Educational Therapist & Assistant Director,
Sara Switzer

Sara joins SAGE Center for Gifted with over 20 years of experience working with children from different backgrounds with diverse educational needs, including giftedness and other learning differences, in a variety of settings. She worked as a classroom teacher at an early childhood and elementary level in both private and public schools before joining SAGE as an Educational Therapist in 2018. 

In her extensive time at SAGE, Sara has gained a tremendous amount of experience working with gifted and twice exceptional children and adolescents from preschool age through high school, and now serves as a senior-level Educational Therapist. She also has exceptional expertise in supporting parents of gifted children with parent education and guidance. Sara collaboratively guides classroom teachers with accommodation and differentiation strategies to support the growth of children at SAGE. As an exemplary, seasoned professional, honoring and executing the mission of SAGE for a number of years, Sara was advanced to the role of Assistant Director. This role has provided the opportunity for her to interact with and support the parents and families at SAGE at an administrative and leadership level.

She graduated from the University of North Dakota with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 2002 and then earned her Master of Education in Reading from Regis University in the spring of 2019. The coursework from her educational background and work experience has provided her with exceptional knowledge pertaining to best practices for gifted learners that coincides with the holistic philosophy of SAGE, specifically focusing on those with exceptionalities such as dyslexia, hyperlexia, ASD, and ADHD. Her personal educational philosophy centers on meeting the unique academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of individual learners through a flexible, multi-sensory approach that emphasizes the individual's strengths and interests. Holistic learning at SAGE Center emphasizes the cognitive, affective, and regulatory domains in a child-centered approach that coincides with Sara's educational  training, teaching style, and philosophy.

Sara’s interests include reading, photography, arts and crafts, crocheting, learning new hobbies, going to musicals and concerts, and watching sports. Reading, and more recently listening to audiobooks, has been a lifelong love for Sara that she finds extremely therapeutic. Helping children and adults, especially struggling or reluctant readers, discover a love of books is very important to her. Though most of Sara’s time outside of work is spent at her son’s baseball and soccer games, she also enjoys spending time with her dog and being at the lake with family and friends!  

Sara offers, “I am thrilled at the opportunity to work with children in an environment that not only supports my philosophy but also recognizes the importance of holistic learning in an adaptive and accommodating environment.” SAGE is honored to have this gifted professional, mind and heart as part of our faculty.

Educational Therapist,
Ann Collier Adams

Ann has a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Gifted Education through the University of Cincinnati. She completed her Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. From there, she taught for three years in a multi-age school in the Chicago suburb, Morton Grove. Ann currently holds a Colorado teaching license in elementary education.

Ann taught grades 3/4 and 1/2 for three years in the Chicago area. During this time she worked with diverse students whose families came from all over the world, students who were English language learners, as well as students with special needs.

This past spring Ann completed her practicum in a gifted Kindergarten classroom at Rick’s Center for Gifted Children, where she learned about the Reggio Emilia approach, which focuses on the integration of art and nature into discovery-based learning.

Ann has also worked as a private tutor, nanny, and camp counselor, creating individualized social-emotional and academic learning experiences.

In her free time, Ann enjoys skiing, hiking, trying new restaurants with her fiancée, wood burning, and playing with their two dogs at the park.

However, Ann is most passionate about teaching and working with students with exceptional needs. She believes strongly in whole-child education – meeting the academic, social-emotional, and physical needs of the child.

“My holistic approach matches the vision and mission of the SAGE Center. I appreciate that the SAGE Center provides a safe space for students to understand and showcase their strengths and talents. I look forward to building strong relationships with my students and their parents, as well as individualizing instruction to challenge and extend students’ potential.” – Ann Collier

Educational Therapist,
Annie Behrent

Annie Behrent comes to the SAGE Center with 8 years of experience teaching students with a variety of learning differences.

After she received her BS in Psychology from the University of Colorado in 2007, Annie worked at a Wilderness Therapy Intervention program leading and teaching at-risk youth through the Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. This experience helped foster her passion for working with children who need an alternative approach to education. She earned her Special Education teaching license from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro and began teaching at a local public school. 

In 2010, Annie and her husband moved to Salt Lake City where she began teaching resource classes at a suburban high school, and soon after became the department chair of the Special Education Department. 

In 2011, she earned her Master’s Degree in Education, focusing on Instructional Design and culminating in a capstone research project about effective reading instruction for non-traditional students in secondary schools. Through her classroom and administrative background, Annie has developed a deep understanding of school systems and the importance of individualized learning experiences for students.  

From her time as a high school teacher, Annie has gained experience helping students prepare for college and career readiness, including the ACT, as well as other post-secondary transition services. She provides test-taking strategies that include enhancing vocabulary and reading comprehension to reducing test anxiety and other coping skills necessary during high stakes testing. She also has knowledge regarding services and resources for students transitioning from high school into adulthood. 

As a teacher, Annie's priority has always been to create an environment where students feel safe, comfortable, and excited to learn. Her classroom experience consists of teaching across all core subject areas and in a variety of classroom settings. She has taught in self-contained Special Ed classrooms, Resource classrooms, General Ed classrooms, and one-on-one grouping.

Regardless of the setting, Annie's strength is in differentiation and scaffolding so that all students can access the material in a way that fits their learning style. She also has strong experience in developing accommodation strategies for students that allow them to participate in their least restrictive environment, while still feeling confident about their ability to learn the material. Annie's ability to differentiate and accommodate in a meaningful and effective way is essential for students with special needs as well as gifted children.

Upon moving back to Colorado, she took the opportunity to explore her career options outside of a traditional school system so that she could find a way to hone in on her passions within education. Annie is excited to be a part of SAGE Center, where every student receives a deeply individualized and collaborative education plan that will help foster unique strengths and interests.

Educational Therapist,
Paula Jacques-Bonneau

Paula Jacques-Bonneau, has been working with students and their families for 30 years. She is delighted to bring her expertise in both teaching and counseling to the SAGE Center. Paula’s experience with students struggling with emotional and behavioral issues has been the focus of her career for many years. After earning her undergraduate degree in elementary education, with a minor in special education, from the University of Northern Colorado, Paula began her career as a first grade teacher in Jefferson County, where she was able to accumulate tools for best classroom practices. From there she moved to Denver Public Schools as a bilingual special education teacher and gifted specialist for first through sixth grade students. In this role, Paula refined her skills in differentiation and ESL instructional strategies.  

After marrying, Paula moved to Bixby School District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she taught a K-6 day treatment program for significant emotional and behavioral disabilities for six years. As a result of her prowess with de-escalating and refocusing interventions, she was asked to move to the role of Crisis Counselor for the entire district.  

When Paula returned to Colorado, she pursued her Master’s degree in Special Education with an emphasis in Severe Affective Needs.  In her studies, she was fortunate enough to include coursework led by Dr. George Betts, the author of the Autonomous Learner Model and past president of the National Alliance for Gifted Children.  With her newly acquired skills, Paula opened and facilitated a center for Twice Exceptional students at Hackberry Hill Gifted and Talented program in Jefferson County from 2001-2016.

