ESSU Responsibilities List

COVID-19 and Special Education

View information for educators and parents to support students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Assistance for Parents

Special Education

Parents with questions about Special Education or needing assistance can contact the Office of Special Education at:

Phone: 303-866-6757
Email: Parents_ESSUquestions@cde.state.co.us

Young Children (Birth to age 5) or Preschool

For parents with questions about their young children (birth to age 5) or Preschool Special Education please contact the Preschool Team:

Phone: 303-501-0837
Email: White_H@cde.state.co.us

Preschool Special Education and Child Find Contacts

Gifted Education

For parents of students in Gifted Education, please contact Gifted Education Team:

Phone: 303-866-6652
Email: McKinney_R@cde.state.co.us

This page lists contacts for content areas within the Exceptional Student Services Unit. Click on any letter from the alphabet to jump to a section.

* Indicates when there is a main contact.

18-21 - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

18-21

18‐21-Year-Old Transition Services
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

A

Accommodations (Instructional)
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Adapted Physical Education
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303-866-6605

Adult Agencies/Interagency Collaboration
Katie Oliver
Email Katie Oliver
303‐866‐6701

Affective Needs of Students with Disabilities
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Alternate Achievement Standards (see also Extended Evidence Outcomes/EEO’s)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Advisory Board
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

Assessment (alternate) for Students with Disabilities (state and district)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Assessment (general) for Students with Disabilities (state and district)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Assistive Technology (SWAAAC) Training and Support
Maureen Melonis
Email Maureen Melonis
303‐315‐1283

Assistive Technology Loan Bank
Maureen Melonis
Email Maureen Melonis
303‐315‐1283

Audiology
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Brooke Carson
Email Brooke Carson
303‐866‐6691

B

Behavior/Mental Health for Students with Disabilities
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Blindness / Low Vision
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs)
Brooke Carson
Email Brooke Carson
303‐866‐6691

Braille / Braillists
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Brain Injury
Heather Hotchkiss
Email Heather Hotchkiss
303‐866‐6739

C

Career Tech Education/Vocational Education
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Central Auditory Processing/Hearing Loss
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

Charter Schools
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Child Find (Birth through Age 5)
Mary Morin (P-3 Office)
Email Mary Morin
720-766-6507

CMAS for Students with Disabilities
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Cochlear Implants
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

Colorado Alternate Assessment (CO‐Alt)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Colorado Autism Education Network
Brooke Carson
Email Brooke Carson
303‐866‐6691

Colorado Autism Mentoring Program (CAMP)
Brooke Carson
Email Brooke Carson
303‐866‐6691

Colorado Continuous Improvement Process (CCIP)
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Megan Tannozzini
Tannozzini_m@cde.state.co.us

Colorado Services for Children with Combined Vision and Hearing Loss Project (Deafblind Grant)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Colorado Special Education Advisory Committee (CSEAC)
Joyce Thiessen‐ Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303‐866‐6757

Complaints Investigation (Ordered Remedies/Timelines)
Brandon Edelman
Email Brandon Edelman
303‐866‐6876

Complaints Investigation (State Level)
Brandon Edelman
Email Brandon Edelman
303‐866‐6876

Ross Meyers
Email Ross Meyers
303-866-3801

Ashley Schubert
Email Ashley Schubert
303-866-6311

Comprehensive Plan
Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Connect for Success
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303-866-6649

Cultural and Linguistic Diversity for Students with Disabilities
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303-866-6707

Cyber Schools
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

D

Data Management System (DMS)
Melissa Chaffin
Email Melissa Chaffin
303‐866‐6819

Deaf-blindness (combined vision and hearing loss)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Deafness/Hard of Hearing
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

AU Determinations
Gloria Durosko
Email Gloria Durosko
303‐866‐6976

Developmental Delay
Marcia Blum (P-3 Office)
Email Marcia Blum
720-799-4015

Directors of Special Education Meetings
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303-866-6887

Dispute Resolution General Information
Jenny Woods*
Email Jenny Woods
303‐866‐6889

