Project Leads - Southern California

* Southern California Project Lead for Pomona and Lancaster USD - DAIT Lead and Executive Coach
* Working with PLP since September 2006
* BA in 1970 from UCLA, MA in 1981 from Cal Lutheran

Mary Breskin

Mary has received multiple awards in her professional career, including the California Distinguished School Principal Award in 1999 and the City of San Dimas Outstanding Service Award in 1998. She is a member of ACSA and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Prior to working with PLP, Mary was the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services at West Covina USD. While there, she is most proud of having provided guidance and support in the successful applications for two national Blue Ribbon Awards, seven California Distinguished School Awards, and 10 Title I Achieving School Awards. She has also worked as a High School Principal at Bonita USD and as the Interim Superintendent for West Covina for one year.

Karen DeVries

Prior to working with PLP, Karen worked as the Assistant Superintendent of Elementary and Middle School with LBUSD. While there she’s most proud of having read every evaluation submitted by principals. Based on those evaluations, she determined the professional development for principals. The training provided principals with common, district wide procedures for monitoring/supervising and evaluating instruction . She also worked as the Professional Development Academy Program Facilitator for LBUSD.

Karen is published author for periodicals and books including Partnering to Lead Educational Renewal: High Quality Teachers, High Quality Schools by T.C. Press in 2004 and “New Designs for Tomorrow’s Schools” by Thrust for Educational Leadership in 1992, an ACSA Publication.

Judi Gutierrez

Judi has been featured in Time Magazine for successful work at the middle school level - Time Magazine: What Makes a GOOD School – How to Teach Our Children Well;  Stanford, “A national example of excellence in public education” (Cover Story/October 1997). Her schools have achieved Title 1 Academic Achievement Recognition as well as the CA Distinguished School Award.

Prior to working with PLP, Judi worked as a Superintendent for Duarte Unified School District. She also held a position as a Middle School Principal and a Staff Development Trainer with Long Beach USD.

Diane Hansen

Diane has received the ACSA Principal of the Year Award for Region 17, the PTA Honorary Service Award and the school she has worked with was a California Distinguished School for two years and a National Blue Ribbon School. She is most proud of the two year Distinguished School award. In a district where the school was considered to be on “the wrong side of the tracks” with the highest level of diversity, both ethnically and socio-economically, these honors put them on a level playing field with other schools in the district.

Prior to working with PLP, Diane worked as a Categorical Programs Coordinator for Chino Valley USD and was Principal at Los Alamitos USD. She also worked as a Teacher/Resource Specialist for LAUSD and Placentia - Yorba Linda USD. She is a member of ACSA, ASCD and NAESP.

* Southern California Project Lead for El Centro and Palmdale USD
* Working with PLP since 2007
* BA from Northern Illinois University in 1977, MS from Northern Illinois University in 1980, PhD from University of Illinois at Chicago in 1992

Gloria Johnston

Prior to working with PLP, Gloria was the Superintendent for West Contra Costa USD. She has also worked as the Superintendent for Banning USD and as the Dean of the School of Education for National University. She is most proud of focusing a 35,000 student urban school district that spanned 5 cities on student learning, bringing the communities together to support their schools and passing 2 bond measures ($450 million) and a parcel tax to provide improved learning environments and resources.

Gloria is published in three books: Eight at the Top: A View Inside Public Education, Effective Superintendent-School Board Practices: Strategies for Developing and Maintaining Good Relationships With Your Board, and The Superintendent's Planner: A Monthly Guide and Reflective Journal.

Peggy Lynch

Prior to working with PLP, Peggy was the Superintendent of San Dieguito Union High School Dist. She has also been a superintendent for Brea Olinda USD and Tustin USD. She has Co-authored three books on the superintendency and has written a short research piece on Board Development for ULV EPIC.

Peggy is a member of ACSA and the Suburban School Superintendents. She is most proud of the work she has done to develop other leaders and her work in building positive relationships with communities.

