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Hello fellow peers! I teach at Mitchell Child Development Center (satellite school: Lincoln Elementary)  as an early childhood special education teacher, in the Santa Ana Unified School District.  I currently teach an Early Childhood Autism specific classroom.

I am interested in leadership because I have always looked up to my leaders. I love the challenge and as educators we are lifelong learners so it was an easy answer for me to continue my educational journey.

My favorite meal is chicken mole. It brings memories of my childhood when my grandmother would make the chocolate from scratch to include in our mole.

My favorite hobby is gardening. I love plants and growing veggies and fruits! I can spend hours in the garden and working on repotting, propagating and caring for my plants.

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Hello, my name is Maria Rico. I am an Early Childhood Special Education teacher at SAUSD. I am interested in Educational Leadership to expand my knowlege and gain the tools needed to make a postive impact in my community.

My favorite meal is tamales. My mom always made tamales for holidays or special occasions, eating them brings me back to those childhood days.

A hobby I've recently taken up is running. I run 3.5-7 miles several times a week. I find that running helps me de-stress and find some peace in a chaotic day.

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My name is Katie Obenshain and I work at Santa Ana Unified School District as a Special Education Preschool Teacher. This is my 3rd year in SAUSD. Prior to that, I worked for 10 years in the Centralia School District as an Inclusion Preschool Teacher and served as the Special Education Teacher on the Preschool Assessment Team. I am interested in Ed. Leadership to continue to learn and grow in the field of Education.

My Favorite meal is bbq'd chicken with bbq sauce and tabasco!

My hobby is skiing and traveling. As a family, we love to travel to new ski resorts. We have been to many places to ski, including Utah, Oregon, Montana, and Japan.

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Hello, my name is Selene Lopez. I am a third grade teacher for the Lawndale School District. I have previously served as a first grade teacher and a Language Arts Specialist.

Working as a Teacher on Special Assignment allowed me expand my experience and knowledge. It nudged me to think beyond the classroom. This past year I began searching for a new position, mainly to be closer to home. While looking for positions, I realized that a Masters will allow me to grow in my field and it will unlock possible job opportunities.

My favorite dish to make and eat is Albondigas. With the supervision of my mom, it was one of the first dishes I made on my own. After her passing, I continued trying to master it. In Mexican cooking nothing is measured, it is all "eyeballed". I was able to perfect it, although I know hers will always be the best. Now I make it for my husband, whose favorite dish is Albondigas.

I do not have hobbies. This is something I always struggle with. I really like to sleep, does that count?

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Hello,

My name is Myrna Cuevas, and I currently work as a TK-K Special Education Teacher at Buena Park School District. I previously served as a Resource Specialist Program (RSP) teacher for three years, and this is my first year teaching in an SDC setting.

I enrolled in the Educational Leadership program to learn how to be an effective leader within my community and district, so I can better support students and families. I want to deepen my understanding of how to support families with essential resources and ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education.

One of my favorite meals is green enchiladas—a beloved family recipe that has been passed down from my aunt to my mom, to me, and now to my sister-in-law. We often have friendly competitions to see who can make the best enchiladas! This dish always brings our family together for dinner and quality time.

In my free time, I enjoy working out and spending time with my niece and nephew.

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Hi, I'm Christopher Gyorgyovich. I teach first-, second-, and third-grade reading intervention in Pasadena Unified School District.

I had the opportunity to work as a TOSA RTI Wellness and Behavior Coach last year, and I was encouraged to pursue educational leadership. During my role last year, I had the opportunity to coach teachers in classroom management, lead students in peer mediation, facilitate community circles and run weekly RTI meetings. Our RTI Team included site administrators, our school psychologist, community advocate, school counselor, and our school's clinical social worker. Our focus was always on implementing restorative justice practices, and it was a positive experience for me, and I had a lot of great mentors, and I'm interested in pursuing educational leadership to continue to learn and grow.

One of my favorite meals is Pupusas. My dad is Hungarian, and I moved to Budapest for a year to teach English and reconnect with family there, and after living abroad for the year, the one thing I missed the most about living in California was eating Pupusas. It's not something I grew up eating, but it's something my wife introduced me to, and as an adult, it's become one of my favorite foods.

As far as hobbies go, I really love hiking, camping, and backpacking. This year I started working for an outdoor organization called Outward Bound Adventures, which is based out of Pasadena and focuses on experiential outdoor learning experiences, and ensures free access to the outdoors for youth of color. I've had the opportunity to take students on a few day hikes and overnight camping trips so far this year. It's been a really positive experience so far, and I'm really excited to continue working in the field.

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Hi, I'm Drina Spain. I've been in education for 17 years. I currently teach TK in CYPSD and serve as part-time faculty for the Department of Elementary and Bilingual Education at CSUF. I am pursuing my dream of going back to school specifically in Ed Leadership because my eyes were opened to a whole new world outside of my classroom when I began coaching student teachers in 2021. I want to foster my love for coaching and supporting others.

My go-to meal is pizza with red peppers sprinkled on top. Family Fridays with a pizza was a tradition growing up and we continue that now with our kids. I'm in my señora era and love to find time for quiet whether it be running a few miles or watering my garden but balance it with all the noise my three kids bring. :)

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Hi, I'm Brendan McCabe. I teach 7th grade world history at Solis Park in Irvine Unified School District.

I'm interested in pursuing educational leadership for a number of reasons, one of those being to maximize the amount of doors that can be open for me long term in the field of education. I love being an educator and making real world impacts. I want that passion to not be limited to four walls. I believe passing on better practices is something that is always needed.

My favorite food has always been ice cream, coffee ice cream in particular. A hobby of mine would be podcasting. I enjoy writing and recording podcasts with friends of mine.

