Favorite Quote:
"Success doesn't come to you…you go to it." – Marva Collins
JeNina Nicole Alvarez
Administrative Assistant
Phone #: 623-773-8617
E-mail:
JeNina.Alvarez@peoriaaz.gov
JeNina has worked in recreation since 2002 including youth after school/summer programs, community centers, senior programs, and toddler programs. JeNina is currently finishing her Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. She is an Arizona native and her entire family still lives in Arizona. JeNina has been married since 2006 and
had her first child on Christmas Eve
2007. She and her husband are season ticket holders to the Arizona Cardinals and enjoy visiting other cities to watch the Cardinals play on the road. They are also avid Arizona sports fans and enjoy going to Suns and Diamondbacks games as well.
Although, their world is all about the
new baby now! JeNina also enjoys scrapbooking, reading, and shopping as hobbies. JeNina will be responsible for the front desk operations and administration of the Rio Vista Recreation Center.
Favorite Quote:
“We ride and never worry about the fall; I guess that’s just the Cowboy in us all” – Tim McGraw
Steve Richardson
Recreation Programmer -Teens
Phone #: 623-773-8620
E-mail:
Steve.Richardson@peoriaaz.gov
Steve was born in Mesa, AZ in 1982. He was the most beautiful baby ever according to his mother and was featured in several Huggies commercials.
Just Kidding. He graduated from Mesa High School in 2000. He attended Northern Arizona University and graduated with a Parks and Recreation Management degree in 2004. After college he worked at Club Med in Port St. Lucie, Florida for about six months, where he became the greatest tetherball player ever to work at the resort (57-0 record). Steve started as the Recreation Programmer for Teens with the city of Peoria in July of 2006. His hobbies are playing every sport there is, hopscotch, traveling, baking, and basically anything outside. His sports teams are the Detroit Lions, the Phoenix Suns, and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Steve was recently married on July 14, 2007 in San Diego to his fiancée, Michele (a Padres fan…Boo!) and they have two cute little Chihuahuas (Zeke and Jez).
Favorite Quote:
“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Andrea Traganza
Recreation Coordinator - Special Interest Classes
Phone #: 623-773-8623
E-mail:
Andrea.Traganza@peoriaaz.gov
Andrea has worked in the field of Recreation for over 25 years. Her background includes aquatics, therapeutic recreation, park and facility management, and currently, special interest class coordination. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Management and Tourism from Arizona State University. Her career in recreation has provided her the opportunity to work for five Phoenix-area cities over the years, but she must say, she enjoys working for the City of Peoria the most! Andrea’s hobbies include fostering homeless cats and kittens for a local animal rescue/adoption organization and advocating for local and national animal welfare-related causes.
Favorite Quote:
“Compassion is the highest form of wisdom” – unknown
Tracy DeBerge
Recreation Coordinator- Fitness
Phone #: 623-773-8622
E-mail:
Tracy.DeBerge@peoriaaz.gov
In Tracy’s late 20’s she had a career rebirth and left the restaurant world to pursue health and fitness. Her introduction to the industry was in management for a women’s only health club in Chicago. While she loved the concept, she was not impressed with the management philosophy and moved on. Tracy ended up at a private health club where she worked for six years and really got to know the industry. She started on the ground floor opening the club at 5:00am, cleaning and putting away equipment and helping members. She was mentored by the Fitness Director and became a Group Exercise Instructor and Personal Trainer and branched out by additionally working at other facilities. At this point she realized she needed the education to fulfill what had become a passion. Tracy returned to college and then to graduate school at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she received her Masters degree in Exercise Science. Her philosophy became “to be my own guinea pig” and she began a path of competitions in triathlons, body building, and marathons; she also dabbled in instructing for sea kayaking, Pilates and academic teaching. Tracy has worked in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors of the health and fitness industry and is most excited about the new Rio Vista Recreation Center because of its potential. It’s an exhilarating time for the City of Peoria and she hopes that we can meet all of your needs and exceed your expectations!
