Our Team

Elissa Aten is Co-Founder and Executive Director of PC READS. She is also a Certified Dyslexia Advocate and assists families with developing action plans to ensure that their children receive the support and resources necessary to succeed in school. She and her husband have lived in Park City for 10 years and have two children, one of whom is dyslexic. Elissa is a strong proponent of public education and previously served as a Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) Board Member. Her involvement with PCEF included volunteering as Fundraising Chair for Running with Ed, a 38-mile annual relay race held in Park City. Originally from upstate New York, Elissa graduated from Dartmouth College and then spent two years teaching middle school math in Baltimore, MD with Teach for America. After teaching, she received her J.D. from Boston College Law School, practiced law in Boston and later worked as an Associate Director of Career Services at Boston College Law School. Elissa enjoys being an active Dartmouth alumna and is currently serving on her Class Executive Committee. Elissa and Elliott spend most of the winter weekends on the ski slopes, either watching their children ski race or looking for hidden powder stashes.

Kristi Marsh grew up in Northern California and graduated from San Francisco State University with a major in psychology.  After working with children for several years, Kristi returned to school, received her teaching credential and went on to teach elementary school for four years.  When her son was born, Kristi chose to stay home and work alongside her husband in their property management business.  Two years later, their daughter was born and they moved their family to Park City.  Kristi has been actively involved in her children’s schools and joined PC READS in 2015 when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia.  Kristi is passionate about providing advice and guidance to families struggling with dyslexia and serves as PC READS’s Programming Chair.

Molly grew up in a U.S. Navy Pilot household moving around and experiencing a wide array of school systems from inner-city public busing schools, Department of Defense schools, and private boarding schools.   Graduating with a BS in Finance from Virginia Tech, Molly went on to continue her travels living in 5 states/countries before settling in Park City in 2007 where she lives with her husband, two kids, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit.   Her children, one of whom is dyslexic attend schools in the Park City School District.   Since moving to Park City, Molly’s passion to keep learning and help her children do the same has led to forays as a ski instructor, bike mechanic, nordic ranger, soccer coach, board member of Friends of the Library, and a Certified Dyslexia Advocate.   She is passionate about sharing what she has learned with others as they navigate through the resources, accommodations, and action plans available for those with learning differences.

Elissa Aten is Co-Founder and Executive Director of PC READS. She is also a Certified Dyslexia Advocate and assists families with developing action plans to ensure that their children receive the support and resources necessary to succeed in school. She and her husband have lived in Park City for 10 years and have two children, one of whom is dyslexic. Elissa is a strong proponent of public education and previously served as a Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) Board Member. Her involvement with PCEF included volunteering as Fundraising Chair for Running with Ed, a 38-mile annual relay race held in Park City. Originally from upstate New York, Elissa graduated from Dartmouth College and then spent two years teaching middle school math in Baltimore, MD with Teach for America. After teaching, she received her J.D. from Boston College Law School, practiced law in Boston and later worked as an Associate Director of Career Services at Boston College Law School. Elissa enjoys being an active Dartmouth alumna and is currently serving on her Class Executive Committee. Elissa and Elliott spend most of the winter weekends on the ski slopes, either watching their children ski race or looking for hidden powder stashes.

Courtney grew up in Mill Valley, California before her family moved to Park City in 1993. Courtney received a bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History from the University of Colorado Boulder and worked on several local, state and national political campaigns. A lifelong learner, Courtney shifted her focus to education and returned to school to earn a Masters of Science in Child Development and a Masters of Science in Special Education from Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She taught preschool and special education in Boulder, Colorado and worked for the Park City School District as a reading aide while raising her family. Courtney and her husband joined her family in Park City in 2007. When not on the golf course or skiing, Courtney and her husband are busy raising 3 sons, 2 dogs, 4 cats and 1 fish. Courtney is excited to be a certified dyslexia advocate and to help families navigate their IEP and 504 journey.

Molly grew up in a U.S. Navy Pilot household moving around and experiencing a wide array of school systems from inner-city public busing schools, Department of Defense schools, and private boarding schools.   Graduating with a BS in Finance from Virginia Tech, Molly went on to continue her travels living in 5 states/countries before settling in Park City in 2007 where she lives with her husband, two kids, a dog, a cat, and a rabbit.   Her children, one of whom is dyslexic attend schools in the Park City School District.   Since moving to Park City, Molly’s passion to keep learning and help her children do the same has led to forays as a ski instructor, bike mechanic, nordic ranger, soccer coach, board member of Friends of the Library, and a Certified Dyslexia Advocate.   She is passionate about sharing what she has learned with others as they navigate through the resources, accommodations, and action plans available for those with learning differences.