Most recently, Paula has spent the past four years working as a district Gifted Resource Teacher and Twice-exceptional consultant in Jefferson County Schools. In this role, she is able to impact the lives of many students as she helps them navigate their school life.  She has a true “calling” for those who must learn to balance the duality of advanced learning needs combined with an identified special learning disability. Through strength-based learning and executive functioning strategies she is able to guide them to bridle their daily world. The connection with the student and the family has always been her focus when adjusting the learning style to accommodate the child’s strengths.  Both personally and professionally, Paula is very passionate about kids who think “outside the box”. She remains close to the students and the families she’s met over the years. She feels grateful and fortunate for all the learning experiences afforded her through the interactions with these creative thinkers and her part within the gifted and talented community. Paula is now honored to join the SAGE Center for Gifted, whose vision of care for gifted children resonates deeply with her passion and best practices for these extraordinary spirits! 

Educational Therapist & Parent Coach,
Caitlin Calhoun

Caitlin Calhoun has been working with children and families from a variety of backgrounds for over a decade. She completed her undergraduate degree in Human Development at Boston College in 2007. A cross-country bike trip landed her in San Francisco and after a year of service with AmeriCorps, she began a Masters in Teaching at the University of San Francisco. During her studies, she worked as an assistant teacher and long-term substitute at Marin Country Day School. Her favorite part of this job was attending weekly student support meetings where the teachers and specialists gathered together to find ways to best support individual students. This began her love affair with differentiation and meeting the needs of ALL learners.

New adventures brought Caitlin to Denver in 2012 and she started teaching first grade at the Denver Green School, where she worked for nearly seven years. She found her niche teaching 2nd grade math and science through the lens of Education for Sustainability, designing engaging, interdisciplinary learning units. She felt blessed to be able to collaborate with a plethora of specialized colleagues: Special Education teachers, Gifted and Talented teachers, English Language Acquisition teachers, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists, to name a few! This enabled her to create learning experiences specifically for her unique students. She is skilled in both inclusion models and pull-out/small-group models for students of varying needs. Caitlin also took on leadership roles spearheading school-wide social emotional learning, mentoring student teachers, facilitating staff communication, and more.

Caitlin knows first-hand how slow the process of identifying student needs and creating individual plans can be in most schools, and she is thrilled to join the community at SAGE, where support for both students and families can happen more quickly and holistically. She fully aligns with SAGE’s focus on honoring children’s multiple intelligences, and she has seen so many children thrive when their social, emotional, and creative intellects are nurtured as deeply as their cognitive one.

Caitlin took a step back from the classroom in 2018 when her first son was born prematurely at 28 weeks gestation and spent 116 days in the NICU. The COVID pandemic and a second child followed shortly thereafter. Motherhood has played a central role in her life over the past few years, but she did get to continue her work with children by tutoring gifted and twice-exceptional students, both virtually and in-person. She also became a certified parenting coach and opened a private practice, Ripple Effect Parenting, in which she supports families to strengthen their emotional intelligence so that they can feel confident, calm, and connected to their kids.

When she’s not coaching or teaching, you’ll find Caitlin exploring the outdoors with her boys (now ages four and two), listening to a podcast while walking her dog, or designing a keepsake photo book. She’s never met a chai latte she didn’t like, and she’s always on the search for ethical brands to support. We are honored to warmly welcome Caitlin to our SAGE faculty!

Educational Therapist,
Misty Clark, M.A.,

Misty Clark joins SAGE Center for Gifted with over 13 years of experience teaching gifted and twice-exceptional students in a self-contained gifted classroom where she both challenged and nurtured her students. She has taught students from preschool through third grade from a variety of backgrounds and with diverse learning needs. Misty values the importance of developing the whole child and provides not only an enriched curriculum for her students, but she also takes the time to focus on each child’s emotional development.  She has worked closely with parents to provide support for their children that recognizes each individual child’s strengths, abilities, interests, and needs. Misty creates an empowering, responsive, and collaborative learning environment for her students and she has a deep understanding of the unique cognitive and social-emotional needs of gifted and twice-exceptional children.

Misty started her teaching career at the Children’s Center on the campus of San Diego State University while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Child Development. She later earned a Master’s degree in Elementary Education after taking time off to be at home with her four children. She has endorsements in gifted and talented education and English as a second language.  Misty was a member her district’s advisory committee for gifted education and a member of the Utah Association for Gifted Children before moving back to San Diego from Salt Lake City where she lived for the over 20 years.

Misty is honored to join the SAGE community and to have found a place where she can continue to use her knowledge of gifted and twice-exceptional children to nurture their individual strengths, help them grow, and guide them in pursuing their passions in an organic setting. Misty builds connections with her students and knows that children learn best when they feel safe and valued. One of her strengths is developing accommodations that match their learning styles. She uses an integrative and learner centered approach to teaching.

 In her free time, Misty loves to spend time on the beach, both walking on the sand and playing in the water with her kids. She enjoys taking road trips and finding new places to explore. Some of her other interests include hiking, watching soccer, getting lost in a good book, sewing, and paddle boarding.

We are honored to welcome Misty to SAGE, California!

Parent Educator,
Amy Beth Fischoff

Amy-Beth has been working with families for 25 years. In that time, she has performed many vital roles: teacher, supervisor, preschool director, program leader, consultant, mentor, therapeutic caregiver, parent educator and family coach. 

 She received her Master’s Degree from Bank Street College of Education in New York City, in their Infant/Toddler and Early Intervention Program. While finishing her graduate degree she started working as Head Teacher in the Infant Room at Rockefeller University Child and Family Center on the upper east side of Manhattan. She worked there five years and consequently became Director of the Infant/Toddler program in her final year there. That is when she discovered, to her surprise and delight, that she was expecting her own baby, and consequently decided to move herself and her newborn to Boulder Colorado. 

Becoming a mother was seismic experience.  It was one thing to compassionately care for other people’s children and quite another to experience the emotional roller coaster of being a mother herself.

She found herself digging deeply into her own psychic recesses to root out the conditioned ideas and knee jerk responses that came barreling to the surface when faced with the formidable task of parenting a young child. It occurred to her that parenthood was nature’s way of providing humanity with organic psychotherapy! 

 To support her in this unexpectedly tumultuous journey, she sought out more training and education. First she took a four year course from the Institute of Pre and Perinatal Education with the extraordinary Karlton Terry, unraveling the significant emotional patterns emerging from her own birth experiences, and after completing the program, went on to work in his Clinic helping families whose children had experienced some version of trauma in their gestation or births.

 The profound shifts she noticed in herself and others due to Pre and Perinatal psychology was given a deeper, wider platform when she began to work with parenting philosophies based on connection over control, coming across these ideas in the form of Bryan Post's and Heather Cohen's  "Beyond Logic, Consequences and Control" and, most deeply transformative, in the ongoing work of Leslie Potter of Pure joy Parenting. 

