BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Why ASA?
In a standardized environment where Arizona schools are pressured to be more alike than different, ASA is the most innovative school in the state. It is an empowering place where students can express their creativity through the arts and excel as scholars in the classroom.

Dr. David R. Garcia is an Associate Professor in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. His academic publications focus on school choice, accountability and the factors that facilitate or distort policy implementation in public education. His research has appeared in numerous journals including Teachers College Record, Educational Policy and the Journal of School Choice. In addition, he was co-editor of Review of Research in Education and an associate editor for Education Policy Analysis Archives, both leading academic journals in education. In 2015 and 2016, he was recognized nationally as an influential public scholar according to the edu-scholar rankings. In 2018, he authored Essential Knowledge: School Choice (MIT Press). As an Assistant Professor, he was named a National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow. Prior to ASU, he served as the Associate Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state of Arizona, as a research analyst for the Arizona state legislature, and as a national peer consultant. He works with many community organizations on education policy issues and has been recognized for his contributions to public education. In 2018, David was the Democratic candidate for Governor. Dr. Garcia received a Bachelor of Arts and Honors Diploma from Arizona State University. He also holds a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Chicago in Education Policy, Research and Institutional Studies. He is a veteran who proudly served in the U.S. Army Infantry. He lives in Phoenix with his wife, Lori, and their two daughters who attend ASA.

Why ASA?
The people, the culture and the commitment to the arts as a catalyst, a laboratory, a mirror for human development. I’m honored to be a part of this place.

Alex Laing began playing the clarinet at age eleven in his hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland. Mr. Laing is a graduate of Northwestern University, he received his Master’s degree in Orchestral Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, an artist’s diploma from the Sweelinck Conservatorium Amsterdam and a certificate in nonprofit management from Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. In 2002 he joined The Phoenix Symphony as principal clarinet. An accomplished instrumental artist, Mr. Laing’s work represents a modern take on orchestral practice. Active in his community as a performing and teaching artist, he is committed to exploring how an orchestral musician and an orchestra navigates the push and pull between a legacy art form and its unfixed future.

​A long-time believer in community engaged music making, he recently started The Leading Tone, a nonprofit after school program. The project brings music to young people and explores teaching artistry and creative youth development. Mr. Laing is fortunate to have garnered honors and awards in his career, most recently being recognized with a 2018 Sphinx Medal of Excellence and named one of Musical America’s Professionals of the Year for 2017.

Reflecting his belief that ‘music isn’t just sound; it’s sounds, words and people’ he is frequently sought as a collaborator. In addition to his work with The Phoenix Symphony, recent seasons have found him contributing his sound in a range of other projects including: as a soloist with the Sphinx Virtuosi at Carnegie Hall; with Lawrence Brownlee (in the world premiere of Tyshawn Sorey’s Cycle of My Being); with Thomas Hampson (as part of his Song of America: Beyond Liberty project); with the Re-Collective Orchestra (in the 2019 soundtrack recording of Disney’s The Lion King) and as a member of Gateways Festival Orchestra.

Alex has been an invited speaker to the annual conferences of both the Association of British Orchestras and the League of American Orchestras where, in 2019 he was a keynote speaker. As a teacher he has been a frequent collaborator with the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) program, and a faculty member for both the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and the League of American Orchestra’s ‘Essentials of Orchestra Management Seminar’. He’s currently serving as lead faculty for the 2019/20 YOLA National Institute and, in addition to ASA, serves on the board of directors for Gateways Music Festival.

​Alex is particularly excited about his most recent collaboration: joining the creative team for From The Top (FTT) the nationally broadcast radio show and platform for young musicians. In addition to making contributions to the radio show, he will play a role in mentoring and supporting the development of FTT’s incredible young musicians.

Dr. Heidi Jannenga, PT, DPT, ATC, is the Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of WebPT, the leading software solution for physical, occupational, and speech therapists. Dr. Jannenga advises on the company’s strategic direction and product innovation, while advocating for the rehab therapy profession on an international scale. Since the company’s launch in 2008, Dr. Jannenga has guided WebPT through exponential growth. Today, it’s the fastest-growing physical therapy software in the country, employing over 500 people and serving more than 92,000 therapy professionals at more than 17,000 clinics.  WebPT also touts seven consecutive appearances on the prestigious Inc. Magazine 5000 list and has ranked twice on the Inc. 500 list. Dr. Jannenga has been recognized as one of Health Data Management’s Most Powerful Women in Healthcare IT, was named a Most Admired Leader and in 2018, was honored as the Ed Denison Business Leader of the Year at the Arizona Technology Council’s Governor’s Celebration of Innovation. She is also a proud member of the YPO Scottsdale Chapter.

