The Commissioner's Senior Leadership Team

Marcia Bohannon

Chief Information Officer

Ms. Bohannon has over 30 years of experience in providing technology services and solutions to internal and external customers in international and domestic settings. After beginning her career in aerospace engineering and providing engineering and technology services to NASA and Lockheed Martin, she provided project and senior leadership services from her home base in Australia for five years. After returning to the U.S., she provided senior technology leadership services in city, county and state government, and in small private sector technology and consulting firms. Her strengths lie in strategic business and technology planning/delivery, strong client relationship management, and building effective data and technology governance structures. Her business knowledge spans many industries, with a current primary focus on K-12 education.

Ms. Bohannon spent six years as the Chief Information Officer of Jefferson County School District, strengthening that organization's Information Technology department by transforming it into a true value-add service provider. She joined CDE in 2011, and was appointed CIO in early 2015. Her role within CDE includes oversight of internal information technology delivery functions, Data Privacy and Information Security programs, and the Data Service Unit that provides direct support of districts in the provision of data to CDE.

Joanna Bruno

Assistant Commissioner, Teaching and Learning

Joanna Bruno, Ph.D. is the Assistant Commissioner for Teaching and Learning at the Colorado Department of Education. For the past eighteen years she has worked at the department, in various roles, to advance educational equity for all students and champion teachers as leaders. She currently oversees the work of four offices: Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education, Elementary Literacy and School Readiness, Learning Supports, and Standards and Instructional Support. During her time at the department, Joanna earned a doctorate from Denver University, where she specialized in multilingual learners and assessment. Prior to working at the department, she held various roles in Colorado schools.

Paul Foster

Assistant Commissioner, Exceptional Student Services

Bio coming soon!

Emma Garrett-Nelson

Chief Communications Officer

Emma Garrett-Nelson is the Chief Communications Officer at the Colorado Department of Education overseeing the department’s internal and external communications, public relations and media engagement, and digital platforms. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years with a focus on public education for the last decade.

Prior to joining the CDE team, Garrett-Nelson worked as the chief of staff at Washoe County School District, the second-largest district in Nevada with 60,000 students and 7,000 employees. In that role, she helped to lead first-year implementation of the district’s strategic plan and supported while building systems and structures to strengthen organizational readiness and accountability.

Prior to Washoe County, Garrett-Nelson spent eight years leading strategic communications at Tulsa Public Schools, the largest public school district in the State of Oklahoma serving 33,000 students in grades pre-K-12. She managed communications and public relations for the district during the 2018 Oklahoma teacher walkout, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 Bond for Tulsa Public Schools, a $415 million package that passed with 73% voter support.

Prior to Tulsa, Garrett-Nelson worked in the Office of the Commissioner at the Rhode Island Department of Education; Gordon School, a progressive independent school serving students in nursery-8th grades; and was the lead field organizer for the successful campaign to pass marriage equality legislation in the State of Rhode Island. 

Garrett-Nelson holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Temple University and a master’s degree in administrative leadership from the University of Oklahoma. 

Rhonda Haniford

Deputy Commissioner, Student Excellence

Dr. Haniford serves as the Deputy Commissioner, Student Excellence at the Colorado Department of Education. She is focused on ensuring all students and their families have access to high quality schools, and she understands the importance of engaging students in meaningful learning that honors their unique talents and aspirations. She leads the School Quality and Support division that includes Accountability and Continuous Improvement, School and District Transformation, Schools of Choice, Federal Programs and Supports, and Field Services. She has worked in K-12 public education for over two decades.

Before joining the Colorado Department of Education, Dr. Haniford served as an assistant superintendent, high school principal, and public school teacher where she used genuine shared decision making processes to increase on-time graduation rates, decrease dropout rates, and increase career pathways for students. She empowers school communities to design quality schools that engage students in purposeful, rigorous learning. She is skilled in strategic development, leadership coaching, teacher development, business and community partnerships, blended learning, and continuous improvement strategies that drive positive student outcomes. Most importantly, she believes that every student deserves a high quality education.

Dr. Haniford received a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Saint Louis University, and a Masters of School Administration from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She lives in Colorado with her husband and two children who are in elementary and middle school.

TBD

Deputy Commissioner, Strategy

Shelbie Konkel

Senior Legislative Advisor

Shelbie Konkel serves as the Colorado Department of Education’s Senior Legislative Advisor, where she oversees the department’s engagement and collaboration with the Colorado General Assembly. She brings nearly a decade of experience in public policy and legislative affairs to the role. 

Prior to joining CDE Konkel served as Senior Advisor for Federal and State Affairs to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly. During her tenure, she successfully led bi-partisan legislative efforts to eliminate the food sales tax and secure full funding for public education for the first time in over a decade.  

In 2020, Konkel played a critical role in Kansas' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked closely with the National Guard, State Emergency Operations Center, and relevant Emergency Support Functions, contributing to the initial response efforts and providing consultation on the state's reopening plan. She was later appointed Deputy Executive Director of the Kansas Recovery Office, which was tasked with administering the state's $1.034 billion share of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF).

Konkel’s experience also includes serving as Chief of Staff to Kansas Lt. Governor Lynn Rogers, Legislative Director for the Kansas Senate Minority Leader, and Caucus & Communications Director for the Kansas House Minority Leader.  

She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Washburn University and was recently recognized as the Graduate of the Last Decade. She serves on the Washburn Young Alumni Council and the Haysville Public Schools’ Foundation Board of Directors.

