Meet the Staff of Los Angeles Leadership
Academy Joint Staff
Roger
Lowenstein
Executive Director
Roger Lowenstein was compelled to found
an innovative new charter school to create a remedy
for students underserved by oversized schools. He is
particularly interested in countering ethnic segregation
in Los Angeles by creating a public space where youths
from different backgrounds can come together to investigate
and address social justice issues. Since leadership
is currently taught most frequently and effectively
to business school students who are largely from privileged
backgrounds, he feels it is essential to cultivate leadership
and civic engagement in students from all backgrounds,
who may then become motivated to work in the public
interest. Mr. Lowenstein
has been an educator for more than twenty years,
teaching law at Seton Hall University in Newark, New
Jersey, and at Occidental College in Los Angeles. In
addition to practicing as a criminal defense attorney,
he has been a television drama writer since moving to
Los Angeles ten years ago. He serves
on the boards of the American Civil Liberties Union of
Southern California, the Center for the Study of
Political Graphics, the New Jersey Institute for
Social Justice, and the Progressive Los Angeles Network.
His success in political fundraising, external relations
and team building also prepare him for this newest endeavor.
Gloria Boccato
Food Services
Director Shawn Torrence
Director of
Instructional Technology
Middle School Staff
Andres Versage
Middle School
Principal Reina Morales
Family Services Coordinator Erin Gasca
Office Manager Jean Bennett
English Language Arts Teacher
Monique Childress
Science Teacher
Joanie Du
Math Teacher Wilfredo
Echeverria
Math Teacher
Maria Franco
English Language Arts Teacher Nathan Green
English Language Arts Teacher
Shari Martenson
Social Studies Teacher Michael Matheus
Science Teacher Judith Rodriguez
Social Studies Teacher Jayne Sohn
Social
Studies Teacher Cornell
Stephenson
PE Teacher / Athletic Director
Stephanie Rigamat
PE Teacher Allison Syphus
Science Teacher Tedd Wakeman
Math Teacher
High School Staff Beth Bernstein-Yamashiro
High School Principal Ernesto Villarreal
High School Assistant Principal
Gloria Velasquez
Family Services Coordinator Josh Maldonado
Office Manager Elva Monreal
Counselor Arsen Abelian
Math Teacher
Miguel Arriaga
Science Teacher Mark Campbell
English Teacher Christian Chavarria
English Language Development Teacher Marissa Cowell
Science Teacher Teresa Garcia
Social Studies
Teacher Hannah Grossman
Science Teacher Daniel Krog
Music Teacher Kristi Lovich
After School Program Coordinator Learsi Martinez
English Teacher Sonia Martinez
Spanish Teacher Claudia Monreal
Spanish Teacher Adam Panucci
Drama Teacher Phyllis Rosen
English Language Arts
Teacher Zac Schoenrock
Math Teacher Jill Wery
Math
Teacher Chanel Young
PE Teacher
Operations
Staff Barbara James
Office Assistant Pablo Martinez
Custodian Perla Melgar
Cook Ofelia Mendez
Supervisor Pepe Reano
Operations/Supervisor Lucien
Shapiro
Food Services Assistant
Alicia Vasquez
Cook
| 
