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.   

Karen Hunt

Karen Hunt

Accounting Manager
Karen's Bio
Karen received her Bachelors of Science from Northern Arizona University.  She has 27 years experience working in accounting/finance and office management. Numbers are her thing! Karen has been with Heritage Academy since 2011. She and her husband have lived in Mesa for over 26 years and have raised four children. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family as well reading good books..
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

Marketing Manager
Lindsey's Bio

Lindsey Lundeen Crosland has been with Heritage Academy for over 6 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 7 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 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..
Terrell Hoffman

Terrell Hoffman

Data & Compliance Manager

Terrell was raised in St. Louis, Missouri and attended BYU-Idaho for her post-secondary education in
General Studies, with an emphasis in business and dance. She has worked in non-profits for over 15
years in various capacities as well as owning her own business.

Terrell joined the Heritage Family in 2018, to bring Heritage Academy to Maricopa! She worked at the
Maricopa Campus as the Registrar for the first four years and is currently serving as the Data and
Compliance Manager for the six Heritage campuses throughout the valley.

In her spare time, she loves to decorate, search for unique treasures, travel, and spend time with her
husband and 4 children in the Arizona sunshine!

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.

Kim Ellsworth

Kim Ellsworth

Education Director