Monte Hawkins
Monte is a native of Utah. He grew up among the red hills of Kanab, where he enjoyed a childhood and adolescence of learning and growing in a small town. He was raised in a home that taught the importance of core values such as honesty, hard work, persistence, loyalty, and integrity and he has let these values guide his decisions and life above all else. Monte was affectionately given the nickname of “Boomer” as an infant and if you ever catch him among friends and family, you will most definitely still hear him called by this name today.
Monte has always been physically active as he has participated in many sports and outdoor activities throughout his life. Some of his hobbies include Hunting, Golf, Football, Basketball, and being in the outdoors with his family.
Monte has a master’s degree in Education Administration. He has spent the last ten years in public education, the last four of which he was a principal in Beaver, Utah. Monte has a passion for helping others around him succeed by being a continual positive influence and example.
During his time in public education, he enjoyed working with both teachers and students. One of his greatest accomplishments in the public education arena was creating ways to improve educational outcomes by focusing on overall student behavior. Monte found great success in implementing a behavior unit inside the school that focused on teaching students specific skills in order to help them learn to self govern their own behavior both in the school, the classroom, and in life in general. Because students began to learn to self govern, teachers quickly caught on to this vision and were very supportive of the implementation of the behavior unit as it noticeably improved the overall behavior and management inside their classrooms.
Monte quickly realized he had a passion for helping others become their best selves by encouraging teachers, students and staff to improve daily. The motto of the school was “getting better every day,” and this is a what resulted during his time as principal. His school continually progressed academically every year that he was in administration. He accredits this to students being able to better self govern and thus perform to their highest academic ability. Monte’s school recently received the National Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence and was recognized for being the top Title I school in the state of Utah.
Monte’s core values and principle-based living has allowed him to see success in his own life and has also created a deep desire in him to make a difference with the youth of today’s society. This, coupled with his educational background, is what has driven the creation of Quest Leadership Academy.
Monte and his wife Rachael are the parents of six children; two sons and four daughters. The greatest joy in his life revolves around these people. Monte enjoys nothing more than being a dad and spending time with his family. He is excited to have them by his side in this journey and be a part of the success at Quest Leadership Academy.
Rachael Hawkins
Rachael Hawkins is a native of Utah and is very excited to bring Quest Leadership Academy to her hometown. She has a special place in her heart for the town that helped raised her and knows that this place will help many girls as they journey onward in becoming successful young people in the world today.
Rachael attended Southern Utah University where she studied Sociology, Nursing, and English. She also had the opportunity to represent the University as a Presidential Ambassador. As an ambassador, Rachael worked closely with new college freshman and high school students helping them focus on leadership and life skills.
Rachael has always and still enjoys physical activity. She participated in many sports in high school including, Volleyball, Basketball, and Softball. Since then she still continues playing in women’s leagues and city rec leagues. Rachael has competed in multiple triathlons as well as Ragnar Relay races. She is a firm believer that physical activity and pushing yourself outside your comfort zones creates growth and confidence.
Rachael married Monte, and shortly after, they started their family which has grown to six kids, with twin babies completing their family. Rachael has enjoyed being a stay at home mom and has embraced the mom life in every essence. Right now, Monte and Rachael’s children range between the ages of 13 to 1 years old. Despite most of her time being dedicated in her home, she has found many opportunities to work with the youth in the many communities in which she has lived. Rachael quickly realized that she had a passion for helping adolescent young women become strong, confident, capable, and successful. She has spent countless hours mentoring and helping teenage girls in her community and finds great satisfaction in watching and helping these girls grow and succeed.
Rachael and Monte have dreamed of opening a school together to promote principle based living and providing girls with the opportunity to succeed academically, emotionally and physically. They are so excited to see their dream come to reality as they help your daughters continue to grow and succeed and prepare for a successful life in college, the workforce, in their future homes and families, and life in general
Keli Lessing
Keli Lessing is our Culinary Arts Director. Keli grew up in Beaver, Utah. Keli was the valedictorian graduating high school, and went on attended SUU where she graduated with a major in sociology and a minor criminal justice in 2007. In 2014 Keli graduated from the University of Utah with a Masters of Business Administration. After her schooling, many opportunities presented themselves and she too a job working as a Bakery Director for 7 years for Harmons Grocery stores. Here, she oversaw the operations and recipe development of the companies 17 bakeries nationwide.. During that time Keli continued pursuing her passion while she attended the San Francisco Baking institute and earned a certificate in Artisan Bread Baking I and II.
