Culinary School of the Rockies Staff

After careers as a French teacher and lawyer, Founder/Director Joan Brett started Culinary School of the Rockies in 1991. Brett finds cooking to be personally relaxing and therapeutic, and believes that cooking is creative, a nurturing life force, and a work of art. Brett attended Peter Kump's New York Cooking School (now known as The Institute of Culinary Education). She completed an apprenticeship at the Small Wonder Café in Boulder, Colorado.

Brett has appeared on numerous television spots, and her articles on food and cooking have been published in Active Times Magazine. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, a Masters Degree in French and Teaching from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Colorado School of Law in Boulder, Colorado. Brett is involved with the community. She is past Board President of Community Food Share and Boulder County Safehouse. As Director, Brett is responsible for overseeing operations and management.

Joan Brett will be inducted into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame in May, 2008. One of six inductees for the class of 2008, Joan will be honored at the hall of fame's 16th annual induction luncheon Thursday, May 1, at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Longmont, home of the hall. The Boulder County Business Hall of Fame was established in 1992 to recognize and honor businesswomen and men who personify "business at its best." More than 110 people have been inducted into the hall.

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Karen Barela, Assistant Director

Karen Barela's enthusiasm for the hospitality industry is multi-faceted - from beer and wine to food and travel, all of which she has incorporated into her professional background. She has a Bachelor of Arts from California State University at Fullerton. Before joining Culinary School of the Rockies in 1997, she worked for seven years at the Association of Brewers (AOB) in Boulder, the organization that hosts Denver's Great American Beer Festival.

While with the AOB, she traveled throughout North America, Europe and Asia conducting beer tastings and educational seminars. Her travel experiences greatly expanded her passion for all things culinary, and turned her into an avid "foodie". As Assistant Director, Barela enjoys helping graduates achieve their career goals and following their successes. She oversees all marketing and public relation efforts for the School. Barela is a founding member of the Naturally Boulder Products Task Force.

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Hollianne Hall, Admissions Officer

Hollianne Hall has worn a variety of hats in her business career, mostly in sales but always coming back to her passion for cooking. For over 13 years she has owned Terra Cuisine, which educates individuals who have food sensitivities about how to prepare and cook healthy meals.

Hollianne has instructed cooking classes at Wild Oats and Whole Foods and enjoys writing food articles and recipes for The Daily Camera in Boulder and the Littleton Downtowner. She has also written health, food and fitness articles for the Cherry Creek Times newspaper in Denver.

Hollianne studied Communications with a PR emphasis at Regis University and Metropolitan State College in Denver. She has a background in public speaking for managed healthcare companies and for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. Her role at Culinary School of the Rockies involves assisting students with every aspect of their application and enrollment process. She also collaborates with alumni in their career searches.

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Chad Armstrong, Academic Officer

Chad Armstrong successfully shifted his career to the restaurant field. Formerly, he was in the United States Marine Corps and managed R&D for a national flood research company.

Armstrong graduated from Culinary School of the Rockies' Culinary Arts Program in December 2002. Since then, he has worked with a "Who's Who" list of renowned chefs throughout Colorado, including: Executive Chef John Trejo, Trio's Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado; Chef/Owner Charles Dale, The Range, Aspen, Colorado; Chef Cory Smith, Triana, Boulder, Colorado; and Chef James Mazzio, Chef Jam Event Center, Broomfield, Colorado.

He also held top positions at the St. Julien Hotel, in Boulder, Colorado, where he was Sous Chef, and he was Executive Chef at The Outlaws Restaurant, in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. In addition to guiding students through the admissions process and assisting with job placement, Armstrong teaches home cook classes at Culinary School of the Rockies.

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Jim Pine, Purchasing Manager

Jim Pine has studied and cooked internationally and has held every conceivable position in the kitchen. He holds a Diploma of Culinary Arts from Culinary School of the Rockies, graduating in June 1999.

He studied Political Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Irish literature and culture at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. Since graduating from CSR, Pine has worked with many of the best chefs in Colorado, including Chef Charles Dale, the Renaissance Restaurant in Aspen, Chefs Andrew Marks, Hosea Rosenberg and Kevin Taylor at the Dandelion Restaurant in Boulder; and Chef James Mazzio.

Pine has participated in several high profile Colorado events, including: March of Dimes Star Chefs in Broomfield, Boulder County Aids Project, Boulder Valley Women's Health Center, and the renowned Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. Before joining the staff at Culinary School of the Rockies, Pine was the head chef at the award winning Dolan's Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado. As Purchasing Manager, he works with students in budgeting, product rotation and utilization, and food costing.

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