Meet Our Staff Members
Jessica Beckman, Executive Director
In early 2003, Jessica Beckman joined Community Educational Outreach (CEO) a Colorado 501c3 that provides educational services to adults at risk of incarceration. Jessica enjoys working with adult learners and strongly supports the idea that education is a critical step in gaining and maintaining independence. While earning her BA in Social Science and BS in Business Administration, Jessica provided GED instruction to at-risk, adult students at a local community corrections facility. A GED graduate herself, Jessica is an excellent role model for GED students. In 2004, Jessica was promoted to Program Director and created two new programs, H.I.R.E. (Help, Information, and Resources for Employment) and S.K.I.L.L.S. (Strengthening Knowledge In Literacy and Life Skills) which assist offenders in the areas of employment readiness, literacy, computer and life skills. Jessica specializes in methods that target adult students who are completing sentences at community correctional facilities and is passionate about developing and implementing programs that support positive offender re-entry. In January of 2005, Jessica accepted the Executive Director position and, after securing additional funding, increased staff positions from one to four. Additionally, Jessica has maintained an active role on the Literacy Coalition of Jefferson County Board of Directors and has served as Program Chair, Chair Elect, and currently Chair. Jessica recently earned her Masters in Nonprofit Management at Regis University and hopes to continue making a difference in her community.
Lakewood
Dory Dannettell, Program Director
As a long time business executive, Dory Dannettell brings a real life perspective to her teaching and educating with Community Educational Outreach. She began her career in the mortgage industry shortly after college. Always the educator, Dory ensured her first time homebuyer clients were well informed and well educated. Over the years, her passion for teaching others has brought many educational opportunities, including creating and instructing courses with Colorado Free University. Most recently, Dory took on the role of teacher and counselor while home-schooling her daughter through high school. Dory is currently completing her Literacy Instructor’s Authorization certificate. Her goal is to instill a love of learning into her student’s minds and hearts, and she believes that CEO is working to make that a reality in the lives of the students.
Erica Lindberg, Instructor
Erica graduated with a BA in Philosophy from Seattle Pacific University in 1997 and spent two years tutoring and teaching at a juvenile detention school in Seattle. She worked with ESL and special education students, and she helped implement a GED program for long-term offenders. After leaving Seattle, Erica moved to Ft. Collins and took a job as an athletic director, teacher, and drug program director at a non-profit school for at-risk youth. In each of these roles she had the opportunity to help give people who face difficult life circumstances the educational tools needed to succeed in life. After completing her MA in Philosophy of Religion, Erica jumped at the opportunity to teach at CEO. Erica’s passion is to help empower students to improve their life circumstances. Because of this, she was excited to become part of the CEO team of instructors who work toward the goal of fostering independence through education to at-risk adults.
Jennifer Key, Instructor
Jennifer brings a diverse knowledge base to students as an instructor with CEO. She holds a B.S. in Veterinary Science with a Chemistry Minor, worked in the corporate insurance arena for nearly nine years, has training as an emergency medical technician, and is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Community Counseling. Jennifer endeavors to share her life long passion for learning and personal growth through creative and practical life skills workshops designed to keep students planning for the future. She strongly believes that students who recognize their own innate personal value can overcome almost any life obstacle, and she feels that CEO’s classrooms are ideal forums for the exploration of student’s unlimited potential.
Jillian Shinn, Instructor
Jillian is new to teaching, but with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a 2nd Bachelor's degree in Horticulture Business Management (both from Colorado State University), she is not new to education. After working in the green industry in Colorado for three years, Jillian admitted how much she missed working in the human services field and decided to move to Denver and re-enter the field as a student in the Master’s of Social Work program at the University of Denver. Having always wanted to work in some capacity with the corrections population, Jillian decided to combine her love of school with corrections and is excited to have found CEO and begin working as one of the instructors!
Greeley
Andrea Rusch, Program Coordinator
Andrea has been in the teaching profession for over 12 years and has a very strong commitment to helping others. Prior to joining the team at CEO, she taught elementary age children and continues to volunteer her time at the schools tutoring children and assisting classroom teachers. Her new commitment to helping the students at CEO has given her a new appreciation for adult education and she recognizes the strong need for more programs and tools to help adults that are in challenging situations. It has been one of the most rewarding jobs that she has ever had and she loves seeing the students succeed. Being part of their success is the best reward of all!
Sara Garvey, Instructor
Sara Garvey is a recent University of Northern Colorado graduate and brings a fresh perspective to Community Educational Outreach located in Greeley. Sara received a degree in Political Science with an emphasis in sociology. She has always been torn between teaching and politics and has found a nice balance as an Instructor with CEO. Sara began her career with CEO as a volunteer and became an instructor shortly after. She helps students obtain their GED, improve their general literacy, and gain employment while providing a positive classroom environment. Sara strongly believes in CEO’s mission, because education really does reduce recidivism.
Patrick McFadden , Instructor
Patrick McFadden grew up in Greeley and enjoyed helping the community in a variety of ways. After earning his Bachelor’s of Arts in Journalism from the University of Northern Colorado and working for several years as a sports reporter, Patrick began pursuing his Master’s of Science in Journalism at West Virginia University. While at WVU, Patrick taught a variety of classes and helped develop several new programs for the university and school of journalism. After returning to Colorado and taking a job in advertising, Patrick discovered Community Educational Outreach and was eager for an opportunity to return to the classroom. Patrick left the advertising industry and currently works as a special education assistant for an elementary school in Greeley. He is in the process of earning another degree in special education, using his experiences with CEO to develop his teaching skills. The best part about teaching at CEO is seeing students grow on a daily basis and accomplish things they never thought were possible.
Laura Stein, Instructor
I grew up in Southern California and graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2006 with a degree in American Studies. I heard about CEO after moving to Colorado in 2009 and started volunteering in June. I have taught piano for 9 years and am currently also substitute teaching. I enjoy having a wide range of teaching experience.
Jefferson High School
Eric Brown, Instructor
Eric Brown has lived in the community for several years and was familiar with ICCS and CEO prior to applying for a position as an instructor at CEO. Eric had seen friends and family become institutionalized to varying degrees and realized that this was primarily a combined effect of drug use and lack of education. The job announcement from CEO came to Eric through the job serve at the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Colorado at Denver. The school focuses on pubic and non-profit management and provides resources to connect GSPA Alumni and local public and non-profit sector managers in order to fill vacancies with qualified individuals. Given Eric’s familiarity with CEO, the link between education and recidivism and previous non-profit experience Eric eagerly applied for the instructor position and was granted it. Eric also really enjoys referring to himself in the third person.
