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  • Advisory Councils

Advisory Councils

The following Advisory Councils are convened by the State Superintendent to inform the work of our department. Each advisory council has a unique membership, although every council includes educators, as well as one high school student and one college student. If you have any questions, email [email protected]. 

African American Advisory Council

The African American Advisory Council is made up of community members from across Arizona and staff within the Arizona Department of Education. This Advisory Council discusses issues important to the African American community and advise the State Superintendent and the Department of Education about the department’s policies. The council also collaborates with experts and various stakeholders to advance the council’s priorities and goals.

Dr. April ColemanClassroom Teachers' Association President, Phoenix Union High School District
Dr. Centae RichardsPrescott College
Dr. Dawn Demps University of Arizona College of Education
Dr. DeMarcus JenkinsUniversity of Arizona College of Education
Devin Del Palacio Tolleson Union High School District 
Dr. Quintin BoyceRoosevelt School District
Hansley Mussotte Arizona Department of Education
Jimmy Hart Tucson Unified School District
Kareem NealPhoenix Union High School District 
Kenneth MimsArizona State University
Laura Lee Arizona Department of Education
Lloyd HopkinsMillion Dollar Teacher Project
Yolanda WheelingtonPhoenix Elementary School District
Zel FowlerArizona Alliance of Black School Educators
Deanna Lemorin  
Felicia DurdenArizona Department of Education
Ernest RoseWilson School District
Michael FranklinChandler High School
Shereka JacksonFuture Stars AZ
Kema CharlesLights Camera Discover
Darryl GoodenKEEPING TEACHERS TEACHING FOUNDATION 
Kim LeSage

Arizona Department of Education

Dr. Tara Armstead 
Sherri Jones

Florence Unified School District

  • Strategic Funding for African American students and communities.

  • College Student Advisor Alex Butler traveled to Washington, D.C. in 2019 to advocate for Pell Grant Recipients.

Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council

The Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council is made up of community members from a wide variety of perspectives and organizations related to education. This Council is focused on creating equitable and inclusive schools and education spaces across Arizona. The Advisory Council also discusses issues important to their communities and advise the State Superintendent and the Arizona Department of Education about the department’s policies. The council also collaborates with experts and various stakeholders to advance the council’s priorities and goals.

Dr. Carrie Sampson Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College 
Daise RobledoArizona Department of Education
David HernandezCartwright Elementary School District
Dr. Adama SalluChandler Unified School District
Dr. Clifford MoonTempe Union High School District
Dr. Lenay DunnWestED
Dr. Rose Owens-WestWestEd
Duane SheppardYuma Elementary School District
Haley HonemanArizona Department of Education
Janelle WoodBlack Mothers Forum
Dr. Joseph MartinNorthern Arizona University, College of Education
Julio RubioCarl Hayden High School
Lorenzo LopezTucson Unified School District
Dr. Melanie Bertrand UA School of Education
Meleika WadleyRoosevelt Elementary
Nora RamirezAZ Association of Teachers of Mathematics
Raquel AlvaraArizona Department of Education
Tami StaasArizona Trans Youth and Parent Organization -Executive Director 
Tim ValenciaCity of Phoenix
Sara Ben AbdallahHigh School 
Karasi ColterHigh School 
Maria KrivosikHigh School 
Blaine MartinezHigh School 
Theo StillwagonTempe Elementary  School District
Nate Rhotonone-n-ten
John Tulinao Amberlea Elementary School
Yvonne SoOCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Phoenix 

  • Supporting the LGBTQ community in schools. View our resources. 

Indian Education Advisory Council

The Indian Education Advisory Council is mandated by law and is made up of educators, community members and parents in the Native American Community. The Advisory Council discusses issues important to the Native American community and advise the State Superintendent and the Department of Education about the department’s policies. The council also collaborates with experts and various stakeholders to advance the council’s priorities and goals.

Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-GatewoodWhite Moutain Apache Tribe
Jacob Moore ASU
  
Derrick LeslieWhite Moutain Apache Tribe
Bradley PicoBlue Ridge Unified School District
Lemual AdsonShonto Preparatory
Melodie LopezIndigenous Strategies
Brian GarciaNational NALSA
Rafael TapiaPartnership With Native Americans
Hans KloseAZ State Board for Charter Schools
Jolyana Kroupa Phoenix Indian Center
Deborah Dennison San Carlos Unified School District
Kimberly Daingkau-Begay Amphitheater Public Schools
Roxanne ThomasTempe Unified School District
Annabell Bowen ASU
Frances Benavidez Tohono O'odham Nation
Esther Nystrom Mesa Public Schools 
Debra ToyaMesa Public Schools 
Lynnann Yazzie PUHSD
Lynette Stant2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year
Chairman Jon Huey Yavapai-Apache Nation                               
Conucilwoman Wi-Bwa Grey Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community 
President Jonathan NezNavajo Nation
Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma Hopi Tribe
Freda Joe Navajo Technical University
Chairwoman Sherry CordovaCocopah Tribe
Chairman Terry RamblerSan Carlos Apache Tribe
Maxine Roanhorse-DineyazheBIE Education Resource Center – Phoenix
Jeremy GarciaUofA
Daniel SestiagaTohono O’odham Community College
Constance OnsaeTucson Unified School Distict 
Cordero HolmesStudent Representitive 
Kristin KeyStudent Representitive 
Atalaya LuceroStudent Representitive 
Dayhenoa YazzieStudent Representitive 
Winona Thirion Maricopa Community College
Tia GramzinskiChandler Unified School District
Helen Thomas, M.Ed.Tempe Unified School District
Maria DadgarITCA
Brittani Roy DidiArizona Department of Education