 Her understanding of her role as a parent to her then seven-year-old daughter, and consequently their relationship together, was undergoing profound changes. She knew these understandings would be of benefit to other parents. She got her first coaching certification from the Beyond Consequences Institute (BCI) in 2008 and started leading parenting groups sharing these principles through the medium of her own experiences, and observed profound transformations in family dynamics, in relatively short periods of time. 

Ultimately, though, she missed the magic of getting to know and be with children. So, she began working with individual families, incorporating her talents as a child whisperer with her deep understanding and compassion for the parenting journey.  Her first family in this new approach was with two brothers, 6 and 10, and their single mom. There had been birth process stress added to ongoing life stress and the family dynamics were in great conflict and turmoil.  Coaching mom with the benefit of intimate knowledge of her sons turned out to be a truly winning combination, and is the current focus of her private practice. She thanks her wonderful daughter and best teacher, Zoe (now 20), for being the motivation and inspiration for what has ultimately become her life’s work.  

“Working in and with groups has always been an aspiration and an anchor for me. The team approach that Sage employs has long been a dream of mine - bringing together like-minded professionals who are passionate about children and families, and combining their wisdom and skills for the good of all. I am a strong believer in the benefits of a “village”, for both the adults and the children. I have had contact with many gifted and exceptional children in my life’s work and seen first-hand how the one size fits all concepts of education and even child development theories often fall far short of meeting and addressing the unique beings of many children. I am grateful that an organization like Sage exists and am so honored to be a part of their wonderful work.”

Educational Therapist,
Ms. Samantha Forman, MFTC, LPCC.

Samantha comes to SAGE with a distinctive combination of education giving her a unique perspective in working with your family. She is both a licensed teacher as well as a clinical therapist. Samantha received her Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience from University of Colorado, Boulder and worked for two years as a special education teacher. After falling in love with this work, she returned to college to obtain her Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University with an aspiration of serving this population at a clinical, as well as educational level with more knowledge and expertise.

Since graduating with her Master’s  degree, Samantha has continued her education with an array of training, from a brain health certification, to Gottman Method Couples Therapy training to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (a trauma processing technique). In her clinical work, Samantha has gained over 3,000 hours of experience working with couples, individuals and families. In her practice as a therapist, Samantha orients around each client from a family systems perspective. In other words, she takes into account each individual within the family dynamic and views human behavior within this complex and interdependent system. In her work as a teacher, Samantha gained extensive perspective into the complexities of the traditional educational system and the children who may not fit this paradigm. Samantha’s experience as an educator provided her with a rich understanding of individualized lesson planning, supportive accommodation and differentiation strategies, as well as parent education and guidance. She began to notice the deep need for more individualized support for each of these students and their tendency to flourish when it was received. 

Samantha is at SAGE to do exactly this; to provide the ‘non-traditional’ learner a place to thrive and excel. After her first conversation with Renu, she knew that her passion to support these students and kids in a deeper and more effective way was completely aligned with the mission of SAGE. 

When not at work, you can most likely find Samantha somewhere outside - hiking, running, camping or traveling. Samantha also finds so much joy in baking, cooking and reading. Her family and her community mean the world to her. We are honored to warmly welcome Samantha to our SAGE faculty!

Educational Therapist,
Bissy Gaudiano, M.Ed.,

Bissy Gaudiano joins SAGE Center for Gifted with over 15 years of experience working with children of all ages, with a variety of learning differences, and in many different contexts. Along her journey, she has had the honor to be a teacher, student, leader, mentor, and coach, embracing each of these roles as an opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of young people. Her strength has always been the ability to form special connections with children, creatively guiding them to discover their strengths, take risks, and build confidence in order to reach their full potential socially, emotionally, and cognitively. She has a passion for teaching writing, and by using experiential learning opportunities as inspiration, engaging the senses, and finding authentic audience and purpose. She thoughtfully supports children as they tap into their creativity and discover their written voice. 

Bissy graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelor’s degree in both Educational Studies and French Language & Literature. Driven to pursue a career in teaching, she relocated to the Boston area and was accepted to the Teacher Training Institute at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, a collaborative internship and graduate program between BB&N and Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Upon completion of this rigorous program, she received her Master’s degree in Elementary Education, packed up her Honda Civic, and drove West.

After settling into life in Colorado, Bissy began teaching fifth grade at Alpine Elementary IB World School in Longmont where she remained for four years. She enjoyed being part of a professional learning community committed to the IB mission very much aligned with her own teaching philosophy – to develop inquiring, caring, knowledgeable children who are active participants in their own learning. After Alpine, Bissy joined the team at Boulder Country Day School and taught there for the next five years, starting as a fourth grade teacher and then back to the fifth grade classroom again.

Throughout these years, Bissy had the opportunity to work with and learn from so many amazing young humans with a wide variety of cognitive and affective needs – children who are gifted, twice exceptional, those with different learning challenges, and those with social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. This is the best part of being a teacher – experiencing the uniqueness of each child and meeting each of them exactly where they are. During her time as a classroom teacher, she also became passionate about teaching writing, especially building confidence and skills in reluctant writers. She completed the National Writing Project at Colorado State University in 2007 and enjoyed conducting workshops in her teaching community to share the strategies she learned with her colleagues.

 After being in the classroom for nine years, Bissy stepped away from teaching, seeking a different educational setting that aligned more closely with her values, philosophies, and passions. She is inspired and reinvigorated by SAGE’s integrative, customized, and holistic approach to supporting children and families. She is thrilled to be part of this innovative, compassionate community, a place that truly values creative thinking, multiple intelligences, inquiry-driven learning, and the nourishment of the whole child. It mirrors her teaching philosophy beautifully, and she is grateful to be part of the SAGE team.

Bissy spends her other professional time as a freelance grants consultant, supporting nonprofits with the incredible work they do. When not researching, writing, or teaching, she adores her two quirky and wonderfully imperfect rescue dogs, Beau and Cooper. Together with them and her husband, she loves to explore the outdoors and is always poring over maps to discover remote places to visit in search of peace and awe. She is in her happy place while on trails – hiking, wandering, trail running, snowshoeing, or skiing – looking to spot little treasures like wildflowers, mushrooms, critters, footprints, leaves, rocks, and fossils. When at home, you can often find Bissy in the kitchen cooking up tasty new recipes, reading in a comfy chair, writing in her journal, knitting, or maybe sneaking in a nap. We are honored to welcome Bissy to our SAGE faculty!

Educational Therapist,
Heather Groff

Heather Groff comes to SAGE with over 13 years of experience working with gifted children. She has a Bachelor’s of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with elementary licensure from Adams State University and a Master’s of Education in Gifted and Talented from Regis University. Her Master’s capstone project was the collaborative development of a summer camp for gifted children that is still a popular destination for students in Jefferson County.

Heather’s journey as a teacher began as an educational assistant at a private school for gifted children. She related well to the academic and social-emotional needs of this special population, as it reminded her of her own childhood. 

