Meet Our Teachers

Renee Breur | High School Counselor

Ms. Breur has been a high school counselor since 2007, with the majority of her experience focused on online schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and her master’s degree in school counseling from the University of Phoenix. Additionally, she holds a CTE certification for school counselors. Ms. Breur is passionate about working with students, aiming to help each one earn their diploma and understand their postsecondary goals. She is excited to work with every one of you and cannot wait to be part of your journey.

Introduction Video: Meet Renee Breur

Email: rbreur@codca.org

Monique Brewer | MS/9th grade Counselor

Mrs. Brewer is entering her 8th year as a school counselor. Over the course of her career, she has had the pleasure of working with students in grades K through 12th in both brick & mortar schools as well as online. If you are just joining CODCA you are in for a treat becoming one of our students. The staff is caring, supportive, and wants the absolute best for you. In her spare time Mrs. Brewer loves to read, cook, travel, and watch hockey games with her family; let’s go Pens! 

Introduction Video: Meet Monique Brewer

Email: mbrewer@codca.org

Sharon Byrd | MS Math

Mrs. Byrd has a BS in finance/economics from the University of Texas, an MS in information systems from the University  of Texas, and an MA in mathematics teaching from Texas Woman’s University. Before relocating to Colorado, Mrs. Byrd was a programmer and math teacher in Texas for many years, teaching all grades from middle to high school. She has a son serving in the USAF and a basset hound named Bentley. Mrs. Byrd enjoys traveling with her husband and dog in her free time, skiing, biking, and hiking outdoors

Introduction Video: Meet Sharon Byrd

Email: sbyrd@codca.or

Nicholas Cady | Technology/Engineering

Nicholas Cady grew up in Santa Rosa, CA and moved out to Colorado in the fall of 1996 to attend CU-Boulder. There, while studying & training for triathlons, he met the love of his life…got married, bought a house, had kids, and still lives in Colorado…and loves every second of it! Mr. Cady’s teaching background was initially in the Math and Science classrooms before transitioning to teaching Engineering classes in 2005. From CAD modeling, to Robotics, Programming, and the Design Cycle, Mr. Cady has enjoyed the journeys that he takes with each of his students as they make their way through high school, and then beyond to even bigger adventures! Mr. Cady is 100% serious when he says that he has the best teaching job imaginable. He gets to work with an amazing group of students in classes that are fun, project-based, and applicable to the real world. What could be better! If you are ever looking for Mr. Cady in his free time, it is a safe bet that you will find him out for a run, or at a sporting event for his kids… swimming, X-country, you name it! “See you in class and on the trails!”—Mr. Cady

Introduction Video: Meet Mr. Cady

Email: ncady@codca.org

Angela Caves | Multi-Lingual ELD

Mrs. Caves supports our Multilingual Lingual learners at CODCA. She is married, a mother of two, and has been teaching for six and a half years. She began her career teaching middle school and high school math but has been in her current role for two years. She has completed her Masters in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education and is excited to begin another year at CODCA. She looks forward to catching up with her returning students and meeting new students.

Introduction Video: Meet Mrs. Caves

Email: acaves@codca.org

Jennifer Colestock | HS/MS Spanish Teacher

Mrs. Colestock is a National Board Certified teacher of Spanish and is thrilled to work with CODCA students at all levels, from los primeros pasos of Spanish I through Advanced Placement^®.  Mrs. Colestock has been fortunate to both travel extensively and live abroad and is excited to share with students her love of the people and places that make up the Spanish-speaking world.

Introduction Video: Meet Mrs. Colestock

Email: jcolestock@codca.org

Melissa Core | MS Science

Mrs. Core teaches middle school science at CODCA. She loves sharing her experiences with the students as well as the students sharing their experiences to show that science is all around us. She loves learning about the diversity and talents of her amazing students.

Introduction Video: Meet Melissa Core

Email: mcore@codca.org

Nicole Dorenkamp | HS Sciences and Agriculture

Mrs. Dorenkamp has a BS in Biology from the University of Southern Colorado.  She teaches high school science and agriculture classes and has taught online since 2002.  She loves taking the students on many agriculture-related field trips to share her love of farming and ranching.  In May 2024, she won the Trailblazer Award from K12 which was a huge honor. 

Introduction Video: Meet Nicole Dorenkamp

Email: ndorenkamp@codca.org

Amy Karr | HS Special Education

Mrs. Karr has worked in education since 2009 and has been a classroom teacher since 2016. She holds a Master of Arts degree in special education and a Bachelor of Science degree in apparel merchandising, business, English, and French. Mrs. Karr has worked in pre-k through high school classes, both in-person, and remotely during the course of her career. She loves to travel, read, hike, knit, and crochet, along with spending time with her young son. She looks forward to learning and growing with the DODCA team this year!

