Midvale Campus Staff

Alejandra Galvan – Midvale K-1

I am a native from Mexico and grew up in California.  I have a BA in Business Administration and some Master’s coursework completed in Elementary Education. I have been in the teaching field for over 10 years and I love teaching students. Reading is my passion and I love going to museums. 

“Mistakes are proof that you are trying.”   

Marcella Zazueta – Midvale 2-3

I am a Tucson native. I attended and graduated from Tucson High Magnet School. I was part of the “Marching 100” band, student athlete, performing Folklorico dance group “Los Tucsonenses,” and Mariachi Rayos Del Sol My favorite subjects are Math and Spanish. After high school I attended the University of Arizona, also Brookline College, with an Associates in Pharmacy. I am an AmeriCorps Alumni, and am a member of the National Honors Society, member of Alpha Beta Kappa, and the National Pharmacy Technician Association. I am still involved with Folklorico dancing. I spend my free time with my husband and two dogs. We love to go camping, fishing.

My favorite quote is” Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the COURAGE TO CONTINUE that counts.” Winston Churchill

Tracy Laos – Midvale 4-5

I grew up in Omaha, NE and moved to Arizona after high school to attend and graduate from ASU with a BFA. I am married and have 4 children, 3 sons and a daughter. We enjoy getting away from the Arizona heat by visiting the beach and camping in the mountains. I became an educator because I enjoy watching and assisting students gain knowledge and confidence in their abilities. I believe everyone has gifts and talents and it’s a privilege to be able to witness the students realize this themselves.

“Educators should walk the walk and never stop learning themselves!”

Byron Bower – Midvale 6-7 ELA & SS

I am a native from North Carolina and have a Master’s in Spanish from the University of Arizona and a BA in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  I have been teaching for over 8 years and love teaching students about different cultures and sharing my world experiences. Traveling is my passion as I have traveled and will continue traveling to many cities and countries. 

I am the Seventh grade ELA and Social Studies teacher and I’m looking forward to a great year here.

Roy Gorris – Midvale Social Studies

After finishing high school and post secondary adult education I was drafted in the Dutch Army. As an infantry non commissioned officer I trained alongside U.S. Forces. Very impressed by their efficiency and professionalism I decided to immigrate to the United States some 24 years ago. Shortly after I immigrated I decided to join the U.S. Army not in the capacity of an infantry crew member but in the field of Aviation. Aviation has been my passions for well over 45 years. Fast forward , multiple deployments to Iraq , Afghanistan and South Korea just to name a few I retired and decided to pick up my educational journey.
I have an Associates , Bachelors in Science and an Master’s in Business Administration and am working on my Doctorate in Business Administration.  I also hold a certified teaching license in Business (K 6 thru K 12) , Emerging Technologies (K 9-12) and a pending Marketing (K 9 -12) cert.

Daniel Garcia – Midvale 8-12 Science

I believe students learn science by doing science, and that my classes are a medium through which my students will learn life skills that are critical for their success in college and future careers. As our students must be prepared to work cooperatively in a global and technological society where many of them will eventually hold jobs that do not yet exist, I emphasize critical thinking and problem solving, using our science content to develop good evidence-based reasoning and communication skills. 

Gabriel Davilla – Midvale 8-12 Math

I have a Bachelor of Science in Business & Public Administration from the University of Arizona with some Master’s coursework completed in Agriculture and Resource Economics. I enjoy playing volleyball, reading, gardening and learning about people. Please know that I care about your students learning and reach out anytime to talk about goals.

“The most incomprehensible thing about the universe is that it is comprehensible”-Einstein

Margret Stephens – Midvale 8-12 ELA

I grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada. From a young age, I developed a passion for exploring and a curiosity about different cultures. As soon a s I graduated from highschool, I bought a one way ticket to Ecuador and never looked back! Since then, I have backpacked through many different countries around the world, and I have plans to continue to travel to many more! My husband and I actually met on a plane, which is how a small town Canadian girl ended up in Arizona. Once my travel bug was slightly tamed, I attended Carleton University and pursued a degree in Humanities, focusing mainly on religious studies. A year later, I transferred to online school (I guess that travel bug wasn’t quite tamed enough!) and continued to study a Global Development degree while traveling more. After I completed my degree, it was clear to me what I wanted to pursue next. I wanted to take my passion for travel and curiosity for the world and use it to inspire other young people to explore as well. I began substitute teaching, and now have the privilege of teaching here at TIA. It has been quite a journey, and I look forward to what the future holds!  

“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.”- said by Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter (written by J. K. Rowliing)

Xiuqing Sun – Chinese Teacher

I went to China Communication University and have a degree in Media Management. In China I taught Chinese to foreigners before I moved to the U.S.

I’ve been teaching Chinese at TIA since 2012. I have traveled to Thailand, Japan, Korea, China and around the U.S.  I cannot give a direct translation but my favorite quote is something like this; “If I walk with two other people, I can learn from at least one of them.” It shows humility and the willingness to learn from different people, regardless of their age, background or beliefs.

Anthony Harden – Midvale Instructional Coach

More than 25 years ago, a shortage of substitutes in my daughter’s school district landed me on a teacher path. Prior to earning my post-degree certification in Elementary Education, I worked in broadcast journalism, public relations, and the nonprofit sector. I hold teaching licensure in Arizona and New Mexico, with a certification in TESOL (Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages) and an endorsement in Performing Arts. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Arizona, and I have a Masters in Educational Leadership from Western New Mexico University. My classroom teaching experience includes second, fifth, and sixth grade, and I have spent more than a dozen years in instructional coaching and district positions.

“Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend.  Inside a dog it is too dark to read” – Groucho Marx 

Victoria Dunk – Spanish

Lydia Fierro – Midvale NSLP Aide

Hector Canez – Midvale Admin

Wences Herrera – Foreign Language Director/Owner

Dr. Jennifer – Superintendent / Owner

Click here to read Dr. J’s story