Staff

Keeping education accessible.

David Smith

Program Director

David Smith is the Program Director of Roaring Fork PreCollegiate. Dave is a graduate of Middlebury College and received his law degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Dave got involved with PreCollegiate as a volunteer mentor beginning in 2008, and the group of students he worked with graduated from Glenwood Springs High School in 2014. Watching these students go through the PreCollegiate program was so impactful and inspiring that Dave chose to change careers from the full-time practice of law in order to join the PreCollegiate team as it grows and enters a new phase and tries to serve more students. Dave has a passion working with and for traditionally underrepresented populations, especially undocumented students. He lives in Glenwood Springs with his wife and two children.

Karlie Colia

Program Coordinator

Karlie is the Program Coordinator for Basalt High School. Karlie is a Roaring Fork Valley native and a first generation student. She completed her undergraduate coursework from Fort Lewis College in Durango and received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Denver in 2015. Karlie has a deep passion for working with children and adolescents and has focused her career within supportive platforms, ranging from grief counseling to behavior therapy. She believes in the power to change the things we cannot accept and that vulnerability is at the center of human experiences (Brené Brown). In her free time, she enjoys adventuring with her husband, two children, and their fluffy pup.

Martha Schanfarber

Program Coordinator

Martha Schanfarber is the Program Coordinator for Roaring Fork High School. She graduated from the University of Texas and had a long career as a Special Education Teacher. She then went on to work for Fort Lewis College in the TRIO program, helping underrepresented students attend college. As a first-generation student herself, she believes that kindness, tolerance, and confidence are the most important aspects to model for the students. Her belief is that all people, regardless of race, background, or social status should have equal access to higher education. In her free time, she enjoys time outdoors with her husband, 3 children, and golden retriever.

Adrienne Nelson

Program Coordinator

Adrienne Nelson is the PreCollegiate Middle School Program Coordinator. Adrienne is a first-generation college graduate, earning a degree in Elementary Education from Michigan State University. Adrienne has taught students from Pre-Kindergarteners through adult learners, and for the past six years Adrienne has worked as a Middle School Special Education teacher. In her free time, Adrienne is an avid hiker, reader, and crocheter. She enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and two Bernese Mountain dogs.

Alexandra Braeger

Development & Outreach Coordinator

Alex Braeger is PreCollegiate’s Development and Outreach Coordinator. She received her B.A. in English from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and M.A. in Literature from Colorado State University before launching her career as a secondary and collegiate English teacher. Finding a passion for working with high school seniors as they prepared for their post-secondary endeavors, Alex transitioned to college/career counseling. Through that work, it became apparent that students do not face equal opportunity when it comes to accessing higher education. Alex is excited to be part of PreCollegiate’s mission to support the first-generation students in the Roaring Fork Valley. In her free time, you can find her on the tennis courts or skiing with her husband and three young children.

Alejandro Flores Monge

Program Coordinator

Alejandro is the Program Coordinator for Glenwood Springs High School. Born and raised in the Roaring Fork Valley, Alejandro went on to complete his B.A. at Williams College. As a first-generation college graduate himself, he has a deep passion for building knowledge and community around education and college preparedness. He truly believes in the impact that a robust and active network of support can have on a person’s life trajectory, and is invested in building out those networks in his hometown valley. In his free time, you could find him dancing, cooking a new recipe, or trekking up a mountain.