Prior to co-founding WebPT, Dr. Jannenga practiced as a sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapist for more than fifteen years. Today, she regularly speaks as a subject-matter expert at regional, national and international technology, entrepreneurship, and leadership events, as well as at national and international PT industry and business focused conferences.

She serves on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Arizona Science Center, the Institute for Private Practice Physical Therapy, Conscious Capitalism AZ Chapter, Greater Phoenix Economic Council Healthcare Innovation and the Arizona Community Foundation. Dr. Jannenga also dedicates time to mentorship within WebPT (through her employee empowerment group PropelUs) and in the broader community (through her work with physical therapy students, entrepreneurs, and women in business). She is also a founding member of the Arizona chapter of Golden Seeds, an early stage investment firm focusing on women founders and leaders creating lasting impact.

Heidi’s most cherished role is mother to her daughter, Ava. Having been a college basketball athlete at UC Davis, she remains very active enjoying hot yoga, hiking, biking and world travel.

Why ASA?
ASA offers a unique blend of rigorous academics and creativity. The teachers are passionate about the programs and the subjects they are teaching. This combination provides students with the tools they need to be confident, prepared and out-of-the-box thinkers.

Kevin Allen is the Chief Financial Officer of Wentworth Property Company, a commercial developer headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. He has over twenty-five years of real estate and development experience ranging from commercial to private clubs. He has worked for some of the more notable developers in Phoenix, namely Discovery Land Company, Opus West and SunCor Development. Mr. Allen is also a licensed CPA in the State of Arizona and provides his CPA services to other nonprofits such as Schools with Heart Foundation. He attended Purdue University and received his Bachelor degree in Accountancy from Radford University. Kevin is married and has four children, one of whom currently attends Arizona School for the Arts.

Michelle Buckley is a Shareholder and Commercial Litigation attorney at Polsinelli, LLC, focusing her practice on business-related disputes, including complex contractual matters, construction, real estate, and product liability litigation.

Ms. Buckley’s experience in complex litigation and her collaborative and strategic brand of representation to each matter have earned her recognition in legal circles. She was selected for inclusion in 2023 by Super Lawyers as one of the “Southwest Rising Stars” and has been named in “Ones to Watch” by The Best Lawyers in America® for Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Construction and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants, every year since 2021. Ms. Buckley has also served as a Regional Editor for the American Bar Association/AGC of America’s Construction State Law Matrix and been a guest speaker for the Arizona State Bar.

Since 2022, Ms. Buckley has been a member of the Construction Lawyers Society of America and she currently serves as the Chair of the Construction Law Section of the Arizona State Bar. She served on the Executive Council of the Animal Law Section of the Arizona State Bar from 2014 to 2018.

After graduating cum laude in 2007 from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Musical Performance, Ms. Buckley received her Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law in 2013 where she was a contributor to Arizona Journal of Environmental Law & Policy.

For over 25 years, Andrei Cherny has been a leader in the private, public, and non-profit sectors in the work to expand economic opportunity, fight the climate crisis, and make our financial system more fair. 

From 2013 to 2022, Andrei Cherny was CEO and co-founder of Aspiration which pioneered the category of “sustainability as a service,” integrating climate change-fighting action into what people and businesses do every day. 

Under his leadership, Aspiration financed the creation of one of the world’s largest portfolios of high quality carbon removal project credits , introduced the first bank account at scale ensuring customer deposits are not used to finance oil and gas expiration which processed $19 billion in fossil fuel free banking transactions from more than seven million members, launched one of the first sustainable ESG investment funds to bring world class fossil fuel-free strategies to everyday investors, developed the first sustainability score built into people’s daily purchases so that they are armed to be climate conscious consumers, and created the first credit card built to fight the climate crisis 

During his time as CEO, Aspiration funded the largest private-sector global reforestation initiative, planting over 125 million trees around the world in 2021-2022; a quarter of a million trees a day, the equivalent of planting as many trees as in New York City’s Central Park every two hours. To undertake this work, Aspiration created over 1.35 million work hours at good wages in the developing world. 

