Meet Our Staff

Vanessa Peterson

Executive Director

As the Executive Director, I am responsible for executing the overall strategic goals of CEO to fulfill its mission. I bring 8 years of nonprofit leadership experience and have worked with CEO under various positions since 2011. My work brings me great joy. I believe in providing equal opportunity for adults who face barriers to employment and are motivated to make a better life for themselves and their families.  

Jay Starkovich

Adult Education Instructor

I teach Language Arts and assist students through the HIRE program at the ICCS Men's facility in Lakewood. I enjoy working at Community Educational Outreach because unequal access to education is a barrier for so many Americans, and I enjoy making a difference in my immediate community.

Hope Harbert

Adult Education Instructor

I help our clients obtain their high school diplomas and better prepare them to reenter the workforce through job readiness training and career navigation at the ICCS Greeley facility. I like working with Community Educational Outreach because of the population we serve. I enjoy uplifting my students and looking for new ways to improve the lives of those we serve.

Chris McCloskey

Adult Education Instructor

I am the GED instructor at TGTHR in Boulder. Teaching GED is the culmination of a life well lived. The identifying thread through most of my life has been to recognize opportunity and facilitate transitions in others. TGTHR is a perfect fit!

Anna Lord

Director of Operations

I am the Director of Operations and I assist in the overall strategic and operational responsibilities for CEO’s staff, programs, and execution of its mission. I love working with CEO because I am able to make a real difference every day. I always feel so delighted and proud when I am able to help a student obtain their diploma, get a job they are proud of, and face the world with the tools and confidence they need to improve their life.

Leisa Bates

Program Coordinator

I am the Program Coordinator at the ICCS Pueblo facility. 

Joey Dolce

Adult Education Instructor

I teach math to students working towards their HSE Certification, help individuals find employment, and guide clients in career navigation.  I love the work I do because my coworkers and I truly believe in CEO’s mission. I appreciate working with and learning from our students, the consistent stream of opportunities for growth, and the ability to see tangible results from the effort we put in. Most of all, I love supporting a group of engaged individuals who are helping change the world for the better.

Barbara Menear

Employment Readiness Specialist

I am the Employment Readiness Specialist in Adams County and I help students prepare their resume, practice interview skills, and gain confidence to get the jobs and future careers they desire. I love my job because I believe everyone deserves to be treated with respect, and students are able to reverse their negative patterns to become productive members of their community.

Andrea Bell

Adult Education Instructor

I teach Language Arts classes, provide tutoring and vocational guidance, and teach the all HIRE workshops for CEO at the ICCS Women's facility in Lakewood. I enjoy working for CEO because I feel we provide an invaluable service to individuals who have been involved in the criminal justice system. I also enjoy being able to  make a positive impact in someone’s success.

Jacquelin Hernandez Portillo

Adult Education Instructor

 I teach math and language classes and assist students in our HIRE and Career Navigation program.  I love working with CEO for many reasons but the most prominent is that their mission aligns with my morals and beliefs.  My favorite aspect about working as an instructor for CEO is that I get to see results.  I get to see students learn new concepts, pass a test with substantially higher scores, get their GED, get the job they applied for, etc. and that makes the hard work completely worth it.

Tim Willis

Adult Education Instructor

I teach language arts and assist with the HIRE program. I hope my students will leave my lessons with a better understanding of English in order to pursue satisfying jobs in the community. I like teaching language skills to students enrolled in CEO classes in order for them to pass the GED tests so that they will earn a higher income through better employment with their language abilities and education credentials.

Kim Christoff

Program Coordinator

As Community Educational Outreach’s program coordinator and career navigation coordinator in Boulder, I have many opportunities to help people who may be struggling. I teach adult education language classes in an effort to help students obtain their GED, and help residents obtain long term educational or career goals. It is rewarding to support people who want to enrich their lives.

Chris Ward

Adult Education Instructor

I work as a math instructor and help clients with job readiness training in our HIRE program.  The clients that I've worked with unanimously express a great deal of gratitude for the work we do and the assistance we offer. When a student overcomes a difficult educational or employment related obstacle, there is a very obvious moment of pride as well as an impression of restored agency that is incredibly fulfilling to witness as an educator, mentor, and human.