
Our Mission & Vision
The Pendergast Elementary Community Foundation is committed to inspire, promote, and support:

Education
Extracurricular and educational programs for students and teachers.

Health
Charitable health services to students who might otherwise not be able to feasibly obtain such health services.

Growth
Professional growth and development for future and current teachers through financial assistance and scholarship programs.

Jean Day Donation

Sponsorship
Board of Directors
Dedicated experts with a proven record of success in their respective fields. Here are the Pendergast Elementary Community Foundation leaders.

Dr. Roger Juarez
Dr. Juarez has a Doctoral degree in Optometry from UC Berkeley, where he earned a graduate fellowship award for leadership, and three clinical honors in areas of Primary Care, Contact Lenses, and Binocular Vision. Dr. Juarez also as a Biomedical Engineering degree, graduated Cum Laude and as a Tau Beta Pi Honoree. His engineering experience includes work with Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and LifeScan, a Johnson & Johnson company. Dr. Juarez is founding faculty of the Arizona College of Optometry, former Director of Primary Eye Care Procedures, as well as an Assistant Professor. While at the university, he served on various committees and reviewed journals for the American Academy of Optometry. In addition, Dr. Juarez helped develop the first Optometry school in Central America. Today, Dr. Juarez holds an Adjunct Clinical Professor position at State University of New York and the University of California Berkeley. Dr. Juarez is also a Residency Coordinator for the University of Houston College of Optometry. In addition, Dr. Juarez volunteers as President of the Pendergast Elementary Community Foundation. A foundation that serves the needs of teachers and students in a vibrant community.

Maria R Brunner
Maria R. Brunner is the Community Impact Manager at Credit Union West and a dedicated advocate for her community. She has a passion for volunteerism and believes in fostering growth and success for everyone. Maria serves on several boards and committees, including:
- Pendergast Elementary School District Foundation (Board Member, 2023–Present)
- Women of Scottsdale (Woman of the Year 2022, Member since 2017)
- Glendale Chamber of Commerce (Board Member since 2014, Chair of the Board in 2018)
- WeSERV West Maricopa Realtors (Affiliate Chair 2023, Member since 2012)
- West Valley Women (Director, 2022–2023)
- Women’s Council Realtor® (Board Member, Director of Membership 2024–Present)
- Mujer Inc. (Board Member since 2021, Member since 2005)
- West-MEC Alliance (Board Member, 2023–Present)
Her past affiliations include OCJ Kids, Tempe Chamber of Commerce, Special Olympics, and the AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Stacey Mixon
Stacey Mixson is a Senior Vice President – Retail Operations Manager with over 26 years of experience in the financial industry. Her remarkable achievements and strong skill set are widely recognized. Outside of work, Stacey is deeply committed to volunteering, cherishes quality time with her family, and embraces the joy of traveling.

Kerry Pohlmeyer
Kerry is currently the Executive Administrator to the Superintendent & Governing Board of Pendergast Elementary School District since 2015. She holds a B.S. in Education from Northern Arizona University with endorsements in K-12 Gifted & Early Childhood. Kerry taught in the Peoria & Pendergast districts (1997-2015), served as a Library Media Specialist, & a District Technology Trainer. She was Pendergast Teacher of the Year (2009), received the Future City Educational Excellence Award (2009), & the Superintendent’s Award (2016). Kerry volunteers with the Pendergast Foundation & sponsors the 8th Grade Superintendent’s Student Council. Kerry is married to Ray Pohlmeyer, also a proud Pendergast Employee since 1996. Their daughter Hannah is a Pendergast K-8 alumni and graduated from Northern Arizona University (2023).

Herman Orcutt
After 8 years of retirement from Orcutt | Winslow, the architectural firm he founded in 1971, he has returned on a part-time basis to be in involved in mentoring, marketing and special projects. During the 37 years Herman managed the firm, it grew to one of the largest architecture firms in Arizona with over 100 architects and interior designers. The firm has been the recipient of many design and performance awards, including State and Regional Firm of the Year Awards. Herman was and is active in many community organizations. Besides the Barrow Board, Herman is involved in the boards of Westmarc, the Metro YMCA, the Surprise Sundancers, the Arizona Tourism and Sports Authority and the Sun Health Services Board.

Vispi Karanjia
A graduate of ASU, Vispi is a partner at Orcutt | Winslow. He has focused his efforts on K-12 education. He leads the firm in staying abreast of current educational philosophies and trends. Vispi is very involved in the education community and is also a board member for SOSAz, ABEC and several other District foundations. Vispi and his wife have two daughters, Ava and Neha.

