Faculty & Staff
A Team That Understands The Needs Of Gifted Children
We recruit and hire teachers who are certified professionals and who have special training, experience, or advanced degrees in gifted education. Our faculty members are active in both regional and national organizations for gifted education.
In order to meet the needs of gifted students, the faculty and staff must understand the intellectual, social, and emotional needs of gifted children. Professional development and training are key elements in the successful fulfillment of the school's mission. Teachers understand the purpose and importance of using innovative, targeted approaches with learners. They are easily able to discuss and advocate for the varied learning needs of gifted students. These educators are firmly committed and dedicated to the school's philosophy and have a finely tuned understanding of the needs of gifted students.
"As educators, we believe that your children come to school with an ability to construct their own knowledge. We believe that they are filled with questions and theories about the way the world works and are motivated to test and build upon those theories. We are keenly aware of each child's potential and of his or her right to learn in an encouraging, safe environment, among the company of peers, and under the guidance of professional, caring adults. Our belief in empowering children shapes the guiding principle of our curriculum: knowledge is created through active inquiry."
- Ricks Faculty & Staff
15 Average years of teaching experience
65% hold or are pursuing master's or doctoral degrees
40+years Educating gifted students
Get to Know the Faculty
Get to Know the Faculty

Meet Our Staff & Administration
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Dr. Joi Lin, Interim Director
She/Her/Hers
Interim Director of Ricks Center
B.S. Mathematics and Secondary Education, University of Northern Colorado
M.A. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Northcentral/National University
PhD. Curriculum and Instruction, specialized in Gifted Education Leadership, University of Denver
Secondary Mathematics Endorsement
Gifted Core Endorsement
Gifted Education Director Endorsement
joi.lin@du.eduJoi earned her doctorate at the Morgridge College of Education, focused on Gifted Education Leadership, where she also completed her CDE Gifted Education Director Endorsement. Joi is a former middle school math teacher and an adjunct professor of gifted education in the teacher education program at the University of Denver. She has worked to deliver statewide professional development to teachers and school leaders in both urban and rural settings. Joi identifies as a multiracial, multicultural profoundly gifted woman of color. She has served as the Director of Professional Education at the Gifted Development Center, Gifted Youth Coordinator for Denver Mensa, and chairs the Education and Gifted Youth Committee at the Mensa Foundation.
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Jessica Kennedy, Associate Director of Lower School
She/Her/Hers
Early Childhood Program Director
B.A. Psychology, University of Denver
M.A. Early Childhood Special Education, University of Colorado at Denver
jekenned@du.eduJessica has worked in early childhood education for over 15 years. She has taught and worked with all age groups from infants to school-age children. This year marks her sixth school year at Ricks, and she previously was a Master Teacher at Fisher Early Learning Center on the University of Denver campus. Jessica enjoys working with young children and their families as they begin their school journeys. She enjoys going on adventures with her family, reading, biking, and playing board games in her free time.
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Bernadette Howell, Associate Director of Operations
She/Her/Hers
Bernadette.Howell@du.eduBernadette Howell brings over 20 years of clerical/administrative experience and knowledge as well as nearly 10 years in a school setting. Her journey through life has taken her everywhere from a bookkeeper trainer to a CFO to working in schools. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience including her devotion to superior customer service and an appetite to always learn! Her most rewarding journey has been the one she started with her husband, Joe, 23 years ago. They have been blessed with two children. When she is at home, she enjoys cooking and hanging out with her four fur babies!
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Amy Jacobs, Assistant Director of Enrollment Management
She/Her/Hers
Assistant Director of Enrollment Management
B.A. Psychology, University of Colorado
M.S.W. Social Work, University of Denver
amy.jacobs@du.eduAmy was born and raised in Colorado and has been in education for nearly 25 years. She joined the Ricks Center as the Assistant Director of Enrollment Management in the fall of 2013. Her experience includes outreach in both formal and informal educational settings. Amy started as a school social worker in the Cherry Creek School District. She then spent 13 years at the JCC as the Director of Camp and Youth Services. In addition to program supervision, she was responsible for outreach and for the recruitment of all program participants. She also served as the Visitor Services Manager at the Counterterrorism Education Learning Lab (CELL) where she oversaw the educational outreach for all school and group visits. Outside of work, Amy enjoys spending time with her family and her giant schnoodle, ski, workout, cook, and watch anything sports related.
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Maggie Wright, Extended Day Coordinator and Summer Learning Director
She/Her/Hers
B.A in special education, University of Northern Colorado
Margaret.Wright@du.eduMaggie has spent her entire career working with youth. From Girl Scouts to Denver Public Schools, she has worked and built programs that engage students' inner passions. Maggie has been the Extended Day and Summer Programs Manager at Ricks since August 2017. She came to Ricks from Denver Public Schools' Department of Extended Learning, where she spent five years developing inclusive inquiry-based programming. As the Summer Programs Manager, Maggie and her team of graduate students from DU have created inquiry-based programming that challenges students to find and explore their passions in the world around them. She loves making jewelry, playing with her five cats, and watching the Colorado Avalanche with her family in her free time.
