Premier Staff

Erik Gray, co-founder and director of operations at Premier Prep Online Academy, is a visionary leader with a profound commitment to revolutionizing education. With over 15 years of experience in the field, Erik has demonstrated exceptional expertise in both academics and athletics.

Previously serving as the network and site athletics director at LEAD Charter Schools and Leading Edge Academy, Erik's diverse background includes extensive roles such as elementary classroom teacher, middle school math teacher, physical education teacher, and coach. His versatile experience has equipped him with a deep understanding of educational dynamics at various levels.

Erik's outstanding leadership capabilities have been recognized through numerous positions at the district and school levels he held, including athletic director, assistant principal, transportation director, and marketing director. His dedication and strategic initiatives resulted in the establishment of a remarkable athletics program at Leading Edge Academy in 2008. Under his guidance, the program grew into one of the premier charter school athletics programs in Arizona, boasting the participation of hundreds of students across multiple Leading Edge Academy campuses and securing an impressive record of 25 state championships.

As a girls high school basketball coach, Erik's exceptional coaching prowess has garnered him six state championships and 13 regional titles. His unwavering commitment to student-athletes extends beyond the court, as he has successfully facilitated over 20 student-athletes in receiving offers and opportunities to pursue their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level.

Erik's passion for fostering excellence in sports administration is evident through his role as a founding board member of the Canyon (Charter) Athletic Association (CAA) in Arizona. His dedication and strategic guidance have played a pivotal role in transforming the CAA from a small athletics association with less than 50 schools to a robust organization serving over 300 schools, with an annual budget exceeding $1 million.

Furthermore, Erik's commitment to the advancement of interscholastic athletics is exemplified by his position on the Arizona Interscholastic Administrators Association Board, where he served as the 2A conference representative. In this role, he served as the vital link between the AIAAA and the Arizona Interscholastic Association 2A Conference. Erik's involvement includes providing training and professional development to athletics administrators across the state, ensuring compliance with multiple athletics associations, the Department of Public Safety, and oversight entities.

As a co-founder and director of operations at Premier Prep Online Academy, Erik brings his invaluable expertise, leadership, and dedication to creating a transformative educational experience. With his visionary approach and extensive background in education and athletics, Erik aims to establish Premier Prep Online Academy as a leading institution that empowers students to excel academically while nurturing their athletic abilities, setting them on a path to success in both their academic and personal pursuits.

Sarah Williams, Director of Education, began teaching elementary school in 2006 including kindergarten, fourth, and second grades at Ryan Elementary in Chandler School District while also serving in the leadership roles of grade-level chair, district curriculum specialist, social studies curriculum writer, literacy coach, and host to three student-teachers. In 2015, Sarah moved to Knox Gifted Academy, one of the top elementary schools in Arizona, to teach gifted and talented second-grade students. Concurrently, Sarah worked seven years as adjunct faculty for Northern Arizona University’s distance learning program at South Mountain Community College where she taught undergraduate courses in Early Childhood Classroom Management and Elementary Curriculum and Social Science Methods. Sarah was also involved with preparing, vetting, and placing undergraduate students in south Phoenix schools. In 2017, Sarah accepted a position at Leading Edge Academy Online to expand her knowledge of education by teaching students in a blended learning environment (online curriculum supported with in-person instruction and Resource Centers). Sarah has served in the Leading Edge administration as the dean of students, assistant principal, and finally as principal. During Sarah’s tenure as principal, Leading Edge Academy Online experienced over an 85 percent growth rate and added kindergarten through fifth grades to become a K–12 school. As principal, Sarah was also responsible for academic advising, management of the learning management system, student scheduling, and virtually managing a staff of over 20. Under her leadership, Leading Edge Academy Online offered a rigorous and robust online curriculum and an unprecedented four-year graduation rate of 95 percent, a major accomplishment for an Arizona online school.

I am an Arizona native, born and raised. I graduated from Higley High School and attended the East Valley Institute of Technology. With my passion for fostering learning and development, I have worked with children for over 15 years, five of those being in online education. I believe in creating a positive and safe learning environment where students feel valued and empowered to succeed. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband of 13 years and four children. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your child's education at Premier Prep Online Academy.

I have been a basketball coach in Tucson for the last 30 years. I was the girl's varsity head coach at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy from 2003 to 2023. During those 20 years, we experienced a lot of success on and off the court. We were able to win four 2A State Championships in a row from 2005 to 2008. As a 2A school, we played many 3A through 6A teams and welcomed the challenge as a program. I also served as assistant principal/athletics director for the past 17 years.

I have been married to my very supportive wife (Karen) for the last 37 years. We have three boys (Caleb, Joshua, and Aaron).

I am honored to be a part of Premier Prep Online Academy (Tucson). We not only get to coach these young men on the basketball court, but the opportunity to mentor them off the court is unique in our model for education. I look forward to gaining the trust and respect of our student-athletes and their parents.