Arizona K12 Center
Marlys is the communications director for the Arizona K12 Center, a one-of-a-kind hub that develops and provides leading professional development solutions for classrooms today. You can find her work throughout the organization, including in the annual Teacher Leadership Report and on the Center’s weekly podcast, 3Ps in a Pod.
- Caring for Yourself While Teaching in a Pandemic (writer)
- Recognizing the Importance of Substitute Teachers (writer)
- Mentoring in a Pandemic: What’s Different, What’s the Same (writer)
- On the Journey: Finding Guidance Through Mentorship (writer)
- Building a Culture of Induction: Case Studies in Mentoring (project manager)
- 2020 Teacher Leadership Report: Ben Collinsworth, Empowering student voice through storytelling (writer and project manager)
- Video: Where Curiosity and Leadership Unite: Estevan Carreon (project manager)
- Video: Elevating Student Voice Through Teacher Leadership (project manager)
Maricopa County Education Service Agency (MCESA)
The Maricopa County Education Service Agency is the office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent and works to improve education for all students in Maricopa County, Arizona, and increase respect for teachers and others in education professions. As the administrator of marketing and communication for MCESA, Marlys helps guide and produce communication team projects, including marketing and public relations campaigns; oversees MCESA’s website and social media; and writes a variety of content for blogs, press releases, curriculum guides, and other materials. She has also advanced her voice over and on-air skills in a variety of video work for MCESA, including the multi-award winning STEM Pro Live! series.
Edible Michiana
Edible Michiana covers local food news in northern Indiana and southern Michigan online and in a quarterly print magazine.
- Hot dog! The Wiener Shack offers new takes on a summer staple (writer)
- Homegrown hues: Common plants create fantastic fabric dyes (writer)
Edible Phoenix
Edible Phoenix covers local food news in Phoenix, Ariz., and the surrounding area online and in a quarterly print magazine.
- The Community Exchange Table: A farmers market within a farmers market (writer and photographer)
- Crazy Chile Farm: Effort adds spice to church’s outreach programs (writer)
- A Visit to Arizona Worm Farm (writer and photographer)
- Making the Cheese with Kathy Levine (writer and photographer)
Good of Goshen
As the editor of the Good of Goshen storytelling project, Marlys interviewed and shared the stories of individuals and families in Goshen, Indiana, who “reflect Goshen’s generous character.”
Highlights of Marlys’ writing work on the project included:
- “One-of-a-kind” on Michele Fanfair Steury and her boutique The Gift of G.A.B.
- Youth Soccer Program Brings Community Together on Tavishak Mounsithiraj and the power of soccer
- Best Ice Cream in Indiana on Lowell and Jan Vanderveer’s The Chief
- Going National, Staying Local on Ben’s Soft Pretzels
- Peacemaking in Goshen and Far Beyond on Steve Thomas and Phil Thomas’ peacemaking work with the United Nations, school programs and other organizations.
Goshen Relocation Guide

This attractive guide to the neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and entertainment in Goshen, Indiana, is available in print at the Goshen Chamber of Commerce or as an interactive online publication. Marlys text in this 2014 publication highlights a variety of opportunities to engage with Goshen’s vibrant community.
The Elkhart Truth
Marlys spent several years at The Elkhart Truth, a regional news organization in northern Indiana, primarily covering education, along with stints focusing on neighborhood features and crime. Following is a small selection of the variety of reporting she did there.
Elkhart HS students celebrate service, set new world record
- Friends, family remember Kristyana Jackson’s smile
- Seniors give classmate with special needs a prom to remember
- Elkhart Literacy Project seeking volunteers to help adults learn to read
- Mennonites have long history of separation from state
- GED student will share her story at graduation ceremony
- Mow has been invested in Elkhart schools, community
- Several factors tighten schools’ budgets
- Fairfield and NorthWood bands prepare for state finals
- Niles girl’s recipe earns her trip to the White House
The Farmer’s Exchange
The Farmer’s Exchange, a weekly agricultural publication covering northern Indiana and southern Michigan, is a print publication for rural readers with limited articles available online. Marlys has provided articles and photos for this weekly newspaper, including several written while she served as the Exchange’s statehouse agricultural correspondent. Following are a few examples of her work there.
- New Carlisle Residents Learn about Tax Abatements
- Farmers Wary of New Carlisle Development Plans
- Senate Passes ‘Indiana Grown’ Bill
- McKinney Says Tech Key to Dairy’s Future
- Bill Protects Kids Working on Parents’ Farms
- Ag Bills Signed Into Law
- Geigers Named Farm Family of the Year
- Dillon Freeman Shows Top Heifer at State Fair
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