BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Miranda Ziegler
Chairman of the Board and CEO
Stephanie Schooley
Vice President
Todd Bacon
Secretary
Miranda is a passionate advocate for student creativity, with over two decades of dedicated volunteer work across Colorado and New Mexico in the arts. A designer by trade, she began her journey with RMCAD during Scholastic Art & Writing exhibitions, eventually stepping into the role of Web Master and Designer for the team. Her natural leadership and creative vision have helped shape and grow the program over the years, including the implementation and development of the Ambassador program. Now serving as Executive Director and Chairman of the Board, Miranda leads the program with a commitment to innovation, access, and celebrating the creative voices of young artists across Colorado. She works within Jeffco Public Schools, Curriculum and Instruction, as a Work-Based Learning Specialist, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world career experiences by connecting students with meaningful opportunities in the workforce. When she's not working or volunteering, Miranda enjoys spending time with her family, her four beloved fur babies, and soaking up the beauty of Colorado.
Stephanie Schooley is Department Chair of Business & Accounting and faculty in Business at Red Rocks Community College (RRCC). After graduating from Reed College in Portland, OR, Stephanie moved to Denver in 1998 to participate in AmeriCorps*VISTA, a year-long national service program. Following her year of service, she attended the University of Denver and earned an MA in Conflict Resolution as part of the inaugural class of that interdisciplinary degree focused in the graduate schools of international studies, business, social work, communication, and law. Stephanie worked in the nonprofit field for 20 years prior to her time at RRCC, most recently as Executive Director of Campus Compact of the Mountain West. She’s also been involved in the start-up and/or development of several nonprofit organizations, including the Denver and National Young Nonprofit Professionals Networks, Hoofs & Paws Therapeutic Riding Center, and the Jeffco Public Schools Foundation. In her free time, Stephanie hangs out with her very awesome husband, very cool teenagers (also artists), and very needy animals (one dog and one horse…neither are artists that we know of), and she plays stand-up bass in a local band.
As a member of the Rotary Club of Denver, Todd Bacon has been volunteering with Scholastics in various capacities since 2004. He formally joined the Board in the fall of 2024. Rotary has been the principal funder of Scholastics since the early 80’s, and Todd has served as the liaison between Rotary, with its Foundation’s emphasis on youth and education, and Scholastics. Todd spent thirty-eight years founding and running a successful direct-mail services business in Denver until he sold it in 2017. During his business career, he also found time to volunteer in the community. He is a past-chair of the Denver Rotary Club Foundation. He served on the committees overseeing two major art exhibitions and sales: Rotary’s “Artists of America”, which he chaired for two years, and the Public Education and Business Coalition’s “Art for Youth”, which he co-chaired for four years. He served on the Board of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts for eight years, ultimately chairing it for two. Todd is an active photographer and currently serves on the Board of the Mesa Verde Foundation, where he uses his photography and writing skills to help with the Foundation’s marketing and social media initiatives. Since 2021, Todd has been a volunteer photographer for the National Western Stock Show, which keeps him very busy every January. He was the recipient of the “Heart of Volunteerism Award”, given by Metro Volunteers (now Spark the Change) in 2017. Todd earned a BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and MS from Michigan State University. He and his wife, Nancy, have three children and six young grandchildren, who receive a lot of his loving attention.
Kevin Newton
Board Member
Kevin Newton is extremely passionate about the arts and has been working professionally in the Performing Arts across the country for over 33 years. He began as a performer at a young age and then started his professional career as a theatre technician in local and regional productions in Northwest Indiana while still in High School. While achieving a Bachelor of Science degree in Theatre with an emphasis in Technical Theatre from Indiana State University, he began working professionally throughout the Northeast, most notably as a Lighting Designer and Technical Director for various productions and performing arts venues. He has professional Lighting Design credits in theatre, opera, dance, concerts, television, film, a theme park, as well as an Off-Broadway venue. After college he was the Stage and Lighting Coordinator as well as the Technical Director for the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus, Georgia for 10 years, and then the Technical Director of the Peace Center for the Performing Arts in Greenville, South Carolina for 6 years. He has currently served as the Production Manager for Parker Arts for the last 8+ years. Kevin joined the Board of Directors of the Colorado Art Awards to give back to the Colorado Arts community and to help empower and encourage the next generation of young artists to achieve their dreams. When not working in the arts, Kevin loves spending his time with his wife Erica and two Star Wars named dogs (Kylo and Leia) and exploring Colorado as well as the country.
