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A third party navigation program like what RLC offers is novel and critical for parents.” — PC, Real Life Client https://reallifecolorado.org/gallery-5-1 daily 0.75 2021-05-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9654efea-6f9c-4b17-9d13-2ad5755b2072/IMG_0030.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/671a1978-57a8-46f8-a847-cf3472421bdc/IMG_0003.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b3a9e750-8b3c-42aa-99db-0eadbd5150ac/IMG_0044.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b3faf7d3-cd80-4042-bb51-a6b15db9b01f/IMG_0045.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/919971ae-b744-49d6-aa72-17c2f2f3f2ff/IMG_0050.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/7a41aaab-4c0a-482d-b73a-6729a7d697e9/IMG_0054.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/80029294-eb12-4222-982d-7694c39204e1/IMG_0410.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/adae1e32-e2ce-4e5e-ab54-917b66bb9694/IMG_0444.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/a89b8f42-0b03-445e-ad6d-7d3f759c33a5/IMG_0451.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/668d1446-0590-4f52-8f84-a9d3885da38a/IMG_0450.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/0b827495-fef7-4385-b417-12987560ffc4/IMG_0463.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/d67baf56-860d-43f5-ac32-f8e0b031eca1/IMG_0415.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/d85d4726-d4a9-4717-b22a-e8f7f0ab6da2/IMG_0087.jpg Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/6e38c7af-85ba-4797-95bb-9f581ab4d17f/IMG_0459.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/7004cf40-b5d0-4096-8ae5-3357b7dd1f42/IMG_0467.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/e6b68fd9-8dc2-43c4-a294-69204a67c0af/IMG_0466.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/d1809360-ab39-4fb4-879e-b62c497b279b/IMG_0473.JPG Photo Gallery https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/27f65b5f-b311-4d45-b9f9-461659642648/IMG_0482.JPG Photo Gallery https://reallifecolorado.org/summer-old daily 0.75 2022-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1618183534120-63A2VF506XJIMR25ZGHV/406130A0-0AF4-4225-8B78-B41933397E01.jpg Summer AAC Immersion Program (old) - 2022 AAC Summer Immersion Program At this time our program is full and we are no longer accepting summer applications. If you are interested in our fall academic program, please fill out our Interest Form below. https://reallifecolorado.org/contact daily 0.75 2026-02-02 https://reallifecolorado.org/learning-zone daily 0.75 2025-04-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/65053a50-184b-4171-81a8-79c177c88d7d/IMG_0464+%281%29.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9ca3c12a-0ea4-4cf6-8a20-6c45248d91b7/20230719_142526.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/4f19a6d8-6e7f-432d-ae78-a6e1cb187dfa/IMG_1344.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/738f8243-7008-453f-9b66-2462f74257f8/IMG_1509.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/8fac126f-2c50-49be-84d2-e316cc44d880/IMG_9913.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/f359a288-5932-406a-98c7-12d70c555f82/IMG_9735+%281%29.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9723036f-412e-4fc6-885c-ed4d2b971985/IMG_0270.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ad6ba58a-77b9-4078-bd2f-600455937f00/IMG_1359.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9b61361b-2839-43c1-8d4b-5068bab02c96/IMG_9685+%281%29.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/4af94273-f5dc-4c15-b65b-16d2f82335a3/IMG_0338+%281%29.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1694801422186-6XUP551GF2OV48RZK6T7/IMG_1287.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b71a2d33-e4ec-46ea-9d0e-5cdb04b1702b/IMG_1374.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/6e66c572-50d7-4c45-993b-3edfe2bc7c8e/IMG_8687.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/5dffd1bc-7dad-43d9-9240-9b199abded52/IMG_1342.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/61f1de28-f579-49c2-ab49-3261184c74b5/IMG_9151.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1694801279706-SD0J0ELB0JC4HM7XGS1I/IMG_0429.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/321092e4-f39a-4645-923f-0ed668d12c03/IMG_0796.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ded22b44-d854-42fe-8d50-3d0e8691ed74/IMG_0857.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/7f10cdbe-6633-4ab1-8658-738e6294e1f7/IMG_1470.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/e6030d85-de7b-432d-b2f1-74288a890f7d/IMG_1529.jpeg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/23998723-56db-4239-864f-9958183fd35f/IMG_7664.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/c27cb8f9-2621-4990-9c3a-fe5b084162e8/IMG_9171.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/bb37020c-1759-438b-969b-e66e7847822c/IMG_9728.