President
Shannon Greer
Shannon Greer has been serving on the GWA school board since May of 2010. Her board responsibilities, aside from serving as the board chair, include serving on the Curriculum Committee, Finance Committee and the Board Development Committee. She is serving a one year term and her background check is complete. Shannon received a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University and taught in the Nebo and Tintic School Districts before moving with her family to St George. She is a mentor/trainer for the UAPCS organization and teaches for the Seminary and Institute program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Shannon chose GWA for its academically focused curriculum, which included Art, Music Computers and PE, the highly qualified and consistently trained faculty and staff, full-day Kindergarten and the Character Education program.
CFO/Board Member/Audit Committee Member
Kevin Peterson
Kevin Peterson joined the School Board in 2019. His board responsibilities include serving on the Finance Committee, Benefits Committee, LANDS Trust Committee, Campus Management Committee and will take over the Board CFO responsibilities in January of 2022. He is serving a 3 year term and his background check is complete. He earned a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from DSU and is a Utah State Licensed Real Estate Agent and a Utah State Licensed Appraiser. Kevin has 3 students and chose GWA for its full-day Kindergarten program.
Board Member/Audit committee member
Casey Unrein
Casey Unrein joined the School Board in July 2021. His board responsibilities include Finance Committee, Policy Committee, and Board Development Committee. He is serving a 3 year term and his background check is complete. His background is in accounting, finance and management, he earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in Economics for Business Management and a MBA from IE Business School. He owns and manages ByAnnie.com an ecommerce and B2B company that sells sewing patterns and supplies. Casey is a father of one GWA student, he chose GWA for its great reputation, full-time kindergarten program, academic focus and its location.
Board Member
Amanda Mortenson
Amanda Mortenson has been serving on the Board of Directors since July of 2022. Her board responsibilities are to serve as the liaison between the Board of Directors and the PTO, and is a member of the Health and Wellness committee and the Policies Committee. She earned a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from BYU. She worked in the mental health field for over 6 years focused on addiction recovery and supporting the families of those struggling with an addiction. She has 2 children that attend George Washington Academy. Her and her husband chose George WAshington Academy for their focus on social emotional learning, excellent academic performance, all day Kindergarten, and focus on patriotism.
BOARD MEMBER
Laura Pressley
Laura Pressley joined the School Board in November of 2023. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and a Juris Doctor degree from Brigham Young University. She has worked as an attorney, professor, and public relations professional and served on various community oversight committees and advisory boards. She has three children currently attending GWA. Her family chose GWA for the quality of the teachers, engagement of the principal and administrators, and academic rigor of the school. She appreciates the high expectations and commitment to success from the entire GWA community.
BOARD MEMBER
Brady Pearce
Brady Pearce joined the School Board in November 2023. He grew up in St. George and attended Pine View High School, DSU, and served in the US Air Force in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq from 2000-2006. Brady has always felt deeply attached to the St. George area. His family ties to Washington County date back to the 1860's when his 4th great grandfather, Major John D. L. Pearce, who Fort Pearce is named after, protected settlers as a cavalry officer during the Black Hawk War. After a severe parachuting injury, Brady returned to St. George and pursued a career in real estate. He currently holds a Utah Real Estate Broker license and has worked as a Sales Manager, Principal Broker/Owner, and Project Manager. Currently, Brady leads the Southern Utah Division for Perry Homes as their Division Manager and is also the Branch Broker for Perry Realty in Southern Utah. Brady's amazing wife has been a teacher for over 15 years in the Washington County School District. They have two kids, including a fifth grader and a future kindergarten student at GWA. They chose GWA because of the academic focus, amazing teachers and staff, and unbeatable culture GWA offers students. As a school board member, Brady brings a unique blend of leadership, life experiences, community legacy, and dedication to the success of this generation of students.
BOARD Member
Laura Snelson
Laura Snelson is originally from Cusco-Peru. She has lived in the USA for over 24 years. Laura earned her bachelor’s degree in animal science at the University of Cusco-Peru and earned a Master's in Educational Leadership Foundations and a doctorate degree in Instructional Psychology and Technology at Brigham Young University. She served in higher education for over 15 years, specializing in planning, evaluation, and assessment. Laura currently serves the Seminaries and Institutes program of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints, where she specializes in strategic planning and program evaluation. She is the mother of three children and grandmother of two. One child attending GWA and her family chose GWA because of its ranking as one of the best schools in Utah! She admires the top-notch leadership (teachers and administration) capacity with whom the school operates. She loves learning and is an advocate for the value of education in society. She is grateful she had the opportunity to be educated.
BOARD MEMBER/PTO Liaison
austin reber
Austin Reber joined the School Board in June 2024. He was born and raised in St. George and graduated from Snow Canyon High School in 2013. He enlisted in the Utah National Guard with the 222nd Field Artillery in 2012 as a Senior in HS. He served as a Human Resources Specialist for 8 years and then changed jobs to be a Gunner on a Paladin for his last 4 years. He will be ending his 12-year career with the National Guard in September 2024. He works as an Electrician for Rich Electric and has been doing so for 8 years. Austin and his wife Carly have a son who transferred to GWA in kindergarten. They were blown away by the change they saw in him in a short amount of time. This is what motivated Austin to want to apply for his board position when the vacancy was posted. He looks forward to giving back, helping where needed, and representing such a wonderful school.
Secretary/BOARD Member
Deborah Odenwalder
Deborah Odenwalder joined the School Board in June 2024. She previously served as the Board Clerk. Deborah earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin – Lacrosse. She has worked in administrative roles for varying fields and currently works as a Contract & Grant Analyst for the State of Utah. Deborah is the mother of one GWA student. She and her husband chose GWA for its reputation, academic excellence, and it's leadership focus.
