Skip to main

Board

Our board is comprised of parents and community members who have a vested interest in helping Compass fulfill its mission and vision. This talented team of people brings strong skills and commitment to their positions, and we are grateful for their expertise and stewardship!

All meetings take place on the third Monday of the month at 5:30p and are open to the public. During the pandemic, our meetings are taking place on Zoom. If you would like to join, please reach out to the School Leader, Jan Harrison (jan@compassfortcollins.org), or the Board President, Gina Curler (gina@compassfortcollins.org) to get the link to the meeting.

  • Gina Curler, M.A.

    Parent of CCCS student

    Board President

    I have been on the search for more creative, innovative options for education since high school, when I wrote my college application essay about how school dampened my natural love of learning. The essay got me into Colorado College, which was most recently voted the most innovative college by U.S. News & World Report. After having my love of learning reignited, I went on to work on a PhD in Anthropology from UW Madison. I have over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit world, ranging from working for Colorado College's Development department, to the Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research at the Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. (her only governmental stint), to Assistant Producer at Wisconsin Public Radio's "Here on Earth." Just over a decade ago, I moved to Fort Collins to create humans (future Compass students!) and to help my husband found No Barriers, a non-profit dedicated to providing transformative experiences for people facing adversity.In my role of being "married" to No Barriers, I have worn many hats, from creating fundraising strategies, to program and curriculum development, to frankly, stuffing envelopes...Most recently, I have been involved with redeveloping the No Barriers Field Campus in Red Feather, and in creating scholarships for Lincoln Middle School students to travel to Costa Rica. When not entrenched in raising children or starting Compass and No Barriers, I enjoy ceramics and playing cello.
    read more...
    Gina Curler, M.A., Parent of CCCS student

  • Russ Brown, M.Ed.

    Retired High School IB History Teacher, Published Author

    Board Vice President

    I am an author and retired educator. During my three decades in the classroom, I worked with a wide array of students including students seeking their GED, returning to high school after dropping out, taking Advanced Placement courses, and pursuing their International Baccalaureate diploma. I have been recognized for my teaching with awards including the Colorado DAR Outstanding Teacher of American History, Poudre School District Excellence in Education Award, and Fort Collins Sam’s Club Teacher of the Year. I am the co-author of Student-as-Client (Phi Delta Kappan, March 2014) as well as articles that have been published in American Diplomacy, The American Historian, and Principal Leadership. My TEDxRapidCity talk on how to view the role of students in the education system has received over 160,000 views, making it that event’s most viewed talk.
    Russ Brown, M.Ed

  • Anthony Burrell, CPA

    School Outreach Coordinator, New Harmony High School, New Orleans

    Board Treasurer

    I am a native of New Orleans with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of New Orleans and a CPA. I have seven years of professional services and accounting experiences, five of which were spent at Ernst & Young where I provided financial and non-financial assurance services to public and private companies, and most recently at Envestnet where I was the Revenue Manager. Looking to make a positive difference in the world, I recently completed the prestigious Education Pioneer Fellowship, a program designed to move exceptional talent in finance, management, and operations into the field of education to support innovation and growth. I have been living in Denver for the past three years. I am now working as the Finance and Accounting Controller for KIPP Colorado, and am excited to work with the Compass team and contribute to Compass Community Collaborative School as the Board Treasurer.
    Anthony Burrell

  • Chris Whitman, B.S.M.E., MBA

    Manager of Product Strategy and Design

    Board Secretary

    I love to solve problems! Over the course of my career, I have focused my professional development on becoming a process and product improvement superhero with a singular focus on customer delight. I mostly use my powers for good, but I sometimes use them for awesome! I am equal parts design thinker, engineer, problem solver, manager of chaos, diplomat and educator in the mechanical and software product development industries. I am currently a Product Manager at Hewlett Packard Inc., focusing on bringing a delightful new app to hundreds of millions of users. Outside of work, I have a passion for climbing tall mountains, and I have a second job as a live performance musical mixmaster. Lastly, I am the father of a Compass student, who definitely uses their powers for awesome!
    Chris Whitman

  • Christophe Febvre, MSEE

    Board Member

    I was born and (largely) raised in Fort Collins. I spent all but three of my school years in the PSD system (with the others spent in Grenoble, France) and I sent my three kids through PSD as well. I am an electrical engineer by training, and a local business owner by trade managing a company that provides product development as a service to other companies and start-ups. After coaching soccer and volunteering in schools through my kids’ formative years, I expanded my volunteer efforts by first serving on the Fort Collins Economic Advisory Commission. I followed this by serving for 8 years on the PSD Board of Education (BOE). The time on PSD’s BOE was a great civics lesson and provided me with extensive learning about the many facets of education. Educating the youngest population remains a central interest and passion for me. I believe that high-quality education is foundational to every person, fundamentally important to the country, and at the heart of our ever-present mission to create a positive fairing community and planet.As a PSD BOE member, I played a positive role in helping Compass Community Collaborative School gain its charter, and I am honored to serve on its board and to help the school continue to blossom and deeply educate a diversity of young people.
    read more...
    Christophe Febvre Board Member Headshot

  • Hannah Nelson, M. Ed

    Board Member

    I grew up along the shore of Lake Michigan in Evanston, IL. I spent several summers at Camp Echo, a YMCA camp and outdoor education center. It is nestled on a 427-acre plot--housing different ecosystems and a variety of flora and fauna; this was where my love for the outdoors and teaching began. This passion for nature and education led me around the country, from Philadelphia, PA to Burlington, VT to Madison, WI, and finally here to Boulder, CO. The titles I have held at different schools vary widely--science teacher, sports teacher, math teacher, wilderness trip leader, special educator, Dean of Students, Educator Outreach Coordinator, Head of High School, and Assistant Head of School. My goal has stayed the same: to support educators and to provide meaningful education in a creative way that will inspire students to do their best. I believe that patience, encouragement, creativity, and consistency help to create a positive and supportive environment that teaches the whole child,and allows them to discover the beauty and complexity of the world around them. I began my education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison receiving my B.S. in Biology. Completing a year of service with City Year, Greater Philadelphia, an Americorps program, gave me an appetite for positive change and a desire to contribute to communities through community service. After several years of teaching, I went back to school to learn more about how to teach students with different learning styles by getting a master's degree in Special Education at the University of Vermont. For the past seven years I have been living in Longmont, CO, working at the Watershed School and loving life in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. When not teaching, I can be found hiking, doing yoga, or spending time with her husband, son, and three dogs.
    read more...
    Hannah Nelson Headshot Photo