Staff

 Founder, Director, Special Educator

Emily Holly, an Arizona native, lives in Camp Verde with her three beautiful children and partner, Weston.  She moved from Phoenix about 10 years ago and loves the Verde Valley.   In 2019 she founded RISE and feels grateful for the support from the community and for the amazing staff and families that she spends time with each day.

Business Manager

Sarah Mathews moved from Vancouver Island, British Columbia to Arizona in 2015. During her time in Phoenix, she met her husband, a Northern Arizona native. Sarah relocated in 2017 to Camp Verde, where she currently resides with her husband, three children and many animals. Sarah enjoys crafting, baking and spending time with her family.

Vice Principal 

Alicia Slaughter, an Arizona native, lives in Camp Verde with her husband and her 2 daughters. She has been a part of RISE since 2020. Her hobbies include reading and spending time with her family and friends. 

Special Educator

Angel Gilbert is a Verde Valley Native who graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Sciences and Disorders along with a Speech and Language Pathologist Assistant Certification and is State licensed as an SLPA. She has been part of the RISE time for six years. During her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and kids as well as crocheting.

Preschool Admissions Coordinator

Special Educator

Deeply believing in the transformative power of the mind-body connection, Ana Camacho Hansen is an experienced and certified children's yoga instructor, teacher, author, and speaker dedicated to fostering body awareness in special needs individuals. Through mindful movement and breathwork, she guides RISE students toward a deeper understanding of themselves and greater ease in their bodies and minds. 

Special Educator 

Operations Manager

Facilities Director

 RISE Supported Living, Program Director 

With more than 17 years of experience serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, Mark Soto brings a unique combination of leadership, compassion, innovation, and hands-on experience to Rise Supported Living, LLC.

Mark began his career in developmental disability services in 2008, where he developed a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing individuals with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who support them. Throughout his career, he has served in numerous leadership and administrative roles, including Executive Assistant, Program Coordinator, Vocational Coordinator, Agency Trainer, Human Resources Coordinator, and Quality Assurance.

His experience extends across nearly every aspect of agency operations, from developing individualized programs and employment opportunities to staff development, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and organizational management. As a Lead Article 9 and Prevention and Support Instructor in Arizona, Mark had helped train and prepare Direct Support Professionals to provide safe, respectful, and person-centered services.

What sets Mark apart is his belief that providing services should mean more than simply meeting requirements. He believes individuals with disabilities deserve opportunities to discover their strengths, develop independence, build meaningful relationships, and become active, valued members of their communities.

Through Rise Supported Living, Mark is particularly passionate about creating pathways to meaningful employment. He believes that everyone has something valuable to contribute and that, with the right opportunities, training, and support, individuals with developmental disabilities can achieve greater independence and experience the pride that comes from meaningful work, with the goal to expand to more Home and Community Based Services