We envision a future in which every child, in every neighborhood, can attend a high-quality school.
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Yet today, too many children and families lack access to high-quality schools in their own backyards and too many schools are hampered by a lack of resources, access to proven methodologies and contemporary insights.
AZ Leads works at the intersection of these needs.
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We know the fastest path to genuine progress uses proven methodologies and innovative actions to achieve results. By connecting districts and educators to resources, experts and best-in-class practitioners with demonstrated track records of success in similar demographics, we have a greater opportunity to swiftly change the current course.
Traditional approaches may improve outcomes for several hundred children over decades. We aim to improve outcomes for exponentially more children in a shorter period of time.
Julia Meyerson was most recently the Founder and CEO of Vista College Preparatory Charter Schools, an organization of five K - 8 tuition-free, public charter schools in Phoenix Arizona. Vista College Prep is committed to redefining what is possible in education with the firm belief that all students need access to an exceptional school and demographics do not determine destiny.
Julia attended the University of Southern California for her undergraduate degree and then Pace University where she received a Master's in Education while working as a Teach for America teacher in the South Bronx. Recognizing the impact of state and local legislation on education, Julia worked for both the political and finance teams of the Democratic Governors Association, later serving as the Policy Director. In this capacity, Julia was able to work with governors, business leaders and policy experts. Yet it was while working in other areas of policy that Julia realized she missed working in education.
An Arizona native, she returned to Phoenix to begin extensive professional development as a Building Excellent Schools (BES) Fellow, spending a year and a half visiting and observing some of the highest performing charter schools in the nation, learning how to lead an equity-focused school that reflects and responds to the needs of the community, excels academically and ensures sustainability for students to continue to achieve far into the future. Julia opened the first Vista Prep school in 2013, eventually expanding to five schools. In 2018, the first year the campus was eligible, Vista College Prep’s Hadley campus was one of five schools in the State of Arizona to receive the National Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education.
Julia is a member of YPO, a graduate of Valley Leadership, and a 40 under 40 honoree. She was an In Business Magazine 2021 Women of Achievement recipient and an ATHENA Award finalist in 2016. In 2021 Julia was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Education for a four-year term by Governor Doug Ducey with the consent of the Senate.
Partnerships = Possibilities
Organizations who partner with AZ Leads benefit from our commitment to transparency, efficacy and collaboration. We are grateful to the following organizations for their willingness to share their knowledge, talents, and resources in our mutual pursuit of expanding access to high-quality education for every student in Arizona.
