OUR TEAM

An Experienced, Passionate Team

The C-CREO Gear Up Team has deep experience in education and shares a genuine passion for helping students prepare for college and career. The Success Coaches on each middle and high school campus are committed to creating positive changes for educational communities in Santa Cruz County. The College and Career Liaison at the C-CREO Hub is available for outreach activities, as well as providing site-based services. Together, we strive to provide equity for our cohort of students and build sustainability for generations to come.

Alfredo Velasquez

Alfredo Velasquez describes himself as “a proud resident of Santa Cruz County”. He was born and raised in Nogales, Arizona and was determined to earn an education and return to contribute to his community. After earning a BA in Elementary Education, Alfredo joined the NUSD #1 as a first-grade teacher in 1993. He has since earned two Masters Degrees: one in Bilingual/Multicultural Education and Educational Leadership. In 2006, Alfredo changed course. He was elected Santa Cruz County School Superintendent. In this capacity he works with local, state, and federal entities to identify and service the needs of Santa Cruz County schools as well as serve as the fiscal agent for the school districts. His mission as County School Superintendent is to support district superintendents, administrators, teachers, parents and students as well as community organizations through collaboration of services, resources, and funding to prepare students in Santa Cruz County in becoming successful life-long learners.

Maya Donnelly

Maya Donnelly is the Grants Program Director in the office of Santa Cruz County School Superintendent, Alfredo I. Velásquez. She grew up in Nogales and graduated from Nogales High School and the University of Arizona with a BA in Elementary Education. She began her teaching career in NUSD #1, teaching at A.J. Mitchell, Lincoln Elementary, and Wade Carpenter Middle School for 19 years. In 2016, she began working for Mr. Velasquez managing his grants office. The programs Maya works on are the CREO/Youth CareerConnect Program at Nogales High School and Rio Rico High School, which includes the MetroMatematicas and Lean Six Sigma curriculum, Santa Cruz County Arts for Learning in partnership with Young Audiences, C-CREO Summer Youth Camps, and now the C-CREO Gear Up Program. She is eager to get Geared Up and help students and families gain early awareness and readiness of undergraduate programs. She feels great pride in giving back to the community that has given so much to her and her family.

Kerri Munoz

Evan Kory

Sandra Davila

Sandra C Davila is the C-CREO Hub Liaison. She is an Apache (NHS), an Aztec (Pima), and a Wildcat (UofA) graduate, but most importantly, Sandra is a Nogalian. She has a wonderful family, her husband and daughter are her life. Painting and drawing are her favorite hobbies and she teaches these skills to kids. She takes pride when it comes to her community and the people that work hard to keep it growing. As a believer of pay-it-forward, she’s committed to students, and to those in need. The Nogales Lions Club, the Rotary Club, and the Cultural Arts Committee have served as platforms to transfer her passion to our community. As the C-CREO Hub Liaison, she plans on investing all her knowledge and efforts to provide Santa Cruz County with resources for post-secondary education. A special thank you to Mr. Alfredo I. Velásquez and his team for the great opportunity. She now feels lucky to be part of this team.

Robert Brubaker

Sonia Sanchez

Sonia Sanchez is the Gear Up Success Coach for Desert Shadows Middle School. Sonia has a passion to serve her community and see families strengthened through prevention and education. She graduated from Nogales High School in 1992 and earned her AA in Social Work and will be receiving her BA in Human Services from the U of A. Sonia served as a Prevention Coordinator for the Underage Drinking and Substance Program for youth with the Drug Free Community Grant. Sonia currently co-facilitates the Santa Cruz County Response Team for domestic violence, and is a board member of the Victims Compensation Board and the Nogales Woman’s Club. In addition, Sonia serves in the committee for Substance Abuse Coalition Leaders of Arizona. She has now joined efforts with Gear Up assisting youth in Santa Cruz County accomplish their educational goals.

Ally Alvarez

Ally Alvarez is the Gear Up Success Coach for Rio Rico High School. She was raised in Rio Rico and is a proud graduate of RRHS. She attended Williams College in Massachusetts where she became the first in her family to graduate college. She double majored in Political Science and Sociology, minored in Spanish, and graduated with honors. During her time in college, she conducted original research at both Williams College and UC Berkeley and completed a sociology thesis that was rewarded high honors. Ally was also on the board of a criminal justice reform group where she coordinated community education workshops and directed a middle school mentorship program. She is very excited to be a part of the Gear Up team at the Santa Cruz County Superintendent’s Office and is looking forward to serving our community!

Erika Vasquez

Adrienne Villanez

Adrianne Villanez