As a corporate leader, Mr. Cherny built a company of over 500 employees which was rated a “Most Loved Workplace” by Newsweek in 2021, the same year it was identified by Inc. Magazine as one of the 10 fastest growing financial institutions in America. Aspiration was named one of the “World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies” by Fast Company and one of the top five most innovative Social Good companies (alongside Patagonia, Starbucks, and Salesforce). Aspiration was certified as “Best for the World” (the top 5% of highest scoring B Corporations) five times in a row. 

Previous to Aspiration, Mr. Cherny was a strategic consultant to Fortune 100 companies, a senior fellow at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and at the Center for American Progress, a Navy reserve officer, a financial fraud prosecutor, and an advisor in the Gore, Kerry and Obama presidential campaigns. A former White House aide, President Clinton called Andrei a “critical part of the team” which brought about the economic successes of the 1990s. 

As the co-founder and president of Democracy journal, Mr. Cherny worked with Elizabeth Warren to help launch the fight for what became the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Democracy has been called “widely read” in the Obama Administration by the Washington Post and “the little magazine that incubated Team Biden” by the New York Times. 

His 2000 book, The Next Deal, outlined how technology was transforming the expectations of consumers and citizens. He is also author of the bestselling, The Candy Bombers about the occupation of Germany and the beginning of the Cold War.

Mr. Cherny graduated from Harvard University and from the University of California Berkeley law school. 

Michelle Davidson has worked in politics and public policy in Arizona for over twenty years. Her experience includes managing successful statewide political campaigns, implementing communications strategies for advocacy groups and nonprofit organizations and managing diverse teams to accomplish short and long-term goals.

Michelle currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Staff and State Director for Arizona’s senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema. She served as a Senior Advisor on the Senator’s 2018 campaign, helping to craft the winning communications and voter contact strategy. In her current role she manages a team of staff in a hybrid work environment who help constituents resolve issues with federal agencies as well as engage the local community through outreach activities and events. She also managed the Senator’s successful re-election campaigns for the House in 2014 and 2016 and served as her District Director from 2013-2018 for Arizona’s 9th Congressional District.

She is a proud Sun Devil with two degrees from Arizona State University- a Bachelor’s in Journalism and a Masters in Public Administration. In her spare time she enjoys reading, live music and Broadway productions, and spending time with friends. She lives in Central Phoenix with her husband Brian, their two children, two dogs and two cats.

Why ASA?
As President Obama said, “the future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.”  Stimulating creativity through the performing arts strengthens the ability to understand science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. Downtown Phoenix presents many challenges and opportunities to educate the diverse population of children who want to or are encouraged by parents to attend a charter school. ASA promotes the development of imagination, curiosity, leadership and the diversity of the faculty, administrative support, curriculum and school population broadens understanding for the collective future.

Betty Hum is currently an attorney consultant with AxiomLaw and a part-time photographer.   She was formerly with Intel Corporation in the Legal Department where her team managed world-wide construction legal issues.   She also developed and managed the Intel world-wide anti-corruption legal group as part of the Intel legal compliance function. Prior to Intel, Ms. Hum was in private practice where she specialized in construction legal issues, employment and immigration law.  Prior to moving to Arizona, her community activities in the arts included the formation of a Board of Directors for a dance company in Minneapolis as well as the Board of Directors of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Since moving to Arizona Ms. Hum has served on numerous boards including, a life director to the Board of Directors of the Arizona Builders’ Alliance, Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Arizona State University Center for Film, Media and Popular Culture.   Betty provides photography services to several non-profits in the Valley, including the Scottsdale Center for the Arts and KJZZ.

John O’Neal grew up in Arizona, attending Our Lady of Perpetual Help elementary school and then Saguaro High School before venturing out of state for college at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.  He returned to the Phoenix area in 1991 for law school at Arizona State University, where he met his wife Rhonda.

Mr. O’Neal is a partner at Quarles & Brady, LLP, where he serves as the Chair of the Phoenix Commercial Litigation Group.  John and Rhonda have two daughters, Sarah and Riley.  Both are graduates of ASA, and Sarah attended Tulane University while Riley, attends the Honors College at University of South Carolina.