Brandon Edelman
Email Brandon Edelman
303‐866‐6876

District-Wide Alternate Assessment
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Due Process Decision Monitoring
Becky O'Malley
Email Becky O'Malley
303-895-5108

Due Process General Information
Jenny Woods
Email Jenny Woods
303‐866‐6889

Dynamic Learning Map (DLM) ‐ Instruction
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Dyslexia
Ellen Hunter
Email Ellen Hunter
303‐866‐6244

Veronica Fiedler
Email Veronica Fiedler
303‐866‐6863

E

Educational Interpreters
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

Educational Surrogate Parents (Coordination and Training)
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303-866-6649

Educational Surrogate Parents (Database)
Brittany Deyoe
Email Brittany Deyoe
303-866-3895

eLearning Products and Procedures
Amanda Timmerman
Email Amanda Timmerman
303-866-6969

Kathy Wheatley
Email Kathy Wheatley
303‐866‐6986

Eligibility of Students with Disabilities
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

English Learners with Disabilities
Shauna Moden*
Email Shauna Moden
303-866-6641

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI)

Michael Ramirez
Email Michael Ramirez
303-866-6991

ESSU Statewide Data Management System (Includes Electronic IEP)
Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Extended Evidence Outcomes/EEO’s (see also Alternate Achievement Standards)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Extended School Year (ESY)
Heather Hotchkiss
Email Heather Hotchkiss
303‐866‐6739

F

Facility Schools
Judy Stirman*
Email Judy Stirman
303‐866‐6684

Lori Kochevar
Email Lori Kochevar
303‐866‐6799

Facility Schools Assessment/Data
Erik Hilton
Email Erik Hilton

Facility Schools Curriculum
Wendy Dunaway
Email Wendy Dunaway
303‐866‐6995

Facility Schools Graduation/Diplomas
Lori Kochevar
Email Lori Kochevar
303‐866‐6799

Facility Schools Induction Programs
Judy Stirman
Email Judy Stirman
303‐866‐6684

Facility Schools Monitoring
Robin Singer
Email Robin Singer
303‐866‐5509

Ann Symalla
Email Ann Symalla
303‐866‐6473

Facility Schools Student Data System
Brittany Hanley
Email Brittany Hanley
303‐866‐6892

Family‐School Partnering
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

Family‐School Partnering- Data
Pahmela Mendoza
Email Pahmela Mendoza
303‐866‐6771

Family‐School-Community Partnership (FSCP)
Joyce Thiessen‐ Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303‐866‐6757

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)/Prenatal Substance Exposure
Heather Hotchkiss
Email Heather Hotchkiss
303‐866‐6739

G

General Supervision and Monitoring (CCIP)
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Megan Tannozzini, Program
Email Megan Tanozzini

Moira Blake
Email Moira Blake
303-866-6639

Gifted Education – Data/Monitoring
Terri Loiselle
Email Terri Loiselle

Gifted Education – Professional Learning/Monitoring
Miles Skoog
Email Miles Skoog

Gifted Education- Program Support/Data Management System (DMS)
Diane Barranco
Email Diane Barranco
303‐866‐6631

Gifted Education- Twice Exceptional
Cynthia Rundquist
Email Cynthia Rundquist
303‐866‐6232

H

Hearing Screening (includes newborns)
Shauna Moden
Email Shauna Moden
303‐866‐6707

Higher Education (IHEs)
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

Home Schooling
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

I

IDEA Federal Application Budget System
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

IDEA Federal Application Narratives
Kim Boylan*
Email Kim Boylan
303‐866‐6690

Vicki Graham
Email Vicki Graham
303‐866‐6442

IDEA Part B Monitoring
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐604

IDEA Part C
Heidi White* (P-3 Office)
Email Heidi White
303-501-0837

Mary Morin (P-3 Office)
Email Mary Morin
720-766-6507

IEP Facilitation
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

IEP Facilitator Trainings/Coaching
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

IEP Forms
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

IEP Interchange for Data Pipeline
Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

