Women Who Teach

Small-group and one-on-one targeted instruction are components of academic intervention. The four women on the Intervention Team at Granite Mountain Upper Elementary School within the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) do so with continual dedication and passion. Assisting students who struggle academically, this team offers proactive support by tailoring plans that empower students to overcome challenges. Through these interventions, the team also tracks and monitors academic progression, communicates with teachers about goals and strategies, builds partnerships with instructors, and maintains a focus on improvement.

Right from the start, students in Elizabeth Peters’ Electronics & Instrumentation program know they’re in for a challenge. “E&I is one of our more rigorous programs,” Liz, YC’s Electronics Technology and Pre-Engineering professor, said. “We hear students say, ‘I feel like I got a four-year degree in two years.’ They don’t always mean it as a compliment. But I think, ‘Cool! That’s what we’re going for.’”

Now in her tenth year at Yavapai College’s CTEC Campus, Liz teaches Pre-Engineering and Electronics, from the smallest sub-atomic particle to the gnarliest circuit board. “It’s in the family. My dad started the E&I program at YC.”

Her brother graduated in the program’s first cohort. Then Liz followed in 2012. She was working for an international aerospace company when her dad suggested, “Hey, I think you could be a good teacher. We need somebody.”

For Cathy Moody, ensuring the seamless procurement of necessary items requested by educators to enhance their roles for supporting the students is a vital component to the district’s operations. Cathy, Director of Purchasing and Procurement at the Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) since 2021, explained, “Anything purchased for PUSD, including trade services for plumbing and HVAC, comes through purchasing department. The most fulfilling aspect of my position is making sure that our staff and students have the necessary goods and services to succeed.”

Working with vendors like Amazon, Walmart, security and fire systems, and printing companies, just to name a few, Cathy recognizes the importance of maintaining those positive vendor relationships and connections. “The most challenging part of my role is ensuring that we are purchasing responsibly and getting the most out of our money while ensuring staff and students have precisely what they need. We have so many needs in the district, so keeping vendor communication lines open can make a big difference in the cost savings of an item. Since taking on this role, I have helped the district save close to a million dollars by negotiating with vendors or finding better deals.”

For the Character Coaches at Prescott Unified School District (PUSD), offering a positive impact on students’ lives is the highest priority. These women have the essential role of teaching strength-building skills for character development in many forms including assisting with conflict resolution; developing social skills; providing supporting and preventive interaction with students in the playground, lunchroom and other unstructured areas; helping develop positive relationships with students and families; viewing and assisting with low-level behavior remediation and intervention/conflict; and teaching self-regulation and coping skills to ensure classroom success methods.

Some people find their niche in this life. Some carve their own. It’s accurate to say Marnee Zazueta, Yavapai College’s Chino Valley Campus Dean, climbed to the top of the academic ladder. But she built the ladder first.

“I am a Chino Valley girl,” she said. “Grew up here from kindergarten, went to Chino Valley High School.”

There, her monster work ethic caught the attention of Agriculture Teacher John Morgan. “John has been telling me, since I was thirteen, that I would be a teacher someday.”

Yav Connect, operated by the Central Yavapai Metropolitan Organization (CYMPO), supports your daily commute. This microtransit service, now expanding from Prescott Valley into the heart of Prescott, will make getting around easier and more convenient for residents. By choosing Yav Connect, you’re not just getting a ride—you’re contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable environment and a more connected community.