Arizona PBS’ Education Team has shared the resources behind lovable PBS KIDS characters and programs since 1983. We are comprised of Master’s level educators who have taught in Arizona classrooms.
Some members of the team serve as the administrative home for logistics and operations. Others are based regionally throughout the state to share, implement and connect Arizona PBS services with children, families and educators. Our grant-funded activities focus on birth-to-five centers, PreK-12 classrooms, institutes of higher education, non-profit organizations and other community partners. Bilingual English and Spanish resources and outreach are available.
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Main contact:
Phone: 855-818-6613
Fax: 602-297-6590
Our team:
Kimberly Flack
Senior Director of Education and Community Impact
Kimberly Flack is Senior Director of Education and Community Impact and leads this team by both example and in practice. She holds a Master of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Special Education and History. Kim taught high school journalism for ten years, worked on summer programming for kids of all ages and has taught at the collegiate level as well. Kim has been with Arizona PBS since 2001 and started out as the first remote coordinator in Flagstaff, Arizona. Kim currently serves on the National PBS Station Leadership Committee and serves as a mentor with ASU’s Commission on the Status of Women. Kim is a mom of four and has been married to veteran high school teacher, Dave Flack, for 30 years. Kim’s kids grew up with PBS KIDS and have always been available to help with PBS KIDS events including helping out with costume characters more times than they care to remember!
Lisa Ann Sepulveda
Assistant Director for Education and Community Impact
Lisa Ann Sepulveda is the Assistant Director for Education and Community Impact. She handles programming and projects such as Super Why, Delta Dental, PNC – Learn and Grow and any other new projects of interest to the Education Team. Community relations is high on her list of priorities as well as efforts with all grant opportunities. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Arizona State University in Spanish and a Masters in Education from Northern Arizona University. Lisa Ann has been with Arizona PBS since 2015 and was hired to help implement the new Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry and First Things First Scholarship Program. While she is a native of her beloved Phoenix, some of her loves beyond her husband and children are dogs of all types, trees, music and the beach.
Dr. Veronica Chacón
Director of the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry
Dr. Veronica Chacon is the Director of the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry. She completed a Doctorate in Psychology with an emphasis in Cognition and Instruction. Veronica worked with Arizona Early Intervention and the Easter Seals Blake Foundation as a program supervisor where she managed the team-based model for providing services and regional providers. She currently leads the team of Regional Coordinators who are located throughout the state of Arizona. Veronica continues to find joy in the same things she did when she was young. Pink is definitely her color and she spices up the office with little splashes of color found in Princess Presto and Rosita.
Amy Pico
Assistant Director
Amy Pico is an Assistant Director on the Education Team who oversees the daily activity of the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry. This includes the administration staff and First Things First Scholarship Program which provides funding for Associate degrees and Bachelor degrees in Early Childhood as well as CDA credentials. Amy serves as the education liaison and works with the Institutes of Higher Education to facilitate quarterly meetings with these teams. Amy has a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education where she was a middle school language arts teacher for 10 years, and she is currently working on a Master’s in Early Childhood Education Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Amy keeps the Registry running smoothly and does it with style.
Emalisa Ouano
Program Specialist
Emalisa Ouano is a Program Specialist and a fantastic resource for the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry members. Ema helps to process their credentials, FTF scholarship opportunities and navigate the system. She comes to us with an Early Childhood Director Certificate, a certificate in dressmaking and design and a BAE in Educational Studies. She recently graduated from ASU with a degree in Early Childhood education. Ema flexes her education credentials as a guest speaker for various organizations and professional development programs. She has been a head designer for several theater programs in public school districts and has even helped design a playground. She and her husband, Rusty, were choir directors for 11 years, and even though Ema has retired from singing at weddings, she still brings the music to us at Arizona PBS.
