Director of Student Services at Colorado League of Charter Schools for the past 4 years,  Kaci Coats has developed extensive experience in working with schools and districts across the state of Colorado to build and assess both academic and behavioral tiered support structures through school reviews, school coaching and professional development, and school/district/state policy review and advocacy.  

: www.linkedin.com/in/kaci-coats

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James Coleman

State Senate President

James Coleman is a native of Denver—having grown up in the Park Hill neighborhood, currently living in Green Valley Ranch—and is currently serving his second term representing the citizens, families, and communities of District 7 in Colorado’s House of Representatives. In 2016, James was elected to serve his first term as the youngest of the 100 Colorado representatives and senators. James serves in leadership as the Colorado House Majority Co-Whip, and serves as Vice Chair of the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, and sits on both the House Education Committee, and House Appropriations Committee. James is one of 8 African American legislators, the most African American legislators to serve at the same time in the Colorado legislature in Colorado history.

His professional career has been dedicated to empowering families and engaging the community to improve the quality of life for Colorado residents. He serves as CEO at FaithBridge, a local nonprofit mobilizing faith communities to improve K-12 education in the State of Colorado. James’ passion for faith based community service began when he was licensed and ordained as a minister at the age of 13, preaching in churches and doing street ministry across the Metro Denver area.

James is a passionate champion for excellent education and quality options. It’s driven by his formative years growing up in the Park Hill neighborhood and experiencing the full range of educational options. He attended Smiley Middle School, a traditional Denver Public School. Later, through a need-based scholarship, he attended a private high school. And as a parent, he sends his own young children to a public charter school in Northeast Denver. He understands that different students and families have different needs, and every parent deserves the opportunity to choose the school that works best for their child.

James serves as a Board of Director member at Highline Academy, a tuition-free public charter school with a custom liberal arts curriculum and rigorous academic program. His civic engagement also includes the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Tony Grampsas Youth Services Board, Education Commission of the States, and several other organizations.

James earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, with a minor in Business Administration, from Oral Roberts University. He and his wife, Shayna, have been together since the 8th grade, and have two amazing children (twins), James Jr. and Naomi who are 8 years old in the 2nd grade.

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Prateek Dutta

Vice President of Policy, CLCS Action

Prateek Dutta is a K-12 education leader with extensive experience in district, state, and federal policy, as well as direct engagement with students and families. Prateek grew up in Colorado and graduated from the University of Northern Colorado (Go Bears!) before teaching in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He later earned a doctorate in Education Leadership.

Returning to Colorado, Prateek has spent the past decade driving policy and advocacy efforts that have significantly impacted the education landscape. He has been instrumental in passing legislation to expand access to rigorous courses for low-income students, secure increased funding for school counselors to boost FAFSA completion rates, and protect public school choice for students across the state, including access to high quality charter schools.

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Anne Keke

Director of Grassroots Advocacy, CLCS Action

Anne joined the Colorado League of Charter Schools as Director of Grassroots Advocacy, bringing a wealth of experience in criminal justice, organizational leadership, and community engagement. Originally from Côte d'Ivoire, she has lived in Aurora, Colorado, since 2001. Her career spans roles with the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office and Arapahoe County Juvenile Probation Department, where she worked with both juveniles and adults, focusing on risk management, conflict resolution, and social program effectiveness.

A passionate advocate for educational equity, Anne is an active member of the African Leadership Group (ALG, USA), where she speaks on the importance of equal education in Colorado. She has testified before the Colorado Board of Education, addressed advocacy organizations, and led workshops for parents and education stakeholders.

Anne holds a B.A. in Criminal Justice from the University of Colorado Denver, a Master’s in Criminal Justice from Colorado Technical University, and a Doctorate in Management with a minor in Criminal Justice. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Colorado’s mountains and cherishing time with her family.

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Zach Kennelly

Senior Manager, STEM, AI and Partnerships

Zach Kennelly champions human-centered, AI-leveraged education centering student and educator agency to drive impact. His signature RCP Method for prompting prepared students to collaborate to create VoteWise Colorado, a voter empowerment app, demonstrating his approach in action. With certification across three subjects, Zach brings rich pedagogical understanding to empowering people to leverage emerging technology to create. His guiding belief, “If you can think and write, you can build with AI” underpins his work. Keynotes and national media recognition have established him as a trusted voice for effectively integrating AI in education.

