At ECMS-Gardena…
Debbie Dempsey is our new principal at ECMS-Gardena. Debbie was previously principal at Kent Mountain View Academy near Seattle until she relocated to Hawthorne to be closer to her children (and grandchildren). Debbie first discovered ECS when she lost her way driving, spotted ECHS students walking on the street and, nostalgic for her students from Seattle, drove “upstream” to find our campus. After learning more about our educational program, Debbie decided she wanted to return to education and became principal at ECMS-Gardena. Debbie has been in education for more than 25 years and is “this close” to getting her Ed. D. (Educational Leadership for Teaching and Learning). Debbie grew up playing piano and harp, but her kids were serious rugby players.
Robert Gloria joined ECMS-Gardena in 2013 as the Assistant Principal. He brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to this position, which includes two Bachelors and Masters degrees. Robert is passionate about collaborative learning, experiential learning and authentic assessment. He is especially passionate about and interested in social justice issues and specialized in the field while he was pursuing his first Masters (in Anthropology). In his spare time, Robert enjoys gardening, hiking, cycling and playing basketball. He listens to all kinds of music, but The Smiths and Morrissey are favorites.
At ECMS-Inglewood…
Danielle Kelsick is the new assistant principal at ECMS-Inglewood. She taught English last year at ECHS and previously taught high school at the South Bronx Community School for Social Justice in New York. Originally from Atlanta, Danielle attended Amherst College in Massachusetts and worked in education in Washington DC before going to Harvard Divinity for her Masters. Danielle also taught English in Japan. When she can fit it into her schedule, Danielle enjoys West African Dance. Her new activity is hiking, which she never understood until she moved to California with its numerous and varied hiking trails. Danielle married in April of 2014. She and her husband enjoy regular “hiking Sundays.”
Learn a bit more about Beth Bernstein-Yamashiro, the current Principal at Inglewood. Don’t forget to check out the spotlight we shared about Beth last school year!
At ECHS…
After eight years of working at ECHS, Mandy Breuer has stepped into the the role of principal. Before she joined ECHS and built the counseling department from the ground up, Mandy worked in marketing with the FOX Broadcasting Company. She is a passionate environmentalist and has worked closely with The Nature Conservancy’s Leaders in Environmental Action for the Future program, the Pacific Crest Trail Association, the Urban Green Space Renewal Organization and From Lot to Spot. Mandy also taught at the Loyola Marymount University’s School of Education. Mandy is originally from Texas and is a dedicated Red Raider football fan. She played French horn in her high school band and currently plays guitar in a garage band whose name changes too often to commit to print.
KC Villoria joined ECHS as a Spanish teacher in 2010 and then joined the administration team as Assistant Principal this summer. She has taught for six years, including a stint with the LAUSD. KC received her Bachelors in Art from the University of Hawaii, her Masters in Education from Pepperdine and is currently pursuing an administrative credential at LMU. KC loves family, art, culture, and the Spanish language. She also enjoys travel and has lived in Venezuela and Colombia. Villoria frequents art museums; some of her favorite exhibits have been the “Fernando Botero” exhibit at the Museo de Antioquia in Medellín, Colombia, and “In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico” and “The United States” at LACMA. KC makes handmade paper and has shared this skill with students and teachers in our Green Ambassadors Institute. Check out her Etsy shop, kcpaper.
