The Team

Asnoldo is an educator, facilitator, and lifelong learner who finds joy in helping others build meaningful connections to land, community, and themselves. experienced in national parks, residential programs, mountain campus settings, and urban wild spaces, he has worked with a wide range of youth demographics, including Indigenous and historically underrepresented communities for 10+ years. His work has spanned guiding outdoor expeditions, mentoring field instructors, and creating inclusive spaces where all students feel valued and supported as a director, coordinator, and instructor.

Grounded in his Intermountain roots and family heritage, he is passionate about making outdoor education more welcoming, equitable, and transformative. Whether on the trail, around a campfire, or in a group circle, he believes in the power of curiosity, storytelling, and shared experiences to inspire growth. Asnoldo completed a duel major masters program from the university of Wyoming in Natural Science Education and Environmental Management from the schools of Education and Sustainability. Outside of work, he enjoys biking, hiking, climbing, Backcountry & cross-country skiing, foraging, cooking, writing poetry and exploring the landscapes that continue to shape his journey.

Brad is part of our Operations or “Rockin Ops” Team. He has a degree in Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from the University of Cincinnati. Brad moved out west after college and began his first career as a corporate trainer and software tester.

After meeting the love of his life, he left the Front Range of Colorado to support his wife’s career as an ecologist in places like Silverton Colorado, Stanley Idaho, and Sequoia National Park. During this time he started a software training company and worked as a large format printer reproducing artwork.

When he and his wife welcomed their second child, Brad left the computer world to become a stay-at-home parent. Five years later, when his kids started school, he became a tour guide in Sequoia National Park. This led him to the realization that he preferred a career that involved more human interaction, so when he moved back to Colorado he became a substitute teacher, which eventually led him to Eagle Rock. Now he spends his days supporting the staff and students on campus and absorbing their positive energy.

When he’s not at work, you’re likely to find him in the mountains, enjoying a bike ride or rock climbing with his family.

Jordan Cerna is one-third of Eagle Rock’s Outdoor Education Department, where we are charged with organizing and facilitating outdoor experiences for students and staff. For the better part of the last decade, Jordan has fostered a career and passion in experiential and outdoor education. This “spark” for outdoor expeditions began in 2012 when he was on a river trip abroad. He realized that people are at the heart of a successful expedition. When people are willing to work together, ask for help, navigate interpersonal conflict, and take ownership of their own learning, beautiful things can happen. Since then, Jordan has consistently sought out the natural world as a sanctuary and classroom. Through working with Eagle Rock School and the National Outdoor Leadership School, Jordan has spent over 150 weeks in the field co-leading outdoor expeditions. In 2023, he now seeks out a more balanced life where he plans to foster relationships in Estes Park, return to finding joy in personal trips, and nest in his home off-campus.

Akeem Cheek is the IT Manager. The position maintains digital infrastructure of the school and digital tools for staff and students. He has been working in schools and community organizations for many years. He has worked as a school bus driver and in after-school programming. He honed his IT skills by being a natural tinkerer and working in a small family business. He worked for two community-based organizations supporting black farmers in North Carolina before coming to Eagle Rock. He has a BA in History from North Carolina Central University and has completed coursework in clinical psychology.

Dan Condon is an education activist who worked as an Eagle Rock intern back in 1995, only to return in 2002 as the founding director of Public Allies in Colorado (holding the same position Michelle Obama held in Chicago). He was selected as one of 20 young visionaries of 1996 by Who Cares magazine and was named to Boulder County Business Report’s Forty Under 40 class of 2010. In addition, he received the inaugural Coalition of Essential Schools ”Commitment to Equity” award and the 2010 Governor’s Commission on Community Service “Still Getting Things Done” award.  He serves as a leader with Opportunity Nation and is a Critical Friends group coach through the School Reform Initiative. Dan is a contributor to the Huffington Post, and his writings have been published in the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ NewsLeader newspaper; Snapshots: The Specialist Schools Trust Journal of Innovation in Education; and Horace: Innovation in Education & Edutopia. He has authored several chapters, including A Schoolwide Model for Student Voice in Curriculum Development and Teacher Preparation and in the NSSE Yearbook titled, Engaging Youth in Schools: Empirically-Based Models to Guide Future Innovations.  His hero is his fourth grader Huxton.

