Meet the AJUSD Governing Board
A native “Jersey Girl” who was born, raised and married in New Jersey, Dena Kimble and her husband, Raymond, an attorney, moved to Arizona in 1997. The couple’s three children attended AJUSD schools and Mrs. Kimble has supported the district by being an active volunteer and fundraiser. She served as PTO president at Desert Vista Elementary School for four years where she helped raise money to install smart boards in every classroom. That same year she helped recruit folks to participate in the AJ Parks and Rec Walk-a-Thon fundraiser and the school’s PTO not only won first place – they repeated those efforts the following two years.
As her children grew older she moved on to Cactus Canyon Junior High and became PTO president at the school. She was instrumental in raising money to install smart projectors in many of the classrooms, and worked on a successful $4000 grant that enabled the school to purchase new books for the library. One of Mrs. Kimble’s favorite accomplishments was teaming up with the Anthony Bates Foundation and AJ’s fire department to provide free heart screening in AJ, and, by donation only; she helped raise enough money to install Automated External Defibrillators (AED) in every AJUSD school and the district office.
Mrs. Kimble is a paralegal and manages Kimble Law Firm. She has also operated her own successful home-based business for many years. She said she is delighted to offer her energy, creativity and experience to serve the AJUSD kids and community as a member of the board.
Mr. Cancio is an Arizona native born and raised in Tucson, Arizona 1951. He is the oldest of seven children (two deceased). He and his wife Suzi have been married for 38 years. They have three children and six grandchildren. They moved to Apache Junction in 2003.
Mr. Cancio graduated from Palo Verde High School in Tucson in 1969. He graduated from Eastern Arizona College in 1972 with an Associates in Arts degree in General Studies. He graduated from Northern Arizona University in 1973 with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Criminal Justice. In 2000 Mr. Cancio graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Masters of Arts in Organizational Management degree. Course emphasis was in Strategic Planning, Management, Leadership and Fiscal related matters.
Mr. Cancio has served 20 years active duty and reserves in the United States Marine Corps. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1973. He retired in 1993 at the rank of Major. His experience was primarily in logistics. He served with the Third Marine Division in Okinawa, Japan during the fall of South Vietnam during 1975.
Between Law Enforcement and Corrections, Mr. Cancio has served 30 years in Public Safety. He retired in 2012 from the Arizona Department of Corrections at the rank of Captain. Mr. Cancio has served on the Pinal County Personnel Merit System Commission. He enjoys firearms shooting, weight lifting and reading primarily military history.
His goal is to see the Apache Junction Unified School District become one of the best school districts in the state, for its size!
Bobby Bauders was born and raised in Apache Junction and attended AJUSD schools K-12. He is a proud graduate of Apache Junction High School, class of 2017. Bobby also attended Four Peaks Elementary School and Cactus Canyon Junior High School. Throughout his life in the AJUSD community, Mr. Bauders has developed a love for his hometown and a passion for service.
Attending AJHS is where Mr. Bauders saw his passion for service blossom. He served on the Student Council for three years and was the AJHS Student Council Public Relations Director for one year. Additionally, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the AJHS Yearbook. As an active member of these organizations, Mr. Bauders was committed to giving back to his community. That commitment carries forward to this day.
Mr. Bauders is a passionate advocate for both AJUSD and education. He believes that education is a fundamental pillar of society and believes in the positive impact that AJUSD has on our community. He has seen first hand the dedication and passion that the teachers and staff of AJUSD bring to their job. Their consistent hard work to provide a quality education to our community's students inspires Mr. Bauders everyday, and he is thankful for the positive impact AJUSD and its staff has had on his life.
Mr. Bauders is excited to bring his perspective as a recent graduate from AJUSD to the governing board. Mr. Bauders truly believes in the success of AJUSD, and he is eager for the work to come over the next four years in ensuring that success. He is thrilled for the opportunity to sit on the board and represent his community.
Cami Garcia was born and raised in Apache Junction and continues to work and volunteer in the hometown she adores. This love of the community and a desire to serve others runs in the family. Mrs. Garcia married Joe Garcia, an AJHS graduate who is now captain for the AJ Superstition Fire and Medical District.
Mrs. Garcia is an active volunteer with a special interest in sports. She has been with the Black & Gold Youth Football League for 15 years, served as past vice president of Apache Junction Little League for three years, was a Football Team Mom for five years, and has stepped up to the plate to help out on a variety of parent teacher organizations when needed. Mrs. Garcia has served on the AJUSD School Governing Board for two years and is looking forward to continuing in her role through December 2020.
Mrs. Garcia and her husband have raised three children - Tanner, Cameron, and Garrett. Tanner and Cameron graduated from Apache Junction High School. Garrett currently attends district schools.
Mrs. Garcia is a real estate broker and owns Western Lifestyle Realty. While she admits her business and family keep her busy, she said she is excited to serve as a School Board Member for AJUSD and be a part of the decision-making process to allow our students to excel in school and in life. She said she firmly believes AJUSD teachers and students deserve the best!
Gail Ross is an optician with a vision for improving student learning and educational opportunities for district students. The newest school board member plans to implement policy and programs that will boost students’ basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well as encourage critical thinking, accountability, and self-reliance. Now an Arizona resident for more than 22 years, Gail and her husband, Bob, are transplants from New Jersey. Tired of the bitter cold in the Northeast, the couple decided to relocate to a warmer climate. After doing their research and traveling throughout the state, they hit pay dirt with an incredible property to build a house near the Goldfield Mountains. While Gail says she and her husband are still mesmerized by the beauty of the desert and Superstition Mountains, she decided to scale back at work and be of service to the community. Drawing from the excellent education she received in her youth, her business acumen and knack for numbers, she decided to volunteer in an area where she felt she could do the most good as a Governing Board Member for Apache Junction Unified School District.