Heritage Academy Schools Leadership Team

Jared Taylor

Jared Taylor

Chairman / CEO
Jared's Bio

Jared Taylor is the Charter Representative and Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Academy schools. He joined Heritage Academy in 2009. Prior to joining Heritage, he worked for 10 years in various corporate human resources roles with Motorola and Honeywell. He earned a BS in Management and an MBA at Arizona State University.

Email: jtaylor@heritageacademyaz.com

Jennifer Whitmire

Jennifer Whitmire

Human Resources Director
Jennifer's Bio

Jennifer is the Human Resources Director for all Heritage Academy Schools. She is responsible for benefits, maintaining Heritage Academy policies, employee handbooks, employee relations issues, and talent acquisition.
Jennifer began her career in the retail industry before moving into non-profit organizations. Jennifer brings more than 10 years of Human Resources experience including over two years of Human Resource leadership in a charter school environment.
Jennifer has Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from The University of Arizona and a Master of Arts in Human Resource Management from Ottawa University. She is also an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).

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Eric Vogelsberg

Eric Vogelsberg

Chief Financial Officer

Eric Vogelsberg is the Chief Financial Officer of Heritage Academy.  Prior to joining Heritage, he worked in various accounting and finance leadership positions for over 30 years.  He graduated from Brigham Young University with a Masters of Accountancy and is a certified public accountant. Eric is a father of seven children and has seven grandchildren.  He has a passion for working with youth. He coached soccer for over 25 years and has served on the advisory board of BYU’s Marriott School of Management where he helped prepare and mentor students seeking careers in business.   

Kim Ellsworth

Kim Ellsworth

Education Director
Kim's Bio
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Kim loves serving, teaching, exceeding expectations, and helping others become their best.  As a Master of Educational Leadership and Bachelor of Science in Education, she has been part of the Heritage Team for over 15 years.  She was the inaugural principal for both Laveen and Maricopa Campuses, building them from zero to thriving in enrollment.

She has a varied background, having lived and traveled to many places—from Washington, Idaho, Ohio, New Hampshire and Tonga to Europe and California. She has been a managing partner of La Musique Academy, executive director-assistant for Actor’s Youth Theatre, assistant principal and mother of 4 children. She also volunteers for church, Red Cross, Special Olympics, and Cardon’s Children’s Hospital.

She may be most remembered for making the welcome announcements as principal, where every day she told the scholars that she loved them. Her philosophy:  everyone deserves to know every day that they are loved!

Dawn Schwenckert

Dawn Schwenckert

Special Education Director
Dawn's Bio

Mrs. Schwenckert is currently serving as Heritage Academy’s Special Education Director for all four campuses, working with our SPED teachers and Heritage families to help scholars with their social and academic needs.

Dawn has been involved in education for the last 25 years in both the general education setting as a science teacher and the special education setting. She earned a Bachelor’s in general education with an emphasis in biological sciences, as well as a Master’s degree in administration and supervision from ASU.

She is a diehard ASU Sun Devil and wouldn’t choose to live anywhere other than Arizona!

 

Email: Dawn Schwenckert at dawn.schwenckert@heritageacademyaz.com

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David Bear

David Bear

I.T. Director
David's Bio

David is the IT Director for Heritage Academy as well as a classroom teacher. Mr. Bear has been a lifelong Arizonan except for briefly living in Japan and Utah. He earned a BS in History at BYU and also completed the core classes for a Computer Science Teaching minor degree. During that time he worked in the BYU media department repairing computers. After graduation, he opened his own computer consulting business, taught professional development courses for the ASU Computer Institute, and decided to go back to school to earn a Master’s Degree. David spent 23 years as a full-time staff member at ASU in the College of Public Programs with various titles.

Email: dbear@heritageacademyaz.com

Lindsey Lundeen

Lindsey Lundeen

Sen Marketing & Communications Manager
Lindsey's Bio

Lindsey Lundeen Crosland has been with Heritage Academy for over 8 years. She earned her BA in Anthropology from ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change. Previously she earned her Associates from BYU-Idaho and was fortunate to study at BYU-Jerusalem. She continues to take classes and further her education whenever she can. She has furthered her love for people and places by traveling the world and working nationally and globally in different areas of business.