Mike Dunn is a progressive education activist and leader. He has been working with youth in outdoor, independent, and charter schools for more than 15 years as a teacher, counselor, and program director. Mike started his work in Detroit as a Big Picture advisor and joined the Eagle Rock community in 2008-09 as a Service-Learning teaching fellow with Public Allies. After the fellowship, he moved to Philadelphia to help open a re-engagement Big Picture high school called el Centro de Estudiantes. He then transitioned to AIM Academy in Conshohocken, PA to work with students who have language-based learning differences. At AIM, Mike was a History teacher, varsity soccer coach, leadership cohort facilitator, and Director of College Counseling. He served on the Pennsylvania Association of College Admissions Counseling’s Executive Committee as the chair of its Inclusion, Access, and Success committee and as a college advisor for the Franklin Institute’s STEM Scholars program, both in service of helping historically underrepresented groups of students access postsecondary learning opportunities. In 2021, Mike completed his Doctorate of Education from Northeastern University and teaches an education entrepreneurship course at his alma mater to graduate students. Mike loves spending time with his partner and their amazing dog Kelly, often with coffee.

Beth Ellis is Eagle Rock’s Director of Students. Beth began her Eagle Rock career in 2004 with a Public Allies fellowship in the Learning Resource Center. After her fellowship year, Beth became the LRC Instructional Specialist, as well as an Aspen Houseparent. Beth moved to the student services team two years ago, where she now serves as the Associate Director of Students. In this role, Beth and her team support the visioning, development, and delivery of the residential life curriculum, which includes advisory, KP, evening activities, house life, and everything in between. Before ERS, Beth was a successful graphic designer at Catt Lyon Design in Cincinnati, Ohio. She also served a term at Public Allies Cincinnati as a community organizer at ECO: Environmental Community Organization. Beth earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning. She lives on campus and with her partner, Janet, and her right hand dog, Lucy.

Sara Gagnon works with Eagle Rock’s Human Performance and Health and Wellness teams as a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. She helps students uncover and explore their strength and joy through movement and weightlifting, and improve their relationship with food through habit-based coaching. Originally a meathead gym rat from New York, she moved to Colorado in 2021 and fell in love with trail running, skiing, mountain biking and exploring the edges of her comfort zone in the mountains. She lives with her partner Mark and their dog Jerry in Piñon house, and loves to laugh and lift with Piñon students.

Bibi Gnagno is our Dean of Restorative Practices. She is responsible for the design and implementation of the Restorative Practices Program here at Eagle Rock School and Professional Development. Bibi is a champion for education and social justice having previously worked on equity at the intersections of race, gender, social economic class, and sexual orientation at Duke University. An expert in the field, she has created experiential programming and training that focused on community engagement, civic involvement, women’s empowerment, men’s engagement, and activism. Ms. Gnagno’s prior experience includes work in the legal field in Atlanta, Georgia, Paris, France, and Abidjan, Ivory Coast specifically centering issues pertaining to social justice. Her focus has included looking at how policy affects the society we live in, depending on our identities. Bibi Gnagno holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and French from Smith College. Her Master’s Degree was earned in French Language and Civilization from the Paris campus of New York University’s Graduate School of Arts and Science and her Juris Doctor from North Carolina Central University School of Law. Ms. Gnagno received a Fulbright-Clinton Fellowship in Public Policy where she worked in the field and conducted research for the Ministry of Justice in Côte d’Ivoire, on gender-based violence in relation to women’s access to justice. Ms. Gnagno is deeply fascinated by how the concept of restorative practices can transform education and the world at large. She is also a trained mindfulness teacher who has led training and workshop facilitation at the higher education and corporate level. Bibi is also a filmmaker who loves a good green juice, West African dance class, spending time with friends/family, and traveling.

Bryanna Hamilton was born in Thousand Oaks, California in 2003. She moved to Colorado in September 2021 for college, and later pursued a culinary career. Bryanna has been in food service since the age of 15. She has always had a passion for food and supporting young adults in their endeavors. There are many things that Bry needs to learn and is thankful to Eagle Rock for providing the opportunity to learn from such skilled chefs and leaders. Bryanna is interested in pursuing a culinary degree to further her studies and education. Her goal in the kitchen is to continue to serve delicious and nutritious food for the students at Eagle Rock. Bryanna is beyond thankful for this opportunity to join such an interactive, fulfilling, and uplifting community.

Abbey is an Outdoor Education Specialist at Eagle Rock. Originally from Chicagoland, Abbey fell in love with Estes Park in 2015, and has spent years hiking, backpacking, and climbing in the Rocky Mountain West. While working in a variety of public service and outdoor industry positions, Abbey solidified her passion of effecting change through outdoor education. In 2022, Abbey furthered her skillsets by working as a graduate assistant in the outdoor adventure leadership department at Southern Oregon University. While adventure was one aspect of the program, personal and community development were the heart. Between instructing courses in the classroom, to guiding students in the backcountry of Oregon and Nepal, Abbey found continuous inspiration in the empowering nature of experiential education.

