Kristi Franko
Executive Director
Lead Teacher—ParentTot
Kristi Franko is WPELC’s Executive Director and lead Parent-Tot class teacher. She has been teaching for over 20 years and has lead WPELC since 2018. Kristi completed the Stanley British Primary School Teacher Preparation Program in 2002, earning her master’s degree in educational psychology from CU Denver, with an emphasis on early childhood education.
She spent 14 years at Paddington Station Preschool, another play-based preschool, where she wore many hats, including teacher, mentor, advisor, and coach. Her advisory and coaching roles were supported by PEBC (Public Education & Business Coalition) through the Boettcher Teacher Residency Teacher Preparation Program.
In her free time, Ms. Kristi enjoys cooking, attending live music events, spending time in the mountains, researching the ever-changing field of early childhood education, and being with her two daughters and husband.
Deanna Seitz
Admissions and Operations Coordinator
Deanna Seitz has been part of the WPELC community since 2020 as a parent, board member, and substitute teacher. Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, she will assist the Executive Director with general school operations, admissions, and bookkeeping. In addition, she will continue to substitute in both the Preschool and Early Learner classrooms.
Deanna holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Arizona. She has also pursued French language studies at both HEC Paris and L’Alliance Française de Paris. Her professional background spans many aspects of marketing and communications, from founding an independent communications and marketing consultancy to leading content creation for a top branding agency, as well as working in advertising and managing communications for an architecture firm.
Deanna’s interests include spending time with her husband, daughter, and rescue pup; traveling with her sister and friends; continuing her pursuit of learning French; enjoying excellent meals; and gardening. She is excited to continue her journey at WPELC and spend time with the incredible children and families in this community.
Tina Mitchell
Development Coordinator
Lead Teacher—Parent Tot and Extra Day Explorers
Tina holds an associate degree in early childhood education and a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies from Colorado State University. Tina has worked with children for over 30 years and has been a teacher at WPELC since 2017.
Both of Tina’s children (now 20 and 22 years old) attended WPELC, where she was very active in the school—serving on the board, volunteering countless hours, and substitute teaching after her children graduated. During those years, Tina experienced firsthand the importance of having the support of such a close-knit school community. Nearly 20 years later, both Tina and her children still cherish the friendships they formed at WPELC.
In her free time, Tina spends as much time as possible in the mountains hiking, biking, and skiing. She also enjoys spending summers at her lake house in Missouri.
Perry McElhinney
Lead Teacher—MWF Preschool
Perry joined the WPELC teaching team in 2023 and has spent the last twenty-six years teaching and learning from children in early childhood settings. She gained invaluable experience teaching ECE at a Title I Denver Public School for four years. Perry earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, with a minor in women’s studies, from Santa Clara University in 1998. In 2000, she completed an internship in what was then known as the Stanley British Primary School Teacher Training Program. She earned her master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Colorado Denver in 2001.
When Perry is not teaching, she enjoys listening to live music, hiking, reading, practicing yoga, and playing board games (she is currently learning how to play Mahjong). She also enjoys guest teaching in DPS and spending time with her 20-year-old twin sons.
Lori Groff
Associate Teacher—MWF Preschool
Lori has worked with children in a variety of capacities. She is an artist and poet and has served as a reading tutor for young children, helping them develop early literacy and fluency skills. Her first profession as an audiologist gave her the opportunity to work with communicatively diverse populations, providing diagnostic, rehabilitative, and monitoring services. Lori holds a Bachelor of Science in communication disorders (with a minor in psychology), as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and creative writing/poetry. She also holds a Master of Science in audiology.
In the beauty of Colorado’s winter, Lori can be found snowboarding. During spring, summer, and fall, she enjoys hiking in the mountains with her husband and family, trail running, or meditating among the aspens and wildflowers.
Raquel Hartzell
Co-Lead Teacher—TTh Preschool
Raquel began working in early childhood education in 2019 while her own children were in preschool and quickly fell in love with play-based learning. She earned her Early Childhood Education Certificate from the Community College of Denver in 2020 and has since taught at local programs, including Denver Cooperative Preschool and Wash Park UMC Preschool. Raquel has a strong passion for building community and previously served on the board of directors for the local MOMS Club. In the classroom, she brings a love of music, humor, and joyful messes, believing that play and creativity are at the heart of early learning.
Before becoming a teacher, Raquel worked as the director of a nonprofit animal shelter, gaining experience managing busy, high-energy environments. She lives in the West Washington Park neighborhood with her two children. In her free time, she enjoys improv comedy, singing, puppetry, board games, and traveling.
Lara Laws
Co-Lead Teacher—TTh Preschool
Lara began working with young children over 25 years ago. Her educational career started during a gap year after high school, when she worked full-time as an assistant teacher at a school for children with multiple disabilities. After becoming formally trained as a Montessori teacher, Lara taught a mixed-age Preschool and Kindergarten class for 14 years. She also worked in a Waldorf public school, assisting the lead Preschool and Kindergarten teacher. Lara has been part of the WPELC teaching team since 2019 and is passionate about educating the whole child, helping each child feel seen and heard, and instilling a love of learning.
Lara holds an undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a master’s degree in early childhood education. She is certified in both infant/toddler and primary Montessori education. Her professional development includes coursework toward early childhood education director qualification, as well as courses in conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, diversity training, mind/body connection, Brain Gym, body-safe awareness, and other related topics.
Lara and her husband have two daughters and will become empty nesters this fall! Their family enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, and traveling. Lara also enjoys practicing yoga, attending her book club, and spending time with family and friends.
Tasen Barry
Lead Teacher—MWF Early Learner
Tasen is starting her sixth year as an early childhood educator and her first year at WPELC. She previously worked as the infant teacher at the University of Wyoming Early Care and Education Center, where she worked with both young infants and students from the College of Education. She loved her role as an active educator for both young children and teachers in training. Tasen currently volunteers at the Florence Crittenton Early Childhood Education Center.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in gender and women’s studies from the University of Wyoming, along with her Early Childhood Licensure in Birth–Pre-K. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in education policy and practice at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Tasen recently got married and loves traveling around the world with her husband. When she’s not traveling, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and exploring new hobbies.
Katie Green
Lead Teacher—TTh Early Learner
Katie Green is a former WPELC parent who began teaching at the school in 2017. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Colorado College. Her teaching career began as an English teacher in Japan. After returning from that adventure, she discovered her passion for working with young children and went on to earn a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Colorado Denver. Her experience includes teaching at several local preschools, working in early childhood through second grade classrooms at DPS, and leading Music Together classes.
Katie’s interests include traveling, reading, solving puzzles and escape rooms, and singing in the Swallow Hill Music Center Choir. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and their two college-aged children.
Rachel Homlar
Associate Teacher—Early Learner
Rachel has worked as an associate teacher at WPELC since 2014. She supports both Early Learner classrooms.
Rachel’s experience as a preschool teacher has given her the opportunity to work with early learners of all ages, drawing on her creative arts background. She has spent most of her time in the classroom working with three- and four-year-olds, but she also has experience teaching toddlers as young as fourteen months through children up to five years old.
Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Xavier University. She is delighted to have the opportunity to work in this incredible parent cooperative!