Team

Former California K-12 leaders consulting the districts they came from.

18 advisors — former superintendents, CBOs, facilities directors, and program leaders — bringing decades of California K-12 experience to district consulting engagements.

Dr. Jason Viloria

Executive Director

Dr. Jason Viloria, Ed.D. brings over 20 years of experience in public education to the School Leaders team. As a former Superintendent, Associate Superintendent, Principal, and district executive, he is a recognized leader in instructional innovation, organizational leadership, and school facilities modernization. At School Leaders, he leads bond program management and executive coaching projects in collaboration with superintendents, CBOs, and facilities departments across California.

Dr. Leighangela Brady

Senior Advisor

Dr. Leighangela Brady, Ed.D., is a recently retired California superintendent with three decades in public education, including ten years as Superintendent of the National School District in San Diego County — the first woman to lead the district in its 150-year history. A former bilingual teacher, principal, and assistant superintendent of educational services, she is a nationally published author and a recognized voice on instructional leadership, formative assessment, equity, and organizational change. At School Leaders, she advises superintendents, boards, and district leadership teams on executive leadership, strategic planning, and educational services.

Kate Kwon

Director of Project Delivery

Kate Kwon is a K-12 facilities project delivery leader with nearly a decade of experience managing school modernization, new construction, and career-technical-education projects for California districts. At the Fullerton Joint Union High School District she advanced from Assistant Construction Project Manager to Construction Project Manager, overseeing multi-million-dollar capital improvements funded through voter-approved bonds, CUPCCAA, and formal public bidding. A SCI-Arc-trained designer, she pairs an architect's eye for how space supports learning with the field discipline of a construction manager. As Director of Project Delivery at School Leaders, she leads construction and modernization projects on behalf of district clients.

Stuart Packard

Senior Advisor

Stuart Packard is a recently retired California school superintendent with more than three decades in public education, most of it leading small and rural districts in the Central Valley. As Superintendent of the Buttonwillow Union Elementary School District in Kern County, he built a state-recognized small district and served as President of the Small School Districts' Association (SSDA), advocating for California's small and rural schools in Sacramento. At School Leaders, he advises superintendents and boards on small-district leadership, governance, fiscal strategy, and state advocacy.

Dr. Ken Testa

Project Manager

Dr. Ken Testa is a distinguished leader in educational facilities management, with over 20 years of experience delivering complex school modernization projects and overseeing bond programs.

Michael Bishop

Senor Advisor

Michael Bishop, Sr. is a veteran California K-12 school business executive who served as Associate Superintendent/Chief Business Official at Santa Ana Unified School District and Deputy Superintendent of Business at Paramount Unified School District. With deep expertise in school finance, bond program administration, and district business operations, he brings executive-level insight to every client engagement. Mr. Bishop also serves as faculty at the USC Rossier School of Education's School Business Management Certificate Program, where he helps train California's next generation of Chief Business Officials.

Carolyn Scholl

Consultant

Carolyn Scholl is an expert in educational facilities planning and program management, specializing in capacity analysis, modernization strategy, and GIS-based decision-making. With a proven track record of guiding districts through bond planning, redistricting, and DSA/OPSC compliance, she brings unmatched insight into transforming school infrastructure with clarity, compliance, and community alignment.

Chief David Valentin

Senior Advisor

At School Leaders, Chief Valentin advises districts on the full range of public safety contracting and campus security strategy — from School Resource Officer agreements and school police department assessments, to security technology procurement, emergency operations planning, mental health and wellness program integration, gang prevention partnerships, and staff training. He understands how districts budget for safety, how boards evaluate vendors, and what a well-run school safety program actually looks like from the inside.

Dale McCurry

Project Manager

Dale McCurry is a distinguished construction and energy management professional with over 35 years of experience in the K-12 education sector. Renowned for his expertise in school construction, modernization, and capital improvement programs, Dale has consistently delivered high-quality facilities that meet the evolving needs of students and educators. His leadership spans every phase of project management, from planning and budgeting to execution and completion.

Joe Dixon

President

Joe Dixon is a visionary leader in public school facility management with over 40 years of experience transforming educational spaces throughout California. Renowned for his unwavering commitment to advancing educational infrastructure, Joe has dedicated his career to creating safe, sustainable, and modern learning environments.

Jay Dixon

Project Manager

Jay Dixon is a dynamic leader in school facilities management and construction, blending hands-on experience with strategic oversight to deliver high-impact projects that enhance learning environments.

