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TAA Annual Conference

Monday, 17 June 2024 3:00 PM - Thursday, 20 June 2024 11:30 AM MST

2515 E Butler Ave, Flagstaff, AZ, 86004, United States

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Board & Executive Board Partial Approval - Free

Tickets available only to the current board

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Late Conference Registration Partial Approval - $482.00

Price includes $50 annual membership, $415 annual conference, $17 processing

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Wednesday Only - Vendor/Trade Show Attendee Partial Approval - $175.00

Ticket includes annual membership $50, Trade Show & Bus Showcase, $110, processing fee $15

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Annual Conference - Lifetime Member Partial Approval - $315.00

Annual Conference $300, processing fee $15 A lifetime member is any member who meets one of the following criteria: a. has served as President of the Association b. was an active member for 15 years and retired from the field of student transportation c. was an active member for 10 years and served at least one term as a Board member of the Association

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Speakers

Learn more aboutRebecca Hendry

Rebecca Hendry

Director of Grants & Business

Florence Unified School District

I've been an educator for 27 years. Teacher, school administrator, school grant coordinator and federal and state grants director. The majority of those years serving students, community, and staff day to day as a school administrator. I’m originally from the state of Georgia and graduated from Georgia Southern University. I started my Arizona Education career with Mesa Public Schools serving as an elementary school teacher, math curriculum trainer, and administrative intern and grant coordinator. One of my most memorable responsibilities as a young administrative intern was coordinating the buses and handling all the bus referrals for 36 buses assigned to two schools. I joined the Florence Unified School District in 2006 as an assistant principal at Copper Basin K-8 School. Growth in San Tan Valley was extraordinary. Copper Basin had 1500 students, and I was the only assistant principal. Survival that year was key with a first year principal I built multiple skills, especially speed! Some of my duties included handling student discipline, master schedules and junior high student schedules, athletic director and school emergency plan coordinator. In the spring of 2008, I was named the principal of the newest K-8 school, Magma Ranch K-8. During my time at Magma Ranch, I experienced first-hand bus safety practices and the value of drills at their best. We had a bus catch on fire in our parking lot, with a driver and students on board. I moved at the request of our new superintendent, to another district school in an effort to improve the school's achievement scores and develop a plan for specialized programming that would be offered at Circle Cross Ranch. Over the next few years at Circle Cross Ranch STEM Academy, the staff and students raised the school’s letter grade from a “C” to an “A” rating with the state. We also received Arizona Educational Foundation’s A+ School of Excellence Award. During my time as principal at this school, I also served the district as a mentor for new K-8 and High School Principals. In 2023, I was promoted to the Director of Grants and Business Partnerships after 19 years of being a school administrator. I've always worked closely with our transportation director, as a school administrator and in my current position.

Learn more aboutGeorge Arvidson

George Arvidson

Technical Trainer

Arizona Bus Center

George Arvidson is currently the technical trainer and continuous improvement coordinator for Arizona Bus Center in Phoenix Arizona. He has over 25 years of diesel truck and bus experience. He is a certified Thomas bus master technician. He carries master certifications in all major systems including MCC and Cummins. He is also a certified Thomas Bus EV trainer. He has worked with Cummins or at a Cummins dealer his entire career. He works tirelessly to ensure his customers’ technical support and training needs are met. He enjoys experimenting with his 3D printer and building remote controlled vehicles. He enjoys Traveling to historic sites and exploring with his family. He looks forward to continuing his education on EV vehicles and building robust training program for his dealership.

Learn more aboutSandy Brown

Sandy Brown

Transportation Supervisor

Stanfield Unified School District

Sandy began her career at the Bullhead City Elementary District in 1991 when her kindergarten-age son was lost for over three hours on the first day of school. After learning that the district was short on bus drivers, she decided she could drive a bus and began training the very next day. Sandy later moved to Oklahoma, where she drove for five years. Ultimately, she returned to Arizona, working for several Phoenix-area districts. She currently serves as the operations manager for the Stanfield School District.

Learn more aboutSandy Cooper

Sandy Cooper

Assistant Superintendent of HR

Retired from Chandler Unified School District

Sandy recently retired as the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the Chandler USD and served the school community for more than 30 years. Sandy received a BA in Sociology from New Mexico State University and a MA in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. She was part of the Arizona School Personnel Administrator's executive board (ASPAA) for several years, including serving as the state-wide President, and was awarded Administrator of the Year in 2003. She received the inaugural Arizona School Personnel Administrator's Association legacy award in 2016.

Learn more aboutJosh Crosby

Josh Crosby

Director of Transportation

Higley Unified School District

Learn more aboutJerry Goodman

Jerry Goodman

Transportation Supervisor

Chandler Unified School District

Jerry has worked in transportation for 15 years, beginning his career as a bus driver to help put himself through college. He eventually became a classroom and behind-the-wheel trainer, training newly hired employees. He went on to become a third-party tester with ADOT. Currently, Jerry serves as a supervisor for the Chandler Unified School District. He is a graduate of Arizona State University and bleeds maroon and gold. Go, Devils!

Learn more aboutHilma Gustafson

Hilma Gustafson

Administrator of Transportation

Glendale Union High School District

Hilma is currently the administrator of transportation for Glendale Union High School District. With over 32 years in the student transportation industry, she has held positions of bus driver, trainer, special needs dispatcher, supervisor and director. She has served on the Transportation Administrators of Arizona (TAA) and the Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation (AAPT) Executive Board serving positions as region representative, President, and currently serves as the treasurer. She was honored as the 2017 Transportation Director of the Year by the Arizona Association for Pupil Transportation. Her leadership skills and strong work ethics is driven by the school bus yellow that flows through her veins. Transportation is truly in her heart and soul!

