We are a passionate group of community volunteers dedicated to preserving and elevating our schools.
Board of Trustees
Our Board of Trustees consists of devoted community members committed to the betterment of our Lewis-Palmer school community. Their deep passion lies in advancing education to ensure the enduring success of our schools and the well-being of our children. Our Board of Trustees manages the distribution of funds raised and takes their fiduciary responsibility seriously to ensure over 90%** of funds raised go directly to supporting our educators and students in our schools.
Throughout our efforts, we consistently uphold our core values of community, innovation, and excellence.
Throughout our efforts, we consistently uphold our core values of community, innovation, and excellence.
**less than 10% of funds generated are used for operating costs.
All staff and Board of Trustees are volunteers and unpaid.
All staff and Board of Trustees are volunteers and unpaid.
Kelly BanePresident
Kelly is excited for the opportunity to energize and empower our educators for the ultimate benefit of our students through her work with the Foundation. She has worked in government educational policy and is a retired business professional in the medical industry. In addition to her extensive involvement and passion for our schools, Kelly is an avid volunteer in suicide prevention, Special Olympics, the Humane Society, COSILoveYou and local food banks.
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Terri HayesVice President
Terri Hayes is a proud member of the Tri-Lakes community since 2007. She serves as President & CEO of the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce, EDC & Visitor Center. She is well respected and recognized in our community and a staunch supporter of D38 schools. When not working, Terri loves traveling and walking her dog.
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Robert 'RF' SmithSecretary
RF Smith has been a Monument resident since 1997. A parent of two District 38 graduates, and a former member of the D38 planning committee, he brings 38 years of military and business experience to the Foundation. He is currently active with several local nonprofits in service to the youth of our community.
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Kelsey BelsherTreasurer
Kelsey Belsher has been a lifelong resident of Monument/Palmer Lake. She has 2 children who attend District 38 schools. Kelsey brings her extensive background in athletics and education to the Foundation to help benefit our students and community.
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David MerrittTrustee
David Merritt has been a Monument resident since 2019 and has three awesome daughters attending District 38 schools. Dr. Merritt brings over 20 years of tech, cybersecurity, and undergraduate educator experience. As a former AF Academy department head, he deeply appreciates the passion good educators bring to their classrooms; he hopes to advocate well for this special profession.
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Holly RollinsTrustee
Holly Rollins, Vice President of National Cybersecurity Solutions at Booz Allen Hamilton, has more than 30 years of professional experience in technology transformation and digital strategy. Holly is a resident of Monument with two adult children who graduated from District 38 schools.
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Tiffiney UpchurchTrustee - BOE Rep
Tiffiney Upchurch is the President of the Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Board of Education. Her diverse background ranges from leadership in early childhood education, non-profit advocacy and marketing, and she has been engaged in the field of education for over 25 years.
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Stacie Datteri*Trustee - District Rep
Dr. Datteri began her career in the classroom as an elementary teacher, which granted her firsthand experience of what it's like to serve as an educator. The experience has helped her remain connected to the greater mission of education, which includes always putting students first. Dr. Datteri joined the D38 Team as superintendent in July 2024, and she is truly dedicated to growing community involvement and building meaningful relationships.
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* ex-officio non-voting member
Operating Committee
Our Operating Committee is a dynamic team of devoted community members who have a shared commitment to both the success of our Lewis-Palmer schools and the greater community.
Their tireless efforts and passion drive the daily operations of our Foundation, ensuring that our mission of fostering education and community engagement is achieved with efficiency and effectiveness.
Their tireless efforts and passion drive the daily operations of our Foundation, ensuring that our mission of fostering education and community engagement is achieved with efficiency and effectiveness.
Stephanie PalzkillExecutive Director
Stephanie Palzkill resides in the Monument community and is the parent of two students in District 38 schools. She is deeply dedicated to ensuring quality education for every student. Stephanie possesses a diverse background, having worked in Fortune 500 company consulting, specializing in operational transformation, technology implementation, and international outsourcing. Additionally, she has experience in non-profit fundraising and event planning. With over 15 years of expertise, she is contributing her valuable experience to the Foundation for the betterment of our school community.
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Crystal LopezBookkeeper
Crystal Lopez is excited to join the Foundation as the bookkeeper. She and her family moved from Washington DC suburbs to the Tri-Lakes area and they now call Monument home for the long term. Crystal and her husband, Damin, have 8 children, 4 of which graduated from District 38 schools. Their youngest still attends District 38 schools. Crystal's career began on Capitol Hill and later with CARMAX, which led them to Colorado. She has diverse work experience, including roles as a funding coordinator, tech support for Intuit, small business bookkeeping, web development, and paralegal support for bankruptcy cases. Crystal also has a passion for teaching and has taught English as a second language to children in the world.
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