Leadership

Superintendent Steven Cook

The Board of Directors for Bend-La Pine Schools selected Dr. Steven Cook to be Superintendent of the school district in January 2021. He began serving in that role in July 2021.

Dr. Cook has devoted his life to public education, with well over 30 years of experience as a teacher, building administrator, and district leader. Originally from Kansas, he has worked in various locations such as Colorado and Idaho before arriving in Bend-La Pine Schools.

Dr. Cook is known for his passion for public education and unwavering commitment to serving schools and students. He strongly believes in creating a culture of belonging in our schools where students, staff, and families feel welcomed and valued. Dr. Cook believes in holding students to high expectations, with staff pushing them to strive for excellence. He understands that building strong relationships based on collaboration, listening, and trust is the cornerstone of a great school system.

He is happily married to Stephanie, and together they have three grown children.

Deputy Superintendent Lisa Birk

Bend-La Pine Schools named Dr. Lisa Birk to the position of Deputy Superintendent effective July 1, 2024. She has 15 years of leadership experience in the school district.

Primary responsibilities of the Deputy Superintendent include supporting the planning and coordination of district-wide educational programs. This position plays a central role in achieving the district's goals of increasing elementary-level literacy, helping students find and connect to their purpose, including post-graduation success, and fostering a sense of belonging for all within each of the district’s 33 schools.

Dr. Birk has worked in the Bend-La Pine district for 19 years. Prior to being named Deputy Superintendent, she spent a year as one of two executive directors overseeing elementary programs. Previously Dr. Birk was Principal at Bear Creek Elementary School for two years and at Pacific Crest Middle School for two years. She also served as Assistant Principal at Pacific Crest, Student Services Coordinator/Assistant Principal at Bear Creek, and a special education teacher at Juniper Elementary School.

Dan Emerson

Chief Financial Officer

Dan Emerson has served as CFO of Bend-La Pine Schools since July 1, 2024. He oversees all aspects of financial operations, including budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, procurement, and compliance to ensure the financial health and stability of the district.

When he joined the District, Dan had seven years of financial experience in the public sector, including three years as Budget and Financial Planning Manager for Deschutes County. Dan attended Kenwood Elementary School, Cascade Middle School and Summit High School, and graduated in 2006.

Paul Dean

Chief Operating Officer

Paul Dean has served as COO of Bend-La Pine Schools since July 1, 2024. He oversees Transportation, Facilities and Maintenance, Custodial and Sustainability, Information Technology, and School Safety to ensure the day-to-day operations of the district are efficient in serving the needs of students, staff, and the community.

Paul has worked for the school district for 21 years. Previous roles include Human Resources Director of Workforce Relations; Director of Safe and Healthy Schools; Principal of Highland Elementary School; Assistant Principal at High Desert and Cascade middle schools; and school counselor. He began his educational career as a high school teacher and coach in 1989.

Tony Sanchez

Chief Human Resources Officer

Tony Sanchez joined Bend-La Pine Schools in July 2026. He is an HR executive with over 25 years of leadership experience in the public sector, higher education, and health care. Most recently Tony was Chief HR Officer for Texas Woman’s University, the nation's largest state-supported university primarily for women with campuses in Denton, Houston, and Dallas. Previously he served in HR leadership at the University of North Texas at Dallas; Lamar University in Beaumont; Nix Health System in San Antonio; and Tenet Healthcare/St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital in San Antonio.

Sanchez oversees all HR functions for Bend-La Pine Schools, including employee and labor relations, benefits administration, evaluation systems, recruitment strategy, and compensation and classification systems. The position reports directly to the Superintendent.

Executive Directors

Kinsey Martin

Executive Director of Policy and Advocacy

Kinsey Martin advances civil rights and justice in our school system through family and community partnerships, and through policy design that reflects shared values of dignity and fairness. She also works to ensure a collective commitment to these values via the development of accountability systems for reporting and repairing harm. She has nearly two decades in public education, as a bilingual elementary teacher, instructional coach, and administrator. Kinsey is a graduate of Bend-La Pine Schools and has two children who are also students in this district.

