Our Board

Danielle Smith

President - president@dcsmef.org

Danielle and her husband moved to Colorado in 2012 from Indiana. A former graphic designer, Danielle began her own small business in the midst of becoming a stay-at-home parents. With two boys now enrolled at DCS Montessori, Danielle is eager to help the school community as a member of the MEF.

Gabriel Balme

Secretary - gbalme@dcsmef.org

Gabriel spent 12 years in retail and restaurant management before switching careers and building a successful photography business in Florida. He moved to Colorado in 2015, and has volunteered his photography and production skills to local groups while raising his daughter at home, now a successful elementary student at DCSM. Gabriel brings a wide range of experience from building and chairing conventions, to classroom management and communication, and is excited to be supporting the MEF.

Nikki Irani

Treasurer - nirani@dcsmef.org

Nikki joined the MEF in 2021 and has been a part of the DCSM community since 2016. She has two daughters at the school. She’s a proud Colorado native and grew up in the area. Her favorite part about this beautiful state is the mountains of course, especially the San Juans to the south. Nikki’s love of learning and education began in early childhood education and continues today as an instructional designer, creating online learning content for a variety of industries where adult learning is the focus. She’s thrilled to be a part of the Montessori Education Foundation and enjoys getting to know all the new and existing members of the DCS Montessori community.

Tammy Overacker

Board Member - toveracker@dcsmef.org

Tammy and her family have been a part of DCS Montessori since moving to her spouse’s native Colorado in the fall of 2019. Tammy has worn many hats before becoming a full-time mom. Professionally, she was most recently an adjunct

professor in NW Arkansas but has also worked in clinical research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, as well as a 10 year stint in the sports and entertainment industry in corporate partnership and event management. Tammy was introduced to the Montessori Method and Philosophy while completing her graduate work in Tennessee. The Montessori Method was a pedagogy she knew she would someday chose for her own family. Today, Tammy is passionate about public education as well as Montessori and DCSM is the perfect combination of the two. She is excited to contribute her time to the helping DCSM remain a hybrid option to families in the greater Douglas County area.

Billy Anderson

Board Member - banderson@dcsmef.org

Billy has two boys who have been enrolled at DCS Montessori since 2017. He is a Colorado native and grew up in what is now known as Centennial.  Billy works in the telecommunications field and his work has taken his family to New Jersey, Texas and Georgia.  Billy’s wife is Ms. Heather and she is a primary teacher at the school. They love the Montessori philosophy and are grateful for the opportunity to support their school and the community.

Danielle Obregon

Board Member - dobregon@dcsmef.org

Danielle and her family moved to Colorado in 2018 from New Orleans, LA. She is currently enjoying a career as an at-home parent to her four kids (all attending DCSM as of 2022). However, in a past life she worked in marketing and business development. Her hope is to be able to assist in the growth of the DCSM community and betterment of the school as a whole with the use of her past experience and love for the Montessori methods.

Amanda Krening

Board Member - akrening@dcsmef.org

Amanda joined the MEF in 2024 to support the school in a meaningful way. Her family moved to Castle Rock from Erie, CO in 2020, where her children attended a Montessori preschool/kindergarten that fostered a love for Montessori philosophy for the whole family.  She has been a part of the DCS community since 2020 and has three children attending the school.  Prior to becoming a stay-at-home mom, Amanda worked in a lab as an analytical chemist and enjoyed supporting continuing education for others as a lead trainer. 

Paul Bratlien

Board Member - pbratlien@dcsmef.org

Paul has been a dedicated member the MEF longer than most current members and brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and insight. 

Tracy Teague

Board Member - tteague@dcsmef.org

Katie Battilega

Board Member - kbattilega@dcsmef.org

Katie Battilega is a Colorado native and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Finance and Management. She previously worked in financial services. Katie and her family have been part of the DCS community since 2018 and both of her daughters are students at the school. She enjoys volunteering in their classrooms and learning about the Montessori philosophy. Katie is excited to serve on the Montessori Education Foundation and help grow awareness of the foundation.