ElevateEdAZ is thrilled to introduce you to our new team members:
Vicki Schomaker – College and Career Coach, Mountain View High School
Vicki is a Mesa, Arizona native and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Secondary Education at the University of Delaware. Before her current role as a Coach in partnership with ElevateEdAZ, Vicki was a sales and marketing/economics teacher at Mesa Public Schools for 16 years and was also a faculty member at Mesa Community College, teaching a variety of business-related courses.
In her free time, Vicki enjoys spending time with her 8-month-old grandson and celebrating life with her husband and friends by traveling, hiking, biking, and trying out new restaurants.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“The reason I started teaching 17 years ago was to give students skills to assist them for the rest of their life, and this is an extension of my classroom, which is the next real-world step into the world of work. ElevateEdAZ has an incredible partnership with Mesa Public Schools, and the infrastructure allows students to thrive in viable internships!”
What motivates you at work? What is the most exciting part of your job?
“Working one on one with students to help them build resumes and place them in an internship that matches their CTE program into a high wage high, demand career pathways is what motivates me, and seeing students thrive in the environment as it relates to their career passions is the most exciting part of my job. The reason I started teaching 17 years ago was to give students skills to assist them for the rest of their life, and this is an extension of my classroom, which is the next real-world step into the world of work.”
What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my 8-month-old grandson and celebrating life with my husband and friends by traveling, hiking, biking, and trying out new restaurants.
I love to hike at San Tan or Camelback Mountain. I also love to shop at Scottsdale Fashion Square Mall, Chandler Mall, and San Tan Mall.”
Chantelle Frazee – College and Career Coach, Red Mountain High School
Chantelle spent 16 years living in Los Angeles, CA and recently moved back to Mesa, where she grew up. She obtained a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University, a master’s degree in Intercultural Studies and Urban Issues from Fuller Seminary, and a doctorate in Public Policy, Planning, and Community Development from the University of Southern California. During her doctorate studies, Chantelle focused her research on how to use community partnerships to better prepare first-generation college students for success at the post-secondary level.
Prior to her new role as a coach in partnership with ElevateEdAZ, Chantelle started as a mathematics teacher at Westview High School in Tolleson High School District. After four years, she moved to Los Angeles to run the Workforce Development Act grant for the Bresee Foundation, where they were given funding through the City of Los Angeles to provide internships for 14–18-year-olds. Following her role at Bresee, Chantelle joined the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy team for 13 years as a math teacher, assistant principal, and District Director of College Success. While on the Camino Nuevo Charter Academy team, Chantelle coordinated their community partnership development, dual enrollment, and internship programs. After 13 years, she returned to Arizona, where she was the Principal at Phoenix Collegiate Academy in South Phoenix. Her most recent role was with Casa Grande Union High School District as their CTE liaison, professional development, and testing coordinator.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“I love workforce development. I have seen the power of professional relationships open a student’s world to new opportunities, especially for students who come from low-income backgrounds. The social capital and mentorship they gain from internships are life changing.”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“I was fortunate enough to have caring adult mentors who helped me navigate college and my career. It was life-changing for me, and I want to give that back to other students. The most exciting part of my job is the ability to build cross-sector partnerships and work with people from different backgrounds.”
What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“I love spending time with my husband and two-year-old son Jax. We have spent a lot of time learning to swim this summer, exploring various museums around the valley, and attending outdoor events at places like the Farm at South Mountain and Queen Creek Olive Mill.”
Madeleine Winship – College and Career Coach, Westwood High School
Madeline grew up in Portland, Oregon, and attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, where she double majored in History and Theatre Arts. After graduation, she moved to Arizona to be closer to family and taught Drama and Social Studies at the New School for the Arts and Academics.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“After seven years as a teacher, I realized that although I am passionate about education, I do not want to spend my life in the classroom and decided to leave teaching at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. My dear friend and ElevatedEdAZ College and Career Coach, Derek Reading, told me about this position in June, and it seemed like a perfect fit! It allowed me to engage in what I love about teaching, like developing relationships and being a mentor while impacting change on a grander scale. The energy at the Foundation and my school, Westwood, is so refreshing and exciting! I feel honored to be a part of this organization.”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“I really love working with students. The Foundation and ElevateEdAZ provide opportunities to students that are truly life-changing, and make a difference in the community. It is a privilege to directly impact students’ lives and create meaningful experiences that allow all members of our community to thrive.”