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Hello! My name is Vashtty and I teach Visual arts at Sunny Hills High school.I am interested in Leadership because I am interested in making our educational system more equitable and help my fellow educators gain the resources they need to improve their teaching both academically and financially. Providing the necessary materials needed to create a safe community within the school and for the studentsMy favorite meal that makes me feel comfortable is chili cheese fries. My father used to take me to a small mom and pop restaurant after work/school. Another meal would be Pupusas and making it with my mom. My hobbies are hiking, and staying connected with my artistic side (drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.)

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Hello, my name is Jon Perry and I am teacher at a charter school in Huntington Park. I currently teach US History and APUSH to 11th graders and have been with this school for the past 12 years.

I'm interested in Educational Leadership because I'm inspired by my work as an educator and want to have a larger impact on the greater school community. I love being part of large projects and working towards a common goal.

My favorite meal is Baked Ziti. My mother would make that for holidays and it always reminds me of home and family.

My favorite hobby is barbecuing. Being outside all day long in front of the bbq is my happy place. Give me sunshine and a pit and I'm guaranteed to be in a good mood!

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Hello!

My name is Alicia Berry. I work in Garden Grove Unified School District. I am a teacher on special assignment with the Department of Tk-6 Instruction, focusing on Special Education and AVID. I currently support two school sites every week with co-teaching and instructional lesson design.

I have chosen to start my journey in educational leadership because I want to help build learning environments that are inclusive for all students.

My favorite meal is kaula pork, spam musubi, potato mac salad, and chocolate haupia pie. It reminds me of family and summer. Sitting around at the beach, park, or in the backyard late into the night, talking story and laughing.

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Hi,

My name is Carolina Cantoran, and I am an RSP Education Specialist at El Dorado High School. Currently, I teach SAI World History, SAI Pre-Algebra, and Critical Skills.

I’m passionate about leadership in education in the following ways, I would like to help create a culture of unity, one where people feel valued, supported, and excited to come to work. I enjoy problem-solving and building meaningful connections with those around me, with the goal of helping everyone reach their full potential me included. "Iron sharpen iron"

One of my favorite meals is caldo de albondigas, which brings back warm childhood memories, especially the fun of making little tacos from the meat.

Outside of the classroom, one of my hobbies is fantasy football, where I proudly hold the title of defending champion.

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Hello, my name is Ivan. I am entering my 4th year of teaching elementary music teacher. My first 3 years were in Rowland Unified School District, this year I am in Lowell Joint School District.

I would like to one day serve as a VAPA coordinator for a school district. I believe that the arts are essential for creating a well rounded student, but they are not well implemented or managed in most schools in Southern California. I would like to one day be in the position to make positive changes for a school district to better serve the students.

My favorite meal is falso de conejo, a Bolivian beef dish. It is breaded fried steak stewed in a tomato sauce served with rice and potatoes. I grew up learning to cook with my grandparents and this was always my favorite to eat and cook. When my grandma made it I would stand in the kitchen and watch. Every so often she would give me a plain boiled potato to eat while she continued to cook.

My hobbies include soccer, basketball, biking, boardgames, and video games (mostly street fighter). I also play in bandas and tamborazos every Saturday. This is the only picture of me that I have on this laptop.

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Hello!

My name is Andrew Fournier and I have been teaching for 3 years and am entering my fourth. I work at the Prentice School in North Tustin.

I am interested in getting my Masters because I would like to not only become a principal, but also use this degree as a platform to become a professor and teach/empower future educators when I'm older.

Kielbasa(circle meat) mashed potatoes and green beans, along with my Memere's(French for grandma's) peanut butter and jelly sandwich are some of my favorite foods! One of my favorite hobby is practicing Krav Maga, a self defense system that I have been practicing for the last year. Since the age of 9 I have been involved in karate, receiving my black belt in American Kenpo when I was in high school.

I'd be hard pressed to not mention my wife Cammie of 4 years, who is everything to me!

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Hi, my name is Matt and I am a Math 6 teacher at Marco Forster Middle School in Capistrano Unified. My experience at this school has shaped my passion for educational leadership, as when I started at Marco we were the only Title I middle school in the entire district, and serving a population at my school with more English learners and SEL students than the rest of the district gave me a unique perspective at how these students need representation, as the district generally serves a much more affluent community. My school has been working hard since I've arrived on our PLC process and the amazing learning I have done with my PLC has helped us learn new, research-based approaches to helping our students succeed. I am interested in educational leadership because I want to bring these practices to different places and affect change at a broad level. My favorite meal is holiday dinner with my family, specifically Matzo ball soup and my mom's sweet and sour brisket. My favorite hobbies are playing pickleball, bowling, softball, and video games.

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Hello!

My name is Jazmin Benitez and I teach at Carson High School for LAUSD. I am a Spanish teacher and ASB teacher/advisor. I am interested in being a school administrator because working with students, admin, and our district with ASB responsibilities, has made me aware that there is so much room for improvement within one school and within the entire district. I hope to make that change in the future!

My favorite meals are sandwiches. Any kind. Especially after a long beach day with friends or family.

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Hello everyone! I'm Ashley. I taught at Valley Adult School in Lake Elsinore as an ESL teacher for 3 years. Before moving to California, I taught high school English and ESL for 6 years in Western Massachusetts.

I'm passionate about our immigrant communities I've been able to serve in. Throughout my life, even as a little girl, I have been placed in situations to advocate via translation or educate students/ adults on different educational opportunities. I feel this as a calling and a role that has been marinating for a while now. I think stepping into leadership will be the next step of impact and advocacy. I'm truly excited to learn and grow professionally.

Absolutely in love with Mediterranean food so anything with grilled tomatoes, olives, kabobs, fish, bread and olive oil are my favorite. And I truly enjoy a good Crossfit workout and gardening.