Email: akarr@codca.org

Peter Brandes | HS Science

Mr. Brandes has a BA in Environmental Science, and a M.Ed. from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Mr. Brandes is in his fifth year of teaching and has a background in all of the life sciences at the high school level. He moved here for school in 2010 and now lives in the front range with his wife, son, and two dogs. He enjoys getting outside into the beautiful Colorado mountains through any means possible but prefers the simplicity of trail running most of the time. If he’s not teaching or camping with his family, you can find him coaching for his local high school track and cross-country team.

Email: pbrandes@codca.org

Margaret Farnik | HS Engineering and MS Electives Teacher

Mrs. Farnik has been at Destinations since the school opened in 2008. She received her degree in Electrical Engineering from CSU in 1983. She has been involved in supporting education since 1995. Mrs. Farnik has taught all levels of math, plus programming and engineering courses, here at CODCA. She enjoys working with both middle school and high school students, teaching 6th and 7th Career Explorations, MS Coding, MS Photography, HS IT and Engineering Explorations, HS Networking, and HS Cybersecurity courses. Mrs. Farnik enjoys taking care of a large number of cats on her farm. Before COVID she played clarinet and soprano sax with the Platte Valley Band in Fort Morgan, Colorado.

Email: mfarnik@codca.org

Amy Ford | Elementary school Teacher 4th and 5th

Mrs. Ford teaches 4^th and 5^th grade students and has been teaching at the elementary level since 2017. She has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in the art of teaching from Christopher Newport University. In the classroom, she strives to foster relationships with her students and encourages them to be curious and critical thinkers. In her free time, Mrs. Ford loves to read, backpack, ski, and bike with her family and friends. 

Email: aford@codca.org

Kailey Foster | ES 4th and 5th Math/Science Teacher

Mrs. Kailey Foster is the 4^th and 5^th grade Math and Science teacher. She will be going into her fifth year of teaching elementary school and second-year teaching with Destinations. Outside of school you can find Mrs. Foster reading, exploring Colorado’s outdoors, or just spending time with her husband and their dog, Sadie.

Email: kfoster@codca.org

Jorge Gonzalez | HS Social Studies

Mr. Gonzalez has been teaching social students for six years. He has an MA in secondary education and an MA in educational leadership. He has played basketball since he was a child. He currently coaches basketball at Mesa Ridge High School. He is also an avid video gamer and is a coach for the e-sports team at CODCA. Mr. Gonzalez loves getting to know and teach the wonderful students at CODCA!

Introduction Video: Meet Jorge Gonzalez

Email: jgonzalez@codca.org

Catherine Guerra | Math Teacher

Miss Guerra is passionate about helping students and getting them excited about the world around them. Science is everywhere. It is Miss Guerra’s passion to get students to start thinking for themselves and not repeat what they have been told by someone. Miss Guerra works to get students to question why things are the way they are and seek/research the explanation. Miss Guerra believes that it is important that we are able to define our why we believe things are the way they are and not just recite something that we were told. Miss Guerra’s classes are always an adventure, students have said that they love the classes because they are always learning and doing new things: exploring the world’s largest cave in Vietnam, trying to solve the mystery of Devil’s Kettle Falls, analyzing the validity a tv show on black holes and comparing student analysis with a real life astro physicist, ……  If you take one of Miss Guerra’s classes, buckle up, you will be going where no student has gone before.

Introduction Video: Meet Catherine Guerra

Email: cguerra@codca.org

Galen Harkness | HS CTE- business

Galen Harkness is a teacher, business owner, coach, father, and husband with a background in high school teaching and college/high school basketball coaching. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master’s in Student Counseling and Personnel Services from Kansas State University. His goal, whether teaching or coaching, is to help young people become the best versions of themselves.

Introduction Video: Meet Mr. Harkness

Email: gharkness@codca.org

Nicole Irwin | HS Counselor Tech

Mrs. Irwin is a dedicated Student Interventionist with a background teaching secondary students. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships with her students and their families, working collaboratively to help students overcome challenges and build strong habits needed to succeed academically. Fun fact, Mrs. Irwin’s favorite food is tacos and she loves to travel whenever she can.

