

Officer Candidates for Secretary:
Diane Rhodes
Bio:
I am a career IT professional dedicated to educating future technology innovators. I am a full time faculty at Front Range Community College overseeing CS programs in Westminster. I also teach a CIS course at Metro State University.
What Diane hopes to accomplish in the position:
I want to learn about the opportunities available Colorado chapter. I want to use my skills to grow the mission of CSTA as a whole.
Dr. Erika James
Bio:
Self-directed and driven highly qualified educator with a background in standards implementation and revision, curriculum design, primary and secondary education, school and district accountability, public policy, and cross-functional teams to ensure success that achieves goals. Develop and execute comprehensive education plans in multicultural schools. Maximize performance by implementing appropriate standards through analysis of formative and summative student assessments to gain an understanding of student needs to support learning through emerging best practices and effective reteaching. Creative problem-solver who excels at guiding students through complex academic plans by identifying goals and monitoring student outcomes. Expertise includes the development and instruction of high school curriculum for Business, Marketing, Computer Science (Coding), Computer Science (Cybersecurity), and Personal Financial Literacy. The development of the curriculum is used to engage diverse student populations through real-world learning applications.
Accomplishments:
- Ph.D. Business Administration, Dissertation: Project Management Methodologies in the Field of Education
- Project Manager of Colorado Standards Revision, Educator Effectiveness Implementation, School and District Performance Framework Reports, SchoolView Data Center, and School Finance System
- Site Director for Colorado 3A State Tennis Tournament
- Consecutive Coach of the Year Awards
Certifications:
- Principal Licensure
- Business and Marketing Teacher License
- Information Technology Teacher License
- Career and Technical Education License
- Elementary Teacher License
Committees:
- Social Studies Colorado Academic Standards Revision Committee with Colorado Department of Education (CDE)
- Colorado High School Tennis Committee with Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA)
- School Accountability Committee
- Business Advisory Board
- Computer Science/Engineering Advisory Board
What Erika hopes to accomplish in the position:
While in office I hope to grow my local Computer Science community with my participation, engagement advocacy, resources, and support from board members and CO CSTA members.
Sonia Spindt
Bio:
Sonia is a California native, who earned her degree in Molecular Biology from UC Berkeley. It wasn’t until a friend asked Sonia to attend a Women Who Code event that she discovered the power of computer science. After graduating in 2014, Sonia began working for UCSF in a neuro-oncology lab, where she explored the mitotic origins of glioblastomas. Although her research focused on stem cells, she often relied on the programming skills she acquired in college to analyze the biological data she collected, further highlighting just how pervasive computer science has become in today’s workforce.
Motivated to help further diversify the field of computer science, she joined Teach for America, where she began teaching Web Development and AP Computer Science Principles in East Oakland. Now, she teaches Data Science and Machine Learning courses at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus in Centennial, CO. Sonia is constantly inspired by her students and is excited to continue to empower her students to explore STEM fields and careers. She loves to travel when she can and believes the best way to experience a new culture is through food!
What Sonia hopes to accomplish in the position:
Many computer science teachers work in isolation; some are the only CS teacher at their school site while others have found themselves lucky enough to land in a small department where all individuals are spread across an entire pathway – in this case, no two teachers think about the same thing. CSTA can not only bring people together but it can help teachers find the collaborative space they need to elevate their practice.
As someone who was a member of one of California’s most active chapters of CSTA, I hope to bring outreach and professional development facilitation experience to CO’s CSTA. In doing so, I hope to increase membership and to provide the structures or routines individuals need to find membership in CSTA exciting and fruitful.