Sponsors
What is PATS?
Parents and Teachers at Simis (PATS) exist to develop and enrich student educational achievement by supporting our community of students, parents and staff at Madison Simis Elementary. There are no fees to join. If you are a parent or guardian of a student at Simis, you are a part of PATS!
How we accomplish our mission:
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PATS serves to both foster and preserve a strong relationship between parents, teachers and administrators at Simis.
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PATS raises funds to provide resources and support programs that are not funded through Simis or Madison District budget.
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PATS provides opportunities for parents and staff to work together and maintain direct communication.
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Our success is measured by student achievement as well as parent and teacher satisfaction.
Questions? Contact our President, Megan Befort, at president@simispats.org.
2025 - 2026 PATS EXECUTIVE BOARD
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MEGAN BEFORT PRESIDENT This is Megan's 1st year on the board, but she's not new to Simis! This is her 4th year working as the school nurse. She is mom to Simis students Juniper (1st grade) and Callum (3rd grade), and Meadows student River (5th grade). She is also the founder of the Simis Bike Bus! She is passionate about supporting students' and families' physical and mental wellbeing, and fostering a culture that is inclusive and welcoming for all. When she's not at school, you can find her riding her bike, reading a book, working in the garden, or going on adventures with her family. |
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JESSICA CREAGER PRESIDENT ELECT This is Jessica's second year on the PATS board but her third year writing the PATS Blast weekly newsletter. Jessica has two kids at Simis - Heidi, who will be in 4th grade, and Hudson in 2nd grade. In addition to volunteering at the school, Jessica is a substitute teacher at a preschool and loves to foster dogs and read. |
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AUDREY ELLIOT VP, COMMUNITY OUTREACH |
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DEVIN GIRDNER VP ELECT, COMMUNITY OUTREACH Devin is excited to begin her first year on the PATS board as VP-elect of Community Outreach. She is the proud mom of two: Cole (2nd grade) and Josephine (pre-K) and has enjoyed volunteering in their classrooms the last three years. Devin occasionally woks as a nurse at a local hospital, where she combines her passion for caring for others with her love of community. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, listening to music and attending concerts, and exploring her creativity through painting. |
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AMY CZYZ VP, FUNDRAISING This is Amy's fourth year on the PATS board, and she is excited to lead the fundraising team through another successful year. Amy has two boys. One attends Simis, while the other is in middle school at Meadows- her oldest, Maxwell, is in 6th grade, and Benny is a 3rd grader. Amy enjoys volunteering in the classroom when she can, as she is an ex-head start preschool teacher. Amy loves traveling with her family and spending summers in Minnesota. |
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CHARLOTTE PULLINS VP ELECT, FUNDRAISING This is Charlotte's first year on the board, and she is looking forward to being more involved! She has Elijah in 3rd grade at Simis and Belle in 5th grade at Meadows. After being in the classroom for 10 years, Charlotte is now a full-time substitute and test proctor for the Madison district, so you can often find her on campus. Charlotte enjoys solving crossword puzzles, reading, working out and attending outdoor concerts.
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GUY BERRY VP, TREASURER treasurer.ap@simispats.orgGuy and his wife, Ariane, have two kids at Simis, one in 1st grade and one in 2nd grade. Guy works as an executive at Redirect Health in Phoenix and also serves on the board for Beatitudes Campus, a non-profit, and is a board member for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. He enjoys getting to travel with the family up to Strawberry, as well as going to sporting events such as the Diamondbacks or Mercury with the kids. |
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BRENDAN GALLAGHER VP ELECT, TREASURER This is Brendan’s first year as a member of the PATS board, and he is excited to contribute. He has two boys at Simis; Evan in 3rd grade and Griffin in Pre-K. His oldest son, Declan, is a recent Simis graduate, who is in 5th grade at Meadows. Brendan’s professional background includes time in public accounting with Deloitte as an auditor, then transitioning into corporate finance in the aerospace industry. Brendan currently serves as a finance director at Collins Aerospace. In his free time, Brendan enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, cooking & kayaking. He is looking forward to making an impact for our students, teachers and community alike. |
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JESSICA LYON VP, VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR This is Jessica’s third year on the PATS board. She and her husband, Matt, have one Simis student, Luke (2nd Grade) and one Simis alumna, Ainsley. Jessica loves volunteering and enjoys supporting the Simis community by helping parents find the perfect volunteer opportunity for them. Jessica has 12 years of non-profit fundraising experience and works for a public accounting firm. In her spare time, she loves cooking, wine, skiing and traveling. |
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RITA ATKINSON TEACHER REPRESENTATIVE
ROXANNE LITTLE SOCIAL WORKER LIAISON |
