Meet Our Board Members

Ashly Barta is the Special Education Program Director for the Military Homeschool Association, where she brings over a decade of experience in education, specializing in special education, curriculum development, and educational technology. With a Master of Science in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and more than 10 years of homeschooling experience, Ashly is dedicated to helping military families navigate the complexities of education for children with diverse learning needs.

A mother to a child with special needs, Ashly has firsthand experience designing and implementing individualized educational plans to support her son’s unique learning journey. This personal insight allows her to deeply understand the challenges military families face when educating children with special needs.

As an Educational Consultant at Empowered Strategies and Consulting, Ashly supports parents and educators with IEP/504 consulting, offering customized activity recommendations based on thorough evaluations. Her background also includes serving as a Preschool/Kindergarten Teacher, Early Childhood Evaluator, and the owner/teacher at Puddle Jumpers Preschool, where she developed tailored curricula for children with varying abilities.

Ashly believes in creating inclusive and supportive learning environments where all students can thrive. She is committed to empowering students by integrating the latest educational research and technology into her teaching approach. Beyond her professional roles, Ashly enjoys reading, photography, and traveling with her family, discovering new places through their military life. She is continuously striving to improve her expertise to make a lasting, positive impact on education.

I’m a dedicated advocate for military homeschooling families, serving as the Partnerships Program Director for the Military Homeschool Association (MHA). With nearly a decade of homeschooling experience, I’m passionate about building strong, supportive communities that help military families thrive in their educational journey.

I lead the Ft. Eisenhower Military Homeschool Group and the Monterey MilitaryHomeschool Community, creating opportunities for connection through co-ops, field trips, and tailored resources. As a committed advocate, I work to ensure military homeschool families have access to the support and tools they need, regardless of where duty calls.

As a proud Army veteran and spouse,  I understand the unique challenges of military life and education. Through leadership, advocacy, and community-building, I’m dedicated to empowering military homeschoolers and strengthening their educational experience.

Kisha Rahming is a former home educator of 17 years to her three college-aged children. As an active duty military spouse, she is proud that homeschooling was the one constant in her children’s lives. Over the years at different duty stations, she has been a member of several homeschool support groups. She currently volunteers with the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society as both a Client Services Assistant, who provides financial counseling and no-interest loans to Sailors and Marines, and an External Communications Coordinator, who manages the social media content on various platforms for the society. She looks forward to working with Military Homeschoolers Association and providing support for this community.

Maresa Kelleher is a devoted military spouse of nearly 20 years, skillfully balancing her role as a homeschooling mother to three children and a “fur mom” to three lively dogs, all of whom came to stay as foster fails. With a degree in liberal arts, Maresa has recently returned to school to pursue a degree in Animal Science and Industry, specializing in pre-veterinary medicine. Originally from Tampa, FL, she and her family have moved several times with the Coast Guard and are currently residing in Iowa.

Beyond her academic ambitions, Maresa is an active and passionate member of the
homeschooling community. She works with Homeschoolers of Maine, contributing to their
communications and social media efforts, while also serving as the organization’s Military
Family Leader. In addition, she is the Podcast and Content Manager for the Military
Homeschoolers Association, where she further supports military families on their homeschooling journeys.

A dedicated volunteer, Maresa invests her time in her local community and church wherever
they are stationed, advocating for those in need and striving to make a positive impact wherever she can. Whether by organizing events or offering support to fellow families, Maresa is a strong believer in the power of service and making a difference in the lives of others.

Music holds a special place in Maresa’s heart. As a worship leader for many years, she shares
her love for music through piano, singing, and teaching lessons when she can. She is constantly looking for new opportunities to learn and grow. She cherishes learning alongside her children and enjoys their family hikes, although she believes the ocean is an integral part of her soul and where she is truly meant to be.

Above all, Maresa’s faith is the cornerstone of her life. With God at the center of her family’s
journey, she is deeply committed to cultivating a meaningful, personal relationship with Him and prioritizing her faith in all that she does.

Rita Roberts was born the youngest of 5 children in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas where her parents owned a cactus nursery. She earned a Hispanic scholarship to Texas A&M and pursued a degree in Biomedical Science and began working in the molecular biology labs on campus. She met her husband of 32 years, Captain, USN (retired) Shawn Roberts, at Texas A&M, and after his commissioning, they moved to the Tidewater Virginia area. In 2004, Rita returned to Texas by herself, finished her last few hours, and graduated, delivering her first daughter only 5 months later. Homeschooling wasn’t the plan, but having kids with exceptional needs and abilities plus constant deployments with the GWOT, changed the plan. Rita began the journey that now has 2 kids in major universities and one entering high school as a homeschooler. Rita has now homeschooled in 5 states and PCSd with her Navy spouse 7 times. She has proactively worked with local districts to facilitate homeschool needs in the community. She has taught STEM in Girl Scouts, FIRST Lego Leagues and tutored math and science. She now resides in Texas with her family and one very spoiled basset hound.

