Board of Directors
Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools
Debra Duardo, M.S.W., Ed.D.
Dr. Debra Duardo is the Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools. Previously executive director of Student Health and Human Services for the Los Angeles Unified School District, she has more than 30 years of professional experience working with at-promise students and their families. Her unique life experience as a high school dropout able to overcome obstacles drives her passion to ensure that all students receive an education in a safe, caring environment and that every student is college-prepared and career ready.
Interim President, East Los Angeles College
Dr. Monte E. Perez, Ph.D., Chair
A former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Education, Dr. Perez is an accomplished higher education leader with extensive experience in strategic planning, accreditation, and community engagement. He is currently the Interim President for East Los Angeles College. Dr. Perez is the former President of Los Angeles Mission College. He also served as Assistant Director of Admissions at Stanford University, as well as, Director of Educational Opportunity Program and Student Support Services at California State University, Los Angeles. He was previously a member of the Governing Board for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.
Vice President, School & Community Development, California Credit Union
Gloria Rogers, Treasurer & Secretary
Ms. Rogers is currently the Vice President, School & Community Development for the California Credit Union where she previously served as a Business Development Officer. She is responsible for the CCU Annual Scholarship and other programs to support the education community.
Founder and General Partner, Tempest Capital Management
David Sanford
David Sanford is the Founder and General Partner of Tempest Capital Management, an investment fund that primarily focuses on investing in emerging and disruptive technology. Mr. Sanford previously led the West Coast presence for Hitchwood Capital as a Partner and Portfolio Manager, and prior to that, he led technology investments for Scout Capital. Throughout his career, Mr. Sanford has demonstrated a commitment to social impact. While living in New York, he volunteered through the Harlem Children’s Aid Society, tutoring low-income students. After moving to San Francisco he launched the NextGen Leadership Council for the Boys and Girls Club of San Francisco.
Member, Board of Trustees, The California State University
Chris Steinhauser
Chris Steinhauser served as superintendent of the Long Beach Unified School District between 2002 and 2020. Mr. Steinhauser has more than 40 years of experience in Long Beach’s diverse school system and has earned a national reputation for improving student achievement and closing achievement gaps. His school district won the national Broad Prize for Urban Education and has qualified as a finalist for the award five times.
Entrepreneur In Residence, Social Studies Accelerator Founder,
Education Leaders of Color
Andrea Foggy-Paxton
Andrea Foggy-Paxton, with 25+ years of experience, is a Board Member of the Los Angeles County Board of Education, an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at EdLoC, Founder of Social Studies Accelerator, and CEO of Foggy Paxton Consulting. She collaborates with government, philanthropy, and nonprofits, advancing youth and community outcomes. Formerly Managing Director at The Broad Center and program officer at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she led efforts in urban education excellence and equity. With a background in startup nonprofits and initiatives, including LA Youth at Work and Rock the Vote, she's a Freedom School teacher. Foggy-Paxton holds a bachelor’s in political science from UC Berkeley and a master’s in public administration from Baruch College.
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Former Chairman & CEO of Fox Television Group
Gary Newman
Gary Newman spent most of his career at Twentieth Century Fox, notably overseeing the Fox Television Group, which included Fox Broadcasting Company, 20th Century Fox Television, and Fox 21 Television Studios. Joining in 1990, he rose to President of TCFTV in 1999, leading it to become a top programming supplier and profit driver. Mr. Newman received several honors, including NATPE’s Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award and induction into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. In 2023, he joined the BBC's Commercial Board. He has served on the Board and the Advisory Council of the Hollywood Radio & Television Society since 2006, and serves on the boards of the Alliance for Children’s Rights and UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Mr. Newman started his career as an attorney, earning his J.D. from USC Law Center and his B.A. from Yale University.
Co-founder of Amanecer Consulting Group
Dr. Iris Zuñiga
Dr. Iris Zuñiga, Co-founder of Amanecer Consulting Group, has 20 years of experience driving impactful strategies at the intersection of education and social services. She has led initiatives to break intergenerational poverty, including managing Cradle to College and Career programs and a $3.5 million scholarship fund supporting 1,000 students. As Vice President of the Los Angeles Recreation & Parks Commission, Dr. Zuñiga oversaw a $160 million budget and 420 parks. She also served on California’s task force on Lifting Children and Families Out of Poverty and is a recent Annie E. Casey Fellow. A graduate of UCLA and CSUN, Dr. Zuñiga earned a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at LMU, driven by her passion for equity and academic access for underrepresented students.
Deputy Superintendent
Ruth Pérez, Ed.D.
With a career spanning several renowned educational institutions, Dr. Ruth Pérez previously served as the Deputy Superintendent of Schools at the Riverside County Office of Education. She has also served as the Superintendent of the Paramount Unified School District, catering to the communities of Paramount, Long Beach, Lakewood, and Bellflower. During her tenure in Paramount, she spearheaded an Education Foundation initiative that secured an impressive sum of over $250,000 in student scholarships. Additionally, Dr. Pérez successfully led a school bond campaign amounting to $106 million, dedicated to enhancing district facilities and providing students with one-to-one technology access. Dr. Pérez' professional journey is marked by an array of distinguished leadership roles across the nation. She held the position of Deputy Superintendent of Instruction for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Superintendent for the Norwalk-La Miranda Unified School District, Chief Academic Officer in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, and Area Superintendent in Orange County Public Schools in Florida. Her commitment to educational excellence is evident in her involvement in esteemed organizations such as the National Association of Administrators and School Superintendents (AASA) as a Governing Board Member, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) as a member of the Superintendents Council, and the Southern Superintendent’s Association in California. Dr. Pérez currently serves on the Board of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). Dr. Pérez' educational achievements include a Doctorate and Master's degrees obtained from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, as well as a Bachelor's degree from Queen's University of the City University of New York. Her personal background as an English Language Learner from Puerto Rico, educated in the New York City Public School system, fuels her unwavering dedication to improving student achievement and outcomes for all students, with a particular focus on the underserved and English language learners. Furthermore, Dr. Pérez is deeply committed to acting as a role model and mentor, providing guidance to emerging leaders aspiring to attain higher leadership positions. She understands the challenges and rewards associated with the superintendent position and endeavors to support and nurture aspiring leaders throughout their professional journeys.