What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“All the amazing restaurants! The Greater Phoenix area has so many exciting places to eat, and I love using food as an excuse to get out and explore the valley. I love to spend time with my husband and our cat, Teddy Goblin!”
Sarah Bredar – College and Career Coach, Trevor G. Browne High School
Sarah grew up in Northwest Indiana and attended Ball State University for Secondary English and Language Arts teaching, with a focus in Gifted and Talented Education. Through her academics, she found many opportunities working with various schools—in rural, suburban, and urban areas—and many professional development opportunities. Outside of academics, Sarah worked as a Project Management Apprentice and a Digital Media Producer for a creative agency called the Ball State Digital Corps. After these experiences, she student-taught at the Ramstein US Air Force Base in Ramstein, Germany. Once she graduated from Ball State in 2020, Sarah moved to Phoenix to work as a middle school reading teacher for the Cartwright Elementary School District in Maryvale. She spent the last two years in that role, serving on several campus-specific committees and maintaining an active role in the district’s education association.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“When I came across the College and Career Coach position with ElevateEdAZ, I found a unique intersection of my personal and professional interests. I was captivated by the fact that the Chamber and Foundation were investing time, money, and resources into efforts that meant a great deal to their members. As a teacher, I was excited by the notion of this organization recruiting individuals with an educational background to further the work ElevateEdAZ is doing with our partner schools. That, to me as an educator, signals a deep understanding that to affect change with our partner schools, we first need to have respect and recognition for what’s already being done by educators and school personnel. Now that I’m in this role, I love seeing the support that ElevateEdAZ and the Foundation provide to partners across the Valley daily!”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“At work, what motivates me most is giving my students and teachers at my partner school, Trevor G. Browne High School, the best possible support I can. The most exciting part of my job is the passion that emanates from our ElevateEdAZ team. When I was first hired, it was clear that our team believes in what we do and want to provide the best support and resources possible to our partner schools. When your team is passionate and excited about the work you are doing, it inspires everyone to be excited to be in this job each day!”
What do you do for fun? What are some of your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“When I moved to Phoenix from the Chicagoland area, one thing that really stuck out to me was the availability of outdoor experiences here! I absolutely love hiking, paddle boarding, camping, and being outdoors when it is cool enough to do so. The accessibility of outdoor living, paired with the diversity of what you can do and where you can eat in the Greater Phoenix area, creates this drive to explore new places and experiences that has not gone away since I first moved here. Walking out of the house to see beautiful mountains and palm trees doesn’t hurt, either!”
Derek Reading – College and Career Coach, Academies at South Mountain
Derek grew up in both Scottsdale and Idaho Falls. He moved back to Scottsdale at 16 with his family, went to college, and has been living in Phoenix since graduation. Derek attended Scottsdale Community College, followed by Arizona State University, where he received a BA in Elementary Education. During his college years, he worked for a professional development project called Arizona Mathematics Partnership (AMP) which partnered with hundreds of middle school Math teachers around the Phoenix area. Once he graduated, Derek began a teaching career that lasted six years, where he taught middle school Math.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“Since my experience with AMP, I have had the passion and desire to be involved in the education system. Over the last couple of years as a teacher, I was beginning to realize that I was itching to stay involved with it in some way that was outside of a classroom setting while still being able to make a difference in students’ lives. The College and Career Coach position with ElevateEdAZ greatly excites me because it gives me the opportunity to do just that!”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“The thing I find the most motivating is being a part of a team of people who share a common motivation, have a collaborative mindset and exhibit a friendly demeanor. I find it so rewarding to help provide opportunities to a wide variety of students. Some may be the first in their family to go to college, some may discover a career opportunity through an internship they never knew existed, and some may have just needed a little bit of guidance to get started on their future journey!”
