TEENS, Inc. Staff

A NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Rarely are the times dull at TEENS, Inc.

The energy from the youth, staffm and board members is truly remarkable. Whether it be a new fundraiser, a new activity, an art project, a benefit concert, a service project or simply a stimulating conversation – this is a place where people grow.

I encourage you to get to know us. Call us, stop by, teach a class, work on a subcommittee, plan an event, share your story. You will enjoy yourself. You will be welcomed. We are all part of this community.

β€”Stephen LeFaiver

STAFF DIRECTORY

*Click on the names below to learn more.

An image of Stephen LeFaiver, the Executive Director at TEENS, Inc,  laughing with a small child.

Stephen LeFaiver

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Stephen earned his Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University and a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Education from Prescott College. Prior to attending Prescott College, Stephen worked to integrate environmental service learning projects into the public school system in Napa, CA. as the Regional Coordinator for the AmeriCorps Watershed Project. Stephen has been involved in numerous nonprofit organizations including the North Cascades Institute, Napa County Resource Conservation District, Connolly Ranch Environmental Education Center and NedSk8. Before becoming Executive Director in July 2005, Stephen was Academic Coordinator for the alternative high school program at TEENS, Inc. In 2006, Stephen completed the yearlong Non Profit Leadership Program through the Community Resource Center. Stephen enjoys spending time with his wife and two children exploring wild lands, biking, skiing and gardening.

An image of Alisa Musser, the Assistant Director at TEENS, Inc, smiling at the camera.

Alisa Musser

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Alisa has been working with youth for over 20 years. Originally she worked at a family mental health facility while receiving her B.A. in Psychology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Later, she moved to the Nederland, Co area and received her teaching license from Regis University. Alisa has worked with youth in many capacities, including alternative school teaching, preschool, ski school, gymnastics and dance. Alisa started working for TEENS, Inc. as a Program Assistant in 1999, later moving into the Teen Center Director position and performing a variety of the tasks of a non-profit, including serving as the Executive Director for a few years. She currently holds Assistant Director position, balancing work and family life. Over 15 years with TEENS, Inc. and her personal experience allow her to offer much insight, community history and perspective. Alisa enjoys spending time with her family in the mountains, skiing, biking, practicing yoga and dance, sharing her passion for these things with the youth as much as possible.

Kristin Aslan

DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Kristin Aslan has more than twenty years of experience in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, and education. She worked in various capacities with TEENS, Inc. from 1996-2005 and returned as full time Development Director in August 2022. Immediately prior to rejoining TEENS, Inc. she served as faculty in business at Red Rocks Community College where she oversaw a nonprofit management certificate program focused on training nonprofit leaders from among racial and ethnic groups currently underrepresented in metro Denver’s nonprofit sector. She has served on various nonprofit boards and currently sits on the steering committee for the Institute for Leaders in Development at the University of Denver. She holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University, a secondary teaching credential from the University of Colorado, Boulder and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Kristin enjoys spending time outdoors and exploring new places, near and far, with her family.

Karen Campbell

DIRECTOR OF NEW EXPLORERS LEARNING CENTER

A passion for teaching and children has led Karen to spend her professional life working with children. Growing up in Indiana she attended Marion University for Early Childhood Education. A love of the mountains drew her to Colorado, where she continued her education at Front Range Community College and the University of Colorado. Bixby School in Boulder was her first professional teaching job. Bixby School was where Karen developed many of the methods and philosophies she still uses today. Her next adventure was in Nederland Colorado where she became director of the Little Bear Preschool. There she nurtured over 1000 children and dozens of teachers too. At present Karen is the Director of the Teens Inc. New Explorers Learning Center, providing quality care and education in Nederland. Karen enjoys an adventurous mountain life of skiing, hiking, horseback riding, gardening, and playing with her dogs, all of which are enjoyed with her husband and son.

An image of Kim Sabray, a teacher at TEENS, Inc, smiling at the camera.

Kim Sibray

MATH TEACHER

Kim was born and raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but has lived in the Nederland area since 2012. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education, and continued on to pursue a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, graduating with distinction from the University of New Mexico. During her college years, Kim enjoyed working in a variety of science jobs, including one in an inorganic chemistry lab and another as a field biologist in a hantavirus research lab.

As a K-12 certified math and science teacher, Kim enjoys helping students learn science and math concepts, as well as all things STEM through hands-on, highly engaging learning experiences and discussion. In her spare time, Kim enjoys cooking, gardening, mountain biking and hiking with her husband and three kids.