Favorite Quote:
“There are two great days in a person's life - the day we are born and the day we discover why.” - William Barclay
Jillian Kuntz
Recreation Programmer
Phone #: 623-773-8618
E-mail:
Jill.Kuntz@peoriaaz.gov
Jillian has worked for the City of
Peoria for 5 years, majority of it at the Zuni Hills Am/Pm program. She was born and raised in California but moved to Arizona in 2002 after graduating high school. She must be crazy for leaving the beautiful California coastal weather! But as you will learn Jillian is always freezing so the warm Arizona weather suites her. She lives in Peoria with her younger sister, Kelly, and Chihuahua, Ariel. She has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Arizona State University. And plans to (some day) pursue a master’s degree. Jillian spends her free time with her family (they are very close) and is usually baking something hence the nicknames, Betty Crocker and Jilly Crocker. Her favorite cartoon character and movie is Disney’s The Little Mermaid, which shockingly is whom she named her dog after. Jillian works Sunday through Wednesday nights as manager on duty. And you will also see her from time to time in the Kids’ Corner.
Sarah Loerzel
Recreation Programmer
Phone #: 623-773-8618
E-mail:
Sarah.Loerzel@peoriaaz.gov
Families are really taking back their
time together at the Rio Vista
Recreation Center and that’s what
matters. Sarah believes one of the most
exciting things about Rio Vista is
parents can complete their workouts
upstairs and then come down stairs and
enjoy spending time with their children
in a friendly game of basketball, while
climbing the rock wall, or in the
adventure room playing Wii Fit.
Sarah graduated Summa Cum Laude from ASU
West with her Bachelors’ Degree in
Recreation. While Sarah was completing
her college internship she kayaked down
the San Juan River on a City of Peoria
Outdoor Adventure Trip. She enjoyed the
program so much she decided to stay with
the City of Peoria and works at a
Recreation Programmer at the Rio Vista
Recreation Center.
During her free time she chases after
her two young handsome boys and bakes
cookies for her husband; who travels
more often than not. She enjoys fishing
in the White Mountains, riding horses,
and playing in the ocean whenever she
can.
You might run into Sarah on the weekend;
don’t be afraid to say hi. She really
enjoys talking to people and she gives
great tours of the facility.
“You must be the change you want to see
in the world” - Mahatma Gandhi
Briana Decker
Senior Office Assistant
Phone #: 623-773-8619
E-mail:
Briana.Decker@peoriaaz.gov
Briana has worked the past 9 years in office administration and customer service. She is currently pursuing a degree in Organizational Management and Business. Briana’s favorite hobbies include cooking, shopping for her new home and spending time with her family (which includes 4 very spoiled animals). As a new member to The City of Peoria, she intends to make the Rio Vista Recreation Center a pleasurable and comfortable place for families to come and enjoy themselves.
Favorite Quotes:
“What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles. To be sure; but, scattered along life’s pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.” – Joseph Addison
“Whatever we think about and thank about we bring about.” –John Demartini
Jennifer Eccles
Senior Office Assistant
Phone #: 623-773-8619
E-mail:
Jennifer.Eccles@peoriaaz.gov
Jennifer was born and raised in Arizona. She has decided never to live anywhere else that might get cold because she’s crazy and actually likes the heat. She graduated high school in May 2001 and went straight to college on an academic scholarship at Arizona State University. She became the first in her family to graduate from college, in Dec. 2004. She achieved a Bachelors of Science degree in Global Business with a concentration of Information Systems Management. She is a very focused and determined individual with an all around good nature. Before joining the staff at Rio Vista, she worked part time as a volleyball referee for the City of Peoria, a cashier for the ASU
bookstore, a private investigator for
Private Eye Investigations, and a
financial advisor with World Financial
Group. She still holds licensing as a
private investigator and financial
advisor and helps out the companies in
her free time. In May of 2007, her
fiancé and she bought their first home
and completely remodeled it, most of the
work they did on their own. Four months
later they moved in with their puppy
Annabelle, 2 cats Shelby and Joey, and
their two huge tanks of fish. In her
free time, Jennifer likes to play
sports, volleyball and tennis, put
together difficult jigsaw puzzles, and
spend time tending to her garden.
Jennifer and her fiancé plan to get
married in a year and are currently
looking to rent the Rio Vista Lakeview
room for the ceremony and reception!
Favorite quote:
“When you were born, everyone around you was smiling and you were crying. Live your life so that when you die, you're smiling and everyone around you is crying.” Unknown
