THE AZ GEAR UP TEAM

Daniel L. Kain, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator

Dr. Daniel Kain is a professor in the College of Education at Northern Arizona University and Principal Investigator (PI) for Arizona GEAR UP 2012-19. His role as PI spans three grant cycles and more than a decade. In addition to overall project oversight, Dr. Kain brings to GEAR UP his expertise in curriculum and research-based instructional strategies and in middle school professional development with a specialty in problem-based learning. He also served as Principal Investigator on the 2010-12 research study of the Arizona GEAR UP intervention, academic mentoring. Dr. Kain is the former Dean of the College of Education and former Provost at Northern Arizona University.

Daniel.Kain@nau.edu
(928)523-2230

Ramona Netto Mellott, Ph.D.
Co-Principal Investigator

Dr. Ramona Mellott is the Dean of the College of Education and Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) for Arizona GEAR UP 2012-19. In addition to overall GEAR UP project oversight, Dr. Mellott is an active leader at the national level in discussions of professional science master’s programs and their impact on both students and regional workforce development. Dr. Mellott joined NAU in 1991, beginning her career as a professor in the Educational Psychology Department in the College of Education, eventually becoming Chair of the Department. She was also the Dean of the NAU Graduate College from 2007 to 2014. She is a licensed psychologist who serves on the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. Her teaching and research expertise and interests include assessment, diagnostics, and research ethics.

COE-Dean@nau.edu
(928)523-7139

Teena Olszewski
Executive Director

Teena Olszewski is the Executive Director of Arizona GEAR UP and has provided leadership to the State GEAR UP Office since 2002. She is responsible for ensuring programmatic, administrative and fiscal requirements of the project; creating and expanding partnerships to meet objectives; representing Arizona GEAR UP to constituents; and initiating actions to increase preparation for, access to, and retention in postsecondary education. Teena presently serves on the AzCAN CAP Advisory Committee, and formerly served on the Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education, the Arizona ACT State Organization Executive Council and, for several years, co-chaired the Executive Committee of the national GEAR UP Evaluation Consortium.  In 2014, Teena was awarded ‘GEAR UP Professional of the Year’ by the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships. She brings more than 25 years of executive-level administrative, management and leadership experience in government, education and non-profit environments to the position. Teena received her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University.

Teena.Olszewski@nau.edu
(602)776-4613

Andrea.Gonzalez@nau.edu
(602)728-9522

Ann Connelly
Program Manager, College & Career Readiness

Ann has over 18 years of experience in education and college access.  She has worked for Arizona GEAR UP in several capacities.  She was a Site Coordinator for four years, the EXPLORE Manager for four years, Program Manager for the Middle Grade Initiative for four years, and previously worked as a high school counselor at a GEAR UP high school. In her current role as Program Manager for Early College & Career Readiness, Ann facilitates on-line College Access Professional (CAP) classes.  Ann has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Colorado State University and a M.Ed. in School Counseling from Northern Arizona University.  Ann formerly served as State Coordinator for CAP Training in Arizona and works in collaboration with the Arizona Department of Education to increase the use, and usefulness, of AzCIS Junior in Arizona’s middle schools.

Ann.Connelly@nau.edu
(602)776-9526

John (Tie Guy) Acedo
Technology Projects Director

Tie Guy came to GEAR UP in 2012, after ten years of working with GEAR UP students attending the Summer Enrichment Program at Northern Arizona University (NAU), where he directed the College of Education’s Office of Community Engagement.  Prior to his work at NAU on the mountain campus, he taught for a number of years in the Alhambra Elementary School District, as a middle school general/choir teacher, and as the Musical Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix. Tie Guy received his Bachelor’s Degree in K-12 Music Education and his Masters in Educational Technology from Northern Arizona University.

John.Acedo@nau.edu
(602)728-9501

Whitney Gilmore
Program Coordinator

Whitney earned her undergraduate degree from NAU in 1998.  She describes the four years at NAU as some of the happiest years of her life and she especially enjoyed the many opportunities that campus life offered.  Whitney departed from the beautiful mountain campus to attend graduate school in Towson, Maryland.  As part of her master’s program in clinical psychology, Whitney completed a clinical internship.  She was selected for the Children’s Guild School in Annapolis, MD during her last year of graduate school.  This early work experience solidified her passion to support students in public school settings.  Whitney enjoys strengthening systems and advocating for students’ equal access to higher education.  Most recently Whitney worked as a GEAR UP Coordinator for the class of 2018 in Winslow, AZ.  Over the years she has also worked in the field of behavioral counseling and education.

Whitney.Gillmore@nau.edu
(602)728-9502

Kitty Hager
Data Input Operator, Senior

Kitty Hager joined the GEAR UP team in October 2012. As Data Input Operator, she is responsible for processing the array of data  associated with a large-scale college access program, and for producing reports that support program implementation and continuous improvement.  Kitty also trains others on the use of the GEAR UP database for data entry and reporting purposes, and  participates in the development of forms and procedures that promote accurate, complete, timely data collection and management.

Mary.Hager@nau.edu
(602)728-9503

Brooke Adams
Administrative Assistant

Brooke Adams has been with GEAR UP as the Administrative Assistant, since December 2017.  Brooke received her Bachelor’s Degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Management of Technical Operations.  She comes to us from Prescott AZ, where she worked as the Academic Coordinator in another College Access Program- TRiO’s Upward Bound and Math Science Regional Center. She is also a wife and mother of three amazing children.

Brooke.Adams@nau.edu
(602)776-4616