Kimberly Tobey is the Director for Teacher Certification Programs at Rio Salado Community College. She also served as the Executive Director for the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs (NACCTEP) from 2012 to 2020: NACCTEP is dedicated to advocating for community colleges in national discussions about teacher education and facilitating connections between community college teacher education programs, four-year institutions, and numerous educational partners.

In her role as Director, Kimberly has been instrumental in developing a state-approved community college post-baccalaureate teacher preparation program, an alternative path program for certification, an undergraduate 3 + 1 Bachelor of Education program/partnership, and as of 2023, a full bachelor’s degree program at the community college; all programs which had never been offered before at the community college level.

Kim earned her M.Ed. in Higher Education Leadership in 1999 and her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice in 1989 from Grand Canyon University and in 2017, she was recognized as the Alumni of the Year from GCU’s College of Education. As a first-generation college student, Kimberly has a passion for helping all college students navigate higher education, with a special focus on non-traditional students. She aims to build teacher education pathways that support the needs of non-traditional students, increase the diversity of the teacher pipeline, and keep students in their communities where they can have the most impact.

While she enjoys advocacy, reading regulations, and developing policy, her most important and fulfilling role has been as the wife of her wonderful husband, Tim Tobey, for 36 years, and the mother of two handsome young men. All of them fear the Lord, lead as Christ led, and love her and others unconditionally. Her youngest son is also a GCU alum in the College of Business. The Tobey home has been a refuge for hundreds of kids from across the valley, as they have dedicated their home and finances to serving those in need and living life alongside others to hopefully see Christ’s love lived out in the flesh.
In her spare time, Kim enjoys discipling young ladies, opening her home for dinner to other church families, hiking, and playing silly games with her four beautiful grandbabies.