Election

Garald DeGrow
Perry High School

No candidate statement submitted

Veronica Lucero
CTA – Freedom Campus

I have been teaching for 18 years and have been a CEA member for 13 years. I would like the opportunity to be included in the process of how decisions are made at the state level. I represented our CEA at the AEA Delegate Assembly last year and would love the opportunity to do so again this year.

Kristi Owsley
Casteel High School

2, 4, 6, 8
Who wants to be a delegate?
Kristi, Kristi, YAY!

Kimberly Christ
Jacobson Elementary School

I would be blessed to represent our amazing Chandler School District at the 2020 Arizona Delegate Assembly.

Suzanne Kelley
Perry High School

No candidate statement submitted

Diane Lundahl
Hamilton High School

Despite being educated in parochial schools, when I became a teacher in 1997, my intention was providing the best education and access to knowledge for public schools. Every student deserves an elite education. I have always understood that school choice could lead to disparities and have continued to witness this in our state. I have taught in CUSD for 22 years in the Heritage Spanish Speaker program and make it my goal to give these students access into the Honors, Dual Credit, and Advanced Placement programs at Hamilton High School. I have been a fierce advocate for my underrepresented students every single day. Arizona is in a state of crisis, our vulnerable population needs advocates in the classroom and at the capitol, as do our teachers. I would love to have the opportunity to represent our CEA as a delegate and I am honored to be given this opportunity as a nominee.

Jackie Van Epps
Fulton Elementary School

Ninetern years and counting I continue to fight for our profession that I am so proud to be part of. Going to the AEA delegate assembly inspires me to keep up the fight … for the students that are our future.

Jennifer Hudson
Hamilton High School

As a representative for you, I am an advocate for teachers at all of our schools in the Chandler Unified School District. As a teacher for English Language learners, I am always an advocate for my students at Hamilton High School. I have been teaching for more than 15 years in public schools in Nebraska, South Carolina, and now Arizona. I hope to work together to build an educational community that supports teachers in creating success for students.

Laurel Miller
Navarrete Elementary School

I am humbled by this nomination to represent CEA at the AEA Delegate Assembly in May. I have had an interest in educational politics for over twenty years. I feel a pull to take this interest a step further to see if I can make a difference in how Arizona views and treats public education and its personnel. Thank you for considering me to be your voice at this important business meeting.

Maria Hase
CTA – Humphrey Campus

My name is Maria Hase. This is my 4th year in CUSD, and my 4th year as a CEA Member. The AEA Delegate Assembly is where we discuss and vote on issues pressing to education in Arizona. It is an opportunity to guide the direction of AEA. It would be a privilege and an honor to represent CEA at the Delegate Assembly in May. Thank you for considering me.

Luanne Foster
Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School

No candidate statement submitted

Christine Diaz
Casteel High School

No candidate statement submitted

Stacey Gilroy
Bogle Junior High School

No candidate statement submitted

Katie Nash
Chandler High School

As your CEA President, I have enjoyed advocating for you and with you. Together, we are stronger. I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead such a dedicated group of educators who are willing to do the hard work for ourselves and our students. We have been making incredible strides in terms of membership, organizing, bargaining and leadership. The energy and power in CEA is growing! I would be honored to represent Chandler at both the AEA Delegate Assembly and NEA Representative Assembly.

Janell Ochs
Shumway Leadership Academy

My name is Janell Ochs and I am ready to represent CEA at the AEA Delegate Assembly. Currently I serve as Vice President of Membership and would like to help make business decisions at the state assembly. I have been a teacher in the district for 14 years and would like to share my experiences that impact public education, as well as hear from others to make this state association the best.

Tracy Silva
Ryan Elementary School

No candidate statement submitted

Kelly Powers
Casteel High School

No candidate statement submitted

Karla Palafox
Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School

I have been teaching for 23 years, and I have been a CUSD teacher for 13 of those years. I teach 6th grade at Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary. I am currently CEA Treasurer, but I have also served as site representative. As site representative, I have worked to help other teachers learn and understand the importance of getting involved with policies and decisions involving our profession. I had an opportunity to serve on the Super Q Committee for three years. Our schools have been underfunded for years, but I strongly believe if we work together to elevate and advocate for our profession, our students are the ones who ultimately benefit. It would be an honor to represent CEA at the AEA Delegate Assembly and NEA Representative Assembly in order to continue our work as a collective to bring much needed change to Arizona’s public schools. I hope to count on your support.

Leslie Ireland
Jacobson Elementary School

No candidate statement submitted

Shara Billings
Perry High School

My name is Shara Billings, the Special Education Department Chair, at Perry High School and I would like to be your representative at the AEA Delegate Assembly this year. I have attended the Delegate Assembly for many years and I feel it is a contribution to our team and I believe by representing CEA and bringing back the information to our members is educational and beneficial. Thank you for this opportunity.

Michelle Capriotti
Casteel High School

Currently I serve as your CEA Vice-President of Committees. This year I am co-chairing the Equity and Inclusion program for CEA and have continued to be an active member of several other committees. I diligently work on campaigns and can often be found canvassing for educational candidates. Last year I represented you in Houston at the NEA convention and hope to serve this year and the RA convention here in AZ.

