Dr. Jose “JoJo” Reyes is the Director of Special Education and Student Support Services in Mendota Unified, CA. Dr. Reyes role is to provide district-wide vision and leadership to support all students and staff. Structures, collaboration, equity and access, instructional strategies, and increasing staff professional growth have been priorities in his position. Prior to Mendota, Dr. Reyes was the Director of Adult Education and Alternative Programs in Central Unified, CA. Dr. Reyes has twenty plus years of education experience and has had several leadership roles. His experiences include Head Varsity Football Coach, Teacher, Guidance Learning Counselor, Vice-Principal, Regional Vice-Principal, Principal, Director and Adjunct Faculty. Dr. Reyes specializes in relationship building, cultural proficiency and equity, instructional leadership, mentoring, school‐wide structural support, dealing with difficult students, teacher pedagogy and overall capacity building. As a former United States Marine, Dr. Reyes believes that the ability to provide a service which ultimately makes a change in a person’s life is very empowering. He and his wife Michele, who is also in education, have one son and three daughters. Dr. Reyes holds an undergraduate degree in Speech Communication, Master of Arts in Special Education, and a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Autism.
Dr. Reyes also serves as a Center for Leadership Equity and Research Mentor and Board member. His research interests are in the areas of equity, special needs, ethnic studies, cultural proficiency and school-wide structures to create pathways for success for all students. Current projects include working with the American Institutes for Research, early literacy, ethnic studies seminars, cultural proficiency, strength based pedagogy for students and Network Improvement Communities with WestEd. Dr. Reyes continues to work with schools, organizations and community partners to support P-12 and adult populations.
Dr. Rosa Guerra
A daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, Dr. Rosa Guerra was born and raised in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. As such, she is committed to ensuring equity and access for all children. Dr. Guerra has worked in the field of education since 1994. She began her career as a school office manager, then elementary school teacher, elementary school assistant principal, elementary school principal and currently serves as director of Child Development. She has also taught graduate students as an adjunct professor for Point Loma of the Nazarene University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master’s and Ed.D. degree from Azusa Pacific University. Her doctoral dissertation entitled, Mentoring of Second-Generation Latino/a Principals: How Do Second-Generation Latino/a Principals Perceive the Roles Played by their Mentors in their Career? reflects her long-standing commitment to mentoring, social justice and equity issues.
Craig Greenwood
Craig Greenwood, Former Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances for Illuminate Education, is a senior sales & business development leader with over 30 years experience working with organizations that serve educators and students. His work experience includes executive level positions at Apple, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Panasonic, and most recently, Illuminate Education. He has been recognized for excellence in building alliances with key school districts and supporting associations through team collaboration and leadership. Craig currently serves as an advisor to Horizon Education.
Abram Jimenez, Ed.D.
Abram Jimenez, Ed.D. serves as Vice President at Curriculum Associates, where he works with district leadership teams across the country to advance equitable outcomes for all students. Previously, Dr. Jimenez served as the Senior Executive Director of Continuous Improvement in the New York City Department of Education. During his tenure, Abram worked on the NYCDOE’s Comprehensive School Support Plan and spearheaded the agency’s 1,800 school Comprehensive Education Plan. Dr. Jimenez served as Chief of Schools in the San Francisco Unified School District, where he provided supervision and support to the local Assistant Superintendents and schools. In Los Angeles, Dr. Jimenez worked with Mayor Villaraigosa at the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a transformation organization within the Los Angeles Unified School District, supporting school improvement efforts in South Central Los Angeles, Watts, and East Los Angeles. Abram also worked as Vice President of Illuminate Education, supporting the district leadership teams effectuate strategic planning goals and meeting the unique needs of various educational communities.
Dr. Jimenez holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Education from UCLA, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego; and a Doctorate in K-12 Urban Leadership from the University of Southern California (USC).
Terri Kimber-Edwards
Terri Kimber-Edwards has been a Fresno Unified educator for the last 26 years. Her leadership roles have included elementary Teacher, Vice Principal and Principal. As an Administrator, she became passionate about supporting all students, particularly those considered to be at-risk (or, in her words, “at-potential”). Currently, she serves as Administrator of Fresno Unified Parent University to empower, engage, and connect families in support of student achievement.
