Melissa Steimer With Gabriel’s Angels Laura Wiggins with Menta Group and Brady Wald with Liberty Arts Academy
Founded in 2000, Gabriel’s Angels’ mission is to inspire confidence, compassion and best behaviors in at-risk children through pet therapy. 
Pet Therapy Teams visit crisis nurseries, domestic violence and homeless shelters, group homes, and at-risk children in after school programs and self-contained classrooms in an effort to intervene in children’s lives and enhance their emotional and behavioral development by teaching core behaviors—attachment, confidence, self-regulation, affiliation, empathy, tolerance, and respect.
Gabriel’s Angels has hundreds of registered Pet Therapy Teams serving thousands of at-risk children annually through 125 partner agencies in Maricopa, Pinal, Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz and Yavapai Counties in Arizona.
Melissa Steimer started as Gabriel’s Angels Chief Executive Officer in June of 2021. She brings extensive experience in nonprofit executive leadership, fundraising and strategic planning to support organization growth.
Most recently she was in an executive role with the Arizona Animal Welfare League. Melissa started her nonprofit career almost 24 years ago when she served in a development role for an Iowa nonprofit that served at-risk youth with specialized treatment for emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric needs. She went on to serve in numerous executive leadership roles for both local and national animal welfare organizations and prior to AAWL, was in an executive leadership role with one of Gabriel’s Angels longstanding partners, UMOM New Day Centers.
Steimer holds a bachelor’s degree from Creighton University and Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is a Valley Leadership Alumni – Class 40 and is a member, and recently sat on the Board, of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – Greater Arizona Chapter. The human-animal bond has been a personal and professional passion that drives Steimer to collaborate with more partners, across the state, who will benefit with pet therapy to inspire confidence, compassion, and best behaviors in children.
Gabriel’s Angels mission is more important than ever as so many kids have been challenged in this past year with the COVID-19 pandemic. Melissa personally is a mom to two teenagers, Charlie and Grace and has five dogs.
Follow Gabriel’s Angels on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Bob Neubeck, Karen Evans, and Father Larry Cozzi founded The Menta Group in 1973 because there was a critical need to help children who were not achieving their potential in a traditional classroom setting. They were alarmed at the devastating effects that behavior-related suspensions and expulsions were having on school-aged children. Beginning with one teacher and one student, the organization was born with the belief that all children will succeed if given the chance.
The Menta Group evolved into a dynamic, responsive, multi-state education non-profit, operating numerous private and public/private partnership schools. The organization still firmly adheres to its policy to never give up on a child and that no student will be rejected, suspended, or expelled. The Menta Group also expanded to offer additional non-profit educational services under the umbrella of Special Education Services (SES) as well as transportation services under the umbrella of Special Education Systems.
Laura Wiggins is the Regional Clinical Director for the Menta Group, an organization that provides public/private day school placement for students with special needs throughout Arizona and Illinois. Laura has been in education for 24 years and has served as a classroom teacher, social worker, and administrator.
She holds a master’s in Social Work and Educational Leadership. Laura has a strong passion for creating trauma informed schools, changing policy, and advocating for children who have experienced trauma and toxic stress. In addition to co-facilitating the Trauma Sensitive School Work Group she has spoken about trauma, self-regulation, mindfulness, and PBIS at multiple conferences and school districts throughout Arizona.
Laura also served on the Trauma Sensitive Schools Steering committee that authored the report: Creating Trauma Sensitive Arizona Schools.
Follow The Menta Group on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
Liberty Arts Academy creates a quality learning environment in which students are engaged in meaningful, academically challenging curriculum. The environment is one which instills accountability and fosters respect and social responsibility. Liberty Arts Academy is committed to providing life-long learning, shared goals with parents and students, positive community relationships and an appreciation for the arts.
Liberty Arts Academy has embraced the Finland Educational Model that truly emphasizes the importance of education, play, and family. The school is dedicated to providing students and families an educational model that is leading the way towards a “love for learning” at Liberty Arts Academy!
Brady Wald brings 21 years of education experience serving in several education roles in Arizona. He comes from a family of educators and found his passion for education and kids as he began to coach Little League Baseball, Junior Golf Camps, and Basketball Camps while in high school and college.
In 2001, Brady graduated from Moorhead State University Moorhead with a degree in Social Studies and Secondary Education. Needing a change from the North Dakota weather, Brady traveled cross country to Arizona where he found a new home in Tempe, Arizona. He began teaching physical education for the Tempe Elementary School District and held several positions for 15 years with the district such as Baseball Coach, TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment), Assistant Principal, Athletic Director, and Principal.
In 2008, Wald was recognized by the Rodel Foundation of Arizona as an Aspiring Principal. He was a contributing author for “Successful Data Teams,” and penned the “White Paper Series” and another article for the Lead and Learn Magazine. Brady has led several professional development opportunities, webinars, and virtual trainings for teachers, administrators, and support staff in the areas of culture and climate, engagement, data analysis, and PBIS.
Brady Wald is entering his fifth year at Liberty Arts Academy. Under his leadership, Liberty Arts Academy has increased their enrollment from 180 to 360 students within four years. Brady and his team have integrated a unique Finland-inspired educational model that promotes an emphasis in education, play, and family. Through this model, students are developing a love for learning through collaboration, active engagement, and relationship building.
In 2020 and 2021, Brady was recognized by the East Valley Tribune and named the Best of the Best Principal in the East Valley (Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa).