Dr. Catalina Gonzalez
Dr. Catalina Gonzalez grew up in Miami Beach, Florida. She graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami with her degree in Biomedical Engineering, and worked as an engineer for Johnson & Johnson for some time before continuing her path to becoming a dentist. She later received her Doctoral Degree in Dental Surgery from the prestigious University of the Pacific in San Francisco, California. Dr. Gonzalez now calls Goodyear her home. She is an advocate of serving her community. She enjoys working with both adults and children and advocates oral health education among families in her community through her role at Aesthetic Dental Health. She has been recognized for her leadership in the community and outstanding performance in public health by both by the California Dental Association and the American Association for Public Health. Dr. Gonzalez’s passion for dentistry and interest in her patients, make them feel welcomed and cared for. She is devoted to her profession and remains up to date in innovative techniques and materials through advanced education and training. Dr. Gonzalez is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the Arizona Dental Association (AzDA). When not practicing dentistry, Dr. Gonzalez enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, road cycling, and yoga.

Laura Roman
Laura Roman is a dedicated community leader, real estate professional, and advocate for local Heroes. As a board member of the Pendergast Foundation, Laura is dedicated to creating meaningful opportunities for local families and children, focusing on initiatives that uplift and inspire.
Beyond her work with Homes for Heroes, Laura proudly serves as the Family Matters Trustee for the Air Force Sergeants Association and Honorary Commander at Luke AFB supporting military families. For Laura, it’s not just about real estate or community service—it’s about giving back and making a difference.

Kristi Riemer
Kristi is the National Marketing Director and Client Relations Specialist at Progressive Roofing, Inc. With two decades in the construction industry, she has developed a diverse skill set. She continuously seeks answers and embraces challenges. Her adaptability, positivity, and passion for learning make her a versatile team member. Dedicated to the community, Kristi proudly participates in several non-profits, striving to better our future leaders and communities. Kristi is an Arizona native, she loves family time with her hubby, Ross, and their two children, Grant and Reese.

John Dowd
Bio coming soon!

Luis Rodriguez
Luis Rodriguez entered the roofing industry as an installer in the Seattle, Washington area in 2000. Working with one of the largest roofing contractors in the Puget Sound area, he quickly went from installer to estimator and shortly after that became the insurance claims estimator. In 2004, he accepted an estimator position in the Phoenix area with a local residential/light commercial roofing contractor. In 2005, he entered the commercial roofing industry with one of the largest commercial roofing contractors in North America. Two years later, he was approached by one of the largest commercial roofing contractors in the United States and accepted a project management position in the company’s Phoenix office headquarters. Luis’ responsibilities as a project manager included contract review and negotiation, submittal and shop drawings, material procurement, project buyout, planning meetings with both internal staff and clients, Requests for Information (RFIs), roof inspections, warranties, close outs, production supervision and business development. His most recent experience also includes working as a roofing consultant before he made his goal of owning a roofing company a reality by founding L&R Roofing. His experience consists of managing projects in all market sectors, including residential, commercial, and industrial, education, upper education, local and state government, federal, healthcare, Native American and entertainment/sports. Luis has managed projects as large as 600,000 square feet.

Gina Godbehere
Gina recently joined the leadership team of the Pinal County Attorney’s Office. Prior to joining Pinal County, Gina served as the City of Goodyear Prosecutor, a Crime Victims’ Rights Attorney, and spent over 25 years of her career with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO). While at MCAO, Gina served as a Bureau Chief and played an integral role in developing the first Juvenile Drug Court, implementing the Juvenile Transfer Offender Program, and is the co-author and creator of the Ultimate Trial Research Notebook used by prosecution agencies throughout Arizona. For over two decades, Gina has trained hundreds of prosecutors in the art of persuasion and led by example as a fair-minded advocate for justice. She served as Maricopa County’s designated Bias Crimes Prosecutor for over a decade and has tried almost a hundred felony jury trials.
Gina is also the CEO and Co-founder of “Speak Up Stand Up Save a Life,” an organization dedicated to identifying and solving complex societal issues such as substance abuse, bullying and the rising teen suicide rate in Arizona. Gina is active in many community organizations, and has received numerous awards, including:
- 2021 Horace Rumpole Inn of Court TOPs Award
- 2020 Phoenix Panhellenic Woman of Impact Recipient
- 2019 Westmarc’s Best of the West Quality of Life in Education Winner
- 2019 Capital Times Women Achievers of Arizona Recipient
- 2019 Center for the Future of Arizona Gabe Zimmerman in Public Service Award Winner
- 2019 Leadership West Alumnus of the Year Recipient.