Meet Our Dedicated Board of Directors

Eve Langston
President

Eve is a wife and mother to five children and a practicing physician anesthesiologist in Littleton, CO. She attended Catholic school through eighth grade and graduated from the University of Notre Dame and Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. She believes in the value of a Catholic school education and has seen firsthand the benefits in her life as well as those of her older four children.  When her youngest daughter, Anna, was born with Down syndrome, Eve and Roman discovered the FIRE Foundation in Kansas City, MO and went on to found the Denver affiliate with three other families in 2021.  She is excited to share the blessings Anna has brought to her family with the wider Denver Catholic school community. 

Jessica Johnson

Jessica Johnson is a former Catholic school teacher and private tutor with a Master’s Degree in Educational Theory and Practice. After her son’s prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, Jessica and her husband, Chris, were disappointed to face the reality that Liam would be turned away from Catholic school. As a current full-time mother to two children, she joined FIRE because she values Catholic education and desires to see children of all abilities thrive in our faith communities.

Abriana Chilelli
Ex-officio

Abriana Chilelli serves as Associate Superintendent for Academic Renewal for the Archdiocese of Denver Office of Catholic Schools. She believes deeply in the necessity of inclusion in Catholic education, and that inclusion flows from the mission of our schools to form students to receive the love of God. Abriana has an undergraduate degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville, a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from University of Colorado, and a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Notre Dame’s Mary Ann Remick Leadership Program. She lives in Littleton with her husband and four children.

Fr. Nathan Goebel

Father Nathan Goebel is a priest of the Archdiocese of Denver, Colorado, and is presently the pastor of Saint Joan of Arc Parish in Arvada.  Originally from Central Illinois he came to Colorado in 2006 working as a FOCUS Missionary; soon after discerning a call to the priesthood for Denver.  Looking for priestly community, he was blessed to see the beginnings of the Companions of Christ in Denver and joined soon after its inception in 2007.  Father Nathan has his undergraduate in political science from the University of Illinois and graduated from seminary with degrees in philosophy and theology.  He joined the FIRE board to further the promotion and inclusion of all children and their families in the common endeavor of Catholic Education. 

JD Flynn

Kate Flynn

Kate Flynn is the mother of three children, two with Down syndrome, and an advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities in the life of the Church. A social worker, Kate has experience advocating for people with developmental and physical disabilities. Kate has a Bachelors in Social Work from Franciscan University of Steubenville, and a Masters in Social Work from the Catholic University of America. 

Casey Gunning

Casey was born on St. Patrick’s Day, along with her twin sister, Shannon, who is a Sister of Life nun in New York. Casey grew up in CA and CO and graduated from high school in Highlands Ranch. She then went on to attend Eastern New Mexico University for two years where she received her Early Childhood Education Certificate.  She lived independently with her sister, Shannon and two other roommates,  for ten years and works as a childcare assistant at a pre-school in Littleton. Casey is active in her community and is a Eucharistic minister at St. Frances Cabrini parish. She is a board member of Tall Tales Ranch, attends Higher Vision Education classes and participates in All Stars. She loves spending time with her many friends.

Jill Ann Perry Hall, Ph.D.

Jill Ann Perry Hall, Ph.D., is a wife and mother of four. She has lived in Colorado for 20 years, after attending Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Her passion for inclusion began when she was a teacher and recognized that the myriad of abilities and struggles her students faced. Her focus on helping these students led her to a graduate degree in School Psychology from the University of Northern Colorado. In 2010, Jill and her husband welcomed their third child, Anna, into the world. Anna has Down syndrome, and she has taught Jill more than any of her courses could about living fully despite disabilities. Jill is thrilled to bring more opportunities to students in the Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Denver by working with the FIRE Foundation. 

Susan Selner-Wright, Ph.D.

Susan Selner-Wright, PhD, holds the Archbishop Chaput Chair of Philosophy at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver. She and her husband, Terry, have two adult children who are the light of their lives.  Their son, 24, is intellectually and musically gifted. Their daughter, 22, is intellectually disabled (due to a rare chromosomal anomoly, Tetrasomy 18p) but can sing any song she’s heard more than once and is spiritually far ahead of the rest of her family.  Susan is honored to serve on the Fire Denver Board of Directors to help assure that all kids can be welcomed in Catholic schools and all kids can learn from each other and form the adults in their lives.