Keli is strongly independent. If she doesn’t know an answer or how to do something, she won’t stop until she figures it out. She is determined and embodies the essence of a strong, smart, capable woman!
Keli has two dogs, One is a yorkie named Izzy and the other is a Golden Doodle named Moquie. Izzy and Moquie are part of the Quest family and can be seen from time to time on Campus greeting the girls.
Keli is a huge asset to Life Quest Girls Academy. She is very understanding and compassionate towards the girls and creates a positive environment for them to learn and grow.
Tanner Perrero
Tanner Perrero grew up in Mapleton, Utah. He has 3 sisters and 2 brothers. He has always been a natural leader among his friends, peers, and family. Tanner played football in high shool and graduated from Springville High. He later moved to Florida where he gave of himself, serving a mission, communities, and the people all over the Tampa Area. Tanner enjoys being in the outdoors. He especially loves hiking, hunting, and fishing. Tanner learned early on in life the importance of resilience and perseverance. He has gone through many life changes and experiences and has developed crucial life skills and characteristics that have made him a successful young adult. Tanner is currently a student a Southern Utah University.
Janette Branvall
Janette Branvall grew up in Beaver Utah with 9 siblings. Early on in life Janette learned the importance of family. In her very early adolescence, she developed life long skills of getting along with those around her and learning how to develop long lasting healthy relationships. Janette attended Beaver High School and later went on to study at Southern Utah University. At this time Janette also pursued a cosmotology degree and took the opportunity to work in cosmetology as she raised her son, Braden.
Janette loves spending time with her son Braden and their two dogs, Kuma and Lady Chanelle. She loves adventure and experiencing life to its fullest. Janette can often be found hiking, fishing, and enjoying the beauty of the world around her.
Janette is tiny in stature, but one of the strongest women we have ever known. Her deep rooted values and convictions guide her daily life as she chooses to live her life in service of others constantly. Janette is full of compassion and love and has true empathy for those around her. Janette understands the value of hard work and has reaped its rewards throughout life. Because of this Janette’s skill set varies from cosmetology, tire repair, arts and crafts, home repair, and everything in between! She has been a vital key to the growing success at Life Quest as she gives light and hope, and structure and guidance to the girls that come to our school.
Elle Woolsey
Elle Woolsey is our Art Director at Life Quest Girls Academy. Elle was born and raised in Monroe, Utah in a house full of sisters and one brother. Elle grew up in the quiet streets of this small town where she attended elementary school and eventually graduated high school. Elle participated in everything she could in high school from art to softball to musicals and more. Elle is extremely well rounded and has developed many talents that she now uses to make the world around her a more beautiful and welcoming place.
Elle married Devin Woolsey and now has 4 beautiful daughters of her own. Elle’s family is the light of her life and she enjoys being a mother more than anything. If you ever want to see true love in real life, it’s Devin and Elle. Their love and respect for each other is worthy of emulation. Their mutual respect and encouragement shows in their successful home and family.
Even among her responsibilities as a young wife and mother, Elle found time to start her own business called The Yellow Brick House where she taught art classes and created hand painted items to sell. Since then Elle has found her niche in the social media world and is now the owner and operator of Elle May Design where she continues to offer lettering classes and tips and handmade paintings and prints.
Elle is everything that a true artist is. She finds and focuses on the beauty in the world all around her. She sees the good in others, she sees the colors of life, and she sees the positive and light in every situation. Elle has an infectious personality that draws good people into her life. She loves deeply and cares for others with all her heart. It is only fitting that a person with so much compassion and love be an artist, for she truly recreates this love and light in all of her work. We are thrilled beyond description to have Elle head up our Art program as we know she will not only teach the arts, but bring beauty and light to the girls who learn from her.