Katie Legace

Executive Director of High Schools

Katie Legace has served as Executive Director of High Schools since 2018. She oversees high school programming, career technical education and future centers. Katie has worked as an administrator in the District for over 29 years. She served as Interim Deputy Superintendent in 2020-2021, Assistant Principal at Cascade Middle School and Mountain View High School, and Principal at Pilot Butte Middle School and Mountain View High School. Before joining Bend-La Pine Schools, Katie was a middle and high school language arts, ELL, social studies and leadership teacher.

Stephen DuVal

Executive Director of Middle Schools

Stephen DuVal serves as Executive Director of Middle Schools and District Talented and Gifted (TAG) Coordinator for Bend-La Pine Schools. Stephen oversees middle school programming across the district. Before joining Bend-La Pine Schools 14 years ago, he taught science and later served as a dean of students in the Beaverton School District. During his time in our district, Stephen has also served as an assistant principal and principal at Cascade Middle School and as Director of College and Career Readiness.

Tammy Doty

Executive Director of Elementary Schools

Tammy Doty co-supports the District’s 19 elementary and K–8 schools and is the Title 1 Coordinator. She partners with building administrators to ensure safe, high-quality learning environments for all students. She is in her 32nd year with Bend-La Pine Schools, having served as a teacher at La Pine Elementary, principal at La Pine Elementary and Silver Rail Elementary schools, and is now in her fifth year in her current role. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling the world, kayaking, Formula 1 racing, and spending time with family and friends.

Dr. Karen Rush

Executive Director of Elementary Schools

Karen Rush co-supports elementary schools and oversees Educational Technology. Her work focuses on supporting administrators, thoughtful use of technology, and strong systems that serve students, staff, and families. She brings experience as both a teacher and administrator to the District. As a child psychologist, she spent several years working with children and families who experienced trauma. A recent transplant to Central Oregon, Karen and her husband have two adult children and two chihuahuas that are learning to enjoy the mountain air.

Sean Reinhart

Executive Director of Student Services

Sean Reinhart has served in special education administration for Bend-La Pine Schools for over 10 years. He was a school psychologist in his early career and supported the expansion of a Multi-Tiered System of Supports as a pathway for school improvement and decision making. Sean’s later work has involved the integration of trauma-informed practices into all dimensions of the District climate and culture, including social and emotional instruction, an expansion of school-based mental health programs, mental health interventions, and restorative practices.

Doug Pigman

Executive Director of Facilities

Doug Pigman brings over two decades of expertise in construction and facilities management, including seven years as a general contractor and more than 15 years as Facilities Director for Greater Albany Public Schools. Doug has a track record of transforming teams into first-rate, cohesive, high-achieving units. As Executive Director of Facilities, Doug orchestrates ambitious, large-scale projects and cutting-edge facilities management programs. His leadership ensures sustainable, cost-effective solutions that support safe, well-maintained learning environments.

Kim Crabtree

Executive Director of Transportation

Kim Crabtree has served Bend-La Pine Schools since 2016. She oversees all aspects of transportation operations, including vehicle maintenance, staff training, and the continued focus on safety and reliability. With more than 34 years of experience in the field, she has held prior leadership positions at Greater Albany Public Schools and Sherwood School District. Kim also contributes to the broader transportation community as a board member of the Oregon Pupil Transportation Association and as a member of the Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee.

Directors

Scott Bojanowski

Director of Safety

Scott Bojanowski is dedicated to fostering a secure and supportive environment for students, staff, and the community. With over 10 years of experience in school safety and emergency management, he has a strong track record of implementing effective safety protocols that enhance overall wellbeing. Previously, Scott served 20 years in the U.S. Army and FEMA in Seattle. He holds a Master of Public Administration and is a graduate of FEMA’s Basic Emergency Manager Academy. He enjoys traveling, spending time with family and playing golf.

Triz delaRosa

Director of Human Resources

Triz delaRosa oversees Human Resources Workforce Relations, supporting the district leadership with labor relations, employee relations, policy compliance, collective bargaining interpretation, and process and HR system improvement. Before joining Bend-LaPine Schools in October 2025, Triz was Director of Adult Programs for Columbia Wellness, a community mental/substance abuse health organization. Triz has over 20 years of operational and human resources experience in both the private and public sector.

