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Margaret T. Williamson

I was born in the Midwest, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am the youngest of three adopted children. Our family ran the funeral/furniture business in SW Minnesota; Adrian was a town of 1200 people, so we all knew each other. I followed my sister to SW University, which I attended for 2 years. My initial plan was to be a CPA or a Computer Programmer. My last two years of undergraduate college were spent at Mankato University where I began my education career. I did my student teaching in an alternative program that was part of the university education program, which included special education student teaching experience. My life time dream has always been to open my own school.

I spent my first 2 years of teaching in Council Bluffs, Iowa. I taught the Educable Mental Retarded in an elementary school. Our school was featured on 60 Minutes, as we were the first open school in the US. I also coached the Special Olympics; I returned home after participating at the State level to find that a tornado had hit the area. I finished out that year and then moved to Arizona.

I arrived in Arizona in 1976 and signed a contract in Mesa the following year. I taught Learning Disabled/Emotionally Handicapped until 1993. I spent two years at Kino Jr. High, then a year at EVIT, and finished out the time at Dobson High. I was part of the team that opened the school; I was special education chair, participated in activities at the school like track, football and basketball games, and also chaired the “Other Programs” during the NC Accreditation Process.

I married Gary 20 years ago, he moved here from California about the same time I moved from Minnesota. We have lived in our home in Chandler for 19 years with our dogs. We both try to stay active in our nieces and nephews lives as they live in Arizona and Texas.

I returned to graduate school in 1991 and graduated from the University of Phoenix with a M.A. in Education specializing in Administration and Supervision. In 1993 I took the giant step and opened my own school. I ran the Academy as a private school for one year, and then was approved as a charter school in 1995. I continue to maintain my certification with the state of Arizona in the area of special education and my superintendent accreditation. I was recruited to the Reno area to open the first charter school in Nevada in 1998. The great staff at the Academy has allowed me to be a part of the charter movement across the country. I have presented at workshops, participated at the federal level in the charter movement, and have been awarded a federal grant of $400,000.

This is our 12th year as a charter high school. Four years ago we purchased over 4 acres and built two buildings on the site. We plan to open a community center by 2007. It is because of the great students, staff and the community members that this school exists in Mesa. When I have leisure time I enjoy traveling, shopping, reading, fishing, pets, and being with friends and family.

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Don Booth

I have lived in Arizona for all but 1 of the past 38 years. I have owned my own business, managed retail businesses, been a salesman at the jobber level, and worked with behavior modification with juveniles. I am very involved in church activities including teaching seminars on worship and music.

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education from Ottawa University. My certification includes History and Music. I taught Math, Science, History, and English for 9 years before coming to ACP. I have been teaching mostly Science and Math during my 5 previous years at ACP and History last year in Texas. I have returned this year and am teaching science and math once again. I also am involved in the Solar Boat Competitions sponsored by Salt River Project.

I currently am in a Master’s Program at Grand Canyon University. My area of Study is Master Teaching Techniques. I will graduate this year. I love sports, gardening, marine biology, and camping. I also love working with kids.

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Christy Foote

I was born in Casper, WY, but I don’t remember it because when I was 3 my family moved to Carlsbad, NM. It was there that I grew up and graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1997. While attending high School I worked at the school pool life guarding, teaching swimming lessons, and managing. It was during this time, teaching kids and lifeguards, that I realized I wanted to teach.

So, to persue my teaching degree I moved to Las Cruces, NM and attended New Mexico State University. In May 2003, I graduated with a B.S. in Secondary Education Social Studies with a minor in Counseling and Educational Psychology. My time at NMSU was very enjoyable, but I really wanted to be closer to my sisters, nephews and extended family living in Arizona, so I decided to move to Tempe and got my first teaching job in Phoenix.

I spent the last five years teaching at Morris K. Udall School, a k-8 school in the Isaac School District. There I taught 7th and 8th grade social studies mixed with language arts. During my last year teaching there I became engaged, married, and moved 60 plus miles away from Udall. The commute was too hard on my family and me so I started looking for a new job.
While job searching I ran across ACP and was immediately impressed with its progressive teaching style. I am very excited to be teaching English 9A/B, Economics, Psychology A/B, Humanities, and Multi Cultural Literature and working with the positive staff and students here at ACP.


