Members
Ms. Sanchez has served on Parker Performing Art School's Finance Committee since the school's inception and lives in Denver with her two children. In her free time you can find her reading in one of Denver's many cozy coffee shops or climbing Colorado's many mountains!
Rochonne Sanchez is a pioneer in the field of providing banking access and risk mitigation to high-risk industries and an enterprising Founder in the start-up space. She brings 16 years of experience in senior-level leadership, strategic development and execution, and financial risk mitigation and management to each organization she serves.
Appointed August 2021 to serve until August 2023
Director Katie McDonald, Vice-President
Katie McDonald’s passion for childcare and education is evident in all things she does. A mother of two, children are reflected in all her decisions from her home to her childcare centers and her own education. Being a nerd and lover of all things literature, it was an easy task for Katie to move from bachelor’s degrees in early childhood education and social work to a master’s degree in mental health counseling with an emphasis in children and families. Currently, she is working on her doctorate in infant mental health services.
Being part of the Early Childhood Association of Colorado since 2011, Katie first opened her childcare center— The Meadows Early Learning Center— in 2016 after directing multiple childcare centers from 1998-2016 and being awarded Mentor of the year for Denver Kids Inc in 2010 and Director of the Year three years in a row, 2012-2014. Between 2021 and 2022, Katie has two more centers slated to open in the Denver area as well. Her schools are certified by the Matthew Shepard Foundation for inclusivity and received a 4 Star Colorado Shines Rating.
Aside from all these things, Katie has been the Vice President of the Green Valley Ranch Community Advisory Board since 2010, serves on the Pinery HOA board, volunteers with multiple advocacy groups in her community, travels, runs an online book club, and otherwise nerds out with her family to anything Disney or Marvel.
Elected February 2021 to serve until February 2024
JT Adamson is excited to join the board of directors by combining his interests in youth development, financial responsibility, and community engagement. He has a daughter who has attended PPA since kindergarten and her excitement and development has grown his passion to ensure other children have the same opportunity to experience this dynamic learning experience.
JT served 14 yrs as a District Executive Director at a non-profit focused on youth development and community transformation. During this tenure, he was responsible for board and committee development, government contract negotiation and execution, community events and engagement, as well as ensuring financial resiliency and diversified revenue. He has now leveraged that experience into a position as Sr. Manager for a technology start up in the payments industry where he assists clients in accounting and reconciliation, process development, and technical implementation. He enjoys the fast-paced and ever-changing environment and helping people/clients succeed in reaching their goals.
In his spare time, JT loves to enjoy the outdoor beauty that Colorado has to offer by fishing, hiking, camping, or a nice bike ride. He is also an avid woodworker and enjoys learning new hobbies like pottery and scuba, but his favorite is a quiet night on his deck.
Director Elizabeth Remington, Secretarybeen actively seeking opportunities to build the arts into her children’s education. Most recently Beth completed her MBA at Regis University and has been working for Charles Schwab in different client focused capacities for the last 4 years.
Director Cassidy Walker
Director Stephanie Cooke
Stephanie has a diverse professional and educational background. She holds a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction and an undergraduate degree in Business/Marketing Education. She utilized this to teach high school marketing, developing a brand new curriculum and program, including a co-curricular club and school-based enterprise for the students. After teaching, Stephanie utilized her knowledge in business and development in several business environments- including entrepreneurship, start-ups, and post-secondary education. Stephanie brings to the table knowledge in curriculum design, education, business development, marketing, and much much more.
Stephanie has been a part of the PPA community for 6 years- as her daughter started going to PPA in Kindergarten and is now in 5th grade. Prior to serving on the Board of Directors, Stephanie was involved in the PCA.
Stephanie is a single mom of two girls. She spends a lot of time in theaters with her oldest daughter- even though that was never a passion of her own until it became her daughter's. As a Colorado Native, she takes any opportunity she can to enjoy the sunshine.
Director Virginia Olivas SmithGinny Olivas-Smith is honored to serve on the board at PPA. She is a mother of two beautiful children who attend PPA, as well as a wife to an incredible
husband who is a special education teacher here in the Douglas County School District. She has spent the last 16 years in commercial lighting sales, which has given her very sharpened skills in developing relationships and learning how to analyze and boost market share profits. She is also very involved in her church community as a Sunday school teacher, and as a team member of the Backpack ministry, a program that feeds 34 local students and their families who depend on school lunch for meals on the weekends.
Ginny is passionate about what PPA has done for her children’s lives, one of which is neurodiverse. Having an incredible education, while being exposed to the arts has been life-changing for both of our children. She is thrilled to continue her journey as part of the board of directors.
Elected May 2022 to serve until May 2025
Director Corey Wahl, Past President