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BLUUM

Our Team

Bluum is a nonprofit organization helping Idaho become a national model for how to maximize learning outcomes for children and families.

We are committed to ensuring that Idaho’s children reach their fullest potential by cultivating great leaders, replicating high-performing school models, and taking risks to develop new approaches so all Idaho students have access to a great education.

Meet the people dedicated to serving some of Idaho’s finest school leaders in helping them educate and support their thousands of families and students.

Amy Hukkinen

DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL GRANTS & SUPPORT

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Amy Hukkinen

Director of Federal Grants & Support

Amy is Bluum’s Director of Federal Grants and Support, overseeing the company’s private and federal grant programs, including the $22 million Charter School Program (CSP) grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education. She designed and implemented the technology and grant administration processes that support the interface of Bluum’s staff and subgrantee schools, drawing on her background in technology and system improvement. Her experience in project and process management has guided cross-functional teams through seven rounds of federal grant competition.

Her education career began as a low-income student in a district that encouraged student integration and promoted gifted and talented youth in specialized learning environments. Amy was set up for a lifelong love of learning through the Neptune Township Launch (Honors) Program, with amazing teachers serving as role models for herself and, eventually, her family.

Amy has taught in rural school districts in addition to her experience as a parent of students attending parochial, public, and Monmouth County charter schools. She was most recently a middle school teacher in Idaho, following her Teach for America corps experience on Hawai’i’s Big Island, with a focus on ensuring all students’ academic success. She has taught special education for grades 4-12, as well as science, math, and English.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Management and a Master of Science in Professional Security Studies from New Jersey City University in Jersey City, NJ. She is a proud graduate of the local county Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. She is happiest working for education nonprofits that resonate with her own academic and career path, after working in the for-profit world while raising her family. She is proud to be a member of Cohort 8 of the PiE Leadership Institute.

Annie Edwards

FINANCE & OPERATIONS MANAGER

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Annie Edwards

Finance & Operations Manager

Annie is the Finance & Operations Manager at Bluum. She was born and raised in Idaho, in the Twin Falls and Emmett areas. She attended Gonzaga University and obtained a BA in Accounting. In her time in Spokane, Annie worked with the Hospice of Spokane where she was first introduced to non-profit finance work.

Prior to joining Bluum, she most recently served as Finance Manager with St. Alphonsus Health System, and she has held several finance-related roles in her nearly 20 years with the organization. As Finance Manager, Annie was responsible for the health system’s budgeting/forecasting process as well as overseeing the capital expenditure process and serving as an accountant and a financial liaison for several of the health system departments.

Annie has always felt a pull to non-profit work and is thrilled to expand her experience into the world of education at Bluum. She is excited to support the success of education and children in her home state of Idaho, a mission she holds dear to her heart.

Outside of work, Annie has two teenagers that keep her on her toes and she constantly is driving to activities around the Treasure Valley to cheer them on in their many adventures. She loves being a mom, and watching her kids grow up in Idaho! She has also always been active in team sports, growing up and even into adulthood, but most of her free time these days is embracing watching her own kids in their sports. Annie enjoys a backyard volleyball game, watching the Zags play basketball, hiking in the foothills, music festivals, and just being with family and friends.

Ashley Cotton

DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH & ORGANIZATION

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Ashley Cotton

Director of Outreach & Organization

Ashley is the Operations Manager for Bluum.
Her experience in the charter sector began as a student at Alicia Chacon International School where she was taught in English, Spanish, and Russian and trained in Russian Ballet. As an undergrad, Ashley was a Ronald E McNair Scholar and worked closely with the federal TRIO programs designed to prepare students for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral studies through involvement in research and other scholarly activities. While working towards her graduate degree, she served as a Teaching Assistant and was granted the wonderful experience of teaching Political Science college courses for 3 semesters.

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Kansas in Latin American Studies and Spanish, and a Master’s Degree from Texas A&M University in Political Science. She began her career as a Client and Business Coordinator for a Dallas-based leadership development company and is trained in Clifton StrengthsFinder and Predictive Index. Ashley has been a member of the Junior League of Dallas and Boise for the past 4 years and enjoys giving back to the community. Her main passions in life are her family and traveling. She has visited over 20 countries so far, with new trips and plans always on the horizon!

