Alyssa Huey

Alyssa Huey is a sophomore at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. She is studying Accounting and Finance in the Heider College of Business. As well as being a student in the business school, Alyssa is an active member of the student body through the Creighton Students Union Program Board, in the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, as a part of the Freshman Leadership Program, and as a member of the Anna Tyler Waite Leadership Program. She graduated from Legend High School in the spring of 2018. The Shine conference is special to her since she was a member of the planning committee and has attended each year since her freshman year of high school.

Amanda Penke

Amanda majored in Interior Design and Set Design for Theatre as well as minored in Fine Art during undergrad while living in New York State. She then earned her Masters in Art Education. After moving all around the east coast, she landed in Colorado working in the Visual Arts Department at Legend High School. Travelling to see the world and make art are strong interests of hers.

Amber Lytton

Amy Lantz

Ashley Barr

Legend High School Art Teacher

Ashley Gray

Gray has been in the Education field for 23 years and taught all grades from K-7th. She is currently an Assistant Principal in an Elementary School.

Ashlyn Foster

Ashlyn Foster graduated from Legend High School in May of 2017 and is currently a student at CSU pursuing and undergrad in Business with a concentration in Corporate Finance and a minor in Spanish. She is also a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Tau Chapter sorority and acts as their Fidelity Chairwoman. This is her fourth year working with the Shine Conference and she is so excited to get to be on the other side of the conference and speak about her time in college. 

Brandi Lipton

Jenna Lincoln

Jenna Lincoln is the author of The Protector Project trilogy. She loves to read, write, and talk about reading and writing. Buoyed by coffee and a truly immature sense of humor, Jenna has taught grades 5-10, mentored teachers, and coordinated gifted programming. Currently a creative writing teacher and writing specialist, Jenna enjoys working with student writers and teachers as they develop and hone their craft skills.

After dabbling in X-Files, Firefly, and Supernatural fan fiction, Jenna got serious about building her own imaginary world, big enough to get lost in for a long, long time. When she comes back to reality, Jenna enjoys her home in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two daughters.

Jolee Jones

Jolee is the director of Stone Canyon Outdoor EdVentures, an outdoor education, summer camp, and conference facility. She has worked in the outdoor, experiential education industry for the last 20 years and has helped hundreds of groups around the country realize their potential using intentional approaches to education and leadership training. She is also a trainer for Emergenetics and a board member for GLSEN-Denver. In her downtime, she can be found on one of her bikes, at the climbing gym, or reading a good book.

Kalomira Gatchis

Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Kalomira “Kal” Gatchis

She began my law enforcement career in 2002 as a dispatcher for the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office.  In 2005, I attended the P.O.S.T. Academy and became a Deputy for the Sheriff’s Office. After the academy, I worked in the jail for a little over a year, then assessed and went to patrol.  I worked patrol for about 4 years before I assessed and went to the Narcotics Team. I worked on the Narcotics Team for almost 6 years before assessing and transferring to Investigations. I currently work Persons crimes, which includes; homicides, robberies, domestic violence, elder abuse, and assaults. 

Krista Tongren

Laurie LaComb

Laurie LaComb is a Certified Teacher, Certified Yoga Teacher (200 hr), IIN Health Coach, extensively trained in all aspects of mindfulness through Mindful Life, CDE, and the Institute of Mindful Leadership, and mother of five.  She has had the pleasure of teaching movement, mindfulness, and nutrition to over 2000 DCSD staff members and 7,000+ DCSD students throughout her tenure with Douglas County School District. She is driven by living a healthy, mindful, adventurous and happy life and her passion drives her to empower others to discover the same.

Lesley Sabga

Since graduating from The University of Kentucky (Go Cats!) and obtaining her Editorial Certification from The University of Chicago, Lesley has worked as an editorial intern and freelancer for multiple publishing houses. She's also been working for The Seymour Agency since 2014. Starting out as an eager intern, she worked her way up to a Literary Assistant, and in the fall of 2017, Lesley became an Associate Agent with The Seymour Agency. 

Lesley loves intricate and vivid world-building and character driven plots. She is actively acquiring MG, YA, and Adult fantasy/science fiction and she is always down to read a dark and twisty suspense or thriller featuring strong, female protagonists. She also loves a classic happily-ever-after romance or curling up with a good mystery. She is also interested in acquiring narrative non-fiction. 

When she is not rescuing animals or searching for her next debut author, Lesley is a constant occupant at local bookstores in Colorado Springs and is a self-proclaimed coffee aficionado.

Lisa Brown Roberts

Lisa Brown Roberts still hasn't recovered from the teenage trauma of nearly tweezing off both eyebrows and having to pencil them in for an entire school year. This and other angst-filled memories inspire her to write YA books about navigating life's painful and funny dramas, and falling in love along the way.

Michelle Marie King

Michelle Marie King is a former International Runway Model & 2013 Ms. Colorado and is now recognized as the premier Confidence Coach for businesses, teenagers and young entrepreneurs around the globe.  She founded Positive Presence Global – the largest confidence coaching company in North America, and has helped people worldwide find their conscious confidence in all aspects of their life. For the past decade, Michelle has appeared on radio, television, billboards and in print across the country as The Confidence Coach.

Rachel Cranz-Caldwell

I am an attorney specializing in family law and estate planning.  I opened my own law firm in 2019 after having been a partner and practicing in a medium-sized law firm since 2011. 

Sarah Miller

Sarah Miller is the Product Marketing Manager at Trimble, Inc. for the Building Construction MEP (Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing) Division. She manages the Estimating and BIM Detailing software portfolios. She is currently completing an Executive MBA at Colorado State University and will graduate this May. She also completed her undergraduate degree from CSU earning an Bachelors Degree: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures concentration in Spanish. Sarah is a Colorado native who has been in the software industry for 14 years.

Shelly Donahue

National Relationship Speaker (w/emphasis on sexuality) for 24 yrs., & Veteran Teacher & 3-Sport Coach, Plays Competitive USTA Tennis, 2 Adult Children/3 Grandchildren, Lives in Eaton, CO

Stacey Hervey