My name is Noel Molnar and I am a spouse of a retired combat veteran, homeschool mom of 5 years to 2 impressive and talented kiddos, and an on-call hospice nurse practitioner. With 20 years of service behind him, my husband works at a nonprofit auto mechanic shop that provides services for people that cannot afford traditional car maintenance and teaches car repairs to older homeschool kids as well as adults. After years of moving from base to base and state to state, we settled in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. We never saw ourselves as a homeschool family until we went from an amazing private school in South GA to a private school in the dust bowl of NM that was not a great fit. My neighbor was homeschooling and held my hand as I turned in my intent to homeschool for the first time. I was working full time and it was the most difficult decision that we made – most people I knew thought I was crazy. From terrifying to glorifying, this decision has become part of my testimony. 

We continue to homeschool because we love the flexibility and the ability to incorporate our values in our kids in the subjects we teach. Our children are thriving in the homeschool community and are provided opportunities that will help them become strong well rounded people. In the evenings, we are either at music lessons with the Suzuki School of Music or working on badgework through American Heritage Girls and Trail Life USA, both of which are primarily filled with other homeschool families. My husband and I both lead units with the troops so it really has become a family thing. 

Starting over in a new homeschool community frequently has its challenges. That is why I decided to serve the military homeschool community in the Black Hills. We have an active duty base, 2 guard bases, and 2 large VA centers that we serve. In partnership with the school liaison office, we have been able to host 2 local homeschool conferences, restart homeschool arts and crafts, advocate for open gym time at the base youth center, and host socials and parties for homeschool kids on base. The past year, I’ve been able to create a free curriculum library which will roll out this fall for families that may not be able to afford curriculum or only see themselves homeschooling in the short term. I also work closely with 2 state organizations advocating for the military community while sharing state resources with our members. 

When I am not wearing all my various hats, I am probably taking care of my new chickens, hiking, or working on the house. We just bought our forever home and as weird as it is after so many years of temporary houses, it is exciting to get to make it our own. 

Candace Guelzo is an Army Spouse of 12 years to her husband Jonathan, together they have three children, whom she homeschools, and two corgis. She is a PhD candidate in Industrial / Organizational Psychology and has spent the last 10 years volunteering and working with multiple nonprofits and spouses’ clubs. Her passion lies in researching, especially for our military community, and intends to bring her knowledge to MHA. In her free time she love to read, paint, and explore National Parks with her family.

With over 20 years of experience in education as a private, public, and guest teacher, and as a homeschool parent, I am excited to join Military Homeschoolers as the Education Program Director.  I am a strong advocate for supporting homeschool families especially within the military community, where the need to find your peers is even more complex due to moves.

I am an Army spouse with two graduated homeschool students of my own.  We’ve spent much of my husband’s career stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, giving me a great deal of insight into options within our local community and the resources available.

I hold a BA and MA in political science, as well as teaching certification in Texas and Colorado.  My initial focus was secondary, but I chose to go back and add on the K-6 endorsement for broader options.  I currently lead the Fort Carson Homeschoolers group, providing advice and assistance to our local families, as well as opportunities for field trips, enrichment, and social events.  I love planning interesting options for our group to introduce people to homeschooling in the military and Colorado Springs.

Rae currently serves as Donor Support for the Military Homeschoolers Association, managing donor relations, fundraising campaigns, and financial transparency.

Rae is a board-certified practitioner of neurologic music therapy and a behavior consultant with over a decade of clinical practice, education, and advocacy. Her journey to becoming a master-level clinician was driven by her dedication to first serving her four children, whom she homeschools year-round. Wherever life takes her family, she remains deeply committed to enriching her community through faith-based guidance and education. Rae currently serves as co-founder and director of The Launch Homeschool Co-op and The Launch Theatre Company, as well as Jewish lay leader at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

As a lifelong philanthropist, Rae has an extensive history of service within the nonprofit sector. In addition to grant writing and board leadership, she has dedicated years to end-of-life care as a respite provider, support group facilitator, and “hospice angel,” providing comfort and companionship to patients in their final moments. Currently, she channels her passion for community support and education into the birth and pregnancy space as the social media manager and graphic designer for Your Whole Baby. 

In her free time, Rae enjoys restoring musical instruments and woodworking—always seeking to blend artistry with purpose.

Zakkiyya Chase is an accomplished author and the proud mother of a super-powered autistic son. In her book, No Dream Deferred: Why Black and Latino Families Are Choosing Homeschool, she explores the current educational climate in America and the motivations for the two most rapidly growing homeschool demographics. She is also the Founder of Empowered Home Educators, Inc., a non-profit organization that serves homeschooling families of color in the Commonwealth of Virginia and surrounding areas.

She believes homeschooling is a blessing that strengthens families and provides children with a world-class education, which prepares them for future success as leaders and innovators. She has an unyielding drive to better communities by fostering loving connections, creating enriching experiences, and building bridges that lead to long-lasting positive change. She enjoys volunteering with several local nonprofit organizations in her spare time. She works alongside the Planning Counsel as a Governing Board member for the Southern Virginia Homelessness Coalition, assists HEAV as the Black Outreach Coordinator, facilitates weekly classes at Burfoot House Women’s Shelter, and prepares meals for needy families with Mercy Chefs.