Our Board

Susan Thornton, Chair

  • Founding Board member
  • Principal, Susan Thornton Associates, LLC
  • Former Littleton Mayor

Deborah Vera Ryan, Vice Chair

  • Registered Nurse with dual Master’s degrees in Exercise Physiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation

Diane Huling, Grants Manager

  • Colorado History Museum
  • Retired IT Director

Connie Shoemaker, Secretary

Mary Siddall, Immigrant Pathway Colorado grantee, was invited to speak at the Littleton Optimists club. Mary entertained the group with stories of her cultural adjustments in middle America and her positive attitudes toward her new life here in Littleton. Here she is with Board Director Connie Shoemaker.
Mary Siddall, Immigrant Pathway Colorado grantee, was invited to speak at the Littleton Optimists club. Mary entertained the group with stories of her cultural adjustments in middle America and her positive attitudes toward her new life here in Littleton. On the left is Board Member Connie Shoemaker.
  • Founding Board member
  • Director Emerita, Spring International Language Center

Anya Eagan, Treasurer

  • Vice President
  • FirstBank, Parker
  • Immigrant from Belarus

Shirlaine Castellino

  • Director, Spring International Language Center
  • Immigrant from the Phillipines

Jennifer Gueddiche

  • Former Director, African Community Center

Julia Guzman

  • Immigration Lawyer
  • Principal, Guzman Law

Mike Harrison

  • Former Associate Pastor
  • Bethany Evangelical Free Church, Littleton

Gerre Shenkin

  • Retired teacher, Spring International Language Center

Carrie Warren-Gully

  • Arapahoe County Commissioner, District 1; former Treasurer, Littleton Public Schools’ Board of Education

Courtney Loehfelm

  • Executive Director, Arapahoe Community College Foundation

Webmaster

Traci Jones

  • Immigrant from United Kingdom

Meet Our Board Members

Connie Shoemaker is co-founder and director emerita of Spring International Language Center. She is the author of four books on international education, Ma’alesh: Verses from Egypt, and a recent memoir The Good Daughter: Secrets, Life Stories and Healing.  In progress is Taste the Sweetness Later: Two Muslim Women in America.  Connie also facilitates classes on Telling and Writing Your Life Stories for Denver University’s Osher Life Long Learning Institute.

Diane Huling is a native Coloradan, born and raised in Denver.  She went to East high school and graduated from D.U. in economics and philosophy.  She’s the mother of two daughters.  Her career in Colorado government was in Information Technology.  Now retired, Diane’s interests include being a gym rat, reading, gardening, working with IPC, knitting and being “back up” for helping her grandchildren.