About Us

Staff

Superintendent's Message

The Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma (STEDY) is up and running and has received tremendous support from our community and industry partners. We cherish these relationships and understand these partnerships bring tremendous value.

Our mission is to provide students with the necessary opportunities to learn skills so they are prepared to enter the work force. Our partnerships help guide us to know what skills students need to enter into the field. They provide internship opportunities for students to encounter real-world experiences as well as provide high skilled training opportunities for teachers (educational externships). Most importantly, it is through our partnerships we establish relationships so we can together build a strong economy.

An academically integrated curriculum with career and technical education skill-based components prepare students to become contributing members of society. Our partners help to identify employability requirements and skills students need to master for successful and a seamless transition to the workplace. They also help STEDY establish an intentional sequence of technical and academic courses spanning both secondary and postsecondary education.

Interest and support for funding education has been a "hot topic" over the past few months. Most recently our legislators and state executive office have been exploring ways to adequately fund education. Our policymakers have also begun to recognize the value of career and technical education opportunities. In fact, a CTE course is now required for graduation from high school. Furthermore, they are beginning to recognize the detrimental effect of inadequate funding (ranked 50th in the nation) for education. Therefore, our next steps are to establish partnerships with policymakers at all levels to work to advance opportunities not only for overall funding, but for students to engage in career and technical education. This will strengthen the links between career technical education and the labor market. With your help, we will continue to partner with policy makers to make adequate education funding a top priority.

It is with a warm heart I thank all those that support and partner with the Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma (STEDY). Bringing industry and education together will support our mission of preparing today's students for tomorrow's workforce.

Please let me know how we can move forward together.

Sincerely,
C. Kevin Imes.

C. Kevin Imes

Superintendent

Kevin has served in public education for 28 years. In August 1988, he began his professional career as a science teacher in the Phoenix Union High School District. While there he served as a technology grant facilitator and co-originated the Alhambra Center for Medical and Health Studies.

In 2001 he was selected to open the alternative education program in the Deer Valley Unified School District and later was the founding principal for the district's most recent high school, Boulder Creek High School.

Kevin was selected as the Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in the Agua Fria Union High School in 2009 and later went on to serve as the Assistant Superintendent for Educational Services for three years. In June of 2015 was selected as the Superintendent of the Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma (STEDY), a joint technical education district.

He is a native of Arizona having received his under graduate degree from Arizona State University and graduate degree from Northern Arizona University.

Email: kimes@stedy01.org
Tel.: (928) 366-5884

Renai L. Williams

Administrative Assistant

Renai joined STEDY in 2015 to provide administrative support, working alongside the Superintendent to coordinate strategy development and implementation. Renai came from Norfolk, Nebraska where she served as the head facilitator of Envisions of Norfolk Career Academy, helping individuals with behavioral disorders explore employment options, build employment skills, conduct job search, and promote community involvement.

Previously, from 2010 to 2012 she served as the General Manager of TC Global in the downtown San Francisco Area. She actively recruited, interviewed, hired, trained, and motivated high performing teams. She was involved in organizations such as SF Smiles, Foster Youth in Action, and Minds Matter SF. Originally from Yuma, Arizona, from 2006 to 2010 she was promoted to direct a highly successful business startup as the General Manager of Elite Tanning L.L.C. She successfully led a team of professional sales, marketing, and operational execution specialists.

Renai serves as the Board Secretary to the STEDY Governing Board, as well is involved with organizations such as the County Attorney's Yuma Restorative Youth Justice Program, NAFE, and NAPW. Renai is a Yuma native and is happy to be back home along with her two children, Vienna and Paityn.

Email: Rwilliams@stedy01.org
Tel.: (928) 366-5903

Jeni Sumner

Executive Director of Program Management

Jeni started her business career in Phoenix, Arizona in 1989 and for ten years served as the as Executive Assistant to the CEO of Discount Tire Company. While working full time, she also earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Arizona State University.

