Our Team

Jodie Leatherman joined our staff in 2024, bringing eighteen years of experience in education in both the elementary level and in special education. Jodie has also held the role of IB curriculum coordinator and most recently served as assistant principal at Bradley International School. Jodie holds a master’s degree in education with an elementary education endorsement and special education endorsement. In addition, she holds a Colorado teaching license and Colorado principal authorization. Jodie brings expertise in learning differences as well as extensive experience as a teacher coach and mentor. Jodie enjoys spending time in the mountains enjoying outdoor activities with her family (including a Mack alum and a current Mack student). She loves to play in the snow by skiing and to enjoy the warm sunshine by playing tennis. Her family enjoys traveling and spoiling a very cute pup!

Annie Slothower has been part of the Mackintosh Academy community since 2015. Annie is a parent of two Mack alums who graduated in 2021 and 2024. She also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for six years. In addition to her deep understanding of and commitment to Mack’s mission, Annie brings a professional background in development and marketing to this position. She earned her undergraduate degrees in business administration and communication and holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management. Knowing firsthand the transformational power that is possible when finding the right environment to support a child’s unique learning profile, Annie could not be more grateful for the opportunity to partner with families and students who will benefit from Mack’s caring culture and gifted programming.

Maria Cardona completed her Social Communication degree from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia and has taught in Ohio and in the Cherry Creek School District in Colorado. Maria worked for Cherry Creek Schools both in the classroom and as a translator and interpreter. She is very passionate about languages and Hispanic/Latino cultures and loves education. Always pursuing new challenges, Maria has taught Spanish to our students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, and is currently working with our third through eighth graders. Maria has been part of the Mackintosh Academy community since 2010. Maria loves exploring Colorado and the Rocky Mountains.

Roger Chow, MYP Individuals and Societies Teacher, holds a Colorado teaching license as well as a Colorado Reading Teacher license. He earned his bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Middlebury College in Vermont as well as a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Denver. He is trained in the inquiry-based instructional approach by Dr. Lauran Resnick from the Institute for Learning at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating with his bachelor’s degree, Roger traveled the globe to seek out unique experiences and people. He began as a paraprofessional in Broward County, Florida, then moved to Denver where he taught in Denver Public Schools, until moving to Tacoma, Washington to take on the role of Director of Curriculum and Instruction. Roger returned to Colorado and served as Executive Director of Secondary Education for Pueblo City Schools.

Jess Dauchy joined Mackintosh Academy in July 2024 as finance manager through CFO Selections, a finance and business consulting firm. Jess started her professional career as a high school math teacher, teaching in public, independent, and charter schools. A self-described “cheerful math nerd,” Jess was struck by the need for financial and operational expertise in nonprofit and school settings, and left teaching to obtain a Master of Business Administration from the University of Colorado. For the past fifteen years, Jess has served as CFO, COO, and similar roles with a variety of nonprofit organizations, including serving as CFO for Mack Boulder. Outside of work, Jess is an adventurer at heart who is often outside skiing, climbing, hiking with her husband and dog, and more recently, learning how to mountain bike.

Brynn Jaouen-Starr has a master of arts degree in K-8 education and a bachelor’s degree in communication and theater arts, as well as over twenty-five years of experience as a teacher, mentor teacher, and administrator. Prior to teaching at Mackintosh, Brynn worked at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington and Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington. Brynn enjoys spending time with her family, who live together as three generations in their home. Brynn and her wife are current Mack parents of a middle schooler. Brynn plays fiddle and sings Irish music, and she has recorded five studio albums. She enjoys cooking, backyard bird watching, and photography.

Kelly Kates was born in Montreal, Canada and raised in Nigeria and Northern British Columbia. She earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy from Sam Houston State University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Denver. She shares her passion for service with Mack students in her additional role as service learning coordinator. Kelly shared her teaching expertise at the Colorado Association for Gifted and Talented Association’s conference in a presentation entitled “The Power of Play in Helping with Anxiety and Perfectionism.” Kelly was a counselor and teacher for ten years at Options Alternative High School, where she led the school drama, dance, and choral programs. Kelly has worked as an actress and choreographer in Denver for over twenty years, receiving recognition from the Denver Post and the Colorado Theatre Guild. She loves sharing her passion for the performing arts with children and youth and founded the children’s program at Town Hall Arts Center in Littleton. Before coming to Mackintosh, she taught musical theater and tap dance for Centennial Academy of Fine Arts Education and the drama enrichment program for Wilder Elementary. Kelly and her husband live in Littleton and have two dancing daughters. She enjoys international travel with her family, and has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in El Salvador and Canada.

