Our Team

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 loves a life filled with adventure. Growing up in a Navy household, she moved frequently and attended a range of schools, from diverse public schools to DoD and private boarding institutions. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech, she continued her travels, living in five different states and countries before settling in Park City in 2007. Following an epic bike ride across America, Molly put down roots in Park City with her husband and two kids, who attend school in the Park City School District.  Molly’s passion for new experiences and learning has driven her to take on a variety of community roles. She has been a ski instructor, bike mechanic, nordic ranger, soccer coach, board member of Friends of the Library, and a Certified Dyslexia Advocate. When she’s not advocating at PC READS, you’ll find her adventuring with her family—whether they’re canyoneering, rock climbing, cliff jumping, tackling a via ferrata, or diving into their latest new excursion.

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 moved to Park City in 2008 with their 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, looking for hidden powder stashes.

Molly loves a life filled with adventure. Growing up in a Navy household, she moved frequently and attended a range of schools, from diverse public schools to DoD and private boarding institutions. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Virginia Tech, she continued her travels, living in five different states and countries before settling in Park City in 2007. Following an epic bike ride across America, Molly put down roots in Park City with her husband and two kids, who attend school in the Park City School District.  Molly’s passion for new experiences and learning has driven her to take on a variety of community roles. She has been a ski instructor, bike mechanic, nordic ranger, soccer coach, board member of Friends of the Library, and a Certified Dyslexia Advocate. When she’s not advocating at PC READS, you’ll find her adventuring with her family—whether they’re canyoneering, rock climbing, cliff jumping, tackling a via ferrata, or diving into their latest new excursion.

Emily lived overseas, in Argentina and Brazil, for the first six years of her life before her family relocated to Utah. She received a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from BYU and soon after began working in a family mental health clinic in New York City. She had her first child while living in New York City and the other two after moving to San Francisco. In 2015 she and her family moved to Park City where she and her husband expanded their household to include dogs, chickens, ducks, and bees with occasional sheep that frequent their small farm.

Emily has two children who were diagnosed with dyslexia later in their school years and were still able to receive support through PC READS. She is grateful for the valuable information she received from this organization and is now looking forward to helping parents and students of any age as they work through reading and academic challenges.

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 moved to Park City in 2008 with their 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, 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.

Katrina Kmak is the Youth Services Librarian at the Park City Library.  She is extremely passionate about getting the youth our community to love books.  She has lived in Park City since 2012 to take a break from her decade long professional acting career and fell in love with the mountain town and working with children.

Katrina received her undergrad in Vocal Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and received her Master of Library Science from Emporia State University.  She is excited to become a Certified Dyslexia Advocate to help families get the tools they need for their students to succeed.  She is a true believer that every child can become a lover of books and life-long reader.

Amy grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Political Science.  She moved to Chicago, started working and then went back to school after getting married.  Amy graduated from the University of St. Francis with a master’s degree in Education and later obtained her LBS 1 special education endorsement.  After spending ten years as a special education resource teacher in the Chicago suburbs, Amy moved to Midway, Utah with her husband, 2 crazy dogs and 2 cats.  Her son and his wife moved here a year later and her daughter is also in Salt Lake City finishing up her bachelors degree.  In November, Amy became a grandmother to Milo and spends as much time with him as possible, while also tutoring students in the Midway/Heber and Park City areas.  Amy’s experience working with students who have learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADD, and autism has made her realize the importance of helping families navigate the process for getting support for their student and looks forward to continuing that journey with PC READS.

Lindsay was born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago before moving to Park City, UT with her husband and two daughters in 2019.  Lindsay comes to PC READS with an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education-Social Studies from Indiana University-Bloomington and Masters degrees in Teacher Leadership, Special Education and Educational Leadership from Roosevelt University in Chicago. Prior to her time at PC READS, Lindsay was a special education and social studies teacher for Vernon Hills High School in Vernon Hills, Illinois.  During her tenure at VHHS, Lindsay served as teacher and the co-department supervisor of Special Services as well as the testing coordinator for the ACT and College Board exams. Lindsay led the department in professional development, curriculum writing and instruction.

Lindsay comes to PC READS with a wealth of knowledge in disability programming and services, IEP writing, transition planning, testing accommodations and 504 plans.  Lindsay believes that all children can learn and that reading is the cornerstone of education.  She enjoys cooking and all things outdoors, including, skiing, boating, camping and hiking.  Lindsay is excited to be serving PC READS and the greater community as a certified Advocate.

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.

