Current Board Members
Maura O’Neal
Board President
Maura O'Neal's Bio
Maura is the communications and media relations manager at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Prior to the Museum, Maura worked as a research associate for the University of Colorado and as a client service partner at dovetail solutions. She has lived in Commerce City, Colorado, since 2005 and has served on numerous community boards and advisory councils, including the Commerce City Cultural Council, the Commerce City Economic Development Advisory Council, the Commerce City Capital Improvement Projects Advisory Council, and the Adams County Art and Culture Master Plan Steering Committee. She also serves as the grants chairperson for The Christian Foundation and as a member of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts’ Leadership Arts Alumni Network Committee. Maura received her bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University and her master’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Term End Date: 6/30/24
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Dr. Amy Schwartz
Board Vice President & Treasurer
Amy Schwartz's Bio
Dr. Amy Schwartz joined BuildStrong Education as Executive Director in 2008. During her tenure, she has led many community-based educational initiatives for the organization including the development of The BuildStrong Academy, Z Place and several new school projects.
Before BuildStrong, she worked with First 5 LA School Readiness Programs for four years, bringing comprehensive early childhood programs to children and families across Los Angeles. In total, Amy has more than twenty years of experience working with various communities and educational programs. Her work has centered on the goal of increasing student outcomes in under-resourced, low-performing school communities through collaboration, family support and public-private partnerships.
Dr. Schwartz currently serves on the boards of Steps to Success, the Construction Education Foundation and Executives Partnering to Invest in Children. She was a founding board member of the Lyons Valley Preschool which opened after the devastating Colorado floods of September 2013. And she is currently the co-founder and board chair of The STEAD School.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History from Wittenberg University, her Master of Arts in Social Research Methodology from the University of California, Los Angeles and her Doctorate in Education from the University of Denver. In 2021, Dr. Schwartz was honored as a David L. Clark Scholar by the University Council for Educational Administration and the American Educational Research Association.
Term End Date: 6/30/24
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Tim Gallagher
Board Member
Tim Gallagher's Bio
Tim is a resident of Reunion in Commerce City since 2003 and former US Air Force and United Airlines pilot. Tim began working with the Reunion community to bring a new school to the community in 2006. In that effort he helped found Landmark Academy at Reunion, a charter school serving 750 K-8 students and operated by National Heritage Academies. Tim continues to serve as the founding board president of Landmark Academy from which two of his grandchildren have graduated.
Term End Date: 6/30/26
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Dr. Sarie Patterson
Board Member
Saire Patterson's Bio
Dr. Patterson has over 20 years of experience in Colorado social work, successfully developing innovative approaches in child protection, family functioning, and education. She has also devoted her career to creating and implementing mental health initiatives in education and human services across the Denver metro area.
As a graduate of the University of Denver with a Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Dr. Patterson has experience conducting quantitative and qualitative research. She partnered with the Colorado Department of Education in completing a dissertation that focused on developing action steps to address social injustice in education. The results of the quantitative analysis were reported on over 17,000 student cases. She is an alum of the DU Graduate School of Social work, and she is a Colorado Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Dr. Patterson has over 20 years of social work experience creating and deploying mental health initiatives in education and human services. She has completed mixed methods studies evaluating family and student needs. She has functioned in ways to believe that data better defines problems and their potential solutions.
Dr. Patterson has served as Board Member of the Colorado Child Protection Ombudsman Office appointed by former Governor Hickenlooper. She currently serves on the CASA Board of Directors for Adams and Broomfield counties. She has demonstrated an ability to see the value of indirect practice while also knowing of the fulfillment and challenge of collaborating directly with people struggling with daily issues to be more successful in life. Dr. Patterson has project coordination, professional development, policy development, and policy analysis experience. She promotes a positive, intentional culture and a climate supporting high expectations. The University Council of Education Administration has recognized her as a Barbara Jackson Scholar and the Denver Department of Human Services for outstanding performance.