IEP Training

Megan Tannozzini
Tannozzini_m@cde.state.co.us

Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Indicator 1: Graduation
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Indicator 2: Dropout Rates
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Indicator 4: Suspension/Expulsion Rates of Students with Disabilities
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Indicator 8: Parent Surveys
Joyce Thiessen‐Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303‐866‐6757

Indicator 13: Transition IEPs
Gloria Durosko
Email Gloria Durosko
303‐866‐6885

Indicator 14: Post School Outcomes
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Intellectual Disability (ID)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Interveners (for children with deaf‐blindness)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

L

Learning Media Assessment / Learning Media Plans
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Licensure (Special Education only)
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

Literacy Initiatives
Ellen Hunter
Email Ellen Hunter
303‐866‐6244

Low Performing Systems
Wendy Sawtell
Email Wendy Sawtell
3030-866-6749

M

Manifestation Determination
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Mediation for Dispute Resolution and Requests for Mediation Services
Jenny Woods
Email Jenny Woods
303‐866‐6889

Mental Health for Students with Disabilities
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Krista Klabo
Email Krista Klabo
720-284-2524

Monitoring of Ordered Remedies on State Complaints
Candace Hawkins
Email Candace Hawkins
303‐866‐6213

Becky O'Malley
Email Becky O'Malley
303-895-5108

Moodle Courses (CDE’s Learning Management System)
Amanda Timmerman*
Email Amanda Timmerman
303-866-6969

Kathy Wheatley
Email Kathy Wheatley
303-866-6986

Multiple Disabilities
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Multi-tiered System of Supports (PBIS for SWD)
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Veronica Fiedler
Email Veronica Fiedler
303-866-6863

N

National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC)
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS)
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

New Special Education Directors' Orientation
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

O

Occupational Therapy
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303-866-6605

Online Programs
Kerry Whitmore*
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialists
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Orthopedic Impairment
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303-866-6605

Other Health Impaired
Heather Hotchkiss
Email Heather Hotchkiss
303‐866‐6739

P

Parent Phone Calls
Joyce Thiessen-Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303-866-6757

Parent Training - Skills for Resolving Conflict
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP)
Joyce Thiessen‐Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303‐866‐6757

Parents Encouraging Parents (PEP)- Conferences and Website
Pahmela Mendoza
Email Pahmela Mendoza
303‐866‐6771

PEAK Parent Center- ADR work
Mary Anne Fleury
Email Mary Anne Fleury
303‐866‐6649

Preschool Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
Heidi White (P-3 Office)
Email Heidi White
303-501-0837

Preschool Positive Behavior Interventions and Support (PBIS)
Marcia Blum (P-3 Office)
Email Marcia Blum
720-799-4015

Preschool Response to Intervention (RtI)
Marcia Blum (P-3 Office)
Email Marcia Blum
720-799-4015

Preschool Special Education
Heidi White* (P-3 Office)
Email Heidi White
303-501-0837

Marcia Blum (P-3 Office)
Email Marcia Blum
720-799-4015

Private Schools
Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Professional Development for Directors, Families, and Higher Education
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

R

Read Act/Differentiated Pathways for Students with Disabilities
Ellen Hunter
Email Ellen Hunter
303‐866‐6244

Recruitment and Retention
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
Brooke Carson
Email Brooke Carson
303‐866‐6691

Residential/Day Treatment
Judy Stirman
Email Judy Stirman
303‐866‐6684

RtI/MTSS Family and Community Partnering Online Classes
Joyce Thiessen‐Barrett
Email Joyce Thiessen_Barrett
303‐866‐6757

S

School Mental Health Services
Krista Klabo
Email Krista Klabo
720-284-2524

School Psychologists
Krista Klabo
Email Krista Klabo
720-284-2524

School to Work Alliance Program (SWAP)
Katie Oliver
Email Katie Oliver
303‐866‐6701

School-to-Career Initiatives
Katie Oliver
Email Katie Oliver
303‐866‐6701

Secondary Transition Assessments
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Secondary Transition Training
Gail Lott
Email Gail Lott
303‐866‐6721

