Meet the Engage49 Team
719-247-9540
B.S. - Psychology & Elementary Education
M.A. - Curriculum and Instruction & Principal Licensure
Cari Muresan
Cari Muresan is the Falcon Zone Community Liaison, now in her 24th year in education. She has had the privilege of being part of the Falcon Zone for several years, first as a teacher at Falcon Middle School and then as the Dean of Students at Falcon Elementary School of Technology.
Passionate about fostering meaningful family engagement in schools, Cari believes that strong partnerships between families and educators create a supportive environment for students to thrive both academically and emotionally. She is excited to be part of Engage49, where she will work to bring families and schools together to enhance the learning experience.
In her free time, she loves to explore Colorado with her husband and 2 kids!
Karen Parks
Karen Parks has been in education for 28 years. She holds a BA in Journalism and an MS in Education, and currently serves as a Family-Engagement TOSA for six Title I schools within District 49. Prior to her work in education, Karen served as a Public Affairs Officer in the United States Air Force, where she enhanced her skills in communication and found her voice for the causes she champions. In her current role, Karen collaborates with the Colorado Department of Education and surrounding school districts in the Pikes Peak region on the Family, School, Community Partnership Collaborative.
Karen, who is married and the mother of two grown children, is deeply committed to enhancing the educational experience for both families and students. She is grateful for the opportunities her professional journey has provided, which have deepened this commitment. "I am privileged to work with amazing peers on the goal of raising family voices and honoring their expertise on their children."
412-491-6509
B.S in Secondary Education Mathematics
M.A. in Educational Leadership
Lauren Stuart
Lauren Stuart serves District 49 as the Sand Creek Zone Community Liaison. She taught Math at Sand Creek High School for 10 years before advocating for a position that connected with our families and community. She currently runs the Community Resource Center, a free food and clothing pantry, located at Horizon Middle School. "We want to build the capacity of our families and partner with them to produce the best educational outcomes for our students. It takes a village!"
Lauren and her husband have two children in D49 and love to explore Colorado in their free time.
victora.villescas@d49.org
719-494-8618
B.A. in Communications
M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction
M.A. in Information and Learning Technologies
Victoria Villescas
Victoria Villescas is the Community Liaison for the POWER Zone. She began her teaching career in 2000, spending several years in the elementary classroom before discovering a passion for technology integration in education. Victoria joined District 49 at Ridgeview Elementary as a technology teacher and soon took on the additional role of POWER Zone Technology Specialist, supporting innovative learning across multiple schools.
Now, as the POWER Zone Community Liaison, Victoria is dedicated to building strong relationships among families, schools, and the broader community. She loves her role, her team, the community she serves, and the schools she collaborates with every day.
Victoria and her husband are both proud employees of District 49, and their three children attend schools in the POWER and Falcon Zones. A self-proclaimed geek, Victoria enjoys all things techy and treasures quality time with her family.
Kelli Chappelle
Kelli Chappelle serves District 49 as the Military Student & Family Liaison. She supports military-connected students and families as they navigate school transitions, enrollment, registration, credit transfers, special education services, and connections to district, military, and community resources. As a member of an active-duty military family herself, Kelli understands the challenges that come with frequent moves and the importance of having someone to help families feel connected and supported. “Military lifestyle can be lonely, moving is hard emotionally on everyone. I just hope I am making parts of the move a little easier.”
Kelli and her husband have three children, including a college student, a middle schooler, and her youngest is in elementary school.
Karen Hobson
Karen Hobson is a community member with a passion for helping to engage parents. She has been involved at all levels of the PTA (Parent Teacher Association), to include Colorado PTA President, and continues to serve on the Colorado PTA Board of Directors. She retired from the Army and couldn’t sit at home, so landed a job in District 49. She retired from Falcon Middle School and continues to serve the district on the District Accountability Advisory Committee. Both of her children graduated from Falcon High School.
Stephanie Ramirez
Stephanie Ramirez is the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (CLDE) Family Engagement and Community Liaison. She has always worked in the field of education and have extensive experience with family and community engagement. "I'm passionate about serving our students, parents, teachers and community members." Her role is geared towards building relationships, promoting equality, supporting student success, and enhancing communication between families and school.