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Meet the Pathway to Accreditation Guides

Arizona Quality Standards for Out-of-School Time Programs

Meet the Pathway to Accreditation Guides

With more than a decade of experience in out-of-school time and youth development, Kari Taylor brings deep expertise in program quality, accreditation, and organizational growth. As a Pathway to Accreditation Guide at the Arizona Center for Afterschool Excellence, Kari supports programs across the state in navigating the accreditation process, strengthening sustainability, and meeting high standards of quality. This work includes providing tailored technical assistance, professional development, and guidance on eligibility for enhanced quality rate reimbursements through DES contracts.

Kari currently serves as a Program Coordinator with Read Better Be Better, where they support literacy and leadership programming for youth. This role builds on her extensive experience in youth development through ICAN and Playworks, as well as her background in education, bringing a strong foundation in program quality, SEL, and engaging learning environments to support youth growth and academic success.

Previously, Kari served as Director of Programs at ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth, where they led a diverse portfolio of youth development programs across multiple sites. In this role, she guided long-term strategy, built and coached high-performing teams, strengthened curriculum and data practices, and partnered across departments to align programs with organizational goals, funding requirements, and community needs. Her leadership helped improve program consistency, staff retention, and outcomes for youth and families.

Earlier in her career, Kari held program leadership roles with Playworks Arizona and supported in developing a nationally used afterschool leadership curriculum now implemented in more than 1,200 schools. She also brings experience as an elementary educator, grounding their work in both classroom practice and systems-level thinking.

Kari is passionate about helping afterschool and youth programs thrive by empowering leaders, strengthening operations, and ensuring that high-quality programming is accessible, sustainable, and responsive to the communities it serves.

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. 

Kathleen, a dedicated childcare professional with over 27 years of experience and retired in January 2025. Throughout her career, she demonstrated a strong commitment to community engagement and leadership. Kathleen began her journey with the City of Peoria Youth Services as a Coordinator, where she advanced to Supervisor and later served as an interim Superintendent. She also worked for Paradise Valley as a Site Supervisor for over three years.
 
In addition to her professional career, Kathleen has a passion for coaching and mentoring. She currently serves as an assistant coach for the Atomic 16 Fusion Volleyball Club, where she enjoys helping young athletes develop their skills. Outside of her professional endeavors, Kathleen enjoys spending time with her family, including her two children—a senior and a sophomore—and her rescue dog. When her kids’ or teams volleyball allows, she enjoys playing golf on weekends.

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.