Jennifer Chastain
Andersen Elementary School

No candidate statement submitted

LeAnna Farmer
Sanborn Elementary School

Hi, my name is LeAnna Farmer and I would love the opportunity to serve as a delegate this May at the AEA Delegate Assembly. I was the CEA president for six years from 2012 to 2018 and I greatly value that experience. I look forward to another year representing Chandler Education Association at the Delegate Assembly.

Marisol Archie
Basha High School

No candidate statement submitted

Katie Nash
Chandler High School

As your CEA President, I have enjoyed advocating for you and with you. Together, we are stronger. I am grateful to have the opportunity to lead such a dedicated group of educators who are willing to do the hard work for ourselves and our students. We have been making incredible strides in terms of membership, organizing, bargaining and leadership. The energy and power in CEA is growing! I would be honored to represent Chandler at both the AEA Delegate Assembly and NEA Representative Assembly.

Maria Hase
CTA – Humphrey Campus

My name is Maria Hase. Prior to my current role as CEA’s VP of Political Action, I served as CEA’s VP of Advocacy. This is my 4th year serving on CEA’s Executive Board. During my time in office, I re-initiated our Valley Interfaith Project (VIP) partnership, and I helped strengthen our Chandler Chamber relationship. I led the circulation of 3 petitions. I served on the committee that passed our override and our bond. I also served on the budget committee. I serve on the Equity Community Council, and I attend other district meetings, serving as CEA rep. I initiated 4 candidate forums, and our contribution to a fifth one. I helped to put up hundreds of signs, and to knock on thousands of neighborhood doors for pro-education candidates. I led the PAC that endorsed school board candidates, and that provided support to their campaigns; it is a game changer that we have created relationships with our newest board members. I continue to serve as a liaison to our Governing Board, and I am a faithful attendee at our Governing Board meetings. Together we elected Representative Jennifer Pawlik, the first female legislator from LD17, a former CUSD teacher, and AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction, Kathy Hoffman. I contact, and continue to contact, our legislators; I encourage you to do the same with our weekly PAC updates. I have attended at least 5 AEA Days at the Capitol, and at least 5 AEA Delegate Assemblies. This is my second year serving on Super Q.

Collaborating with others who seek to improve the education of our state’s children and advocating on behalf of educators and students are my passions. Representing CEA as a delegate to the Representative Assembly (RA) is an opportunity to help guide the direction of NEA – especially during a very critical election year. I have never attended the RA. I promise I will take the responsibility seriously. If elected, you can count on me to be present and engaged on behalf of CEA and Arizona. I humbly ask for your support.

Jennifer Chastain
Andersen Elementary School

No candidate statement submitted

Shaun Creighton
District Office

I would very much like to serve as a CEA delegate to the NEA Representative Assembly because I am committed to and believe in our local, state, and national associations. I have served on the CEA Executive Board for the past 9 years, initially as Treasurer until being elected Recording Secretary in 2015. In addition to my duties as Recording Secretary, I also manage the CEA website and social media accounts. I have attended several AEA Days at the Capitol and have worked hard to help pass our CUSD bonds and overrides through neighborhood walks, volunteering at local events, and working with partner groups such as AZ Schools Now and Valley Interfaith Project. In 2018, I worked hard to collect signatures for Invest in Ed and knocked on doors to help elect pro-public education candidates, and will be doing so again in a crucial 2020 election. I have attended several AEA Delegate Assemblies, and was elected to the AEA Board of Representatives in 2018. I also serve as the chairperson of the AEA Elections Committee.

I have attended several NEA Representative Assemblies, and have always taken that responsibility seriously by being present and engaged during all RA sessions. For the last two RAs, at the request of AEA President Joe Thomas, I served on the Election Committee for the Arizona delegation. If elected to attend the 2020 RA, I will continue to represent CEA and Arizona with pride and diligence. I humbly ask for your support.

Peggy Newendyke
Santan Junior High School

Having been a longtime member of CEA, I am excited to have become more involved in the association in recent years. I have served as the Treasurer of CEA, as well as the Site Representative for Santan Junior High. I have attended the AEA Day at the Capitol for the past few years to meet with our state representatives, and plan on doing so again this year. I worked on both our Bond and Override campaigns by knocking on doors and talking to the community about the high level of education Chandler provides. I have served on the Super Q team for the past two years and enjoy the process of fighting for Chandler teachers to get the compensation they deserve. I would love to have the chance to represent Chandler this summer and be a productive part of the process in Atlanta. I look forward to increasing my advocacy for teachers.

Marisol Archie
Basha High School

No candidate statement submitted

Karla Palafox
Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary School

I have been teaching for 23 years, and I have been a CUSD teacher for 13 of those years. I teach 6th grade at Hartford Sylvia Encinas Elementary. I am currently CEA Treasurer, but I have also served as site representative. As site representative, I have worked to help other teachers learn and understand the importance of getting involved with policies and decisions involving our profession. I had an opportunity to serve on the Super Q Committee for three years. Our schools have been underfunded for years, but I strongly believe if we work together to elevate and advocate for our profession, our students are the ones who ultimately benefit. It would be an honor to represent CEA at the AEA Delegate Assembly and NEA Representative Assembly in order to continue our work as a collective to bring much needed change to Arizona’s public schools. I hope to count on your support.