Alonzo Mayhan
AmeriCorps Member
Holly Hills/Ridge
The 2022 school year is Alonzo’s 2nd year as part of the Playworks team as an AmeriCorps coach. Alonzo has worked with special needs children for 10 years. He is originally from Louisiana and is a huge family man, dog lover, and is coming around to being a cat person as well! He is excited for a fresh start at Holly Hills Ridge this year where he will be splitting his time between the campuses. Alonzo enjoys getting to know the kids and loves to help develop them through play!
Anabella Owens
Site Specialist
Charles Burrell & Online K-8
The upcoming school year will be Anabella’s first as part of the Colorado Playworks team. Anabella is excited to return to working with school-aged children while celebrating with the wonders of play and expression. Anabella is always looking forward to making new connections, creating fun, and potential freeze dance parties. In her free time, Anabella loves to spend time with her cats and explore the city of Denver.
Ashley Giesing
Site Specialist
Sixth Ave & Elkhart
Ashley Giesing will be starting this school year with Playworks as a Site Specialist. She has been working with kids of all ages for over ten years, and was most recently a preschool teacher. She is a Colorado native and currently lives in Aurora with her husband and two big dogs. They love to be outside doing everything they can to enjoy their beautiful state. She has heard wonderful things about Playworks and is excited to jump in and play!
Berto Dryden
Site Specialist
Sable & Park Lane
Berto is a Site Specialist for Playworks Colorado. Originally from New York, Berto grew up and attended college in Georgia. While in school, he came to Colorado during the summers to work at a summer camp called Dream Big Day Camp. He officially moved to colorful Colorado in 2019 working in Aurora Public Schools. Outside of work, Berto coaches basketball, enjoys road trips, and loves live music. Berto is excited to be joining the Playworks team and is ready to get to know everyone in the community!
Brandon Lucero
Site Specialist
Laredo & Altura
Brandon is joining Playworks as an on-site coach and is super excited to get back to working with students. He has worked a variety of different programs such as the City of Commerce City’s Youth and Teen Services as a Youth/Teen Specialist and a Program Lead with Discovery Link at DPS. Whether working with younger students or older, he always enjoyed the “keep you on your toes” nature of working with them. He has a variety of interests that keep him busy. He loves to collect and read comic books as well as play video games with friends. To keep active he loves to swim, sometimes too much, as well as play basketball and softball with his friends.
Chuck Novatka
Site Specialist
CBEA & Paris
Chuck Novatka is excited to be joining Playworks as a Site Specialist. He is a licensed educator with a background in drama and writing. His sense of “play” comes from his love of story, both personal and fictional. His most cherished time is spent with his wife and two children (and two fidgety dogs).
Chloe Herman
AmeriCorps Member
Munroe
Chloe Herman just graduated from Midland University. She is very excited to be a part of Playworks. This year she is looking forward to working with children and gaining experience. Her hobbies include sports and being active (bowled in college), playing card games, and arts and crafts.
Davis Leibee
Site Specialist
Yale & Iowa
Davis recently graduated from Texas State University with a Bachelor’s degree in General Studies. He moved to Colorado to pursue his passion of helping kids. He is most excited about teaching the kids sports and making a positive impact!
Emily Sheehan
AmeriCorps Member
Charles Hay
Emily Sheehan is an AmeriCorps member working with Playworks in Denver, CO. She received her Bachelors in Marine Biology from Rollins College in Florida and Masters in Environmental Science from American University in Washington, DC. She enjoys space, science, hiking, scuba diving, and video games.
Frannie Julison
Site Specialist
Kipp & Lasley
Frannie is in her 9th school year working in public education. She began her Playworks Colorado journey as an AmeriCorps Coach in 2017. Now a Site Specialist, Frannie loves the challenge of supporting two different schools through best recess practices. In her free time, she enjoys playing sports and hanging out with her animals.
Jack Mervin
Site Specialist
Clyde Miller & Lansing
Jack has been a personal trainer and weightlifting coach for 5 years and coached a youth weightlifting program. He has worked with a youth weightlifting camp over the summer and loves skateboarding, snowboarding, climbing and anything outdoors! He is also a musician in his free time!
Jacob Borer
Site Specialist
Fulton & Vista Peak
Jake graduated from the University of Denver in 2019 with a degree in History. For 3 years, he worked with the Colorado Avalanche in their Amateur Hockey program. Jake has always loved working to promote active lifestyles and he’s excited to work for Playworks! In his free time, he enjoys cheering for all the Colorado sports teams, as well as exploring the great outdoors.
Jadyn Michael
Site Specialist
Village East & Arrowhead
Jadyn is a Site Specialist this school year and is from Denver, Colorado. He played basketball at Colorado State University and Colorado Christian University. He recently worked at the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver for about 2 years. He loves movies, music, art, and obviously basketball!
