Staff
Helayne Jones, Ed.D.
Executive Director
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303-736-6477, Ext. 1
Kim Zollinger
Health and Wellness Consultant
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303-736-6477, Ext. 3
Samantha Long
Director of the Colorado Legacy Schools program
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303-736-6477, Ext. 4
Nina Lopez
Director of Educator Effectiveness
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303-736-6477, Ext. 5
Helayne Jones Bio
An education consultant, Jones was named executive director of the Colorado Legacy Foundation in March 2009. She spent 15 years prior consulting with school districts and education foundations in Colorado and throughout the country to implement school reform by improving business processes in education systems. She also worked extensively with private-sector and nonprofit organizations to facilitate strategic planning, board communications and manage the impact of change. Jones currently serves as a member of the Boulder Valley School Board; trustee, Rose Community Foundation; chair, Systems Transformation Subcommittee, P-20 Education Council; and board member, Presidents Leadership Class, University of Colorado at Boulder.
Prior to consulting, Jones spent three years as an adjunct professor at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y., and 12 years in the technology industry including several executive marketing positions at Wang Laboratories.
She received her doctoral degree in educational administration in May 1995 from the Columbia University Teachers College with an emphasis on school reform. She received a master’s in English, in October 1977 from the University of Massachusetts and a bachelor’s, honors college, from the University of Michigan in 1975.
Kim Zollinger Bio
A consultant for the Colorado Legacy Foundation, Zollinger is the former health plan wellness and marketing director for the Colorado Association of School Boards’ Self-Funded Trust.
Working in the educational setting for the past 24 years as a teacher and administrative employee, she served from 2005 to 2007 as the employee wellness director for Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8.
Zollinger earned a master’s degree in sports administration in 1992 from Fort Hays State University, Kan., and a bachelor’s in physical education in 1984.
Samantha Long Bio
Director of the Colorado Legacy Schools program, Long came to the Colorado Legacy Foundation from the Colorado Department of Education in January 2010. At CDE, she acted as the liaison between Colorado and the National Math and Science Initiative, working with local government and policy makers to bring the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program model to Colorado high schools. Additionally, Long was the assistant director of the unit of statewide system of accountability and support and former manager of Senate Bill 08-212, or Colorado’s Achievement Plan for Kids (CAP4K).
Long’s prior education policy experience includes working as research assistant for the Center for Education Policy Analysis (CEPA), program consultant for Denver Public Schools’ New Schools Office and media consultant for Colorado Campus Compact at Regis University.
Long earned a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs in 2008 and a bachelor’s of science in public affairs and public relations at Syracuse University’s Maxwell and S.I. Newhouse Schools in 2005.
Nina Lopez Bio
Nina Lopez began work for the Colorado Legacy Foundation in May of 2009 helping to articulate and launch CLF’s work in the area of educator effectiveness. In May of 2010, Nina became the Director of Educator Effectiveness Initiatives for CLF. In addition to her work at the Legacy Foundation, Lopez serves as Special Assistant to the Commissioner for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). In that role, she coordinates the CDE’s effective use of funds under the American Recovery and Administration Act, including the state’s application under the Race to the Top competition.
Previously, Lopez served as Vice President of Strategy and Operations for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, providing overall organizational oversight as well as direct supervision of the policy team. She has worked in K-12 education policy since 2003, first as Director of External Affairs for the Colorado League of Charter Schools and later as policy director for the Donnell-Kay Foundation.
Lopez also co-chaired the education committee for Gov. Ritter’s transition team. Prior to 2003, she practiced corporate law for nine years.
Lopez volunteers as Vice President of the Board of Directors for KIPP Colorado – a network of public charter schools serving low-income students in Denver. She also has served as the school’s board president. She also is a founding member of the scholarship committee for the Reisher Scholars Program.
Lopez earned a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University in 1994 and a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard-Radcliffe in 1991.