Colleen Funderberg

Director of Student Services

Colleen Funderburg is a Director of Student Services supporting Special Education and has served in this role for over 10 years. Across her 25 years in Bend-La Pine Schools, she has worked as an elementary and middle school classroom teacher, Learning Specialist, and district coach and mentor. She leads and supports a team of service providers and educators, with a focus on building strong systems, developing staff capacity, and ensuring all students have access to the supports they need. Colleen is deeply committed to student-centered practices and is also a parent of two students in Bend-La Pine Schools.

Jennifer Hauth

Director of Student Wellbeing

Jennifer Hauth is the Director of Student Wellbeing, overseeing a multi-tiered system of support for student wellbeing that encompasses school counselors, clinicians, life and career readiness instructional tools, mental health resources, and skill building interventions. As a recent transplant to Central Oregon, she joined Bend-La Pine schools in 2021, bringing leadership experience in building comprehensive school counseling and mental health systems. Jennifer is passionate about integrating life and career readiness skills through our students' K-12 educational journey to help students foster purpose, belonging, and future-ready skills. Jennifer and her husband have two high school students who attend Bend-La Pine schools.

Liza Huet

Director, Title III and Multilingual Services

As the Multilingual Services Director, Liza supervises K–12 Language Specialists, oversees Title III English Language Learner (ELL) case management, and leads districtwide professional development in the Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol framework and co-teaching for ELLs. Prior to her current role, she served as a K–12 English Language Development Instructional Coach. She previously spent 21 years as a classroom teacher, teaching English Language Development and Spanish as a World Language in New York City, New Jersey, Colorado, California, and Bend–La Pine. She is the proud mother of twin boys and enjoys traveling, studying languages, and spending time outdoors hiking, camping, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Ryan Kelling

Director of Human Resources

Ryan Kelling serves as the Director of Human Resources for Bend-La Pine Schools, supporting the district’s work in recruitment and hiring, employee relations, labor partnerships, compensation and classification, and staff development. He joined the district in 2014 as a Special Education teacher and has also served as an Assistant Principal and Principal with BLS. Ryan’s work centers on building clear systems and a strong employee experience that supports both student and employee success across the district.

Scott Maben

Director of Communications

Scott oversees District communications, including emergency messaging, media relations, websites, social media, and newsletters. Before joining Bend-La Pine Schools in February 2023, Scott led communications for Coeur d'Alene Public Schools in Idaho. He also worked as a journalist for over 30 years. He was a reporter and later an editor for newspapers in Bend, Redmond, Eugene and Spokane. He and his wife Carolyn have two children: one in high school and one in college.

Josh Marks

Director of Student Services

Josh Marks oversees student services, including programming and implementation for IDEA, as well as training and support for Section 504. He has served as Director of Student Services for Bend-La Pine Schools since 2017. Josh has spent his entire career in Bend-La Pine Schools, previously working as a science teacher, special education teacher, and building-level administrator. He is in his 21st year in education. Josh has been part of the Bend community for over 25 years.

Scott McDonald

Director of Information Technology

Scott McDonald has served as IT Director for Bend-La Pine Schools since 2021, leading a team of 30 technology staff. He brings 26 years of experience in the district, including 10 years as an Ed Tech Instructional Coach and 10 years in the classroom. He also taught for two years at the International School in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Scott has called Bend home since 1976.

Rodger Moore

Director of Facility Operations

Rodger Moore has served as Director of Facility Operations for Bend-La Pine Schools since August 2025. He oversees maintenance and custodial services with a focus on preventive maintenance, sustainability, and responsible stewardship of public funds. Rodger brings more than 30 years of facility management experience in the affordable housing industry and leads with a people-first approach rooted in service, accountability, and long-term care of district facilities.

Gabe Pagano

Director of District Activities & Athletics

Gabe Pagano works closely with staff, students, and families to build strong systems that support coaches, advisors, and programs across the district. Gabe helps ensure all students have access to consistent, high-quality opportunities beyond the classroom, no matter which school they attend. He served as Athletic Director at Summit High School from 2011 to 2018, Assistant Principal at Bend High School from 2018 to 2021, then Principal of Cascade Middle School until June 2025.

