Meetings
Meetings are open to the public and will be held on Google Meet for the foreseeable future. The link is posted on the CCPS calendar and will begin at 5:00pm the third Tuesday of every month. Minutes of meetings are available for review 10 days after the meeting has taken place. Meeting minutes are kept both electronically and in a binder in the administrative offices at the Jefferson campus. Meeting minutes are posted on the web page after they have been approved in the next month’s meeting by the full council.
Upcoming Meetings
- September 17th, 2024
- October 15th, 2024
- November 19th, 2024
- December 17th, 2024
- January, 21st, 2025
- February 18th, 2025
- March 18th, 2025
- April 15th, 2025
- May 20th, 2025
Meet the Governing Council
Holly Siebert, President holly.siebert@cottonwoodclassical.org
Holly was born and raised in New Mexico, spending the greater part of her childhood in the rural communities east of Albuquerque, and she remained in New Mexico to complete her undergraduate work at the University of New Mexico. As a high school senior, she attended courses at Central New Mexico Community College as part of her homeschool curriculum, with the intention of becoming a teacher. However, her love of history expanded into the study of architectural history and design, which resulted in her completing her degree in Architecture and Education. Since 2008, she has been practicing architecture at the local firm of Fanning Bard Tatum where she is a Project Manager. During the last 16 years, she has had the privilege of working on projects of all shapes and sizes, primarily in healthcare and higher education. She is a resident in the Downtown core and has been her entire adult life. She is married to a native Santa Fean and designer. Together, she and her husband are raising their three young children who attend the wonderful Montessori of the Rio Grande Charter School in the near north valley of Albuquerque, and she also enjoys renovating and restoring their 1912 historic bungalow in Downtown Albuquerque, cycling, and spending time with her family, friends, and neighbors. Beginning in 2022 she made the decision to get involved in helping to bring a quality education to more of New Mexico’s children in a tangible way. To begin that journey she joined the New Mexico Kids Can Change Maker’s fellowship and embarked on a journey of learning about what is working well and what we need to improve on in our community to achieve the goal of improving education in New Mexico. She hopes to support the amazing work Cottonwood Classical is doing to achieve the goal of providing a high quality education to all students, and help grow Cottonwood and schools like it in the future.
Tyrell Gaines, Secretary tyrell.gaines@cottonwoodclassical.org
Tyrell was born in Natchez, Mississippi and moved to Houston, Texas where he spent most of his formative years. He attended Prairie View A&M University, where he obtained his Bachelor’s of Business Administration with a focus in Management. Directly afterward, Tyrell traveled west to Albuquerque to began his career with Sandia National Labs in 2020. He supports the Lab’s Nuclear Deterrence and Global Security Programs as a Mission Services Project Manager. Tyrell brings experience with portfolio integration, strategic planning, and cost management. He is passionate in creating opportunities that help benefit the local community and its businesses. His other organizational involvement aligns with this as he is a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. An organization who annually partners with the American Cancer Society, March of Dimes, and Thurgood Marshall College Fund to provide needed support and benefits to communities around the country. Tyrell has been a member of CCPS since June 2022. He hopes to assist the team with pioneering a strategic plan that fits the ever growing ideals of Cottonwood Classical.
Phillip Walck, Treasurer phillip.walck@cottonwoodclassical.org
Phil is a lifelong resident of the Albuqueruqe metro area. He holds Bachelor of Business Administration & Masters of Business Administration degrees from the University of New Mexico. As a Certified Public Accountant, Phil specializes in tax compliance and planning for Individuals, Businesses, and Non-Profit Organizations. When not at work, Phil loves to spend time with his family & is often able to be found on one of the area’s great golf courses. Phil believes that education is the key to improving many of the issues that face our state and he is proud to serve as a memeber of the GC to help further CCPS’ mission.
Ray Campos, Member ray.campos@cottonwoodclassical.org
Ray J. Campos was born in Lima, Peru and immigrated to the US at the young age of 6. Ray has lived in New York, California, and eventually settled in the great state of New Mexico. Ray graduated from Del Norte HS and received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of New Mexico. As the middle child of three, raised by a single mother. Ray grew up to understand, appreciate, and respect the importance of a good education. His educational journey has led Ray towards a true passion for STEAM initiatives where he volunteers at schools giving motivational speeches to students and parents, providing support, mentorship, and guidance in their pursuits of STEAM degrees and careers.
Additionally, Ray is a 21-year retired US Air Force disabled veteran, who served two tours in Iraq and currently works as a Federal Civilian at the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base. Ray is also a small business owner, where he and his wife co-own XO Waffle, a small waffle bistro located inside the Sawmill Market in Old Town Albuquerque.
Ray has previous board member experience, having served on the Explora Science and Children’s Museum’s Board of Directors. As the newest member of the CCPS Governing Council, Ray will serve as the Governing Council Representative for the Equity Council of CCPS.
Kathy Alexander, Member kathy.alexander@cottonwoodclassical.org
Dee Dee Sanders, Member dee.sanders@cottonwoodclassical.org
Dee Dee Hatch-Sanders completed her Bachelors of Liberal Arts degree at the University of New Mexico and obtained a Master of Organizational Management degree from the University of Phoenix. She began working at Sandia National Labs supporting Strategic Operations staffing in April 2022.
Prior to joining Sandia Labs, she was the Dual Credit Coordinator at the University of New Mexico for almost ten years. She has worked closely with families, school administrators, and members of the Public Education Department to help students throughout the state align their college courses for dual credit and meet high school graduation requirements.
Dee Dee is passionate about student success and supporting community. She has been an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a community service organization for over 40 years. The organization has international initiatives that focus on family, health, education, and empowerment that have provided opportunities for her to commit to service, and has held numerous leadership positions at the local, regional, and international level. She is excited to join the board at Cottonwood Classical.
Kadeem Ladoo, Member kadeem.ladoo@cottonwoodclassical.org
Kadeem Ladoo was born in Antigua and Barbuda and later moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Business Analytics at the University of New Mexico. With an appetite for challenges and a passion for learning, he is drawn to the dynamic world of consulting and technology. Kadeem holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration in Operations Management and currently works as a Project Assistant within the Information Technology Department at the Anderson School of Management. In this role, he diagnoses and troubleshoots technological issues for students, faculty, and staff, while also spearheading the revision of the IT Department’s Operations Manual, and serving as the Auditing Lead. In addition to his roles at UNM, Kadeem is actively involved in international projects, serving as a Consultant and nonofficial Ambassador for his country. Kadeem is passionate about community development and education. He is a Governing Council member at Cottonwood Classical Preparatory School and aims to contribute to the strategic planning and growth of the institution. His dedication to creating impactful opportunities is evident in his involvement with various educational and technological initiatives. Kadeem is set to complete his master’s degree in December 2024 and is eager to explore new opportunities in consulting and technology. His dedication to community development, education, and innovation is evident through his active involvement in various initiatives aimed at making a positive impact.
Marie Parkes, PTO Representative
Kai Frick, Staff Representative
Madison Seidel, Student Representative
Governing Council Policies & Bylaws
- You can see the current versions of all policies here.
- The CCPS Governing Council bylaws can be read here.
