Arizona Rural
Schools Association
who we are

ARSA Executive Board

Please meet our executive officers for the 2022–2023 term:

Wes Brownfield
Executive Director
Arizona Rural Schools Association
Send Email
Biography

About Wes Brownfield

Wes Brownfield is a retired principal. He and his wife Cristina, Program Specialist of OELSA at the Arizona Department of Education, have been active in Arizona Rural Schools Association for years and are deeply committed to helping in any way they can to support rural schools and teachers. 

Wes began his career teaching in Ajo, AZ and Saint Johns, AZ. He became the principal at Coronado Elementary in St. Johns in 2000 where he remained until 2006. He became Educational Services Director at Lake Havasu USD then principal at Chino Valley High School in 2011. Wes will tell anyone who listens that CVHS and ARSA are the two best experiences he has had in education. He and Cristina have five children and four cats!

Close

Melissa Sadorf
President
Stanfield Elementary School District
Biography

About Melissa Sadorf

Dr. Melissa Sadorf has been an educator for 30 years and is currently the superintendent of the Stanfield Elementary School District. Previously she worked as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal in the Sierra Vista Unified School District. She is an adjunct instructor for Northern Arizona University and for Central Arizona College. She serves on the Arizona State Board of Education’s Professional Practices Advisory Committee and has held various leadership positions in a variety of organizations: Arizona Schools Administrators, AZ ASCD, Western Heritage Educational Program, and the Pinal County Schools Administration Association. Recently, Dr. Sadorf has begun to produce the Rural Scoop podcast highlighting what is working in rural schools and communities. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time with her three grandchildren.

Close

Sean Rickert
President Elect
Pima Unified School District
Biography

About Sean Rickert

Sean is the superintendent of the Pima Unified School District and has been very active in ARSA for many years. He brings strength, leadership, and the perspective of Eastern Rural Arizona to the table. Sean’s whole life has been about finding ways to help others learn. As a teenager, Sean started teaching swim lessons to toddlers. He would later teach youth to sail and adults to drive horses. It comes as no surprise that he found many ways to develop his love for education; first, he developed it as a teacher, later as an alternative school director, and now as a superintendent. Nothing gives Sean greater pleasure than watching others grasp new ideas that will help them become successful.

Close

Kristin Turner
Past President
Paloma Elementary School District
Biography

About Kristin Turner

Kristin Turner is the Superintendent of Paloma School District near Gila Bend, Arizona. She received her masters of education in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and her bachelors of science in elementary education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her time as Superintendent of Paloma, she started a grant-funded preschool, won two blended learning grants, increased school enrollment, student achievement, developed community space on campus, and has started construction of a new school. She enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, pets, and tackling home remodeling projects.

Close

Dru Waggoner
AACSS Representative
La Paz County Superintendent
Biography

About Dru Waggoner

Close

Stephen Estatico
Southeast Region Rep
Superior Unified School District
Biography

About Stephen Estatico

Born Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Raised in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
1988 Graduate of Chartiers Valley High School in Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
1992 Graduate of Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
BS Secondary Education, Social Studies, Minor Spanish
2004 MAED Northern Arizona University
AZ Certificates: Social Studies 6–12, Principal K–12, Superintendent K–12 

Moved to Superior, Arizona in 1996. Taught United States government/economics and United States/Arizona history. Served as dean of students, athletics director, and coached football, wrestling, track, and golf.

Hired as assistant principal at Globe High School in July 2006. Assigned to High Desert Middle School in December of 2006. Served nine years as the HDMS middle school principal. Loved working with the middle school students and staff. 

Hired as superintendent of the Superior Unified School District in July 2015. In the last seven years we were able to upgrade our school buildings that were neglected for several years. We also upgraded our classroom and athletics facilities, enhanced our technology, and upgraded our curriculum and instructional practices. Moved Superior to a four-day school week in alignment with the Copper Corridor to attract quality teachers and support staff. Orchestrated a four-year, $1.2 million dollar educational funding partnership with Resolution Copper.

Elected to the Superior Town Council in 2013. Reelected in 2018. Finishing his ninth and last year this November. Accomplishments include maintaining the police force, revitalizing downtown Superior, building partnerships with the school district, TOS, and Superior Chamber of Commerce which created Rebuild Superior. Improving streets. Upgrading parks. Part of creating the first ever Superior Youth Council. Partnering with Resolution Copper to for the Emergency Services Committee which he serves as its current chairperson. Signing long-term partnership with Resolution Copper that included purchasing the old high school to create a new town hall and multi-generational center. 

Associations:
Arizona School Administrators
Past President - Pinal County School Administrators Association
Superior Little League board and coach for five years
Superior, Arizona - St. Francis of Assisi Parish Finance Council - two years

Celebrated 22nd anniversary with wife Sonia in June
Dad to three Superior state softball champion daughters:
Marisa - United States Army Reserve, Arizona State University
Marlee - Medical assistant and nursing student
Mira - Superior High School senior

Close

Jaime Festa-Daigle
Treasurer
Lake Havasu High School
Biography

About Jaime Festa-Daigle

Jaime is a native Arizonan. She has 14 years of experience educating students in Lake Havasu Unified School District. She is currently an assistant principal at Lake Havasu High School. She has taught civics, economics, American History, English, and been an advisor for student council. Jaime has her bachelor’s degree in secondary education, social studies and English as a second language from Grand Canyon University. She received her master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and holds K-12 endorsements in English as a second language, career and technical education, and speech.

