Staff Directory

Mr. Ackerman serves as the 9–12 principal for Washington Virtual Academies, where he leads statewide programs serving more than 2,000 students. Mr. Ackerman’s leadership is defined by a “student-first” philosophy, evidenced by his work expanding dual enrollment programs and launching virtual summer schools that increased credit attainment tenfold. Known for his calm demeanor and compassionate leadership, Mr. Ackerman leverages nine years of international and domestic teaching experience to create supportive, high-performing virtual communities. He is a graduate of the University of North Dakota and holds advanced credentials from Northern Arizona University, Winona State University, and Johns Hopkins University.

Mrs. Androy is the WAVA office manager. She has worked at WAVA for more than a decade in finance and office management, handling teacher expenses and office organization. Her role is to support all departments and staff at WAVA. Mrs. Androy has been married to her husband Jim for almost 27 years, and has three beautiful children and an amazing young grandson. She loves to paddleboard, hike, and spend time with family and friends.

Ms. Bennett is WAVA’s student support administrator. She earned her BA in education from WSU, (Go Cougs!) and an MS in education with an emphasis on reading and literacy. She has been with WAVA since 2015 and supports families getting started at WAVA, attendance and truancy, and coordinating the Flex program. Ms. Bennett loves working with families and staff, collaborating to support our amazing students. When she is not working with families, she can be found spending time with her wonderful children and many pets, giving them all the love, and checking out too many books at the local library. She enjoys volunteering with the Tacoma Humane Society, childhood cancer organizations, animal rescues, and junior roller derby. Ms. Bennett loves running in the great outdoors and finding animals to talk to along the way.

WAVA’s executive director, Mrs. Boyer, taught in public schools at the elementary level for 18 years in Western Washington. Before joining WAVA, she served as an elementary school assistant principal in Burien. She has master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction and in educational administration from Seattle Pacific University. Mrs. Boyer is passionate about learning and all students being successful! She lives in Western Washington with her husband and children, along with their 2 dogs and 21 chickens. When she’s not working or busy with her family, Mrs. Boyer loves to read.

Ms. Carlile is the administrator for special programs at WAVA. She joins us with experience in K–12 education and works with our Omak School District. Ms. Carlile has served in supportive roles on our diversity and equity team, supports clubs, and ASB. When not at work, you may have seen her and her family featured with our K12 Stride team and in local news for their musical talents and singing group tours.

Mrs. Chamberlain works in community engagement at WAVA, focusing on clubs, events, activities, marketing, and communications. Before WAVA, Mrs. Chamberlain served on the board of directors on several education-based and community programs. Her experience comes from working in finance management and roles in creating community partnerships. Mrs. Chamberlain has a passion for leadership and creating connections within a community. She believes that all students can make a difference, and all students should feel included. Mrs. Chamberlain has a degree in business administration and finance and early childhood development certifications. She also has experience as a competitive collegiate cheerleader and professionally with the NFL! Mrs. Chamberlain enjoys serving the community she lives in with her husband and three kids; supports her local youth athletics program; and enjoys volunteering in schools, food banks, charitable organizations, and giving back to others. Mrs. Chamberlain and her family stay busy traveling, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family!

Ms. Giske is the operations manager at WAVA. She started with WAVA in 2012 and previously served as WAVA’s testing logistics coordinator, operations support specialist, and Family Academic Support Team administrator. Prior to WAVA, Ms. Giske taught math and language arts in a brick-and-mortar school for four years. Ms. Giske earned her master’s degree from Evergreen State College in Olympia. She is excited to blend her teaching background with her technical skills and wealth of WAVA experiences to provide our families and staff with great school experiences.

Ms. Johnson joined the WAVA team last year after more than a decade of experience in the high school setting as both an athletic trainer and a CTE teacher. Originally from Minnesota, she made her way to the PNW by way of the University of Iowa and Portland State University. Ms. Johnson is passionate about creating an environment that offers students opportunities to explore their strengths and passions and find the life and career path that best fits them. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her German Shepherd, Parley, hiking, fly-fishing, skiing, and whatever new adventure awaits.

Mr. Lagerquist is one of our WAVA principals and brings nearly a decade of administrative experience to his work, following more than six years as a middle school math teacher. Mr. Lagerquist currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (5–12 Certification) and a master’s in educational administration, both from Heritage University. As a former state-level-placing wrestler, he understands the unique pressures faced by student-athletes and believes flexible, high-quality virtual education at Washington Virtual Academy can provide a foundation for excellence in academics, training, and long-term achievement.

Mrs. McCauley joined WAVA in February of 2025, having worked in the online education field for 20 years across several positions, including special education teacher, coordinator of title programs, K–8 principal, and HS assistant principal. Mrs. McCauley earned her Bachelor of Elementary Education at Eastern Washington University—GO EAGLES! She has a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and in educational administration, both from the University of Phoenix. Mrs. McCauley and her husband reside in Eastern Washington near their children and granddaughter. She is proud to work at WAVA, where parents are true partners in their children’s education.