Hi I’m Austin. I enjoy skiing, mountain biking, playing video games with friends and traveling. I race cross country mountain bikes and gravel bikes. I ski for the Park City Ski Team and I’ve been to Oaxaca, Mexico, Quebec, Canada, Amsterdam, Southern France, and most recently, Nepal and Qatar. I’m also a rising junior at the Winter Sports School, and hope to become an Aerospace engineer.

Wade Kelly is a senior at Park City’s Winter Sports School. Wade is a competitive alpine ski athlete with PCSS and has been part of PC READS since he was in middle school. He is grateful for the support PC READS has given him over the years – resources for dyslexic students, making him aware of accommodations available and teaching him to advocate for himself. Wade has enjoyed paying it forward as a PC READS Mind Mentor. He plans on attending college in the fall of 2024.

Teagan Grady is an 8th grader at Treasure Mountain Junior High School. She is on the Park City Mountain Bike Team and plays softball. She was diagnosed with dyslexia in kindergarten. Teagan emjoys being outdoors, being with friends and family, and traveling around the world.

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.

Amelie is a junior at Park City High School. She is a member of Park City Rowing Academy, where she trains on the Jordanelle Reservoir with her team. Amelie is also a part of the Young Artists Academy, a program run through Kimball Art Center where teen artists can explore their creativity with the guidance of experienced artists. Additionally, she recently joined PCHS’s varsity debate team. When she’s not busy with art, debate, homework, or rowing, Amelie enjoys spending time with her friends and family and playing with her cat.

I’m in 8th grade.  I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 3rd grade.  My three favorite school subjects are math, science and band.  I play flute and alto sax in jazz band.  This year I started competing in mountain bike racing on the Park City High School mountain bike team which I really like.  I love to ski.  I also enjoy playing virtual reality games like gorilla tag.  I have been participating in MIND events for 3 1/2  years and I’m really looking forward to being a MIND mentor.

Max is a Freshman at Treasure Mountain Junior High/Park City High School. He is part of the leadership class and enjoys volunteering. Max is also a member of the Park City Swim Team, High School Mountain Bike Team and enjoys archery.  In his free time Max likes skiing and mountain biking with his friends and his big brother.

Craig Moore grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and after starting at University of Colorado, finished his undergraduate studies at University of Georgia. Craig is a new Park City resident, having recently moved from Atlanta with his wife Kristen and their two kids.  Craig has a diverse entrepreneurial background, with successful exits in technology, manufacturing, real estate and venture capital.  Now that Craig has helped his kids settle into their new surroundings and achieved his goal of skiing 90+ days in his first season, he is ready to take on new challenges.  Craig’s daughter is lucky to have a special dyslexic brain and his wife Kristen is a certified Orton-Gillingham practitioner.   Together they would like to help reduce the friction that exists in getting a dyslexia diagnosis and receiving the necessary support.

Brian, originally from rural Montana, moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to earn his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. He then pursued a technology and financial markets career in Silicon Valley, working with multiple Fortune 500 companies and startups. For the last decade, he has been the CEO of Blacksmith International in Salt Lake City. In 2014, Brian, Lisa, and their young family relocated to Park City to enjoy a quieter life in the mountains. Their three children, two diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD, benefitted greatly from PC READS, fueling Brian’s dedication to enhancing education for children with these conditions. Brian loves skiing, camping, playing guitar and coaching his kids sports whenever possible.

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.

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.

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.

Kim Turchin invests her time in advocating for the health and wellness of her family and
immediate communities. After graduating from Villanova University, she worked as a Pediatric
Intensive Care nurse at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and transported patients
from community hospitals within New Jersey. She then spent a year as a travel nurse and the
exposure to different hospital systems in New York, Colorado and California inspired her desire
to improve the patient and family experience on a larger scale.

Kim earned a Masters’ in Public Administration from New York University and spent over a
decade as a hospital administrator at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. Her
focus was on strategic planning — policy development, implementation and analysis and
revision of practices related to risk management, patient experience and community relations.
She continues to serve on the board of directors of her Manhattan co-operative building and
has also served on the parent association board of directors for the Churchill School and P.S. 41
Greenwich Village School where she was the VP of External Fundraising.

Shortly after she and her family relocated to Park City in 2022 for an active mountain life style
and its impact on health and well-being, she attended a PC READS Lattes and Literacy. She was
in awe of PC READS’ mission and commitment to elevating literacy and is grateful to PC READS
for supporting her family’s transition from a specialty school for language-based learning
differences to the Park City School District. Kim has been a volunteer in the Programming
Committee, hopes to be part of the legacy and contribute to the PC READS community in a
meaningful way.

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.