Board of Directors
Board Meetings
The Westgate Board of Directors generally meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at 12500 Washington Street, Thornton. Enter through the main doors on the south side of the building. Most meetings also have a virtual option, and occasionally meetings are held entirely virtually. Directions and links to join the meetings are on the Westgate School Calendar (https://www.westgateschool.org/apps/events)
Agendas are posted at least 24 hours in advance. Board meetings are open to the public. There is an open mic opportunity at the beginning of most meetings.
Board Minutes
Board Minutes are available for inspection during normal school office hours, 8:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. on school days. Electronic copies of the minutes since June 2011 are available in the Minutes folder on this page.
Westgate Board of Directors
Carrie Horn, President - Term ends 2029
Carrie is in the third year of her first term on the Westgate Board of Directors. Her family has been at Westgate since 2019. Her sons are in the 9th and 11th grades. While originally from the Midwest, Carrie has lived in Colorado for the past 20 years. She enjoys exploring the outdoors as a family, and Colorado has been a perfect fit. Working as a physician over the past four years, she spent a lot of time coordinating response efforts related to the pandemic.
Rachel Marsh, Vice President - Term ends 2028
Rachel is in the first year of her first term on the Westgate Board of Directors. Her children have been at Westgate since 2017 and are now in 8th, 5th, and 1st grades. She began her career in emergency medical services, where she developed a deep commitment to serving others and supporting the well-being of her community. Today, she continues that passion through volunteer work across various local organizations, including the Quality Community Foundation in Commerce City and delivering meals through Meals on Wheels. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, gardening, and skiing.
Robin LaRue, Treasurer - Term ends 2029
Robin is in the third year of her first term on the Westgate Board of Directors. Born and raised in Boston, she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Master of Arts in Education, both from Clark University. For over twenty years, Robin has worked with organizations and businesses that provide various forms of advocacy & support to adults living with disabilities. The LaRue children have both been at Westgate since kindergarten and are now in 4th and 7th grades. Robin enjoys spending time with her husband, kids, and the family dogs. She also enjoys hammocks, audiobooks, knitting and (very slowly) running.
Mario Acklin, Secretary - Term ends 2026
Mario is the first year of his second term with the Westgate Board of Directors. He currently serves as Regional Director of Service Delivery at All Covered | Konica Minolta for the Western United States. He has had a successful 19-year career working in the IT space, with a focus on network solutions, virtualization, and service delivery. Mario has lived in Colorado for 38 years with his wife of 22 years and two children, Dominica (who graduated Cum Laude from Westgate in the spring of 2023), and Idris, a senior. His wife, Michele, is a proud Colorado native. In his spare time, he enjoys camping, working on his home server equipment, and spending time with friends and family.
Derrick Fritz, Member - Term ends 2028
Derrick is in the first year of his first term with the Westgate Board of Directors. Derrick and his wife, Erin grew up in San Diego and married in 2004. Derrick works for AssuredPartners in the insurance field, and Erin is a Registered Nurse at Good Samaritan on the Labor & Delivery Floor. They have two students at Westgate, in grades 10 & 6. They enjoy camping, hiking, trail running and climbing.
Savita Ginde, Member - Term ends 2028
Savita is in the first year of her first term on the Westgate Board of Directors. She is originally from Ohio and completed her education and medical training on the East Coast. In 2003, after finishing specialty training in Reproductive Health and Family Planning, she made Colorado her home. Today, she serves as the CEO and Chief Medical Officer of Boulder Valley Health Center, where she leads with a deep commitment to community health and equity. Savita lives in Broomfield with her husband, an IT and cybersecurity specialist, and their two children—both proud 5th graders at Westgate. As a family, they embrace a wide range of activities, from adventurous travels to cozy pajama days at home.
Trey Mathis, Member - Term ends 2026
Trey is in the first year of his term on the Westgate Board of Directors. His child is a second grader & has been at Westgate since 2023. He has a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics, and is a lifelong educator. He served as a high school mathematics teacher for 6 years, and has spent the years since supervising and operating a math intervention program at several schools around Denver. He enjoys hiking with his family, cooking, baking, and learning new things.
Joining the Board of Directors in 2026
Lacey Biddick will join the Westgate Board of Directors this summer. Her son, who is on the autism spectrum, began kindergarten at Westgate in 2025. She has a longstanding passion for child development and a deep appreciation for the impact educators have on shaping children’s trajectories. Professionally, Lacey is an advisor in the Experience Management field, with a primary focus on healthcare. She is eager to bring an experience-centered lens to the Board, with a focus on students, families, educators, and administrators. Lacey and her husband enjoy gardening, cooking, and experimenting with new sourdough recipes with their two boys.
Breann Colpitts will join the Westgate Board of Directors this summer. Breann is an AuDHD school psychologist and parent to two Westgate students (rising 6th and 4th graders). In addition to being a socially awkward cat lady, Breann has a private coaching practice supporting twice exceptional (2e) and high masking kids with neuro-affirming social skills. She co-hosts the Parenting Neurodivergent Humans podcast and has presented at the Colorado Association of
Gifted & Talented annual state conference for three years running.
Westgate Board of Directors Sunshine List
Annual Abestos Notification