Dr. Patterson successfully functioned as a leader of district-wide initiatives that were foundational to the education of all students within the Denver Public school system and the future of the district. She served as a liaison between Denver Public Schools, the Denver Department of Human Services (DDHS), the Denver Police Department, and the Denver District Attorney’s Office. Dr. Patterson was the point person responsible for crisis intervention, consultation, and professional development for all District staff on student safety and mandated reporting policies and procedures. She planned and organized Human Trafficking Conference with the FBI, Denver District Attorney’s Office, Denver Human Services, Denver Police, and school district personnel. Dr. Patterson created and implemented mental health initiatives in education and human services across the Denver metro area while functioning as a liaison and appointed expert for the State of Colorado. She led the Denver Public School Superintendent’s $4.5 million Mental Health Expansion Program, providing oversight of expansion to K-12 schools district-wide over two years. Dr. Patterson created the Needs-Based Assessment Data Collection Tool identifying students’ mental health needs, available student support and services, and wrote the Mental Health Support, Services, and Resource Guide disseminated across the school district.
Term End Date: 6/30/25
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Hollis Glenn
Board Member
Hollis Glenn's Bio
Hollis Glenn is currently Deputy Commissioner of Operations for the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). Previously, he served seven years as Director of the Inspection and Consumer Services Division at the CDA. Hollis recently served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Feed Control Officials and the Federal Food and Drug Administration’s Governing Council for the Partnership for Food Protection. In 2021, Governor Polis appointed Hollis to serve on the Colorado Food System Advisory Council. And he was a “Who’s Who in Agriculture” honoree by the Denver Business Journal in 2020. Hollis has over 15 years of dedicated public service for the state of Colorado.
Term End Date: 6/30/25
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Jody Neumann
Board Member
Jody Neumann's Bio
Jody Neumann is the Special Event Manager for the Daniels Fund, a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming through grants and scholarships. Prior to the Daniels Fund, Jody was the Director of Community Engagement for Shalom Park, a retirement community in Aurora. Previous to Shalom Park, Jody owned a custom design formalwear business, Chloe Originals.
Jody holds a BA in Speech and considers connecting with people one of her greatest joys. Her passion for choice in education began 30 years ago when her four children went through Core Knowledge schools. Jody is married and lives near her family in Centennial.
Jody is very excited about bringing her farm roots and contemporary event experience to serve on the STEAD board.
Term End Date: 6/30/24
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Bill Aiken
Board Member
Bill Aiken's Bio
Bill Aiken is a dedicated leader with extensive experience in community, economic, and real estate development within both the public and private sectors. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia he and his family relocated to Colorado in 2021.
Bill is the Deputy Director of Community & Economic Development at Adams County, Colorado. Before joining Adams County, he served as the Director of Urban Renewal for the City of Commerce City. In this role, Bill oversaw the City’s revitalization efforts including the administration, coordination, and management of all urban renewal projects and activities. Before joining Commerce City, Bill was the Director of Community Development and Engineering for the City of Duluth, Georgia. Under his leadership, the City of Duluth was awarded the PlanFirst designation by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for planning excellence. During his tenure, Bill facilitated over $300,000,000 in private real estate investment within the City’s Downtown Urban Renewal Area, a tremendously successful revitalization project that won the Development of Excellence Award from the Atlanta Regional Commission. Before serving the City of Duluth, Bill was an early member of Fuqua Development where he was instrumental in building the company’s reputation as one of the premier real estate development firms in the southeast that has developed more than 20 million square feet of high-quality mixed-use developments in urban and suburban areas valued at more than $15 billion over the past decade.
Bill resides in Commerce City with his wife, children, and mini Aussie. As recent transplants to Colorado, they enjoy the outdoors and exploring the sensational amenities throughout the state. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and his Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Planning and Economic Development from Georgia State University. He is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners.
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Board Meeting Dates & Info
Meetings are held the first Monday of the month from 6:00pm-8:00pm at The STEAD School.
Meetings are held in person and open to the community.
Important Information:
Meeting Minutes & Agendas
The STEAD School is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, creed, color, age over 40, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability, military status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other status or class protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. The Principal is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment during employment.