Lisa Lewis earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado Boulder and has worked as a paraprofessional in public schools since 2013. She recently received her teaching degree from the University of Colorado Denver. Ms. Lewis is trained in the Orton Gillingham instructional method and has worked with youngsters all her life. She was attracted to Mackintosh for its mission-driven approach to working with gifted students. Lisa loves fostering animals, reading, gardening, and raising her son.

Nancy Muhich is originally from Toledo, Ohio. She was educated at Miami University, OH in marketing, but came to teaching as a second career. She learned her teaching trade through the Stanley British Teaching Program, and completed her master’s degree in education at University of Colorado Denver. Nancy started teaching at Mack in the fall of 2013. The strong culture of kindness at Mackintosh was a terrific fit with Nancy’s natural cheery disposition, and she loves teaching her students through the units of inquiry in the International Baccalaureate program. Nancy loves sparkles, children, and dogs, dabbles in crafting, and is a roller coaster enthusiast.

Josh Onderdonk, Physical/Health Education Teacher, has a teaching license in both Physical Education as well as Health Education in Colorado. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. After graduation from Canisius, he spent a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest, which serves underprivileged groups in the greater Northwestern United States. Josh served as a volunteer at St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Montana, which serves the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. He served as the academic support to all high school students, as well as a substitute teacher when needed. After his year of service, he stayed at St. Labre as a physical/health education teacher. After three years of teaching at St. Labre, Josh moved to South Bend, Indiana (Go Irish!), where he spent the next five years teaching at Success Academy Charter School. When not teaching at Mack, Josh is doing something pertaining to sports or outdoor activities. He loves hiking in the mountains with his wife Sam, and takes any chance he can get to hit the links. Josh and Sam are also the proud parents of a 140 pound St. Bernard/Great Dane mix.

Joe Pausback, known affectionately as “Mr. P,” began teaching at Mackintosh in 1998. He received an undergraduate degree in anthropology and history from the University of Colorado Boulder. After a brief career as a field archaeologist in Alaska and New Mexico, he returned to school and earned a secondary social studies license from Fort Lewis College. He later earned a master’s degree in elementary education from the University of Colorado Denver. His master’s thesis was a justification for teaching the concept of randomness to upper elementary students as part of their studies of statistics. Additionally, apropos of nothing, he has an unusual affinity for the Oxford comma. Mr. Pausback is passionate about his family and outdoor recreation. He is a very enthusiastic river-runner, mountain biker, telemark skier, reader, guitarist, wood worker, and traveler.

Val Steklac is an alum of Mackintosh Academy. They attended Mackintosh from 2001 through 2008, and have maintained a relationship with the school since. They have tutored students in math and time management, taught design and technology, worked as a substitute teacher, and run an afterschool program dedicated to making connections and nurturing skills through tabletop games. Val studied psychology at Landmark College in Vermont and is currently working toward a degree in IT. When not diving into news around the latest computer technology, Val enjoys searching for new and exciting tabletop games to learn and share.

Sam Walker holds an Alternative Teacher License with an endorsement in elementary education from the University of Colorado Denver’s Aspire to Teach program. She has prior experience as a Response to Intervention (RtI) instructional assistant with additional duties in progress monitoring and lesson planning as well supervising children throughout the school day. Sam earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Colorado State University. Sam enjoys crafting of all kinds. She is an avid Colorado Avalanche fan and gets to as many games as possible! She and her family are movie buffs; her favorite genre is psychological thrillers. Sam practices Tae Kwon Do and is an active kickboxer.

Paige Wohlert handles everything from managing an endless influx of packages to greeting campus visitors to providing care for kids with ouchies or sniffles! Paige joined Mackintosh in the fall of 2023; she loves the school’s vision of nurturing each child’s unique natural brilliance and looks forward to supporting both parents and children in her role. Paige holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colorado State University. An avid cook, she worked for Williams Sonoma for many years. She also managed the office for Anderson Greenscapes, a local landscaping firm. Paige and her husband are parents of three children and a Great Pyrenees dog named Petal. In her spare time, Paige enjoys playing tennis, creating, reading and hiking.