Teachers

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Tracy Davis

Tracy Davis was born in Cedar City, Utah. She attended grade school in Las Vegas, Nevada, then her family moved to Beaver, Utah, where she completed high school. She attended Southern Utah University, graduating with a Bachelor's in Science and a teaching certificate. Later, she went back to SUU and graduated with a Master's in Education Leadership and Special Education. Tracy has been working in treatment facilities and teaching troubled teens for over 20 years. Her progressive teaching ideas have increased her students’ performance so they have been able to complete their high school education. She believes every student is unique in their learning styles. Tracy has the knowledge and energy to assist her students in the mode they learn best. As an educational leader, Tracy has helped develop a curriculum and policy that complies with state and local policies. Among her responsibilities in this regard has been for licensing treatment centers, in accordance with state bylaws and school accreditation. Most recently, she is studying the epigenetics of trauma and genetic traits that affect the unborn child to adulthood and how it affects their academic performance. She came to work at Liahona as the Special Education teacher in 2023. In her spare time, she loves to read all kinds of books, crochet, sew quilts and Barbie clothes, gardening, camping, and most of all, hanging out with the grandkids.

Joe Gubler

Joe Gubler graduated from Southern Utah University with a B.A. in Math Education, “Level 4 Math” and a teaching certificate, and a Minor in Chemistry. He recently retired from teaching for Washington County School District located in Southern Utah where he taught at Snow Canyon High School for 21 years. Joe has been teaching math to teenagers at the high school level for over 25 years. He began teaching at Liahona in 2019, after he retired from teaching at the School District. Joe is excited about teaching the young men at Liahona. In his spare time, Joe enjoys fishing, watching sports on television, and most importantly, gardening.

Phillip Moore

Phil Moore has been a licenced educator for over 35 years. He taught locally in the Washington County School District for 25 years. Some of the subjects he has taught were Earth Science, Physics, Chemistry, Astronomy, Geology, and Algebra. After retiring from teaching he came to work at Liahona in 2020. In addition to his current teaching position at Liahona, he is a instructor for Utah Tech University. One of his passions is music; he has been playing in a variety of bands for more than 50 years. It’s not unusual to see him making music across the intermountain west at various events.

Maria Henry

Maria Henry received an Elementary Teaching License in her home country of El Salvador before moving to the United States of America. Her passion for education is very strong. She decided to become a Secondary school teacher and pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish at Dixie State University in 2014. She also attended Southern Utah University to earn a professional Educator License for Secondary Education in Spanish in 2016. She began working as a substitute teacher at Kelly Services immediately after she graduated. In 2017, she joined Liahona as a Spanish teacher. Her goal is to encourage students to attain a high level of second language proficiency. She also expects the students to learn, be more aware of and show more positive attitudes toward other cultures, and appreciation of other people. She is happily married and has three sons. In her free time, she does aerobics and enjoys cooking for her family.

Kathy Tanner

Kathy Tanner received a B.A. degree in Accounting from California State University at Fullerton, but always wondered how far she could go if she attempted a Math degree. After raising four children she decided to attempt that math challenge. Four years later she received a B.S. degree in Math Education from the University of Utah. She has taught math to troubled teens for many years, and is happy she can continue to do so at Liahona. She has worked at Liahona since 2020. Kathy hopes to help her students see their potential and gain confidence in their ability to do math and understand how skills learned in math will help in all aspects of their lives.

Erin Shupe

Erin Shupe is originally from Southern California. She attended University of California Davis, where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Genetics, with a minor in Art History. She began substitute teaching and found her love for education. Erin went back to school to earn her Master’s in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix. She was a high school math teacher for 8 years before stepping away to focus on her family and 3 children. After 9 years, Erin is excited to enter back into the education world and joined Liahona in 2023.

Bridget Bates

Bridget Bates was born and raised in Southern California. She is the oldest of 3 siblings. Bridget’s fascination with science began as a child as she loved learning about animals and had a natural curiosity for life. Bridget graduated from Dixie State University in 2016 with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology and Secondary Education, with a minor in Chemistry. During her college career, she was committed to service through volunteer work. In 2016, Bridget earned an Americorps Service Award. Bridget completed her student teaching at Snow Canyon High School. She has over ten years of teaching experience in total, and loves to watch her students progress and grow academically. For three of those years, she taught at other residential treatment facilities, where she gained experience working with troubled youth in a therapeutic environment. She began teaching at Liahona in 2023. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and reading books.

Christy McAffee

Christy McAffee, Ed.D. began her professional career as an English teacher working in Inchon, South Korea. When she returned to the U.S. she took a position working at an International school located at the California State University, Northridge campus where she remained for the next five years teaching history, English and American Culture while also becoming its Academic Director. She has taught academic writing at Argosy University California campuses as an adjunct faculty member for over 13 years. After obtaining a B.A. in History, at California State University, Fullerton, she received her Master’s and Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Argosy University, Orange County. She has taught history, English, academic writing, and related subjects since 1995. She relocated to St. George. She began teaching at Liahona in 2018.

