I am a passionate lifelong learner who believes in the transforming power of education. I bring a wide variety of experiences in education management and leadership to my role here on campus. As a Campus Director at Strayer University, I helped open campuses in Charleston, New Orleans and Dallas. At each of these campuses, I led teams that successfully boosted enrollment by creating learning environments that motivated students to set and achieve education goals.

Powered by coffee and chocolate, I am currently wrapping up a doctoral degree in Business Leadership and Administration. Married with five children, my family and I  enjoy watching movies and exploring California.

I am passionate about Futures Academy’s innovative and progressive approach to education. My role gives me the opportunity to do what I love by guiding families and students through the college and career process. I believe that the college process should be fun, exciting and stress free, allowing students to recognize their full potential. My favorite part of my job is pulling out the best skills, passions and talents from students to design an effective, achievable plan for their future success. 

I have had various careers including Independent College Consulting for high school students, a mental health specialist at Seneca where I partnered with school districts to help families and children with their educational needs, Director of Development, Admissions and Marketing, as well as Interim Superintendent for Capistrano Valley Christian Schools, Engineering Regional Sales Manager for Leica Inc., and Founder and President of OC SafeHomes, a non-profit organization that houses human trafficking victims in Orange County.

My life work is ministry focused, working with youth in education and serving the community. I have served on the Laguna Beach Endowment Board, Architectural Design and Review Board, traveled on mission trips to Africa and South America to help children, and continue to volunteer throughout the community. I have a College Counseling Certification from UCI, 2 Bachelor of Science degrees from LTU and an MA in Counseling. I live in Laguna Beach with my husband and have three children.

 

I love teaching because I like knowing that I made an impact in a student's life. I have a passion for Education and love to share that passion and knowledge with young, moldable minds. I also love the creative aspect that I get to apply in the classroom like project based learning and cross curriculum assignments. 

Fun fact: I love to go geocaching!

I am overjoyed with the gift of serving the needs of the Futures community at the MV campus. In a previous life, I earned a Bachelors of Arts in Communication and a Masters in Writing in Media Arts, both from DePaul University. For over 12 years, I taught composition and communication courses in higher education and wrote an ebook dedicated to helping life long learners reach their academic and personal goals.

Some of my adventures include running in marathons, dabbling in theater acting and giving random people full fledged smiles. But most importantly, my greatest achievement is my family. I married my high school sweetheart and am grateful to God everyday for being a mom to three rambunctious handsome young men and a beautiful girl I call "doll". 

Prior to Futures I served as Executive Director of Computer Explorers, UAE in the United Arab Emerates, which specializes in teaching technology, coding and robotics classes. I began my career as a teacher in Iowa City before moving on as an international educator and consultant in private American and British schools abroad. While abroad, I went on to found and serve as Executive Director of Little World Science Discovery Center in the UAE. While there, I also founded and served as Executive Director/Curriculum Director of STEAM Academy as an integration of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Graphic Arts and Mathematics) principles and inquiry-based education. Originally from the United States, I  graduated with Honors from the University of Iowa with a BA in History/South Asian Studies. I achieved CELTA teaching certification from the Cambridge Certified British Council in UK, Walker Methodology certification and holds an ADEC teaching license.

Ashley's goal is to empower students to help them achieve success. She has dedicated several years at the California State University system as a Graduation Specialist, Psychology Lecturer, and Associate Director of Academic Advising. Her expertise lies in providing leadership in designing, coordinating, and implementing multiple high-impact programs that promote student engagement, leadership, and persistence. As an educator, Ashley believes that it is vital to be aware of environmental cues and effective teaching strategies that will contribute to the learning and education of each student. This requires utilizing research to artfully make an impact. She believes the best educators are artists!

Ashley is a proud Golden Bear and Crimson. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Development from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Liberal Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Harvard University. 

June is the Director of School Quality serving all 16 + campuses in California. Prior to Futures Academy,  June was a center director for Sylvan Learning Centers, and also worked as an assistant director for an after-school program. June has over 10 years of experience working with students of all grade levels. She has a passion for education and believes each and every student deserves a chance to reach his or her fullest potential. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts in Liberal Studies/Teacher Education from Dominican University of California, and her multiple subjects teaching credential from California State, Los Angeles.

I presently have the privilege and pleasure to serve the MV Futures Academy Campus as their Mindshift Mentor and a Humanities Teacher. I earned my Bachelor degree in Liberal Arts from the University of Redlands followed by a rewarding and full-time career raising three fun, fabulous, and successful daughters. I love Futures’ unique teaching model, and I am honored to work with the MV team and the wonderful students I encounter here each day.  