Jaime is a National Board Certified Teacher, an AZ Master Teacher, a past Teacher of the Year/Ambassador and has achieved many awards including the American Civic Educator of the Year Award, Lake Havasu Most Influential Teacher Award and the Arizona We the People Scholarship Teacher of the Year. She is a member of the Arizona Teacher Solutions Team and has spent the past year researching and writing about teacher recruitment and retention, especially as it pertains to rural Arizona.  Jaime has led accreditation efforts at her school for the past decade and volunteers with AdvancEd to conduct external school and systems reviews. 

In Jaime’s free time she enjoys Crossfit, paddle boarding, and spending time with her two children and husband.

Close

Patty Horn
Higher Education
Northern Arizona University
Biography

About Patty Horn

Dr. Patty J. Horn is currently a Professor at Northern Arizona University. She served as an elementary teacher for ten years in grades 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th. While at Grand Canyon University, Dr. Horn served in many positions and she was the first dean of the College of Education. She was the first executive director of the Arizona K-12 Center, and was the first appointed associate dean at Northern Arizona University. Serving over fifty years in education, Patty has served on many state and national committees, given presentations internationally, nationally, and the state level. Dr. Horn also published a book, Toolkit for Mentor Practice, and held many other positions educationally. 

Dr. Horn created master level degree programs as well as co-created the Teacher Induction Program. Some of her awards include; an Inductee Hall of Fame for the Arizona Rural Schools Association, Distinguished Higher Education Administrator for the Arizona School Administrators Association, Outstanding Contributor to Teacher Education in Arizona, The Arizona Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and Environmental Educator of the Year—Arizona Association for Learning In and About the Environment.

Among her many memberships, she has also served as the president, secretary and board member in the following organizations; Staff Development Council of Arizona, The Arizona Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, The Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education, Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education, National Science Teachers Association Arizona Science Teachers Association, and Arizona Rural Schools Association. She is the only higher education professor to serve as the president of the Arizona School Administrators.

Patty traveled internationally as a team member in collaboration with Cooperative Services International Education Consortium with the University of Tibet, Hong Kong, Guilin, Chengdu, China; in collaboration with Business and Educational Institutions and Cooperative Services International Education Consortium, Tunisia and Africa; and in collaboration with Cooperative Services International Education Consortium and the University of Kazakhstan, Alma Alta, and Kazakhstan.            

Personal travels include the Amazon, the Galapagos, Machu Picchu, Ecuador, Peru, Kenya, Tanzania, Mongolia, Beijing, and Xian.

Close

Robbie Koerperich
Northeast Area Rep
Holbrook Unified School Distict
Biography

About Robbie Koerperich

Robbie Koerperich has been an educator for twenty-five years.  Ten years was as an elementary teacher in Kansas; five years as a Principal at Indian Wells Elementary, Holbrook School District and two years as Assistant Superintendent of Holbrook USD #3. Robbie has been the Superintendent of HUSD #3 for seven years. Robbie has been President of the Arizona Impact Aid Association since 2014. Robbie also serves on the Education Certification Advisory Board. Robbie is a member of the Navapache Superintendent Association and Arizona School Administrators Association. Robbie has been married for twenty-five years, has three children and is an avid golfer and basketball coach.

Close

Kaitlin McGill
Secretary
Crane ESD
Biography

About Kaitlin McGill

Kaitlyn McGill

Kaitlin McGill has been an educator for 9 years, teaching both high school and middle school science. Kaitlin graduated with a BS in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, earned a master's in management from American Military University, and an Arizona Teaching Certificate from Prescott College. Kaitlin resides and works in Yuma, Arizona, for Crane Elementary District. She is the Science Department Chair at Crane Middle School, helping her team be innovative, creative, and engaging. Kaitlin is passionate about education and hands-on learning experiences for her students. She has developed the Agricultural Science program at her school, which includes a 16-foot aquaponics garden. She also has helped Crane Middle School build their CTE program. Kaitlin was recognized as Teacher of the Year, Yuma County 2021–2022 by Arizona Rural Schools Association and now serves as Secretary on the Executive Board. In addition, Kaitlin has started a LEGO club for her daughter in elementary school. In her free time, you can find her enjoying swimming with her two small children and husband or vacationing at her condo in Flagstaff.

Close

Stephanie Miller
Central Area Rep
Congress Elementary School District
Biography

About Stephanie Miller

Dr. Stephanie Miller has been the Superintendent of Congress Elementary School District, an A for Arizona School, for over eight years. Her degrees include a Doctor of Education in Instructional Leadership; Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Educational Leadership; and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction for Creative Arts. Dr. Miller’s professional experience ranges from being: an adjunct professor for Northern Arizona University, a private school administrator, a national school improvement specialist; and a classroom educator. In June 2017, Dr. Miller was awarded by the Phoenix Arizona Chamber of Commerce for her outstanding leadership. She has presented nationally on education at conferences for the National Science Teachers Association, and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Her school district has been highlighted in various national publications for its accomplishments in science, technology, engineering, and math. With over 20 years of education experience, Dr. Miller works to support the development of the art of teaching and the craft of leadership.

Close

Jen Rehse
Business Representative
Concord General Contracting
Biography

About Jen Rehse

My name is Jen Rehse and I have been in the Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) Industry for over 20 years. I am thrilled to not only be announcing that I am the new client relationship manager for Concord General Contracting but I was also recently elected to serve on the ARSA Executive Board as the new vendor rep.

I love what I do for a living. I am motivated by my passion to make a difference in the community and improve upon and strengthen my business relationships. I have found that there is so much value in taking real-life experiences and transforming them into learning tools that other BD professionals and district administrators can use to work together for the common good.

Close

John Warren
Northwest Representative
Topock Elementary School District
Biography

About John Warren

Close