After taking time off to be at home with her two children, Heather returned to that same private school to teach a 1st and 2nd grade combined classroom of gifted students. Many of these children were twice exceptional and sought an environment where all their needs would be met and their differences celebrated.

As a current Gifted and Talented Facilitator in Douglas County School District, she serves as a leader and mentor for other GT Facilitators and teachers. Heather has become a resource in the district for early childhood and primary gifted support.

As an educator, Heather’s strengths are rooted in an understanding of the abilities and needs of gifted learners, differentiation of all content areas, and collaboration with students, parents, and teachers to create the best environments for children to blossom. She is able to connect with her students quickly, value who they are, and recognize where they are in their journey. 

As a mother of two gifted children, Heather also believes in advocating and supporting education from the parent lens. She has devoted the past ten years to participating on the board of Jefferson County Association for Gifted Children (JAGC) to support parents, students, and teachers, of gifted children as they make their way on this adventure.

Outside of the educational and advocacy part of her life, Heather enjoys camping, reading and playing games with her family. She and her husband have recently discovered the joy of baking together.

Heather shares, “…finding SAGE is as much a haven for me as it is for the families who seek support here. I love the holistic and collaborative approach SAGE uses to meet the needs of these special children. Renu Rose has provided such an amazing vision and sanctuary for families and professionals alike. It simply feels like coming home.” 

Educational Therapist,
Leilani Hampton

From as far back as I can remember I have been enthralled with the power of stories. As I grew into my love of literature I realized that I wanted to share this passion for reading and learning, which led to my decision to complete my undergraduate studies in Elementary Education with a concentration in Language Arts from DePaul University in Chicago. 

After earning my degree, I spent four years teaching first and second grade students with a wide variety of learning needs, including gifted and twice-exceptional children in both private and public school settings. During that time, I received certification and training for working with gifted students and had the opportunity to further my knowledge by attending the National Association for Gifted Children conference. Having had the privilege of working with such special children, my appreciation for the need to not only differentiate the academic instruction, but to adequately address the unique social and emotional needs of each child grew tenfold. 

My continued passion for multimodal literacy, social-emotional research, and gifted learners led me to earn my master’s degree from the Literacy Specialist program at Teachers College, Columbia University. During my graduate studies, I had the opportunity to further my knowledge in literacy, gifted learners, and curriculum design from impactful educators, such as Lucy Calkins. Much of the work was centered around planning, designing, and implementing literacy curriculum that worked to honor the diverse needs and strengths of each child. My field work took place in various New York City public schools where I worked alongside a Teachers College Reading and Writing (TCRWP) staff developer to assist principals, teachers and students with curriculum design, implementation, and classroom management. I was also able to incorporate my passion for social-emotional studies by centering my research thesis on best practices for fostering emotional intelligence within the classroom community.

Eager to apply all that I had learned during my graduate studies, I headed back to the classroom for two more years, where I taught second graders at a high-achieving private school in Manhattan. During my time at Marymount I was able to assist the Learning Specialist with the Lower School adoption of the TCRWP curriculum, while implementing a variety of self-designed SEL curriculum and Responsive Classroom techniques for my self-contained classroom. My passion for literacy was further nurtured as I obtained the Orton-Gillingham Multisensory educator certification and had the opportunity to lead a week-long balanced literacy workshop at a Marymount network school in Barranquilla, Colombia. 

I appreciate the holistic approach that SAGE offers by tailoring instruction and support in a way that honors the cognitive, affective, and regulatory needs of each child. Coming from a background of compatible pedagogy, I can recognize the indelible impact that comes from a whole-child and relationship-centered approach, especially when working with some of our most sensitive children. Likewise, I really connected with the Strengths-based framework that SAGE utilizes as this supports my alignment with the growth mindset teaching style that I’ve adopted throughout the course of my career. I’m excited to use my expertise and experiences in a more targeted, impactful way with such special children!

My husband and I recently moved to Boulder with our rambunctious, one-year-old Beagle, Leo. We are big foodies so we are enjoying the vibrant food scene, as well as, cooking in our much bigger kitchen (compared to NYC)! We’re having so much fun exploring Colorado and have particularly enjoyed the hiking. Some of my favorite activities are reading, dancing, and travel. 

Math Specialist,
Louisa Harris

Louisa Harris is our outstanding Math Specialist at SAGE Center! Louisa has an M.A. in Mathematics from CU Boulder, and has taken doctoral-level courses in Mathematics Education, also at CU Boulder. She has been teaching math since 2006, first as a graduate student, and then as an instructor for math departments as well as the Continuing Education program at CU.

Her goal as a teacher is to help students pursue an interest in mathematics, to help children gain confidence in their math abilities, and to discover how amazing math can really be! She believes math is a social activity, not an isolated endeavor, and that we all do math everyday without even noticing it! Louisa has a particular passion and expertise in inspiring girls in mathematics and will be a phenomenal role model and teacher to our girls at SAGE! We are so fortunate to have a passionate, competent, and gently supportive math specialist for all our children at SAGE who may need support in math.

Louisa shares, "I joined the SAGE Center because its vision for honoring students in a holistic way deeply resonates with me. I want to share my passion and expertise in math to encourage and inspire students of all ages to gain confidence, be successful, and have fun while doing math."

 Educational/Reading Specialist,
Sarah Holdeman, M.Ed.,

Sarah comes to SAGE Center for Gifted with over 27 years of experience working with gifted learners.  She received a liberal art’s education and a degree in English Literature in Michigan, a teaching certificate in Durango, a master’s degree in Albuquerque and gifted certification in Denver.  She has taught in Cherry Creek Public Schools, Douglas County, and Denver Public Schools. She has training in Orton Gillingham which is an instructional approach for use with students who have challenges with reading, spelling, and writing associated with dyslexia. Sarah has worked as a reading specialist for many years. Her latest work assignment is at Polaris at Ebert Elementary School as a teacher of gifted students. Polaris is an arts integrated magnet school that supports the unique intellectual, social, emotional, and creative needs of gifted students.

Sarah is thrilled to be a member of an excellent support system for families through SAGE Center for Gifted. She is raising two twice-exceptional children and knows first hand how challenging it can be to find the proper help for kids who don’t easily fit in a system.  She is encouraged by SAGE’s holistic approach and would have loved to have one place to go for support when her children were younger. 

 Sarah lives in Golden with her husband, 17 year old son who attends Wheat Ridge High School, 20 year old daughter who attends Lawrence University, and a gigantic poodle mix.  Her family spends time playing board games, skiing, hiking, and eating a lot of popcorn.  

 “Within every child's brain is a mind teeming with ideas and dreams and abilities unrealized.  The greatest thing we can do as parents, teachers, and friends is to nourish that potential, both intellectual and humanitarian, so that each mind can fulfill its promise to the benefit of mankind.” 