With 33+ years dedicated to education, including more than a decade in virtual learning environments, Mrs. Sears believes that the true power of teaching lies in unlocking each learner’s confidence and curiosity. Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s reminder that “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world,” she strives each day to create spaces where both students and teachers can grow.

Mrs. Sears is an educational leader with extensive experience across classroom teaching, special education, and school administration. Holding a master’s degree in education and psychology, she brings a balanced understanding of instructional practice and human development to her work. Her career reflects a deep commitment to building strong school communities, supporting effective teaching, and creating systems where all learners thrive.

Outside of her professional life, Mrs. Sears finds joy in gardening, reading, and exploring new places. She and her husband are proud parents of two grown children and share their home with their beloved rescue dog, Moose.

Parker Sorenson serves as WAVA’s testing coordinator, managing logistics and communication for all required state testing while also supporting data accuracy, analysis, and clear presentation to enable informed, data‑driven decisions across the school. With a PhD in cognitive psychology from Florida State University and two years of experience as a freelance UX researcher—where the focus was on reducing users’ need to learn and remember information—Mx. Sorenson brings a deep understanding of learning, usability, and process design to their work. Passionate about removing barriers and simplifying complex systems, they strive to make both testing operations and data insights accessible for families and staff. Outside of work, Mx. Sorenson enjoys swimming, playing with their dog, and ending the day with board games alongside their kids.

Ms. Theis is the assistant special programs administrator at WAVA. She joins us with a background in K–12 leadership, serving as both an elementary principal and a special education director, and with experience supporting students, families, and school teams. She works alongside our special programs team and our Omak School District partners. Outside of work, you’ll often find Ms. Theis cheering on her son at his many extracurricular activities, enjoying time with him on the ski slopes, or spending weekends camping and exploring the outdoors.

Mr. Yahraes has more than 20 years in the K–12 education continuum, beginning as a high school teacher in rural Montana, the Bering Strait in Alaska, and Bend, Oregon. He then served as a high school assistant and K–8 principal in Central Oregon, followed by roles as a middle school and high school principal/assistant superintendent in Big Sky, Montana, and later as superintendent in Willamette Valley. Mr. Yahraes obtained his bachelor’s in literature and K–12 reading instruction from the University of Montana, master’s in administration from Grand Canyon University, administrator certification from Lewis-Clark University, and an EdS from the University of Chicago. He loves Nordic skiing in the Methow Valley, exploring the great outdoors, and making the most of every day with his wife and son.

WAVA’s 6–8 assistant principal is Ms. Zwarg. She joined our WAVA team last year and enjoys serving all our Washington Virtual Academies families and students. Ms. Zwarg brings 14 years of experience in education and leadership roles. She has a Bachelor of Science in K–8 education and a master’s in curriculum and instruction, as well as educational administration. Ms. Zwarg looks forward to working specifically with our middle school students and helping to prepare them for life in high school.

Ms. Bennett is WAVA’s student support administrator. She earned her BA in education from WSU, (Go Cougs!) and an MS in education with an emphasis on reading and literacy. She has been with WAVA since 2015 and supports families getting started at WAVA, attendance and truancy, and coordinating the Flex program. Ms. Bennett loves working with families and staff, collaborating to support our amazing students. When she is not working with families, she can be found spending time with her wonderful children and many pets, giving them all the love, and checking out too many books at the local library. She enjoys volunteering with the Tacoma Humane Society, childhood cancer organizations, animal rescues, and junior roller derby. Ms. Bennett loves running in the great outdoors and finding animals to talk to along the way.

Mrs. Chamberlain works in community engagement at WAVA, focusing on clubs, events, activities, marketing, and communications. Before WAVA, Mrs. Chamberlain served on the board of directors on several education-based and community programs. Her experience comes from working in finance management and roles in creating community partnerships. Mrs. Chamberlain has a passion for leadership and creating connections within a community. She believes that all students can make a difference, and all students should feel included. Mrs. Chamberlain has a degree in business administration and finance and early childhood development certifications. She also has experience as a competitive collegiate cheerleader and professionally with the NFL! Mrs. Chamberlain enjoys serving the community she lives in with her husband and three kids; supports her local youth athletics program; and enjoys volunteering in schools, food banks, charitable organizations, and giving back to others. Mrs. Chamberlain and her family stay busy traveling, watching sports, and spending time with friends and family!

Parker Sorenson serves as WAVA’s testing coordinator, managing logistics and communication for all required state testing while also supporting data accuracy, analysis, and clear presentation to enable informed, data‑driven decisions across the school. With a PhD in cognitive psychology from Florida State University and two years of experience as a freelance UX researcher—where the focus was on reducing users’ need to learn and remember information—Mx. Sorenson brings a deep understanding of learning, usability, and process design to their work. Passionate about removing barriers and simplifying complex systems, they strive to make both testing operations and data insights accessible for families and staff. Outside of work, Mx. Sorenson enjoys swimming, playing with their dog, and ending the day with board games alongside their kids.