Meet our Administrators
Trust the Dedication of Washington's Foremost Educational Leaders
WAVA's administrators are committed to ensuring the finest education possible for your children. From providing expert tools and strategies to teaching materials and parent support, our management is dedicated to making sure that you have what you need to deliver a well-rounded, enriching education to your children. Here are some of the people who maintain WAVA's high standards of education:
Head of School
WAVA’s Chief Administrative Officer is Susan Stewart . Susan contributes more than 23 years of experience in the vocational education and technology industries. Before joining WAVA, she served as the regional director and vice president for an adult vocational school specializing in training students for new careers in the computer industry. She then became vice president and chief operations officer in the petroleum and radio frequency identification industry. She has been active in the community, sitting on the board of directors for a non-profit organization and as a volunteer for local and national associations. Susan graduated from the State University of New York – Potsdam, New York.
Academic Administrator
WAVA’s Academic Administrator is Mark Conley . Mark has been an educator in Washington State for 27 years. He was born in Canton, Ohio, and served two years in the United States Army. He then received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Mark began his career as a primary and intermediate elementary teacher for eight years in the South Kitsap School District. He also taught reading and language arts at the junior high level for 10 years. In 1995, he became the vice principal of Sedgwick Junior High, also in the South Kitsap School District. He was assigned as the principal for Mason Middle School in Tacoma in 1998, where he remained for more than six years. In 2005, he was an adjunct instructor of developmental reading at the Tacoma Community College.
K-8 Academic Administrator
WAVA’s K-8 Academic Administrator is Tammy Alonzo . Tammy was a public school educator in Washington State for 13 years teaching high school math and fifth and sixth grades in all subject areas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in elementary education and English, master’s degree from City University in curriculum and instruction, and administrative credentials from Seattle Pacific University.
High School Academic Administrator
Gerry Grubbs , WAVA High School Academic Administrator, received his bachelor’s degree from Linfield College, his master’s degree from Western Oregon University, and his administrative credentials from Heritage College. He has 10 years of teaching experience, which includes instruction of students at elementary, middle-, and high-school levels. In 2000, he began his administrative career as an assistant principal: half-time assistant principal of Grand Mound Elementary and half-time assistant principal of Maple Lane High School. After three years in this position, he became the full-time assistant principal at Evergreen Elementary on Fort Lewis. Other jobs he has had include six years in the Army Reserves, camp counselor for children with special needs, and counselor in a juvenile detention facility.
Director of Operations
Todd Thorpe has lived the majority of his life in Western Washington, graduating from Bellarmine Preparatory School before heading to Whittier College to complete his degree in business administration. Todd founded and directed a non-profit organization for Tacoma-area youth before joining WAVA as the Director of Operations. He is working toward completing a master’s degree in project management.
Special Education Manager
Kris Hirschmann joins WAVA as the Special Education Manager after nearly 30 years in the Tacoma School District. Her background is working with students with special needs in the classroom and the community. She received a bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University; then, after working several years at Rainier School in Buckley, Washington, she earned her teaching degree from Central Washington University with a major in special education and, finally, earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from City University. In addition to her work with WAVA, she teaches at the University of Washington, Tacoma, in the Education Department.
High School Counselor
Pam Loughlin is the Counselor for the WAVA High School. Born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, into an Air Force family, she moved every three years of her life until her dad retired to Minnesota. While living in Minnesota, she earned two associate degrees. After moving to Washington State in 1985, she worked in the nutrition field for 18 years. After deciding to make a career change to education, she earned her bachelor’s degree in social sciences through the WSU distance learning program. Pam earned her master’s degree in school counseling from Seattle Pacific University. She worked for the past three years as a high school counselor in the Oak Harbor School District before joining WAVA.
Head of School
WAVA’s Chief Administrative Officer is Susan Stewart . Susan contributes more than 23 years of experience in the vocational education and technology industries. Before joining WAVA, she served as the regional director and vice president for an adult vocational school specializing in training students for new careers in the computer industry. She then became vice president and chief operations officer in the petroleum and radio frequency identification industry. She has been active in the community, sitting on the board of directors for a non-profit organization and as a volunteer for local and national associations. Susan graduated from the State University of New York – Potsdam, New York.
Academic Administrator
WAVA’s Academic Administrator is Mark Conley . Mark has been an educator in Washington State for 27 years. He was born in Canton, Ohio, and served two years in the United States Army. He then received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. Mark began his career as a primary and intermediate elementary teacher for eight years in the South Kitsap School District. He also taught reading and language arts at the junior high level for 10 years. In 1995, he became the vice principal of Sedgwick Junior High, also in the South Kitsap School District. He was assigned as the principal for Mason Middle School in Tacoma in 1998, where he remained for more than six years. In 2005, he was an adjunct instructor of developmental reading at the Tacoma Community College.
K-8 Academic Administrator
WAVA’s K-8 Academic Administrator is Tammy Alonzo . Tammy was a public school educator in Washington State for 13 years teaching high school math and fifth and sixth grades in all subject areas. She received her bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in elementary education and English, master’s degree from City University in curriculum and instruction, and administrative credentials from Seattle Pacific University.
High School Academic Administrator
Gerry Grubbs , WAVA High School Academic Administrator, received his bachelor’s degree from Linfield College, his master’s degree from Western Oregon University, and his administrative credentials from Heritage College. He has 10 years of teaching experience, which includes instruction of students at elementary, middle-, and high-school levels. In 2000, he began his administrative career as an assistant principal: half-time assistant principal of Grand Mound Elementary and half-time assistant principal of Maple Lane High School. After three years in this position, he became the full-time assistant principal at Evergreen Elementary on Fort Lewis. Other jobs he has had include six years in the Army Reserves, camp counselor for children with special needs, and counselor in a juvenile detention facility.
Director of Operations
Todd Thorpe has lived the majority of his life in Western Washington, graduating from Bellarmine Preparatory School before heading to Whittier College to complete his degree in business administration. Todd founded and directed a non-profit organization for Tacoma-area youth before joining WAVA as the Director of Operations. He is working toward completing a master’s degree in project management.
Special Education Manager
Kris Hirschmann joins WAVA as the Special Education Manager after nearly 30 years in the Tacoma School District. Her background is working with students with special needs in the classroom and the community. She received a bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University; then, after working several years at Rainier School in Buckley, Washington, she earned her teaching degree from Central Washington University with a major in special education and, finally, earned her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from City University. In addition to her work with WAVA, she teaches at the University of Washington, Tacoma, in the Education Department.
High School Counselor
Pam Loughlin is the Counselor for the WAVA High School. Born in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, into an Air Force family, she moved every three years of her life until her dad retired to Minnesota. While living in Minnesota, she earned two associate degrees. After moving to Washington State in 1985, she worked in the nutrition field for 18 years. After deciding to make a career change to education, she earned her bachelor’s degree in social sciences through the WSU distance learning program. Pam earned her master’s degree in school counseling from Seattle Pacific University. She worked for the past three years as a high school counselor in the Oak Harbor School District before joining WAVA.