For his hobbies, John enjoys the outdoors, hunting, and fishing.  He and Rhonda are a little nervous about being empty-nesters, but are using the budget increase for dining out.

Allison Otu is the Associate Vice President of Outreach with Educational Outreach and Student Services at Arizona State University (ASU). Mrs. Otu leads ASU’s efforts to comprehensively scale and elevate Access ASU initiatives, including WeGrad and the Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. As a member of the senior leadership team, she also oversees Experiences and Community Collaboration, tasked with building strategic partnerships and expanding targeted efforts.

Mrs. Otu joined ASU in 2021 as the Executive Director of Brand Engagement and Communications for the Walter Cronkite School for Journalism and Mass Communication and Arizona PBS; she led an expanded team to elevate brand awareness and organize strategic engagement opportunities for the Cronkite School and Arizona PBS.

Mrs. Otu’s tenure in higher education started in 2012 in various roles, including the University of Arizona Health Sciences Executive Director for Corporate and Community Relations. Her responsibilities included strategic planning and outreach, helping to grow UArizona partnerships with the corporate, community, civic, and health sectors across Arizona.

With more than 19 years of experience managing constituent relations, branding, executive communications and event management, Mrs. Otu founded and organized signature programs, including the University of Arizona’s Connect2STEM annual event. Connect2STEM was the largest STEM outreach event in Phoenix, held at the Phoenix Bioscience Core with 41,000+ attendees over seven years. In 2021, Connect2STEM raised $56,000 in corporate sponsorships and leveraged 29.5M media impressions. Connect2STEM received top honors, winning Best in Show at the 2021 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Impact Awards for creativity and innovation and first place at the 2022 Association of American Medical Colleges Group on Institutional Advancement Awards for Excellence.

For three years, Mrs. Otu was a member of the executive leadership team at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. She led the 14-person marketing & communications department responsible for shaping the overall strategic and creative direction of the College’s content development, public affairs, media production, graphic design, social media, community outreach and public affairs.

Mrs. Otu is a prominent community impact leader serving as the co-chair of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Health Innovation Committee. In addition to  Arizona School for the Arts, she is a board member for the Children’s Museum of Phoenix and Downtown Phoenix Partnership. In 2019, Otu was appointed by City of Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego to the Phoenix Women’s Commission and serves as the Chair.

Mrs. Otu received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and her Executive MBA from University of Arizona Eller College of Management.

Nonnie Shivers is a Shareholder at Ogletree Deakins, partnering with employers and managers in three primary ways: litigation avoidance through proactive and maximally compliant 50-state counseling and training; complex workplace investigations including at the C-Suite level; and litigating legally complex and factually challenging cases to defend employers actions.

Ms. Shivers advises and counsels employers in all aspects of employment law, including an emphasis on complex but proactive compliance projects, such as 50-state compliant wage deductions and lawful parental leave programs. She regularly partners with clients to plan and implement reductions in force, severance plans and agreements, and pre-litigation disciplinary matters as well as regularly conducts high-level internal investigations for clients and assists in identifying and resolving potential areas of liability and exposure in a proactive but practical way. Ms. Shivers’ unique practice also includes providing employment advice for employers doing business within the Navajo Nation’s territorial jurisdiction and other tribal lands, including cultural and employment law training on unique tribal code requirements.

Ms. Sivers has successfully defended employers against allegations of discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination in state and federal court, as well as administrative forums. She has handled hundreds of charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Arizona Civil Rights Division, as well as claims and appeals filed with the Industrial Commission of Arizona. Ms. Shivers has also litigated whistleblower claims against air carriers under AIR 21 and handled investigations and enforcement actions with numerous other federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Labor and other employers under SOX.

Ms. Shivers regularly speaks and trains on current and emerging employment law topics, including recent presentations to industry and trade groups on civility in the #MeToo era, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workplace issues, avoidance of retaliation claims, and political expression in the workplace. Her advanced degree in education and years of experience as an instructor and student affairs professional at Arizona State University help make her training sessions and presentations simultaneously educational and entertaining. She has also published several scholarly articles focused on employment law, including a book chapter on the impact of reasonable workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities on employers, employees’ expectations of privacy for off-duty conduct, and most recently an article on ADA case law related to benefits and other evolving protections for transgender employees.

