Dear Rocky Mountain Prep Families,
We’re pleased to share an important leadership update for the 2025–2026 school year. Yana Symone Smith will serve as the Interim Chief Executive Officer of Rocky Mountain Prep.
Yana is a familiar and trusted leader within the RMP community. Since joining our network in 2023, she has served in key executive roles, including Chief Equity & People Officer, President of People and Business Administration, and, most recently, Partner for Organizational Impact. In each position, she has brought deep expertise, thoughtful leadership, and a strong commitment to advancing our mission.
Yana brings over 25 years of experience in public education leadership. Her background spans classroom teaching, school turnaround strategy, policy development, district operations, and organizational transformation. Prior to joining RMP, Yana held senior leadership roles at Teach For America and served as Chief of Staff for Oakland Unified School District, supporting the district’s transition from state receivership to local governance. Her earlier work at Denver Public Schools was nationally recognized for helping to drive one of the most successful school turnaround efforts in U.S. education history.
Yana steps into this role with deep knowledge of our schools, a long-standing commitment to our staff and families, and a clear focus on the year ahead. The RMP Board has full confidence in her leadership and vision.
As we move forward, our academic strategy and instructional vision remain consistent. We are proud of the growth and progress our students have made, and under Yana’s leadership, we remain focused on ensuring every student continues to learn, thrive, and reach new heights.
Yana will be on campus the first weeks of school, and we will follow up with more details on those opportunities for you to meet her.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Please join us in welcoming Yana Symone Smith as Interim CEO of Rocky Mountain Prep.
Warm regards,
Pat Donovan,
Chair, Rocky Mountain Prep Board of Directors