Carolyn Smith
Board Member
Having graduated from Connecticut College in 1955, Carolyn Diefendorf Smith left home in New Jersey in 1956 to join her husband in Denver. She quickly became involved in the Denver community, serving on the boards of the Colorado Hearing and Speech Center, Colorado Academy, and the Junior League of Denver. She was the second woman to join the Rotary Club of Denver when, in 1978, Rotary International opened its doors to welcome women. Carolyn served as chair of Rotary’s “Artists of America” exhibition and sale in 1999 and 2000, raising funds for Denver Rotary Club Foundation, which in turn supports Scholastics among other Denver community projects. Her husband, Pres Smith, was a member of the Rotary committee that began funding Scholastics in the early 1980’s. Carolyn served as the chair of Denver Girls, which was a mentor program for Denver Public School’s at-risk girls, and in that position, she oversaw the merger with its counterpart, Denver Boys, to form the combined organization known today as Denver Kids Inc.. In her career, Carolyn was the Development Director at Colorado Academy for twenty years, followed by ten years as the Executive Director of the Junior League of Denver Foundation. Carolyn’s family of four children and their spouses, along with eight grandchildren and four great-grands, are often together celebrating birthdays, graduations, and engagements. Recently, she has enjoyed trying her hand and eye at watercolor painting. She says, “It’s made me appreciate even more the time and talent of artists today and over the years.”
Eli Wood
Board Member
Based in Denver, Colorado, Eli loves creating technology with AI. Today he leads Black Flag Design, building software for the National Center on Education and the Economy as well as other Generative AI projects in insurance sales, wildfire risk analysis, video content curation and more. He also facilitates innovation workshops with Voltage Control as a Principal Facilitator. Eli has organized and facilitated workshops for dozens of Fortune 500 companies and government agencies such as Adobe, Humana, Fidelity Investments, The City of Austin, Texas Water Development Board and more. Eli has led software development, strategic design, and development projects for LAX, Mastercard, Cisco, CBRE. When not making things, he enjoys spending time in nature with his two dogs exploring the Rocky Mountains.
Devon Parson
Board Member
Devon Parson is currently a Work-Based Learning Specialist with Jeffco Public Schools, helping to set up district-wide internships and apprenticeships. He received a BA degree in 2007 from Fort Lewis College with a major in Philosophy and a minor in Mountain Studies. He was awarded a Master’s degree in 2013 with a major in Education. Devon comes from a family deeply rooted in the arts and actively engaged in the regional creative community. His father, Charles Parson, has held over 80 solo exhibitions across the U.S. and is known for his large-scale installations and monumental sculptures in major metropolitan areas. His brother, Collin Parson, is the Curator at the Arvada Center for the Arts and has exhibited his work internationally. Devon’s mother was a modern dancer, and his sister was involved in theater. The family’s creative legacy continues with the next generation making artwork of their own—and even performing together in a family band. Devon’s own artwork is centered around his extensive time working and exploring in the American West backcountry. He has shown his work at the Lakewood Cultural Center, Durango Arts Center, Evergreen Arts Center, Mint and Serif, and Pirate Gallery among others. He has been profiled in diverse publications, including Cowboys, Yogis, and One Legged Ski-Bums: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Coloradans, Moab Canyoneering, The Examiner, The Durango Herald, and the Nickelodeon Television Network. Devon joined the Colorado Art Scholastic Board to advocate for and expand opportunities for youth to engage in creating and celebrating their art. He brings strong leadership experience, deep connections in the arts community, and a passion for supporting emerging artists.
