STAFF | sequoiastar

Meet the Staff

Lynn McConnell: Sequoia Star Assitant Site Director

Lynn was born and raised in Florida. At the age of 15, Lynn began working at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida where she worked for 18 years. She has lived and traveled all over the world! She lived in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. for 5 and a half years with her husband and three children. She moved back to the U.S. after that and shortly thereafter her family moved to Germany for 6 years. In that time Lynn travled all over Europe. When she is not in the office at Sequoia STAR you can usually find her in her pool, reading or shopping!

Charlie LeSueur: Performing Arts Director

With well over 300 TV and radio commercials, plus dozens of television programs, to his credit, Charlie has also directed and acted in well over 100 stage productions. When not at Star Academy, Charlie divides his time between stage work and appearing throughout the USA at Western Film Festivals performing and conducting celebrity panel discussions.

Charlie has two published books "The Legends Live On," and "Riding the Hollywood Trail" as well as an audio book series, "Golden Nuggets Along the Old Hollywood Trail," and a DVD series "Western Legends Theater," featuring little seen Westerns with commentary by Charlie.

Awards and nominations include an AriZoni nomination for "You Can't Take It With You," an Annie Nomination for "Wrong Window," an Annie Award for "Inspecting Carol," The "Jerry Lewis Telethon Award" for work on his own Salt Lake City based TV show, "Hotel Balderdash," and the prestigious "Spirit of the Old West Alive," Award alongside: Bruce Dern, Hugh O' Brian, Peter Brown, Ty Hardin, Michael Dante, Buck Taylor, and valley favorites Brad Zinn, Bob Boze Bell, Marshall Trimble, and Bill "Wallace" Thompson.

Ashlie Hancock: Administrative Assistant

Ashlie was born in Arizona and grew up in New Mexico. She moved back to Arizona where she attened and graduated from Sequoia STAR Academy with honors. While she was attending STAR she participated in our Early College Credit program and earned 15 college credits. She is currently working to get her AA degree from MCC while she works in the front office. When Ashlie is not working at Sequoia STAR she likes to read and do crafty things like sew and knit.

Melissa Allan: Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade Teacher

Melissa is very excited to be teaching at Sequoia STAR academy! She graduated from Ottawa University and is currently pursuing her MA degree. She has been in the field of Early Childhood Education for many years and loves being a teacher. When Melissa is not at work she enjoys spending time with her two beautiful daughters. In her free time she lieks to paint which is very evident once you step into her classroom.

Richelle Auge: 3rd and 4th Grade Teacher

Richelle is very excited to make the switch from teaching 7th and 8th grade, to teaching 3rd and 4th grade. She has a BA degree in Elementary Educational Studies. When she is not teaching, you can find her volunteering as a local director for a youth development scholarship pageant for girls, or spending time with her husband and two children.

Erica Jones: 5th and 6th Grade Teacher

She holds a B.A. in Language Arts, a M.A. in Education, is K-8 Certified and Highly Qualified in high school English and history.

"Star is a one of a kind school which allows all students to succeed. Students can be themselves and feel safe. I have had students who tried other programs and are only successful here. We are a family atmosphere that provides a sense of safety to many students."

Angel Kerr: High School Academic Advisor

Angel was born in El Paso, Texas and grew up in Mesa, Arizona. She managed a paving company as a senior in high school. She was the owner of Aloha Medical Staffing until the down fall of the medical field in 2010. She has had two of her five children graduate from Sequoia STAR Academy. She loves the family environment that you find at Sequoia STAR Academy. She has three children that are currently attending our school and have found that their grades have improved by far. Sequoia STAR Academy has helped her children build so much self confidence and self-worth. She loves her job and "working with the amazing staff here."

Amy Stefanisko: Special Education Case Manager

Amy has been teaching since 2000 and has a BA in Psychology, a MA in Curriculum and Instruction she is also dual certified. Prior to teaching at Sequoia STAR Academy, she worked in a group home setting providing services to adults with disabilites.

After working many years for adults with disabilites, she went back to college, obtained her teaching degree and her Special Education certification. Amy continued on, obtaining her MA degree in Curriculum and Insturction in 2000. Amy, her husband and their daughter travel as often as they can and she is an avid knitter, spinner, and weaver.

She feels like STAR is a safe haven for students who have had trouble in other shcools because they don't fit in for one reason or another. Sequoia STAR's ability to be flexible in providing quality education creates an environment that fosters student success.