Emily Mildenhall

Emily Mildenhall received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional and Technical Writing from Dixie State University in 2021, and she is currently working on her Master’s degree in Technical Writing and Digital Rhetoric through Utah Tech University. Emily has worked as a writer and editor for various academic publications such as Dixie Sun News, DSU Academic Reports, The Southern Quill, and The Observer. She also has experience as a Writing Center tutor and currently teaches English 1010 and 2010 to Utah Tech students. She started teaching at Liahona in 2022. Emily believes a quality education should be accessible to everyone regardless of background, ability level, or socioeconomic status, and she appreciates the diversity of students she has the privilege of teaching at Liahona Academy. In her free time, she enjoys attending concerts, listening to podcasts, and learning new things.

Linda Crosby

Linda Crosby graduated in 1984 from Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID with a Bachelor's of Arts in Early Education. She later took Post Graduate courses from Morehead State University KY, College of Southern ID, Boise State University, and Northwest Nazarene College from 1985-1992. She began teaching at Liahona in 2007.

Thearon Crosby

Thearon Crosby received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Utah University in Polical Science, with minors in Military Science and Business Administration. He served 29 years in the military, returning to Southern Utah to teach military leadership and physical fitness at the Southern Utah University Army ROTC program. He joined Liahona in 2017, after retiring from the military.

Moshood Osinusi

Mo Osinusi was born in Nigeria. He completed his high school there before moving to the United States in 2016. He graduated from Utah Tech University, with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He really enjoys teaching and has been with Liahona since 2020. He always wants to bring out the full potential in every kid. He loves hiking, soccer and reading in his free time.

Andrew Garcia

Andrew Garcia was born in California, but has lived most of his life in St. George, Utah. He graduated from Hurricane High School and then attended Dixie State University. Where he received a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology with an emphasis in Natural Sciences. He has been employed at Liahona since 2021. Andrew enjoys hiking, climbing, photography, and anything else outside.

Zoie Brooks

Zoie Brooks graduated Summa Cum Laude in June 2020 from Brigham Young University-Hawaii with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology and minors in Cultural Anthropology and New Media Journalism. She has a passion for learning about the natural world and helping students discover how fascinating it is. She came to work at Liahona in 2022. She enjoys encouraging curiosity and investigation into how things work and why. In her free time, Zoie enjoys adventuring outdoors, hunting, photography, reading, and spending time with family.

Truman Burgess

Truman Burgess is a journalist and educator from Washington and Virginia. He studied world literature and criticism at BYU-Hawaii and BYU-Idaho, graduating with a bachelor's degree in English. Before starting at Liahona in 2022, Truman was a daily reporter for "St. George News," covering stories ranging from governor interviews to leech infestations. Truman was an international English tutor in Hawaii and student-taught grammar to undergraduate classes in Idaho. He began teaching at Liahona in 2023. Outside of work, he enjoys Latin dancing with his wife and climbing trees with his five kids.

McKay Starr

McKay Starr is from Salt Lake City. He graduated from Utah Tech University with his Bachelor’s in History in 2023. He became a teacher at Liahona in 2023. He is the oldest of 10 children, including four adopted siblings and enjoys spending time with his family, exercising, playing basketball, reading, hiking, eating, sleeping, and watching sports.

William LeFevre

Will LeFevre holds a Bachelor's degree in Math Education and brings over four years of experience in tutoring and teaching secondary-education math. His passion is in helping students overcome learned helplessness by fostering a growth mindset. He came to work at Liahona in 2023. Beyond teaching, he enjoys reading fantasy and building Legos with his son.

Claine Tanner

Claine Tanner received an Associate of Arts Degree from Weber State in 1973. Throughout college Claine was a teacher and director of Ebronix Learning Systems where he worked for around 3-4 years. He then decided to switch careers into the finance business in which he stayed for over 35 years. He ended up retiring from Cache Valley Bank as a Senior Credit Officer in 2010, and has established his own Horse Training business on the side. He came to work at Liahona in 2015.

Emily Libertor

Emily Libertor was born and raised in Hurricane UT. She graduated from Hurricane High School in 2020. She is currently attending Utah Tech University and is working to earn her Bachelor's degree in English and Secondary Education. Emily came to work at Liahona in 2023, as a math tutor. She enjoys baking, traveling, learning Japanese, and hanging out with her cats.

Rebecca McNeil

Becky McNeil was born in New Hampshire and raised in Vermont and Ohio. She met her husband Chris in California where they lived and raised their family for 32 years, until her husband’s retirement. Then she moved her family to Utah. She is the mother of 3 and Nana to 6 grandchildren. Family is Rebecca’s first love, followed by English and Art. She began working at Liahona in 2017. A favorite quote from John F. Kennedy, which encapsulates the definition of a good education is: “The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.” Rebecca believes students at Liahona have a thirst for knowledge, and she is grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Liahona team, and quench that thirst.