Jaylynn Johnson
Site Specialist
Sagebrush & Montview
Jaylynn Johnson is a Site Specialist for the 2022/2023 school year. She coaches Varsity Volleyball for Vista Peak Preparatory, has worked with children at the YMCA as an assistant director, and has experience with children in childcare services. Her favorite hobbies include cooking, reading, and watching football or true crime. Jaylynn is an upbeat, optimistic individual ready for anything that comes her way.
Justin Harrington
Site Specialist
Crawford & Boston
Justin joined Playworks in the fall of 2021 and this is his second year as a Site Specialist. Originally from the Chicago suburbs, Justin moved to Colorado in 2013 to attend Colorado Mesa University where he majored in Kinesiology, played on the golf team, and discovered his passion for working with children while teaching ski lessons at Powderhorn. Upon graduation, he worked in a couple gyms where he coached small group training classes as well as youth certifications and summer camps. There, Justin confirmed his passion for working with youth in an active setting and promoting physical activity through the sports he loved playing while growing up. In his free time Justin enjoys being in the mountains hiking or camping, golfing, skiing, working out, riding motorcycles, and spending time with his fiancée Kylee and their four year old husky Lola.
Katie Stites
Program Specialist
Sedalia, Westgate & Lincoln
Katie joined Playworks in 2021 as Program Specialist. Prior to joining the Playworks team, she worked in academic advising and outdoor recreation, most recently at a summer camp in Maine. She is excited about helping students build resiliency through play! Katie is originally from Lawrence, KS and graduated from the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!) with a degree in Global and International Studies. While at KU, she directed a non-profit organization that sent students across the country to volunteer at various nonprofits, including Playworks! In her free time, you can find Katie playing kickball or hiking with her (greatest dog in the world) Millie.
Kenny Kriegel
AmeriCorps Member
IAD
Kenny is a Playworks Coach. He recently graduated from UNI with a degree in Public Health: Wellness and Fitness. He has a passion for mental and physical health. He is excited to see the growth of the kids he works with and positively influence their development.
Kylie Gregg
Program Specialist
Colfax & Soar
Kylie earned her bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from Wichita State University in 2020. Go shox! Throughout her collegiate experience, she had the opportunity to work/volunteer for several nonprofit organizations, including The Pando Initiative, Envision, Inc., Girl Scouts, and Downtown Wichita. These opportunities sparked her passion for student-focused nonprofit work. Kylie recently moved to Colorado from Kansas to work as a Site Coordinator for Playworks Colorado. Prior to joining the team at Playworks, she traveled around the country as a Collegiate Development Consultant for her sorority – Delta Gamma. In her free time, Kylie loves to travel, spend time with friends and family, and attend live music shows.
Leo Pravin
Site Specialist
Dartmouth & Jewell
Leo is excited to start his journey at Playworks because he is passionate about bringing a positive outreach to the youth!
Nate Hesser
Site Specialist
Quest & Mosley
Nate Hesser is a native of Colorado. He has a little family of 3 with his wife Sarah and 1 year old baby boy Spencer. Nate loves to coach, teach, and grow the minds of the students he works with. He is so happy to be a part of the Playworks team and to show the Playworks way to schools and students in Colorado.
Sarah Sommers
Site Specialist
Vassar & Dalton
Sarah started with Playworks Colorado as a Site Specialist in November 2021. She is originally from Illinois where she was born and raised. Sarah received her Bachelor’s in Social Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and is currently working towards her Masters in Public Administration at the University of Colorado Denver. In her free time, Sarah enjoys being active, spending time outdoors, connecting with family and friends, and playing with her cat, Leroy.
Sydney Naughton
AmeriCorps Member
Knapp
Sydney is a Playworks AmeriCorps Coach for the upcoming school year. Previously, she had the opportunity to be an environmental educator at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary for students from elementary to high school! In her free time, she enjoys paddle boarding and hiking with her dog.
Tessa Waite
Site Specialist
Murphy Creek & Side Creek
Tessa joined Playworks in November of 2021, shortly after she relocated to Denver from Minneapolis where she was born, raised, and got her BA. In addition to coaching at Playworks, Tessa is a musician and can be found gigging around the Denver metro area, singing and accompanying herself on her guitar. When she’s not playing games or making music, she likes running, hiking, bouldering, cross-country skiing, and sitting around watching tv.
Tyler Lenox
Site Coordinator
Independence, High Plains, College View & Bishop
Tyler graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelors in Physical Education in 2015. He then started coaching local high school and elementary teams while substitute teaching. After moving to Colorado in 2017, Tyler soon found Playworks and began the first of his two years as a Program Coordinator in the fall of 2018. He is now starting his third year with Playworks in the role of Site Coordinator. Tyler’s favorite part of working with Playworks is the optimistic and playful culture that permeates through to every level of the company, and especially to the students!