* Southern California Project Lead and Executive Coach for Hacienda-La Puente USD and Palmdale SD
* Working with PLP since July 2007
* BA from UCLA in 1971, MA from USC in 1976, Advanced Study towards EdD at USC

Cathy McMullen

Cathleen received the James Brown Leadership Award while at Glendale Unified School District in 2007and the ACSA Human Resources Administrator of the Year Award in 2003. During this time she worked as the Assistant Superintendent of Human resources at Glendale USD. She has also worked as a coach to principals in Focus on Results and as a Presenter of Certificated Employment for ACSA Personnel Academy.

She has achieved solid experience as a personnel administrator and instructional coach to principals while working the capacity as Assistant Superintendent. She is proud that schools made much progress in their student achievement results during this time.

Joann Merrick Ed. D.

 In 2003 alone, Joann was the recipient of the National PTA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Robert A. Sanchis Award and the Los Angeles County Bilingual Directors’ Association Outstand District Administrator Award. She has also received the CASCD Helen Heffner Award for Curriculum Leadership in 2002, the State ACSA Administrator of the Year Award in 1994 and numerous others.

Prior to working at Pivot, Joann worked as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services as well as the Administrator of Elementary Education in Glendale, California. She has also worked as a principal for Ramona School in Alhambra, CA. She is most proud of leading a committee that was asked to design an assessment system for the state of CA while serving as a member of the ACSA Board of Directors. The plan developed there served as the basis for legislation that lead to the current assessment system in CA.

Jeannie Murphy

Prior to working with PLP, Jeannie served as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for Duarte Unified. She also held the position of Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for the LA County Office of Education as well as the SB 1882 Professional Development Director for Kern, LA, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo and Ventura counties.

Jeannie is most proud of helping to create and lead two model demonstration schools visited by hundreds of educators throughout California. One was in a middle class neighborhood while the other was situated in a high poverty, high English Learner environment.  The schools featured the latest research based strategies in every classroom- team teaching and team and unit planning by every staff member, video-taping of lessons and peer feedback, weekly coaching and support, professional development staff meetings and high accountability.

* Project Lead for Lancaster School District; Principal Coach and Executive Coach for Lancaster and Pomona School Districts
* Working with PLP since July 2007
* MA from California State University, Fullerton in 1979; Doctorate from LaVerne University in 1993

Donna Patrick

Before joining the Southern California team, Donna was the Assistant Superintendent of Personnel with the Rowland USD for 13 years.  She has also been in the position of Principal and Director of Personnel at the Charter Oak USD. For six years, she filled the role of Regional Director of Human Resources with ACSA. In her career she has taught multiple grade levels, has served as a Math and Title I Specialist in the Pomona School District and, while at Charter Oak USD, served as the VP and Special Projects Coordinator.

Donna has received many awards during her career, including ACSA’s Region 15 Leadership Award, ACSA's Ray Curry Leadership Award for her work in HR, the Walnut Chamber Special Recognition Award, and Rowland’s Ada Mae Warner Award.

John Schmitt Ed. D.

John has received the Torrance Unified Administrator of the Year Award and the City of Torrance Community Volunteer of the Year Award. He is a member of ACSA and ASTD. Prior to working with PLP, John worked as the Associate Superintendent for Torrance Unified School District, as a High School Principal in Torrance USD and as the Director of Curriculum and Assessment for Torrance USD.

Throughout the last 20 years of his career he has had the opportunity to recruit, hire, and mentor several school administrators.  He have followed their career development and is proud of the number of them who have moved into school and district leadership roles and the fine work they are doing today.

Judith Smith

Judy has received the state ACSA Elementary Principal of the Year Award while working at Los Alamitos USD. She has also worked as a Curriculum Coordinator for Fullerton USD, a District Reading Consultant for Montebello USD and a Staff Development Trainer for Montebello USD.

Judy is most proud to have had the opportunity to develop a district-wide staff development program that included a training site and a coaching component in Montebello Unified School district to train administrators and teachers in the Essential Elements of Instruction, Clinical Supervision, and Classroom Management.