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Natalie Kearns

I moved to Arizona from Bozeman, Montana where I was born and raised. After graduating high school in 1997, I attended Northwest College in Powell, WY on a Rodeo scholarship and graduated with an Associate of Science Degree. I then went on to Montana State University in Bozeman, MT where I majored in Bio-Resource Civil Engineering and Business. In 2005, I moved to Billings, MT to be closer to my mother and, to my surprise, be introduced to my future husband, Jesse Cook. While there I completed 650 hours in Esthetics at the Academy of Nails, Skin, and Hair and worked for two years as an Esthetician and Laser Tech at a Dermatology office. I remain licensed in Montana and Arizona and enjoy skin care as a hobby. In my spare time I enjoy outdoor activities such as: snowboarding, horseback riding, camping, hiking, and going to concerts.

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Carrie Steciow

I lived in Ohio for twenty-five years. My father teaches high school science and my oldest sister teaches high school and adult business and technology courses. My father was such a wonderful teacher and has been admired and praised by so many of his students and peers that he inspired me to become a teacher.

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Technical Education and Training from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. In August 2003, I received my Master's Degree in Business Education from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. At that same time I received my Ohio teaching license. Four days after graduating, I packed all my belongings and headed to Mesa, Arizona to begin my life and my career as a teacher. I am certified by the state of Arizona in Business Education. I began my first teaching position here at the Academy with Community Partners in September of 2003 as a substitute teacher, then as a part time teacher, and then as a full time business and technology teacher. My responsibilities at ACP have grown in the last few years. I am currently the Lead Teacher, Technology Coordinator, and Business/Computer Teacher. This is my sixth year teaching at ACP.

Because computers are constantly changing, I continue to take business and technology classes at Mesa Community College in my spare time. Also in my spare time, I enjoy volleyball, tennis, hiking, horseback riding, and traveling. And I continue to be a huge Ohio State Buckeyes fan!!

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Karen Cruz

I am now in my fifth year of teaching at Academy with Community Partners. I teach Spanish, American Government, World History, Speech and Debate and World History. I enjoy working with the students who come to ACP. They are full of personality and possibilities.

I graduated with a BA degree from Brigham Young University with a major in Broadcast Communications. I worked for ten years as a television news producer before becoming a teacher. I earned my MA degree in Secondary Education from University of Phoenix.

I am married and enjoy hiking, biking, and traveling.


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Natalie Suffecool

I was born in Columbus, Ohio, but moved to Arizona when I was only six months old, so I come close to being an Arizona native. I went to the University of Arizona after I graduated high school and majored in Public Administration, with an emphasis on Health and Human Services.


After school, I started working for a private college set up for adults who work full time. I enjoyed being in the academic environment, but wanted to be more involved with students. I started attending the University of Phoenix to earn my Master’s in Secondary Education and got the opportunity to teach at Academy with Community Partners. I am very excited to be here and love working with high school students.

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Teofila Makiling-Angst

During the last 9 years I served as the Principal/Counselor at the Academy with Community Partners High School. I have been with the school, beginning in August 1996. I recently graduated with my second Master’s Degree in Education, specializing in Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix, in Tempe, Arizona. In 1986, I graduated with my first Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri. I’m certified in Guidance and Counseling in the state of Arizona.
Through our collaborative team effort (staff, students, parents) and the Academy’s At Hope Philosophy; no child will be left behind in achieving their high school diploma. My vision for the Academy is to provide and create a nurturing safe environment and to enhance student learning. Throughout my life’s journey, I have seen the many facets of our students’ successes and knowing that the school is making a difference in their lives. The students’ successes are the school’s success. Everyone can succeed, if given the opportunity to learn and excel in their endeavors.
My professional memberships include: Arizona School Counselors Association; Certified in Assessment and Supervision of Instruction-AZ State University; and Smoke Cessation Facilitator-Certificate. I served as a Sergeant at Arms with the Optimist Breakfast Club, Mesa, Arizona Chapter, and Certified Notary for the State of Arizona. My prior employment includes: Sales Director, Barbizon School of Modeling, Phoenix, Arizona; Dean of Student Services, Parks Junior College, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Assistant Coordinator-Vocational Education Studies, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois. My hobbies include: Spending quality time with my children, and my extended families, (especially with my 6 grandchildren) boating, culinary arts and travel.


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Eleanor Morel

I was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, where my educational roller coaster ride began. It may have been my own experience as a troubled, high school drop-out, who managed to turn herself around, that has led me to teach and to seek out those schools serving students who are At Hope; having gone from a rough start, to graduating Magna Cum Laude in English, from Lafayette College (in Easton, PA), I am inspired to pass on the skills and personal investment that carried me through. I have seen the need for students to be given, early on, some glimpse of both what there is to gain, and what they have to offer with an education. In my desire to provide students with a vision, I earned a Master's Degree in teaching English, from Binghamton University, New York, as well as my teaching certificate in 2000. From Binghamton, my dear husband and fabulous son and I moved to Rochester, where I taught a large and diverse population of inner city students in the public district. My family and I moved to Phoenix in the fall of 2003, and while I am thoroughly pleased to have left behind the bleak snow and ice of winter in upstate New York, I am even happier to have found my place at ACP.

