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Meet Our Staff

Our passionate, dedicated staff is committed to meeting the unique, diverse needs of our gifted learners. See how our team is welcoming, believing, and invested in each and every child who walks through our doors every day.

 

ASPIRE Arredondo Principal Rebecca Coplan with Student
Rebecca Coplan - Principal
  • M. Ed. and Ed. Leadership
  • National Board Certified Teacher
  • Gifted Endorsed
  • 15+ years teaching gifted
  • Parent of the Twice Exceptional

Rebecca Coplan is the principal at ASPIRE Academy at Arredondo, an educator and leader with over a decade of experience in gifted education. Prior to leading ASPIRE, Coplan served as Dean of Students at the elementary level. She earned a Gifted Endorsement in 2015, achieving National Board Certification as an Elementary Generalist in 2018, and has presented at the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented (AAGT) conference, signaling her deep expertise and leadership in the field of gifted teaching. Her career reflects a commitment to both programming and support structures for gifted and special-needs learners, contributing to inclusive and effective school communities.

Coplan is active in outreach and community events, periodically hosting meet-and-greet sessions for parents and students as new gifted programs are launched in Tempe. She is recognized as a school leader, reinforcing trust and communication with families considering gifted programming. 

Rebecca Coplan's vision as a leader is one filled with collaboration, boundless creativity, and meaningful growth that inspires students to become lifelong learners, individuals who are curious, inquisitive, and never stop asking questions.

Arredondo Teacher Natalie Kramer with Students 1046x625
Natalie Kramer - Third-Grade Gifted Teacher

With a Bachelor’s degree in Education, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership K-12, Ms. Natalie Kramer also holds endorsements in SEI (Structured English Immersion) and Gifted Education, bringing ten years of experience in education, including four years working with gifted learners and two years as an Instructional Coach. Her approach to teaching is rooted in differentiation, providing challenging and engaging lessons that meet students where they are and allowing them to explore their unique interests and passions. Natalie believes in giving students voice and choice in their learning, encouraging curiosity, and fostering independence.

Caring deeply about the social and emotional needs of gifted learners, Natalie understands that students often experience perfectionism and unique social dynamics. Her third-grade classroom is energetic, positive, and joyful, creating a safe and welcoming space where students feel supported and inspired to take risks in their learning. She deeply values open communication with families and sees collaboration as essential in helping students thrive.

She believes in leading by example and continuously growing through professional development opportunities. Most importantly is her dedication to nurturing the potential of each gifted learner and helping them grow academically, emotionally, and personally. Outside of teaching third grade, she's passionate about coaching soccer, staying active, practicing new skills, and traveling with her husband.

Janessa Ruiz-Gaumer - Third-Grade Gifted Teacher

Ms. Janessa Ruiz-Gaumer is an Arizona-certified teacher with a Gifted Endorsement and a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Believing in the power of differentiation to meet the diverse learning needs of her gifted students, Ms. Ruiz adapts curriculum and teaching methods to ensure intellectual challenge while supporting various learning styles.

She thrives in creating student-driven opportunities where curiosity and passion lead the way, and has experience using enrichment, compacting, and tailored lesson planning to meet the unique needs of gifted learners. With empathy, humor, and enthusiasm, she strives to create a supportive environment where gifted students can thrive both academically and socially.

Janessa enjoys collaborating with families, advocating for gifted programming, and continuing to grow professionally so that she can best meet the needs of her students.

Teacher poses with two students
Ellen Miller - Fourth-Grade Gifted Teacher

With eighteen years of teaching experience, Mrs. Ellen Miller, a fully K-12 endorsed gifted teacher, holds a Bachelor of Science self-designed interdisciplinary degree from the University of Vermont and a Master of Arts in Education degree from the University of Phoenix, specializing in the Diverse Learner. Miller is also certified by the Arizona Department of Education in Middle Grades Science, a recognition of her expertise and commitment to the field. From 2022 to 2024, she was an Arizona State University ASAP STEM Fellow, a program dedicated to reimagining the STEM education ecosystem by delivering high-quality, hands-on STEM activities to Arizona's future leaders.

Named the 2023 Tempe Diablos Teacher of the Year, Miller facilitates teaching beyond the walls of her classroom by finding innovative opportunities for project-based, real-world problem-solving experiences to inspire her students to notice, wonder, and ask questions about the world around them. As a National History Day coach, Miller has propelled many of her students to the national level and was the 2022 Arizona nominee for the National History Day Patricia Behring Teacher of the Year Award. Always focusing on rigor, relevance, and relationships, Mrs. Miller leads with her heart, establishing a strong connection and sense of community with her students and their families. She listens to them with kindness, love, and patience, embracing their neurodiversity and providing the necessary support to help them reach their full potential. Her passion is to support each student's strengths and give each child choice and a voice. 

In addition to her love of teaching, Ellen is a trained chef, having graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Scottsdale with an Associate's Degree in Occupational Culinary Arts. 

ASPIRE Arredondo Teacher Cheryl Wiltbank Headshot
Cheryl Wiltbank - Fifth-Grade Gifted Teacher

With 26 years of teaching experience, including 19 years in gifted education, Mrs. Wiltbank brings both passion and expertise to her work with students. She holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Reading, along with a full Gifted Endorsement, which has strengthened her ability to design engaging, rigorous, and literacy-rich learning experiences.

Cheryl is also trained in the Modern Classroom Project, a model that empowers students through self-paced, mastery-based learning. This approach allows for individualized instruction, greater one-on-one interaction with students, and more meaningful support for diverse learning needs.

In addition to her classroom work, Mrs. Wiltbank has presented at the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented conference multiple years, sharing strategies to help educators better support and challenge gifted students in their classrooms. She also attends the conference annually to stay current with the latest research and best practices in gifted education.

Beyond academics, she has coached both basketball and volleyball and serves as a piano instructor, fostering creativity, confidence, and discipline in her students through athletics and the arts.

Known for her humor, patience, and deep understanding of the unique needs of gifted learners, Mrs. Wiltbank creates an environment where gifted students feel supported, challenged, and inspired to grow. She believes that every child has unique strengths and that education should ignite curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking.

Arredondo Staff Jessica Zimmerman Headshot
Jessica Zimmerman - Teaching and Learning Coach
  • Instructional Coach (9 years)
  • Gifted Resource Teacher (3 years)
  • Gifted Cluster Teacher (3 years)
  • Gifted Coordinator (5 years)
  • National Teacher Award Winner
  • Vice President of AAGT (Arizona Association of Gifted and Talented)
  • Mother of a gifted child
  • Gifted Endorsed

Jessica Zimmerman is deeply committed to helping gifted children thrive. Joining the Tempe Elementary School district in 2025, she currently works as the gifted teaching and learning coach at ASPIRE at Arredondo Gifted Academy and serves as the Vice President/President Elect of the Arizona Association for Gifted and Talented, the State Affiliate Organization for Gifted Children. In 2021, Jessica was honored with the Milken Educator Award, often called the “Oscar of Teaching,” recognizing her outstanding 15 years of dedication as an instructional coach and gifted education teacher and district gifted coordinator in the Roosevelt School District in Phoenix, Arizona. Her work has also been featured in Phoenix Magazine’s “Great 48” for her positive impact on education.

Jessica knows first-hand about the challenges and joys of giftedness, having been a gifted student who once struggled in school but is now raising her own highly gifted, twice exceptional child. She is passionate about empowering families and educators to support gifted children in reaching their fullest potential.