A native of Alberta, Canada Stacey move to Utah in 1991 to work as a pediatric nurse at Primary Children’s Hospital and enjoy the Utah powder. Stacey has been a nurse at PCH since 1991 and currently works as a clinical education instructor.  She also is a substitute nurse in the Park City school district Stacey lives with her husband and 12-year-old daughter who was identified as dyslexic in second grade. Stacey has been involved with PC READS since 2014 as and is excited to help families navigate the system as a certified dyslexia advocate.

Leah is a northern New Hampshire native where she grew up skiing and hiking in the beautiful White Mountains. After graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work, Leah went on to work as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals, counseling centers, nursing homes, and schools. 

Leah relocated to Park City in 2013 with her husband, 2 sons, and 2 dogs. After moving to Utah, both boys were diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD. It was a long undertaking navigating the IEP process within the public school district. With the help and guidance of PC READS, Leah’s eldest son was granted an IEP in 3rd grade and has remained on one through his 8th grade school year. Leah was also a board member of PC READS for 3 years. 

Becoming a Certified Dyslexia Advocate was a natural progression after obtaining an IEP for her son, working directly with reading tutors and becoming much more familiar with the special education programs offered in the public school district. 

Bari Nan has lived in Park City since 2001, when she and her husband, Jeffrey traded NYC subway rides for chairlift rides. Their two sons, one of whom has dyslexia, were born in Utah, and attend PCSD schools.

She received her B.A. in English Literature from Brandeis University, and has worked as a writer and editor for national magazines, interviewing celebrities and covering entertainment, health and fitness, beauty, and food, at Glamour, Self, YM, and Good Housekeeping. Bari Nan’s work has appeared in dozens of print and online outlets, including Woman’s Day, More, Babble, Plenty, Prevention, Coastal Living and Parenting.

 Her professional life expanded to include a boutique marketing agency, ProForma Peak, which she owns with her husband. Most weekdays, you can find her working on PR and Marketing for the Park City Institute.

It could be argued that her concurrent—and equally fulfilling—career is volunteering. In addition to time spent in her children’s classrooms, and at their extra-curricular activities, Bari Nan has held positions on the boards of Temple Har Shalom, Park City Cooperative Preschool, Jeremy Ranch PTO, Ecker Hill PTO, Treasure Mountain PTO, PCSD District PTO, and School Community Councils at Jeremy Ranch Elementary School, and Ecker Hill Middle School. She also volunteers as a teacher at the Temple Har Shalom Religious School, teaching Hebrew and Judaic Studies to 4th and 5th grade students.

Becoming a Certified Dyslexia Advocate was not a role she anticipated, but she instantly recognized it as a natural fit with her experience as a parent of a dyslexic student, and with her wider-ranging commitment to children and education, diversity and inclusion. She is grateful for the opportunity to extend the support her family has received from PC READS, to other families.

Elsa Futch is in 10th grade at Judge Memorial Catholic High School. She is a member of the competitive PCSS cross country ski team and is also a swimmer. Outside of school and training, Elsa enjoys spending time with her friends, teammates, and her collection of plants. Elsa also loves to organize, sing, and raise lambs for 4H.

Keely Fisher is a Sophomore at Park City High School. She is a part of National Honor Society and enjoys volunteering. Keely is a part of the Park City Ski & Snowboard Nordic team and the Park City High School Cross Country Running Team. In her Freshman year, Keely ran varsity for the Cross Country Running team and helped the team finish 5th at State Championships. In the winter Keely went to Junior Nationals for Nordic Skiing and is a top ranked skier in the Intermountain Division. In her free time Keely enjoys alpine skiing with friends and family over the weekend. When she is not skiing or at school she likes hanging out with friends, reading, and taking care of her plants.

I am in 11th grade at Park City High School.  I was diagnosed in first grade with Dyslexia.  Although I struggled with reading, by the time I was in 8th grade, I loved to read books because of the stories they have to tell. High School is super fun because of how many different people you meet and there are tons of activities you can be involved in.  I am in a yearbook class and get to go to many events such as football, dances, and mountain bike races etc. and take pictures.   Aside from school, I love to bake and decorate cakes.  I hope to open my own bakery one day.

Josie Johnson is a student at the Winter Sports School. She is a member of the Woman’s Ski Jumping National Team and Park City Ski and Snowboard. She is also on the Park City High School Mountain Bike Team. She loves skiing, art, hiking, climbing, and listening to audiobooks.