                                                                                                    -unknown 

Educational Therapist,
Kyla Holm

Kyla Holm is joining the SAGE Center for Gifted with 13 years of working with students. Kyla has her Master’s degree in Gifted Education and her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Elementary Education, both through the University of Northern Colorado. Kyla started her career at a Gifted Center in Jefferson County Public Schools. She started as the school's first and second-grade classroom teacher. During this time, Kyla attended a professional development on supporting students with their executive functioning skills. This sparked a passion for helping students with these skills both in and out of the classroom.

During the summer of 2011, Kyla taught at the Summer Enrichment Program in Greeley as part of her Master’s Capstone Project. This was a camp she had attended as a middle school student and worked at in college as a counselor. This summer program allows students to choose between a wide variety of enrichment classes and ends with a presentation day. Kyla believes this experience both as a camper and an educator has influenced her, as she strives to create a student-centered classroom where students have a voice, and a choice in what they learn, as well as how they would like to demonstrate that learning. After leaving the first and second-grade classrooms in Jefferson County, Kyla moved to a fifth-grade position in the Adams 12 Five Star School District. There, she continued to work for four years as the gifted coordinator for the school. As the gifted coordinator, she arranged gifted testing, ran an after-school enrichment program, led a lunch bunch group focused on social-emotional learning, and supported classroom teachers with ALPs and differentiating instruction. During this time, she became a member of the Colorado Academy of Educators for the Gifted, Talented, and Creative. She served for two years as their Membership Co-Governor. Building positive relationships with her students and creating a warm and welcoming classroom community has been and always will be the most important part of Kyla’s role as an educator. Kyla aims to make sure that all of her students feel truly seen.

Kyla is married to Elliott Holm, a high school teacher in Jefferson County Public Schools and Educational Therapist at the SAGE Center. They are the proud parents of two young kiddos and a Chihuahua named Milo. Kyla enjoys reading, singing, spending time outside with her family, going on hikes, organizing, and traveling. Kyla is thrilled to be joining the SAGE Center; a center that also aims to make sure all of their students feel truly seen. It is a welcoming place for parents, educators, and students to learn more about the academic and social-emotional needs of our gifted learners.

We are honored to welcome Kyla, her husband Elliott, and their exceptionally diverse range of expertise and skills to serve the families at SAGE!

Educational Therapist,
Elliott Holm

Elliott Holm is joining SAGE in with over 13 years in education throughout different roles, with over 10 years of those being direct experience in teaching diverse populations in a GT Center Classroom. Elliott has taught students from 6th grade up to 12th graders in a GT public school setting, with many of his students being twice-exceptional and of many different backgrounds. Elliott finds some of his greatest strengths to be his ability to relate to a wide variety of students, and build strong, lasting, and trusting relationships with the students with whom he gets the extreme privilege of working.

Elliott began his educational journey by receiving his BA in English Education from the University of Northern Colorado in 2010. Since then, he has received his teaching endorsements in both Gifted and Talented Education, as well as Social Studies. He began by teaching intervention and 6th through 8th grade Reading and Writing classes at the middle school level, but quickly developed a passion for working with diverse Gifted populations. He soon moved to the high school level where he has been co-facilitating a Gifted and Talented Center since 2014. The Gifted and Talented Center Elliott co-facilitates is based on the Autonomous Learner Model, created by Dr. George Betts, and puts an emphasis on helping students become more active in their own academics, and becoming their own strongest voice and advocate for themselves. Elliott began working with the 11th and 12th graders in his program, and alongside his students, created an “Adulting” class where his students learn post-high school skills, from College applications to learning how to shop for and purchase their first apartment, and a multitude of life skills in-between. He now works with his students to learn their needs for various skills in life and helps them become more autonomous in all their post-secondary plans, no matter what their choices are.

In his journey working with Gifted and Talented students, he realized that his talents resided in helping students come up with creative solutions, brainstorming and ideating, problem-solving, supporting the whole child in affective, cognitive, and academic realms, and finding ways to tailor his projects and curriculum to each child individually. Elliott most thrives when given lots of freedom to be creative and solve problems, whether school-related or life-related alongside the students with whom he’s working. SAGE has allowed him to use his own gifts of creativity and curriculum and project creation to stretch his wings fully as an Educational Therapist to take his journey as an educator, supporter, advocator, and human being to the next level.

Outside of an educational setting, Elliott can be found in a multitude of places. He is kept very busy being a dad to two incredible young kids of his own and supporting them in any way he can. He can also be found in front of the PC he built himself for both enjoyment of technology and a lifelong love of gaming and video games. He can also be found outside in the beautiful nature of Colorado, hiking, biking, and playing, as well as staying in shape in the gym and weight room. Elliott has many interests and passions he loves, both inside and outside of the classroom. 

After more than a decade in public school education, Elliott felt that SAGE is absolutely the best place for him to further his journey and mission to support all GT students of every age, regardless of talents, interests, or backgrounds, and is so incredibly excited and honored to be working alongside such a high caliber of professionals as he does at SAGE.

We are honored to welcome Elliott, his wife Kyla, and their exceptionally diverse range of expertise and skills to serve the families at SAGE!

Educational Therapist,
Mary Ethel Kellogg

Mary Ethel Kellogg is a Learning Specialist, who joins SAGE Center for Gifted from Running River School in Boulder. Her experience in Montessori, Waldorf, and nature-based learning methods is a wonderful complement to the scope of services that SAGE offers our gifted and twice-gifted students.

Mary has a Masters in Education and Endorsement Reading and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education, Certification in Regular Education K-12, both from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA where she also was an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Special Education/Teacher Education. Mary holds a National Board Certification in Early Childhood through Adult/Exceptional Needs Specialist.

Mary brings “a magical ability to call-forth the author of one’s own unique talents.” A grateful parent shared that her son “…has excellent reading comprehension and is very smart, but he also has dysgraphia, sensory processing disorder, slow processing for most input, and auditory processing disorder (in a nutshell). He was having a very hard time staying interested in class and paying attention, and would completely check out when any writing was necessary. After just a few months of working with Mary he had a whole new process for putting his thoughts down in pictures and then writing them (either with voice dictation, dictating to Mary or writing himself), and he actually told us he now enjoyed writing.” Mary states that she will always continue in this calling to help children find their full potential.

The boy’s mother continues, “I could also tell that Mary really appreciated him as a person, and appreciated his gifts - his artistic abilities and his sense of humor really stand out - so she has that very necessary ability to see children as individuals and to help them see their own strengths.  His self-confidence really increased over the three months he was able to work with her.”  

“As I reflect on the opportunity to work for SAGE Center for Gifted,” Mary says, “the first thought that comes to mind is “blessings.” So much of the path I have walked in life is reflected in the philosophy and passion I see at SAGE Center. I believe that the opportunity to help children find their gifts while working through their challenges – in tandem with collaborating with parents to help them discover how to better understand their children – transforms families and communities.”

