Our Vision
Safe and effective learning environments where all youth excel academically, socially and physically.
Our Mission
To support educators by engaging community and business leaders to be more intentional in modeling
ethical behavior and positive character traits.
Safe and effective learning environments where all youth excel academically, socially and physically.
Our Mission
To support educators by engaging community and business leaders to be more intentional in modeling
ethical behavior and positive character traits.
Who We Are
Designed by DbK© 2007
“Omitting character education from standards-based programs may seem to send the message that character and conduct are not important and are not a measure of a school’s success.” --Tom Lickona, Ph.D., Director Center for the 4th & 5th R’s
Our Role
Lisa Bardwell, President/CEO, Earth Force
Formerly executive director and one of the founders of FrontRange Earth Force, Lisa has a PhD from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources. Prior to joining Earth Force to help found the Denver office, Lisa taught at the University of Michigan, and in Utah and Colorado. She has always been committed to finding ways to better engage students in learning and their communities. Her expertise in environmental education, community development, service-learning, environmental problem-solving, and how our environment influences people’s well-being and ability to function made Earth Force a natural fit. She became a Board member of Earth Force in 2005, and CEO in 2007.
Mark Hyatt, Executive Director, Colorado Charter School Institute
Mark Hyatt is a retired Air Force Colonel and fighter pilot. He served as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense, was the Vice Commandant at the US Air Force Academy, and served six years as the Director of the Center for Character Development. In 2000, he received the Citizenship and Character Award from President Gerald Ford for his leadership of the character development program at the Air Force Academy. In 2002, he became the President of The Classical Academy, where he led the largest brick and mortar charter school in Colorado. He received the 2008 Education Innovator of the Year Award from the University of Colorado. He currently serves on Governor Ritter’s P-20 Education Counsel and Commissioner Jones' School Leadership Academy Board.
Dr. Kate Cumbo is the Director of Program for the PeaceJam Foundation - a non-profit organization that connects youth with Nobel Peace Laureates and whose mission is to create young leaders committed to positive change in the world, their communities, and themselves. As Director of Programs Dr. Cumbo manages a nationwide network of PeaceJam Affiliates and Chapters, develops PeaceJam’s curricular programs for youth ages 5-25, oversees PeaceJam’s nationwide AmeriCorps VISTA program, and manages PeaceJam’s professional development programs and national evaluation system. Dr. Cumbo has Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado-Boulder and was Director of Service-Learning at the Colorado Department of Education from 1999-2004. In addition she has been a national education consultant for such organizations as the Corporation for National & Community Service and CalServe and has conducted trainings and keynote addresses around the country on service-learning, youth leadership, program evaluation, standards and assessment, and national and global youth movements.
William (Bill) F. Jones, Jr., CPA is a Boulder Colorado native and graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver. His 24 years of professional accounting experience includes six years of private-industry experience, including two years with one of the nation’s largest real estate developers, where he was involved with various aspects of accounting and treasury areas. He has been working in public accounting in the Denver/Boulder area for the last 18 years and is currently the Managing Partner at Doty, Lyle and Jones, LLC and a Partner in DLJ Business Consulting Group both in Boulder. Bill serves on the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants Continuing Education Board, as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Erie Chamber of Commerce. He also acts as an advisor to the Finance Committee of the Ed and Ruth Lehman YMCA in Longmont and is involved in various other community and civic activities. Some of Bill’s areas of expertise include business and management consulting, financial reporting, individual and business income taxes, business and accounting software consulting, office automation and database design.
Formerly executive director and one of the founders of FrontRange Earth Force, Lisa has a PhD from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources. Prior to joining Earth Force to help found the Denver office, Lisa taught at the University of Michigan, and in Utah and Colorado. She has always been committed to finding ways to better engage students in learning and their communities. Her expertise in environmental education, community development, service-learning, environmental problem-solving, and how our environment influences people’s well-being and ability to function made Earth Force a natural fit. She became a Board member of Earth Force in 2005, and CEO in 2007.
Mark Hyatt, Executive Director, Colorado Charter School Institute
Mark Hyatt is a retired Air Force Colonel and fighter pilot. He served as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense, was the Vice Commandant at the US Air Force Academy, and served six years as the Director of the Center for Character Development. In 2000, he received the Citizenship and Character Award from President Gerald Ford for his leadership of the character development program at the Air Force Academy. In 2002, he became the President of The Classical Academy, where he led the largest brick and mortar charter school in Colorado. He received the 2008 Education Innovator of the Year Award from the University of Colorado. He currently serves on Governor Ritter’s P-20 Education Counsel and Commissioner Jones' School Leadership Academy Board.