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Ana Candelaria, School Psychologist
She/Her/Hers
School Psychologist
PhD. Child, Family and School Psychology University of Denver
Ana.candelaria@du.eduAna has spent her entire career working with children, teens, and young adults in various educational roles. She started as a coach for sports camps, then became an early childhood educator, including four years at the Fisher Early Learning Center on the DU campus. After teaching at Fisher and finishing her school psychology training, she began her career as a school psychologist in Denver Public Schools and worked in elementary and middle schools throughout the Denver area for eight years. During her time in DPS, she became incredibly passionate about restorative justice approaches, cultural responsiveness, and helping schools to establish strong home-school connections. After several years in DPS, Ana returned to teaching; this time at the graduate level, training future school psychologists as a clinical assistant professor in the Child, Family, and School Psychology program in the Morgridge College of Education at DU for two years. Ana will be starting her fourth year at Ricks and is excited to continue her work at our wonderful school! Originally from California, Ana has made Colorado her home; in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son, and daughter, reading, and watching sporting events.
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Peggy Jurgs, Reading Specialist
She/Her/Hers
Reading Specialist
Margaret.Jurgs@du.eduPrior to coming to Ricks, Peggy spent a long and successful career with Denver Public Schools. She spent the earlier part of her career as a first grade bilingual teacher where she delivered instructional content in Spanish while her students acquired English. Peggy then became an Instructional Coach enhancing teachers' knowledge and performance in the areas of English Language Acquisition and Elementary Literacy strategies in Reading and Writing. Peggy has a strong passion for reading and helping students become strategic readers through a balanced literacy approach. She is trained in Reading Recovery, F.A.S.T. and Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes; all are approaches to helping students refine their ability to decode the printed word. Peggy is also knowledgeable with Readers and Writers Workshop model, which places emphases on students' comprehension abilities. When not working with students, Peggy can be found walking the local golf courses, reading debut novels and spending time with her family.
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Duncan Dotterrer, Innovation and Instruction Specialist
Innovation Specialist
duncan.dotterrer@du.eduDuncan is a talented educator with a passion for developing enriching experiences for his students. He has worked with gifted learners for over seven years. He holds two Master’s degrees in education and is a certified linguistically diverse educator. Over the past four years, he has created and developed The STEAM Lab, a successful gifted education program at Stevens Elementary in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Through project-based learning activities he has helped gifted students with diverse backgrounds find their voice. Projects have included designing satellites and submarines, coding using FIRST Lego and FTW Robotics mini drones, transforming the classroom into an art gallery, a newspaper and an architecture studio to name a few.
Duncan is a father of two, ages three and six. He enjoys learning about the world anew with his family and spending time outdoors playing tennis, biking, playing the drums and swimming
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Drew Duffy, School Psychologist
She/Her/Hers
School Psychologist
M.A. School Psychology, Columbia University
drew.duffy@du.eduDrew earned her master's degree in School Psychology from Columbia University and completed her internship in the Boston Public Schools. She is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Denver, with a focus on academic interventions and literacy. Over the past three years, she has worked as a school psychologist in Toronto, Canada, where she also contributed to the district’s Autism team and developed strategies for supporting students with autism. Additionally, Drew provides therapy for children and adolescents dealing with ADHD, ASD, anxiety, and mood disorders, and is working towards becoming a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA).
Outside of her professional roles, Drew is passionate about the outdoors and sports, which she enjoys in her free time. Her active lifestyle and interests help her connect with students and bring a dynamic, engaging presence to her work
Meet Our Part-Time and Substitute Teachers
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Cassie Perlmutter
Cassie has been a gifted educator for over three decades in Denver. She adores and admires all ages and levels of students. In her opinion, every child is magnificent! She is excited to be part of the Rick’s community as she believes that Ricks is "a jewel in our midst.” When she isn’t teaching, you can find Cassie playing doubles with friends at Wash Park or tending to her garden. She and her husband, local architect Joe Levi, have three grown sons and a spoiled miniature golden-doodle.
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Penny Bortner
Born in Philadelphia, Penny visited Colorado at age 15 and fell in love with it. She decided she would live here one day and moved to Denver to finish her B.S. in Journalism. She also holds a B.A. in English and a Masters degree in Education. For 28 years, she taught middle school English and worked with diverse learners and took pride in her strong relationships with students, staff, and families. Penny is passionate about the long-term progress of her students and relentlessly encourages them to be engaged readers who can think for themselves. When she is not teaching, Penny enjoys boxing, her dogs, and cooking.
