Meet Our Staff

Greetings! I am Susan Appenzeller, the owner of Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services. I am a proud mother and wife. We have two fantastic sons—and at times I include my husband in that tally saying I have 3 sons to take care of! Family is very important to me.

I am a Michigan native and went to college at the University of Arizona (Go Wildcats!) to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree. I started my vocational career in 1992 as a Job Developer/Job Coach and developed a passion for this line of work—to assist individuals to obtain their personal goals. I love that every day is different and we also get to work with so many personalities which teaches us something new on a daily basis. Even 30 plus years later, there is always something to learn.

Through the years I was promoted to a Program Director position supervising contracted services with Vocational Rehabilitation, the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Department of Education. In 2010 I opened my first business continuing to do contracted services with the State of Arizona in the areas of vocational and related contracts, tutoring services as well as non-medical caregiving services. I attempted to retire in early 2022 and then decided/realized that just wasn’t for me, and I opened Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services (EVTS) in the summer of 2022.

EVTS offers state-wide services in Arizona. EVTS takes pride in offering quality services to the clients that we serve. We believe in team work with all parties to enable our clients to reach their identified goals. Please contact myself or members of my team if you have questions, would like more information, would like to set up a meeting, etc, etc. We are here for you!

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Hello! My name is Ashley Huff, and I am a proud wife and mother of three amazing children—my family is truly my everything. When I’m not at work, you’ll likely find me volunteering with my children’s school PTO, organizing events, or on the soccer field coaching for the AYSA league. I am passionate about education and love being active in my children’s schools.

My journey with individuals with disabilities began in 2010 when my oldest daughter was diagnosed with Autism. I dedicated myself to learning and advocating for her success, which inspired me to make a career out of supporting others. I joined Elite in 2015 as a provider serving all of Yavapai County. Over the years, I advanced to coordinator for both HCBS and Vocational Rehabilitation services and became a certified trainer in CPR/First Aid, Article 9, Prevention and Support, and DCW for HCBS providers. As the county programs grew, I focused on expanding Vocational Rehabilitation services, and in June 2022, I was promoted to Program Director for Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services.

As Program Director, I oversee program development, staff, and daily operations. I ensure high-quality service delivery, operational efficiency, and compliance with state contracts. I also coordinate all tutoring services, both VR and ESA, as well as DHH services. I am passionate about my work at EVTS because it allows me to be an advocate, a job coach, a cheerleader, and a leader for an incredible team—every single day. No matter what my week throws at me, I always find a positive outcome somewhere, and that is what makes everything worth it.

Office: (928) 583-9494
Mobile: (928) 607-0047
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Hello, my name is Colton Appenzeller, I am the Director of Operations for Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services. I was born and raised in Arizona. Outside of work some of my hobbies include competing/riding horses with my family, snowboarding, and being a huge football fan.

I've been in this line of work since 2018 where I started off as a VR provider in Flagstaff, Arizona as I attended college and have since moved back to Queen Creek, Az where I now work in the corporate office in Gilbert. It is a privilege to help our community with these programs Elite Vocational and Tutoring services provides and seeing our clients succeed within the program(s) they are in. - Colton Appenzeller

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My name is Tara Guerrero, I am a wife, mother of 3 awesome kids and the Vocational and Tutoring Coordinator for Maricopa and Southern AZ counties. I love spending my free time on the road! As a family we stay busy by traveling for baseball tournaments and any chance possible, fitting in a mini family vacation. I began my professional life as a hairstylist. As much as I loved doing hair, I found my passion with Elite!

I have been with Elite for almost 9 years and have loved the opportunities that I have been blessed with while working here. Beginning in 2013 as a Vocational Provider, I was introduced to the disability community. Struggling with anxiety myself, I related more and more with the client's I supported. Transitioning from Vocational Provider to HCBS Coordinator, my desire to help people with disabilities strengthened even more. As HCBS Coordinator I had the opportunity to expand on the services Elite offered, to individuals with Developmental Disabilities.

In an effort to best support our clients and all individuals with disabilities, I attended multiple trainings/classes and eventually became the trainer. As a certified trainer I taught caregivers, providers, family members and many others within the community in learning the rights of people with disabilities, how to better support individuals through challenging behaviors and learning how to help prevent those behaviors. I also taught caregivers how to care for people with different disabilities or diagnosis’s and all in the importance of focusing on the person as a person and not their disability or diagnosis. My favorite moments within my trainings were seeing the light bulb go on when the class, finally understood the main focus of the training, how to see the individual for their strengths and abilities and NOT their disability. In my current role of Vocational and Tutoring Coordinator I am able to put this into practice on a daily basis, by helping our clients to focus on or finding their strengths, abilities and what they can do for the workforce and not what they can't. As I said above, I have found my passion with Elite and that is to help others!

Office: (928) 783-4069
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Hello, my name is Wendy Goldenbee, I am the Coordinator for Gila, Coconino and Navajo Counties (Northern AZ). I am a proud mother and enjoy spending my time with my daughter.  My Family and I are active in our community doing extra-curricular activities within the school, church, and girl scouts outside of work and school.

I started my career off by doing EMS/ Firefighting before moving into behavioral health and have been working in this field for about 20 years now in different capacities. I have worked with the vocational community for the last 6 years, supporting individuals dealing with different types of complexities and overcoming limitations. I enjoy watching individuals grow and succeed at their goals. 

Office: (928) 970-2656
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Hello, I am Montana Rodarte. I am a proud wife and mother to two amazing children, and when I am not at work, you’ll find me spending time with my family—family is everything to me. I grew up in a large family with five siblings, and having two older siblings with disabilities meant I often helped my mom care for them. Those experiences inspired me from a young age to make an impact and empower individuals with disabilities as I grew older.
I began my journey with Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services in April 2023 as a provider and have since grown into leadership roles, serving as a Lead Provider and now the Coordinator for Yavapai County, servicing Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, the Verde Valley, and surrounding areas. I truly enjoy working with individuals with disabilities and am deeply committed to promoting independence, confidence, and self-sufficiency. In my leadership role, I oversee service coordination, support and mentor providers, and collaborate with community partners to ensure high-quality, client-centered services. I strive to lead with compassion and integrity, creating supportive pathways that empower individuals to reach their goals.

Office: (928) 583-9494
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My name is Tara Weide and I am the Vocational and Tutoring Coordinator for Southern Arizona (Pima, Pinal and Santa Cruz Counties) for Elite Vocational and Tutoring Services. I hold  Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree from the University of Arizona and a Master of Science in Human Services degree with a concentration in Community and Social Services from Walden University. I am a wife, mother to two teens, Girl Scout leader and 4H project developer. Outside of my professional role here at Elite, I enjoy reading horror and thriller novels, playing board games, watching movies, traveling with family, exploring the outdoors, and actively participating in social justice movements. 

As a professional, I have extensive experience in high-needs case management, advocacy, and human services leadership. My core values and career goals are driven by a strong commitment to empowering marginalized individuals and advancing social justice. As part of this commitment, my career spans vocational rehabilitation, trauma-informed group facilitation, and intellectual and developmental disabilities service coordination across multiple states. Through values-based leadership and a collaborative team approach, I have mentored professionals, supervised multidisciplinary teams, and served on community and fair housing committees focused on reducing barriers and promoting equitable access to services. My work reflects a deep dedication to person-centered planning, advocacy for individuals involved in complex systems, and serving as an agent of social change. 

Here at Elite, I am in a privileged position to serve with a wonderful team and to celebrate life’s big wins with those who entrust us to tag along with them on their journey to success and independence.

Office: (520) 412-1139
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