Drew Albrecht

LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER

Drew Albrecht got his teaching credentials from Metro State. Before that Drew worked in construction and engineering. Drew spent the early parts of his life in Kansas but moved out to the mountains 19 years ago. He spends his free time hanging out with his family. He enjoys discussing rugby, music and reading.

Cameron Kollar

SCIENCE TEACHER

Cameron grew up in Southern California, and calls Santa Barbara home. She recently graduated with degrees in Geography and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara and has a particular interest in the areas of climate change and natural resource conservation. She has worked in California as a restoration ecologist and in Colorado as an environmental educator, and would eventually love to pursue a Masters degree in sustainability. Cameron loves climbing up peaks, jumping in alpine lakes, exploring new trails and making top tier oatmeal. She also loves reading, coffee, and meandering around a good farmers market. This will be Cameron's first year teaching at Chinook West, and she couldn't be more excited!

Rebecca Burns

OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP FACULTY

Rebecca grew up spending summers on Outward Bound base camps in Colorado which instilled a love for the outdoors from an early age. The mountains were put on hold as Rebecca competed as a Division I rower at Washington State University. Since college, Rebecca has spent her professional life working in the outdoors with the Northwest Outward Bound School (NWOBS) in Oregon and Naturalists at Large in California. In gaps of seasonal work, Rebecca completed several thru-hikes including the French Way of El Camino de Santiago in Spain and the Pacific Crest Trail. Most recently, Rebecca has been working at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Vermont where she managed the teen expedition program and assisted the yearlong high school boat building program. While she is not working, Rebecca enjoys skiing, biking, and backpacking, all with her dog, Edna.

Alex Roth

HUMAN RESOURCES (HR) MANAGER

Alex Roth grew up in Lander, Wyoming. After moving to Colorado, Alex obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management from Colorado State University. Alex began her HR career at a small company right as it began to expand into a large multistate organization. This allowed Alex to dive into all aspects of HR from payroll, recruiting, benefits administration, and employee relations, just to name a few.

In her free time, Alex enjoys hiking, kayaking, and camping with her spouse and their two dogs, Jack and Ellie. In addition to cooking, reading, and expanding her collection of houseplants.

Stazi Snelling

TEEN CENTER PROGRAM MANAGER

Stazi has 10 years of experience with youth programming from both the youth and adult sides. She has been with TEENS, Inc. as the Teen Center Manager since January 2022. She earned a BS in Zoology from Colorado State University. Stazi was a Teen Center participant in high school and worked as a Peer Supervisor for 2 years during this time. She was also a Teamworks Crew Member in 2018. Stazi also spent 2 years as a Science Peer Instructor at Front Range Community College and 4.5 years as a Youth Partner for Rise Above Colorado. All of this experience has given Stazi great insight and perspective into fun and supportive ways to engage and work with youth. Growing up in Nederland with a family history long-rooted in the community has also given Stazi a deep pride and understanding of the people here which helps her better serve the teens she works with. Outside of work, Stazi enjoys off-roading, swimming, spending time with her family, and petting her adorable cats and dogs.

An image of Andrea Bianchi, Director of Student Engagement at TEENS Inc, smiling at the camera.

AndrΓ©a Bianchi

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

AndrΓ©a grew up in Larkspur, CO. She moved to Boulder to attend CU, majoring in French and International Affairs. After graduating she moved to La Rochelle, France for a year to teach English and to spend some time traveling. She started at TEENS, Inc. as an AmeriCorps member in 2009, and after completing her year of service was hired on as Teen Center Director. During those years, she was able to explore the different avenues of working with youth through experiential outdoor activities, one-on-one mentoring and supporting teens in their transitions through high school. She has her Masters in Restorative Practices and is very passionate about engaging teens and our community in this manner. When not at work, she enjoys hiking, climbing, playing outside and finding new ways to keep her dog out of the trash.

Julie Porter

PRESIDENT - LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN ACADEMY

Julie is an experienced educator with over 20 years of dedicated work focused on student’s with unique learning needs. She holds a Master's Degree in Special Education and Applied Behavioral Studies from Oklahoma State University, as well as a Bachelor's Degree from The University of Tulsa. Julie has experience teaching in both public and residential care settings. Before moving to Colorado, she oversaw the affective needs program at Sapulpa Public Schools. Julie's passion for helping students with challenging behaviors led her to Devereux Colorado, a residential treatment facility specializing in students with complex behavioral needs. During her 11 years at Devereux, she served as a special education teacher and eventually as the Assistant Principal. Julie joined TEENS, Inc. in 2016 as the Principal and Lookout Academy.  Julie enjoys spending time in the mountains, engaging in activities such as snowboarding, camping, biking, and watching live music.

