Our K-8 Staff
Hello Heritage Pinnacle Families and Scholars!
I am honored and blessed to join the Heritage Academy family for the 24-25 school year as the new principal of Pinnacle and director of Liberty Kids Preschool. I am coming to you all with eighteen years of experience in public education (charter and district). I have a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from ASU and a master’s in Educational Administration from GCU. I have teaching experience in preschool through high school with a special place in my heart for middle grades science and children with exceptional needs.
A little personal background on me:
I am an Arizona native, having lived in both Tucson and the Phoenix area. Currently, my husband of fifteen years, Mike, and I live in Anthem with our two daughters (ages 12 and 10). We are an education family as my husband has also been a special education paraprofessional and self-contained special education teacher for fifteen years. I love baking, cooking, crafting, and photography.
As a leader I commit to serving, empowering, and supporting our scholars, staff, parents, and community. I believe in building meaningful relationships and engaging in transparent communication, and will make every decision with the following standard in mind: “What is best for scholars?”
Thank you for entrusting us with the most precious gifts in your lives. I look forward to partnering with you as we raise the heroes of tomorrow.
Leah Jenks
Hello, my name is Andrea Lenhart! I have been working in education for 5 1/2 years, my education is in General Studies. I absolutely love working with the scholars and their families. I am a mother to a beautiful daughter, that is my sunshine! In my free time I love to travel, hike and the ocean is my happy place!
Contact: a.lenhart@heritageacademyaz.com
Hello! My name is Beth Schaffer and I am thrilled to be your child’s Kindergarten teacher this year. While I’ve taught a variety of elementary grades, my passion has always been in early childhood and primary education. I’ve worked with students from Preschool through 5th grade and have supported many K–3 learners. I believe in going “slow to go fast” at the beginning of kindergarten, building strong routines and skills so students feel confident and successful. I strive to meet each child where they are and support their individual learning needs. My goal is to create a calm, positive classroom where every child feels supported and excited to learn.
Hello! My name is Christina Pantoja and I will be your child’s first grade teacher! I come with 10 years of experience in early childhood. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix and have had the privilege of teaching preschool, kindergarten, and first grade. I am happily married with two daughters, a dog named Bear and a desert tortoise named Harry. I enjoy traveling, hiking and spending quality time with my family. My teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that every student can learn and thrive in a welcoming and positive environment. I strive to create a classroom that adapts to all learning styles, ensuring each child feels valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential. I am looking forward to an amazing school year!
Hello 2nd grade families! My name is Jackie Wheeler and I will be your child’s teacher this year. I graduated from Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. While pursuing my education, I worked as a K-6 substitute teacher for 5 years and then took a long-term media substitute position the year after that. Once in Arizona, I taught Kindergarten for 7 years, 2nd Grade for 8 years, and Reading Intervention for 2 years. I’m very excited to be joining the Heritage Community and believe 2nd grade is where I belong.
I was born and raised in Michigan and married my High School Sweetheart before moving to Arizona 17 years ago. We are the proud parents of a 13 year-old daughter and an 8 year old son. When I’m not busy in the classroom, I enjoy reading, baking, crafting, and hanging out by the pool with my family. I also loved attending Phoenix Coyotes games, but will now have to settle for watching the Detroit Red Wings and U of M Wolverines on TV.
I’m looking forward to being a part of your child’s education and hope that together we can make this a very successful year.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Wheeler
My name is Katie Shaw. I graduated from Arizona State University in 2011 with my Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education degree and this is my13th year teaching. The majority of my career has been in 3rd grade, with one year of 4th grade. On top of being a teacher, I am a wife and a mother of two wonderful kids and loving every minute of it!
