What inspired you to lead the work at Strategic Kids, and what impact are you most proud of so far?
Like me, Strategic Kids is a Colorado native, and Adam Brody (our president) has inspired me and the mission of Strategic Kids through his personal story. As a former foster youth who was impacted by a few amazing adults, Adam dedicated his life to providing kids with awesome enrichment classes from chess to LEGOⓇ to field games. From supporting groups that work with orphans in Ukraine to low income schools in Colorado, Adam is always looking for ways to better the lives of kids. His goal is to teach 1 million kids chess, and he’s well on the way to hitting that!
In this work, I am most proud of being a Coloradan. Over the past year, there has been an astonishing interest from Colorado leaders who have patiently explained the educator workforce pipeline to me and who have offered their continued support and collaboration. I am excited to continue to engage with them and others.
Looking back on your Leadership Denver experience, what moments or relationships most shaped how you show up as a leader today?
The Leadership Denver experience is unparalleled. While there are unique moments and relationships that have lasted years, those are isolated items that miss the immense value of the experience in its entirety. It is a journey that exposed me to multiple expert perspectives centered on dozens of regional issues, and pushed me to deeply process my thoughts, test my values, and ask myself what I will do (in a group setting - talk about vulnerability). It is a formative experience, a leadership catalyst that has regenerated year-over-year for 50 years.
How has Leadership Denver influenced the way you think about the education workforce, and how does it connect to your work at Strategic Kids?
At a recent Leadership Denver Salon event, alumni discussed how we think. What I heard is that through our experience, we understand the relationship between service and impact and how to maximize that impact through the collective power of our positions and networks. Together, as leaders, we can drive positive change. That is the work I do with Strategic Kids, and that work is focused on the issue of educator workforce in Colorado.
According to the most recent Colorado Department of Education teacher shortage survey results, there is a 14% teacher shortage, with nearly 8,000 vacancies, and a 17% special services provider shortage, with nearly 7,000 vacancies. These vacancies reveal problems resulting from what the report states as “a decline in interest, retention of existing teachers, and retirement of veteran teachers that has led our state to recruit 50 percent of our educators from out-of-state.” Recent legislation (e.g., SB26-126) continues to try and address the educational and economic impacts, but Colorado also faces a $1.5+ billion budget shortfall that is forcing the elimination of statewide programs that help students become teachers (e.g., the Teacher Recruitment and Education Preparation program) and reduce barriers to the field.
Strategic Kids supports some of the largest school districts in meeting their daily and long-term staffing challenges. I am grateful they have trusted me to seek partners in Colorado, many of whom are already innovating the pipeline. Strategic Kids is dedicating time, and we are seeking partners who are also dedicating time toward this issue.
Denver is evolving quickly, where do you see the biggest opportunities or gaps in the education workforce pipeline, and how is Strategic Kids helping to address them?
Yes, Denver is quickly evolving and the education workforce is feeling that pressure. The biggest gap we’re seeing isn’t just a shortage of people – it’s a shortage of prepared and reliable talent, especially for roles like paraprofessionals, substitutes, and specialized support staff.
We see three main drivers:
- Pipeline gaps into education roles – fewer people are entering the field, and many don’t see paraprofessional or substitute roles as long-term career pathways
- Training and readiness – schools need staff who can step in immediately and effectively support students, particularly in special education environments
- Retention and consistency – high turnover and call-outs create instability for schools and most importantly, for students
At Strategic Kids, we’re focused on addressing those gaps in a few key ways.
- We’re building a more intentional pipeline by recruiting people who are mission-aligned–individuals who want to work with students and grow in education, not just fill a short-term job.
- We’re investing heavily in training and development, especially for special education. That includes partnerships and programs designed to better prepare our staff before they ever step onto a campus.
- We focus on reliability and support systems. Schools don’t just need people – they need consistency. We’ve built systems around scheduling, backup coverage, and accountability to make sure students aren’t impacted by gaps in staffing.
Longer term, we see a big opportunity to help create clearer career pathways – where someone can start as a para or enrichment instructor and grow into more specialized or full-time roles in education. Denver has a strong education community, and we see our role as a partner helping to strengthen that workforce over time.
How can fellow alumni support or get involved in this work?
Fellow alumni who are drawn to this issue and who have access to educator workforce resources (time, knowledge, referrals, etc.) can contact me, Michelle Fox, or Susie Moss. Again, together, as leaders, we can drive positive change.
