Leadership Rooted in Education and Community

John and Janet Buckner dedicated their lives to expanding access to high-quality education and advancing equity for children, families, and educators across Colorado.

They shared a belief that education is most powerful when it meets the real needs of students and families. Their approach was steady and practical: listen carefully, build relationships, and remove barriers that stand in the way of opportunity. The John & Janet Buckner Education Fund was established to carry forward that legacy and continue the work they began.

Both graduates of Ball State University, John and Janet began their careers in education. John served for 35 years as a principal and administrator in the Cherry Creek School District, where he removed barriers to student success.

In the early 2000s, while leading Overland High School, he recognized that teenage mothers were unable to attend school due to a lack of childcare. Rather than accept that outcome, he rallied community partners and raised the funds to establish an on-site daycare center, allowing young parents to continue their education while caring for their children.

Honoring a Lifetime Commitment to Colorado’s Students and Educators

Janet began her career teaching students with disabilities before moving into the private sector, where she worked with organizations including Xerox and Johnson & Johnson. Her work in women’s health advocacy strengthened her commitment to public service and broadened her understanding of how policy shapes opportunity.

Later, both John and Janet served in the Colorado General Assembly. After John’s unexpected passing in 2015, Janet continued their shared work, first through her appointment to his House seat and election in 2016.

She served as Speaker Pro Tempore in the House during the 2019 and 2020 sessions before being elected to the Colorado Senate in 2020. A member of the education committee every year since 2015, she went on to serve as Senate Democratic Caucus Chair in 2023 and 2024 and as Chair of the Senate Education Committee.

Throughout her near decade of legislative service, Janet championed policies that strengthened educational opportunity, including helping shape and secure the passage of Colorado’s Universal Preschool (UPK) program, expanding access to early childhood education for families across the state.

She concluded her service in 2025, carrying forward the belief she and John shared: that strong communities are built when children, families, and educators have the support they need to thrive.

Following her retirement from public office in 2025, Janet established the John & Janet Buckner Education Fund to carry forward the values that shaped their lives: practical leadership, community partnership, and a steadfast belief that educators, children, and families thrive when barriers to opportunity are removed.