About our Civics Teacher Leaders

A Teacher Task Force has been selected to lead the implementation of the Educating for American Democracy (EAD) Roadmap in Arizona. The Educating for American Democracy Roadmap shifts from breadth to depth by offering an inquiry framework that weaves history and civics together and inspires students to learn by asking difficult questions, and then seeking answers in the classroom through facts and discussion. The EAD Roadmap is neither a set of standards nor a curriculum to enhance teaching methodologies and student learning. 

This group of teachers will be the leaders in strengthening civic education in Arizona. This fantastic assembly of civic educators represents 22 Arizona districts with a passion for civic renewal. Our Teacher Task Force is split geographically into Northern Arizona, led by Tara Bartlett, a Ph.D. student at ASU, Central Arizona; Tammy Waller, Director for K-12 Education; and Southern Arizona, led by Jeremy Gypton, Teacher Program Manager at the Ashbrook Center. The Center for Political Thought and Leadership’s Civic Education Program Director, Elizabeth Evans, oversees the task force and its implementation.

The EAD Roadmap seeks to inspire students to want to become involved in the constitutional democracy, tell a full and complete narrative of America’s plural yet shared story, celebrate the compromises needed to make our constitutional democracy work, cultivate civic honesty and patriotism that leaves space to both loves and critique this country, and to teach history and civics both through a timeline of events. The Center for American Civics' Teacher Task Force aims to lay the groundwork in Arizona to expand its lessons to other parts of the country for a cohesive vision nationwide.

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Meet the Inaugural Arizona Teacher Task Force Members

Inaugural Arizona Teacher Task Force Members
  • Jon Almann, Paradise Valley Unified School District
  • Nate Ayers, Amphitheatre School District
  • Patrick Barney, Lake Havasu Unified School Distric
  • Dawn Bennett, Tolleson High School District
  • Chryste L. Berda, Buckeye Elementary School District
  • Karin Cummings, Glendale Union High School District
  • Brett Darling, Vail School District
  • Katie Dong, Tucson Unified School District
  • Jenna Elias, Salpointe Catholic High School
  • Christopher Evans, Chandler Unified School District
  • Jennifer Frederick, Kyrene School District
  • Christian Galcia, Red Mesa Unified School District
  • Maria James, Mesa Public Schools
  • William Kibler, Phoenix Union High School District
  • Patty Manciet, Vail Unified School District
  • Julie Matthews, Vail Unified School District
  • Colleen McNamara, Deer Valley Unified School District
  • Brian Mock, Tucson Unified School District
  • Adicia Paschal, Holbrook Unified School District 
  • Ryan Richins, Saint Johns Unified School District
  • Phillip Robertson, Chandler Unified School District
  • Alondra Salazar, Arizona Charter Academy
  • Jill Scott, Scottsdale Unified School District
  • Amanda Stoxen, Amphitheatre Unified School District
  • Chantelle Taylor, Holbrook Unified School District
  • Erika Tornberg, Flowing Wells Unified School District
  • Sara Watkins, Show Low School District
  • Todd Wooton, J.O. Combs Unified School District
  • Carla Wright, Vail Unified School District
  • Brian Zemojtel, Lake Havasu Unified School District

We are taking civics and history out of the past and making it relevant

–Tammy Waller, Central Arizona Task Force Chair