Our Team

Tera Helmon Zazenski brings more than thirty years of experience in education in such diverse roles as bilingual teacher at the elementary level, elementary school principal, executive director of elementary education for the Cherry Creek School District, assistant superintendent for learning services for Littleton Public Schools, adjunct professor at University of Colorado Denver, and leadership consultant. She holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, an M.A. in Educational Administration, and a B.A. in Elementary and Special Education. Dr. Zazenski (also known as “Dr. Z”) possesses a proven track record leading schools through significant transitions, and she has led initiatives to promote excellence and equity within educational systems. Dr. Zazenski’s experience with navigating change, coupled with her focus on fostering collaboration, positions her well to provide effective leadership within our unique educational environment.

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Z enjoys time with family, traveling, writing, and voraciously reading. She is always eager to delve into new books and expand her knowledge.

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.

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!

Delaney Monroe started her teaching career after college by leading after-school inquiry-based science lessons for mixed-age groups. She loved creating the environment and watching her students make discoveries on their own. Her joy in educating her students led to her earning a Colorado K-6 teaching license through the Friends’ School of Boulder in 2014. After teaching in 1st and 5th grade classrooms for five years, Delaney decided to deepen her craft. She returned to school in 2020 studying art and added the K-12 Visual Arts endorsement to her teaching license. When not teaching, Delaney can be found hiking or skiing in our beautiful mountains. Or maybe she’s sitting with her cats, Willow and Buttercup, reading novels, writing poetry, and creating art.

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.

Sarah Schultz joined the Mackintosh team as a parent in 2018 and as office manager in 2019. In 2023, she joined our teaching staff as a second grade teacher. Sarah holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado College and a master’s degree in education policy from the University of Colorado School of Education. She is currently enrolled in a graduate-level teacher preparation program through the Friends School in Boulder. Prior to coming to Mackintosh, she was the Director of International Programs at Colorado College, where she advised students interested in study abroad, worked with faculty to design new overseas programs, and provided support to the international students on campus. She has two children, one of whom is a middle school student at Mackintosh Academy. She loves reading, baking, listening to podcasts, and maintaining her Wordle streak.

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.

Anne Wolf is our Middle Years Programme Language and Literature Teacher, and previously served as MYP Learning Specialist, collaborating with our team in serving the needs of our gifted and twice-exceptional students. Anne has over 30 years of experience in gifted education, both in the classroom and in leadership roles. She earned her Master of Science in Education at the University of Southern California and her undergraduate degree at Penn State. Prior roles include Coordinator of Gifted Education in Adams 12 School District, Associate Director of Curriculum at the Ricks Center for Gifted Children in Denver, and a wide variety of Gifted and Talented roles in both Colorado Springs 11 and Douglas County School Districts. She has been involved in Future Problem Solving for many years, and has been the Colorado Affiliate Director for the last ten. In her spare time, Anne enjoys creating textiles and dabbling in textile arts, kayaking, photography, and reading.