SAGE Center warmly welcomes Mary and we look forward to adding her exceptional skills sets and training in the fields of Special Education, Reading and Learning Differences, as well as Gifted Education to our exceptional faculty array.

Educational Therapist,
Abigail Koehler

Abby Koehler joins SAGE Center for Gifted with over ten years of gifted teaching experience. Her classroom experience includes five years as an elementary gifted teacher, one year as a gifted pull-out teacher, and one year as a teacher for twice-exceptional students. 

As an artist, singer, actor, and story-teller, she is a deeply creative individual who strives to integrate experiential and aesthetic learning into every facet of her instruction. Abby’s eagerness to expand her professional and personal growth prompted her to seek a position of Educational Therapist within the SAGE community. She values the whole-child approach the SAGE Center takes towards reaching each individual.

“I believe students learn and grow where they feel known, respected and valued. Developing relationships with each student allows me to better understand each individual’s strengths, areas for growth, and interests on a personal level.” 

Abby earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development & Family Studies from Colorado State University (CSU) and a Master of Arts degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Denver (DU). Her graduate degree focused on Aesthetics in Education, or as Abby describes it, “teaching through the arts”. The pure enjoyment and accessibility that art brings to the learning environment can open doors to new and exciting worlds for students. As a licensed K-6 teacher she has witnessed the transformational power art and creativity has in bringing life to education. 

“As a teacher, my goal is to ignite the hearts of each student by infusing each lesson with opportunities for creativity and exploration. The ability to think critically and solve problems requires courage, persistence, and ingenuity. This is why I love art. The act of picking up a paintbrush and splashing a line of red paint across an empty canvas requires a bold spirit. Taking time to transform what seems like a muddy mess into a personal masterpiece develops a resilient heart. Seeing potential in materials, words, inspiration, and experiences feed our innovative minds.”

Abby’s success as an educator comes from her genuine interest in the lives of each child. Developing relationships with each student and family allows Abby to better understand his or her strengths, areas for growth, and interests on a personal level. These connections are strengthened through her playfulness, enthusiasm, creativity, and passion for the arts. The result is students who are excited, engaged and invested in learning.

“I see creativity as a muscle that can be built through time and practice. Humans need opportunities to express themselves whether it is through writing, reading, drawing, sculpting, or playing. By offering a space to safely develop creativity, we can help nurture the heart-mind connection.”

Abby is excited to work with a talented team of like-minded educators and professionals who understand the complexities of giftedness and honor these extraordinary individuals to thrive in the world!

Music Specialist, Joaquina Lluma

Joaquina’s love for music and appreciation of its impact began early. She started playing the piano at the age of five in her hometown of Buenos Aires, Argentina, changing to the bass at 15 years of age. She studied contemporary music composition for a few years before moving to Brazil to play music. A year later she moved to California and took private lessons with Jeff Novack, an accomplished jazz bass player and graduate of Berkley’s School of Music. Soon afterwards, she received her associate degree from Pasadena City College where she studied bass with Zac Matthews, currently the chairman of the music department at Pasadena City College. 

She then established herself in the Denver music scene and received her bachelor’s degree in jazz bass from Metropolitan State University. At Metro, she studied under the guidance of Ron Bland, a jazz bass player and well-known musician in Colorado, Ron Miles, the chair of the jazz department at Metro, as well as Don Byron, an international, New York-based jazz composer as well as her mentor. She was awarded the Colorado Merit Scholarship and the Special Recognition Music Scholarship during her studies at Metro State.

Joaquina has participated in jazz ensembles, the big band orchestra, the sinfonietta ensemble, and the African drumming ensemble. She has performed at the Metro campus, at KUVO, and at Boulder’s KGNU radio stations. Joaquina also performs and records with numerous bands in the Colorado area. Some of her performance venues include: The Denver Westward Music Showcase, the Denver Underground Music Showcase, Denver People's Fair, the Denver Day of Rock, the Levitt Pavilion in Denver, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, Napa Valley's BottleRock Festival, and Arroyo Seco Festival. In 2019 she played two festivals for the Global Livingston Institute in Uganda, Africa.  In 2019 and 2020 she was able to donate her time to teach bass for the Girls Rock Denver organization and greatly valued her experience to serve in this volunteer capacity.

In her current role as music teacher, Joaquina teaches bass, piano, guitar, ukulele, and drums to students ages six years old to adults. She has worked with diverse groups of children with a variety of needs and extraordinary levels of musical intelligence. Her passion for music teaching exudes in the rapport she compassionately cultivates with her students. She believes that music is an international language that touches all and is an inspiring lens through which universal connections can be created. She recalls as a child, music being my closest friend. She listened to all kinds of music in all languages and even without understanding a word, she was able to feel the songs. She describes music as connecting us to our emotions and making us feel alive and loved. With such inspiration and creativity, she shares this connection with her students without the need for words or sentences. Joaquina feels a deep joy when she sees in her students' eyes, the universal connection we all have through music. Teaching students is extremely rewarding to her as she guides them to learn a new way to communicate and express themselves through sound. She has seen the pure joy that music brings to her students as they learn to play and wants to share the magnificence of the magic of music with as many students as possible. At SAGE, she has found a home to nurture and inspire gifted children with her skilled expertise as gifted musician and teacher…. and we are honored to welcome her! 

Educational Therapist,
Lindsay Mangas, M.Ed.,

Lindsay Mangas joins SAGE Center for Gifted with excitement about the opportunity to combine her background in science and gifted education. 

Lindsay earned her Bachelor of Science from Ohio Northern University in Biology, and was employed in the fields of clinical and laboratory research, working in part on a project with the CDC on the development of the anthrax vaccine for military personnel. She found her love of teaching while training biotechnology technicians on the project, and went back to school to earn her Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in Talent Development (Gifted) Education, from Ashland University. 

From there, she has taught many science courses, including Biology, Chemistry, and dual-enrollment Anatomy & Physiology. She has served as a gifted & talented teacher and curriculum specialist for her school. She had the honor of being on the Ohio governor’s panel for education reform, and spoke at the Ohio Association for Gifted Children’s state conference, presenting a session entitled “Sensory Processing Disorder in Gifted Children.” She has also presented multiple conference workshops on differentiation strategies for educators. 

 Lindsay earned the recognition of Charlotte Parent’s Teacher of the Year in 2020, and is a part of her local school district’s AIG Parent Advisory Committee. 

As a product of gifted education, and having gifted children of her own, Lindsay has a deep understanding of both the academic and social-emotional needs of the students she serves. 

 Lindsay embodies the philosophy of life-long learning, and hopes to inspire this in others. She has a vast musical background, with experience in instrumental music and musical theater. She enjoys singing, playing piano, cooking, reading and spending time with her family. 

Educational Therapist,
Heather McGilvray, M.A.,

Heather has comprehensive knowledge of education and a passion for working with gifted students and parents. Heather has a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has over 20 years of educational experience, with specialization and expertise with gifted and twice-exceptional students.