Dr. Stella Kemp

Program Manager

Dr. Stella Kemp brings an unparalleled breadth of experience in public education, having served as Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Principal, and Executive Director across multiple California districts. With a strong foundation in both instructional and operational leadership, she has led districts through transformative strategic planning, equity-based budgeting, and facilities modernization, managing budgets up to $550 million and bond programs exceeding $1.1 billion. As Superintendent of Santa Clara Unified, she championed Vision 2035, opened three new schools, expanded professional development systems, and led pandemic response efforts with clarity and compassion. In San Bruno Park, she facilitated fiscal recovery, workforce housing exploration, and district rebranding, while driving innovative PreK–8 transformation and labor collaboration. Her background in educational services and charter oversight is matched by her deep expertise in PLCs, MTSS, equity systems, and instructional leadership. She is a sought-after speaker and thought leader, with published work on school transformation, finance, and governance. Dr. Kemp holds a doctorate in Education Administration and Applied Technology, is CASBO-certified as a Chief Business Official, and is actively engaged in mentoring future leaders across California.

Dr. Allan Mucerino

Superintendent Services

Dr. Allan John Mucerino is a visionary educational leader with a distinguished track record of driving transformative results in school district facilities and bond programs. With decades of experience managing hundreds of millions of dollars in bond measures and facilities upgrades, Dr. Mucerino excels in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and delivering innovative, student-centered learning environments that inspire success.

Maria Denney

Project Manager

Maria Denney, AIA, is an accomplished architect and construction manager with over 25 years of experience shaping transformative educational spaces throughout California. As a licensed architect and active member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Maria has successfully led bond programs for major school districts, including Oakland Unified, San Francisco, and Berkeley, delivering sustainable and impactful designs that foster community engagement and exceed client expectations.

Roger Silveira

Project Manager

Roger Silveira is a seasoned facilities and construction professional with over 25 years of experience, rooted in a three-generation legacy of craftsmanship and hands-on expertise

Dr. Sherine Smith

Consultant

Dr. Sherine Smith has had a long and illustrious career as ateacher and leader in Orange County school districts. She started her career as a teacher in Capistrano Unified School District in the 1980’s and served as a mentor teacher. She went on to serve as the principal at Aliso Viejo Middle School and Capistrano Valley High School. Sherine moved into district office leadership in Capistrano Unified, where she ultimately served as the Deputy Superintendent of Education

Susan Dixon

Advocacy

Susan Dixon served as the President of the California Retired Teachers Association (CalRTA), leading the organization in its mission to advocate for the interests of retired and active educators. Under her leadership, CalRTA achieved a significant milestone with the signing of the Social Security Fairness Act on January 5, 2025, which repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) penalties. Dixon's dedication to pension protection and public education has been instrumental in advancing the organization's goals and supporting educators throughout California

Michael Morrison

Communications & Technology Lead

Michael Morrison is a nationally recognized K-12 technology leader and Chief Technology Officer at Laguna Beach Unified School District, named the 2023 Technology Administrator of the Year by ACSA Region 17. Creator of the AI Trust You browser extension — adopted by more than 300 school districts and installed over 250,000 times — he brings deep expertise in technology integration, digital transparency, AI strategy, and district-wide systems planning. At School Leaders, he serves as Communications and Technology Lead, helping districts design practical, forward-thinking solutions for safe, transparent, and future-ready learning environments.

Affiliated firm

Extended capabilities: School Leaders Construction

School Leaders Construction is our affiliated California K-14 construction management firm — pairing former district leaders with a licensed public-school builder that holds the §4525(e) qualifying contractor's license in-house. It extends what we can deliver: from planning and bond strategy straight through to building the schools.

Visit School Leaders Construction

John Cobb

Vice Chairman

John L. Cobb is the founder and CEO of J.L. Cobb, Inc., and Vice Chairman of School Leaders Construction. With 43 years in construction — more than 25 of them focused almost exclusively on California public-works school construction — he holds the qualifying contractor's license that lets School Leaders Construction deliver genuine builder-side execution as a CSLB-licensed general contractor under California Government Code §4525(e).

Bryan Hinkle

Construction Manager

Bryan Hinkle is a Construction Manager with School Leaders Construction and an on-site field leader with more than 11 years on California K-12 projects. He has successfully managed new construction, modernization, and CUPCCAA projects throughout Southern California, running daily jobsite operations, safety, trade coordination, scheduling, and quality control — often on occupied campuses. He holds a CSLB Class B contractor's license.

Project & field team

The people who run the work

The finance, project-management, and field leaders who keep programs on schedule, on budget, and compliant — day to day.

Deanna Hart

Controller & CFO

Leads finance, controls, and contract administration — budgets, progress billing, and program-level reporting.

Don Jones

Senior Project Manager

Runs construction and preconstruction meetings and leads the project-management team, client reporting, and change-order review.

Sergio Munoz

Project Superintendent

On-site field leadership — daily job-site reports, safety, trade coordination, and tailgate meetings on occupied campuses.

Robert Moore

Assistant Construction Manager

Supports construction management across scheduling, submittals, and field coordination.

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