Tami Pike

Director of Health Services

Tami Pike is the Director of Health Services and has served the district since 2014, bringing a strong foundation in healthcare from her early career as a hospital nurse in California. As Director of Health Services, she is committed to supporting student well-being and ensuring safe, healthy school environments. Tami has been married for 35 years and is a proud parent of two children, grounding her work in a deep understanding of family and community.

Dr. Eric Powell

Director of Student Services

Eric Powell supports student management, student transitions, attendance, and related areas. He joined Bend-La Pine Schools in 2012 and has served in a variety of roles, including School Counselor, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal. His experience across the district supports his work with students, staff, and families. Eric and his wife Kina, who serves as the Office Manager at Lava Ridge Elementary School, have three children who attend Bend-La Pine Schools.

Dean Richards

Director of Secondary Curricula, Instruction and Systems

Dean Richards has served as Director of Secondary Curriculum, Instruction, and Systems since 2021. He brings deep instructional expertise and a strong passion for teaching and learning, shaped by classroom teaching, instructional coaching and years of classroom visits across Oregon through the Oregon Response to Instruction and Intervention Project. Dean has also worked nationally as a consultant in curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, and attending Oregon Ducks games.

Julie Richards

Director of Elementary Curriculum, Instruction and Support

Julie Richards believes that a strong foundation in literacy is the key to every student’s future. Originally hired in 2013 as a Teacher on Special Assignment to spearhead literacy initiatives, Julie’s leadership and expertise in early childhood reading led her to the administrative team in 2020. Now serving as Director, she oversees the strategic development of elementary curriculum and instruction. Beyond curriculum, Julie is dedicated to cultivating the next generation of educators. She manages the K–12 teacher mentoring program and leads the elementary instructional coaching team, ensuring our staff has the support they need to thrive. Outside of work, Julie can be found exploring the world through travel, hiking local trails, or curled up with a great book alongside her family and friends.

Garra Schluter

Director of Nutrition, Warehouse, Distribution

Garra Schluter serves as the Director of Nutrition Service and Distribution for Bend–La Pine Schools, bringing more than 22 years of experience in K–12 nutrition programs. She oversees meal service, food distribution, catering, and all staffing for Nutrition Services, ensuring high‑quality, nutritious meal service for all students. Garra is a wife and, mother of three daughters, one currently in middle school in the district, and she enjoys golfing and skiing in her free time.

Andrea Wilson

Director of Benefits and Risk

Andrea Wilson oversees Benefits and Risk Management and has been with Bend-La Pine Schools since 2002. She has served in a variety of roles supporting district operations and is especially passionate about her current work supporting employee wellbeing. A proud Bend-La Pine Schools alumna, Andrea attended R.E. Jewell Elementary, Cascade Middle School, and Bend Senior High. Being able to give back to the community that shaped her is something she finds especially meaningful. Andrea enjoys the outdoors and traveling with husband Quentin and their two daughters.

Dr. Dave VanLoo

Director of School Improvement

As Director of School Improvement, Dave VanLoo builds staff capacity to improve student outcomes. He leads and supports strategic planning, monitoring of improvement initiatives, professional learning, data and assessment systems, and research partnerships to maximize impact and return on investment. Dave has served Bend-La Pine Schools since 2002 as a psychologist and administrator. He has also taught at the University of Oregon and Lewis & Clark College and consulted nationally on reading, assessment, and instruction. Outside of education, Dave enjoys spending time with his family, outdoor recreation, and traveling.

Sara Young

Director of Student Services

Sara Young is a Director of Student Services supporting Special Education. She joined Bend-La Pine Schools in 2006 as a Learning Specialist and served in that role for 15 years. She later supported staff across the district as a coach and mentor before transitioning into her current leadership position. Sara is dedicated to strengthening systems that equip staff with the training and tools they need to confidently support every student. Sara and her husband, Andy, a teacher at Mountain View High School, have two children who attend Bend-La Pine Schools.

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