Higley Unified School District
Citizen's Committee Bios
Marty Bender | Financial Planner
As a personal financial planner for the last 25 years and earning a CFP designation in 2004, Marty Bender has a broad background in financial applications beyond his work focus. Marty has been a Ray Ranch resident since 2003 as well as an active community participant in the 2021 and 2022 bond elections. He joined the Citizen’s Committee to ensure robust conversation and consideration before the district pursues another bond measure as well as spreading more knowledge about district financing and practices to consider.
Eric Braun | Assistant Public Works Director - Town of Gilbert
Eric Braun holds a master’s degree in public administration and is the assistant public works director for the Town of Gilbert. He is uniquely familiar with the difficulty in achieving adequate revenue to meet operational needs in the public sector. One of his main roles in his job is to refine department budget requests and make the business case for increasing rates to pay for these needs. Eric has three children in three levels of Higley schools and wants to help the public understand the needs facing our schools, including what happens if we don't fulfill the needs.
Michelle Bugg | Medical Device Sales
Michelle Bugg has had a student enrolled in HUSD over the past 18 years and has regularly volunteered in the Higley community over the past 19 years, which has made her very familiar with Higley’s previous budgets and bonds. Michelle believes that every student in the public school system should have the opportunity to be prepared to achieve their future dreams and goals. In her career, she has experience in working with a wide range of individuals and is able to work through differences to achieve a common goal.
Taylor Francis | Air Traffic Controller
Taylor Francis is a parent of two HUSD students and is eager to become more involved in the school district and ensure that students are receiving the highest quality education, teachers are receiving the support they need, and taxpayers' interests are justly represented. As a federal employee manager, Taylor has significant experience serving on a number of panels, committees, delegations, and commissions. His branch, which is entirely funded by taxpayer dollars, gives him unique insight into public funding and ensuring a balance between fulfilling essential needs and being held accountable with tax dollars.
Robert Furneaux | Cold Case Detective
Robert Furneaux, current cold case detective, has been a career public safety professional for 35 years as well as taking on a hands-on experience when it comes to education as he has taught both in a career/technical capacity and as a part-time/adjunct in Arizona for multiple universities since 2013. He currently has two children in the third grade Mandarin immersion program at Coronado Elementary and have been enrolled in the Higley School District since kindergarten. He believes that balancing the financial needs of the school district with what the community wants and needs is vital to comprehensive success.
Scott Hamilton | Access ASU - Arizona State University
Scott Hamilton has an extensive background in educational policy development, implementation, and evaluation. He currently serves as the Assistant Director of School Partnerships and the Network for School Improvement at Arizona State University and previously worked in Mesa Public schools for 4 years in various site-based roles. He has a vested interest in the Higley community, as a lifelong resident of Gilbert and a third-generation educator, along with his wife being a second-generation educator.
Melissa Johnson | Teacher - Higley Unified School District
Melissa Johnson has an 18 year teaching career within the Higley Unified School District and has a bachelor's degree in K-8 elementary education, with specialty in science, in addition to a master's degree in curriculum and instruction, reading endorsement, and gifted endorsement. As a parent of an HUSD student as well as a teacher, she has a vested interest in HUSD and wants to do what is best for our students, staff, and community. Melissa has served on many committees over the years throughout the district as well as within other organizations.
Ozzie Lewis | Performance Improvement Administrator - Arizona State Hospital
Ozzie Lewis is a NVCI (Non Violent Crisis Intervention) certified instructor at Arizona State Hospital and is trauma informed care certified as well as Blanchard leadership certified. Ozzie is a district resident with children attending Gateway Pointe Elementary. Ozzie joined the Citizen’s Committee to help make a positive difference in the Higley Unified School District while ensuring fairness and providing relevant input.
Jennifer Nunez | CEO - Oasis Behavioral Health Hospital & Agave Ridge Behavioral Health Hospital
Jennifer Nunez holds a master's degree in social work and has over 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health and has served as the CEO at Oasis Behavioral Health Hospital for the last three years. She has two daughters who are at Cortina Elementary School, is passionate about quality education, and believes the Citizen's Committee is a great way to engage and be more involved in the school district and community as both a HUSD parent and a business leader. Jennifer’s experience as an HUSD parent, hospital executive, mental health advocate and social worker will bring a unique perspective to the committee.
Victoria J Payne | Science Teacher WFHS - Higley Unified School District
Victoria Payne has an extensive background in education that includes a B.A. Education, M.Ed. in Science Education, and M.Ed. in Educational Leadership. She also has a background in school finance. Victoria currently teaches science at Williams Field High School and lives in the Higley School District. She is looking forward to playing a key role in expanding knowledge and information about the needs of Higley School District and to supporting the district outreach on how various fundings (override and bond) can be beneficial to our community.
Kathleen Richards | Actor/Private Music Teacher/Substitute
Kathleen Richards, actor, private music teacher, and substitute, has taught in classrooms, local theaters and privately since 2011. Her daughters both attend Higley Traditional Academy, and both attended Cooley ECDC where she has been an active member of PTO, as well as a community advocate for our families and HUSD team. Her family chose this district specifically when they relocated to Arizona in 2016 and cannot imagine being anywhere else. She has an invested commitment to the HUSD Community and wants to provide strong support, questions, and insight to the Citizen’s Committee.
Domingos Santos | Lawyer
Property tax lawyer, Domingo Santos has extensive experience with analyzing the impact of override and bond ballot questions. His background in private equity finance and tax provides our committee with relevant experience to understand the fiscal impact of any potential proposal. His sons currently attend Higley Unified School District schools, and he regularly volunteers for school district activities.
Christopher Sexton | Manager - Intel Corp.
Previous business owner and current manager at Intel, Christopher Sexton specializes in budget management, contract management, and program management. He will have five children in the district schools soon and wants to apply his professional expertise to help improve the school system and its public perception. Christopher is experienced in coming up with creative solutions to complex problems throughout his professional career as well as figuring out how to do more with less.
Melanie Shaha | Retired
Melanie Shaha, now retired, previously worked in communications and public relations specifically within education and law. She lives within the district and has had children previously graduated from HUSD. As a resident who no longer has children within the Higley Unified School District, she will provide an important historical viewpoint as well as the perspective of a retired citizen and taxpayer.
Vanessa Shepherd | Property Control Specialist - Higley Unified School District
Vanessa Shepard currently serves as the property control specialist for Higley Unified School District and is heavily engaged with the local community through planning youth activities and enrichment projects as well as being the director of youth activities and children music ministry within her church for the last 16 years. She believes HUSD displays a sincere passion for student success and respect in the community and is eager to be a part of the planning and fulfillment for the future and to potentially bring new ways to possibly bring revenue into our district.