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Robert Jones

I pastured churches in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona for seventeen years before going back to college to get my Master’s Degree in Special Education. My wife was teaching at public schools while we were pasturing churches, and I did some substitute teaching for about fifteen years. In 1997, I attended the University of Arizona and graduated with a Master’s Degree in Special Education. I then went into teaching special education full time. In 2000, I took a position as a special education director of six charter schools. I have been the special education director for several charter schools in the Phoenix area for the past six years. I am the special education director at the Academy with Community Partners.

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Jay Osegueda

I am coming to the Academy with Community Partners with over eight years of high school math teaching experience. In addition, I have been a head coach of high school basketball, tennis, and soccer and am looking forward to becoming involved in the ACP sports program. I also have over ten years of experience in sales and administration and four years of experience in the Marine Corps. My education includes an A.S. in Mathematics, a B.A. in Social Science, and a M.A. in Secondary Education. I joined the staff at ACP for several reasons including being able to work close to home and being able to make a difference in the community I live in. I am married with two teenage children and a dog. I enjoy playing golf, lifting weights, working in my yard, hiking, and biking. The weather (yes, the weather) is my favorite thing about living in Mesa. “It’s always sunny.”

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Gary Williamson

I was born in Riverside, California, and was the oldest of four children. I grew up living in Pomona, California and graduated from Pomona High School in 1973. I began working in a machine shop while in school and later took classes at Mount San Antonia Junior College. I then moved to Arizona in 1977 and was again working in a machine shop. I attended Mesa and Gateway Community Colleges taking CAD/CAM, Programming and other related Manufacturing classes. I have worked as a Machinist, Engineer, Technical Writer, Engineering Manager, Facilities Manager, shop Manager and General Manager for a number of Aerospace Manufacturing Companies. In my 30 years of Manufacturing I have also had extensive training in Management, Hazardous Materials, Safety, Cost Analysis, and am a certified ISO Auditor and Trainer. In 2002 I received my Bachelor degree in Business Administration with a minor in Manufacturing from Pacific University in California.

In 1984, I was introduced to Margaret and we were married in 1987. In 1994, Margaret opened the Academy and we were off and running chasing her dream. I continued to work in the Aerospace industry until the end of 2004. I then officially came to work at the Academy as the Facilities Manager and plan on teaching as well. I am proud to be a part of the ACP staff and the inspiring accomplishments of the school and its students.
In my spare time I enjoy racing, golf, being with family, traveling and our dogs.


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Jesse Cook

I grew up on Mesa, AZ and attended Dobson High School. I have moved around quite a bit and have lived in a number of different states and countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, and Canada. I speak German fluently and have worked as a translator, translating movies from English into German.

I received my bachelor's degree from Arizona State University in 2000 and then attended law school at the University of South Dakota. I received my Law Degree in 2004 and spent the next four years practicing law at a civil defense firm in Billings, Montana. While in law school, I served as editor-in-chief of one of the school’s two law reviews, the Great Plains Natural Resources Journal, and was published by that Journal. I also served as president of the Sports and Entertainment Law Association for two years.

In addition to practicing law, I have spent the past six years representing professional athletes as a sports agent. As an agent I have negotiated dozens of contracts for baseball, football and basketball players. I continue to represent former NBA player, Acie Earl (Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, Milwaukee Bucks) and several promising baseball prospects in the Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, and Los Angeles Angels organizations. Other notable former clients include Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills), Nate Terry (Calgary Stampeders – CFL) and Zach Rupp (Arizona Rattlers).

I am excited to be here at Academy with Community Partners, where I am teaching Intro. to Criminal Justice, Criminal Law, American History and Philosophy.

I enjoy traveling and have visited close to thirty countries in Europe, Northern Africa, and North America. I am the proud father of three wonderful boys (McKay, 7; Gabe, 5; and Drew, 4). Last, but definitely not least, I was recently engaged to be married and am in the process of planning our wedding in Cancun, Mexico.


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433 North Hall
Mesa, AZ 85203
(480) 833-0068 - phone
(480) 833-8966 - fax
© 2005, 2006

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