Erik Greenberg, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Erik has spent his entire career in education serving in various leadership capacities in both Higher Education and Early Education. He is very passionate about education, particularly providing equal opportunities for education to all students. Prior to joining AMS, Erik served as VP of Operations for Early Education schools. He led operations for over 20 schools in various states in the Western United States. In that role, he learned how vital education is in the early years of a child’s life. Prior to that, Erik spent over a decade in Higher Education. Throughout his time, he led larger enrollment teams and eventually lead entire campus teams serving as Campus President in both Washington D.C. and Dallas, Texas. Erik has a bachelor’s degree in International Business and a Master’s in Business Administration. Erik joined the AMS network in February of 2019.
Brandi Adams Bressler
Chief Operating Officer
Steven Hykes, BS, CPA
Chief Financial Officer
Steven Hykes graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Akron with a minor in Economics. He began his career in public accounting working in the fields of audit, tax and mergers and acquisitions for both Deloitte and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Steven received his Certified Public Accounting license from the state of Arizona in April of 2015. He has a diverse background having managed restaurants, volunteered overseas, and done both educational and non-profit work. Most recently he was the Chief Financial Officer of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, where he spent three years overseeing various financial aspects of the business. Steven joined the AMS network in January of 2016.
Nate Lowry
Chief Academic Officer
Prior to joining AMS, Nate Lowry was an Executive Director for IDEA Public Schools in the Greater Austin area, where he oversaw 16 high-performing schools serving almost 10,000 scholars K-12 all in high-poverty neighborhoods. As Executive Director, he achieved 100% matriculation for their senior classes, and he led the region to increased performance on state assessments, leader and teacher retention, and scholar persistence. Before managing the entire Austin Region, Nate served as a Vice President of Schools for IDEA, where he significantly increased principal retention, helped orchestrate school turnaround, and set strategy for program and talent development. Nate is a proud Cornell University graduate and also holds a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Columbia. He strongly believes in holding all students and adults to high expectations and is focused on finding innovative programming that closes the experience gap for all students.
Robert Biggs
Chief Information Officer
Robert Biggs is the Chief Information Officer for AMS. His career started in the Department of Entomology at the University of Arizona where he studied the effects of genetically modified crops insect pest populations. After gaining an interest in Information Technology while building IT tools to manage data collection and presentation at the U of A, Mr. Biggs transitioned to a career in technology. Throughout his career he has managed many IT implementation projects that touch on a wide varieties of technologies including networking, server systems, communications, line-of-business applications (EHR, CRM), and cloud solutions. He has built and managed teams of IT professionals, emphasizing skill-building and career progression. He has provided CIO services to many for-profit and non-profit organizations in various verticals including Medical, Public Safety, Education, Retail and Government. Mr. Biggs joined AMS in September 2017.
Tammy Oluyemi
Senior Vice President of Academics
Tammy Oluyemi boasts two decades of impactful educational leadership across Louisiana, Georgia, Washington D.C., Texas, and Illinois, successfully narrowing achievement gaps and fostering student opportunities. In addition to regional and school district leadership, Tammy’s experiences include being a K-12 school leader, professional development designer and facilitator, Common Core and State Standards implementation manager, curriculum writer, instructional coach, and teacher in traditional public schools and public charter schools.
Dr. Andre Haughton
Regional Director of Schools
Before joining AIG in June 2022, Dr. Haughton spent over a decade working to improve the lives of students in Texas and California through enhanced educational opportunities.
After earning a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Political Science from the University of Florida in 2010, he began his career as a Teach For America corps member teaching 8th grade social studies in Houston, Texas. Over the next several years he continued to teach while earning a Master of Education degree from the University of St. Thomas and dedicating his summers to training new teachers through Teach For America’s summer institute as well as veteran teachers with the Houston Independent School District. Dr. Haughton won the coveted Kinder Award for Excellence in Teaching in Houston (2015), became an assistant principal (2016), and earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Houston (2017).
Josh Duerr
Regional Director of Operations
Josh has a dynamic blend of operations and education experience. For the past 6 years, he served as the Executive Director of a multi-site church in North Phoenix where he oversaw the operations, finances, and facilities of each of the church’s campuses. Josh also led their strategic planning and data analysis for the expansion efforts for each of the new campuses across the Valley.
Prior to serving as the Executive Director, Josh worked in a charter school network in South Phoenix for 6 years, where he taught middle school math and science and served two years as the Dean of Students. Josh has a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Educational Leadership, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education.