Lila is an 8th grader at Treasure Mountain.  Since elementary school, she has enjoyed being a part of PC READS, and now is excited to be a mentor to others.  Soccer is one of her favorite activities.  But spending time with friends is what makes her most happy!  She’s thinking about being an FBI agent or detective when she grows up.

Hello my name is Fiona Sawyer. I am a junior and student/athlete at the Winter Sports School in Park City, Utah. I was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school and since then I have worked hard with my teachers and tutors to be successful in academics. I am currently on a 504 plan to help me pursue my academic goals. Outside of school, I ski race competitively in the Western Region for the Park City Ski Team. I also enjoy playing competitive soccer, hiking, sailing, biking, playing the ukulele, cooking, and doing art. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, being with friends and family, and volunteering for local organizations. In my future, I hope to ski race competitively in college, as well as pursue a degree in the medical field.

Amelie Stein is a freshman at Treasure Mountain / Park City High school. Amelie is a competitive figure skater and trains all year round before school every morning. Amelie is an aspiring artist and takes art classes in character design and animation to improve her skills. When not busy with school, skating, or art, Amelie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, or playing with her cat and dog.

Jenna Tiranno is a sophomore student at Park City High School. A member of the lacrosse team at PCHS and a part-time alpine ski racer for the Park City Ski & Snowboard Club, Jenna fills her time outside of school with sports. In the summer she spends her time sailing on the Jordanelle and hiking with her two Spinone Italiano dogs Lola and Baffi. Jenna also enjoys baking, boxing, and listening to books on Learning Ally.

Originally from Chicago, Nick and his family moved to Park City in 2016 from New York City.  Both of his kids were a product of NYC Public schools through 3^rd and 5^th grade before moving to Park City.  His son was diagnosed with ADHD early on, and was recently diagnosed with dyslexia.  PC READS was a tremendous resource for Nick and his family, and being involved with this program is great way to give back. As treasurer, Nick brings extensive experience running his own business, and volunteering on various other boards over the years.  Nick also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Winter Sports School, and on the development committee. Nick is an avid Chicago Cubs fan, and in the winters you can find him traveling around the mountains watching his kids ski race.

Megan Trayner grew up in Killington, Vermont. She is a former U.S. Ski Team member in Alpine Skiing and NCAA Division I Champion and three time All American for Middlebury College, where she graduated with a B.A. in Art and Psychology. After college, Megan moved to Scotland with her now husband (also former ski racer and Olympian) Gar, where she worked for National Geographic Student Expeditions teaching photography and community service to high school aged students through experiential travel. She also coached for the Scottish National Ski Team and worked as Head Coach for the British Junior Ski Team. When their daughter Aurora was born, they decided to move back to Vermont where Megan continued to ski coach and work in marketing for various local businesses. They expanded their family with two more children, Tessa and Cairn and Megan started a e-commerce, social marketing business with Arbonne International, where she is currently a National Vice President leading a team of individuals in building businesses globally. Megan and her family now live in Park City where her husband works for U.S. Ski and Snowboard and Megan works her business from home while raising their three kids. Megan coaches for Park City Ski and Snowboard in the winter, as well as substitutes for the Park City School District. When her two daughters were diagnosed with Dyslexia, she became passionate about helping advocate for their needs and raise awareness for dyslexia to help empower her children and others in understanding learning differences. She has been a member of the PC READS Programming Committee since 2021.

Kelly is a certified natural foods chef and ran her own catering company and worked as a food stylist in Denver.  Prior to that, she worked for various book publishers in Minnesota, Colorado, and Vermont in marketing and sales positions.

Kelly started attending PC READS meetings five years ago and has become an active member. Two of her children are diagnosed with dyslexia, and they have enjoyed and benefitted greatly from the MIND programming.

In addition to volunteering with PC READS, Kelly is actively involved with PCEF, EATS, and school PTO boards.

Kristi Marsh grew up in Northern California and graduated from San Francisco State University with a major in psychology.  After working with children for several years, Kristi returned to school, received her teaching credential and went on to teach elementary school for four years.  When her son was born, Kristi chose to stay home and work alongside her husband in their property management business.  Two years later, their daughter was born and they moved their family to Park City.  Kristi has been actively involved in her children’s schools and joined PC READS in 2015 when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia.  Kristi is passionate about providing advice and guidance to families struggling with dyslexia and serves as PC READS’s Programming Chair.