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1694801101849-EPK78VYQ4QNA0BPUMY4Z/IMG_9662.jpg Learning Zone https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1651194298801-OH85B4DXCB6QOWU8X9XP/LZRL_Color.png Learning Zone - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9f8ddd5d-7828-4095-b817-406f50090bc5/Screenshot+2025-04-14+at+12.07.41%E2%80%AFPM.png Learning Zone - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/d5ff5e27-d6ad-40dd-b348-3a0052713fda/_2025+LZ+Social+Enrichment+%281%29.png Learning Zone - Summer AAC Immersion @ LZ -(SAIL) Sail on through the summer with RLC! Join us for a fun and educational summer of programming developed specifically for a community of students using speech generating devices. https://reallifecolorado.org/summer daily 0.75 2026-01-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/abd71a24-b707-4f73-93f7-6276af5a6653/IMG_0575.jpg Summer AAC Immersion Program - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b480b5a6-7858-4e8a-bcfb-0288e3ba18bc/2026+LZ+Social+Enrichment+Flier+%281%29.png Summer AAC Immersion Program - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://reallifecolorado.org/team daily 0.75 2026-01-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b2cabad3-55ae-413a-9c3f-39cd767b6e27/IMG_1889.jpg Our Team - Aidan Attreau Executive Director - Real Life Colorado Aidan spent the first 8 years of their career working as an SLP who specialized in pediatric populations (1-22) with complex communication needs (CCN). They moved from Boston to Denver in 2017 and became an AAC Specialist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, before becoming a founding member of a start-up integrated care center for children with Autism. Aidan is so excited to take on the Executive Director position at RLC and believes their professional experiences, business and management skills, and unique perspective and understanding as a clinician will bring the added “missing piece” to RLC and Learning Zone. In their free time, Aidan enjoys spending time outside, playing music, or cuddling with their cute pup, Tucker! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ff3d814e-d7ef-4d86-b5ed-2c0fc4ff4be6/IMG_1375.jpg Our Team - Michelle Pescovitz Director of Academics & OperationS Michelle has been a Special Education Teacher for 15 years! She has taught students with all abilities and disabilities from preschool through 6th grade. Michelle moved to Denver in 2016 and received her Masters in Special Education with a focus in coaching and leadership from University of Northern Colorado. Michelle brings a passion for providing structures and supports to ensure that all staff and students are confident in their unique skills and have everything they need to be successful. She enjoys traveling, dogs, trying new restaurants and spending time with her husband and daughter. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ca961f24-f313-4747-af53-5ef79468375b/IMG_1907.jpeg Our Team - Gretchen Storm AAC program Coordinator Gretchen is a certified speech-language pathologist in the Denver Metro Area. She received her Masters Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Purdue University. She worked in the public schools for 13 years and was a therapist at Adam's Camp for many consecutive years. Her specialties are in the areas of Apraxia and AAC. When Gretchen is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids, being active, and traveling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/7060eb10-def3-4963-899f-656654d28584/IMG_1388.JPG Our Team - Jesica Suddath Program Manager Jesica has spent the past 15 years working with children inside and outside of the classroom. She has been a daycare provider, special education paraprofessional, community connector, and home health provider. Jesica brings an extensive amount of professional skills to our team including instructional and behavioral support, personal, health, and safety care experience, and QMAP certification. Jesica has a remarkable ability to make all learning opportunities fun and relatable to real life experiences to help our students reach their highest potentials. Jesica is the proud mom to 4 boys and enjoys spending her free time with her family! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/4f385132-0dac-42a4-a494-6ee408901d5d/IMG_1415.jpg Our Team - Casey Coppola SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER & Behavior Interventionist Casey began working in the field of special education as an intern at a school for students with Autism in 2016 and has since then worked as a paraprofessional, behavior technician and special education teacher. Casey has worked at a wide variety of specialized facility schools, public schools, and ABA clinics, with students ranging from preschool to high school age. Casey graduated with her masters in Special Education from Purdue University in 2020, and is currently enrolled at The University of Colorado Denver working on her masters in ABA in hopes of becoming a BCBA. Casey is passionate about providing her students with the tools to thrive in the world around them. During her free time, Casey loves cuddling with her dog Leonard and hiking the beautiful Colorado mountain ranges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/867b455b-6f5c-406e-9454-882b44456e40/IMG_1916.jpg Our Team - Sarah Mestas SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER Sarah was born and raised in Denver and got her bachelors in Special Education at the University of Northern Colorado. Sarah has been working in special education classrooms as a paraprofessional and then a teacher in classrooms with students of a wide variety of ability levels and ages. She is passionate about the advocacy and empowerment of kids and adults with disabilities in the schools and in the community. She enjoys reading, camping, thrifting, and spending time with her dog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/f0c8bbef-0619-49c7-b036-a5ebe716aeea/IMG_4360.jpg Our Team - Rachel Jensen SPecial Education Teacher Rachel was born and raised outside of Chicago and moved to Denver in 2022. She teaches special education and is committed to creating inclusive, student-centered learning environments where all learners feel valued, supported, and capable. Her work focuses on meeting students where they are, honoring different ways of learning and communicating, and building confidence through meaningful, accessible instruction. Rachel is passionate about advocating for students with disabilities and believes that teaching is a shared learning experience with students and teachers learning from one another. Outside of teaching, she enjoys reading, camping, paddle boarding, and spending time with her dog, Gryffin. She is also a lifelong Chicago sports fan, and can always be found cheering on the Cubs, Bears, and Blackhawks. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/28264b24-fd64-400e-9e96-93aaa89f118b/IMG_4406.jpg Our Team - Kelly McKinney SPecial Education Teacher Kelly has been a Special Education Teacher for 13 years. She has taught students with a variety of skills and abilities from Kindergarten through 8th grade. Kelly recently moved to the Denver area 2 years ago, but has also taught in Illinois, Arizona, and Oregon. Kelly received a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon. She is dedicated to forming meaningful connections with students in order to make learning engaging and at the appropriate level. Along with teaching, Kelly also has also coached Special Recreation basketball to adults in Illinois and mentored for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program in Central Oregon. She enjoys road trips, hiking with her dog, and spending time with family and friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/63123276-91e0-4f07-89c2-16485e77bc00/IMG_2318.jpg Our Team - Kelsey Sipka Speech-Language Pathologist Kelsey is a certified speech language pathologist from Grand Rapids, Michigan. She earned a B.S. in Communication Disorders from Central Michigan University in 2017 and an M.S. in Speech Language Pathology from Bowling Green State University in 2019. After completing her education, Kelsey relocated to Denver, Colorado to begin her career. Her professional focus is AAC and she has experience working with complex communicators of all ages, from young children to adults. Kelsey is passionate about working with those with disabilities and empowering them to find their voice. She enjoys traveling, going to concerts and snuggling with her cats in her free time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/47175c62-17c2-4fac-bd9e-abc2038fb0e7/IMG_4403.jpg Our Team - Olivia Vargas Speech-Language Pathologist (CF) Olivia is a speech-language pathology clinical fellow from Oxnard, California. She received her B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley in 2017 and her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2025. Prior to working at the Learning Zone, Olivia has worked as a behavior technician and a special education paraprofessional. Olivia brings compassion to her teaching by creating a supportive environment where students feel encouraged to grow. In her free time, Olivia enjoys relaxing at home, training martial arts, and having board game nights with friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/61ad9e98-1cb8-43ea-8536-b4fcbba9331a/IMG_1381.jpg Our Team - Dana Hanson ParaProfessional Dana has a long history of working with children in special education. She has worked in both elementary and middle school settings. Dana also enjoys teaching gymnastics! Dana brings a long list of strengths to our program including meeting kids where they are at and interacting with positivity, respect, and individualized support for each of our students. We are so excited to have Dana as a part of our team! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ebdcfc98-fc1e-4698-b298-113bfe0d7c03/IMG_1400.jpg Our Team - Addisyn McFee ParaProfessional Addisyn comes from a family of teachers. She’s been working with children as a Special Education paraprofessional since 2016. She received her degree in California before moving to Colorado. Addisyn continues her passion with working with kids through Coaching Middle School and High School volleyball. She loves her spending time with her two cats and doing anything creative! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/7a2a57c5-00a9-4370-aa6e-0bf0e0244c5d/IMG_4356.jpeg Our Team - Lily Holwerda ParaProfessional Lily grew up in Texas and earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Texas Woman’s University in 2021. She has a strong background working with children, including experience as a nanny and as a Registered Behavior Technician at an ABA center supporting children with ASD, developmental disabilities, and behavioral disorders. After moving to Colorado, Lily chose to further focus her career on creating meaningful opportunities for children’s communication within her field. She is currently continuing her education by pursuing a master’s degree in Special Education with a focus on Applied Behavior Analysis at Arizona State University while working. Lily brings positivity, creativity, compassion, and support to the workplace. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, attending concerts, and relaxing at home reading while cuddling with her two cats. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b9fc21d9-0de9-4c46-abc7-1b01ea3181f9/IMG_4397.jpg Our Team - Clint Eckstein ParaProfessional Clint has spent the last 20 years teaching and working with youth in various capacities. After graduating from University of Nebraska, he spent two years working in separate AmeriCorps programs in Boston and Boulder. He pursued his M.Ed at the University of Toronto, and has taught middle school and high school in both rural Japan and Dubai. After returning to Denver, he taught 6th grade English Language Arts at Highline Academy, and was a high school English teacher at Lookout Academy, a youth correctional facility. Before his time at the Learning Zone, he previously worked with non-speaking youth with autism as a paraprofessional in the ILC program at Cherry Creek High School. When he’s not working at Learning Zone, he enjoys doing CrossFit, coaching CrossFit, hiking, biking, hanging out with his family and two dogs, and taking advantage of all the outdoor activities that brought him to Colorado. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/3df97145-8fd6-4217-a81e-783ccbaab6b2/IMG_4399.jpg Our Team - Marlo Ganter ParaProfessional https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ad0c7ce8-3604-467e-b86e-3702050ad4ab/IMG_9716.jpg Our Team - “We are blessed to have such dedicated staff that know our kids can be successful. To see our son have the excitement to go to school every day makes all the difference and it is because of this staff and the programming.” — Learning Zone Parent https://reallifecolorado.org/home daily 1.0 2025-10-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/b95cc315-3733-42e5-92eb-182597918c82/IMG_6628.jpg Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/a591f64f-65ec-40d7-878b-eecf9f1b5a2f/IMG_6838.JPG Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://reallifecolorado.org/donate daily 0.75 2025-07-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/ca157dd4-59f7-4897-8299-2c2f6d606ed6/5BFE3520-708A-42D4-9999-E21D9E2538CB.JPG Donate - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/689237c4-a35a-4d31-8e6d-7c0590011962/IMG_0509.JPG Donate - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/276dd6a1-fd79-4ad0-b8ce-13a08081f51b/IMG_0297.JPG Donate - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://reallifecolorado.org/our-mission daily 0.75 2024-08-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/57271df0-d6f5-41f6-8ec7-61dff88a568d/IMG_6732+%281%29.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/55377e37-ce4d-4b00-a6ca-057c85e09eaf/IMG_6832.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/76a01e8c-a946-4048-869e-d4753c002e6a/IMG_6872.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/eeee5ca3-51a0-4932-b020-67fb6d439afd/IMG_6799+%281%29.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/e076204a-cc9c-404c-a336-2828e74efdde/IMG_6518+%281%29.jpg Our Mission - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://reallifecolorado.org/in-memory-of-owen-burgoyne daily 0.75 2022-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655231723327-QQJGJQD1G10H0G73KEWB/IMG_0100.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655231648073-1NXT5K7125IT1QFBEEBO/IMG_0784.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/c50dabf5-06e0-4d69-b191-c89a9fc39b79/IMG_1654.JPG The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655231689915-WSWZNQM7YND2PTKFPOP6/IMG_1012.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655242264052-72XKXVE04NCZMU1TP3EC/IMG_1602.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9d99e609-8d57-4fed-93c5-2b4e3753ef38/IMG_1679.JPG The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655242302708-4ZAGU188NR3Q3I5L6TYP/IMG_1214.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655242340315-CX383RLBGPVHF1PLBUM2/IMG_0929.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/fcad4ae9-b0aa-441c-a1a2-79e4c95e15d1/IMG_0897.JPG The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/8332994f-56da-4085-8e46-71f292ddbfc5/IMG_1685.JPG The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655242378187-HDVWG7JKO22H6W2REL9M/IMG_0989.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655242412123-RRY9PJHXBLETPAKEKCWO/IMG_1331.jpg The Owen Fund https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1655228559915-6M1N94OB19LNXDGF690L/IMG_1199.jpeg The Owen Fund - “If there is ever a tomorrow when we’re not together… There is something you should always Remember… You are braver than you believe, stronger than you feel, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, Even if we are apart, I’ll always be with yoU.” https://reallifecolorado.org/our-board daily 0.75 2025-04-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/e8bbb3fc-6482-4b56-9eef-88674b2be859/Screen+Shot+2023-01-23+at+12.11.58+PM.png Our Board - Lorri Avery Board Director - INterim President Lorri Avery is the parent of a student at Learning Zone. Lorri left the working world after 25 years to advocate and care for her daughter's multiple needs. Prior to that, she worked in sales and marketing at Pentax Imaging. Lorri holds a bachelor's in business marketing and an MBA with an emphasis in International Business from Regis University in Colorado. More recently Lorri served four years on the Jefferson County Schools District Accountability (2018-2022) two of those years she was on the Executive Committee. She also spent two years on the Special Education Accountability Committee (2020-2022) with the majority of her work on the district's center program planning. Lorri has a passion for education and is thrilled her daughter, Allie, is able to attend The Learning Zone. Allie's ability to communicate has soared since starting