Her passion for education stems from her work with diverse communities and student populations. Her professional memberships include the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) and the Center for Leadership, Equity and Research (CLEAR). She is a founding member of the FUSD African American Network Group and coordinates the annual African American Family Conference. In addition, she is a John Maxwell certified speaker, trainer and mentor. Her educational background from Fresno State includes a Multiple Subjects teaching credential, a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration/Supervision. Her November/December 2016 ACSA publication in Leadership titled “Communicating Connecting with Parents,” promotes positive parent engagement and support between the home and school site.
Edwards is married and has two beautiful daughters, also Fresno Unified graduates. She credits her love of learning to strong, committed parents that instilled the importance of social justice, education and community. She is the proud daughter of former Fresno City Councilman and community-invested parents, Lesly and Pauline Kimber.
Mahmoud Suleiman, Ph.D.
Dr. Mahmoud Suleiman is a professor of teacher education at California State University, Bakersfield. He earned his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in 1993. He previously taught at the Maricopa Community College District, AZ; Arizona State University, Tempe; and Fort Hays State University, KS. He joined CSUB in 1999 and has taught a variety of credential and graduate courses in the areas of multiculturalism, reading/literacy, action research, instructional leadership, second language acquisition, standard-based education reform, among others. He also published extensively in some of these areas. His current research foci include equityand social justice, cultural proficiency and multicutrual literacy, and global education inititatives among others. During his tenure at CSUB, he served as Director of the Multiple Subject Credential Program and as Chair of the Teacher Education Department as well as Chair of the Advanced Educational Studies. He is a Fulbright Scholar (2009/2010) and completed his residency at the Bahrain Teachers College, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, as well as Fulbright Scholar (2016/2017) at the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teachers’ Training, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Jane Patterson, Ed.D.
Jane is an entrepreneurial education leader who has dedicated her professional life to improving opportunities for students and educators so that they may achieve their aspirations. Her first question is: Where are the roadblocks to personal fulfillment and how can we remove them? Often, the barriers are structural, sometimes they are cultural, and occasionally they stem from a lack of knowledge or information. Jane has spent the last twenty-two years working with education leaders to develop solutions to the challenges that are hindering their success.
Jane has worked with education thought leaders to develop and implement 11 innovative, student-centered schools. She has been a leader in bringing arts education and experiences to some of LA’s most neglected communities. She launched the West Coast office of Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto’s Exploring the Arts, and she collaborated with the presidents of CalArts and the Huntington to launch the Arts Consortium to expand opportunities for all children in LA County. Jane and her long-time business partner created learning software that helped 75,000 first-generation students write analytical arguments in preparation for post-secondary learning. Currently, Jane is a Senior Director at Thrively, a strengths-based learning journey that ensures that every child’s internal assets are known and valued.
On a personal level, Jane is a passionate CLEAR board member who has seen the vital importance of amplifying the diversity of voices in education and deepening the leadership bench so that all leaders can thrive. Jane enjoys competitive paddling, loves the outdoors, has experienced cultures around the globe, and is an arts enthusiast.
Gilberto Conchas
Gilberto Q. Conchas obtained a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently the Inaugural Wayne K. and Anita Woolfolk Hoy Endowed Professor of Education at the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to Penn State, Dr. Conchas was Professor of Educational Policy and Social Context at the University of California, Irvine, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Senior Program Officer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Conchas is an expert on qualitative research methods, with a particular focus on case study methodology. Conchas’ research focuses on inequality with an emphasis on urban communities and schools. Numerous scholarly journals have published his work. He is the author of nine books, including The Color of Success: Race and High-Achieving Urban Youth, Small Schools and Urban Youth: Using the Power of School Culture to Engage Youth, StreetSmart SchoolSmart: Urban Poverty and the Education of Boys of Color, and Cracks in the Schoolyard—Confronting Latino Educational Inequality. His current coauthored book, The Chicana/o/x Dream: Hope, Resistance, and Educational Success, was conferred the 2021 Book-of-the-Year Award from the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE).
Board of Directors & Staff
Board of Directors
JoJo Reyes, Ed.D.