Heather received her Master's degree in Multicultural Education from Cal-State Dominguez Hills in California. She taught first and second grade in Los Angeles with a highly diverse group of students. After working in the classroom, she worked for the University of Indiana writing curriculum and developing reading assessments for the states of Indiana and Kentucky. While working for the University, she was able to transfer the knowledge she learned in the classroom to support educational professionals.

Heather took a few years off as a professional when her children were younger, though she continued learning through online classes, conferences, and volunteering at her children's schools. Her oldest son attended a public co-op program, which allowed Heather to learn from outstanding educators and continue working with students in an educational setting.

Several years ago, Heather was thrilled to have the opportunity to move back to Colorado. She began taking classes and attending conferences to continue to enhance her knowledge of gifted learners and their families. She soon completed the requirements to receive her Gifted and Talented endorsement. Heather has continued learning about neurodiversity, including gifted and talented, ADHD, executive functioning skills, and dyslexia. Heather currently works as a Gifted and Talented Advisor at an elementary school in the Boulder Valley School District. She is an exceptional GT professional, who is a passionate advocate and ambassador for gifted students and their needs, in and out of the classroom. In addition, Heather works as an adjunct instructor in the education department of the University of Northern Colorado. She has accumulated extensive experience working with a wide range of ages from preschool through college.

As a mother of four gifted and neurodiverse children, Heather understands the unique needs, strengths, and challenges families face. Her knowledge and background allow her to look at the big picture when developing an educational plan for a child. She enjoys figuring out each child's complex needs and offering solutions. Her educational philosophy has evolved over the years, but she believes that if you can tap into a child's strengths, they can excel in many areas. A child doesn't want to struggle, and if they could do better, they would do better. She wants to give children the tools to be successful.

 Many weekends she is at a soccer field or another activity with her boys. Heather enjoys listening to audiobooks, traveling, and spending time with her family in her free time. She is looking forward to developing relationships with students and families and bringing her diverse and extensive experience as a GT professional to the SAGE Center for Gifted. She values the holistic mission and vision at SAGE as well as the wide array of services offered in one comprehensive center. She and is excited about the opportunity to join a team that is passionate about serving gifted learners in our community. We are honored to welcome Heather to our SAGE community!

Educational & Clinical Therapist,
Robyn Newton, M.S.W.,

For the last 20 years, Robyn has been working directly with young children and families.  Her roles have included social worker, case manager, advocate, senior teaching counselor, caregiver, preschool teacher, program coordinator, supervisor, conference presenter, diversity trainer, mentor, and toddler teacher.

Driven by her passion for nature and adventure, she moved to Fairbanks, Alaska at the age of 18 to begin her university experience.  There, she earned her Bachelor’s of Art in Psychology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.  Serving the community while completing her studies was equally important.  Volunteering for voter registration, leading enrichment activities at the senior living center, serving as a representative for student council, and cheerleading for the Nanook basketball team made Robyn feel part of this unique, diverse community.

Building community and advocating for social justice inspired Robyn to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago.  The urban experience was a shock initially, but knew it was essential to study at the birthplace of social work – The Jane Addams College of Social Work.  She was an intern at the Cook County Hospital Outpatient Clinic and the UIC Employee Assistance Program.  Robyn earned her Master’s in Social Work in 1999, her license in 2001.

Upon graduation, she moved home to Kansas City and began her career as a medical social worker assisting patients with post-hospital planning who were recovering in the following units: orthopedics, general surgery, and the emergency department.  Her broad experience also includes behavioral health.  She provided case management and brief therapy, individual and group, to children, adults, and families in acute psychiatric hospital settings.

Working with adults with developmental disabilities gave Robyn the opportunity to develop deeper connections and provide quality direct care teaching over time.  This long-term commitment created a consistent, trusting relationship between Robyn and her clients which allowed them to live safely and comfortably at home. 

After reuniting with her fifth-grade teacher, Robyn was invited to interview at The Citi Family Center, a NAEYC accredited child development center operated by Bright Horizons Family Solutions.  She was instantly impressed and began teaching day and evening preschool classes.  After being promoted to Program Coordinator, Robyn welcomed this leadership opportunity by coaching faculty, mentoring new teachers, managing classroom staffing, leading and supervising curriculum implementation, and conducting tours of the center for potential client families.

Robyn and her husband then moved to Nashville, Tennessee.  She continued her career at The Family Center at Dollar General, another high-quality early education program operated by Bright Horizons Family Solutions, teaching in a toddler classroom and in a preschool classroom using the project approach.

The next adventure found Robyn and her family in Dayton, Ohio.  Peacefully guiding toddlers and preschoolers in a private non-profit Montessori school is comfortable yet challenging.  Informed by the values of peace education, Robyn sees joy as children experience freedom and independence in an authentic Montessori environment.  The following quote is powerful.

“Free the child’s potential and you transform him into the world.” – Dr. Maria Montessori

I have used my counseling skills in my early childhood education career to provide children, families, and colleagues exceptional professionalism.  Deep listening, individual observation and assessment, purposeful collaboration, rich engagement, and healthy boundaries all blend to create powerful, trusting partnerships.  I value dignity and respect in my holistic approach working with both children and adults.

Robyn loves the simple joys in life: a good cup of coffee, yoga in the backyard, gardening, bird watching, and cheering for her son at his athletic events. 

I am truly humbled by the invitation to serve gifted and talented children.  I’m in awe of Renu’s clear vision and expertise in meeting the unique needs of these beautiful families.  This opportunity of a lifetime feels like home where the personal and professional meet.  As the mother of a gifted child, I have genuine compassion and empathy to offer gifted children and their families.   I am eager to connect with families to provide support through education and advocacy.

Robyn welcomed her son, William, in the summer of 2011. He entered this world a fighter.  Born confident, determined, competitive.  Her beautiful boy.  Insatiable curiosity.  Endless energy.  Extraordinary memory.  Emotional depth and sensitivity took her breath away.  He was the answer to her prayers. 

As a new mom, I was exhausted, really exhausted. Doug and I follow as he leads us on this incredible, sometimes unpredictable journey.  This is different.  Beautiful, but different.  Conventional education is intolerant of overexcitability and aggression.  When we did seek help, we were not given clear answers or advice.  When he was 3, he was evaluated by an occupational therapist.  After spending over an hour with him alone, we were told by the therapist, “Nothing’s wrong.  He’s just really bright.  Maybe you need family therapy?”  I was confused.  I felt alone.  This didn’t make sense.  Working closely with teachers in the preschool setting, we encouraged William to learn self-regulation skills like mindful breathing, using positive/proactive language, celebrating strengths, creating calm safe spaces, offering clear expectations, and validating his concerns and emotions.  But the turning point came during his kindergarten year when he was suspended for reacting aggressively toward another student during a preventable situation.  Then, suddenly, I realized that my most important role in his educational experience was playing the role of advocate.  Very slowly, the pieces began to fit together.

