Senior Vice President of Education
John serves as Senior Vice President of Education at McKinley, where he provides executive leadership for McKinley’s nonpublic school programs, including Canyon View School and Desert View School. In this role, he oversees educational strategy, daily operations, compliance with state and federal education requirements, accreditation, budgeting, curriculum development, and staff supervision across complex, highly regulated environments serving students with significant educational and behavioral needs. His scope of responsibility spans academic outcomes, workforce development, cross-agency collaboration with school districts and SELPAs, and alignment of education services with McKinley’s broader mission.
With more than 26 years in special education and school leadership, John brings deep experience guiding organizations through growth, integration, and change. He has successfully opened and stabilized new nonpublic school programs, led licensing and accreditation renewals, built sustainable systems to monitor outcomes and compliance, and supported teams through periods of expansion and operational transition. His leadership philosophy reflects McKinley’s HUMAN values: he leads with Hope by maintaining high expectations for students and staff; with understanding by recognizing the complexity of trauma, learning differences, and organizational change; with Moral clarity through strong compliance and ethical decision making; with Awesome by developing capable, confident teams; and with Nurturing by prioritizing safe, supportive environments for both students and staff.
John approaches partnership and integration with a steady, people centered lens. He believes successful mergers or collaborations must honor organizational identity, protect continuity of care, and support staff through transparent communication, mentorship, and stability during change. Among his notable accomplishments are the successful launch of a new nonpublic school in collaboration with the California Department of Education and local districts, long-term leadership of Canyon View School through multiple accreditation cycles, and the development of staff training and mentorship systems that strengthen instructional quality and retention. Born in Covina, California, John has been married for 29 years and is a proud parent of two adult children; his wife is an elementary school librarian. Outside of work, he enjoys gardening, tackling DIY home projects, and laughing with friends and family . A loyal Angels fan, John hoped the 2002 World Series win would usher in a new era, like his patience with students and teams, he remains hopeful and steady as he waits for that long anticipated breakthrough. He remains deeply committed to this work because he believes strong, compassionate educational leadership changes life trajectories for students, supports staff through meaningful careers, and strengthens the communities McKinley serves.