Dr. Jose “JoJo” Reyes is the Director of Special Education and Student Support Services in Mendota Unified, CA. Dr. Reyes role is to provide district-wide vision and leadership to support all students and staff. Structures, collaboration, equity and access, instructional strategies, and increasing staff professional growth have been priorities in his position. Prior to Mendota, Dr. Reyes was the Director of Adult Education and Alternative Programs in Central Unified, CA. Dr. Reyes has twenty plus years of education experience and has had several leadership roles. His experiences include Head Varsity Football Coach, Teacher, Guidance Learning Counselor, Vice-Principal, Regional Vice-Principal, Principal, Director and Adjunct Faculty. Dr. Reyes specializes in relationship building, cultural proficiency and equity, instructional leadership, mentoring, school‐wide structural support, dealing with difficult students, teacher pedagogy and overall capacity building. As a former United States Marine, Dr. Reyes believes that the ability to provide a service which ultimately makes a change in a person’s life is very empowering. He and his wife Michele, who is also in education, have one son and three daughters. Dr. Reyes holds an undergraduate degree in Speech Communication, Master of Arts in Special Education, and a Doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on Autism.
Dr. Reyes also serves as a Center for Leadership Equity and Research Mentor and Board member. His research interests are in the areas of equity, special needs, ethnic studies, cultural proficiency and school-wide structures to create pathways for success for all students. Current projects include working with the American Institutes for Research, early literacy, ethnic studies seminars, cultural proficiency, strength based pedagogy for students and Network Improvement Communities with WestEd. Dr. Reyes continues to work with schools, organizations and community partners to support P-12 and adult populations.
Dr. Rosa Guerra
A daughter of Guatemalan immigrants, Dr. Rosa Guerra was born and raised in the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. As such, she is committed to ensuring equity and access for all children. Dr. Guerra has worked in the field of education since 1994. She began her career as a school office manager, then elementary school teacher, elementary school assistant principal, elementary school principal and currently serves as director of Child Development. She has also taught graduate students as an adjunct professor for Point Loma of the Nazarene University. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Master’s and Ed.D. degree from Azusa Pacific University. Her doctoral dissertation entitled, Mentoring of Second-Generation Latino/a Principals: How Do Second-Generation Latino/a Principals Perceive the Roles Played by their Mentors in their Career? reflects her long-standing commitment to mentoring, social justice and equity issues.
Craig Greenwood
Craig Greenwood, Former Vice President of Partnerships and Alliances for Illuminate Education, is a senior sales & business development leader with over 30 years experience working with organizations that serve educators and students. His work experience includes executive level positions at Apple, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Panasonic, and most recently, Illuminate Education. He has been recognized for excellence in building alliances with key school districts and supporting associations through team collaboration and leadership. Craig currently serves as an advisor to Horizon Education.
Abram Jimenez, Ed.D.
Abram Jimenez, Ed.D. serves as Vice President at Curriculum Associates, where he works with district leadership teams across the country to advance equitable outcomes for all students. Previously, Dr. Jimenez served as the Senior Executive Director of Continuous Improvement in the New York City Department of Education. During his tenure, Abram worked on the NYCDOE’s Comprehensive School Support Plan and spearheaded the agency’s 1,800 school Comprehensive Education Plan. Dr. Jimenez served as Chief of Schools in the San Francisco Unified School District, where he provided supervision and support to the local Assistant Superintendents and schools. In Los Angeles, Dr. Jimenez worked with Mayor Villaraigosa at the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a transformation organization within the Los Angeles Unified School District, supporting school improvement efforts in South Central Los Angeles, Watts, and East Los Angeles. Abram also worked as Vice President of Illuminate Education, supporting the district leadership teams effectuate strategic planning goals and meeting the unique needs of various educational communities.
Dr. Jimenez holds a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Education from UCLA, a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego; and a Doctorate in K-12 Urban Leadership from the University of Southern California (USC).
Terri Kimber-Edwards
Terri Kimber-Edwards has been a Fresno Unified educator for the last 26 years. Her leadership roles have included elementary Teacher, Vice Principal and Principal. As an Administrator, she became passionate about supporting all students, particularly those considered to be at-risk (or, in her words, “at-potential”). Currently, she serves as Administrator of Fresno Unified Parent University to empower, engage, and connect families in support of student achievement.
