By Mira Radovich, Senior Contributing Writer
Rio Salado will hold a celebration this week to honor the first cohort to be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.
The Rio Salado College Alumni Hall of Fame was created as a Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) College Project between the Alpha Theta Omicron Chapter (Rio’s PTK chapter) and college administration.
Leading up to the event, we will highlight each of the alumni and share their incredible stories.
Lennon Audrain: Recruiting and Preparing Educators to Meet the Needs of Today’s Communities
Richard “Lennon” Audrain began his college journey early— taking dual enrollment classes through Rio Salado College while attending Brophy College Preparatory. At just 17, he earned an Associate in Arts in Elementary Education in 2017, five months before graduating from high school.
Audrain credits his family and upbringing for shaping his worldview and career in education.
“My family’s story is one of movement, perseverance and learning,” Audrain said. “Growing up across multiple cultures, languages and stories taught me that education is both a way of honoring those who came before us and a pathway for creating communities where everyone has the chance to contribute and thrive.”
Finding Purpose in Education
While at Rio, Audrain joined the college’s chapter of Educators Rising, a national organization for aspiring teachers, and served as the organization’s national student president.
“My journey in education began in high school, when I joined a grow-your-own teacher program through Educators Rising,” Audrain said. “That experience lit a fire in me— not just to teach, but to transform the systems that shape how we prepare and support educators.”
Audrain went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Latin (2018) and a master’s degree in education (2019) from Arizona State University (ASU). He later attended Harvard University, where he earned a second master’s degree and taught high school Latin and Spanish in the public schools of Brookline, Mass.
Leading Innovation in Educator Preparation
In 2021, Audrain returned to ASU to pursue a Ph.D. in educational policy and evaluation. Two years later, he joined ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation (MLFC) as a research assistant professor.
“One of my proudest efforts was leading an $8.2 million U.S. Department of Education Teacher and School Leader grant,” Audrain said. “It was awarded to ASU and Mesa Public Schools to redesign human capital management systems in support of team-based models.”
Today, Audrain leads innovation and policy for ASU’s Next Education Workforce initiative, where he focuses on team-based educator staffing, policy development, and workforce systems design.
Beginning next year, he will transition to a tenure-track assistant professor role with the college's Division for Advancing Educator Preparation, in addition to his work with the Next Education Workforce.
“I believe in building an educator workforce that reflects the brilliance and diversity of the communities it serves,” he said. “Transforming how schools are staffed and how teachers are prepared— simultaneously— is one of the most powerful ways we can shape a better future for both students and educators.”
Staying Connected to Rio Salado
Audrain continues to give back to Rio Salado College, having served as a course designer and adjunct faculty member for the EDU221 Introduction to Education course. Since 2021, he has also served as the Executive Board President for the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Programs, which is housed at Rio Salado.