Cole Skinner

FINANCE & OPERATIONS MANAGER

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Cole Skinner

Finance & Operations Manager

Cole is the Finance & Operations Manager at Bluum. He has a background in finance, accounting, and technology. He started his career as a Financial Technician, providing financial support and guidance to a variety of student clubs and organizations at Boise State University. The past two and a half years he has worked for a corporate domain registrar, facilitating various client requests, and working with domain registries around the world. He earned a bachelor’s in finance and economics from Grand Canyon University. Cole is an Idaho native, and is excited to give back to the next generation of Idaho students.

Cory Campbell

FINANCE & OPERATIONS MANAGER

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Cory Campbell

Finance & Operations Manager 

Cory is the Finance & Operations Manager at Bluum. He comes to Bluum with 15 years’ experience in budget and finance from various industries including healthcare, federal civil service (Military) and Real Estate Mortgages. He attended Southwestern Oklahoma State University where he played football and earned his bachelors in Business Management.

Outside of work, Cory loves spending time with his wife and 2 kids who keep life extremely busy and interesting through their various sports and activities. Cory and his wife stay heavily involved in their kids sports by coaching many of the different sports. When his family is not on a sports field you can find them wakeboarding or tubing behind their boat or in the mountains snowboarding or hunting.

Cory has always had a heart for kids and education as he is the son of a retired schoolteacher and where Cory coached high school wrestling in for 15 years. Cory is extremely excited to use his previous work experience combined with his passion to help empower the education system and the next generation.

Desiree Rivera

SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

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Desiree Rivera

Special Education Program Development Specialist

Desiree is the Special Education Program Development Specialist at Bluum. Desiree’s experience working as an Extended Resource and Behavior Program Special Educator for the Caldwell School District has given her extensive deep knowledge of how to meet individual student needs. Most recently, Desiree served as the Special Education Director at Elevate Academy for at-risk students. Being a part of the first three years at the new charter school was a powerful and educational experience, and she is excited to continue working with schools in a new capacity. Born and raised in San Diego, CA, Desiree moved to Idaho in 2006. As a lifelong learner — she discovered her passion for education when her children began school. She is the mother of two teenagers that attend a charter school in the Bluum network and understands first-hand the importance of parent choice and involvement in education. Attending college as an adult, Desiree proudly holds a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from Boise State University and is currently pursuing her Master’s Degree in Leadership. In her free time, Desiree enjoys reading, camping, spending time with family outdoors and has found a new joy in the game of golf.

Jennifer Ribordy

SPECIAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

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Jennifer Ribordy

Special Education Development Director

Jennifer is the Special Education Development Director at Bluum. She has over 20 years of experience in special education, which gives her a wealth of experiences that lend to her comprehensive understanding of how to meet individual student needs, while also maintaining a robust school-level program. She has worked as a Special Educator at all levels (K-12) as an Educational Diagnostician, District Trainer, and most recently as a Special Education Programming Consultant for a district of over 40,000 students. Jennifer spent eight years working in Texas at both rural and urban districts, but as a proud Idaho Native, she was thrilled to return to have the opportunity to return to Boise and continue her work in the field. Jennifer holds a B.A. from the University of Idaho in Special Education, Secondary Education and Psychology. She completed her M.Ed. in Special Education/Educational Diagnostician at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. At Bluum, Jennifer works with school leaders, teachers and support personnel to develop and improve special education programming. She provides schools technical guidance, expertise in systems development, and instructional planning recommendations.

Keith Donahue

DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL STRATEGY & OPERATIONS

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Keith Donahue

Director of School Strategy & Operations

Keith is Bluum’s Director of School Strategy and Operations and puts 11 years of charter school leadership experience to work for Bluum’s network of partner schools. Prior to his career in the education sector, Keith spent 12 years in the legal profession.