Lindsey has worked in fields ranging from Healthcare, Logistics, Military Programs, Design and Architecture/Education and has enjoyed working in the nonprofit field for the past 9 years.

Traveling the world has given her a deep appreciation for the United States of America and our rights, freedoms, and privileges that we enjoy here and she loves the U.S. and its Constitution.

Ms Lundeen Crosland manages all marketing and communications for Heritage Academy and Paul Revere Academy as well as managing the school grants and serves as an executive assistant for the CEO, Mr. Taylor. Outside of work she enjoys being a mom, reading, swimming, scuba diving, traveling and volunteering in her church and community.

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Bryon Deselms

Bryon Deselms

Contracts & Facilities Manager
Bryon's Bio
Bryon Deselms, who holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix, has been a member of the Heritage Academy team for eight years.  During that time Bryon has been a teacher, an academic adviser, student database expert, and was recently promoted to be the contract and facilities manager for the district.  His myriad of responsibilities include vendor contract and price negotiation as well as reconciling school data for the purpose of maintaining accurate data to report to the state.  Bryon also oversees maintenance and safety compliance for all three, soon to be four, campus locations ensuring the safety of all scholars and staff. His dedication to the scholars, fellow teammates and the Heritage Academy philosophy makes him a valued member of our organization..
Amanda Smith

Amanda Smith

Assistant Education Director
Amanda's Bio
Mrs. Smith attended James Madison University and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Middle School Education. She also graduated Summa Cum Laude from NAU, earning a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Technology.  Mrs. Smith has taught at the elementary, junior high, and high school levels over her 17-year career in the field of education. She is certified in English for secondary education and holds certification for dual enrollment instruction in English. Mrs. Smith served as the Assistant Principal of Heritage Academy Gateway’s campus for five years. Currently, she serves as the Assistant Director of Education for the Heritage Academy system.
 
Barry Halterman

Barry Halterman

Project Manager

Barry Halterman is a project manager and has been part of the Heritage Academy family since 2014. Since joining Heritage Academy, Barry has been a science teacher, department chairperson, and assistant principal. Prior to joining Heritage Academy, Barry earned an AA degree in Business Information Systems Technology from BYU Idaho, followed by a BS in Geological Sciences, with a minor in Spanish, from Arizona State University. After graduating from ASU, Barry worked for 11 years as a Project Hydrogeologist for Clear Creek Associates. As Heritage Academy’s Project Manager, in addition to providing support to critical operations at Heritage’s five flourishing campuses, he is responsible for planning and coordinating projects for the future growth and success of the organization, including the addition of a new performing arts center at our Maricopa campus, and working in partnership with the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) to develop a new high school, Paul Revere Academy, that will provide unique support for youth currently experiencing foster care in Maricopa County. Barry lives with his wife and their five children – two of whom are Heritage Academy graduates – in the Phoenix area.

Carolyn Jess

Director of Development
Carolyn's Bio
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Carolyn Jess is the Director of Development with a focus on all areas of philanthropy: development, strategic planning, marketing, project management, relationships, grants, alumni and events.
With a 30 year career in business and marketing, Carolyn has specialized in positive double digit growth in education for the past 10 years, with more than 48% compounded growth two years running. Prior to that, Carolyn was at the helm as General Manager of three media companies: websites, SEO/SEM and radio, all companies who enjoyed double digit growth. Before that, Carolyn was an Executive Director with Tupperware in business development, direct marketing, marketing, retail and strategic planning. The Tupperware World Wide Growth Award was presented to Carolyn with the highest double digit growth at more than 42% twice!
Teaching Visual Arts, Ceramics, Stoneware and Porcelain was Carolyn’s first profession. Carolyn still teaches, both in Children’s Liturgy and occasionally as a substitute teacher.
Having lived abroad in Australia and California, always in coastal cities, Carolyn and her family are surfers, nature enthusiasts and have a love of the arts and competitive sports. Philanthropy, social justice and personal responsibility is at the core of Carolyn’s soul having served on numerous boards and charity event’s including The American Women’s Club in Australia, granting wishes for Make-A-Wish, National Breast Cancer Association Mothers Day Walk in Sydney and Ronald McDonald House, Up All Night Marathon.
Discovering beautiful Arizona and growing the mission of Heritage Academy Schools and Paul Revere Academy is Carolyn’s focus.