The Board of Directors is comprised of dedicated individuals who donate their time, talent, and fundraising efforts to oversee the operation of Dysart Community Center.
Louisa Kellam, Board President
Louisa is the daughter of musicians; both her parents were choral conductors. She began studying the piano at age 5 and the violin at age 6. Louisa graduated from high school at the age of 16 as the class Valedictorian. She graduated from Indiana 
University at age 19 with a degree in Education. She was the Concertmaster of IU Opera Orchestra. The Louisa Kellam Center for Women’s Health is named in her honor. Louisa volunteers four days a week at Dysart teaching English as a Second Language. Her dedication to Dysart Community Center is amazing.
Louisa is married to Birt Kellam (past office of PORA in Sun City West, past president of West Valley Art Museum, past president of Sun Health Foundation, past president of the Sundome Performing Arts Association, past chairman of Arizona Broadway Theater and past trustee of Arizona State University, Birt is a very busy fellow!
Birt and Louisa have one son, one daughter and two grandchildren.
Louisa was first an elementary school teacher and then a professional violinist, she is now retired.
Organization affiliations, past and present.
- Louis Philharmonic Orchestra Board
- Dysart Education Foundation Board
- Advisory Committee for West Valley Chamber Music Society Board
- City of Surprise ESL program
- Dysart Community Center ESL Tutor
- West Valley Symphony Board
- Dysart Community Center Board, President
- Various Church Committees
Hobbies, past and present:
- Dancing, tap & jazz, Sewing, Reading, Traveling, Tennis, Volunteering
Betty Eldridge, Vice President
Betty was born on a farm in Southwestern Minnesota, graduating from a small consolidated high school and receiving her 
Bachelor of Science degree at Mankato State University.
Over the years she taught every grade except kindergarten, teaching in Iowa, Kansas, Illinois and South St. Paul Minnesota. While working in Minnesota she earned her Masters Degree in Special Education and a Specialist Degree in Administration from the University of ST. Thomas.
Betty taught gifted education, special education and served as a career counselor and administrator at a high school in Minnesota. She went on to work for the St. Paul Education Foundation, a non-profit that raises money for scholarships to attend vocational schools and college. This organization also funds innovative classroom projects for teachers. The St. Paul Education Foundation continues to be an outstanding foundation, giving away $373,150 to graduating seniors last year.
Upon retirement Betty moved to Sun City Grand and immediately began looking for places to volunteer. She also joined an organization for women called AAUW, serving as President of that organization, working on annual projects. During this time she became acquainted with Dysart Community Center and has been an active ESL tutor ever since. Betty feels everything we can do to help adults learn English and make their lives easier is very important. “It is a joy to work with these wonderful adults as they are always so appreciative.”
Jim Fischer, Board Treasurer
living here in the Valley as well.
Carol Moren, “Secretary for Life”
Carol Washam Moren grew up in the El Mirage Neighborhood after moving there from Iowa in l944. She graduated from 
Peoria High School in 1947. She married Bob Washam and they raised their three children in El Mirage.
In 1961 Carol was very involved in Dysart School as a secretary in the newly created El Mirage School. She worked for Dysart School district from 1961 to 1989.
She also became very involved in the creation of Dysart Community Center. Carol was there at the ground breaking ceremony in 1961 and has contributed her time to this day as secretary for the Community Center Board Meetings.
Dr. Jim Pedigo is a medical doctor, a psychiatrist, and a psychoanalyst. He practiced medicine in Philadelphia for 50 years. Dr. Pedigo taught at the University of Pennsylvania for about 30 years. He completed his residency at Hawaii State Hospital and Philadelphia General Hospital, he served an internship at Detroit Receiving Hospital, University Health Center and graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine Medical School He has two children, a son in Vermont who is a Master’s level psychologist, and a daughter in Phoenix who is a pediatrician. Dr. Pedigo closed his practice and moved to Sun City Grand five years ago.
Dr. Pedigo teaches both ESL and GED classes for Dysart Community Center, he is a wonderful volunteer and very dedicated to helping people reach their full potential.
Kenneth K. Yamanouchi, Board Member
Born in Tokyo, Japan in 1939. Colonel, Medical Services Corps, US Army, Retired. Career in healthcare management and Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Kenneth served five and a half years on the Institutional Review Board, Banner Sun Health Research Institute. He completed two terms as Commissioner, Arizona Veteran’s Services Advisory Commission; serving as Chairman in 2008 and 2009, conducted Town Hall Meetings throughout the state, listened to veterans and advised the Governor of veteran’s issues. Kenneth advocated for military personnel, veterans and scholarships through his leadership in the Luke Chapter, Military Officers Association of America and as President of the Arizona Council of Chapters lobbying Arizona members of Congress. Kenneth was selected to the Arizona Veteran’s Hall of Fame, Class of 2011. He serves Dysart Community Center both on the board and as an ESL tutor.
Russell Harris, Board Member
Russ Harris was a lifelong resident of the Cleveland, Ohio area until moving to Arizona in 2012. He moved to Corte Bella in 2016. Russ graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio and went to work as a commercial banking officer with Society National Bank (now Key Bank) and attended night law school at Cleveland- Marshall Law School (Cleveland State University). After graduation he first went to work as an Assistant County Prosecutor in Cuyahoga County representing the State of Ohio in felony criminal cases. After 3 years he was hired back at Key Bank as an attorney handling litigation and commercial banking documentation. Russ later became General Counsel for the largest auto dealership group in Ohio handling litigation and business transactions. He left that position when he and his wife moved to Arizona. Once in Arizona Russ met a woman who handled immigration cases and he was given authorization by Homeland Security to begin assisting her representing persons seeking asylum in the U.S. He was appearing in Immigration Court in the detention center in Eloy until COVID shut it down so now he is really retired! Russ teaches Citizenship and ESL Classes and assists with all our Civics lessons.
Ricardo Lopez, Advisor to the Board
Ricardo was born in Phoenix and raised in El Mirage for most of his childhood except for a few small stints in Texas. He met his wife at Dysart High School, and they have been together since 2000. They have two beautiful children, a daughter Alicca age 12 and a son Ricardo Jr. who is 9.
Ricardo played college football at Phoenix College, where he earned a full ride scholarship to Virginia Union University. Unfortunately he lost the scholarship due to bad decisions as a teen.
He has been with the Dysart Unified School District since 2010 where he started as an In-School Suspension Coordinator and worked his way up to job specialist five years later. He has coached High School football since starting with the district. In 2017 Ricardo started a youth football organization that is thriving today.
Ricardo’s passion is working with youth. He believes in teaching them that they have options and a way to build a foundation for their future. His past experiences make him a beloved coach who inspires his youth to their best possible performance.
His hobbies are coaching youth and helping to build the community of El Mirage from within.
