Our Faculty and Staff

Jenna Rosenberg was born and raised in Flagstaff, Arizona. She grew up surrounded by a family of amazing teachers including her mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and both of her grandfathers. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art at the University of Arizona, she moved to Chicago, IL. There she discovered her passion for working with young learners as she taught art classes to elementary school students. It took a meandering few years, including one working for the National Park Service in Yosemite, before Jenna settled back in Chicago to pursue her teaching career. Jenna earned her Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and taught first grade in Chicago Public Schools for five years before moving to Los Angeles in 2016. Jenna was a founding first grade teacher at New Los Angeles Elementary, and has relished the opportunity to participate in the building of a school from the ground up. In her role as an administrator, Jenna is so grateful to be supporting the incredible work of the faculty and staff at New LA, and building connections with caretakers and families. Jenna is passionate about educating the whole child, and providing all students with the opportunity to discover their interests and see themselves as scholars who can make a powerful impact in their community. In her free time, Jenna loves hiking, bird-watching, art museums, and spending time with her husband and two young sons.

Jasmin De Main was born and raised in Australia but now calls Los Angeles her home. She recently graduated with an Administration Credential and Masters in School Leadership and Education at CSUDH. Jasmin has lived and worked in education for over 15 years in Australia, the UK, Germany, and the United States, with students ranging from kindergarten to young adults in English, Theater Arts and ESL. Jasmin also has two master’s in Education and ESL from Charles Sturt University in Australia where she also completed her first teaching credential. After graduating from the National Institute of Performing Arts, she worked for many years in theater, film, television and audio books. Jasmin is very excited to be a part of New LA Elementary, as she is passionate about education as a means to bring about positive change through human connection. As a continuous learner, she is excited to get to know the community and connect with staff, families and scholars. Jasmin believes that New LA’s mission of cultivating future civic leaders from a diverse community of students who are passionate about learning and their community perfectly aligns with her beliefs as an educational leader.

Bianca Hernandez has been a dedicated social justice educator and teacher leader in various schools across the country for over a decade. Bianca grew up in Long Beach and understood from a young age that there was a lack of equity in education. Her journey as an educator began long before she chose a career. Bianca attended the University of Chicago, where she earned her BA in Anthropology and her Master of Arts in Teaching. After finishing graduate school in 2014, Bianca taught in Chicago Public Schools before moving to New York. In New York, Bianca continued her work as a classroom teacher in independent schools. Bianca always knew she would end up back in LA in order to give back to the community she considered her home; she returned in 2018. After returning to LA, Bianca taught Middle School History and Science. In addition to her classroom work, Bianca was the Humanities Lead and the Anti-racism and Diversity Lead at her former school. In these leadership positions, Bianca led her school’s efforts to center DEIJ work in every classroom. Bianca joined New LA as the Director of DEIJ in 2023. Bianca believes that teaching is political and that it is our job as educators to dismantle systems of oppression that show up in schools every day. This work will help our students become leaders that will fight for justice in their communities.

Bianca is excited to continue supporting New Los Angeles in their mission to create spaces that center identity, equity, and community for young people.

Xochitl Lira grew up in South Los Angeles. She earned her bachelors in Community Studies and Legal Studies from UC Santa Cruz. After graduating she began her career at a local charter school organization. During that time, she developed a passion for school operations, which led her to obtain a Masters degree in Public Administration from CSU Los Angeles. In 2011, she went on to become the Chief Financial Officer at a supplemental educational services provider. To enhance her leadership skills she went on to obtain her doctorate degree in educational leadership at USC. She is excited to be part of the New Los Angeles Charter School family and to support the achievement of all students.

Kate O’Brien was born in Los Angeles but grew up in a small town in Massachusetts. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College in Ohio. After college Kate moved back to Los Angeles intending to become an environmental educator but instead fell in love with progressive education in schools and sees environmental education as an important social justice issue that can be addressed through a curriculum that empowers critical thinkers and community activists in all subject areas. Kate earned a Masters in Teaching from National University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from UCLA. Before joining New LA in 2009 as a 6th grade science teacher Kate was a founding teacher at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy where she taught 4th grade and bilingual Kindergarten. She then taught K-6 science at Brawerman Elementary School. During her time teaching in elementary and middle school Kate took on many leadership roles which eventually led to becoming the Assistant Principal at New LA Middle School. In 2016 Kate returned to her elementary roots to lead New LA Elementary School as the Founding Principal. As Chief of Schools since 2019, Kate enjoys supporting all three New LA campuses and relishes the opportunity to grow and develop all schools and foster a school program in line with New LA’s mission of social justice and project-based learning. Her favorite part of working at New LA Charter Schools is working with the incredibly dedicated staff who always put students first.

