JAG Central Office Welcomes Two New Staff

Our Programs Team has grown by two new wonderful staff members: Shontel Dixon Mulato and Melinda Vazquez. The Programs Team partners with schools, community centers, businesses, other nonprofits, and community leaders to ensure JAG programs and resources are accessible for young people aged 13-21. The team also supports coordinators in their respective JAG programs with data collection, event planning, assistance programs, and coordinating guest speakers/field trips/other career exploration activities with our volunteers and Employer Partners. 

Career Pathways Coordinator Shontel Dixon Mulato (she/her) joined us in March 2022 and has been involved in the success of this year’s Interviewing Skills Event, Career Development Conference, Luncheon/Formal Etiquette Event for JAG middle school students, and Career Exploration Summer Camp. Her role is key to building partnerships between coordinators and employers and expanding upon professional development opportunities for our students/participants. Additionally, Shontel supports students and alumni as a postsecondary education/career coach, especially during the 12-month follow-up phase after high school graduation. 

Shontel has a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education with an ESL endorsement from Arizona State University and a certificate for Mind Body Wellness Practitioner. She started her career journey as a teacher at Head Start for two years and then went on to work for 10 years as a Family Support Specialist and provided home visitation services. She also worked as a youth mentor with an emphasis on behavioral health and later became a Community Outreach Coordinator for the State of Arizona. Shontel and her husband are proud parents of two daughters.

JAG Works Program Manager Melinda Vazquez (she/her) joins us this month, June 2022, and will be leading the expansion of JAG Works community programs alongside supporting coordinators at our current JAG Works Mesa and Tolleson. Melinda has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Arizona State University and a Master’s in Professional Counseling from Ottawa University. Before JAG, she worked for the City of Phoenix for 18 years, Ottawa University for six years, and an online high school more recently. One of her daughters attended JAG in middle school, so she had the benefit of seeing JAG’s impact from a parent’s point of view. She is a proud mother and grandmother of three daughters and two young grandchildren. 

Both Shontel and Melinda are looking forward to cultivating current partnerships and bringing in new ones to support key points in a JAG student/participant’s journey. 

We are grateful for their commitment to our youth and young adults’ success, and we are happy to have them as new JAG family members!

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