VASA’s Director
Karen Eten - Executive Director
Dr. Eten earned a Bachelors of Art degree in Social Welfare and a Masters degree in Administration and Supervision from CSU, Fresno. She also earned a PhD in Human Behavior from Emerson Institute. Dr. Eten is also additional training in Brain Gym, Attitudinal Healing, Unlearning Prejudice/Relations Valuing Diversity, Discipline Based Art in Education, and Reiki. She was Principal at Oakhurst elementary School for six years and Director of Cardin School in Fresno. Her teaching experience consisted of grades fifth through eighth. She is past President of the Fresno Metropolitan Club of the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art and Science. While in Oakhurst she was actively involved in the Sierra Kiwanis Club and Association of California School Administrators. She is a past President for both organizations.
Our Teachers
Stacy Hipwood - Kindergarten
Mrs. Hipwood is a graduate of Fresno Pacific University with a Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies and earned her credential. She taught for Fresno Unified before going abroad. She has lived in Nairobi, Kenya for the past ten years where she taught English to young students in AIC Special Ministries and also in a British system Montessori school.
Rebecca Zamora - Kindergarten
Mrs. Zamora has a Bachelors degree in Art History and obtained her teaching credential from CSU, Fresno. She is continuing her work toward a Masters degree in Early Childhood education and has experience as a Master Teacher in the Preschool Program and the Infant and Toddler Program at the Early Education Center at CSUF. She, also, was a member of the Bulldog Marching Band and Colorguard.
Joanne Campbell - First Grade Teacher
Mrs. Campbell holds a Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies and a multiple subject lifetime credential from California State University, Fresno. She completed the coursework for a California Reading Certificate at Fresno Pacific University. She has been a support provider for beginning teachers through the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) program with the Fresno County Office of Education and is a teacher consultant with the San Joaquin Valley Writing Project.
Rachel Church - First Grade Teacher
Mrs. Church holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with distinction and departmental honors from the University of Kansas and a Master of Arts in Elementary curriculum and instruction from the University of Northern Colorado. She was the Gifted and Talented Coordinator for grades 1-6 in Colorado. She taught second grade in Clovis Unified and directed the school's musical and supervised the drama club.
Karen Konik - First Grade Teacher
Mrs. Konik received her Multiple Subject teaching credential from Fresno Pacific University. She also has a Master of Arts in Education with a focus on Multilingual Studies. Mrs. Konik also earned a Reading Certificate.
Andra Rodriguez-Hernandez - Second Grade Teacher
Mrs. Hernandez holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education from CSU, Fresno and a credential with Early Childhood Emphasis. In addition to her student teaching experience, Mrs. Hernandez has given clarinet lessons, is a member of the Clovis Community Band, Performed at Carnegie Hall in new York City as a member of the CSU, Fresno Wind Ensemble, and has performed in China and England. She belongs to the national Association for Music Education and the National Science Teachers Association.
David Hunter - Second Grade
Mr. Hunter's Bachelors degree is in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in Children's Music, and his credential includes the Early Childhood Education option and English Learner emphasis. He was Lead Teacher at Stone Soup Community Center's Hmong Cultural Academy Pre-school-first Grade Classroom and taught second grade at Sanger Academy Charter School.
Heather Mitchell - Third Grade Teacher
Mrs. Mitchell received her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from CSU Fresno and her Teaching Credential from California Baptist University-Riverside CA. She has interests in Theatre Arts, especially Drama and Puppetry. Photography is another activity that she enjoys, along with scrapbooking. She had the opportunity to travel to Okinawa Japan, Western Europe, Jamaica, and the Yucatan.
Mrs. Walsh - Third Grade Teacher
Mrs. Walsh is a graduate of Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey where she earned a Bachelors degree in Music and she received her teaching credential from Fresno Pacific University. Her special interest are music (especially piano), drawing, sand science. Mrs. Walsh spent a year in the USF Freedom Corps, earning a President's Volunteer Service Award; she taught English to ninth students at a school in Pinghu, China.
Kathryn Borba - Fourth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Borba is a graduate of Fresno pacific University in Liberal Studies with a concentration in science and a minor in art. She participated in the Asia Study Abroad Program, the FPU Writers' Club, and FPU artist exhibition. Mrs. Borba was, also, a Community Literacy Tutor. Her special skills and interests include painting, ceramics, dance, and drama.
Chester Goodale - Fourth Grade Teacher
Mr. Goodale holds a bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature with a Liberal Studies certificate from UCLA. His teaching credentials (multiple subject and Bilingual) are from Fresno Pacific University. He taught in inner-city Los Angeles, in Madera county, and in Fresno at Tehipite Middle School as a migrant teacher. He has played trumpet from fifth grade to his first year of college, performed in choirs and handbell choirs.
Andy Clark - Fifth Grade Teacher
Mr. Clark received a Bachelors of Science degree in International Business from CSU Fresno. He works as a Mission Director for the high school ministry at the Well Community Church. He was a former Basketball and Softball coach at Susan B. Anthony School.
Shiela Skibbie - Fifth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Skibbie graduated from CSU, Fresno with a Bachelors degree (Magna Cum Laude) with a concentration in Communicative Disorders, Deaf Education. She earned her teaching credential from Fresno Pacific University. She has worked as a mathematics consultant training math coaches and intervention teachers at low performing schools.
Karen Tweedy - Sixth Grade Teacher
Mrs. Tweedy obtained her Bachelors degree in English and her teaching credential from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. Most recently she has been teaching in Clark County Schools in Las Vegas. Mrs. Tweedy's special interests include drama, speech, debate, and music.
Teresa Webb - Art Specialist
Ms. Webb earned a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art with a concentration in sculpture (Bronze Casting) and a minor in Psychology at CSU Fresno. She then went to Florence Italy to study at The Academy De Bella Artia. Ms. Webb returned to Fresno and studied art again (painting) and received her Masters in Painting.
Michael Tweedy - Music
Mr. Tweedy earned his Bachelors degree in Music education from Pasadena College and his teaching certificate from the University of Phoenix. He was invited to direct the Northeastern Arizona Junior High School Honor Band. He served as Adjunct Professor of music at the Northland Pioneer College where he directed musicals, and taught jazz band, music theory, music appreciation, and music fundamentals.
Roni Weil - Director of Afterschool
Mrs. Weil received a Bachelor of Arts in Plant Science from CSU Fresno along with a Fine Art Minor. She was Director of Education at The Discovery Center for nine years. Mrs. Weil was the Science Coordinator at the Fresno Metropolitan Museum for three years. Today she is active in Tae Kwon Do, tai Chi, Hiking, backpacking, and gardening.
Our Office
Sophia Reyna-Nagao – Office Manager - Email
Mrs. Nagao is responsible for running the VASA office. She comes to us from Crescent View Charter High School where she was the Registrar. Prior to that, she was Assistant Office Manager for a local chiropractic center.