Steve Constantino, Principal

Hello RISE students. I am so fortunate to be part of the leadership team at RISE and am grateful to be involved with a staff that is dedicated to adult education. We strive in supporting adults in reaching their academic dreams and help open doors to the future. I have been a teacher and administrator in the Washoe County School District and have worked at Damonte Ranch High School, Hug High School, Vaughn Middle School and now RISE. I have earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a Master’s Degree in Teaching Social Studies at Stony Brook University in New York. I also earned my Master’s in Education and School Administration from the University of Phoenix. I have three wonderful children and enjoy being outside in the beautiful Truckee Meadows. I love working at RISE and gain my strength from witnessing hundreds of adults show courage in returning to school.

I am proud to be the assistant principal at RISE. I have a B.A. in Spanish/Film from UNR, a M.A.TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from UNR and a M.Ed in School Administration from Columbia University.  I coordinated the Carpenter Union's ESL and Math courses for adults for four years while also teaching in middle and high schools in WCSD.  I have instructed adults in university courses at UNR, and SNC for teachers pursuing their ELL endorsement for five years. I coordinated the middle and high school ELL programs for the school district before coming to RISE. My passion is empowering the community through education and I love working at RISE because we work to that end EVERYDAY!

¡Hola! I've been at RISE Academy for a few years & they've been the best! I have worked all shifts with RISE but I am currently working in the morning. I love being part of a team that works hard to help students succeed. I'm pursuing my education to someday be a school counselor & continue helping students in any way that I can. I believe we have the best students who continue to inspire me & motivate me every day!

 Luz Estrada, Evening Admin. Assistant 

Sandra Casey, Counselor

While living in Southern California, I earned a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and after moving to Reno, I earned my master’s in counseling and educational psychology. I like learning and challenging myself, so I hold board certifications in counseling and school counseling. I was honored to serve in many positions including president in the Greater NV School Counseling Association. Before beginning my career with WCSD, I worked at TMCC which sparked my interest in adult education. I owned and operated Positive Steps, a family education program. While working for the school district, I have been at Dilworth MS, McQueen HS, NorthStar Online School, and Turning Point k-12 School. I have worked part time at RISE Adult Academy for several years and I’m happy to now be at Rise full time. I love meeting adults who want to advance their education, broaden their opportunities, and discover their strengths. When I’m not at work, I hang out with my kids, grandkids, and dog. I also have great life-long friendships that keep me busy and happy.

Greetings! I am the ELL Coordinator at RISE Academy, as well as an English language instructor. I earned BA degrees in Anthropology and   Linguistics from UNR and an MA-TESL degree from Northern Arizona University. I had the pleasure of serving two years in the U.S. Peace Corps   in Mongolia and have also lived in China briefly. My passions revolve around teaching and learning both language and culture. RISE is an   amazing place to work because our students are here for personal enrichment, empowerment, and growth. Such tenacity and grit are a true inspiration for our community.

Greetings! I graduated from Briar Cliff University, in Iowa with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, and a second major in Secondary Education in 2010. Then I earned a Master of Science in Education from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2014. I have taught in schools where I have had two different math classes at a time to schools where I have taught seven different math classes at a time; all ranging from 6^th grade math to Calculus and Physics. I have three children that I enjoy spending time with. I look forward to teaching at RISE and helping people to be one step closer to their dream.

Heidi Warren, Instructor

I have just finished my 16th year of teaching in Washoe County and have worked part-time for Rise for the past two years as an EL teacher. Now I have the privilege to be a full-time Reading Instructor for Rise during the 21-22 school year. I have lived in Reno for 33 years and, my husband of almost 30 years, was born and raised here as were our two sons, we love this community! I hold a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s in Literacy from UNR. I didn’t finish college until I was 38 years old, so I have the utmost respect for the perseverance adult learners must have and am so looking forward to helping Rise students to meet their goals. I love working at Rise because of the kind, compassionate and amazing people that I get to work with, staff and students alike.

Angela Verry, Instructor

I will teach Math at RISE in the evenings. I am excited to start this new venture in 2022. I have previously taught math and civics classes at TMCC in their Adult Basic Education program (from 2018-2021), and I teach 5^th grade for WCSD during the day. Overall, I have been teaching since 2015. I absolutely love teaching and cannot wait to help you understand more to reach your goals.

I appreciate being an instructor at RISE. For me, teaching is a true calling. I earned a doctorate in education from the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) with an emphasis on curriculum design and video as a teaching tool. I have taught at UNR, TMCC, Sparks High and Wooster. One of my students gave me the nickname “Dr. G.” and it stuck. I studied Spanish in Costa Rica and Spain and continue learning by meeting with my Spanish conversation partner once a week. I thoroughly love living in Northern Nevada. I enjoy the outdoors, writing, friends, family, and exercise.