Board of Directors
Lennae Jenkins, MA, ECSE
President, COECCCN Founder
Lennae has been an ECE professional her entire career. She holds a BA in ECE and an MA in ECSE. She is a relationship-based professional development coach and an ECHO coach. She is passionate about nature-based learning and has worked as a teacher, director, and coach in nature-based programs. She is also an ECE behavior specialist, providing a practical approach to behavior coaching and interventions. She provides coaching, training, and ratings to ECE programs in NW Colorado and statewide.
When she isn’t working, she enjoys the mountain lifestyle, camping, hiking, and rafting in the summer and skiing in the winter.
Elizabeth Williams
Secretary
Elizabeth has been in the ECE field for 16 years. She has held a variety of positions ranging from floater to Assistant Director, then a Quality Coach at a Council. She has since opened a Coaching/Consulting business called Empowering Educators, LLC. She contracts with organizations and early childhood programs to support improving quality in the early childhood education field. Her favorite area to coach is social/emotional development and teaching practices with a deeper love for the Pyramid Model.
Jacquelyn Greenbaum
Treasurer
Jackie is currently the Executive Director of the Renaissance Montessori Academy in Parker Colorado. She has worked in Montessori Education supporting adults, families, and children from birth through elementary since 2003. Jackie has her AMI Montessori certificate in Assistants to Infancy (0 to 3 education) from The Montessori Institute in Denver, BA in Statistics and Mathematics from Rutgers University, Rutgers College, and M.Ed. in Education, specializing in Montessori Education, from Xavier University. She has taught in Nido, Toddler, Primary, and Elementary classrooms, consulted in classrooms of all ages, managed Montessori schools worked as a mentor for new teachers and assistants, and created Parent and Teacher Education workshops on a variety of topics. She has worked in Montessori schools and at Montessori training centers around the country.
Jackie has been living in the Parker area since 2006. She enjoys many of the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer including camping, hiking, and snowshoeing with her family
Katie Narvaez M.Ed.
Professional Development Coordinator
Katie has been working in the early childhood field for over 25 years. She holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Fine Art Studies with a minor in ECE and an MA in ECE. She has also completed the Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program. She currently works in an Early Head Start mixed model program working with and supporting both center based and home based professionals. Her work in the early childhood field has focused on the areas of prevention and early intervention, school readiness, health, education/curriculum, early literacy, T&TA, as well as strategic planning, goal setting and monitoring. She has found passion in coaching programs and individuals to shift their perspectives on program data through meaningful data analysis and inquiry; not just for program compliance, but to be able to be data informed in order to promote and strengthen program improvement and better support professional growth and development. Katie lives in a rural resort area, in the same town (and house) where she grew up and looks forward to bringing perspectives from "the other side of the Continental Divide".
When she isn’t working, she enjoys gardening, cooking, listening to her daughter play guitar, watching her son coach basketball and spends far too much time picking up 'glitter' from her 3 corgis.
Susan Padgett
Membership Coordinator
Susan is an experienced early childhood professional with over 30 years of expertise in both classroom and administrative roles. She is dedicated to fostering environments where children and adults thrive through meaningful and engaging learning experiences. As a proven leader, Susan is passionate about professional development, staff training, and designing innovative programs that promote child growth and development.
Jenee Allen
Fundraising & Grant Coordinator
Jenee has been a part of EELC for 13 years and has been working in the field of ECE for over 22 years. She first worked in the infant room for 6 years before transitioning into the role of Director/Office Coordinator. She now works on enrollment, health, and overall teacher support for the whole center. Along with over 18 years of experience, she is Large Center Director Qualified and has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is well-versed in licensing policies and expectations as well. Her passion is working with families that need extra support. It means so much to be able to support families in getting thier needs met. She specializes in referrals for child find and other programs for developmental needs.
As a native to Colorado, she loves living in beautiful Colorado and exploring everything that this beautiful state has to offer. She enjoys meeting people in the community and helping families connect.
Rasha Alhlaichi
Board Member
Rasha has over 21 years of experience in early childhood education and coaching, including roles as an Early Childhood Quality Coach, Director, and Education Coach. She specializes in supporting teachers with social-emotional learning, trauma-informed practices, classroom management, and curriculum implementation. her background includes turning low-performing programs into high-quality, successful centers and preparing educators for assessments such as Colorado Shines ratings. Rasha holds a Bachelor of Education in Educational and Psychological Sciences and a Master of Education in Childhood Studies, with a thesis focused on "Child Environment Development." Her academic foundation complements her professional experience in creating innovative, evidence-based approaches to early childhood education. Certified in CLASS- Preschool/ PreK, ITERS, & ECERS. Rasha is passionate about empowering educators, fostering growth, and making a meaningful impact on the lives of children, families, and communities. She joy in supporting teachers as they develop confidence and skills, ensuring that every child receives the care and education they deserve. her work is driven by the belief that investing in early childhood education is investing in the future
Roman Rojas
Board Member
Roman has been working with Children since 2010, and in ECE since 2023 with a background in Applied Behavior Analysis. Included in this experience is a 9-year career with Cherry Creek School District as an ILC Para Educator (All Star CCSD 2014), as well as time supporting Global Down Syndrome Foundation projects.
Roman has coached both competitive and inclusive boy's Basketball and girl's Volleyball. Roman has admin and classroom experience in ECE having ran daily operations as well stepping into the classroom when needed. Roman works to take the cumulative teachings and experiences as an Admin, Behaviorist, Coach, Teacher, and a Support Staff to re-connect our Staff, Students, and Parents in a meaningful and impactful way through play, positivity, and data-driven practices. This is a career not just built helping our primary focus, but by supporting the pillars (teachers, paras, floaters, subs, admin, parents, nurses, coaches, other support staff) of our community
In his free-time Roman enjoys being a Family Man tending to his Wife, two Sons (18 months and 10 years), attending Nuggets Basketball games, and is a Collectible Enthusiast.
Heather Lynch
Board Member
bio coming soon!
