Board of Directors

The role of the Board of Directors is to uphold the mission, vision, and policies of the school as well as oversight of financial matters. Parents may attend Board of Directors meetings any time and are welcome to request agenda items for these meetings (please download the Submission for Agenda Consideration Form or to participate in the public comment agenda item of any meeting. Public comment issues will either be answered on the spot or will be addressed at the next meeting. For more information on the appropriate forum for specific issues, please refer to the Parent Communication Policy. We are committed to making sure issues from our parents get addressed in a positive, and timely manner. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us by emailing board@americanacademyk8.org.

The Board of Directors currently has six members in place and are in the process of determining a succession plan, including elections and terms. If you are interested in learning about the composition, regulations and limitations that govern the Board, please download the American Academy By-Laws.

Erin Kane, President and Chairperson

Erin is a Colorado native with an engineering degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Colorado. She worked in the high technology industry for 10 years including positions in development, project management, education, consulting, and practice management. After opening American Academy, Erin co-founded Epsilon Solutions,  a technology consulting company with a focus on website development. Erin and her husband, John, have three children, Meghan, Peter, and Emma.

Jackie Santos, Vice-President

Born in New Jersey, Jackie has a degree in History from the College of New Jersey, as well as professional accreditation in diagnostic ultrasound. In addition to her time as an Ultrasound Technologist, Jackie worked as a project manager for an office equipment manufacturer. Currently, Jackie stays home with her three children, Jacob, Andrew, and Rebecca and is active in their education as well as her community. Jackie and her husband, Bill, moved to Douglas County five years ago from Connecticut.

Chad King, Secretary

Chad is an attorney with Townsend and Townsend and Crew, LLP, where he practices intellectual property law. After growing up in Colorado, Chad attended the University of Colorado, where he graduated with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Chad then worked for IBM as a systems analyst before attending Cornell Law School. Chad and his wife Melissa have four children and have lived in Douglas County for four years.

Denese Gardner, Treasurer

Denese is a Colorado native with a degree in Accounting from Fort Lewis College. She has worked in various positions in finance and accounting, and most recent responsibilities included management of financial software applications, as well as producing and presenting key financial reports to executives. She currently stays home with her three young children. Denese and her husband, Joel, have been residents of Douglas County for five years.

Adil Khan, Director

Adil is the president and CEO of Amplidyne, Inc., a technology company based in Colorado. Adil has been in the high technology industry for more than 16 years and most recently served as the President and CFO of Microtech-Tel, Inc. Adil is an adjunct professor at University of Denver, specializing in strategic management and operations management. He is an active member in the education community. He has served as a University of Denver board member and is currently serving as the President of the Board of the Colorado School Resource Center. Adil is married with two children.

Dave Romero, Director

A Colorado native, Dave has a degree in Business Administration from Colorado State University and a MBA in Finance from University of Denver. He has over a decade of experience in the financial services industry and now serves non-profit firm TIAA-CREF as a Senior Consultant. Dave is active volunteering his time with youth as a coach and teacher; he has been a resident of Douglas County for over eight years. Dave is married with three children.