Introduction Video: Meet Nicole Irwin

Email: niirwin@codca.org

Sara Jack | MS Counselor

Mrs. Jack loves all things middle school! She is so appreciative of the opportunity to work with such amazing students and staff in a safe and kind educational environment. She has a B.A. from UCLA and an M.A. in Counseling from CU Denver. This her 7th year working as a school counselor (2nd year at CODCA) and she wouldn’t change a thing.

Email: sjack@codca.org

Rebecca Jenkins | English Teacher

Mrs. Jenkins has been teaching English at CODCA since 2010. She has her BA in English and MA in Education. She enjoys getting to know her students and helping them achieve their academic goals.

Introduction Video: Meet Mrs. Jenkins

Email: rjenkins@codca.org

Henry “Tersh” Jones | Social Studies Teacher

Mr. Jones is the 7th grade social studies teacher. Years ago, he was given the nickname “Tha Docta” by his students because his name is the same as Indiana Jones, and it has stayed with him ever since! He has a BA in political science from Colorado State University and an MA in secondary social studies education from the University of Phoenix. Mr. Jones started with Destinations in 2011 and has loved every minute. His favorite part of the job is making connections with our students in our Class Connect sessions! He looks forward to sharing that experience with your student!

Introduction Video: Meet Mr. Jones

Email: hjones@codca.org

Josh Kitchen | MS Science

Mr. Kitchen has taught middle school science for eight years and has also spent two years teaching high school science. He has a MA in education, a BA in psychology, and BS in science (biology). He has also spent time coaching high school and middle school basketball and soccer. Mr. Kitchen has a passion for science and loves to share that enthusiasm with his students.

Introduction Video: Meet Josh Kitchen

Email: jkitchen@codca.org

Heather Krebs | MS ELA

Ms. Krebs earned her bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She also has master’s degrees in English and Education. Ms. Krebs loves hanging out with her dogs, cats, and family—playing in the great outdoors and escaping to the mountains whenever possible. She also loves spending time with her students and discussing their ideas about literature and life and whatever else!

Introduction Video: Meet Heather Krebs

Email: hkrebs@codca.org

Courtney Ludwig | MS Counselor Tech

Mrs. Ludwig has been part of the Student Support team as a Student Intervention Specialist in the Middle School and High School for over 7 years. She works with students to be successful in their academic years with CODCA. Her goal is to help students thrive by incorporating good work habits, attendance, engagement, and schedules to achieve student’s goals. Mrs. Ludwig has received her PhD in Child and Adolescence Psychiatrics from the University of Wyoming.

Introduction Video: Meet Courtney Ludwig

Email: cludwig@codca.org

Jolene Masek | CTE Teacher

Jolene Masek, HS CTE Design & Multimedia, SkillsUSA Advisor | Ms. Jolene Masek earned her BFA at the University of Wisconsin Stout with a concentration in graphic design and has worked as a graphic designer since 1989. Some of her clients include Warner Bros, Disney, Charles Schultz, Universal Studios, and professional sports teams. Ms. Masek received her teaching certificate at Colorado State University, Pueblo and has been teaching since 1999. She is certified in K-12 Art, CTE Visual Art & Design, and Elementary Education. She is an Adobe Certified Professional in Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Dreamweaver and has earned Adobe Professional status in Visual and Web Design.  Ms. Masek joined the K12 team in 2002 and has been teaching at Destinations Career Academy since 2017.

Introduction Video: Meet Ms. Jolene Masek

Email: jmasek@codca.org

Makenzie Meade | Special Education Teacher

Makenzie Meade works as a Special Education Teacher. Makenzie has spent four years as a Special Education teacher, and one year as an Instructional Coach. She played soccer in college and now coaches a local team. She loves being outside in the mountains with her dog and believes some of the best learning is done outdoors.

Introduction Video: Meet Makenzie Meade

Email: mmeade@codca.org

Mary (Mimi) Moll | EM-MS Special Education Teacher

Mimi Moll received her BS in General Science Education from Ohio State University and a Masters in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She has been teaching for over 20 years most of which has been in providing education services to diverse learners. Mimi also teaches executive functioning skills, and math reading interventions on an as needed basis. She started teaching at CODCA in 2021 and has loved every minute with the students, parents, and staff. Mimi is dedicated to forming relationships with students as well as ensuring that her student’s individual needs are being met. She has four adult children and two grandchildren that she loves spending time with. Mimi lives north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado and enjoys many of the outdoor activities and scenery the area provides. She also enjoys volleyball, basketball, and soccer.

