Get To Know Our Staff

Eileen B. Sigmund is the CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association
Eileen Sigmund serves as the President and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.  Eileen has a strong advocacy background, having served as a journalist, litigator, and lobbyist.  Her professional experience began as a print journalist for Gannett Newspapers.  After raising money for charity as part of cross-country bicycle ride from Seattle to New Jersey, Eileen went to  law school at Columbus School of Law at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and is licensed to practice law in Virginia and Arizona.   She moved to Arizona in 1994 to join the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office where she prosecuted child homicides before moving to a civil litigation firm.  She litigated in areas of civil rights, education, and general insurance defense before federal, state, and administrative courts.  Then politics pulled Eileen into working as a lobbyist at the Arizona legislature before taking her current position as Chief Executive Officer of the Arizona Charter Schools Association in June of 2007.  The Association provides resources for quality and advocacy for choice for Arizona’s 502 charter schools serving approximately 100,000 students.  In the last two years, she has built and led the Association to raise student achievement through quality charter schools; tripled membership; formed an affordable health insurance trust for public schools as part of a portfolio of member services.  Eileen maintains positive momentum in all Association programs to deliver effective advocacy, innovative research, and valuable resources.  Email Eileen

Rebecca Gau is the Vice President of Research and School Quality
 Rebecca Gau is the Vice President for Research and School Quality at the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Rebecca was a Senior Research Analyst at Morrison Institute for Public Policy, the “think tank” for Arizona State University for five years.  Before that she was an analyst with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture), and an intern at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, specializing in charter schools and education policy.  She has had research published in journals such as The Public Interest, textbooks on education policy, and newspapers.  She is also listed in the Who’s Who of American Women.  She was a lead researcher and co-author of Beat the Odds and author of Trends in Charter Authorizing.  Both are quantitative analyses of education policy issues.  Rebecca received her Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Duke University and wrote her Master’s Thesis on charter schools in Dayton, Ohio.  It was named Outstanding Thesis of the Year. Email Rebecca

Stephanie Grisham is the Director of Communications
Stephanie began her career as the Public Information Officer for the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) where she handled all media inquiries and assisted executive staff with presentations and information for the Arizona legislature as well as the ASRS Board of Directors.  Stephanie also wrote and developed key publications including newsletters, annual reports and member handbooks and manuals.  After five years with the State, Stephanie joined AAA Arizona as a spokesperson.  She then moved into a boutique public relations firm prior to joining the team at the Arizona Charter Schools Association. Stephanie holds a degree in Business Administration from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and volunteers with CASA – Center for Abuse and Violence in Phoenix. Email Stephanie

Ashley Peyton is the Business Manager
Ashley began her professional career working for a lobbying firm.  She was involved many aspects of lobbying along with doing all financial reporting for the firm.  She has a degree in Finance from the University of Arizona, and is currently pursuing an MBA from Arizona State University. Email Ashley

Andrea Plucker is the Director of Programs and Services
Andrea transferred to the Arizona Charter Schools Association from SmithBucklin, a large management consulting firm based in Chicago, IL. While there she led membership and volunteer programs for a national technology association  and served as an organizational consultant for 15 regional association chapters. Prior to her career in association management, Andrea lived in rural China, Siberia, and St. Petersburg, Russia, leading student exchange programs for local universities. Ms. Plucker holds a degree in Political Science and International Studies from Pepperdine University.  Email Andrea

Nicole Denison is the Program Manager
Nicole joined the association after five years of working and developing youth education and volunteer based programs throughout Arizona.  Her background includes many different experiences relating to education and advocacy locally as well as abroad.  Nicole has spent much of her time fundraising and marketing for a small community center in Nicaragua, as well as for local organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale.  She holds a degree in Recreation Management and Tourism and is currently pursuing her continued education in the Spanish language!  Email Nicole

Andrew Collins is the Director of School Development
Andrew joined the association after teaching 6th grade for four years in South Phoenix through Teach for America, a nationally acclaimed and highly selective teaching program. While a member of TFA, he served as a mentor teacher for young corps members and received an Excellence in Education award for outstanding student achievement and school leadership. He holds a B.S. in Business Economics and top honors as a graduate of the highly ranked MGuire Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona. Since joining the Association, Andrew has completed the AdvancED's Quality Assurance Review Chair Training and has launched a Charter Starter Program for new school developers. Email Andrew

Dorothy Mittendorf is the Office Manager/Assistant to CEO
Dorothy has been a Legal Assistant for the past 19 years for David J. Damron, Esq. of the Law Firm of Sanders & Parks, P.C. She is also actively involved in her church, St. Paul’s Catholic Church and has attended North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton, North Dakota for 9 month course in business/secretarial. Email Dorothy

Michele Diamond is the Financial Consultant
Formerly the Director of Government and Financial Affairs for the State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS), Michele has experience in finance, auditing, lobbying and charter schools. Prior to working for the ASBCS, Michele was a senior auditor with the Arizona Auditor General’s Office for 8 years. She holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Indiana University. Prior to her graduate work, Michele was a flight instructor and charter pilot in the state of Florida. She currently serves as the CEO of Diamond Financial Solutions, a financial service provider dedicated to high quality financial services and financial training. She also sits on the Arizona Central Credit Union’s Audit Committee.

Ann Peschka writes for our "Ask Ann" page
Ann cofounded EduPreneurship, a small K-8 charter school with an economics, micro-community focus. During her eleven year tenure, she wore just about every hat except that of academic leader, from technology teacher to business manager, and everything in between. Like many of the old-timers, her team learned how to run a charter and meet compliance requirements the hard way, on the job, solving new problems every day. Those who survived those first few years are the ones who sought help from and shared information with each other. Ann still believes this is the secret to survival. She retired from day to day school operations in 2006 with no fully formed plan but with a deep concern for smaller charters and their ability to keep up with ever-increasing compliance requirements.