Our Team
Administrative Team

Beth Steklac
Head of School
Annie Slothower
Director of Enrollment Management
Sharon Muench
Director of Curriculum &Middle School Director

Paige Wohlert
Office ManagerPaige holds a Bachelor of Arts 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.

Kristi Holmes Espineira
Director of Marketing
Tami Vinson
Director of Development &Community Engagement
Philanthropy and mission have been in Tami’s vocabulary since she was a young volunteer. Today, Tami still gives her time actively to various nonprofit organizations including serving as Chair of the Steering Committee for the Institute for Leaders in Development program at the University of Denver. A program for which Tami is also a graduate. Tami has also served as President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Colorado Chapter and National Philanthropy Day Chair.
Tami is thrilled to be a part of the Mackintosh community where she can merge her professional experience and personal life. Tami comes from a family of educators and is inspired and fueled by Mackintosh Academy’s mission of keen minds, compassionate hearts and global action. Tami, her husband and their daughter, Zoe, are excited to have found this wonderful community.

Arleen Brogan-Smith
Business ManagerFaculty

Denise Sironen
School Psychologist &SEL Coach

Stacey Anderson
Learning SpecialistStacey has a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary and special education and a Master of Arts degree in special education. She holds a current Colorado Professional Teaching License and a certification in English Language Acquisition. Her passion in education revolves around student success in accessing and engaging in learning. Spending time with her family (all three of her children attended Mackintosh – Evyn graduated from DU, Reid graduated from CU and Isabella graduated from CSU) and playing tennis are her two favorite hobbies. Stacey and her husband, Wayne, spend lots of time in the mountains.

Anne Wolf
Learning Specialist &DEI Coordinator

Ocean Sehlmeyer
Pre-Kindergarten Lead TeacherOcean lives in downtown Littleton with her husband Jesse and their two daughters, ages 18 and 15. As a family they care for several pets and travel, both locally and abroad, whenever possible.

Uta Letbetter
Pre-Kindergarten Associate TeacherUta lives with her husband, their two energetic teenage boys and Rooney, their family Cockapoo. She has lived in Germany and Shanghai and has many volunteer hours in both the public elementary school and British International elementary school where her sons attended. Uta is passionate about creating and supporting a joyful and creative environment which instills a joy and passion for learning among our youngest students. She loves to spend time with her family and friends, and likes to hike, canoe, snowboard, read, travel and write.

Hope Martins
Pre-Kindergarten Associate Teacher
Greg Ashworth Fanch
Kindergarten Lead Teacher
Pilar Ricke Zegers
Kindergarten Lead Teacher &After Care Director
During her teaching experience, PIlar realized the remarkable impact of arts on children’s learning in all subjects, prompting her to further her expertise in elementary education and to obtain a teaching license. At Northwestern University she earned endorsements in Spanish, Visual Arts, and Bilingual and ESL education. Her master’s thesis focused on creating an educational environment that fostered hands-on experiences with natural materials, investigating its influence on students’ curiosity. Pilar is now eagerly prepared to impart her knowledge and equally excited to learn from her future students, as she admires their boundless creativity and imagination.
Beyond the classroom, Pilar finds solace in the great outdoors, often engaging in hikes, mountain biking, and skiing. Also as a ski instructor she is very excited to get to know all that Colorado has to offer. When indoors, she indulges in her passions for baking delicious treats, drawing, and sewing.

Delaney Monroe
1st Grade Lead Teacher
Brynn Jaouen-Starr
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Sarah Schultz
2nd Grade Lead Teacher
Nik Arnoldi
1st/2nd Grade TeacherNik has a passion for service work and led several initiatives at his previous schools including a school garden, mural project, and community safety initiative. Nik brings unique skills in integrating arts, science, and mathematics and is eager to dive into the interdisciplinary International Baccalaureate (IB) programming at Mackintosh Academy. Nik speaks English, Spanish, and French.

Lara Pausback
Lower School Director &3rd/4th Grade Lead Teacher

Elise Jones
3rd/4th Grade Lead TeacherElise is a third-generation teacher, but took a circuitous route to the profession, by way of a first career in the business and startup worlds. Her personal teaching philosophy is that learning is inherently joyful and that classrooms can and should be places of joy, curiosity, and wonder. She especially enjoys teaching math, as an incredible teacher helped her to see its beauty and approach math problems with confidence and creativity. Elise taught previously at Mackintosh’s sister school in Boulder as well as in the Denver Public School system.

Lisa Lewis
3rd/4th Grade Associate Teacher
Nancy Muhich
5th/6th Grade Lead Teacher
Roger Chow
5th/6th Grade Lead Teacher
Samantha Walker
5th/6th Grade Associate Teacher
Joe Pausback
7th/8th Grade Math &Science Teacher

Darrah O'Flaherty
7th/8th Grade Language &Literature/Humanities Teacher
In her free time, Darrah is an avid traveler and lover of the outdoors who enjoys rugby, hiking with her rescue greyhound, camping, reading, and snowboarding. Darrah feels lucky to enjoy the creativity, inquisitiveness, empathy, and sheer joy that children bring to their studies and daily lives.

Josh Onderdonk
Physical Education TeacherWhen 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. Barnard/Great Dane mix.

Nick Vialpando
Visual Arts TeacherA Colorado native, Nick attended Colorado Mesa University where he received a Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art. He then went to The University of Mississippi for graduate school, earning a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art with an emphasis in sculpture and three-dimensional media.
Outside of the classroom Nick is a professional artist using metal casting as his main medium. He’s also team captain of a trading card team sponsored by a local game store.

Kelly Kates
Performing Arts TeacherKelly 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. She founded the children’s program at Town Hall Arts Center in Littleton. Before coming to Mackintosh, she taught musical theatre 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.

Maria Cardona
World Languages Teacher - Spanish

Val Steklac
Design & Technology Associate TeacherWhen not diving into news around the latest computer technology, Val enjoys searching for new and exciting tabletop games to learn and share.
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