Board of Directors

Elissa Wahl,  Angela Kleven & Ruth Parker

Elissa Wahl

Elissa’s experience in education has been as follows:

1992 Heard about homeschooling while pregnant
1993 Gave birth to first son
1995 Joined our first homeschool support group
1995-Present Active in local homeschool groups
1999 –2004 Edited and Published online ezine Seedling which offered homeschooling/unschooling advice and help
1999-2001 Volunteered with AOL as a Homeschool Chat Room Host, specializing in unschooling & new/interested homeschoolers
2001 Co-Authored Christian Unschooling : Growing Your Children in the Freedom of Christ
2001 Gave birth to 2nd son
2002 Co-founded a local homeschool support group, NWLVHSers
2002 Co-Founded Nevada Homeschool Network, NV’s only homeschool advocacy organization
2002-Present Nevada Homeschool Network Officer
2002-2006 Member Southern Nevada Homeschool Advisory Council
2002-Present Multiple media interviews, print and tv
2002-Present Speaking engagements on homeschooling, laws, etc
2003-2007 Co-Chair for annual Las Vegas homeschool conventions
2003-Present Active in and instructor for, various co-op classes
2005-Present Mentoring Leader for various local support groups new/interested families
2006 Gave birth to 3rd son
2007-Present Clark County School District Homeschool Contact
2007-2011 blogger about Christian Unschooling
2009-2011 Co-Teen Leader for local homeschool group, and Student Council Adviser
2009 Co-Founder of RISE Education Resource Center
2009-Present RISE Board Member
2012-Present Vice-Chair to the State Public Charter School Authority

Personal Background and Education Credentials

Elissa’s education includes: 1992 graduation from Hopewell Valley Central High School, Pennington NJ.
Higher education includes: credits in languages, special education and child development, not culminating in a degree, however vastly helpful in personal growth.
Hobbies include: education related activities, reading, scrapbooking and just general personal growth
Elissa belongs to the following homeschool organizations: Nevada Homeschool Network, Home School Legal Defense Association, Eagles Homeschool Co-op, NorthWest Homeschoolers, and CHIEFS homeschool group.

                    Angela Kleven

There are three things you need to know about me, one of the founders of RISE: 1) I have three incredibly fabulous children; 2) I have a passion for education, specifically quality alternative education; and 3) I am willing to work hard and do what it takes to provide this type of education for my children… and yours!

This is why I have spent the past ten years homeschooling my kids; the past five years building and running RISE Education Resource Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making sure parents know they have educational options and that they have help; and the past year creating Leadership Academy of Nevada, a new online charter high school. When I’m not busy with this, that, or the other, I enjoy watching reruns of “I Love Lucy,” devouring books as if they were chocolate (dark, that is), and laughing with my friends and family.