Learn more aboutDenice Hall

Denice Hall

Director of Transportation

Blue Ridge Unified School District

Denice has had a class A CDL for decades and drove commercial trucks cross-country with her husband, to whom she’s been happily married for 31 years. She has the privilege of being a mother to 5 wonderful children and a grandmother to 10 and counting. As a lifelong resident of Lakeside, AZ. She embarked on her professional journey two decades ago as a bus driver. She has been a bus driver instructor for 11 years and is immensely enthusiastic to be a part of the LIT team with the Trust.

Learn more aboutCoral Henry

Coral Henry

Administrative Assistant

Glendale Union High School District

Coral Henry has been in school bus transportation since 2007. She brings with her knowledge, experience, and drive. She started as a special needs bus driver, and as her knowledge of the industry grew, she became a trainer, dispatcher, and transportation secretary. Coral is also a Transportation of Arizona Administrator (TAA) board member and works closely with some of the best pioneers in the transportation industry. Coral is dedicated to the ongoing education of school bus transportation.

Learn more aboutBrian Lockery

Brian Lockery

Director of Business Services

Kyrene Elementary School District

Brian has been in the education field for over 25 years, serving in different capacities between the Arizona House of Representatives, the Arizona Department of Education and most recently as the Director of Finance for Kyrene School District for the last six years. He has been providing training on transportation finance and state reporting for over 10 years to transportation departments across Arizona. Brian is a proud husband and father of three, as well as a diehard Arizona Wildcat!

Learn more aboutPhilip Matthews

Philip Matthews

Technical Support Manager

Cummins

Academic University of California, Riverside BS Mechanical Engineering. C/O 2008 Career Technical Support Manager – Cummins Inc. (2022-Present) CFSE Team Lead – Cummins Inc. (2016-2022) DFSE – Cummins Rocky Mtn (2013-2016) Project Engineer – Voith (2008-13) Personal Born in Bridgend, South Wales, moved to San Diego in 1998, Phoenix in 2013 Live in Tempe, Arizona Hobbies - Ice Hockey, Snowboarding, Biking, home improvement, running and spending time with his 3 year old daughter, Jacqueline.

Learn more aboutKruze Mingus

Kruze Mingus

Director of Transportation

Queen Creek Unified School District

Kruze currently serves as the Director of Transportation at Queen Creek Unified School District in Queen Creek, Arizona. He is an advocate for growth in the student transportation industry and has focused his time and energy into creating innovative systems to improve operations. Kruze began as a Analyst for Kyrene Elementary School District in 2019 working with Jason on developing innovative technology integration systems. Next, Kruze moved to the Private Sector of student transportation serving as the Director of Operations for Desert Choice Transportation. There he worked to update the operations systems and specialize in communication systems between clients and staff until taking over at QCUSD in 2022.

Learn more aboutJason Nelson

Jason Nelson

Transportation Program Manager

Arizona School Risk and Retention Trust, Inc

Jason is currently a transportation program manager with the Trust. With over 13 years in the transportation industry, Jason has driven a bus, held positions of dispatch and routing, and supervised a transportation department of more than 100 workers. He demonstrates his passion for pupil transportation, having served as a board member for the Arizona Association of Pupil Transportation (AAPT) and the Transportation Administrators of Arizona (TAA) presidency. Jason has a "can-do" attitude and is passionate about enhancing school bus transportation in the state of Arizona.

Learn more aboutKeith Oarde

Keith Oarde

Unemployment Insurance Program Manager

AZ School Risk Retention Trust, Inc

Keith has served as the Trust’s UI Program Manager since 2019. He’s overseen the program through the pandemic and has established success with its members throughout this period. With his knowledge of all things UI in Arizona, Keith has helped members and claimants alike navigate the UI claims process to ensure a fair outcome for both parties.

Learn more aboutNathan Reed

Nathan Reed

Corporate Trainer

RWC Group

Nathan is a 2009 graduate of Universal Technical Institute (UTI) where he completed the Diesel and Industrial Technology program and the 15-week International Technician Education Program (ITEP), one of UTI’s manufacturer-specific advanced training programs. Since joining RWC group in 2010, Nathan has won Top Truck and Bus Technician awards in 2017 and 2018 as the #1 Technician in the IC Bus Dealer Network in North America. Nathan now serves as RWC Group’s Corporate Trainer overseeing our training across 16 locations.

Learn more aboutSara Sims

Sara Sims

Special Populations Coordinator

Phoenix Elementary School District

Sara has been an employee with Phoenix Elementary School District for 24 years. Some of that time, she served as a school-based social worker and now serves at the district office, coordinating programs for a variety of special populations. Sara is a passionate advocate for students who are newcomers to the US educational system, experiencing homelessness, or are involved in the foster care system. Sara was honored at the Homeless Liaison of the Year in 2015 by ADE and the Arizona Housing Coalition.

Learn more aboutJeff Walker

Jeff Walker

Owner and Operator

Southern Express Bus Services

Jeff Walker has been in student transportation for nearly 25 years. He has worked with school districts and private bus companies all over the United States. He currently owns and operates Northern Express Bus Service in Wisconsin and Southern Express Bus Service in Arizona. He has a passion for student transportation and loves sharing it with others!

Learn more aboutShannon Weber

Shannon Weber

Director of Transportation

Florence Unified School District

I have served 12 years on the TAA Board and 21 years in Arizona student transportation. I love this work, and believe it takes a village to be the best we can be. Student transportation is already a difficult job -add student conduct challenges and it can be what makes or breaks our best! I believe that kids don’t care what we know unless they know that we care. With consistent expectations, quality tools, creative solutions and the right perspective we can WIN with bus conduct. Join me as I share some tools from my experience and as we learn from others who may share from theirs.

Learn more aboutTAA Board