Jodie Novak, Ph.D
Jodie Novak is a math professor at the University of Northern Colorado. She begin working with math teachers in a professional development setting in 2000. Since then, she have been involved in four state funded and two NSF funded mathematics professional development projects.
In all this work, her greatest joy is supporting math teachers to develop their leadership skills to improve mathematics education for all students.
Kate Pacheck
Kate Guasta Pacheck is a veteran middle school and elementary school math teacher, a Colorado Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching 2018 Awardee in Elementary Math and a passionate advocate for students and teachers. She has a plethora of pedagogical math content knowledge collected over her 18 years of experience teaching, her experience teaching pre-service education candidates, her experience coaching teachers, her collaborative work planning professional development, her undergraduate degree and licensure program from Colorado State University—Pueblo, her Masters in Secondary Mathematics Education from University of Colorado, a post-graduate program in Mathematics Teacher Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado and her current Masters of Leadership in Education program from Western Governors University.
Kate strives to “pay-it-forward” to her local community, fellow teachers and all students by helping increase teacher accessibility to quality professional development, especially in mathematics education. All of this evolved out of her desire to create a math classroom that meets her three A’s: Acceptance and Access to high quality math education for All students. Kate believes in teachers and that serving, sustaining and strengthening teachers supports all students so that math classrooms are designed with a focus on acceptance and access for all.
Catherine Carter, Ed.D
Catherine received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Computer Science Engineering, her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, and her Secondary Teaching Certificate from Michigan State University. Catherine also earned her Doctorate in Educational Studies from the University of Northern Colorado, with an emphasis in mathematics education.
Catherine currently helps design simulations at PhET Interactive Simulations for Science and Mathematics, and has extensive experience creating and facilitating meaningful mathematics PD with teachers K-12 with an effort to deepen mathematical understanding. During her tenure as a secondary mathematics instructor, she has won the Superintendent’s Excellence in Education award, the district’s Innovative Curriculum Award, and is featured as a member of the Longmont Times-Call’s “100” community members of 2021.
Most importantly, Catherine believes in empowering students and teachers of all levels with the goal of enhancing everyone’s experience in their mathematical learning. Creativity in mathematics is a theme in all Catherine does, helping students and teachers view their own creative thinking as valuable in the learning process. Everyone deserves to feel like a positive contributor to the mathematical conversation, and Catherine is committed to helping learners feel confident and creative throughout their mathematical journey.
Denise Brink
Denise is the S.T.E.M Coordinator and Instructional Coach for a K-8 school in Greeley, CO. She holds a Bachelors in Mathematics from University of Northern Colorado, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in literacy from Lesley College, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Education Leadership from University of Northern Colorado. Denise has been a teacher for 27 years and has taught many different grade levels both at the elementary and secondary levels, as well as at the college level for teachers working on their Masters degree in Educational Leadership.
Denise loves helping students and teachers grow in their mathematical journey and cares deeply about empowering students and teachers through mathematics.
Beth Sasse
Beth Sasse is a high school math teacher and has been teaching for 24 years. She has taught everything from pre-Algebra to IB Higher Level Math. She has also been involved in teacher education, teacher leadership, PD training and development, and Math Circles. She loves all things math!!