Meet the Pathway to Accreditation Guides
Arizona Quality Standards for Out-of-School Time Programs
Meet the Pathway to Accreditation Guides
Kari is an accreditor and consultant for the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence (AZCASE). With over 15 years of experience working with youth, she has been instrumental in shaping impactful programs for children and teens across Arizona. During her 6 years at ICAN, positive programs for youth, Kari oversaw the program area, which included 28 staff members and 500 youth in ICAN’s free after-school program. She played a critical role in expanding ICAN’s program model from one site in downtown Chandler to five sites across multiple cities.
Kari holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. She is a graduate of ASU’s American Express Leadership Academy for nonprofit leadership (2022) and was named Outstanding Out of School Time Professional for the state of Arizona by AZCASE in 2021. Kari lives in Ahwatukee with her husband and two young children and remains passionate about youth development, continuing to advocate for high-quality programs that empower Arizona’s youth.
Yvonne has dedicated her career to serving children, teens, and families in the Phoenix community. She has worked in nonprofit and city government for over 25th years, nineteen with the City of Phoenix. She has been responsible for the coordination and delivery of various citywide programs along the cradle to career continuum including early literacy, afterschool/out of school time, grade-level reading, and college access programming. She was part of the development of the Girl Scouts- Arizona Cactus Pine Council’s Social Justice Programs serving girls and women at risk or have been involved with the criminal justice system. She has also served as a Program Advisor with Arizona State University’s Hispanic Mother-Daughter Program. Currently, she is the Chief Service Officer for the City of Phoenix, coordinating and managing citywide volunteer services and national service programs. Yvonne is a native Phoenician and a graduate of the University of Arizona’s College of Education and mother of 2 adult children, Alexis and Francisco, and grandmother to Santiago.
Jauron is an experienced public administration professional with extensive experience in program management, community development, and project management. Currently, she serves as a Program Coordinator for the City of Phoenix, overseeing key programs like the Landlord Tenant Program and Eviction Legal Services Program.
With over two decades in public service, Jauron has held various roles within the City of Phoenix, including Management Assistant II and Project Manager. Her expertise includes managing HOME, CDBG, and MSHDA grants, and leading community revitalization efforts.
Jauron began her career at the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and has also worked with the Arizona Department of Housing. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Grand Canyon University and a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Tourism Management from Grand Valley State University. Jauron is a Certified Public Manager and has completed numerous professional certifications.
Her leadership and public speaking skills have significantly contributed to community development and revitalization initiatives.
Pam has worked in afterschool care for 37 years, 34 of those years were in administration. She has been training for 34 years, also. Her degree is in Education and Science with a Master’s Degree in Afterschool programming. She has collaborated with a variety of institutions to help improve the out-of-school time programs including, University of California, Irvine, California Department of Education, American Institutes of Research, and the California School-Age Consortium.
Her love of science prompted her to begin providing workshops to afterschool providers in STEM before it was popular. She provides training in many other areas including management, team building, SEL, Summer Programming, etc. One of her primary strengths is as a Developer as defined in the Strengths Finder survey. She enjoys and is energized by helping others learn to provide quality care to the children and youth in a variety of afterschool programs.
Teresa has dedicated her career to providing quality child care to infants through school-age children. Her love for children has given her the opportunity to pursue many different positions and roles. She has served families by providing care in home-based family day care, respite and habilitation, children in crisis, infants, preschool, and school-age before and after care programming. She is currently working as a Program Coordinator III for the Kyrene School District. She earned her B.A. in Child Development and received the Out-of-School Time Large Program Award of Excellence in 2018. She is happy to share her knowledge with childcare providers so they can learn and implement quality after-school programs while reminding them how important they are to our families and communities.
Rachel is an educational leadership consultant and coach supporting nonprofits, school districts, schools, educational leaders, and teachers across the nation. She holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from the University of Denver and an MBA from Regis University. Rachel has previously served as Director of Multilingual Education, a High School Principal, an Instructional Coach, a Teacher Leader, and a Bilingual Classroom Teacher.
CaLara has been working in the education field since 2017. She currently supervises the Education Department at a children’s shelter, ensuring curriculum, lesson plans, and instruction are carried out efficiently and effectively. She often completes classroom observations, providing teachers with constructive feedback and support when challenges arise. She has worked in both Title I public and private school settings, teaching students between the ages of 3 – 17 years old. CaLara has spent the last 10 years studying Spanish to be able to support her students who are English Language Learners and to be able to communicate with their families regarding student progress. As her career transitions toward a leadership role, she has found great pride in assisting others while they embark on their journey within the field of education.
Brian brings over 30 years of leadership experience in operating, guiding, and advancing Out-of-School Time (OST) programming across nonprofit, government, and private sector settings. His career has been dedicated to creating impactful, youth-centered initiatives that promote safety, enrichment, and community connection beyond the classroom.
Brian currently serves on the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence (AZCASE) Board and the Regional YMCA Youth Conference Steering Committee, where he contributes to statewide and regional efforts to elevate the quality and accessibility of OST services. With a deep understanding of program development, cross-sector collaboration, and strategic planning, Brian continues to champion innovative solutions that support youth, families, and communities.