About Jen
Jennifer Anderson certainly understands and lives out Vail’s motto – Where Education Is a Community Effort. While she is a successful Realtor in the Vail and Tucson area, she makes time to be ever-present in the Vail School District and has spent a decade and a half supporting the schools through various PTA’s, site councils, music booster clubs, new school planning committees, principal hiring committees, and more.
Jen’s further service has touched nearly the entire community of Vail. She has served on the boards of a number of local organizations from the Greater Vail Community Resources program (assisting people facing food insecurity) to the Desert Crown Theater Company.
Jen is a native Tucsonan. After she met and married the love of her life and lived in Tucson for a while, she and her husband moved to Vail 16 years ago and have enjoyed raising their family here. She has two adult children, one senior in high school, and two children in middle school. Like so many highly engaged parents here, she was welcomed into the schools from the beginning and has been following her little ones to school ever since! She loves the unique culture in Vail whose mission is to provide parents with nurturing schools and high-quality education for their children. She’s loved serving here.
Jen was recently recognized for her extensive service to the Vail community with the Community Service Award for 2022 from Long Realty for exemplifying a commitment to community involvement and “service above self” while inspiring others to do the same. Jen is running for the Vail Unified School District Governing Board because serving her community, particularly children and fellow parents, is simply who she is, and she has a strong desire to foster a continued strength in the best school district in the state!
About Ed
Ed Buster is no stranger to Vail and the Corona de Tucson area. While he enjoys a successful career in the field of safety and security, he still finds time to volunteer throughout the community. He is the President of the Corona de Tucson Community Alliance, Board member of Corona Cares, is serving a second term on Pima County Library Advisory Board and played an instrumental role in bringing the funding needed for the W. Anne Gibson-Esmond Station Library in Vail. He serves on the Southeast Regional Council and has served on COVE (Citizens of Vail for Education), the VUSD Foundation, Vail Parent Network, Mica Mountain Planning Committee, and more. But, above all, Ed is a proud Vail School District parent.
Edward Buster was born in Washington D.C. and spent much of his youth growing up in Connecticut. He was heavily involved with Boy Scouts, the swim team, and serving as a lifeguard. He later joined the United States Air Force where he spent several years in aircraft avionics maintenance on the B52, B1’s, and B2’s. He was then tasked to lead the Personal Readiness Unit… just before 9/11. He spent his days, weeks, and months afterwards preparing and deploying hundreds of personnel globally to protect the United States. Just before retirement, he was sent to teach AFROTC at the University of Connecticut where he recruited, trained, and commissioned our next generation of servicemen and women.
Ed is the proud father of five fantastic boys. And he understands that a happy wife means a happy life… she was done with Connecticut winters. So, after his 20 years of service to his country, they moved to Corona de Tucson. The weather was great, and the schools were fantastic. VUSD has done a great job, and all five of Ed’s children are thriving adults.
Ed is simply unable to say no to someone who needs help. As a result of this mentality that was perpetuated in the military, he’s served as an avid parent volunteer in the classrooms and schools whenever needed at Sycamore, Corona Foothills, Andrada, and Cienega as well as on countless community boards.
When Ed isn’t busy at work or serving in the community, he can be found playing with his kids… even if they are all adults. Playing a good game of racquetball, football, etc. is always a great time. Anytime he can be with his kids, and they want to be with, as he says, “their old man,” he’s a winner! Ed is most looking forward to his first grandchild coming in a few months!
Ed is running for the Vail Unified School District Governing Board because it is the next best way he knows he can serve and give back to the community and the school district that has given him and his family so much.