staff
At RISE Colorado, we work in Aurora, the most diverse city and school district in the state. We believe it is critically important that our team is diverse and reflective of our community. RISE was founded by women of color and is proud to have a board and staff made up primarily of people of color. The makeup of our team exemplifies our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The RISE team is not only ethnically diverse, but also diverse in age, gender, and languages we speak: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Nepali, Burmese, and Karen. We offer programming in community members’ native languages to ensure that families most impacted have the opportunity to lead the movement for educational equity.
RISE is led by Co-Founder & CEO Veronica Crespin-Palmer, along with Jocelyn Stephens, Chief Strategy Officer, Traci Lacheta, Chief Operating Officer, and Aydé Avila, Chief of Community Engagement. The RISE Executive Leadership Team is composed of four women, including three women of color, and manages day-to-day operations; however, RISE is truly community-led. The RISE Team, Family Leaders, and Student Leaders are included in organizational decision-making processes, including short-term goals, long-term visioning, and hiring.
Veronica crespin-Palmer
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
“I RISE because families are the sleeping giant. Once they are awakened to the inequities that exist there is nothing they won’t do to ensure their children receive the excellent education they deserve.”
Jocelyn J. Stephens
CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER
“I RISE because all students and families do not have access to an excellent education, yet. I RISE to CHAMPION students, PREPARE educators and EMPOWER families to cultivate stronger communities, excellent schools and brilliant futures.”
Traci Lacheta
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
"I RISE because every individual child deserves the education that prepares them for success in life. Educating, Engaging and Empowering families to work alongside educators is the best way to transform the public school system."
Aydé Avila
CHIEF OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
“ I RISE because education is a human right and every child in the world should have access to it.”
ABIB Subba
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
“I RISE to awaken families who are impacted of the right to receive systematic public education leading the movement of educational equity for which they’re experiencing for.”
Adelina parral tummons
YOUTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
“I RISE because I am a daughter of immigrants and the educational inequities my family and I experienced are not unique and must be addressed through family led movements. I RISE because I believe in the power and strength of our communities to overcome these systems of injustice. Systems of oppression, racism, and inequity must be torn down and rebuilt into a system that is inclusive, equitable, and reflective of all our communities.”
chhali dahal
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because to assist and support our multicultural communities for achieving better education and make them raise their voices for themselves.”
Elizabeth Casillas
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
“I RISE to Educate Engage and Empower Communities. Be able to hear the community's input from different walks of life, and prioritize ideas, in order to begin to implement change in our children's education, and school systems. Start to mold a brighter future for our communities and our school system by working together with students, parents, and our schools.”
EMILY RADER
COMMUNITY RESOURCE COORDINATOR
“I RISE because I am compelled by a vision of a world that operates out of the principles of reciprocity, abundance, and justice for all people. Because I believe systems and structures should work for people and the planet—not the other way around. And because I believe there is far more connecting us than dividing us, and it is local communities that will guide us to a place of renewal and belonging in our shared humanity.”
htay meh
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because my family was immigrant to USA for have better education which is education is the most important thing in our lives so we will become more successful person and have better future. I believe all youth or students have an equal right to learning.”
jennifer romero
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because education is the key to liberating communities most affected by systemic inequalities.”
JOY JAEGER
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
“I RISE because Black Lives Matter and Matter is the Minimum. Black family leaders are worthy, beloved and necessary to achieve educational equity. I RISE because it is my honor to assist family leaders as they work for change. When they RISE, we all RISE!
MARY DURAN
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATE
“I RISE because all students do not have access to equitable and quality learning opportunities in their neighborhood schools. I RISE to stand with and for families, students, and educators as they disrupt the inequity that is systemic in our school systems. All students, regardless of their zip code, socio-economic status, race, or ethnicity deserves a quality education! Education opens up opportunities and allows students to make choices that create a successful future.
Matrika Koirala
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because I personally belongs from refugee immigration status, I have the experience of importance of education in my life. Without education nothing can be achieved in life . So I would like to educate my vulnerable community to uplift their children’s education for better tomorrow.”
Michelle Roxbury
OPERATIONS MANAGER
“I RISE because I believe that education is the most important thing in our lives. I believe that every child should have access to a great education. It shouldn’t matter who they are and where they live, education should be equal to every kid and I want to fight for that!”
Monica Hernandez
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because I ought to be a role model to my two young sons and my community. I RISE because it is imperative to break the cycle of poverty among underserved communities through education. I RISE because I care. I RISE because minority talented youth have more opportunities. I RISE for an America for ALL without seeing any color skin.”
Mulue Kee Karr
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
“I RISE because I believe that all students should have an equal education opportunity regardless of their color or background. I believe education is one of the ingredients that will help them to become successful in their career.”
MYA WIN
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE for my community to be a part of all learning opportunities that will help them become successful. I believe that together, we will thrive from good to better and from better to excellent.”
paige Ott
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE because we still have a long way to go to achieve an equal society, but it begins with everyone having the same educational opportunities regardless of race, class, or gender.”
praja gautam
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I RISE, because education is very important for everybody. My community is still superstitious .So I want to wake them up for the kids' education. I want to make them aware of the light of education. Education doesn’t have any distinctions and discriminations , all the people have the right of education .”
Ryan Crespin
DIRECTOR OF LEARNING DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT
“I RISE because access to excellent, equitable education will positively impact generations of families, and create thriving communities across the state, nation and ultimately the globe.”
sanja rai
COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR
“I Rise to educate, engage and empower our communities. She believes every child should have the right to get an education. Because education has the power to improve everyone's lives and raise entire communities by strengthening the overall economy.”
Trenton White
DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
“I RISE because our education system reflects the entrenched racial, social, and classist biases in American society. To address the broad issues facing us as a nation, we must start by supporting our students and families at the community level.”