Gail Williamsen, along with her husband Thom, founded Elizabeth Academy in 2008. Gail was born and raised in Salt Lake City and attended public schools, graduating from Highland High School. She began her undergraduate studies at the University of Utah while designing women’s apparel and producing the catalogs for LeVoy’s Lingerie. Interrupting school and career, she paused to focus on what she considers to be the most important of her life’s work–the rearing of her seven children. Gail returned to the University of Utah in 2004, continuing her formal education and earning her BA in English.

She completed her Master of Education degree and American Montessori Society (AMS) Administrative credential through the Institute for Montessori Innovation at Westminster College. Gail has a passion for lifelong learning and particularly enjoys great art, music, and literature.

Anna Elkins is thrilled to join the team at Elizabeth Academy! She brings a strong background in early childhood education, having previously worked as an Office Manager at a daycare in Provo, Utah, as well as an Infant, Toddler/Twos, and workshop teacher. Anna is passionate about being in a school environment and is excited to expand her experience into the postsecondary space.

She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and is always eager to learn and grow in her field.

Outside of work, Anna is an avid reader steadily making her way through an ever-growing “to be read” list. She enjoys spending time with her puppy, Rita, and and never misses a chance to hang out with her niece and nephews. A self-proclaimed anglophile, Anna dreams of moving to London someday. Her current Hyper-fixation include Formula One racing, all things Jane Austen, Star Wars, and the art of Claude Monet.

Sofia Laguna Rigolon is from Boulder, Colorado, and has been teaching, designing curriculum, and focusing on inclusive education practices for the past 11 years.

Sofia has two Masters degrees- one in Curriculum and Instruction (University of Denver) and the other in Instructional Leadership (Utah State University), and she holds a certificate in Instructional Design from the University of Utah. Sofia studied English with an emphasis in creative writing from the University of Colorado.

Sofia has taught students from Kindergarten to university, and specializes in language acquisition, curriculum development, differentiation, and establishing collaborative teaching and planning models to maximize ALL student learning. Sofia and her husband are the proud parents of two beautiful daughters. As a family, they love being part of the Elizabeth Academy community!

Michele was a ballet major at Brigham Young University (BYU) and is nearing completion of her Early Childhood MACTE-accredited Montessori credential through MEPI (Montessori Education Programs International). With over 30 years of teaching experience at private studios and both private and public schools, Michele has danced since the age of six and has been teaching dance for over 20 years. She has worked with children ranging from 12 months to 18 years, including as an Early Childhood teacher and a member of our enrichment teaching team. Michele has four children—two boys and two girls. Traveling the world with her parents as a child instilled in her a great love and appreciation for people and culture. Michele joined the Elizabeth Academy staff in 2010.

Carrie, M.S. CCC-SLP , has a Bachelors in Communication Science and Disorders as well as a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology from Idaho State University. She is certified through the American Speech and Hearing Association and has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in private practice, hospitals, home health, and in schools.

Carrie has served as a Parent Advisor on the Utah Special Education Advisory Panel for the Utah State Board of Education, The Utah Alternative Technology Team for Canyons School District, on the county and state boards of the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation, and has volunteered for Special Olympics.

She enjoys scuba diving, singing, playing piano and organ, cooking, reading, theater, crochet, learning, and advocacy. Carrie and her husband have 4 children, one of whom is diagnosed with Down syndrome.