My long journey has prepared me for this moment to be at the SAGE Center for Gifted. Thank you for embracing me so warmly.It is the highest honor to be a part of the very special mission of SAGE and have the chance to offer my unique skills and focus so that gifted children thrive.

Language & Reading Specialist,
Joanna Shofner, M.A., CCC-SLP,

Joanna earned a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2016 and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC’s) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).  She is certified through the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). 

Joanna has experience working in a clinic setting and in public schools where she has worked extensively with preschoolers and school-aged children with a variety of needs, including those with GT profiles in both magnet and inclusive school settings.  Her work with GT students has involved interventions and strategies including expressive language skills (i.e. speaking and writing), receptive language skills (i.e. listening and reading), social-pragmatic language skills (i.e. use of language, social language), and other school and executive functioning skills (e.g. organization, orientation to time and space, time management, note-taking).  Additionally, she has worked on teams with occupational therapists and mental health providers to help students grow their communication surrounding the understanding and regulating of their emotions and communicating their sensory needs.    

 Prior to becoming an SLP, Joanna worked with students on reading, writing, and comprehension skills using strategies from research-based, sensory-cognitive learning programs for over 6 years.   These interventions were implemented in individual sessions and used multisensory strategies to grow reading and writing skills by targeting phonemic awareness, orthography, reading fluency, sentence and story grammar, and concept imagery. 

Joanna is a Colorado native and enjoys books, hot beverages, and mysteries. When she’s not working with clients, she spends her time reading, going for walks, listening to music, hanging out with her pets, and taking jaunts up to the Rocky Mountains with her family.  She also has over 20 years of experience in teaching ballet to children and adults and choreographing solo and group dances for stage performances so she continues to enjoy watching live dance performances to support local arts and theater. 

Joanna’s approach is to meet clients where they are and to work collaboratively to help them move toward who they’re meant to be.  She is excited to work with a team of caring professionals at SAGE Center for Gifted whose approach and philosophy align with hers. As a parent of a gifted student, Joanna is pleased to bring both her personal and professional experiences to the creative and safe environment that SAGE provides for its learners. We are honored to welcome Joanna and her exceptionally diverse range of expertise and skills to serve the families at SAGE!

Educational Therapist,
Laura Thompson-Beato

Laura Thompson-Beato joins SAGE Center for Gifted with 17 years experience teaching gifted students. She has recently retired from 29 years of teaching K-8th grades, including middle school English, math, and especially science. She was instrumental in designing and implementing the gifted center program at Evergreen Middle School in 2006, which grew from 25 students to over 150 within three years. Laura designed and implemented a gifted electives class on learning styles as well as creating a week long, overnight “Wildlife Forensics” camp for gifted rising 7th graders. As a result of this work, she was awarded the Colorado Association of Gifted and Talented “Gifted Teacher of the Year” award in 2010.

Laura was also awarded the prestigious Milken Foundation National Educator award in 2000 when she was presented $25,000 and a star-studded trip to an education gala in Los Angeles.

Laura’s education started at Miami of Ohio, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and later earned a Master’s in education, with a focus on science from the University of Colorado. Her credentials include holding a gifted teaching endorsement from the state of Colorado (2009) and a certificate in gifted education from the University of Denver (2005). Add to these accomplishments countless hours of gifted training with Jefferson County Schools, and a yearlong training in gifted reading with Joseph Renzulli through the University of Connecticut (2008). Laura fell in love with working with gifted students in 2001 when she started teaching in the Jefferson County Schools gifted center at Devinny Elementary. To share her passion for gifted children, Laura has also presented at several conferences in Colorado.

Laura has experienced the gifted child from all sides, as she also has two highly gifted teenagers of her own at home. They have been in the Jefferson County School’s gifted program since first grade, and are now taking advantage of AP classes and concurrent enrollment in college classes in high school. This gives her insight into the gifted child from a holistic perspective, not just the intellectual piece. She has been in the parenting trenches with the overexcitabilities, debilitating perfectionism, focus on justice and the sense of humor that often accompanies the gifted label.

One of the best things about working with gifted children is the intellectual and emotional diversity that can be found in this population. One of her favorite quotes about gifted kids is, “you’ve met one gifted kid, and you’ve met ONE gifted kid.” Laura is thrilled to have found SAGE Center, an oasis for gifted young people. Laura states, “What has attracted me most to SAGE is the focus on strength-based work with students. It’s crucial, when working with gifted students to focus on their interests and their strengths rather than spending too much time on deficits. A well-crafted lesson with students will help them create the need to improve their deficits in order to follow their passions.” Laura is over the moon about finding SAGE where she can continue to follow her passion and strengths, working with gifted children. Laura also loves hiking, aerial yoga, skiing, volunteering in the community, comedy, and travel.

Educational Therapist,
Kat Zimmerman

Kathleen, “Kat” Zimmerman comes to SAGE with a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland. She is a licensed teacher with an endorsement in Gifted and Talented. Kat has been living the joys and challenges of gifted education in Colorado for the past 20 years and has learned an invaluable amount as a teacher and a human being from her students, their families and the amazing educators she has known. 

Her experiences with creative, gifted thinkers began in 2002 when she fatefully discovered Dr. Diana Howard, a seriously inspirational being, and the inquisitive nature of gifted minds. Since then, she’s learned an unbelievable amount about teaching, learning and life. Her teaching journey began in ACSD 14 in Commerce City in a Kindergarten classroom. After moving to Denver, she taught in a multi-age setting with 1st and 2nd graders at Teller Elementary before she jumped into the gifted and talented world at Polaris at Ebert in Denver for the next 16 years as a 2nd grade teacher. For a short time at Polaris, she even ventured into the Kindergarten realm while simultaneously self-publishing a children’s book called Oscar’s First Flight. Polaris was an amazing time for her as the layers of gifted and talented education including differentiation, excitabilities, perfectionism, passion projects, twice-exceptional students, asynchronous development, and the importance of knowing students as individuals on all levels became part of her daily world.

In 2010, she became a mom while starting a picture framing shop with my husband in the Santa Fe Arts District. In order to ensure balance, quality and joy in life, she left the classroom to become a part-time GT Coordinator and Teacher at Steck Elementary and has been there ever since. Kat enjoys the challenge of differentiating for students K-5 in multiple subject areas while developing engaging projects based on students’ passions, curiosities and strengths. 

As an ever-evolving teacher and mother, she truly believes that getting to know children as individuals with a focus on their social-emotional side creates a positive, loving path for their journey with the confidence needed to believe in themselves as they grow. She is now grateful for the opportunity to work with a thoughtful organization like SAGE that is so naturally aligned with her philosophy of education and life feels like a dream come true for her. 

Outside of school, Kat spends as much time as possible enjoying Colorado with her 8-year-old son Gibson, her husband, and their 2 border collies and her incredible friends. She shares that you can find her and family in the mountains...hiking, skiing, camping, dancing and exploring together any chance we get! We are honored to warmly welcome this exceptional professional in the field of gifted education… and joyous, wondrous being to the SAGE Center for Gifted!