Meet Our Team
Fayith Dever
Director, ALA Sierra Vista K-6
Mrs. Dever is a dedicated educator with a diverse music, sports, and healthcare background. She brings a wealth of experience from schools across Arizona, fostering a deep understanding of students from all walks of life. First joining the ALA family as the dean of students and site coordinator at American Leadership Academy Sierra Vista Learning Center, Mrs. Dever discovered her calling as the director of Pre-K-6 at the American Leadership Academy campus in Sierra Vista.
Committed to fostering lifelong success, Mrs. Dever embodies the R.A.I.S.E. values (Respect, Accountability, Integrity, Service, Excellence). She believes in nurturing character to cultivate leaders and is dedicated to supporting every child academically, socially, and emotionally. She values the role of teachers and staff in shaping young minds and is honored to be part of each child’s journey.
Lea Staten
Director, ALA Sierra Vista 7-12
Mrs. Staten, a well-versed Arizona educator with over a decade of teaching experience, has passionately enriched student knowledge, exploration, and success in various disciplines, including animal science, biology, laboratory science, plant science, special education, coaching, athletic direction, and general curriculum.
Mrs. Staten has flourished the minds and lives of children across the globe, holding more than twenty years of experience as a Boy Scouts of America mentor in Arizona and Okinawa, Japan. Mrs. Staten obtained her Master’s degree in Secondary Education from the University of Arizona and continues her education at Grand Canyon University, where she will receive her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership, K-12.
As American Leadership Academy in Sierra Vista’s 7-12 Director, and a long-time Sierra Vista resident, Mrs. Staten is a driving force supporting, uplifting, and inspiring students along their educational journey.
Student Services
Ms. Evisa Swiney, MAEA, M.Ed.
Assistant Director of Student Services, 7-12
Direct Line: (520) 598-0014 ext. 3955
Email: evisa.swiney@alaschools.org
Tabitha Hopper, M.S.
Academic Advisor, 7-12
Phone: (520) 598-0014
Email: tabitha.hopper@alaschools.org
Now Enrolling for 2026-2027
Preschool through Grade 12 · Public Tuition-Free Charter School