Charles Jones

VICE PRESIDENT - LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN ACADEMY

Charles was born and raised in Southeast Texas, where he learned his appreciation for the great outdoors. After spending four years in the Air Force as an EMT, Charles earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and his Alternative Teacher certification in Special Education from Huston-Tillotson University. After relocating to Colorado in 2006, Charles earned his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Adams State University. His career spans more than 20 years in public education with most of it being as a special education teacher. Charles has also served as a dean of students and assistant principal. He is an active community member and volunteer currently serving as a Trustee on the Jefferson County Library Board. Charles enjoys spending time with his family, snowboarding and gardening with the hopes of completing his private pilot’s license in the near future.

An image of Ariel Gustafson, Out of School Time Director at TEENS, Inc, smiling at the camera.

Ariel Gustafson

OUT OF SCHOOL TIME DIRECTOR

Ariel was raised in Northern New Mexico where she grew to love the mountains. After graduating college with a degree in Spanish she began working with youth in a bilingual elementary school and then moved to Asia for 2 years where she taught English. Upon return, Ariel earned a Master’s degree from Oregon State University in Contemporary Hispanic Studies, where she focused much of her work on intercultural education. She then spent 6 years as an experiential educator and administrator facilitating cross cultural learning experiences for youth in Latin America.

Ariel joined TEENS, Inc. in April 2016 as the TeamWorks Director and is thrilled to be focusing her attention towards youth within our community. Ariel believes in passionate about experiential learning and believes that it can enable students to connect the dots between our interconnected world and their place within it. In her free time she likes to ski, run, cook, read or play with her dog.

An image of George Walters, Program Manager at TEENS, Inc, smiling at the camera.

George Walters

PROGRAM MANAGER

George has been working with youth in the outdoors since his first job at the age of 14 as a sailing instructor. Since then, George has taught hundreds of kids how to sail from Texas to Massachusetts, and has brought that same enthusiasm to his work in Colorado ever since August 2022. At TEENS, Inc., George enjoys the opportunity to connect with youth and share his love of outdoor recreation with them. George helps run the rock climbing programs, assists with after school activities at the Teen Center including pickup basketball every Thursday night, and is a regular at the Sweet Sue's Open Mic Nights, where he encourages youth to share their creative endeavors. George regularly teaches elective classes at Chinook West, including music production, fitness, and film among others. He's also involved with the Outdoor Leadership program, and relishes the opportunity to take youth camping, skiing, climbing, and backpacking.

Ann Sherman

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING COORDINATOR

Ann grew up in the Midwest, but after receiving a BS in Social Work at Purdue University, her heart quickly led her to the rugged mountains of the West. Ann counselled teenagers in West Texas and then completed a Masters in Sociology (specializing in Conflict Resolution and Diversity Issues) at CU-Boulder.

Always questioning, continually working to build strong community supports for kids and families, enthralled with what the natural world has to teach us, Ann has lived off grid for decades, worked to bring heart, soul and critical thinking to the educational system, taught Sociology courses at CU, brought the Parent Engagement Network model to Nederland, raised two children, and continues to be passionate about creating more peaceful and just ways of living together.

As Social Emotional Learning Coordinator, Ann Sherman taught Social Emotional skills to K – 5 students at Nederland Elementary School from 2015 -2020.   She continues to support schoolwide implementation of Social Emotional Learning, and currently sends activities and parenting tips home to NES families in the weekly Mountain Memo.  Parents can find a whole host of parenting articles that support their child’s social emotional development on the Mountain Strong Families Facebook Page or visit  https://ParentingMattersInNed.blogspot.com

An image of Nick Scheidies, Communication & Events Manager for TEENS Inc, smiling at the camera.

Nick Scheidies

COMMUNICATION & EVENTS MANAGER

Nick Scheidies is a digital communications professional born in Longmont, Colorado. He graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in English and has since gained expertise in videography, graphic design, and SEO. Nick is passionate about promoting TEENS, Inc.'s programs and advancing its mission. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor activities, music, and spending quality time with his family, including his two young sons who love to play in the foam pit at the teen center.

Betsy Epp

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING COORDINATOR

Betsy Epp grew up in Denver Colorado, and now calls Black Hawk home. She graduated from Colorado State University with a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies. After finishing her degree, she worked in both private and public education where her passion for supporting young learners grew. When she's not working, Betsy enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters, cooking, reading, fishing, hiking, camping, and laughing.