About Our

Board of Directors, Staff & Partners

Meet Our

Board of Directors

Tina King-WashingtonBoard President

Recently retired after ten years as Ute Mountain Ute K12 Education Director, Tina brings a wealth of experience as the Board President. She worked for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe as K12 Education Director, Health Education Technician, Youth opportunity Director, and Student Support Coordinator over 15 years. She also taught in Cortez, Shiprock and Grand Junction schools at the elementary and middle school level and served on the Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 School Board. As a Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Member, she speaks with respect and experience.

Tawnie Knight

Profile coming soon

Ceriss BlackwoodBoard Treasurer

Ceriss teaches at the Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy in Ignacio, Colorado, and holds an M.A. in Ethnic Studies with a focus on Tribal Education from Colorado State University. She identifies as a tri-ethnic Indigenous Chicana and has three children. She has taught in both Southern Ute and Navajo schools and has been an educator in Indian Country for nearly 15 years.

Raleigh CatoBoard Secretary

Raleigh is a School Psychologist for the San Juan Board of Cooperative Services for the past 8 years and holds an Ed.S from University of Denver and lives in Cortez, Colorado. Her caseload includes Ute Mountain Ute Head Start and other early childhood programs in the region.

Alicia Whitehead Board Member

Alicia is a Ute Mountain Ute Case Worker for the past 18 years, supporting Ute Mountain Ute students in K-12 schools helping students succeed in school and in their future. She works closely with Indian Health Services, BIA Courts, San Juan Board of Cooperative Services, UMU Social Services, Montezuma-Cortez School District, and School-Based Health Clinic and other Ute Mountain Ute departments. She has a BA in Criminal Justice from Regis University.

Kwiyaga Community Academy

Our Staff

Dan Porter

Head of School

Dan Porter brings over 25 years of experience as a teacher, school counselor, principal, Human Resources Director and Assistant Superintendent in the Montezuma-Cortez School District Re-1 to his new role as the Head of School of Kwiyagat Community Academy. During that time in Cortez schools, Mr. Porter served as the primary point of contact between the school district and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, including coordinating the Native American Parent Committee and Southwest Native American Educational Alliance.

His experiences will directly benefit the new charter school and community with his in-depth understanding of parent-school partnerships, teacher recruitment, improvement, and retention, school safety protocols, curriculum development and implementation, and instructional leadership. Most importantly, he is a well-known and trusted educator that will guide the new school and the community to fulfill the mission and vision of Kwiyagat Community Academy.

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Jaunaree Mills Program Specialist

Jennifer Flagherty SPED Specialist

Lela LopezKindergarten Teacher

Leland Collins Jr.1st Grade Educational Assistant

Nena Lopez 2nd grade Techer

PARTNERS

Kwiyagat Community Academy is possible through the important community partnerships that we have fostered. Please learn more about our partners.

Ute Mountain Ute Tribe

The school is an enterprise and department of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. School employees are Tribal employees and Tribal employees are given employment preference. The Tribe also provided the building, custodial services, and land for future expansion. Please visit the Tribe’s website to learn more about the Tribal Council, History, and Government.

Charter School Institute

The Charter School Institute is the school’s authorizer. A school authorizer is the “school district” that has a contract with the school and in this case with the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe. CSI assists with facilitating grant funds, state, and federal funding, and oversees student achievement, legal compliance, and financial administration of KCA. Please visit their website to learn more about CSI and their services.

San Juan Board of Cooperative Services

The San Juan Board of Cooperative Services provides special education services to KCA, including speech language, school psychologist, social work and other support and direct services to students. Please visit their website to learn more.

Native American Community Academy Inspired School Network

Kwiyagat Community Academy is a partner with the Native American Community Academy Inspired Schools Network, who supports Native American schools and communities that seek to promote Indigenous culture, identity and language.