Email: mmoll@codca.org

Rachel Murphy | English Teacher

Mrs. Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Oklahoma State University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.  She has worked in education since 1999 and started as an elementary school librarian.  From there Mrs. Murphy taught middle school Language Arts and Literature and high school summer school English in the traditional classroom setting for four years.  In 2005 she began teaching online middle school and high school English classes.  She has also taught introductory research writing class for The University of Phoenix.  Mrs. Murphy loves being part of this innovative alternative learning experience. She resides in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma with her husband and two children.  Their family also includes 3 crazy dogs and 1 fat cat. Mrs. Murphy loves to spend time at the lake with family, read,  hike, and cook.

Introduction Video: Meet Rachel Murphy

Email: rmurphy@codca.org

Jennifer Scott | HS Math

Jennifer Scott grew up in Southern Colorado and enjoys teaching students from all around our beautiful state! She earned her BS in Mathematics from Colorado State University-Pueblo as well as two master’s degrees in Instructional Design and Educational Leadership from Western Governor’s University. She has been teaching math for 9 years and began teaching high school math classes and 6th grade math at CODCA in 2023. Mrs. Scott loves to show students how math applies to various areas of our lives and appreciates the necessity of math skills. She is working on developing the new Peer Leadership Program at CODCA where students assist fellow high school students set up for success and take on a leadership role within the school’s activities. Outside of teaching, Mrs. Scott loves spending time with her husband and two sons. She loves the outdoors and spending time hiking, fishing, and exploring what our great state offers. She is passionate about animals, crafting, board games, and traveling to new places.

Introduction Video: Meet Jennifer Scott

Email: jscott@codca.org

Hannah Shaw | 7th & 9th Grade English

Hannah Shaw began teaching English Language Arts in 2015. She mostly worked in the middle school setting, but at CODCA she had the opportunity to teach at the high school level. Ms. Shaw is a huge fan of video games, anime, and board games.

Email: hshaw@codca.org

Hunter Staford | HS Social Studies

Mr. Hunter Stafford earned his BA in Social Studies Education from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Psychology. He has been teaching high school social studies classes at CODCA since 2020 and is developing outdoor programs at the school to provide students with the opportunity to get outside together and enjoy beautiful Colorado outdoors. Before teaching at CODCA Mr. Hunter worked on rivers in Utah taking students rafting, taught avalanche courses in Lake Tahoe, California, and traveled and taught social studies in Panama and Costa Rica. In his classes, he focuses on building relationships with his students and thinking critically about the world and its past. In his free time, Mr. Hunter loves to travel, read, backcountry snowboard, hang outside, and spend lots of quality time with friends and family.

Introduction Video: Meet Hunter Staford

Email: hstaford@codca.org

Maddison Stratman | HS Math

Maddison Stratman has been a math teacher since 2014. She has earned her BS in Mathematics from University of Colorado Boulder and Her MS in Math Curriculum and Instructional Design from University of Colorado Denver. Mrs. Stratman loves math! She loves the challenge of math and incorporating as many real life applications as possible. Her favorite this is when students have that “light bulb moment” and finally understand a concept they have been working so hard on. She believes in the concept of “yet” and tries to instill a growth mindset in her students. In her free time Mrs. Stratman loves to spend time with her family, traveling and reading mystery novels.

Introduction Video: Meet Maddison Stratman

Email: mstratman@codca.org

Nicolette VanDelinder | MS History

Teaching students, rather than a content area is my focus. Students learn better when they feel safe, appreciated, and respected in the classroom. The genuine connection between an educator and their students is what pushes them to become their best selves. Whether it’s Social Studies, Game Design, Programming, or eSports, connecting with students is my specialty.

Introduction Video: Meet Nicolette VanDelinder

Email: nvandelinder@codca.org

Beth Vasquez | HS CTE HOSA Legal and Law Enforcement

Ms. Vasquez has been teaching for the past twenty years. She is currently the lead teacher in the Counseling and Mental Health as well as the Criminal Justice and Community Service Pathways and serves as the co-advisor for HOSA. Her passion is building relationships with her students and helping them pursue their future goals and dreams. Ms. Vasquez loves tacos, traveling, hiking 14ers and cheering for the Denver Nuggets.

Introduction Video: Meet Ms. Vasquez

Email: bvasquez@codca.org

Cheryl Williams | HS Math

Mrs. Williams earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Colorado State University. She loves hanging out with her family, enjoying all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer. Mrs. Williams also loves spending time with her students, getting to know them, and helping them build confidence in math.

Introduction Video: Meet Mrs. Williams

Email: cwilliams@codca.org