Keith earned his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Colorado Boulder in 1992 and his Juris Doctor from Lewis and Clark School of Law in Portland, Oregon in 1998. Keith has extensive experience advising government clients, drafting legislation, and ensuring compliance with state and federal law. Keith has experience managing government programs, including securing funding, overseeing budgets, managing employees, and meeting program milestones.

He has served 11 years in various roles with Sage International School of Boise, joining first as a founding board member prior to Sage opening its doors to students in 2010. Keith then transitioned to Development Director for four years. In this role, Keith was responsible for Sage’s fundraising activities, grant writing, and the financing, purchase and redevelopment of Sage International’s Boise Campus.

In May 2016, Keith assumed the role of Executive Director, where he oversaw the strengthening of Sage International’s finances, operations and academics while also directing the launch of a second school, Forge International School in Middleton, Idaho.

Keith is excited to help school boards and leaders successfully launch and grow innovative schools that bring high-quality educational choices to K-12 students across Idaho.

Lauren Tassos

FINANCE & OPERATIONS MANAGER

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Lauren Tassos

Finance & Operations Manager

Lauren joins the Bluum team as Finance & Operations Manager. She’s spent the majority of her life in Idaho, having grown up in the Hailey and Boise areas. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree in teaching from Pace University.

Lauren has 9 years of nonprofit fundraising experience, the majority of which was spent leading the development and donor relations department for the Idaho Community Foundation in Boise. She’s served more than 10 years in the field of education, including two years as an 8th grade teacher in the Bronx as part of the Teach For America New York region, four years as fundraiser and chief of staff for Teach For America Idaho region, and most recently four years leading operations and finance for local charter Future Public School, a school for which she is was proudly a founding parent and board member.

Outside the office Lauren and her family of four, including kids Sam and Katie, can be found camping, hiking, and exploring Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. When she can find a moment to sneak away, Lauren loves to read and is an aspiring runner.

Marc Carignan

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

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Marc Carignan

Chief Financial Officer

Marc is CFO of Bluum, bringing a blend of corporate and non-profit experience in finance, accounting, information systems and management. His career started in 1993 as a CPA at Grant Thornton LLP, where he spent seven years auditing non-profit and for-profit entities. Before joining Bluum in late 2014, Marc spent fourteen years as a hands-on finance, information systems and operations manager for several manufacturing companies. At Bluum, Marc oversees accounting, financial reporting, grant management and school back office support. Marc earned is BA in business management from California State University, Fullerton.

Max Koltuv

CHIEF ACADEMIC PROGRAM OFFICER

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Max Koltuv

Chief Academic Program Officer

As Bluum’s Chief Academic Program Officer, Max supports Bluum schools in ensuring that all students learn at accelerated rates. He has spent 20 years as an educator and executive coach for leaders of charter management organizations and other education reform organizations. Previously, Max served as The Head of Elementary Schools at Achievement First where he oversaw a network of 16 elementary schools throughout the northeastern U.S. After the implementation of Common Core Standards, Max led a response which increased student demonstration of mastery in Math and Reading, by 44 percent and 31 percent respectively, over five years. He also opened six new schools during this period. Before joining Achievement First, Max oversaw a team of elementary instructional leaders as the Director of Brooklyn Elementary Instruction for the Prep and Excellence networks of Uncommon Schools. Max originally joined Uncommon Schools as the Founding Head of School at Leadership Prep Bedford Stuyvesant, a college-prep elementary school. A graduate of Yale College, Max started his career at The Monitor Company, an international strategy consulting firm, before transitioning to a teaching role at a high-performing, urban charter school in Massachusetts. He is a graduate of the Building Excellent Schools Fellowship and of the KIPP School Leadership Program. He has an avid interest in the outdoors stemming from his days leading hiking, canoeing, and dog sledding trips for Outward Bound.

