Board

Kris Cunningham

President

Kris Cunningham currently serves as the Mathematics Content Specialist for the Phoenix Union High School District in Phoenix, AZ. She has spent close to two decades as an educator having taught at both the elementary and high school levels. With her deep passion for mathematics education, she currently works to provide professional development and support to district leadership and teachers across the state. She has served on state standard and assessment committees. She is the current board treasurer for Arizona Mathematics Leaders and Membership and Volunteer coordinator for NCSM.

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Kim Rimbey

Past-President

As a life-long desert dweller, Dr. Kim Rimbey serves Arizona’s teachers and leaders as they rethink K-8 mathematics teaching and learning. Kim has worked in both the private and public sectors, including Chief Learning Officer at the Rodel Foundation of Arizona and Chief Learning Officer & Co-founding Owner and CEO for KP Mathematics. She has worked in both urban and rural school districts as a teacher, math coach, district math coordinator, executive director of CIA - and most currently as the math director for school improvement in the Buckeye Elementary School District. She serves the math community through state and national boards and councils, including AML President Elect, AATM Advocacy Chair, CPAM Past President (the Council of Presidential Awardees in Mathematics), NCTM’s Professional Development Services Council, and the national STEM Teacher Leadership Advisory Board. As an award-winning teacher and leader, Kim’s passion for transformative efforts impacts K-8 classrooms every day.

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Jenifer H. Fernandez

Southern Region VP

Jenifer H. Fernandez is the Math Program Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education, Exceptional Student Services in the downtown office of Tucson, Arizona. She obtained both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from The University of Arizona in Education and Mathematics Teaching and Leadership. She is dual-certified in Elementary and Secondary Mathematics with a Mathematics Specialist endorsement. Prior to her position at ADE, she was a mathematics teacher in the Tucson area for 15 years. Her years of teaching experience range from elementary grades through high school math. She has been a math professional development facilitator at the local, state, and national level since 2006. Her philosophy is rooted in that all students are capable of learning mathematics and it is our responsibility as leaders to empower educators to create a positive culture and mindset around mathematics education.

Suzi Mast

Central Region VP

Suzi Mast is a proud Arizona certified teacher and administrator for over 30 years. Suzi recently retired (for a hot second) from the Arizona Department of Education where she was the Director of K-12 Mathematics and Educational Technology for over nine years. Suzi has also been a middle school and high school teacher in Arizona, worked in the private sector in educational technology, and an administrator for a K-8 district leading math and science curriculum, instruction and assessment. Suzi specialists in Formative Assessment, MTSS and social and emotional learning in math with a focus on equity for all students. Suzi is also on the Board for AATM. Suzi is currently consulting and presenting in Arizona and on the national level.

Anna Wold

Northern Region VP

Anna Wold is a high school math teacher at Page Unified School District and part-time math instructor for Coconino Community College. She has taught high school math for 12 years, 6 years in Kansas and 6 years at Page High School. Anna is optimistic with the direction mathematics education is moving and looking forward to the possibilities of implementing practices from resources like Catalyzing Change, Building Thinking Classrooms, and other methods that focus on engaging students to think mathematically.

Laurel Cherry

Secretary

Laurel Cherry has been working in math education for 23 years. She has served in a variety of roles as a teacher, department chair, She is currently a K-12 Math Specialist with the Arizona Department of Education. She spent 15 years as a high school math teacher in Arizona and Southern California. Laurel earned her Bachelor's degree from Chapman University and her Master of Arts in Education from National University. She has developed and presented professional development at NCTM nationally and regionally, AATM, CMC-South, as well as schools and districts all over the country. Laurel is passionate about working with teachers to share best practices for the math classroom to maximize student success and learning.

Jeanette Scott

Treasurer

Jeanette Scott has been in education for 20 years. She has served as a high school and community college teacher and is currently CTE Math Integration Specialist for Phoenix Union High School District. She is serving as the Webmaster for AML and is active in several organizations, including AATM, TODOS, NCSM, and NCTM. In 2013, she was selected as Chicanos Por La Causa Esperanza Award winner, honoring Latino teachers who inspire students of all backgrounds, play an active role in the school, and demonstrate a true commitment to the community.

