About Us
Becky Levy |
Rebecca is the Executive Director of the Cortez Cultural Center. She earned her Masters of Arts in Political Science with a focus on public policy, land use and environmental justice from the University of Colorado Denver. Originally from Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes, she immediately became aware of the importance of water in the arid west when she moved to Fort Lewis College to study history in the early 90s. In addition to her role with the Center, she serves on the Cortez Planning and Zoning Committee, the city's Drought Advisory Board, the Cortez Historic Preservation Board, and the Board of Appeals.
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Anne Beach |
Anne spent many years as an associate or executive director of non-profit organizations including Music in the Mountains, Stillwater Foundation, Cortez Cultural Center, Seeley Lake Community Foundation and Mancos Creative District.
She now enjoys coordinating and connecting people through events in and around the region. Anne appreciates contributing to the local art community through whimsical up cycled pieces and relishes the fact that she can take off to camp, hike or snowshoe in the beautiful southwest. Anne will be Four Corners Institute logistics coordinator and can help with questions around transportation, lodging, meals, scheduling and presentation needs. |
Tammy Waller |
Tammy Waller is the Director for K-12 Social Studies and World Languages at the Arizona Department of Education and the co-manager of the statewide Civic Education and Community Engagement Program. She also teachers at the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University and is a member of the Arizona Civic Health Steering Committee. Since late 2019 Tammy has been involved in the Educating for American Democracy Initiative, first as a committee member and co-chair of the History Task Force and currently as a Co- Principal Investigator and member of the Implementation Task Force.
Tammy has spent most of her career in civics and history education. Tammy taught 7-12th grade social studies for 25 years in various schools in the Phoenix area and coached both Speech and Debate and Mock Trial. She is a state and national trainer for various civic education programs and is a member of the Council for Social Studies State Supervisors. She is a 2000 Arizona Teacher of the Year Ambassador for Excellence and an Arizona Law Related Educator of the year. |
Linda Burrows |
Linda Burrows is the K-12 Social Studies and World Languages Specialist at the Arizona Department of Education for the past 2 years where she has presented nationally and delivered professional development across the state to K-12 teachers. She sits on the Executive Boards for the Council of State Social Studies Specialists and the Arizona Language Association. Linda is a member of the National Council of State Supervisors for Languages and a Teacher Advisor for the Arizona Council on Economic Education. Prior to her work at ADE, she taught for 20 years in grades 7-12, teaching world and U.S. history, government, and economics along with AP and Dual-Enrollment courses. She has received many awards and a Fulbright-Hays Summer Project Abroad Program.
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Paul Hamel |
Paul Hamel currently serves the Alhambra Elementary School District as the District Gifted and Talented Facilitator. He has worked as a fifth-grade teacher, technology coordinator, academic coach, athletic director, and administrator in the district.
Paul graduated from Arizona State University, received a Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix, and a Masters in Leadership from Grand Canyon University. He serves as a mentor to new teachers in the Alhambra Mentoring and Induction Program and provides professional development for local parent volunteers, districts, and business partners. Paul loves to hike, fish, travel, and volunteers as a guide runner for a local chapter with Achilles International. |
Stephanie Hartman |
Stephanie is the Social Studies Content Specialist at the Colorado Department of Education. She is a member of the Standards and Instructional Support (SIS) Team whose duties include, among other things, providing support for the implementation of the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS).
Stephanie has worked at the state level as a social studies content specialist for over 15 years. Her first state level job was with the Nevada Department of Education. Prior to that, Stephanie taught high school social studies for 13 years in both Everett, WA and Reno, NV. She has also taught elementary and secondary education courses at the University of Nevada Reno and Sierra Nevada College. Stephanie holds a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Nevada Reno, as well as a master’s degree in Integrated Curriculum from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Social Studies from the University of Northern Colorado. |
Sara Hill |
I am a 4th Grade teacher in Fruita, Colorado. I have been teaching primary school for the past 10 years. I have been a mentor teacher for new teachers and student teachers. I am a teacher leader for our school's science curriculum. My true passion is history and I get extremely excited to teach and just talk about history. I have just become a member of the Native American Cultural Programs in Grand Junction, CO. I grew up just south of Long Beach, CA and I was immersed in all kinds of cultures and heritages while living there that led to my passion for history. I graduated from Cal State Univ, of Long Beach with a degree in Education and a minor in history. I love to travel with my dog and camper while learning about the history of the places I visit.
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JoAnna Sorensen |
JoAnna Sorensen is the PreK-6 Social Studies Specialist and Title IV, Part A Program Specialist at the Utah State Board of Education. JoAnna has spent most of her career in sixth grade classrooms around the state of Utah – fourteen years in middle schools teaching English Language Arts and social studies, and seven years in elementary schools teaching all content areas in various settings including Gifted/Talented, ESL/ELL, and co-taught Resource.
JoAnna earned her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Utah, and Master of Education in Elementary Education and Administrative/Supervisory Certificate from Utah State University. She also holds endorsements in Gifted and Talented Education and ESL/ELL. JoAnna is an advocate for all education, but especially elementary social studies. She believes in relevant, authentic integration of elementary social studies with other content areas and to further that work has served on curriculum development and personalized competency-based learning committees in several Utah school districts. JoAnna is passionate about student and teacher leadership within communities; she has worked in many schools as a student council advisor, student senate advisor, and Junior Hope Squad Advisor. She herself has held leadership positions on Joint School Staff Committees, School Community Councils, new teacher mentoring programs, and curriculum/grade-level departments. |
Janeth Parades |
Janeth has been a 4th grade teacher since 2015. She teaches the target language side in a Dual Language Immersion school in Utah. She has a passion for multicultural, bilingual, and biliteracy education. Her students learn about and celebrate the various Heritage Months throughout the school year. Janeth believes it is important for students to learn about the achievements and contributions of individuals from different cultural backgrounds in the United States and the world. She is also the Alternative Language Services coordinator for her school and enjoys learning how to help emergent bilinguals be successful in their education journey. She holds a degree in Elementary Education with Dual Language Immersion & Spanish Endorsements. In 2017, she received her masters degree in Educational Leadership & Policy with an emphasis on teacher leadership. In her free time she enjoys researching educational topics and sharing resources with other teachers.
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