School Division Candidate (4-Year Term)

Douglas County School District Re 1

Zoe Tessier is Dean of Students K-12 in the Douglas County School District Re 1.

Education/Special Courses/Certifications

BFA, Santa Reparata International School of Art and Design, 2007

Licensure, Art Education K-12, Metropolitan State University of Denver, 2013

M.Ed., Administration and Leadership, Regis University, 2022

Doctorate, Education, Vanderbilt University, 2027

Employment History

Dean and Professional Learning Specialist Supervisor, 2023-2024

Emergenetics Youth Associate, 2023-2024

Aspiring Leadership Member, 2023-2024

Art Educator, RCHS, 2017-2023

Artist Residency, Children’s Hospital, CO, 2021

Educator, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 2017

Educator, Cherry Creek School District, 2013

Organizational Affiliations/Achievements

Member, American Association For Teaching and Curriculum, 2023-2024

Member, American Educational Research Association, 2023-2024

Member, Colorado Association of School Executives, 2023-2024

Member, American Educational Research Association, 2023-2024

Member, District CITE Evaluation Committee, DSCSD Re 1, 2021-2022

Board Member, District Accountability Committee, DCSD Re 1, 2021-2022

Advisory Council, DCSD Re 1, 2024

McNair Scholars Mentor, UNC, 2023-2024

Hutchinson-Lahman Award Candidate, UNC, 2024

Presenter, Learning and The Brain, NY, 2024

Presenter, Digital Learning Conference, TX, 2024

Speaker, ISTE, 2024

DCF, 2021-2024

Responses

Interest in Serving as a PERA Trustee

Being in education for over fourteen years, I have had first-hand experience watching my fantastic fellow educators retire to find out that they are not given the dignified retirement as promised to them. I also have first-hand experience talking with hundreds of educators who benefit from learning more about where their retirement funds are going. This includes contribution levels, retirement formulas, and laws that dictate the benefit programs. My passion for ensuring the admirable hard work of our teachers to help educate our future generation of students drives my love and commitment to serve as a PERA trustee.

Challenges/Opportunities Facing PERA

Ensuring that PERA's pension fund is fully funded by the 2048 deadline is crucial for the financial health of the retirement system. To help educators feel supported in their contributions to the funds, there needs to be reassurance in securing retirees' current and future pension obligations. To address this, there needs to be a collective responsibility for funding where there is a shared contribution obligation involving all parties. Currently, the education division is being targeted to help fund PERA by asking that third-party substitutes pay into PERA when other sectors of PERA are not obliged to do the same.

Role of a Trustee

As a trustee, advocating for policies that recognize and support educators is crucial. This includes collaborating with the General Assembly to address future funding challenges of the retirement fund and ensure the stability of PERA. Ways that I would support and contribute as a trustee would be bringing my unique experience and perspective as an educator and administrator to advocating policies that recognize and support educators. Transparency and communication is key to being an active trustee member of PERA.