Dr. Kate Cumbo is the Director of Program for the PeaceJam Foundation - a non-profit organization that connects youth with Nobel Peace Laureates and whose mission is to create young leaders committed to positive change in the world, their communities, and themselves. As Director of Programs Dr. Cumbo manages a nationwide network of PeaceJam Affiliates and Chapters, develops PeaceJam’s curricular programs for youth ages 5-25, oversees PeaceJam’s nationwide AmeriCorps VISTA program, and manages PeaceJam’s professional development programs and national evaluation system. Dr. Cumbo has Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado-Boulder and was Director of Service-Learning at the Colorado Department of Education from 1999-2004. In addition she has been a national education consultant for such organizations as the Corporation for National & Community Service and CalServe and has conducted trainings and keynote addresses around the country on service-learning, youth leadership, program evaluation, standards and assessment, and national and global youth movements.
William (Bill) F. Jones, Jr., CPA is a Boulder Colorado native and graduated from Metropolitan State College of Denver. His 24 years of professional accounting experience includes six years of private-industry experience, including two years with one of the nation’s largest real estate developers, where he was involved with various aspects of accounting and treasury areas. He has been working in public accounting in the Denver/Boulder area for the last 18 years and is currently the Managing Partner at Doty, Lyle and Jones, LLC and a Partner in DLJ Business Consulting Group both in Boulder. Bill serves on the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants Continuing Education Board, as Treasurer for the Board of Directors of the Erie Chamber of Commerce. He also acts as an advisor to the Finance Committee of the Ed and Ruth Lehman YMCA in Longmont and is involved in various other community and civic activities. Some of Bill’s areas of expertise include business and management consulting, financial reporting, individual and business income taxes, business and accounting software consulting, office automation and database design.
| • | Provide leadership in sustaining a character education-training academy that offers the best professional development opportunities for all educators. |
| • | Mobilize comprehensive community-wide support for effective evidence based character education best practices. |
| • | Facilitate integration of effective evidence based character development practices within all sectors of the community who have significant contact with youth. |
| • | Promote and sustain effective evaluation and research methodology to assess the effectiveness of character education best practices. |
| • | Provide expert grant writing, donor development and relationship management that will sustain this initiative over the long term. |
Collaborating Organizations
The FFCD collaborates with the following expert resources in the field of character education to support this local initiative:
Character Education Partnership (CEP), Washington D.C.
www.character.org
CEP is widely considered to be the nation’s leading advocate and resource for quality character education initiatives. The CEP staff is comprised of experienced practitioners trained in CEP’s Eleven Principles of Character Education, a research based framework that has been proven to reduce disciplinary referrals and increase academic performance in a wide range of schools across the country.
Center for Character & Citizenship, University of Missouri-St. Louis-College of Education www.characterandcitizenship.org
The Center is led by Dr. Marvin Berkowitz Ph.D, one of the world’s leading published researchers and scholars in the field of Developmental Psychology. The Center generates and disseminates knowledge and research about how individuals develop moral and civic character and provides educators and social organizations with the tools they need to contribute to this development.
CHARACTERplus, St. Louis, Missouri
www.characterplus.org
CHARACTERplus is recognized as the largest local community-wide advocate for character education in the nation. Started in 1988 by Sanford M. McDonnell, Chairman Emeritus, and a group of educators, parents and business leaders, these concerned citizens decided that something had to be done about the deterioration of basic values. They provide professional development, document best practices and evaluate the impact of character education for more than 600 schools in over 100 districts throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Institute for Excellence & Ethics, Layfayette, NY
www.excellenceandethics.com
The Institute for Excellence & Ethics (IEE) is a nonprofit organization specializing in professional development, curriculum design, assessment and consulting services. IEE develops and disseminates research-based tools for building the culture of excellence and ethics in school, sport, workplace, home and community.
The National School Climate Center (NSCC)
http://www.schoolclimate.org
The NSCC supports educators, students, parents/guardians and community members learning and working together to understand and address the tasks that shape a research-based school climate improvement process.
The FFCD collaborates with the following expert resources in the field of character education to support this local initiative:
Character Education Partnership (CEP), Washington D.C.
www.character.org
CEP is widely considered to be the nation’s leading advocate and resource for quality character education initiatives. The CEP staff is comprised of experienced practitioners trained in CEP’s Eleven Principles of Character Education, a research based framework that has been proven to reduce disciplinary referrals and increase academic performance in a wide range of schools across the country.