Fun fact: I currently live with two of my daughters in a 115 years old adobe house.

I graduated from Stony Brook University in New York where I received my BA in English and my MA in Liberal Studies. I love teaching English/Language Arts because I love to make the subject matter exciting and applicable to my students' lives so they appreciate the power and value of literacy!

When I'm not teaching, you'll find me spending time with my daughter at the beach or the mountains, reading a good book and exercising.

Fun fact: I have a yellow lab named Nala.

I teach all levels of Mathematics. I am retired from the Computer Software Industry after receiving my M.S. in Mathematics from University of Illinois. The one-to-one model of learning here provides me the opportunity to share not only my education in Mathematics but also what I've learned through life. 

I have a daughter, son-in-law and two terrific grandchildren. I spend most of my free time going to my grandchildrens soccer and baseball sporting events. When I'm not doing the above, I work on solving math problems.

Fun fact: I love to joke around.

I am currently teaching English, Honors/AP Literature and Humanities courses. I have earned four higher education degrees: Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in English Literature and a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership. I taught in higher education at Chapman University, California State University- Fullerton, Saddleback College, Santa Ana College, Golden West College and Riverside College for the past 20 years. I am passionate about teaching because I am able to help students achieve their academic goals. 

My favorite hobbies are swimming, pilates and attending plays at the theater.

Fun fact: I enjoy long walks on the beach year round and skiing in the winter.

Watching our students mature and thrive is the best part of being a teacher, my second career. My first was a 25-year career as proposal manager for a Fortune 500 aerospace company. That first career motivates me to teach skills--communication, collaboration and analytical thinking--that employers look for when interviewing prospective employees.

Raising two daughters was my most challenging and rewarding responsibility. Their successes and happiness have been mine. Being a grandmother is just plain entertaining; I get to have all the fun while their parents do all the work. Outside of family and students my interests are: friends, reading, movies, cooking, needlepoint, knitting and art museums.

The favorite part of my teaching career is witnessing the growth of each student and getting to know their passions and hobbies. I thrive to develop a safe environment for students to be themselves and express what makes them happy. I also want to strongly incorporate growth mindset principles into our daily campus life, by always reminding students and teachers that every mistake is a new chance to learn. By maintaining an inspiring and positive culture here at the Mission Viejo campus I believe our students will reach the goals they set for themselves, and realize that their dreams are not far out of their reach.

I live for the beach! My husband and I live in Dana Point and we surf, swim, bike, eat, and nap on the beach whenever we can. Yoga is also one of my passions. I am planning on teaching pop up yoga, mindfulness, and meditation sessions here on campus whenever I can squeeze it in.

Fun fact: I can recite the 50 states in alphabetical order and I can wiggle my ears, but I don’t think I can do both at the same time...yet!

While attending Cogswell College in Northern California, I first discovered that I love teaching. I had already earned my Bachelor's of Fine Arts from Ringling School of Art, so it was natural for me to assist my storyboard drawing instructor. As a result, I was offered a teaching position and realized I really love to help people discover their creative spark. In my current position what I love about teaching is the opportunity to bring out each students' unique creative personality. I love to show students that any project can be achieved by setting goals and designing an incremental plan to develop a creative idea from rough draft to final masterpiece.

My husband and I have a 15 year old son and all three of us are musical. My son plays viola for a local Fountain Valley orchestra. My husband is a professional sitar player. I accompany him when we perform for Indian weddings. We play songs we have written together in English, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish and French. We also love to get out into the community and share our music at local farmers markets and festivals.

Before becoming a teacher, I was a wildlife biologist. I managed native-habitat restoration projects, mostly located on military bases in San Diego County. Tutoring students in math and science was something I started doing part time, until I decided to make a career change and become a teacher. We have such a dynamic environment at our Futures campuses. In my previous line of work, the satisfaction was in seeing the long-term positive changes in the job sites I helped restore back to native habitats. Now it gives me the same satisfaction to see students set goals and persevere, making progress as they take on challenges in academics and in life.

My hobby is taekwondo. I practice with Blue Wave Martial Arts, and the leader of the club is a good friend I have known since middle school. My mother practices with me, and we both have our black belts (hers is first degree, mine is second degree). Often times I teach classes, giving me multiple perspectives on the practice and teaching of the martial art. For me, taekwondo is a passion. 

I would like to one day go back to another hobby of mine, ceramics. I loved pottery class in high school and have since then bought my own potters wheel. There is an awesome ceramics program at Saddleback College and also at Heritage Park in Irvine. Both places allowed me to bring in pieces I may have thrown at home to have them fired at the studio. My favorite thing to throw on the wheel is a mug. It makes a personal gift that a person may use on a regular basis.