I earned a Bachelor’s Degree in the College of Teacher Education and Leadership from Arizona State University in 2009. While in college, I was a member of the Kappa Delta Pi’s Honor Society where I was involved in events that gave back to the educational community. During my time as a student teacher, I really fell in love with teaching fourth grade, and I have been teaching fourth grade for 12 years now. In addition to teaching, I have coached baseball, volleyball, soccer, and softball to help build a community of students who worked together as a team. I am excited to join the Heritage team, and I look forward to setting the example of what a life long learner looks like. When I am not learning with my fourth graders, I love to go to the park with my two young boys and my husband.
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Illinois State University in 2018. During my education and five years of teaching experience, I have been mentored by nationally award winning educators through the Golden Apple Foundation’s Excellence in Teaching and Leadership program. This experience prepared me to be a highly effective educator by learning from some of the best teachers in our country.
When I am not in the classroom, I focus on preserving, researching, and curating historical artifacts for museums around the world. My artifacts are currently in institutions such as the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, the National WWII Museum, and the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. These experiences have shaped my commitment to preserving our nation’s history and making it meaningful for future generations.
I am excited to teach at Heritage Academy, where I bring your child’s learning to life by integrating these same historical primary artifacts into daily hands-on lessons across the curriculum. I believe students thrive when expectations are clear, accountability is consistent, and classroom culture is built on respect, leadership, and high expectations. I look forward to you seeing your scholar’s growth, their love of learning, and the once in a lifetime experiences they will have this year through these historical primary artifacts in our classroom.
My name is Zachary Smith. I was born and raised in Portland Oregon. I received my Bachelors in Biology in 2020 followed by my Masters in Secondary Education in 2021 from Pacific University. I moved to Surprise Arizona in 2021 and married my wife in 2024.
I have taught Jr. High Math and Science since 2021. I am passionate about fostering curiosity and critical thinking in young minds through engaging lessons and hands on activities. I have high expectations of my scholars and invite them to join me in the exploration of math and science this school year.
Outside of school, I enjoy playing soccer, hiking, biking, and camping with my wife and 2 Siberian Husky’s.
I’m thrilled to be joining Heritage Academy for the 2025–2026 school year! Math has always been a true passion of mine, and I’m excited to share that enthusiasm with our scholars. I hold a Master’s in Education and a degree in Finance from Arizona State University. Over the past 18 years, I’ve taught in PVUSD and also served for a year as an instructional coach.
Outside the classroom, I enjoy hiking, traveling, and speaking Portuguese fluently. I’ve been happily married for 30 years and have three wonderful children—Emma, Ryan, and Nathan. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you and becoming a part of this amazing community!
My name is Mrs. Kay Bryant. I am a native of Phoenix with no plans to move anytime soon. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and a Master’s in Education. I am currently working on my Advanced Degree in Leadership with the potential to go for my Doctorate all from Grand Canyon University. I have a variety of experience in different fields to include the medical field but teaching has my heart. Most of my teaching experience is in 6th grade ELA where I have been teaching for the last 3 years.
Hi, I’m Amanda Nesvig! I hold a music composition degree from The Master’s University and
Butler University and have spent my career teaching general music, music theory, and choir to
students from preschool through high school. This year, I’m thrilled to join Heritage Pinnacle as
the music teacher!
I am passionate about providing a rich and engaging music education, believing that every
student has the potential to become musically literate. In our music classes, you might find
students singing, dancing, playing music games, reading rhythms and melodies, or exploring
instruments—a joyful celebration of learning through music.
Outside of teaching, I treasure my role as a wife to my husband, Tim, and as a mother to our
two daughters, Mae (5) and Cecilia (3). My other favorite pastimes include cooking, reading,
hiking, and playing the piano.
My name is Mrs. Robison, I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I attended The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Los Angeles and earned a degree in Merchandise Marketing. I went on to work in the licensed sports apparel industry for over 20 years. My first love is art so working in the apparel industry gave me the opportunity to further my knowledge of graphic design. I started teaching digital design to high school students during the 22-23 school year and went on to obtain an Arizona CTE Certificate to be able to share my real life work experience with our scholars. During my down time, I enjoy spending my time with my husband and our three daughters; traveling, creating art, and helping my husband coach youth basketball. I look forward to sharing my knowledge of sports, art, and design with our young scholars.