As the staff biologist for Nicklaus Engineering/NEI Environmental in Yuma, Arizona, Jeni spent three years, from 2001 to 2004, in environmental compliance. She later went on to work with White Mountain Regional Medical Center, Polestar Laboratories from 2004 to 2012. Her most recent accomplishments were with the Yuma Regional Medical Center in the field of laboratory science where she was trained in Lean Six Sigma. Jeni was also instrumental in serving a key role in developing two new Yuma Regional Medical Center labs; the Cancer Center and Foothills lab.

Jeni is an Arizona native and is proud to call Yuma her home along with her husband and two children. She has volunteered with organizations such as Crossroads Mission and Yuma Community Food Bank. She is part of the Yuma County Science Expo planning committee and is currently serving as a Board Member for the Arizona Western Community College Foundation.

Email: Jsumner@stedy01.org
Tel.: (928) 366-5904

Alejandrina Gonzalez

Clerk

Alejandrina was born in King City, California and moved to Somerton, Arizona at the age of seven. She graduated from Cibola High School in 2004. She currently is a student at Arizona Western College studying Accounting. She has over five years of experience in retail and served as an Assistant Manager at Dollar General. As a new member to STEDY she is looking forward to the opportunity of assisting high school students from her community.

She is a devoted mother of two boys and married to a wonderful husband. She enjoys nothing more than spending weekends with her family. In her free time Ally enjoys volunteering at her son's school events and fundraisers and being involved with her community.

Email: AGonzalez@stedy01.org
Tel.: (928) 328-1794

Julie Rodriguez

Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Specialist

Julie Rodriguez is the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Specialist for Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma (STEDY).

Julie joins STEDY with several years of experience as a curriculum specialist. Prior to her service as a curriculum specialist, she served as a classroom teacher for 15 years, as well as supervising and training new teachers to succeed with state professional development standards and create positive and effective learning environments.

Julie received a bachelor’s degree from Northern Arizona University. Her interest in being an educator began when her (now very successful) daughter would not attend kindergarten without her mom being in the room. The classroom teacher took advantage of this and Julie went from cutting out letters to tutoring students and from that day on, Julie fell in love with education.

Julie believes that great schools are the result of great teachers, “I will work to ensure that every student is receiving high-quality instruction from every teacher within STEDY.”

Tel.: (928) 216-2621 Ext. 107

Merci H. Munoz

Business Manager

Merci has served in many roles for the past 30 years in School Districts within Yuma County. In April 1987, she began her career as an Administrative Assistant for the Yuma County School Superintendent’s Office. Two years later she was promoted to Fiscal Agent which opened many doors for her. While serving as the Fiscal Agent, Merci played an important role in keeping sure that the Public School Districts in Yuma County were in compliant; i.e. budget preparation, payroll, accounts payable, revenue, grants management and many other areas.

In 1995 Merci was hired as the Assistant to the Business Manager for the Gadsden Elementary School District #32 and later became the Human Resources Coordinator until her move in 2006 to serve as the Payroll Supervisor for Yuma Elementary School District #1. In 2007 Merci was highly recommended by then Crane Elementary School District #13’s CFO to serve as the Business Manager for Antelope Union High School #50 until 2012 when she was contacted by Somerton Elementary School District #11’s Director of Human Resources to serve as his HR Coordinator. In July of 2017 Merci was selected to serve as the Business Manager for Southwest Technical Education District of Yuma #96 (STEDY).

Merci was born and raised in Yuma where she attended Yuma area schools and a Yuma High School graduate. After high school graduation, Merci went on to Tucson, AZ where she attended UofA for two years and returned home (Yuma) where she met her husband of 25 years and raised their two sons and helped raised a step son and step daughter which she adores and doesn’t stop there, Merci also has eight grandchildren.

In her spare time, Merci enjoys entertaining with family and friends, decorating, sand dunning, water skiing, and just relaxing at home with her kids and grandkids.

Email: mmunoz@stedy01.org
Tel.: (928) 216-2620