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 have more than a decade of experience in the sales and customer service industries, creating solutions for the California Healthcare IT market. I received my Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. While raising my two daughters over the past 16 years, I have enjoyed extensive volunteer experience as a girl scout leader, a Sunday school teacher, an elementary school running coach, and a volunteer in my daughters’ schools. Together, these experiences have provided me a unique insight for any family in the midst of finding the right educational path for their children.

I am enthusiastic about connecting with other families to help them on their path to finding education solutions that are the right fit for their children and inspire a love of learning. In my free time, I am learning to surf and enjoy the occasional boba tea with my teenage daughters. 

I am passionate about Futures Academy’s innovative and progressive approach to education. My role as a director and college counselor 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 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 taught in higher education at Saddleback College, Santa Ana College and Chapman University for the past 18 years. I am passionate about teaching because I am able to help students achieve their academic goals. 

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

Fun fact: I enjoy long walks on the beach in the summer and skiing in the winter!

My background is in psychology/sociology and I enjoy lecturing about every aspect in both fields. I have taught every grade including undergraduates. My aspiration is to be a college counselor.

I love listening to music and every weekend is a family reunion (I have a huge family). I enjoy crafting and decorating for Halloween and Christmas.

Fun fact: I love improv!

 

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.

I teach higher level math and science courses. Prior to this I used to teach in the physics department at Colorado School of Mines and worked in synthetic organic chemistry at University of Utah while working on my master's degree. My favorite part about teaching is just chatting about science. There are so many aspects of life you can describe with science from how sweating cools us down to why the stove can glow red hot.

I love golf and cooking. Surprisingly, organic chemistry and cooking seem to be related.

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 teaching I worked as a Wildlife Biologist. I managed native habitat restoration projects on Southern California Military bases. I started tutoring students in math and science and decided to make a career change. I love seeing students having 'a-ha' moments and getting satisfaction out of their understanding.

When I'm not teaching or tutoring, I am practicing taekwondo. I have a second-degree blackbelt and often times get to teach classes. 

Fun fact: My hidden skill is pottery. I love to make mugs that I can give to people as gifts.