Natalie Trainor
Director Exceptional
Student Services
Robert Barlow
Director of Talent Acquisition
Robert served in the United States Navy for 18 years, reaching the rank of Chief Petty Officer, specializing in submarine operations for nearly seven years. Transitioning to Human Resources, he excelled in roles such as Talent Acquisition Director, HR Operations Manager, and Diversity and Inclusion Project Manager at Raytheon, Guidehouse, and Republic Services. Robert holds degrees from Grand Canyon University and Louisiana State University, currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Ethical Leadership at St. Thomas University. Committed to community service, he supports foster youth and is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Emily Willis
Director of
Human Resources
Emily Willis is the Director of Human Resources and is responsible for providing leadership and direction for the Human Resources Department for AIG and all AMS schools. As Director of HR, contributes to the development of and the accomplishment of organization-wide plans and objectives by working closely with school and network leadership. Emily believes Human Resources has the privledge of guiding employees through their work and making a positive impact on their daily lives.
Emily has a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management and an executive master’s degree in business administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In addition, she holds a graduate certificate in Human Resources Management from Cornell University. Prior to joining AMS in 2019, Emily worked in Las Vegas overseeing multiple hospitality properties. In her various roles, she oversaw employee relations and culture development. Emily has experience in developing human resources training, shaping cultures, and ensuring highly interactive, synergistic relationships with business partners.
Caylee Migliorini
Vice President of Marketing
Caylee Migliorini is a seasoned marketing executive with a distinguished track record in nationwide Charter School success. With a career spanning over a decade, she began at Great Hearts America, adeptly managing enrollment operations. Later, as Senior Managing Director of Marketing and Student Acquisition at BASIS.ed, Caylee orchestrated impactful multi-channel campaigns, driving increased applications and brand engagement.
As Vice President of Marketing at AIG since 2019, Caylee has guided marketing strategies for two regions and ten schools. Her academic foundation includes a Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. She later returned to school to earn her Master’s in Business Administration. Actively engaged in the AMA-American Marketing Association: Phoenix Chapter and the Social Media Marketing Society, Caylee continues to shape the education sector’s marketing landscape.
Dr. Evan D. Faulkner-Hayes
Director of
Student Services
Evan D. Faulkner-Hayes is proud to serve our Academies of Math & Science communities as Director of Student Services with the AMS Impact Group. Dr. Hayes is dedicated to the success of the AMS Network and providing students with the support they need to reach their greatest potential. Dr. Hayes has held administrative positions at several highly successful elementary and K-8 schools across the greater Phoenix area.
Dr. Hayes had the privilege of serving at three different AMS campuses before eventually joining the AIG team! His educational background includes a B.S. in Physics & Music, M.Ed. in Leadership & Advanced Teaching, Ph.D. in Education & Constructive Developmental Pedagogy, and is currently enrolled in an Ed.D. in Education Administration program with a focus on student services and program development.
Janelle Smith
Director of
Enrollment
Janelle Smith is the Director of Student Registration and Data and is responsible for providing leadership and direction for the Registrars at all AMS schools. Leadership includes ensuring all state reported data expectations are met and all records are complete and accurate. Janelle believes the Registrars have the privilege of being the first impression for AMS families and is passionate to ensure that every experience is exceptional. Prior to joining AMS in October 2021, Janelle spent over a decade supporting schools in registration and customer experience. |
Ayla Abaya
Director of Student Recruitment
Ayla Abaya has had a passion for education since she was a student herself. Beginning her career in admissions for higher education more than seven years ago, she came to realize that her skillset and experience was better utilized with younger students and their families. As the Director of Student Recruitment at AMS, Ayla helps her staff realize their goals of recruiting students and their parents to become a part of the AMS community. Ayla received her BA in Accounting from the University of Arizona in 2021. After years of working and going to college she recognizes the importance of an education and is passionate about sharing knowledge with peers, colleagues, and potential students/parents. Ayla joined the AMS network in November of 2021. |
Lisa Uphold
Director of
Student Information Systems
Lisa currently serves as the Director of Student Information Systems. Lisa began her career working with systems in the healthcare field where she started as a medical coder. After earning certification in multiple EMR platforms, Lisa had the opportunity to learn another area of systems, Education. Lisa quickly embraced the challenge of acquiring an understanding of school operations while simultaneously taking on the administration of the information system. Lisa joined the AMS team in 2018 and oversees the SIS support for students, parents, and staff of the Academies’ network.
Sho Shiratori
Director of
Accounting
Sho currently serves as the Director of Accounting, where he oversees the accounting functions for the network. He works with the executive team and other stakeholders to brainstorm and implement process improvements to enhance departmental and organizational performance. Sho manages the payroll, procurement, and accounts payable teams to ensure that the department is operating efficiently. He also establishes internal controls and monitors financial statement accuracy in compliance with GAAP accounting principles. Sho is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a B.S. in Finance and is currently a CPA. Sho joined the AMS network in 2012.