at Learning Zone Fall of 2021. Learning Zone has had a significant effect on the course of Allie's life and the benefit is shared with her father, mother, and older sister. . https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/882555cd-b27b-4925-aecf-389ba7498e66/1614373784561.jpg Our Board - Preetam “P. K.” Dandapani Board Director - TreaSurer PK has 15+ years of corporate finance and capital markets experience in the energy sector and serves as the CFO of Flatirons Field Services. Prior to joining Flatirons, PK was the CFO of Evolution Midstream where he played a key role directing the company’s strategy and was responsible for $150+ million of capital investments. Prior to Evolution, he lead corporate development at DCP Midstream and was an investment banker in the Global Energy group at Credit Suisse. PK joined the board of Learning Zone in June 2021 as a member the finance committee prior to accepting the position of Treasurer in June of 2022. He holds an M.B.A. from the Yale School of Management and a master’s degree in manufacturing systems engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/a6caaa92-1da5-4a09-89c4-47fd19da9e92/headshot.jpg Our Board - Karla Zimski Board Director - interim secretary Karla Zimski is a dedicated advocate for special education and career development, bringing over two decades of experience in coaching, change management, and behavioral systems. Recently, she served as a judge on the Career Z Challenge through the US Dept of Education. Beyond the public education sector, Karla has been an Educational Consultant for over six years, empowering families through IEP support and transition planning. Karla's unwavering dedication to student success continues to drive her work, helping shape meaningful opportunities for learners at every stage. In her spare time, Karla enjoys mountain biking, road cycling, backpacking, fishing, and all-around adventuring with her family. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1652718212495-Z9VJZRZESNK9G930JM52/99236_backgroundimage__2_-removebg-preview.png Our Board - Joshua D. Kohler BOARD DirectoR - MEMBER AT LARGE Joshua is an attorney at Holland & Hart LLP where he specializes in labor and employment law, representing corporations, management, and business-owners. His advocacy for clients is enhanced by his investment in understanding their business and culture. Joshua has experience in workplace counseling and helping businesses stay compliant with the latest regulations. He also advises public and private entities in employment and general commercial litigation matters in state and federal court. In his free time, Joshua enjoys woodworking, reading, and cheering for Colorado sport teams with his wife and two boys. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/9de44884-ce2c-4212-aece-579f767df835/Screenshot+2024-08-29+at+11.08.06%E2%80%AFAM.png Our Board - Lauren Reese Board Director - MEMBER AT LARGE Lauren is a Program Advisor with the Center for Work Education & Employment (CWEE). In this role Lauren is responsible for supporting participants throughout their journey at CWEE and into employment by assessing each participant’s unique needs and barriers related to their employment goals. Lauren brings warmth and respect as an advocate for CWEEs participants in support of CWEE’s work and mission. Prior to joining CWEE, Lauren worked in Marketing Communications and Operations. In these roles she managed and optimized the logistical and communication aspects of marketing campaigns and initiatives. Profoundly inspired by her son and the disability community he was part of, in addition to her role at CWEE, Lauren is grateful to be active in the community by serving on the board of directors for the Real Life Colorado and wants nothing more than every family of an AAC user to have access to an education like the one provided at Learning Zone. Lauren attended University of Colorado where she studied Marketing with a concentration in Chinese. In her free time, you can find Lauren spending time with her incredible daughter, energetic dogs and friends. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/6f1e2ec6-3fc1-4c8d-bd52-6d6f6e64ee4a/Screenshot+2025-04-23+at+11.21.55%E2%80%AFAM.png Our Board - Sarah Shields Board Director - MEMBER AT LARGE Sarah is a passionate communicator and creative strategist with a background in marketing, advertising, and project management. With a career rooted in strategic communication, she brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to every initiative—especially those that create space for young people to build confidence and connect authentically with their peers. Driven by a belief that kids thrive when they can be completely themselves, Sarah is committed to supporting environments that help young people grow the educational, social and emotional skills they’ll carry into the real world. Since relocating to Denver in 2019 with her husband and two children, she’s embraced the energy and rhythm of life in Colorado—spending her free time skiing, exploring the outdoors, and sharing in everyday adventures with her family. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e78beae7c04b05fc2a85fad/1602586698812-8Q9VGXL856XO1JA0Q5B7/IMG_4528.jpg Our Board - “We are blessed to have such dedicated staff that knows that our kids can be successful. To see our son have the excitement to go to school every day makes all the difference and it is because of this staff and the programming.” — PW, Learning Zone Parent