Our Staff

Head Nerds

Owners

Niecy Westmoreland

Micah Beverly

Lead Nerds

Site Directors

Bobby Norman

April Rohrer

Educational Nerds

Curriculum Writers

Monica Crowder

• Science & Math Teacher for 23 years
• University of Wisconsin-River Falls– BS., Elementary Ed.
• Arizona State University–MS, Elementary Ed.-Science Specialist
• Science Specialist- Kyrene School District
• Loves biomimicry (learning from nature) and laughing at her own jokes

Niecy Westmoreland

• 3rd and 4th grade teacher for 9 years
• Nerding founder and teacher since 2014
• B.A. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• Ed Tech guru
• Self-Certified NASA Mars Educator
• I don’t want Monica’s bio to be longer than mine, so I’ll need to think of another self-certification.
• Owns light up shoes

Big Nerds

Teachers

Bobby Norman

• 2nd, 5th, 6th (Lang.Arts), and 7th grade Science teacher since 2007
• Ed Tech Specialist for Kyrene District
• B.A. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• M.Ed. in Educational Tech from NAU
• Likes to use Google Earth and pretend he is a giant

April Rohrer

• 4th-7th Nerding Teacher since 2016
• B.A. in Business Psychology from Miami University
• Owns life size R2-D2
• Dresses up for Comicon

Rylan Ben

• 5th-6th Grade teacher
• B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies ASU
• 3D printing guru
• Harry Potter enthusiast
• Has viewed every Marvel movie 3 to 64 times

Chelsea Dysko-Erausquin

• 1st-3rd grade teacher since 2014
• M.A. in Educational Leadership from NAU
• Loves her hawt dog Chewie
• Space Nerd

Shea Evans

• K-5 Resource teacher since 2017
• B.A. in Elementary and
  Special Ed from Shippensburg University
• Adventure enthusiast
• Owns over 100 bowties

Alena Almendarez

• 5th Grade Science teacher since 2007
• B.A. in Elementary Ed. from Ottawa University
• M.Ed in Elementary Ed. from NAU
• Her patronus is a penguin
• Cried tears of joy the first time her son asked to watch Star Wars

Dave Carras

• 4th grade gifted  and 6th grade science teacher since 2007
• M.Ed. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• NASA Endeavor Fellow
• Uses multimillion dollar satellites to find Tupperware hidden in the woods…

Marissa Cox

• 4th and 5th grade teacher since 2008
• B.A. in Art History from ASU
• M.Ed. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• As an art student, considered cutting off ear

Erin Martin

• 4th and 5th grade teacher since 2004
• B.A. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• Code wizard
• Clean freak… just don’t open a cabinet

Jess Leos

• Teacher for 10 years in grades 3-6
• Graduated from ASU with a BA in Elementary Ed
• Mama of two wild and spunky toddlers
• Always up for a spontaneous adventure
• Typically the first to laugh at myself, which is quite often!
• Currently pursuing a career in nursing; my other love outside of teaching <3

Sarah Hess

• 3rd grade and Gifted/STEM teacher since 2005
• B.A. Elementary Ed from the U of A
• M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction ASU
• Gifted, reading, early childhood endorsements
• Can solve a Rubik’s Cube in 2 minutes

Tessa Lamb

• 2nd Grade teacher since 2014
• Previously 2nd, 4th, and ESL teacher
• B.A. and M.A. in ED from ASU
• Loves to read, hike, and try to make plants grow

Brooke Warwick

• 2nd-4th grade and ART teacher since 2016
• BA in Elementary and Special Education from Grand Canyon University
• Art Endorsement
• known to be a compulsive eccentric costume wearer
• has dreams of teaching little children about color wheels and painting

Christina Orozco

• K-1 teacher since 2010
• B.A. in Elementary Ed, Early Childhood Endorsement
• Dog enthusiast
• Mom of a Baby Nerd

Liz Stewart

• K-3 resource teacher since 2016
• B.A. in Elementary and Special Ed from ASU
• Competed on a national level in Olympic lifting
• Mom to 2 kids and a crazy Boston Terrier  

Ali Lutz

• 1st/2nd grade teacher since 2014
• BS in supply chain management and marketing
• M.ED in elementary education
• Obsessed with her dogs, paisley and wrangler
• Makes balloon animals

Sally Kenney

• BS in Nursing degree
• Pediatric nurse for 10 years
• Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
• Kindergarten-2nd grade teacher for 16 years
• M.Ed. in Higher & Post-Secondary Education
• Sang at Carnegie Hall
• Life-long student of music

Jaime Cozza

• Desert Sun Teacher
• B.A. in Psychology, minor in Early Childhood Development
• M.A. in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University
• Mom to 2 nerds

Sydney Johnson

• 2nd grade teacher in the making!
• B.A. in Elementary Education and English Literature from Lake Forest College
• Was in Ms. Westmoreland’s 3rd grade class long, long ago
• I have read 100 books in a year!

Sarah Fahey

• Taught all the grades for all the years
• B.A. in Elementary Ed, Early Childhood Endorsement
• M.Ed. in Educational Leadership
• Loves to make people happy
• Bunco Champion of the World
• Does card tricks

Megan Blakley

• K and 1st grade teacher since 2014
• B.A. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• Prefers puzzles to TV

Liza Richards

• 2nd and 5th grade since 2007
• Ed Tech Specialist
• B.A. in Elementary Ed from Ottawa University
• M.Ed. in Elementary Ed from NAU
• Needs to code a program to find the kitchen

Gillian Soliven

• Kindergarten Teacher since 2013
• B.A. in Elementary Education from ASU
• Mom of 3
• Grew up in Maui, Hawaii
• Harry Potter and vampire enthusiast
• Passion for handstands

Kim Mason

• 1st, 2nd, multiage teacher and reading specialist for 31 years
• B.S. in Elementary Education from NAU.
• M.A. in Curriculum and Development, Language and Literacy from ASU.
• Early Childhood Endorsement, Reading Specialist
• I follow several rescues and love all rescue animals!

Janice Wagner

• K-3 teacher for 25 years
•  B.A. in Elementary Ed from ASU
• M.A. in Teaching and Learning from NHU
• Loves to travel! Macedonia (w/ owner Niecy!), Germany, UK, France, Italy, Mexico… to be continued soon!
• “Granny Janny” to 2 grandnerds with a 3rd on the way!

Brenda Crater

• 3-4 grade teacher since 2003
• BA in Psychology from ASU
• MA in Education from University of Phoenix
• Visited platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter in London.

Regina Bishop

• 5th grade teacher for 5 years
• BA in English Lit from Maryland U
• Mom to awesome 17 yr old daughter and cute 12 yr old dog
• Avid shoe wearer
• So much SciFi…so little time 🙂

Manuel Vasquez

• 6 – 12th grade math teacher
• Masters in Chemical Engineering
• AZ Alternative Teaching Certification
• Former Science Olympiad Coach
• STEM Club Advisor
• Aspiring Amateur Astrophotographer