Elsa Williamson has  been in education for twenty years in different capacities. Her passion for equity in education has kept her at the same organization for almost thirteen years. This year, she serves as a middle and high school teacher as well as the school’s Equity Coordinator. Elsa believes in nurturing empathy in her learners as well as helping them understand their own authenticity. As a long time educator, Elsa also uses her experience to model growth mindset and service in education to her new colleagues. 

A mother of two beautiful children and a wife of over sixteen years, her family lives on a ranch where they focus on sustainability and creating a homestead on their land. Their children are growing in a mindset that allows them to be hardworking in their community. 

Sonia Kurfess has been married for 23 years; her and her husband have two daughters and four dogs, and together they run a small family ranch with horses, chickens, and a pig. She has been involved in the education field for 22 years. Sonia taught special education for two years and moved on to earn a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy in 2011. She returned to the education field in 2019 to substitute teach. That school year, COVID-19 had different plans for her career. In 2021, she was asked to step in to take on a long term substitute position, which she accepted. At that moment, Sonia realized that it was time to return to school to work on her multiple subject credential. During her time as a student at USU, Sonia has realized how much she enjoys being in school, reading about subjects that she's passionate about, and writing about different issues and topics related to education. Now that she has graduated with her MAT from United States University, Sonia plans to serve her community and make improvements in the lives of homeless and English language students.

Isabella Steigman is a 2nd year USU student, completing her bachelors degree in elementary education with a multiple subject credential. Her passions have always been in education, the arts and advocating for those who need help advocating for themselves. She is a 22-year-old preschool teacher/opera singer, and also a teacher of children’s theater and music. 

One of her many passions in life is to continue pursuing advocacy work, and normalizing inclusivity and diversity in spaces where it is overlooked. Something that shaped her perspective is coming from a family of immigrants from Sicily and Israel. She has deep respect their experience and struggle coming to United States, and how hard they had to work in their education, and in creating a life that they wanted for themselves. This has greatly influenced her desire to pursue advocacy in the professional spaces she occupies. She is so excited to be a contributing voice as the Advocacy Chair.