Brooke Rios is a dynamic school leader who is committed to progressive education and social justice. She currently serves as the Executive Director of New Los Angeles Charter Schools. Prior to this role, Brooke was the Principal of New LA Middle School, where she led the school in being recognized as one of the best public middle schools serving low income students in Los Angeles. Brooke worked at Wildwood School before joining New LA, honing her craft as a progressive educator. She taught middle and upper school Humanities and coached track and cross country. After several years in the classroom, Brooke led the Wildwood Outreach Center, where she coached schools on the implementation of small, learner-centered educational programs. Brooke earned her doctorate in education leadership at the University of California, Los Angeles, where her research focus was on anti-racist and culturally responsive school leadership, and she holds a CA Clear Administrative Services credential.

Samuel Campos is a tech savvy tinkerer who has a passion for breathing life into faulty tech. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and went to the University of California-Merced, where he obtained his B.S. in Computer Science & Engineering. Since graduating, he had worked at a youth center named Central City Action Committee as a Youth Mentor and unofficial I.T. specialist. He then became a Code Sensei for Code Ninjas, teaching the younger generation the joy of programming and robotics and hosting various 3d modeling/printing and roblox game development workshops. These experiences taught him the importance of making sure every child has access to technology in order to make learning as efficient and fun as possible.

Samuel is excited to support New Los Angeles Charter Schools by making sure their technology is running smoothly to provide an uninterrupted learning experience for the younger generation.

Tanya Castro is our Family Engagement Manager who joined New LA in 2023 with 20 years of experience in K–12 education, including leadership roles as an Assistant Director at a Boyle Heights based tutoring center, and a Student & Family Services Coordinator and Operations Coordinator at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy. She’s passionate about creating equitable and inclusive opportunities that empower students and families from diverse backgrounds. Tanya believes that when schools and families work together, we don’t just change and support individual student outcomes and experiences – we uplift families, communities, and future generations.

Tanya has been recognized with a Community Champion award from Saban Community Clinic (2023), featured in the Carnegie Reporter for her work in Family Engagement, and mentored high school females through the non-profit, GLOBAL Girls GLOW. For five years, she served as a Group Travel Leader with EF student travel programs to the East Coast, Central America, and Europe; bridging a gap for students to not only experience travel, many for the first time outside of Los Angeles, but also connecting families to accessible and enriching travel opportunities for their children. As New LA’s Family Engagement Manager, Tanya leads Enrollment and Recruitment efforts along with supporting Family Engagement programming and practices across our three school sites. She has implemented a cross site Class Ambassador volunteer group for parents/caregivers, established new community partnerships, and has organized community wide events including New LA’s Community Pop-Up Markets. In her free time, she enjoys making playlists, hunting for vintage treasures, and singing her heart out at karaoke.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Sylvia Barragan has worked in the education sector for over 20 years in a variety of roles. She earned her undergraduate degree in Business Management Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she first discovered her passion for working with youth while serving as an instructional aide in an after-school program. After returning to Los Angeles, Sylvia worked as a tutor, instructional aide, substitute teacher, and later as a 3rd–5th grade teacher at a private school. She also brings experience from the nonprofit sector, where she oversaw programming and planning for a social enterprise serving high school students. Sylvia joined New LA Charter Schools in 2017 as an After School Director and has since held multiple roles within the school’s operations team. She values collaboration and is passionate about creating safe, supportive environments where all students can thrive.

Claudia Flores was raised in Los Angeles from a young age. Fluent in Spanish, Claudia loves working with children and she loves being a part of their learning process. During her free time she enjoys spending time at the beach and going to theme parks. Claudia also loves spending time with her niece and nephews.

A Los Angeles native, Pablo V. Medina attended Culver City High School. He is currently attending CSUDH where he is studying international business. Pablo enjoys spending time with friends and family, going to the gym, and relaxing at the beach. During summer and winter vacations, Pablo likes to travel to Mexico not only to visit his family, but to get a break from the busy city as well.

Kenniya Fairley was born and raised in Long Beach, California, and currently lives in Los Angeles. She is thrilled to be a new teacher at New LA Elementary this year. Kenniya has a passion for early childhood and helping her students develop a love for learning while reaching their full potential. She has previously worked as a preschool teacher and a Headstart teacher. She received her bachelor’s and master’s in Education from Northern Arizona University. Kenniya is currently furthering her education, pursuing her teaching credential at UMass Global. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, being in nature and cooking.