Serious Emotional Disabilities (SED)
Bill Brown
Email Bill Brown
720-603-3000

Significant Disproportionality
Miki Imura*
Email Miki Imura
303‐866‐6976

Michael Ramirez
Email Michael Ramirez
303‐866‐6991

Significant Support Needs Network- SSN Sites
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Significant Support Needs/Intellectual Disabilities
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

Social Workers
Krista Klabo
Email Krista Klabo
720-284-2524

Special Education Data
Miki Imura*
Email Miki Imura
303‐866‐6976

Orla Bolger
Email Orla Bolger
303‐866‐6896

Alyssa Ohleyer
Email Alyssa Ohleyer
303‐866‐6308

Special Education Director Mentor Project
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

Special Education Directors' Meetings
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303‐866‐6887

Special Education Finance
Vicki Graham*
Email Vicki Graham
303‐866‐6442

Moira Blake
Email Moira Blake
303‐866‐6639

Special Education Fiscal Advisory Committee (SEFAC)
Moira Blake*
Email Moira Blake
303‐866‐6639

Vicki Graham
Email Vicki Graham
303‐866‐6442

Special Education Fiscal Advisory Committee High-Cost Student Reimbursement
Moira Blake*
Email Moira Blake
303‐866‐6639

Kim Boylan
Email Kim Boylan
303‐866‐6690

Vicki Graham
Email Vicki Graham
303‐866‐6442

Special Education Personnel Data Reporting
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

Specific Learning Disability (SLD)
Veronica Fiedler
Email Veronica Fiedler
303‐866‐6863

Speech or Language Impairments
Tami Cassel
Email Tami Cassel
303‐866‐6114

Speech‐Language Pathology (SLP)
Tami Cassel
Email Tami Cassel
303‐866‐6114

Speech‐Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs)
Tami Cassel
Email Tami Cassel
303‐866‐6114

State Alternate Assessments (DLM, CoAlt)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

State Assessments (CMAS Science & Social Studies)
Gina Herrera
Email Gina Herrera
303‐866‐6605

State Assessments (CMAS Science & Social Studies)
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

State Complaint Monitoring- Ordered Remedies
Candace Hawkins
Email Candace Hawkins
303‐866‐6213

State Directors' Leadership Team (SDLT)
Paul Foster
Email Paul Foster
303‐866‐4093

State identified Measurable Result (SiMR) Structured Literacy Project
Ellen Hunter
Email Ellen Hunter
303‐866‐6244

State Performance Plan (SPP) and Annual Performance Report (APR)
Miki Imura
Email Miki Imura
303‐866‐6976

State Special Education Directors' Meetings
Faye Gibson*
Email Faye Gibson
303-866-6887

State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)
Wendy Sawtell
Email Wendy Sawtell
303‐866‐6749

State‐Level General Supervision System
Candace Hawkins
Email Candace Hawkins
303‐866‐6213

Statewide Data Management System
Kerry Whitmore
Email Kerry Whitmore
303‐866‐6604

Strategic Partnerships
Faye Gibson
Email Faye Gibson
303-866-6887

SWAAAC (Assistive Technology Teams)
Maureen Melonis
Email Maureen Melonis
303‐315‐1283

T

Traumatic Brain Injury
Heather Hotchkiss
Email Heather Hotchkiss
303‐866‐6739

Tuition Rates for Approved Facility Schools
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

Tuition Rates for Charter Schools
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

Tuition Rates for Online Schools
Lauren Rossini
Email Lauren Rossini
303‐866‐6688

Twice Exceptional (gifted + disability)
Cynthia Rundquist
Email Cynthia Rundquist
303‐866‐6232

U

US Department of Education/OSEP Requests
Paul Foster
Email Paul Foster
303‐866‐4093

V

Vision Screening (0‐5)
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

Visual Impairment, Including Blindness
Tanni Anthony
Email Tanni Anthony
303‐866‐6681

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