Latinx Advisory Council

The Latinx Advisory Council is made up of community members from across Arizona and staff within the Arizona Department of Education. The Advisory Council discusses issues important to the Latinx community and advise the State Superintendent and the Department of Education about the department’s policies. The council also collaborates with experts and various stakeholders to advance the council’s priorities and goals.

Dr. Lupita HightowerTolleson Elementary School District
Panfilo ContrerasArizona Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (AZALAS).
Raquel AlvaraArizona Department of Education
Vince YanezHelios Education Foundation
Cesar Aguilar Arizona Student Association
Emily O'NeilArizona Department of Education
Marisol GarciaArizona Education Association
Martin Perez, JrCarl Hayden Community High School
Maria C. Federico Brummer Tucson Unified School District
Oscar Hernandez OrtizArizona Bar Foundation
Rosanne Yniguez Maricopa Community College
Michelle Doherty 2017 Arizona Teacher of the Year
Anaiis Ballesteros All In Education
Sylvia Symonds ASU
Amalia NevarezHigh school 
Halianna PillerCollege
Ivan QuintanaCollege
Claudio CoriaPhoenix Union High School District 
Dr. Jose Leyba

JG Consulting 

The Latinx Advisory Council developed a Translation Best Practices & Tips document for schools and districts.

The Latinx Advisory Council developed a document describing various roles at schools and the pathways to those opportunities for the Arizona education community.

  • Post-secondary attainment
  • Recruitment & retention of Latinx educators
  • Policies that affect the Latinx community
  • Technology: building access & skills in the Latinx community

Rural Advisory Council

 

LeAndrea JamesTsehootsooi Middle School

Sharon Toadecheenie

Window Rock Unified School District

Shanna Johnson

Mohawk Valley School District

Peter Dwyer

Red Rock Elementary

Gina Thompson

Yuma Union High School District

Crystle Nehrmeyer

Oracle School District

Dr. Melissa Sadorf

Stanfield Elementary School District

Jill Broussard

Pinal County

Monica Timberlake

Quartzsite

Andy Wannemacher

Aguila Elementary School District  

Vanessa Arredondo

ARSA

Edgar Moreno

 Grand Canyon University

Glen Lineberry

Arizona Student Opportunity Collaborative

Sarah Richardson

Arizona Department of Education

Dr. Mary Ellen Halvorson 

Tri City College Prep

  • Increasing student access to opportunities and learning
  • Recruiting and retaining staff in rural schools
  • Supporting rural schools in navigating education industry processes and trying innovative solutions 

Student Advisory Council

Learn more about the Student Advisory Council by visiting their webpage.

Student Advisory Council

In addition to the Student Advisory Council, the various Councils choose one high school and one college student to serve on the African American Advisory Council, Latinx Advisory Council, Indian Education Advisory Council and the Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council. These councils are comprised of teachers, education stakeholders, business leaders and community members in addition to the appointed students.

The Advisory Councils discuss issues important to students and communities in Arizona and advise the State Superintendent and the Department of Education about the department’s policies. The Student Advisors will share the perspective and experiences of students in their community with the State Superintendent and will influence the councils’ policies and initiatives, which have statewide impact.

The Student Advisors will be full members of the Advisory Councils, serving a one-year term, with an equal voice and vote. The Student Advisors will share the perspective and experiences of students in their community with the State Superintendent and will influence the councils’ policies and initiatives, which have statewide impact. The representative will also have the opportunity to connect the work of the councils and the Department of Education to their community. Meetings take place near the capital and will have a virtual attendance option.

Each applicant must be currently enrolled as a full-time student in Arizona with good academic standing. Students in high school, community college, or a four-year post-secondary institution are all eligible to apply.

Selection Process

Applications are due by Tuesday, March 22, 2022. After an initial review of applications by ADE Employees and Community Members, applications will be evaluated, and qualifying candidates will be asked to participate in an interview on either Saturday, April 9th, 2022 and Sunday, April 10, 2022. Please save both dates. Applicants will then be notified if they are invited to serve on the council.

ALL APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 5 PM on Tuesday, March 22, 2022. For further information, email [email protected]

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