Christy Schramski is a successful bilingual educator and entrepreneurial manager with a diverse range of experience. With a background in international business, Ms. Schramski has spent the past eighteen (18) years in education as an administrator and teacher, teaching English language acquisition to adults with varying education levels, citizenship and civics, and business English and entrepreneurship. As a result of her work with students in entrepreneurship, multiple students began small businesses, which are still thriving today. In addition, she has worked with adult students in developing leadership and advocacy skills, digital literacy skills, and preparing for college and career transitions. As an administrator in education, she coordinated language classes for private students, small groups, and corporate clients, and managed the day-to-day operations of a language school.

Her background as a business professional includes six (6) years working as an Import/Export Specialist with the maquilas in Guyamas, Sonora and Saltillo, Coahillo, Mexico, five (5) years experience in real estate, and three (3) years working as Finance Secretary for a 501(3)(c). Most recently, she assisted in the sale and transition of VERTESS Holding, LLC, a healthcare mergers & acquisitions consultancy co-founded with her late husband Dr. Thomas Schramski, and continues to serve as Managing Partner for Salience Consulting, parent company of Thrive!, LLC, and former parent company of VERTESS Holding, LLC.

Ms. Schramski presently serves as Chair of the Trustee Board at Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church where she created and balanced the first budget in the church’s 72- year history, initiated and implemented financial processes/procedures that allowed the church to successfully achieve 501(3)(c) status, and coordinated the complete transition of bookkeeping functions to electronic format.

Ellen Swanson-Tucker is an educator, digital learning maverick, trusted advisor and adult education thought leader. Ellen currently works at Pima Community College as an English as a Second Language instructor and navigator for students that require support accessing local resources.

Ellen's career in education spans two decades; from K-12 to university, across the U.S and in South Korea. She has taken on leadership roles in administration, civics, refugee education, adult college and career transition, digital literacy, and new instructor recruitment and training. In 2019 she co-founded a mobile platform for English learners to practice industry-specific, conversational English.

Ellen earned a Bachelor’s Degree from the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. She currently lives in Tucson, Arizona where she enjoys traveling, tennis, and Syfy movies with her husband Michael.

MaryAnn Phininzy, has been actively involved in the community through her work with Adult Basic Education and AmeriCorps since 1994, first beginning as an AmeriCorps member serving two years. She started in the Adult Education Vocational Training Program as a student in 1992. She then transitioned into her role as a Program Coordinator, mentor and trainer for adult education student’s and AmeriCorps members. She is a Nationally Certified Manager of Program Improvement. In her role as coordinator, MaryAnn planned and facilitated workshops and events to promote Student Leadership and Civic Engagement. In addition, she brought events and workshops that address Civil Rights and Social Justice Issues to the adult education community; such as partnering with the YWCA’s National Take a Stand against Racism. Most recently she participated in Pima Community College’s Café Chats on Diversity and Inclusion as a co-facilitator. She was also a member of the Tucson Workforce Investment Youth Board Council, planning Youth Career Expo. One of the Founders of the Tucson Service Learning Group in 2011, MaryAnn extended her work to Youth Development empowering youth to find their voice and become Youth Ambassadors and Leaders.

She currently works as Program Coordinator of Intake, Registration and Data for Adult Basic Education for College and Career, (ABECC). She is the Chair of the Pima County Women’s Commission an official agency, of the City of Tucson and Pima County to assist women to achieve equality of opportunity in all aspects of life and to take positive action to expose, eliminate, and prevent the practice of discrimination against women. She is also a Grant Evaluator with the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona (WFSA). WFSA collaborates to achieve social, political and economic change that empowers women and girls.

Kathy Budway was born and raised in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She obtained a masters in linguistics from the University of Arizona in 1987. She has spent the past 30 years of her career as an adult educator with a focus on English Language Acquisition at all academic levels. She also has 25 years of teacher training experience, program management as well as workshop facilitation in communication, and diversity, instructional techniques and best practices, and inclusive curriculum design. Kathy has documented some of her immigrant students’ experiences in America in two short films: Writing Our Wrongs, and Who Paved the Way which feature their learning and perspectives on race and discrimination in the United States. Her film, Who Pave the Way, was featured at the Seattle Wing Luke Museum’s 2013 exhibition on race. Kathy is also a visual artist and singer songwriter who has produced two CDs of original music. She currently resides in Tucson Arizona.