Tara Fulton

Awards/Nominations Chair

Tara Fulton currently serves as the K-8 Mathematics Coordinator for the Crane School District in Yuma, AZ. She has spent close to two decades as an educator having taught at both the elementary and middle school levels. With her deep passion for mathematics education, she currently works to provide professional development and support to district leadership and teachers across the state. She has served on state standard and assessment committees and was the project director for multiple federally funded MSP grants. She is the current board secretary for Arizona Mathematics Leaders and is a program committee member for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Centennial Annual. She cares deeply about the learning and teaching of mathematics and has been able to proudly serve as a representative for math educators across the state.

Katie Basham

PD Co-Chair

Katie Basham currently serves as a K-8 Instructional Coach in the Buckeye School District having come to this position with over a decade of Instructional Coach experience across the South-West Valley. As an Instructional Coach, Katie motivates classroom teachers to see themselves as facilitators of thinking rather than “knowledge providers” in turn cultivating classrooms where students make sense of mathematics and persevere in problem solving. Katie feels passionately about teacher-directed, individualized support and differentiates her coaching and campus/ district professional development to reflect this passion. Even with more than twenty years in teaching, Katie sees herself as a lifelong learner and seeks foremost to motivate others. She has shared her passion as well as her knowledge at both the state and national level having served on state standard and assessment committees as well as having presented on differentiated coaching and effective math routines through both AATM & NCSM.

Rachel Leatham

PD Co-Chair

Rachel Leatham currently serves as the 6-12 Mathematics Instructional Coach in the Higley Unified School District. With over a decade of experience in mathematics education, Rachel leads the math teachers in her district with knowledge and understanding. As an instructional coach, Rachel works with math teachers across her district to implement effective teaching practices that promote student learning. She also develops and facilitates professional learning for teachers. As an educator, Rachel is constantly looking for ways to grow and continually learn. Rachel has served on Arizona Department of Education committees for both curriculum and assessment to support Arizona students and educators.

Dr. Amy McCarthy

Communication Chair

Dr. Amy McCarthy has been an educator with the Chandler Unified School District since 2001. In her twenty years in education, she has taught junior high and high school mathematics and served the district’s secondary math specialist. Amy is currently the Dean of Students at Casteel High School. In addition, she is faculty associate at Arizona State University and a reviewer at EdReports. Amy jointed the AML board in 2019.

Jane Gaun

NCSM Representative Sponsor Chair

Jane Gaun currently serves as the K-12 Mathematics Coordinator for the Flagstaff Unified School District. She oversees the development and implementation of mathematics curriculum and instruction and also coordinates and instructs professional development activities for teachers and administrators designed to strengthen mathematics teaching and learning. Jane facilitates the newly formed Secondary to Post-Secondary Mathematics Collaborative between mathematics instructors from FUSD, Coconino Community College, and Northern Arizona University. She has worked for the Coconino County Educational Services Agency providing learning opportunities for teachers throughout Northern Arizona and is an active member of the Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics where she serves as the STEM Collaborative Representative.

Jennifer Flores

Membership Chair

Jennie currently has been serving as the Professional Development Chair for the AML Board since 2019. She has also served previously as the Secretary for the AML Board. Jennie is the Math Coach for Phoenix Union High School District and has been an instructional coach with a focus on mathematics since 2013. Jennie has also supported mathematics at the state level with both standards and assessment review committees.

Marisa Tualla

Social Media

Marisa Tualla is a K12 Math Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education. Previously she worked as a Math Instructional Specialist for the Washington Elementary School District working with curriculum, assessment, data, professional development, and classroom coaching. She has ten years of teaching experience in elementary, middle school, and high school in Arizona and overseas with the International Baccalaureate program. Marisa earned her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from University of Arizona, and master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Grand Canyon University. Marisa is passionate about math education and the belief that all students can learn.

Aric Bilas

Webmaster

Aric Bilas currently serves as the Staff Development Specialist for Phoenix Union High School District. In his previous role, Aric served as a district Technology Integration Educator after teaching high school math for 12 years. As a staff development specialist, Aric works with all Certified staff to plan and facilitate quality professional development to improve instruction and increase student achievement.

Board members​

Board members