Ms. Shivers has received numerous accolades from clients and legal professionals for her dedicated client focus and problem-solving abilities. Southwest Super Lawyers named her a Rising Star in 2012-2014 and a Super Lawyer from 2015 through today. Ms. Shivers also obtained the recognition of the legal community by receiving an AV Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell beginning in 2014 through today. Chambers USA first ranked her as a Leading Individual in 2015 and Best Lawyers added Ms. Shivers to its list of recognized practitioners in 2016. Prior to joining Ogletree Deakins, Ms. Shivers served as a law clerk to the Honorable Patricia K. Norris on the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One.

Why ASA?
It is such an honor to have been part of the ASA family for over a decade.  I never cease to be amazed to see how ASA’s academic and arts programs and culture enable students to both become self-directed scholars and artists, while ever building and sustaining a safe and accepting school community.

John Snider is a Managing Director at RBC Capital Markets where he heads its national Charter School Finance Group. Mr. Snider joined RBCCM in 1989 and in his current role coordinates and oversees the firm’s investment banking efforts for charter schools across the country, with over $2.25 billion of facilities funded since 2000. In his time at RBCCM, Mr. Snider has been involved with a number of other notable public financing projects, including funding of the University of Phoenix Stadium home of the Arizona Cardinals. In addition to his service on the ASA board, Mr. Snider is also a current board member and finance committee chair of the Arizona Charter Schools Association and previously was a board member and President of the Phoenix Boys Choir Association. He received his undergraduate degree from Arizona State University and Masters in Business Administration from the University of Chicago. Three of John’s children graduated from ASA.

Why ASA?

People are always amazed that I have taught at ASA for so long. My answer is always, “Where else would I be able to teach percussion where the whole community (students, teachers, parents) is so supportive and dedicated to the arts and education?” ASA is an amazing place that turns students into artist scholars. I wish I had gone to ASA when I was in high school!

Liz Guzman received her degree in percussion from Arizona State University in 2004 under the direction of Dr. Douglas Nottingham, Dr. JB Smith, Dr. Mark Sunkett and Bill Wanser. (Phoenix Symphony, retired). In 2005, she joined the ASA faculty as the percussion specialist and currently serves as the 504 Liaison for the Exceptional Student Services Department. In addition to ASA, Ms. Guzman maintains a busy private studio where her students have performed and earned honors at the AMEA Solo & Ensemble, Arizona Regional & All State Band and Orchestra, Curry Summer Music Camp, Berklee Percussion Camp, the AzPAS Solo & Ensemble Festival, Phoenix Youth Symphony, and the Academy Drum & Bugle Corp. In 2011 she was named a Surdna Arts Fellow, which granted her the opportunity to study with world-renowned marimbist Naoko Takada. Ms. Guzman regularly performs with various groups around the Valley, including the Rosewood Rascals Marimba Band and Salt River Brass. She is a member of the Arizona Music Educators Association and National Association of Music Education, and serves as president of the Arizona Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society.

On Campus:
Band-Percussion/5th-12th Grade

Education: 
B.A. Music – Arizona State University, 2004

Why ASA?
Originally, it was because I wanted my son to attend this school (he graduated in 2015). But I found ASA students to be the most interesting, talented, and engaged young people that I have met in the 30-plus years I have been teaching.

Jeffrey Steinert grew up outside Portland, Oregon, went to college in Baltimore, and graduate school in Berkeley. He has taught physics, chemistry, and mathematics since 1985 in California, Massachusetts, Maine, and Arizona. Mr. Steinert has used modeling instruction in his classes since 1998 and has led numerous physics modeling workshops for high school and college instructors in Maine, Florida, and Arizona. He came to ASA in 2006, moving his family from Maine for the opportunity to teach and send his son to school here. Three times Mr. Steinert has been a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching, most recently in 2005. His classroom research has produced studies linking student gains in understanding physics to their cognitive and scientific reasoning skills, with published papers appearing in The Physics Teacher, Physical Review Special Topics – PER, and the AAPT PERC Proceedings.

On Campus:
Science/11th Grade, Team Lead

Education:
B.E.S. Biomedical Engineering – Johns Hopkins University, 1981
M.S. Mechanical Engineering – University of California, Berkeley, 1984