Women in Education

Relevancy and Innovation Stand at the Forefront

Dr. Barbara Jean Morris became Prescott College’s 18th President during an inauguration celebration on May 6. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and members of Barbara’s family attended.

“Today, we celebrate a new era at Prescott College, as we recognize and honor our history and embrace the future with energy and optimism,” said Lynne Nemeth, Chair of the Board of Trustees, before officially installing Barbara as President. “I know that I speak for everyone here—the Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty—when I say that we are all re-committing to student-centered, transparent, and transformative work as we forge a path to our future with our new President, Dr. Barbara Morris.”

Her Unofficial Title: ‘The Heart of the District’

Sarah Torres, Administrative Assistant to the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) Superintendent and Governing Board, and a Prescott High School (PHS) alum considers herself the go-to person for the district’s administrative team, her co-workers, and the board.

Adapting to Change While Balancing A Well-Rounded Life

Badger Strong! That’s how thirty-year Prescott resident and fifteen-year Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) employee Kim Barker describes her life and family. Kim, Director of Transportation/Facilities, started out as a part-time employee in the district’s print shop and spent most of her years at Miller Valley until it closed in 2015. After Miller Valley’s closure, Kim joined the department as an Administrative Assistant leading up to her current role.

A Foresty Fairy-Tale Wedding

Taylor Howard and Joey Bemis met on Valentine’s Day six years ago, while they were both students at the University of Arizona in Tucson.

After a rocky initial start (she didn’t remember his name when they met up the next time), Taylor said, “It didn’t take long for us to pretty much spend every waking moment together.”

Later this year, they’ll tie the knot—promising to spend the rest of their lives together.

Taylor, who teaches kindergarten at Taylor Hicks Elementary School, said she and Joey are planning their ideal “fairy tale” wedding: an intimate occasion with just 38 guests at a treehouse retreat in Washington state.

A Tradition of Love

For more than a decade, Tracy Courson has worked at Prescott Mile High Middle School, which means she’s had the opportunity to be part of so many wonderful traditions. The most important: love.

A Pioneering Spirit

For Kathryn Van Demark, eighth-grade Life Skills Instructor at Prescott Mile High Middle School, creating a curriculum that centers on teen wellness and real-world readiness was a natural extension of her focus and education in college. She attended Lesley University in Boston where she obtained a degree in Holistic Psychology and Wellness.