Jennifer Okes

Chief School Operations Officer

Jennifer Okes has worked for the State of Colorado since 1990 and loves serving Colorado’s school districts and the citizens of this great state. She has been at CDE since 2013 and oversees the Division of School District Operations, which includes four Units: Capital Construction, School Finance and Grants, School Nutrition and School Transportation.  

Prior to joining CDE, Jennifer was the deputy executive director for the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, where she worked to improve the financial management and overall culture of the department. She has also worked at the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting, where she oversaw statewide budgeting and common policies; the Colorado Department of Human Services-Information Technology Services, where she served as financial services manager and implemented a system development life cycle methodology; and the Office of the State Auditor, where she evaluated programs as a performance auditor.

Jennifer was born and raised in Denver and graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in finance.

Danielle Ongart

Assistant Commissioner, Student Pathways and Engagement

Danielle Ongart joined CDE in June 2017 as the Director of the Office of Adult Education Initiatives, served as the Executive Director of the Student Pathways Unit (SPU) in fall 2021, and transitioned to her new role as  the Assistant Commissioner of Student Pathways and Engagement. The SPU focuses on whole child, whole family and whole community supports that are critical to student success.

Danielle collaborates with all SPU team members to interpret and implement state and federal statutes, support the legislative process through fiscal notes and technical reviews of bills, develop and gain approval of State Board of Education rules, and collaborate with other state agencies, all centered around equity, diversity and inclusion.

Danielle began her work in education as an elementary and middle school teacher in New York City (2004 - 2011), then worked to develop Denver Public Schools' teacher evaluation system and improve the quality and impact of professional learning (2011 - 2016). Prior to CDE, Danielle was a political appointee at the US Department of Education, where she developed guidance and regulations for the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, developed a student diversity grant program, and collaborated around technical assistance strategies. Danielle holds a B.A. in Radio/TV/Film from Northwestern University and an M.S. in Teaching from Pace University.

Alyssa Pearson

Deputy Commissioner, Pathways, Policy and Partnerships

Alyssa Pearson is the deputy commissioner of the Colorado Department of Education, overseeing implementation of the department's strategic plan and work with the state board, legislature and external partners. She also leads the Student Pathways, State Library and Legislative Relations & Policy teams. Alyssa has worked at the Colorado Department of Education since 2003 and formerly served as the associate commissioner for Accountability, Performance and Support.

During her time at CDE, Alyssa has also supported Title I programs, coordinated and led the No Child Left Behind accountability and data reporting requirements, written a successful proposal to the U.S. Department of Education for approval for use of the Colorado Growth Model for federal accountability, and ensured approval of the state's ESEA waiver from the U.S. Department of Education. She has enjoyed working with internal and external partners to continually improve the work of CDE and ensure that data is used securely, responsibly and effectively in order to improve our state education system.

Prior to her time at CDE, Alyssa taught fifth graders in Denver Public Schools. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and an elementary education certification from the University of Colorado at Boulder as well as a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Wayne Peel

Chief Financial Officer

Having worked in financial management roles in various agencies, Wayne has over 17-years of Budget Director/CFO experience in Colorado state government.  Prior to coming to CDE, Wayne worked for the Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Corrections, and the Department of Public Health and Environment.  

In his spare time, Wayne likes to spend time with his middle school math teacher spouse and four children who have all completed (or are close to completing) all of their K-12 education in Colorado public schools.  

Margarita Tovar

Chief Talent Officer

Dr. Margarita Tovar is the Chief Talent Officer of the Colorado Department of Education, overseeing educator preparation, educator development, educator effectiveness, licensing, enforcement, early childhood workforce development, and human resources teams. 

Most recently, Dr. Tovar served as Chief Talent Officer in the Summit School District where she has led the transformation of this rural district’s human resources team and served as an integral member of the superintendent’s cabinet. She is living proof that education changes lives. Based her experiences in different roles and districts, and through her first-hand experiences, she works with urgency and purpose to address educational barriers that deter students and communities from reaching their highest potential and aspirations.

She started her career as a teacher’s aide at Farias Early Childhood Center in the Houston Independent School District and has worked in several school and district-based roles, including as a bilingual teacher, dual language coordinator, instructional specialist, assistant principal, and principal. She also served as a school improvement liaison between the Corsicana Independent School District and the Texas Education Agency.

Dr. Tovar is a proud first-generation graduate of the Houston Community College where she earned an associate's degree, the University of Houston-Downtown where she earned her bachelor degree, and the Houston Baptist University where she earned her master’s degree. She also recently celebrated earning her doctoral degree from the University of Houston.

Joyce Zurkowski

Chief Assessment Officer

Joyce Zurkowski has been responsible for overseeing the state assessment program since 2010, including Colorado's transition to online assessment. Prior to joining CDE, she served in a similar position in Illinois, after serving as a contractor for their alternate assessment for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities.

Previously, Joyce taught education- and assessment-related masters-level courses at the University of Missouri while doing advanced study in special education and research/measurement at the University of Kansas. She has experience in providing appropriate interventions and supports to students and adults with disabilities as both an educator and consultant. Throughout her career in education, Joyce has been committed to improving access and opportunity for all students. She draws upon her combination of state, vendor and classroom experience, as well as her familiarity with special populations, as she considers assessment development and administration in Colorado. Joyce is a member of the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) Policy Task Force and has been a frequent presenter at state and national conferences on assessment-related issues.

Joyce holds degrees in philosophy and special education from St. Norbert College and University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. She has also completed doctoral-level coursework in special education and measurement at the University of Kansas.