Deshay is a native Angeleno who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education as well as a degree in Psychology with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Northridge. She enjoys playing, learning, and growing alongside our littlest learners while supporting their social and emotional development. Guided by the belief that play is a powerful pathway to learning, Deshay creates joyful experiences that spark curiosity and confidence. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys teaching yoga and mindfulness, as well as exploring technology and gaming.

Cassandra Romero was raised in Miami, Florida, and has been living in Los Angeles for the past two and a half years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development from California State University, Fullerton. Ms. Romero’s journey into education in an elementary setting began as a teacher’s assistant, where she discovered her passion for working with young learners. She recently completed a residency program where she had the wonderful opportunity to teach in a first grade classroom. Ms. Romero is especially passionate about teaching math and fostering a growth mindset in her students. She truly enjoys helping each child grow as an individual while also building a strong, supportive classroom community. Outside of the classroom, Cassandra loves exploring new places through road trips and adventures. She also enjoys crafting, scrapbooking, and capturing memories that she’ll cherish for years to come. Her favorite color is pink, and she loves spending quality time with her dog, family, and creating new memories together.

Haidy Song is an educator based in Southern California with a strong commitment to advancing literacy as a means of expanding opportunities for all students. Born in Los Angeles and raised in Glendale, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from California State University, Northridge, and later completed a Master’s in Education at the University of California, Los Angeles. Haidy discovered her passion for teaching while working as a program leader at an after-school program in Lincoln Heights, where she taught art, cooking, and reading. This experience solidified her dedication to education and shaped her student-centered teaching philosophy. She is especially passionate about building a strong classroom community and encouraging student growth through meaningful engagement. Outside of the classroom, Haidy enjoys spending time with her husband Henry, cooking, and cuddling with her Chihuahuas, Coco and Haru.

Abby Benny was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and moved to San Francisco to pursue a career in education. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University, she spent the next 10 years teaching in public K-3 classrooms in the Bay Area. During that time, literacy instruction became a clear passion, inspiring her to return to school to earn a master’s in Language and Literacy and a Reading and Literacy Leadership Credential. Abby strongly believes that every child has the right to learn how to read. Her main goal is for her students to identify as readers, and to have positive feelings about reading. She is thrilled to be a part of the New LA community. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time at home with her husband, Brett, and dog Ace. She also volunteers regularly at animal rescue organizations and often has a foster pup at home.

James Brinkley graduated from California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. He received both his bachelor’s degree in elementary education, as well as his multiple subject teaching credential from CLU. During summers, James is a camp counselor at a day camp, which has given him the tools to provide children with a community and sense of belonging regardless of the setting. It has also given him ways to bring the love of play and sense of adventure into the classroom. James previosly worked as a behavioral therapist. He has a passion for science and aims to bring the love of STEM to all of his students. He is very excited to embark on this journey at New LA, and is looking forward to growing and celebrating his community of learners.

Lauren graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with bachelor’s degree in Sociology and History. She discovered her passion for teaching while working at a Reggio-Emilia–inspired preschool, and later at an international school in Thailand. This experience motivated her to pursue a master’s in Education, and a teaching credential from American University in Washington, D.C. As one of the founding teachers at New LA Elementary, Lauren is deeply committed to the school’s mission and vision. She especially enjoys teaching math and takes pride in helping students build confidence as mathematicians. Lauren’s goal as an educator is to inspire a lifelong love of learning by nurturing her students’ natural curiosity, encouraging exploration, and fostering creativity. In her free time, she enjoys visiting national parks, traveling abroad, gardening, and spending time with her family and her dog, Luna.

Tamala Whittley was born and raised in Los Angeles, except for three years living in New Jersey. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and a Juris Doctorate. She has been a short and long term sub since 2016, including many, many days at New L.A. She enjoys reading and writing, and is currently shopping a novel for publication.