Mike Caldwell

DIRECTOR OF ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT & DISTRICT OUTREACH

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Mike Caldwell

Director of Academic Development & District Outreach

Mike joins the BLUUM team with over 25 years in education where he has served as a teacher, administrator and program director. Most recently, Mike served as the principal at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho from 2014 to 2023. Prior to Bishop Kelly, Mike was a member of the executive team at the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance where he served as the Director of Development from 2008 to 2014. Over his tenure as an educator and education leader, Mike has established himself as a prominent and well-respected forward thinker, innovator, and problem solver.

Mike grew up in a small rural town in Idaho and brings a passion for improving education specifically to the Gem State. Mike and his wife, Amy, have two daughters and one son and reside in the Treasure Valley.

Natalia Miller

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SPECIALIST

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Natalia Miller

Accounts Payable Specialist

Natalia is Bluum’s Accounts Payable Specialist, and an Idaho original. Born and raised in Boise, a chance encounter while rafting the Payette River led her to a twenty-one year career with The Boise Co-Op, managing their Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable. Natalia is thrilled to be working for a company whose main purpose is to improve the lives of Idaho’s children, and is honored to be working with people who continually inspire her.

Sarah Meskin

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS 

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Sarah Meskin

Director of Communications

Sarah Meskin joins the Bluum team as the Director of Communications. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration along with double minors in Nonprofit Management and Human Resources at Boise State University.

She was born and raised in Danville, California, where she spent many years volunteering for several educational nonprofits through the National Charity League. During her time at Boise State University, she worked for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and served as the Vice President of Community Relations for Tri Delta.

In her free time, Sarah enjoys spending time with family, baking/cooking, and going on ice cream runs. She has a passion for serving nonprofits and making sure education is a priority for all children.

Terry Ryan

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

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Terry Ryan

Chief Executive Officer

Terry Ryan is the CEO of the Boise-based education nonprofit Bluum and Board Chair of the Idaho Charter School Network. He leads efforts to double the number of students in Idaho’s high-performing public charter schools and oversees Bluum’s strategic and operational activities, including overseeing an $8,63 million annual budget. He coordinates all activities with key partners like the J.A. & Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and many Idaho public charter schools.

Terry is responsible for Idaho’s $25 million federal Charter School Program (CSP) grant, which is Idaho’s second CSP grant managed by Bluum. Before Idaho, he was Vice-President for Ohio Programs and Policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute from 2001 to 2013. He began his education career as a teacher in Poland and worked with the Polish Ministry of Education on civic education issues. In the 1990s, he served as research director for the UK-based 21st Century Learning Initiative.

He has served on various educational councils, task forces and boards, including Idaho Governor Brad Little’s “Our Kids, Idaho’s Future” education task force and the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Policy Advisory Council, the CAEP Commission and the boards of GEM Prep Innovation Schools and American Classical Schools of Idaho. Terry is a published author, has been a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, and a 2008 Aspen Institute/Pahara Fellow.

Yolanda Avendano

MEDICAID BILLING SPECIALIST

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Yolanda Avendano

Medicaid Billing Specialist

Originally from Pharr, Texas, Yolanda brings over 25 years of medical billing, clinical assisting, and nursing experience to support Bluum’s Partner Schools in serving students with Medicaid services as part of their special education plans. She is fluent in English and Spanish and was inspired to make the switch into education due to always having the desire to be a teacher. Now, having the medical background, she can apply her knowledge in a school setting. Yolanda’s education includes an Associate of Science in Nursing from ITT Tech’s Breckinridge School of Nursing. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family. Being a mother of 4 children, there is never a dull moment in the household. She is very family oriented and knows the struggles and challenges that come along with children and their education.

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Board of Directors

The governing body of individuals who are committed to our mission and want to see Bluum suceed.

Toby Prehn

A10 Capital

Joe Bruno

Building Hope

Marcia Aaron

Charter School Growth Fund 

Renita Thukral

National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

Joe Forney

Cold Chain, LLC

Todd Lindsey

Boise Management

Conrad Freeman

Vectra Bank

National Partners

Excel in Education

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Ed Choice

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National Alliance for Public Charter Schools

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Louis C. Calder Foundation

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Charter School Growth Fund

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PIE Network

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Building Hope

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The City Fund

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