Her passion for education stems from her work with diverse communities and student populations. Her professional memberships include the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA), the California Association of African American Superintendents and Administrators (CAAASA) and the Center for Leadership, Equity and Research (CLEAR). She is a founding member of the FUSD African American Network Group and coordinates the annual African American Family Conference. In addition, she is a John Maxwell certified speaker, trainer and mentor. Her educational background from Fresno State includes a Multiple Subjects teaching credential, a Bachelor’s Degree in Communicative Disorders and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration/Supervision. Her November/December 2016 ACSA publication in Leadership titled “Communicating Connecting with Parents,” promotes positive parent engagement and support between the home and school site.
Edwards is married and has two beautiful daughters, also Fresno Unified graduates. She credits her love of learning to strong, committed parents that instilled the importance of social justice, education and community. She is the proud daughter of former Fresno City Councilman and community-invested parents, Lesly and Pauline Kimber.
Mahmoud Suleiman, Ph.D.
Dr. Mahmoud Suleiman is a professor of teacher education at California State University, Bakersfield. He earned his Ph.D. from Arizona State University in 1993. He previously taught at the Maricopa Community College District, AZ; Arizona State University, Tempe; and Fort Hays State University, KS. He joined CSUB in 1999 and has taught a variety of credential and graduate courses in the areas of multiculturalism, reading/literacy, action research, instructional leadership, second language acquisition, standard-based education reform, among others. He also published extensively in some of these areas. His current research foci include equityand social justice, cultural proficiency and multicutrual literacy, and global education inititatives among others. During his tenure at CSUB, he served as Director of the Multiple Subject Credential Program and as Chair of the Teacher Education Department as well as Chair of the Advanced Educational Studies. He is a Fulbright Scholar (2009/2010) and completed his residency at the Bahrain Teachers College, University of Bahrain, Bahrain, as well as Fulbright Scholar (2016/2017) at the Faculty of Educational Sciences and Teachers’ Training, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Jane Patterson, Ed.D.
Jane is an entrepreneurial education leader who has dedicated her professional life to improving opportunities for students and educators so that they may achieve their aspirations. Her first question is: Where are the roadblocks to personal fulfillment and how can we remove them? Often, the barriers are structural, sometimes they are cultural, and occasionally they stem from a lack of knowledge or information. Jane has spent the last twenty-two years working with education leaders to develop solutions to the challenges that are hindering their success.
Jane has worked with education thought leaders to develop and implement 11 innovative, student-centered schools. She has been a leader in bringing arts education and experiences to some of LA’s most neglected communities. She launched the West Coast office of Tony Bennett and Susan Benedetto’s Exploring the Arts, and she collaborated with the presidents of CalArts and the Huntington to launch the Arts Consortium to expand opportunities for all children in LA County. Jane and her long-time business partner created learning software that helped 75,000 first-generation students write analytical arguments in preparation for post-secondary learning. Currently, Jane is a Senior Director at Thrively, a strengths-based learning journey that ensures that every child’s internal assets are known and valued.
On a personal level, Jane is a passionate CLEAR board member who has seen the vital importance of amplifying the diversity of voices in education and deepening the leadership bench so that all leaders can thrive. Jane enjoys competitive paddling, loves the outdoors, has experienced cultures around the globe, and is an arts enthusiast.
Gilberto Conchas
Gilberto Q. Conchas obtained a Ph.D. and M.A. in Sociology from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. He is currently the Inaugural Wayne K. and Anita Woolfolk Hoy Endowed Professor of Education at the Pennsylvania State University. Prior to Penn State, Dr. Conchas was Professor of Educational Policy and Social Context at the University of California, Irvine, Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Senior Program Officer for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Conchas is an expert on qualitative research methods, with a particular focus on case study methodology. Conchas’ research focuses on inequality with an emphasis on urban communities and schools. Numerous scholarly journals have published his work. He is the author of nine books, including The Color of Success: Race and High-Achieving Urban Youth, Small Schools and Urban Youth: Using the Power of School Culture to Engage Youth, StreetSmart SchoolSmart: Urban Poverty and the Education of Boys of Color, and Cracks in the Schoolyard—Confronting Latino Educational Inequality. His current coauthored book, The Chicana/o/x Dream: Hope, Resistance, and Educational Success, was conferred the 2021 Book-of-the-Year Award from the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE).
Suwinder Cooper
Bio coming soon!
Ciannah Moreno (Student Representative)
Bio coming soon!
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