Contact Us

Paige Langley, B.A., is the Program Assistant for the Office of Learning Supports. Prior to joining CDE, she worked in the building controls and technology industry for over 6 years as a project coordinator. She administratively supported a team of project managers, served as a member of a corporate charitable committee, and drove organizational changes pertaining to labor tracking and document storage. Paige graduated from Colorado State University with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Business Administration where her primary focuses were local and regional transience and ethnic and gender studies. Born and raised in Colorado, Paige loves where she lives, works, and plays.

Adam Collins, Ph.D., is a COMTSS Specialist and the Statewide Bullying Prevention Manager in the Office of Learning Supports. Dr. Collins most recently served as a K-5 school psychologist in the Adams 12 School District where he had first-hand experience in the development and practical application of MTSS, RtI, and school-wide bullying prevention. He received his doctorate degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in School Psychology with a focus on bullying prevention and intervention. Dr. Collins has authored several books and presented on bullying prevention to educators across Colorado, the U.S., and internationally.

Lynne DeSousa, M.S., is a COMTSS Specialist and the RtI (Response to Intervention) and PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) Integration Coordinator in the Office of Learning Supports. In more than 26 years in education, she has served as a CDE Regional Implementation Consultant, a district PBIS/Mental Health coordinator, school-based PBIS Facilitator, a school psychologist and a counselor. Paramount to these experiences have been the ability to provide guidance on how to align and integrate various behavioral and mental health efforts into a layered continuum of evidence based practices that matches supports to student need.  Specific areas of professional interest include improving the implementation of multi-tiered behavioral frameworks, social emotional learning, trauma responsive approaches, classroom management, school-wide bullying prevention and intervention, individual/small group counseling, and functional behavioral assessment and individualized behavior support planning. Her unique perspective and varied experiences have afforded her the opportunity to speak to the integration of trauma responsive practice across tiers of supports to audiences across the country. Lynne has an M.S. in School Psychology at California State University, Fresno.

Evan Daldegan, M.A., is a COMTSS Specialist for the Office of Learning Supports. Evan earned his undergraduate degree in Social Sciences and Secondary Education at the University of Northern Colorado. Shortly after graduating, Evan discovered a passion for special education and completed his Master of Arts Degree in Special Education. Evan has taught students as a special education teacher and general education teacher at the elementary level for 10 years prior to joining CDE. He specializes in RTI, behavioral supports, and special education innovations. Evan has a passion for collaboration and enjoys working with diverse populations. 

Katherine Thompson, M.A., is a COMTSS Specialist for the Office of Learning Supports. Katherine earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in art history and English, and later earned a master’s degree from UVA in secondary English education, gifted education, and English language learning. She has lived and taught in southwest Colorado for nine years prior to joining CDE. After starting her career as a middle school language arts teacher and GT/RTI coordinator, she transitioned to a teacher librarian position. She earned her master’s in learning design and technology with a teacher librarian endorsement from University of Colorado, Denver. Katherine also has experience as a district COMTSS coordinator. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, hiking, and spending time with family.

Milcah Hawk, Ed.S., NCSP is a COMTSS Specialist for the Office of Learning Supports. Milcah received her educational specialist degree (Ed.S) in School Psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver. Over the last 25 years, Milcah has been passionate about building Trauma-Responsive environments and reaching at risk youth. Starting her education career as a Teach for America Corps member, she spent many years teaching in both general education and special education classrooms, worked as a national trainer for the Why Try? multi-media therapy curriculum, and has served schools as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist in the United States and Latin America. Through her current work with the Colorado Department of Education in districts throughout south central Colorado in the San Luis Valley, Milcah has supported the implementation of COMTSS. This work has increased positive learning environments through identifying social-emotional and educational needs of students and designing effective systems to reach them. 

Rebecca Knighton, Ph.D., is a COMTSS Specialist for the Office of Learning Supports. She serves the North Central and Northeast regions of Colorado. Prior to working for the state of Colorado, she was a general education Behavioral Interventionist, Gifted and Talented Specialist and integral member of a middle school’s MTSS and individual student problem solving teams. She secured and managed two grants to support the development of systems-level social emotional and behavioral supports for middle school students. She has led professional development at the school, district, and state levels in PBIS, MTSS, increasing staff buy-in, and understanding students’ social emotional and behavioral needs. She has a passion for helping school staff members build their capacity to help at-risk youth change the trajectory of their lives. 

Veronica Starcher, M.A., is a COMTSS Specialist for the Office of Learning Supports.  Originally from Northeast Ohio, Veronica has been a resident of the San Luis Valley for seventeen years, teaching in the Monte Vista Public School District. Receiving her B.A. in Music Education from Kent State University and her M.A. in Music Education from Adams State University, Veronica has nineteen years of classroom teaching experience in elementary music, math and reading interventions, and online instruction. Additionally, Veronica is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Adams State University, teaching Elementary Music Methods for Music Education Majors, and has also presented at Orff and Kodaly workshops on the power of a positive classroom environment in the elementary music classroom. With over a decade of experience in School Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Support leadership and six years of MTSS leadership, Veronica is passionate about supporting teachers in their work to foster student growth and success. Outside of her job, Veronica enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, listening to and making music, and traveling in Europe with her husband.