Hello!
My name is Kailee Erickson, and I’m so excited to be joining the Heritage Academy Pinnacle family as your child’s Physical Education teacher! I’m originally from a small town in Utah and attended Utah Valley University, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. My husband and I are looking forward to our move to Arizona and starting this new adventure.
I’m passionate about all things sports and staying active — basketball, volleyball, pickleball, boating, four-wheeling you name it, I love it! In PE, my goal is to help students become lifelong movers by finding activities they enjoy and want to continue for years to come. I believe learning through movement, and hands-on experiences is the best way to grow physically, socially, and emotionally.
I can’t wait to meet all of my students, share my love of fitness, and help them discover the joy of being active. Here’s to a fun, energetic, and healthy year together!
Hello, I’m Ms. Roberts. I am so excited to become a part of the Heritage Family as the Special Education Teacher at Pinnacle!! After raising my children, I started my career as an instructional assistant in a self-contained special education program in 2013. I enjoyed it so much, I put myself through school to become a special education teacher! I graduated Magna Cum Laude in December 2019 from Northcentral Online University with a B.S. in Special Education and began teaching in January of 2020. I have taught students in every grade K-8. I pride myself in organization, integrity, and communication. In my free time, I enjoy jigsaw puzzles and spending time with my two adult children, two cats, and one dog.
Hello, My name is Hannah Dodge-Zurita but you can call me Ms. Z. I was born and raised in New Hampshire and moved to Arizona in 2014 after spending several years in Texas. For more than 16 years, I’ve dedicated myself to working with children. Eight years ago, I discovered my passion for supporting children with special needs. I transitioned into the school setting in 2019 and sat for my Paraprofessional certification in 2020. I have worked with children of all ages and abilities and love nothing more than seeing a child accomplish a goal they never thought they could! I truly believe that each child is capable of greatness and I look forward to helping them discover that. I am very excited to join the Heritage family and look forward to getting to know the amazing scholars of Heritage Pinnacle. In my spare time, I enjoy traveling, especially to the ocean, gardening, camping, crafting, and spending time with my husband and our 4 rescue dogs.
Hello, my name is Karen Whitney. I am so excited to join the Heritage Academy family and become a part of the special education program at Pinnacle! I was born and raised in Glendale, Arizona. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Applied Human Behavior. I have always felt a special connection with those with special needs and enjoyed my internship working with children with autism spectrum disorder. I want to continue making a different in the lives of children. In my free time, I enjoy golfing, doing crafts, being with friends, and traveling to see family. I am also an animal lover and have two dogs, a tortoise, and a snail.
My name is Debra Kahalewai. I have been an educator in Hawaii and Arizona for a total of 36 years. I completed my undergraduate degree from BYU-Hawaii and my master’s from Ottawa University. In addition, I have recently completed a couple of graduate certificates from Harvard University. My four children are adults and I have one grandchild in 5th grade. My three dogs and two cats, provide my family with a great deal of comfort and love. My favorite activities are reading books, traveling, watching movies, going to museums, and spending time with my family. I look forward to making some awesome memories the remainder of the school year!
Hello, my name is Jocelyn Santizo. I am excited to have the opportunity to join the Heritage Academy family this year. I have a 5+ year background working with grade school children in a classroom setting as a paraeducator and my education is in general studies. Throughout that time, I have come to have a true love and respect for everything, and everyone involved in caring and guiding our youth to their bright futures. I am a wife and mother to 3 extraordinary children; my family is my world and by far my greatest motivation. During my spare time you can find me crafting, cooking, boating, supporting my children in their extracurricular activities or hanging out with my family and friends. This school year will be amazing! I feel blessed and honored to join the team, help and see all our scholars grow!