What do you like to do outside of work for fun? What are your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“I am a big music fan. I’ve been playing guitar and ukulele for 12 years, and I’ve been singing since middle school. I learn my favorite artists’ songs on my instruments and write my own songs. Whenever one of my favorite bands/artists goes on tour, I can almost always count on them coming to Phoenix as one of their stops at one of our numerous venues! I also enjoy playing dense board games (like Dungeons and Dragons, for example), and I frequently go to local board game stores that host board game meetups and have found a great community of fellow gamers. I am a big fan of exploring downtown Phoenix, visiting the Phoenix Botanical Gardens, the Phoenix Zoo, and Scottsdale’s Musical Instrument Museums. I also love being just a few hours from some fun and historic small towns like Jerome, Sedona, and Bisbee.”
Emily Hendle – College and Career Coach, Betty Fairfax High School
Emily grew up in the northwestern part of Illinois and graduated from Illinois State University in May 2021. After graduating, she worked as an English and Language Arts teacher for 7th and 8th graders. She then transitioned to work as an Academic Advisor for the University of Arizona Global Campus, where she worked with non-traditional students who had an opportunity with their company to go to college to further their education.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“After leaving the classroom, I missed the collaboration with other teachers and the students. I knew that I wanted to get back to working on a school campus but in a different light. I found this opportunity with the Foundation to work as a College and Career Coach, it was everything I was looking for. I am excited to start this journey at Betty Fairfax High School and start collaborating with teachers and students.”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“As a former teacher, I am deeply motivated by watching my students succeed. I am motivated by the opportunity to make a difference in their lives, and I get inspired when I see the impact I have had on my students and their families. The most exciting part about my job is being able to connect students with new opportunities and watch them prepare for their future. This job is so rewarding because I get to work with a wide variety of students, some of whom are the first in their families to complete an internship and prepare for college.”
What do you like to do outside of work for fun? What are your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“My favorite things to do in the Valley are biking, hiking, trying new restaurants, and finding new coffee shops. My favorite aspect of moving and living in the Phoenix area is that you are never done exploring. I can discover new places every weekend and always stay busy with events in the area.”
Rachel Ramirez – District Director, Paradise Valley School District
Rachel is from Hawaii but has spent time living in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, and Minneapolis. She has a bachelor’s degree in Economics, an MBA, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and began her career as a software account manager. She transitioned to education, where she has worked as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, high school principal, district-level administrator, educational leadership consultant, and executive coach.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“I wanted to work for the Chamber/Foundation because the work we are doing has a major impact on the community and can make a difference in students’ lives.”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“Making a difference in students’ lives is what motivates me. I find it exciting to provide others with opportunities and enjoy my interactions with teammates, educators, and students.”
What do you like to do outside of work for fun? What are your favorite places and things to do in the Greater Phoenix area?
“Because I am still new to the valley, I love discovering all the Greater Phoenix area offers by finding restaurants. I’m also looking to discover great spots and activities to do around the valley.”
Hope Gamble – Business Partnership Coordinator
Hope grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and began her career in the Banking/Financial Services industry, where she worked for three banks over the course of 10 years. She decided to pursue her associate degree in Hotel Management, Business Administration, and Marketing and started her full-time career in Hotels/Hospitality after working banquets part-time for ten years. Hope has worked in a variety of positions from entry-level to management between 3 hotel brands, Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Marriott.
Why did you want to work for ElevateEdAZ?
“I have volunteered for various non-profits over the last 18+ years, including my home church back in Indianapolis. During this time, I developed a desire to work in the non-profit sector full-time. I was looking for a position that would allow me to use my professional and volunteer experience, while giving back to the community and doing meaningful work.”
What motivates you at work? What’s the most exciting part of your job?
“Having the ability to help the students see the potential beyond high school while showing business partners the value of investing in young people. I enjoy collaborating with different teams and learning from other staff members. Everyone has been helpful and friendly since I started on July 20th.”
What are your favorite places and things to do in the Valley/What is your favorite aspect of the Greater Phoenix area? What do you like to do outside of work for fun?
“Spending time with my two grandchildren, one who is 3 and one who is 18 months. I also enjoy spending time with my husband, Oscar, and watching sporting events. My daughter and I enjoy thrift store shopping, and I also like to bake as a way of relaxing & “therapy”; my specialties are sweet potato pie, pound cake, and German chocolate cake. We also enjoy trying different local restaurants. A couple of our favorites are Bourbon & Bones in Scottsdale and Original Breakfast House.”