Since, Abbey has earned certifications as a DEI Outdoor Practitioner, Wilderness First Responder, Behavioral First Responder, and has volunteered with Inspiring Girls Expeditions and Lake County Search and Rescue. Most recently, Abbey worked as a Program Manager at Get Outdoors Leadville, an organization that seeks to increase equitable access to outdoor programming in Lake County, Colorado. Overall, Abbey strives to be a solid, considerate resource to students and facilitate transformative experiences outdoors. Outside of work, Abbey can be found out on the trail or hanging out with her cat and dog.

Janet Johnson is Eagle Rock’s Director of Curriculum. Janet is responsible for all things related to the academic program, instruction, and curriculum at Eagle Rock. Janet served as Eagle Rock’s science instructor from 2001 – 2016, as well as a House Parent in Aspen House for 11 of those years. Janet earned her M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and her B.A. in Biology from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Janet lives on campus with her partner, Beth.

Chemi is an Eagle Rock Alumna from Spruce House.  They were born and raised in Harlem, NY.  Chemi was connected to Eagle Rock through Harlem Children’s Zone. They earned a Bachelor of Sports and Exercise Science from the University of Northern Colorado. Chemi has prior experience working with youth in many different settings, from youth camp coordinator, and coaching, to assisting with the Eagle Rock Wilderness Course. They enjoy helping others. They are determined to make students’ dreams come true here at Eagle Rock. They are real, not perfect.

Al (they/them) is a member of Eagle Rock’s Outdoor Education department. Al comes from a background in public schools and has held various roles in New York City and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Al’s experience includes clinical social work in schools and holistic family and community support within a Community Schools model. A strong believer in experiential and outdoor education, Al’s work in the outdoors includes leading courses with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and partnerships with C5LA.  Al’s career has focused on a commitment to supporting students develop into their full and authentic selves, working to understand their identities and story within a larger context. Whether supporting students to navigate traditional high school experiences or the challenges of extended time in the outdoors, Al values building deep relationships with students and helping them find tools for their own growth and success.  Originally from Western Massachusetts, Al continues to foster roots in many communities including Brooklyn, NY, Wyoming, and New Mexico. Al holds a bachelor's degree from Hampshire College with a focus in American History and Race Relations, and a Masters in Social Work from New Mexico Highlands University.

Alejandro, an Eagle Rock graduate, returns to Eagle Rock as the Director of Operations. As of April 2021, Alejandro leads Eagle Rock’s finance, human resources, IT, facilities, maintenance, and business operations.  After graduating from Eagle Rock, Alejandro went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.  From there Alejandro found success in several industries across different professional roles such as management consulting, pricing analysis, inventory management, process improvement, quality management, and operations management. Alejandro then went on to earn his MBA from Georgia Tech and have a successful career in Amazon where he helped launch various delivery services and led the global deployment of tech solutions across the several thousand Amazon locations.

Alejandro’s experience at Eagle Rock taught him that, with faith in oneself, he and his fellow students were capable of great things. He learned that he could take control of his life’s direction and not let his past dictate what his future would hold. Since his graduation, Alejandro’s dream was always to return to Eagle Rock to help add to the legacy of the school. For Alejandro, becoming a staff member at Eagle Rock was not just an amazing profession, but a calling. Alejandro rejoins our school to contribute to the success of all Eagle Rockers.

HaeJohn is the Art Instructional Specialist at Eagle Rock. His focus is to help young people understand, appreciate, and create artwork with the idea that it’s more than pretty pictures. Art is creativity, communication, problem-solving, and progress.  HaeJohn was born and mostly raised in Las Vegas, NV. Being raised by his Korean mother and American father helped him understand the world between cultures and how they influence each other. He started his Eagle Rock experience in 2004 as a students teacher and a year later, was awarded the Public Allies Visual Arts Fellowship at Eagle Rock. Since completing his fellowship, HaeJohn has been a freelance artist, public high school art teacher, K-8 private school art teacher, and in-home private instructor. During this time HaeJohn was also a part of the CCSD Art Education Standards Team, student council advisor, and Nobel Learning’s National Teacher of the Year semi-finalist. HaeJohn Graduated from Hastings College with a degree in K-12 art education with an emphasis in Ceramics and Psychology.