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Mackenzie Khan

Executive Director, Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers

Experienced Schools and Systems Director with a demonstrated history of working in the education management industry. Understanding of research methods and strong expertise in charter schools. Skilled in Event Planning, Customer Service, Strategic Planning, Public Speaking, and Microsoft Office. Strong education professional with a Doctor of Education - EdD focused in Educational Leadership and Administration, General from University of Colorado Denver.

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Alex Medler

Executive Director, NN4DA

Alex Medler is Executive Director of the National Network for District Authorizing. Medler was previously the Chair of the NN4DA Governing Council and Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers (CACSA). He also served as the National Coordinator of the Tri-State Alliance to Improve District-Led Authorizing, which was a precursor to the NN4DA. This previous effort was a collaborative comprising CACSA, the Florida Association of Charter School Authorizers (FACSA), and the California Charter Authorizing Professionals (CCAP).

He previously led the National Charter School Resource Center; and directed policy, research, and technical assistance initiatives for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA); the Colorado Children’s Campaign; the U.S. Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program; and the Education Commission of the States. He is a founding board member and former chair of the board of the Center for Learner Equity, he served on the board of NACSA, and he founded and chaired the board of the Colorado Charter School Institute.

Medler earned a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Colorado Boulder and graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with wife, where he enjoys being in the mountains and playing music with friends.

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Paola Paga

Director of Charter Schools, Colorado Department of Education

Paola Paga is an accomplished educational leader with over a decade of experience in the charter school sector, currently serving as the Director of the Charter School Office at the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). She leads a team focused on supporting over 260 charter schools across the state through the administration of a federal facilities grant, state waivers, legislative reports, and responding to public inquiries regarding charter schools. Paola has been with CDE for six years in various roles within the Schools of Choice Unit, which serves families and supports internal and external stakeholders in providing innovative, high-quality public school choice options that enhance opportunity, access, and inclusion for students in Colorado. Before joining CDE, Paola staffed several statewide and local campaigns and spent the 2017 legislative session working with the Colorado House Speaker’s office. Additionally, she was an elementary school teacher for five years in both Denver and Houston. In her free time, Paola enjoys yoga, hiking, mentoring youth, and gardening with her husband, Marc, and their children, Aaron and Olivia, as proud homeowners in Denver.

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Joshua Smith

Founder and Executive Director, Galvanized Education Partners

Joshua Smith is the Executive Director and founder of Galvanized Education Partners, which works with schools, districts, and CMOs to support school improvement and capacity-building. 

Prior to launching Galvanized ED, Josh served as Associate Dean of Instructional Leadership Programs with Relay GSE, supporting the design of professional learning for Relay’s National Principal Academy Fellowship (NPAF) and providing coaching and professional development to school- and system-leaders throughout Colorado. From 2012 to 2017, Josh served as Chief Academic Officer and Chief Schools Officer for a network of 11 schools spanning grades K through 12. He was the founding Principal of West Denver Prep’s Harvey Park Campus (opened as part of district-led turnaround effort in 2009), leading the school to achieve the highest academic growth of any middle school in Colorado and earning the status of #1 (of approximately 160 schools) on Denver Public School’s School Performance Framework. Josh began his career in education as a TFA 2001 Corps Member and 8th grade Social Studies teacher in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where he was recognized as Campus Teacher of the Year and Wal-Mart Community Teacher of the Year in 2004. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a master’s degree from Georgetown University. He lives with his wife and two kiddos (Diego, 12, and Charly, 9) in Denver, Colorado.

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Christina Vidovich

Director of Exceptional Student Service, Minga Education Group

Christina Vidovich is a seasoned education leader with over 30 years of experience in special education, charter systems, and district administration. She specializes in instructional excellence, MTSS, IDEA compliance, and leadership coaching, and currently supports schools across Colorado through Minga Education Group. Christina also serves as Board President in Manitou Springs, championing equity and student-centered systems.

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Dale Wilsher

Dale Wilsher is an executive development expert, keynote speaker, and certified coach dedicated to helping leaders turn purpose into full potential. As the founder of Your Authentic Personality, she holds credentials including ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP), and is a DISC-behavioral consultant and Strengths Champion coach. Her work combines insights from neuroscience, positive psychology, and personal experience—she’s spoken to countless audiences, trained teams, and guided individuals through transformational leadership journeys.

: https://www.yourauthenticpersonality.com/
: dalewilsher

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