EQUIPO DE APOYO ESCOLAR
Ke'Shonda Allen, 1:1 Support Specialist
Ms. Allen attends the Evergreen State College Tacoma and loves reading, art, science, math, music, and all things creative! Ms. Allen is looking forward to being a part of the Catalyst community.
Karen Brehmer, especialista en educación
¡Hola! Mi nombre es Karen y estoy agradecida de unirme al equipo de Catalyst. Espero poder apoyar a nuestros estudiantes y celebrar el aprendizaje con ellos.
Aunque crecà y fui a la universidad en Minnesota, he vivido en Washington por más años. Comencé mi carrera en Bremerton, enseñando tercer y quinto grado. Recientemente, he tenido el privilegio de servir a niños y familias como educadora especial de intervención temprana.
Mi esposo y yo nos estamos acostumbrando a tener el nido vacÃo y tener dos hijos adultos. El mayor está casado y vive en Edmonds con su esposa y su colección de mascotas. Nuestra hija está más cerca: vive en Bremerton. ¡Los momentos en familia son los mejores momentos! Nos encanta reunirnos para tomar un café, compartir comidas, jugar y vivir aventuras juntos. Cada vez que puedo, me gusta dibujar y siempre tengo un cuadro en progreso; Disfruto creando usando varios medios.
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Jeremiah Davis, Social Emotional Learning Fellow
Jeremiah “Miah” Davis is a dedicated professional and former student-athlete with a proven track record of leadership, strategic planning, and community impact. A native of Bremerton, Washington, Miah has committed his career to fostering growth and excellence in his community through innovative projects, mentorship, and organizational leadership.
As Head Basketball Coach at Bremerton High School, he has motivated student-athletes to achieve personal and team goals, emphasizing skill development and sportsmanship for the last 11 years. As CEO and Director of Commit 360, a non-profit focused on student-athlete mental and physical education, Miah oversees program ethics, policies, and community outreach. He has organized youth workshops on leadership, goal-setting, and self-development while mentoring student-athletes through the Commit 360 AAU Basketball Program.
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Miah has led initiatives in youth wellness, event planning, and community engagement. He holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of the Pacific and Business Degree from Michigan Sate University. He’s also an alumni of the Leadership Kitsap foundation in 2014 and inducted into the Kitsap Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Recognized with the African American Achievement Award in 2023 and is currently a Bremerton Rotarian. Miah’s unwavering passion for building stronger communities, coupled with his ability to inspire excellence, defines his career and ongoing contributions to his hometown and beyond.
Ashley Lewis, Education Specialist
I am originally from the Bay Area, California. I graduated high school early and stayed very active with sports, including diving, swimming, and water polo. I also sang in our school’s incredibly competitive choir. I moved to Phoenix, AZ after high school. There, I raised my children and attended Grand Canyon University where I earned a Bachelors of Science, graduating summa cum laude, and a Master’s of Education, graduating magna cum laude.
This is my 12th year in education. I have worked in preschool and Structure Teaching classrooms, I taught 1st grade, 3rd grade, Social Emotional Learning, and coached middle school soccer and supported the softball coach.
I have 5 children, who are all adults now!! I also have 2 dogs, and 3 cats. I love camping, hiking, gardening, water sports, and I really love reading and learning new things!
Darnetia Miller, 1:1 Support Specialist
Darnetia Miller, originally from Norfolk, Virginia, has been residing in Washington for the past two years. Having tied the knot with her best friend, Vernon, on July 15, 2022, she finds joy in her marriage. While children are not a part of her family just yet, Darnetia has a beloved Shih Tzu named Bailey, who holds a special place in her heart.
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With an impressive career spanning over 25 years in the field of education, Darnetia's passion for nurturing young minds led her to a middle school in Port Orchard upon her move to Washington state. There, she gained a profound understanding of the community through the perspective of scholars. Darnetia has a genuine appreciation for students with diverse abilities and recognizes the significance of fostering an inclusive educational environment.
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In her continuous quest for personal and professional growth, Darnetia has recently embarked on a journey to learn Braille. This newfound skill reflects her commitment to understanding and catering to the diverse needs of her students. Currently positioned at Catalyst, Darnetia is enthusiastic about her role and is determined to be intentional in providing unwavering support to the scholars under her care.