A native of Hanover, New Hampshire, Emily Fisher moved to Park City in 1998 and planned to stay through the 2002 Olympics.  18 years later Emily is still living in and loving Park City.  A graduate of Middlebury College, Emily majored in Environmental Studies.  Emily was also a four year member and captain of the Nordic ski team.  After college Emily worked for US Ski Team from 1998-2007.  Throughout her professional career Emily has worked for non-profit sport organizations.  Currently she is the Public Operations Senior Manager at Soldier Hollow Nordic Center.  In addition to her professional career Emily coaches soccer, skiing and volunteers in the community.  Emily has two children at Parley’s Park Elementary in Park City, one of whom is dyslexic and has an IEP.  Witnessing her dyslexic daughters struggle to find the right path led Emily to PC READS.  Helping other families and students with dyslexia excel is a mission dear to Emily’s heart.

Erin Grady is a 35 year resident of Park City and a mother of two who are currently enrolled at Parley’s Park Elementary.  Both Erin and her daughter have been diagnosed with dyslexia.  Erin attended the University of Utah and graduated in 1999 with a BS in Communications and minor in Business Management.  After graduating Erin went on to work for Deer Valley Resort and managed their Public Relations department for 13 years.  She made a conscious decision to step down from Deer Valley in 2011 to become a full time mom.  Erin has worked closely with the Park City Chamber by coordinating their National TV coverage for the past few years.  She also consults for Graff Public Relations and has an ongoing relationship with local, Salt Lake broadcast and print media.  Erin is truly dedicated to all things kids and currently sits on the board for the Figure Skating Club of Park City serving as their fundraising chair, has an active role on the Parley’s Park Elementary PTA and spends countless hours volunteering in the classroom.

Ann Futch, excitedly joined our Board in 2017, assuming the role of Treasurer.  Ann began her career in investment banking working on both the east and west coasts.   After the arrival of her first child, Ann started her own recruiting firm, focused on the financial services industry.  As her children’s need for attention grew, she turned her professional attention to serving on the Boards of non-profits.  As the Vice President and Treasurer for Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church, Ann helped to run a capital campaign and building expansion project.  Education is a strong passion for Ann, thus she has worked with the PCSD on two significant projects, one involving raising funds for the hiring of additional staff to serve the needs of high achieving students in the elementary schools.  More recently, Ann served as the co-chair for the Strategy Committee, a sub-committee of the Park City School Board.  Other local organizations that Ann has been fortunate to serve as a Board Member include Utah State Odyssey of the Mind and the Figure Skating Club of Park City.  When Ann isn’t in a meeting or driving her daughters to the ice rink, she can be found running on the beautiful trails of Park City or singing her heart out anywhere people are willing to listen.  Ann graduated from The Johns Hopkins University and Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.  She and her husband, Curt, have two daughters aged 13 and 10.  Having witnessed the importance of early intervention first hand, she is excited to be a part of an organization that helps other students realize the benefit of it as well.  She looks forward to the day when all educators can help to move dyslexia from being viewed as a learning disability to being thought of as a critical thinking ability.

I have lived in Park City for the last thirteen years and have two wonderful children who have successfully travelled through the Park City School District. My experience with PCSD and specifically Parley’s Park Elementary School began with three years as a first grade teacher, then five years as a Dual Immersion Third Grade teacher and two more as a general classroom Third Grade Teacher. Currently, I am in the Interventionist role at Parley’s Park.

I have a BA in Sociology from St. Michael’s College, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Psychology from University of Vermont and an MA and MEd in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University. As part of my training within the Park City School District, I have certificates in Early and Next Steps and Wilson I and Wilson Advanced from University of Utah Reading Clinic. I have completed all site-based Wilson Fundations trainings and taught the program for the last three years. Additionally, I am Orton Gillingham trained and have completed Multisensory Math training from the Atlantic Seaboard Dyslexia Education Center.

Lindsay Cunningham was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona.  She lived there until she graduated from the University of Arizona with an elementary education degree.  Lindsay taught first and third grade for 7 years after college until having her son.  Lindsay and her husband Chris moved with their two children, Ethan and Bryn, to Park City in 2013. Lindsay is the Cofounder of the Beau Collective, a fitness social club, here in Park City.   Her children attend Parley’s Park Elementary school.  Although they have loved their teachers and Parley’s Park, school has been a struggle for both her children.  Ethan and Bryn were both been diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD when they were in second grade.

Lindsay discovered PC READS while looking for ways to help her children succeed and reach their full potential.  The organization was so impactful for her family, she now feels passionate about helping other families and dyslexic students.