Gordon Freeman Brown
Senior Regional Coordinator
Gordon Freeman Brown is a Senior Regional Coordinator who travels throughout Maricopa and Pinal Counties to spread the word about the Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry. He provides support, materials and resources to the many partner organizations and schools. He also keeps up on any and all information regarding early care, education, neurodevelopmental trauma, toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences. Gordon first began his education journey when he became a single parent of two little girls. This challenge inspired him to become an early childhood educator. He has a Bachelor of Science in Family Resources and Human Development and has since been a college lab instructor, parent educator and professional development trainer. Gordon is proficient in Spanish and is also a musician, songwriter and children’s music performer. He also had the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a spring training game between the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.
Tammy Lee
Senior Regional Coordinator
Tammy Lee is a Senior Regional Coordinator who travels to rural regions in Coconino, Gila and Yavapai counties and also works with the Hualapai Tribe. Tammy provides ongoing support for early childhood educators, Registry members and First Things First scholarship recipients. Tammy also assists dual enrolled ECE students, care providers and educators. She conducts outreach efforts and helps to provide professional development to early childhood centers and other educators as well. Tammy has a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences-Professional Child Development and a Master of Arts in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. Tammy has experience teaching education at the collegiate level, CPR and First Aid classes and has been a professional development coordinator for many agencies. When she isn’t working on all of those things, Tammy is a beauty consultant for Mary Kay. Tammy keeps us looking and feeling good.
Mike Gaffney
Regional Coordinator
Mike Gaffney is Arizona PBS’ Regional Coordinator for Navajo Nation, White Mountain Apache Tribe and Navajo and Apache counties. He is a graduate of Connecticut College with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and obtained a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland with a concentration in public policy, program management and community organizing/development. Mike began his professional career as a crew supervisor/youth mentor and coordinator for various youth, conservation and AmeriCorps programs in California, Arizona and New Mexico. He also served in the Peace Corps in Panama from 2002 to 2005 as a health educator in a rural Ngobe community. Before returning to the Southwest in 2009, Mike worked as a program officer for the Chesapeake Bay Trust, managing several grant programs and heading the organization’s diversity initiatives. He has served on First Things First’s White Mountain Apache Regional Partnership Council and is active in his local community. Mike enjoys biking, hiking, skiing and camping in the White Mountains.
Misty Standeford
Program Manager
Misty Standeford is the Program Manager who serves La Paz, Mohave, Southwest Maricopa, Yuma Counties and Colorado River Indian Tribes. Misty provides technical assistance to Arizona Early Childhood Workforce Registry members, promotes FTF scholarship opportunities and professional development. Misty also facilitates Arizona PBS’ early literacy workshop series and parent support groups with Love and Logic and Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) curriculum. She is also trained in LETRS and LECTIO and manages our Bright By Text service for families with children from birth to age 8. Whenever Misty is in the downtown office, her laugh is contagious.
Yanira Martinez
Program Manager
Yanira Martinez is our Program Manager serving Yuma and focusing on community impact. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor of Science in Education, Elementary Education and a Masters of Early Childhood Education. Yanira has plenty of classroom experience from The Boys and Girls Club to teaching third grade. Yanira spent time at Quality First coaching home care providers and childhood care centers, which brought her closer to the Yuma community. Now she serves Yuma and Cocopah counties by providing resources, programs and professional development for educators. Yanira had the opportunity to live in Naples, Italy, for two years while her husband was serving in the U.S. Marines. No matter where she is, Yanira brings her expertise and her smile.
Dawn Craft
Educational Consultant
Dawn Craft, Education Consultant, has a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education, kindergarten through third grade. She also holds an Infant and Family Studies graduate certificate, a Generation Next Nonprofit Leadership Academy certificate and is a member of many educational committees and organizations. When we are developing data tools for our programs, figuring out new program implementations or if we need the latest education policy scoop, Dawn is who we call. She has experience as a classroom early childhood educator, adult educator, a data collector, a grant coordinator and as an executive director for the Arizona Episcopal Schools Foundation. Dawn always has new research to share, and we look forward to her expanding our horizons.
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