meet our team
MEET OUR ADMINISTRATORS
Teri Cady, Head of School
Mrs. Teri Cady is the Head of School for Destinations Career Academy. She has been with CODCA and K12 schools since 2008. Mrs. Cady has a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry, a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and another Master’s degree in School Administration. Mrs. Cady is licensed through the State of Colorado as a Science Teacher and a School Administrator. She is passionate about teaching, students, and creating successful, meaningful learning opportunities for students across Colorado.
Amber Schriner, Principal
Mrs. Schriner is the Principal at Destinations. Mrs. Schriner has her MA in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Colorado, Denver and her BA in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University-Hawaii. This is her 6th year as an administrator at the school and she keeps coming back because she LOVES it here. She has a deep passion for post-secondary readiness and feels that the CTE pathways that are offered are an integral part of the school's success.
Kimber Podsedek, Operations Manager
Ms. Podsedek is the Manager of School Operations for all three Colorado schools. Kimber has been with K12 since 2007. Before her role as Manager of Operations, she worked as a high school advisor. She loves working with all our wonderful staff and families to support all the different learning options our schools have.
Lisa Balagat, Assistant Manager of Operations
Lisa Balagat is the Assistant Manager of School Operations for all three Colorado schools. She has been with K12 since 2013. She has worked in education for nearly 30 years in many support staff positions from classroom assistant, attendance clerk, counseling secretary and registrar.
Adelita Shepherd, Compliance and Family Engagement Coordinator
Mrs. Shepherd earned a BA in Political Science from Metropolitan State College of Denver, and has been working in public education since 2006. Adelita has been with Destinations Career Academy of Colorado since 2014. She helps students and families engage in the online school, and teams-up with Advisors and Counselors to support students through the online journey. Her passion is communication and politics (don't worry, she won't preach to you). Mrs. Shepherd advocates for a graffiti-free Aurora, and helps neighbors report blemishes in their neighborhood.
Melissa Carpenter, Testing Coordinator
Mrs. Carpenter joined the K12 team in 2014. She was most recently the Electives High School teacher for Colorado Preparatory Academy. Melissa earned a BS in Physical Education from Clearwater Christian College and a MS in Sports Management from Missouri Baptist University. She is currently working on completing her Principal License from Colorado State University. She has 14 years of teaching experience as a PE/Health teacher in the private and public school settings for grades K-12.
Mary Lou McNatt, Enrollment Coordinator
Ms. McNatt serves as the School-Based Enrollment Coordinator with our K12 schools in Colorado. She has worked for K12 for the past thirteen years. As a graduate from Regis University with a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management she enjoys working to support online schooling.
Teree “Susan” Wall, Office Administrator / Special Services Registrar
Ms. Wall works for K12 supporting the three K12 schools in Colorado (CPOA, PPOS, CODCA) as the Office Administrator and Special Services Registrar since 2008. She has more than 40 years’ experience in office administration and education fields. Susan holds certificates in business management, early childhood education, and holds a CNA Associates Certification. She has embraced multiple positions while employed at K12 Operations and currently supports the special services staff obtaining special services records as the special service registrar.
Emma Phipps, Career Readiness Academic Administrator
Mrs. Emma Phipps is the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Administrator at Destinations Career Academy. She has her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and History from Colby College in Waterville, ME and her master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of Denver (concentrating in both community and school counseling). In her many years as an educator, she has held the positions of school counselor, mental health counselor, school-to-career counselor, and CTE counselor. She has a passion for helping students overcome personal barriers and achieve their fullest potential. She is a firm believer in the value of Career and Technical Education for students and is excited to be a member of the Destinations team.