Center for Character & Citizenship, University of Missouri-St. Louis-College of Education www.characterandcitizenship.org
The Center is led by Dr. Marvin Berkowitz Ph.D, one of the world’s leading published researchers and scholars in the field of Developmental Psychology. The Center generates and disseminates knowledge and research about how individuals develop moral and civic character and provides educators and social organizations with the tools they need to contribute to this development.
CHARACTERplus, St. Louis, Missouri
www.characterplus.org
CHARACTERplus is recognized as the largest local community-wide advocate for character education in the nation. Started in 1988 by Sanford M. McDonnell, Chairman Emeritus, and a group of educators, parents and business leaders, these concerned citizens decided that something had to be done about the deterioration of basic values. They provide professional development, document best practices and evaluate the impact of character education for more than 600 schools in over 100 districts throughout Missouri and Illinois.
Institute for Excellence & Ethics, Layfayette, NY
www.excellenceandethics.com
The Institute for Excellence & Ethics (IEE) is a nonprofit organization specializing in professional development, curriculum design, assessment and consulting services. IEE develops and disseminates research-based tools for building the culture of excellence and ethics in school, sport, workplace, home and community.
The National School Climate Center (NSCC)
http://www.schoolclimate.org
The NSCC supports educators, students, parents/guardians and community members learning and working together to understand and address the tasks that shape a research-based school climate improvement process.
Our Staff
Board of Directors
FFCD is a 501 (c)(3)
non-profit organization
7100 Baseline Road
Boulder, CO 80303
Ph. 303.516.1234
ethics@FFCD.us
non-profit organization
7100 Baseline Road
Boulder, CO 80303
Ph. 303.516.1234
ethics@FFCD.us
Mark G. Jennings, M.Ed.; Founder
Mark is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to Colorado in 1973 to attend Colorado State University. He has a Bachelor’s Degree’s in Industrial Arts Education and a Masters Degree in Education in Counseling. Mark founded a non-profit organization in 2002 providing support services for families and disadvantaged youth using experiential educational activities. In 2004, Mark established relationships with Cherry Creek Schools and Denver Public Schools, implementing leadership and mentoring programs respectively. He learned that character development needs to be consistently modeled by “all significant” adults coming in contact with youth. That understanding has been the driving force behind the evolution of the organization, leading to the formation of The Foundation for Character Development.
Mark is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and moved to Colorado in 1973 to attend Colorado State University. He has a Bachelor’s Degree’s in Industrial Arts Education and a Masters Degree in Education in Counseling. Mark founded a non-profit organization in 2002 providing support services for families and disadvantaged youth using experiential educational activities. In 2004, Mark established relationships with Cherry Creek Schools and Denver Public Schools, implementing leadership and mentoring programs respectively. He learned that character development needs to be consistently modeled by “all significant” adults coming in contact with youth. That understanding has been the driving force behind the evolution of the organization, leading to the formation of The Foundation for Character Development.
Jim Olmstead, Director of Strategic Partnerships
Jim has been providing guidance and support in the planning and development of the FFCD from 2006-Present. Jim has over 25 years experience in non-profit organizational development, fundraising, program evaluation, board and volunteer development. Jim led 16 United Way Campaigns in five cities by providing leadership and support to volunteer community leaders in raising over $100M during his career. He has provided consult to many non-profit service providers in developing strategic plans; fund development plans and logic models to better document how program services impact desired outcomes.
Jim has been providing guidance and support in the planning and development of the FFCD from 2006-Present. Jim has over 25 years experience in non-profit organizational development, fundraising, program evaluation, board and volunteer development. Jim led 16 United Way Campaigns in five cities by providing leadership and support to volunteer community leaders in raising over $100M during his career. He has provided consult to many non-profit service providers in developing strategic plans; fund development plans and logic models to better document how program services impact desired outcomes.
Advisory Board
Mike Galvin, Owner/Consultant, Focused Leadership Solutions LLC
Dan Harris, Vice-President/Charitable Consultant, Wells Fargo Bank
Dave Smith, Retired, Colorado Department of Education
Dr. Kevin Ryan, Founder/Director Emeritus, Center for the Advancement of Ethics & Character, Boston University, School of Education
Ken Fisher, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development
Mike Galvin, Owner/Consultant, Focused Leadership Solutions LLC
Dan Harris, Vice-President/Charitable Consultant, Wells Fargo Bank
Dave Smith, Retired, Colorado Department of Education
Dr. Kevin Ryan, Founder/Director Emeritus, Center for the Advancement of Ethics & Character, Boston University, School of Education
Ken Fisher, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Center for Character Development
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