SPECIAL EDUCATION
Patty Bowen
SPED Literacy
Biography
Heather Ferguson
Speech/Language Pathologist
Biography
Danette Mahana
Special Education Teache
Danette Mahana grew up in the western United States, spending most of her childhood in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. She received an associate degree from Ricks College in General Studies and a Bachelor's Degree in Arts and Sciences from Idaho State University. Danette and her family lived in Montana for 11 years, where she raised her family and worked as a special education paraeducator for four of those years. When she and her family moved to Utah, Danette began working at Promontory as a special education paraeducator. She worked there for two years, and this year, she earned her associate degree in special education and became a special education teacher at Promontory. She loves working with children and truly enjoys helping them grow and achieve their potential.
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Danette lives in Brigham City with her amazing husband and five wonderful kids. They enjoy having family adventures and love to travel, seeking new and unique experiences together. They all like to perform and sing, spending a lot of time doing plays together. Danette and her family also enjoy camping, singing karaoke, and playing games. Danette loves reading, crafting, and spending time with family and friends. She is happy to be at Promontory and loves working with the wonderful kids and the amazing staff.
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"Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light a new light in the hearts of people." — Mother Teresa
Gina McDonald
Occupational Therapist
Biography
Sheri Riser
RTI Specialist
Sheri was born in Utah, but her family moved around a lot while she was growing up. She lived in Simi Valley, California, and several cities throughout the Salt Lake Valley. When she got married, she finally felt like she could call somewhere home. She has lived in Brigham City for the past 20 years. She is married to her best friend, has three amazing kids, a dog (who doesn't know she's a dog), and a cat. Her family has been at Promontory since it started. All of her kids have attended Promontory, and her husband is currently serving on the Promontory Board.
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Sheri loves teaching. She has a passion for teaching reading and helping kids learn to read. She started at Promontory as a Special Education Para in 2018 and is currently working in RTI, where she gets to work with kids at every level. Saying she loves it would be an understatement!
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She is a self-proclaimed "nerd" and loves to make learning fun. Her hobbies include reading, being on stage, singing, embarrassing her family, and anything to do with the beach. Her favorite job is being a mom and wife, but being at Promontory doesn't fall far behind.
Angela Christansen
Special Education Teacher
Angela Christiansen grew up in Utah and has lived here her whole life. She has worked as a paraeducator for eleven years and has taught in special education for five years. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University-Idaho and is currently working on her Master of Education in Special Education at Southern Utah University. Angela and her husband value the importance of a great education. Their four children started attending Promontory School in its very first year of operation. Her family has loved the hands-on approach of the Expeditionary Learning model, and as all of her children have become adults, they still thrive on exploring and being active.
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Angela lives in Northern Utah with her incredibly supportive husband and five wonderful children (four of her own and a new daughter-in-law). In the wintertime, you can find them downhill skiing or cross-country skiing. In the summer, they enjoy hanging out at the lakes that surround them, hiking, and mountain biking. She has brought a different kind of adventure to her family's vacations by always taking them to places where their ancestors lived. Through these experiences, they have all realized how important family can be. Angela is thrilled to be part of the Promontory School of Expeditionary Learning family.
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"Every student can learn, just not on the same day or in the same way." — George Evans
Natalie Lewis
Speech/Language Pathologist
Biography
Melissa Marx
Special Education Teacher
Biography
Kortney Petersen
Special Education Teacher
Kortney Petersen grew up in Roy, Utah. She graduated from Roy High School and decided to further her education at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah. While attending school, Kortney was diagnosed with a learning disability in math, for which she received modifications and accommodations to help her succeed. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Studies with an emphasis in communication and theater and was awarded Student of the Year for her department in 2019.
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In 2020, Kortney moved to Brigham City and became a special education paraeducator at an elementary school, where she absolutely loved her work. Inspired to pursue a career in special education, she wanted to help students like herself—those who needed extra support to succeed. In 2022, Kortney returned to school at Utah State University and earned her Bachelor’s degree in special education. She completed her student teaching in Roy, Utah, and decided she wanted to work closer to home, which is when she found Promontory.
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Kortney lives in Brigham City with her two children. They love spending time together as a family, particularly during Halloween. Kortney enjoys reading to her children every night and singing and acting on stage whenever she gets the chance. She loves the students at Promontory and enjoys connecting with them and helping them through special education, drawing on her own experiences. Her passion is to help students know they are not alone in their struggles with academics and that anyone can learn.
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“The very things that hold you down are going to lift you up!” —Timothy Q. Mouse, Dumbo.