Alison Michaels-Dyckman, Nutrition Specialist and Operations Coordinator
Alison Michaels-Dyckman (she/her) is one of the newest additions to Catalyst Public School. After working in the nursing field for over two decades, Ms Michaels-Dyckman transitioned into dietary and nutrition management three years ago. She seems to have fallen into the perfect spot at Catalyst, working full time in nutrition services and part time as an assistant in the health
room. Alison believes in keeping a strong sense of community and is proud to be able to contribute to the Catalyst Team, focusing on some of our scholar’s most basic needs: nourishment, comfort, and empathetic care.
Ms Michaels-Dyckman was born and raised in New Jersey and moved to Kitsap County in 1999. Over the last 25+ years, she has traveled the country and experienced all manner of living, but the Pacific Northwest has always been the one place that feels like home. Alison lives in Port Orchard with her wife, daughter, and two sons. They have a lively home, regularly full of friends,
family, four cats, a dog, and lots of extra kids. In her spare time, you can find Alison travel planning, bird-watching, reading, and doing her best to follow a simple life guideline, “Treat people with kindness.”
Randi Newman, 1:1 Support Specialist
Randi Newman was raised in a small desert town in California. She moved to Washington state almost 11 years ago and has considered it home ever since. Randi has learned to love the outdoors, rain and all, and loves finding fun new adventures to do with her children. She is also a huge animal lover, having grown up on a hobby farm, and loves the therapeutic quality animals can provide. Randi has provided services in her field for over a decade; being driven by her passion for youth success and social emotional wellness. Both in working within the field and having her own children utilize services, Randi has seen, first hand, the impact and weight working with children can hold. Being propelled by her desire to learn and elation with seeing children be successful in a variety of ways, she is so excited to work with Catalyst, where the social emotional health of scholars is held as high as their academic success.
Laura Parker, Education Specialist
Laura is a West Virginia native. As a submariner spouse she has also called CT, CA, CO, and VA home. She recently relocated to Kitsap county with her husband and three children from Norfolk, VA where she taught third grade.
She is excited to contribute to the Catalyst/ Bremerton community. Laura earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in child and adolescent development and her Master of Arts in Teaching Elementary Education. When she is not educating and learning she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family.
Laura lives by her favorite Rita Pierson quote “Every child deserves a champion- an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can be”.
Brad Thuring está entusiasmado de ser miembro del equipo de Catalyst y de ver crecer a Catalyst dentro de la comunidad de Kitsap.
Brad nació y creció en el este de Washington. Después de graduarse de la escuela secundaria, Brad se alistó y sirvió 8 años en el Cuerpo de Marines de los Estados Unidos. Brad ha trabajado en Camp Pendleton CA, Okinawa Japón, Desert Storm y Shield. Durante su carrera en la InfanterÃa de Marina, se casó con su esposa y formó una familia de 3 hijas.
Tras su baja de la InfanterÃa de Marina, Brad se mudó a Nueva York para asistir al Culinary Institute of America. Después de graduarse de la CIA, Brad trabajó para una panaderÃa de Long Island antes de mudarse a Port Orchard, Washington. Brad y su esposa criaron a sus 3 hijas en Port Orchard y se graduaron de la escuela secundaria South Kitsap.
Brad y su familia, incluidos cinco nietos, han residido en el condado de Kitsap durante más de 20 años. Ha trabajado en varios restaurantes y empresas en los condados de Kitsap, Peirce y King con varios tÃtulos, como chef ejecutivo, segundo chef, gerente de cocina y cocinero principal. Cuando Brad no está trabajando en la comunidad, disfruta de sus acuarios, al aire libre, acampar, andar en bicicleta y pasar tiempo con su familia.
Brad Thuring, especialista en nutrición y coordinador de operaciones
Monica Thuring, Coordinadora de Operaciones
¡Moneica Thuring está emocionada por su primer año en Catalyst! Nació en San Diego, California, pero ha vivido en Washington la mayor parte de su vida. Moneica tiene experiencia en enfermerÃa, más especÃficamente en el cuidado de personas que viven con demencia y Alzheimer, ¡junto con experiencia en redes sociales y marketing!
¡Cuando no está trabajando, puedes encontrarla pasando el rato con sus perros (un laboratorio y un husky)! ¡Le gusta llevarlos a aventuras espontáneas! También le encanta viajar y probar nuevos tipos de comidas, sueña con vivir a bordo algún dÃa. ¡A Moneica le encanta la familia y le encanta pasar tiempo con sus sobrinas y sobrinos! ¡Está muy agradecida de ser parte de la familia Catalyst y emocionada de trabajar con tanta gente maravillosa! ¡Esto es solo el comienzo y solo mejorará a partir de aquÃ!