our governing board members

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 Ms. McClendon earned her BS at the University of New Mexico and her Master of Arts in Educational Leadership at California State University Sacramento. She served schools in California and New Mexico in K-12 traditional settings, charter settings, and alternative school settings, including a facility for incarcerated young people. She has been an Assistant Principal at three high schools, a Principal at one high school, and a teacher at six schools. Her tenure in classroom education has included teaching arts-integrated language arts curriculum, reading and language intervention, and a variety of high school and middle school subjects. As an administrator, Ms. McClendon fulfilled many responsibilities: Faculty and Staff Evaluation, Staff Training, Disciplinary Management and Documentation, Parent Conflict Resolution, Building and Maintenance, Event Planning, Assessment and Accountability, Graduation Readiness Documentation and Tracking, Safety and Security, Hiring, AVID District Coordinator, Power School Management relative to Gradebook, GPA structure and maintenance, and Master Scheduling, and other district and site tasks as required. Through these multiple types of schools and responsibilities, she developed a wealth of tools for educational leadership. Ms. McClendon recently retired and has pursued her love and passion for art, creativity, and critical learning through her art business in Albuquerque. 

 Dr. Susan McConnell is an educator who has devoted her skills and interests in New Mexico schools in numerous venues and responsibilities. She is retiring as the Chief Administrator of North Valley Academy Charter School with all the administrative duties of a person responsible for a thriving charter school. Prior to that, Dr. McConnell served as an Assistant Principal in that same school with the tasks of student support, supervision, evaluation, Title One Coordinator, Administrative Liaison to Parent Teacher Organization, facilities management, and many other responsibilities as needed to serve a vibrant school. Dr. McConnell has a rich and diverse leadership background in area schools. She was Rio Rancho High School Director of Student Activities, a recreational therapist, owner and operator of a children's art and drama camp, and other eclectic community services to create a better opportunity for children, teens, and adults. Dr. McConnell received her Master of Arts degree in Education Administration as a Danforth Fellow in UNM's CEAIP program and her Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She has received several recognitions, including New Mexico Charter School Administrator of the Year and New Mexico Advisor of the Year. 

 Dr. Jenn Peña earned her BS in Biology from Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA, and then her MA in Special Education from UNM. She worked for 17 years in public and charter Title I schools in New Mexico. Dr. Pena served in many roles in her schools, including a special educator, inclusion co-teacher, general educator, district test coordinator, ELL Coordinator, and Special Education Director. She is especially passionate about high academic achievement for all students, inclusive education, and providing teachers with effective and practical tools to improve student learning. Due to her passion for excellence and equity, Dr. Pena participates in professional organizations related to Special Education, and she presently serves on the Professional Practices and Standards Council through the New Mexico Public Education Department, helping to ensure alignment with state laws and improve the quality of teacher and administrator prep programs. Shortly after earning her Ph.D. in Special Education from UNM, Jenn started to look for opportunities to share her experience and help teachers and schools improve educational experiences for students. She works as a part-time faculty at Central New Mexico Community College in the Alternative Teacher Licensure Program. With her skills and experiences, she decided to broaden her mentoring areas and opened her own highly successful educational consulting business, focused on providing teacher and administrator training, mentoring new special education directors, and ensuring compliant special education programs.  

 Mr. Lee Baldwin is an Accounting Director and the owner of Baldwin Accounting & Consulting, LLC, in Albuquerque, NM. Lee brings a lot to the founding board, such as his prior experience serving on a board and finance committee for two different charter schools. On top of his experience serving on boards professionally, he founded and owns an accounting practice, where most of his experience is auditing. He has audited various governmental entities, including school districts and charter schools. His experience and expertise with financial practices and auditing/accounting enable him to help navigate through the financial/audit aspects of founding and maintaining a school, especially implementing accounting policies and procedures and helping the charter school prepare for an audit.

 Mr. Amer Child holds a BS in Technology and Training and is currently working as a Sr. Solutions Architect supporting customers on a global scale for RiskSense. RiskSense is a global cybersecurity company founded in May 2015. Amer has worked as an IT professional for over 20 years, starting as a web developer for Correa Enterprises, a web developer and trainer for BASIS International, and finally at RiskSense. His work in this field gives him a deep understanding and perspective of the need for, the use of, and the security needed relative to modern day technology. In 2017 he completed his bachelor’s degree in Technology and Training at the University of New Mexico. He cares about those in his community and beyond and used some of his time and resources to serve as a volunteer for the March of Dimes organization from 2013 to 2015.  

Christine Mya-San is currently working in the Pharmaceutical Industry as a Distribution Channel Manager, focusing on business development and sales operations across North, Central and South America.  She received her MBA from Saint Louis University’s Chaifetz School of Business with a focus in General Business and Marketing and her BS in Biology from Dickinson College.

Christine’s passion for the arts is deep rooted. Throughout grade school, she performed in musical theater and was in choir since she was eight years old. While in college, Christine was also a member of the all-female a Capella singing group.   

Christine is the proud mother of an almost three-year-old, Luca. She, her husband Günter and son live in St. Louis, Missouri.