Vice President of Instruction, Los Angeles Mission College; Member, Los Angeles County Board of Education
Laura Cantú, Ed.D.
Dr. Laura Cantú is a transformational educational leader with over two decades of experience advancing student equity, academic innovation and workforce development across California's community college and public education and workforce development systems. Currently serving as Vice President of Instruction at Los Angeles Mission College, Dr. Cantú has led strategic enrollment management, career pathway development and accreditation efforts with measurable success. Her prior roles include Dean of Instruction and Dean of Student Services at East Los Angeles College, where she spearheaded initiatives supporting disproportionately impacted students and helped establish key programming. Dr. Cantú's leadership spans K-16 alignment, dual enrollment and regional workforce education partnerships—including service with the City of Los Angeles Economic and Workforce Development Department and the Los Angeles Youth Opportunity Movement. She brings deep expertise in educational policy, grant administration and cross-sector collaboration, with a strong commitment to equity, access and institutional effectiveness. She earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership from UCLA and a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. Dr. Cantú continues to serve on professional networks focused on expanding college access and transforming educational outcomes for Los Angeles County’s diverse student populations. Dr. Pérez' professional journey is marked by an array of distinguished leadership roles across the nation. She held the position of Deputy Superintendent of Instruction for the Los Angeles Unified School District, Superintendent for the Norwalk-La Miranda Unified School District, Chief Academic Officer in Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina, and Area Superintendent in Orange County Public Schools in Florida. Her commitment to educational excellence is evident in her involvement in esteemed organizations such as the National Association of Administrators and School Superintendents (AASA) as a Governing Board Member, the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) as a member of the Superintendents Council, and the Southern Superintendent’s Association in California. Dr. Pérez currently serves on the Board of the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS). Dr. Pérez' educational achievements include a Doctorate and Master's degrees obtained from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, as well as a Bachelor's degree from Queen's University of the City University of New York. Her personal background as an English Language Learner from Puerto Rico, educated in the New York City Public School system, fuels her unwavering dedication to improving student achievement and outcomes for all students, with a particular focus on the underserved and English language learners. Furthermore, Dr. Pérez is deeply committed to acting as a role model and mentor, providing guidance to emerging leaders aspiring to attain higher leadership positions. She understands the challenges and rewards associated with the superintendent position and endeavors to support and nurture aspiring leaders throughout their professional journeys.
Past Board Members
Executive Director of Communications, LACOE
Elizabeth Graswich, Ed.D.
Dr. Elizabeth Graswich is Executive Director of Communications for the Los Angeles County Office of Education. She’s a veteran communications executive in public education leadership, with expertise in public policy, media relations, crisis management, project management, community outreach, social media, marketing, and event planning. Ms. Graswich has 15 years of experience in strategic communications for large, high profile public agencies where she directed crisis management and rapid response, CEO and senior leadership messaging, media relations, parent engagement, initiative leadership, community relations and outreach, brand management, and digital media.
Writer & Television Producer
Cord Jefferson
Cord Jefferson is a writer and television producer from Tucson, Arizona. Cord received a Primetime Emmy in 2020 for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special. Prior to his work in television, Cord was a journalist. His work has appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times, and The New York Times Magazine. He developed an investment in public education through his experience as a public school student, and through his mother who was a career educator in public schools, both as a teacher and administrator.
U.S. Ambassador to Trinidad and Tobago
Candace A. Bond
Ambassador Candace Bond is the current U.S. Ambassador of Trinidad and Tobago. Prior to her posting in Trinidad and Tobago, Ambassador Bond was the CEO of Strategic Solutions Group Inc., a small, diversified minority owned organization specializing in a full array of government and community relations, project  management services, and strategic management consulting. With over 20 years of experience as a business development specialist, Ambassador Bond has been retained by leading corporations and non-profits to assist in their overall strategic development. Formerly, she served as Chair of the MLK Health and Wellness Community Development Corporation and was recently recruited by CA State Treasurer Fiona Ma to participate on her statewide Housing and Economic Development Committee.  She also served on the Board of Trustees for Charles Drew University and the Malibu Foundation and recently served as a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Education.
Executive Director of the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and
Equity Department, City of Los Angeles
Capri Maddox
Capri Maddox was appointed to be the Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department's first Executive Director by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2020. Previously, Capri was the Special Assistant City Attorney Capri Maddox and served as a senior advisor to City Attorney Michael N. Feuer. In this role, she was responsible for leading Special Projects on behalf of the elected City Attorney, such as: spearheading the City Attorney Business Support program, creating the Foster Care Diversion Program, organizing the City Attorney Faith Based Council, overseeing Recruitment and Outreach efforts, addressing key Neighborhood Council and City Council requests, participating in criminal and civil cases, and coordinating school safety projects with LAUSD. She continues her involvement with many higher educational institutions, including mentoring students at numerous universities and serving as a California State University of Los Angeles President’s Council Member.
Former Chief Financial Officer, Los Angeles County Office of
Education
Patricia Smith
Patricia Smith was the Chief Financial Officer at the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). Since 1977, she has served in various capacities in Business Services, most recently as Executive Director of Business and Finance overseeing the operations of the divisions of School Financial Services and the Controller’s Office.