Governing Board

Jane Shirley has twenty-five years of experience in business, education and the arts, holding a master’s degree in education with extensive post-graduate work in systems thinking and structural consulting. Currently, she is a partner with Team Tipton, a consulting firm that works with teams and organizations to design and implement future-focused strategy.

Jane and her husband Dave are co-founders of Rattlebrain, the creative team that envisioned and opened a cabaret theater in the historic D & F Clocktower. They have one son who is currently in film school and who sometimes gets roped into running tech for one of their shows.

Elise Topliss is a Policy and Performance Manager with the State of Colorado, Office of Economic Security. Elise earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Services – High Risk Youth from Metropolitan State University of Denver, and earned a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado. Elise is passionate about education and ensuring all children have access to safe and quality schooling, which includes minimizing the nutritional disparities among varying populations. Additionally, Elise is committed to ensuring professionals in the education field have resources and supports to be effective in their chosen field as well as have job satisfaction. Elise and her husband Jesse are the proud parents of two High Point Academy students.

Michael is a former HPA teacher and basketball coach. He works in public policy and is an adjunct professor of American Politics. He graduated from Valparaiso University and earned his J.D. from University of Colorado – Boulder. He and his wife, Mele, have 3 children.

Mickale Gilbert is a licensed financial consultant with seven years of experience in the financial services industry. He lives in Green Valley Ranch with his wife and three children, two of whom attend High Point Academy as 4th and 6th graders.

Mickale has a strong passion for education with both his parents being teachers and educators. He has spent the last 5 years working closely with Denver nonprofit organizations such as College Track, The Goodwill, Junior Achievement and Special Olympics of Colorado. He is very passionate about promoting financial literacy and has worked with Denver Public Schools to speak in their schools on financial literacy initiatives and fundraising to give back to the local community.