Lynse Griswold, aka Ms. Griz, is originally from Fairfield, CA. She is an educator and scholar with a deep commitment to literature, history, and social justice. She holds degrees from Sacramento State (CSUS) in English and Women’s & Gender Studies, where her academic focus centered on Black and queer literature, liberation, and intersectional theory. For 14 years she was a competitive gymnast, an experience that taught her discipline, perseverance, and resilience – qualities that she now brings to her teaching practice. Now in her third year of teaching, all at New Los Angeles Middle School, Lynse has found a true passion in blending her love for literature, history, and social justice into her Humanities classroom. She integrates critical thinking, storytelling, and culturally responsive practices to create inclusive and engaging learning spaces. Her teaching emphasizes the connections between literature, history, and sociology, encouraging students to think critically, connect deeply with texts, and see the relevance of their studies in their own lives and communities. In her free time, Lynse enjoys reading, listening to live music, crocheting, and walking in nature.

Deborah has worked as a school speech pathologist in Los Angeles for 13 years, helping students with communication impairments find their voice. She feels honored to serve this diverse community, learning and expanding her perspective with each student she meets. In her free time, Deborah enjoys designing digital games and playing Scrabble competitively. Deborah’s greatest accomplishment is her 1000-day unbroken Spanish Duolingo streak. She hopes to be bilingual one day.

Rachel Yalowitz is an Education Specialist in her fifth year at New Los Angeles Elementary. She earned her degree in Early Childhood Studies from California State University, Channel Islands, where she also completed her Education Specialist credential. Rachel is passionate about creating a supportive and engaging learning environment where all students can thrive. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her three awesome cats and loves being outdoors, whether it’s hiking, or exploring new places.

Emma Naranjo-Larios immigrated with her mother from Mexico when she was 11 months old, to join her father and family in the United States. She was raised and lives in South Central Los Angeles. The amazing support of her college counselor at Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet helped her attend California State University, Los Angeles. In 2006, she received a bachelor of arts in Spanish with a minor in Chicano Studies. She began working with LAUSD in 2005 in El Sereno. She always wanted to help families and students receive the same support she was grateful to receive from educators. She also attended Los Angeles Trade Tech College in 2006 to take Child Development courses while pregnant with her first child. She began working at New LA in 2011, and has enjoyed seeing many of the students, families and educators that make New LA an amazing place. In 2015, she moved to Denver and worked for 3 years with Denver Public Schools where she was able to develop an understanding of restorative justice approaches and serving the whole child. Moving back to Los Angeles in 2018, she knew she wanted to return to New LA because of the bond she has with the community. In 2024, she join the Avance Residency Program which helped her obtain her Dual Subject Credential for Education Specialist and Multiple Subjects from Loyola Marymount University. Currently, she is still attending LMU working towards her master’s in Transformative Education with a focus on Language and Culture while attempting a Bilingual Certification.

Alma Castro joined the New LA team this year as a behavior interventionist. She truly enjoys working with children and supporting their growth both academically and emotionally. Known for being patient, positive, and dependable, she always strives to create a safe and encouraging space for students. Outside of work, Alma loves spending time with her family, relaxing at the beach, and enjoying a good cup of coffee. She’s always looking for new ways to grow and support the students she work with, and building strong relationships with both students and families.

Cindy Rugamas has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies with an emphasis in elementary subject matter-teacher preparation. She has worked in education for 9 years, as a teacher’s assistant, substitute, and general education teacher with all age groups. Cindy loves hiking and taking her dog, Yuuki, on adventures. She also enjoys reading, going to Disneyland, and traveling.

Jesus Macias grew up Inglewood, California, and was educated throughout Southern California. Jesus attended K-12 in the Lennox neighborhood in Inglewood, on the outskirts of LAX. He earned his bachelor’s from University of California, Irvine, and proceeded to earn a masters in Education from California State University, Long Beach. Elementary school PE was becoming popular then, and schools needed teachers, so Jesus took on this new challenge and has enjoyed it ever since. Jesus works with children six days out of the week, teaching New LA students PE and health, and also coaching two soccer teams; a U- 2013 soccer team and his high school alma mater. He also trains youth soccer players to improve their skills. Jesus loves working with children and promoting health. enjoys sports and teaching children how to live healthy, active lifestyles.

Yesenia Rodrigues has always been passionate about the arts, which led her to pursue a career as an art teacher. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she grew up attending the local museums around her community, and enjoying the outdoors with her family. Her passion for the arts led her to major in art education at California State University, Los Angeles, where she studied different art mediums such as painting, ceramics, and photography. During this time, she discovered that she wanted to become an art teacher to share that passion with students in her community. Yesenia has been part of the New LA community for six years teaching elementary and middle school art, creating an inclusive art program where students can explore their creativity and express themselves through the visual arts. During her spare time she enjoys learning, painting, and discovering new places in Los Angeles.