Mission Statement
Arizona Health & Physical Education provides leadership through continuing professional development and advocacy that ensures effective delivery of evidence-informed school physical education and community based physical activity programs that foster healthy, active, and physically literate youth.
Board Members
Angela Budovsky-Robinson
President 2025-2026
budovsky-robinson@azhpe.org
Angela Budovsky-Robinson currently serves as the Health and Physical Education Specialist for the Arizona Department of Education, where she provides leadership and professional development on all components of Physical Education and Health programming for the K-12 Academic Standards Division.
Angela focuses her work on curriculum, assessment, standard-based learning and best practices.
Angela has presented nationally around the country on subjects such as assessments and technology in Physical Education as well as best practices and Standards -Based instruction. Angela has a great passion for physical education and believes all students should embark on a physical literacy journey to enjoy physical activity throughout a life course.
Lynn Preble
AZHPE Parliamentarian
preble@azhpe.org
Lynn Preble is a retired physical education teacher from the Gilbert Public School district. She is a former president of Arizona Health and Education and Shape America Western District. She has served the Arizona Health and Physical Education organization as Best Practices Chair and Partnership Chair,
Lynn currently works at the Phoenix Zoo as a Park Ranger Assistant and is a published author of a children’s book series.
Heather Chewning
President Elect 2025-2027
chewning@azhpe.org
Heather Chewning is a former Health and Physical Education teacher with over a decade of experience in education. She previously served as President of the Arizona Health and Physical Education Association in 2019, where she advocated for the profession and supported educators across the state.
Heather currently mentors new teachers in Tucson and remains closely connected to the needs and challenges facing health and physical education educators. Heather is excited to continue serving the organization, supporting teachers, and advocating for the vital role of health and physical education in student success.
Dr. Jennifer Houston
Executive Director 2025-present
houston@azhpe.org
Dr. Jennifer Houston is a nationally board certified teacher who has been teaching physical education and adapted physical education since 1998. She currently teaches adapted PE for Mesa Public Schools as well as online courses for pecentral for those seeking CEUs or credits towards a master’s degree. Jennifer has taught PETE courses at Texas A&M, NAU and ASU, but prefers working with the ‘littles’ with special needs. Jennifer served two terms as AZHPE President and took over as executive director in January 2025.
Kelly Richardson
Marketing Chair
richardson@azhpe.org
Kelly Richardson serves as the current marketing chair for the Arizona Health and Physical Education organization. She is a fourth year PE teacher within the Tempe elementary school district. She has been officiating basketball for seven years and spends her free time playing pickleball.
Lance Dunlop
Partnership Chair/
Exhibits
dunlop@azhpe.org
Lance Dunlop is the current Partnership Chairperson for Arizona Health and Physical Education (AZHPE) and an experienced Physical Education Teacher for Tempe Elementary School District #3. With over a decade of teaching experience across K–8 settings, Lance is passionate about fostering student wellness, promoting lifelong fitness, and supporting social-emotional development through innovative and inclusive PE programming. A dedicated mentor and leader, he has secured numerous national and local grants to expand physical education resources, partnered with organizations to enhance student and staff opportunities, and regularly presents at state-level conferences and workshops. Beyond the classroom, Lance is the proud father of three children and husband to a professor at Arizona State University. He is also an active practitioner of Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, embracing lifelong learning and personal growth through martial arts.
Josh Meibos
Advocacy Chair
meibos@azhpe.org
Josh Meibos is a National Board Certified Teacher with 11 years of experience teaching K–8 physical education. He currently serves as a Program Director at Northern Arizona University’s Arizona K12 Center, where he oversees statewide training and mentoring programs for beginning teachers. Josh was named the 2018 Arizona Teacher of the Year and was later recognized as Arizona Health and Physical Education’s Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2020.
Josh holds a master’s degree in Physical Education from Arizona State University and an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University. He lives in Tempe and enjoys skiing in the winter, swimming in the summer, and eating guacamole year-round.
Kyle Gallas
Membership Chair
gallas@azhpe.org
Kyle Gallas, membership committee, teaches in chandler at an all gifted school. Outside of school, he enjoys running, lifting, and finding new ways to stay healthy.
Tim Warnock
Best Practices Chair
warnock@azhpe.org
Tim Warnock is a 34 year veteran having served communities on Native American Reservations, Private, Charter, small and hyper growth suburban districts throughout the southwest. Coach Warnock led after school interscholastic teams in Flag Football, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, Softball, Co-ed Baseball, Track and Field as well as creating an after school outdoor club leading kids on various hikes, camping trips and white water rafting outings. Tim has served as Middle School Athletic director for 3 communities and 4 terms as middle school league President. Most notably is Tim's work as a grieving parent and passionate educator has led him to provide professional developments to numerous schools and districts throughout Arizona as well as Universities such as Grand Canyon University and Murray State University regarding the relationship between Physical Education curriculum and mental emotional resilience/self regulation.
Dr. Steve Palmer
Future Professionals
steve.palmer@nau.edu
Dr. Steve Palmer has worked at NAU since 2001 in physical education teacher education. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Chico State University, taught K–12 physical education in San Jose, California, and then moved to Blacksburg, Virginia, where he earned his PhD at Virginia Tech. His research interests focus on improving physical activity among children and adolescents, particularly those who are underserved and at greater risk of complications from a sedentary lifestyle. His recent work examines teacher curriculum beliefs and student perceptions of physical education. The overarching focus of his research is on school-based programming, specifically how physical education can make measurable contributions to youth physical activity both outside of school and beyond the school day.
Leo Dorantes
Adapted Physical Education
dorantes@azhpe.org
I have been teaching Adapted Physical Education in Mesa Public Schools for six years, working primarily with students with severe intellectual and multiple disabilities. I truly enjoy creating activities that help students succeed, have fun in APE, and build confidence in movement. I have shared activities from my classes with physical educators and adapted physical educators to provide ideas they can use in their own programs. Outside of work, I enjoy the gym, swimming, hiking, poker, board games, and video gaming. This is my second year serving as Adapted Physical Education Committee Chair, and I am passionate about supporting inclusive and meaningful physical activity for all students.
Lara Cox
Awards Chair
cox@azhpe.org
Lara Cox is a National Board Certified Teacher currently in her 19th year of teaching PE in Arizona with the last 9 in the Queen Creek Unified School district. Lara believes that physical education is about more than games in the gym; it is the foundation for a child's confidence and academic success. A proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She has also served as the 2023 AZHPE President, where the "Take the Leap" theme encouraged educators to find new, meaningful ways to challenge themselves for their students. She views movement as a lifelong journey, aiming to equip every student with the competence to stay healthy, the courage to try new things and creative confidence to make movement their own. When she isn’t advocating the importance of an active lifestyle, she is living it- whether she’s on the soccer field, cheering her kids (Breighlyn, Briley, & Brayton) and husband on at their sports/activities, hiking with their chocolate lab or rooting on all Wisconsin sports teams!