ECMSI - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Scienc
- Teacher, Science
Adam Underwood is the eighth grade Science teacher at ECMS-Gardena. He joined the ECS community after several years of experience working at a traditional public school. Mr. Underwood enjoys the dynamic atmosphere at ECMS and the commitment to taking education beyond the classroom.
Mr. Underwood's passion for science originates from his love for the outdoors, fostered by his childhood and upbringing in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He has worked with professional foresters and community partners, delving into water quality, wildlife management, and forestry. At school, he is often found excavating the school site with students to investigate the history of the community and often spearheads campus beautification projects. Mr. Underwood emphasizes, "Science is everywhere and highly relatable."
When Mr. Underwood is not teaching, he can be found dabbling in various hobbies. He enjoys surfing, camping, playing softball and basketball, and strumming his guitar.
Since 2014, Alejandra Camarena has been a Paraeducator at ECMS-Gardena. Alejandra's area of expertise is Special Education and has ten years of experience working with students from Kindergarten to eighth grade.
Favorite Books: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Life of Pi by Yann Martel
Favorite Actors: Leonardo DiCaprio & Meryl Streep
Favorite Food: Vietnamese Noodles, Pho
Favorite Movies: Forrest Gump, Empire Strikes Back Episode V
Favorite Color: Blue
Previous experience includes: School Counseling, Program Directing, Case Management, Wraparound Services
Alejandro is passionate in helping students to be successful and becoming life-long learners. He believe that despite the many challenges and obstacles in life, with the right support you can be successful. Alejandro received the 2010 Staff of the Year Award at Glen A. Wilson High School. Outside of work, he likes to dance and listen to music. He has an interest in motorcycles and Import Tuners.
In the last 10 years, I have had the privilege of helping students in various school settings in multiple languages including Spanish, Khmer, Korean, and Mandarin. This includes counseling, facilitating special programs, and teaching across grade levels K-12. It's an honor to be part of such a great school and team at ECHS!
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Int Math 1 / Calculus
If Alexis could meet with one person in the world, it would be Nelson Mandela to discuss his random hobbies and his ideas for education and social justice today. Her previous experience includes teaching and working on training materials for soldiers. Outside of work, Alexis likes to hike, run, exercise, read, watch sports, play sports, board games, card game and attend church events.
I am passionate about young people recognizing their ability. I grew up thinking inside the box and not recognizing my unique abilities and the leadership that can come at a young age. I want young people inside and outside of my classroom to be the change they want to see and be strong leaders.
Job Titles:
- Director of Growth & Sustainability
- Founder of Environmental Charter Schools
Alison Suffet Diaz is the Founder of Environmental Charter Schools. With a dynamic team and under Alison's leadership as the Executive Director & CEO for the majority of the last 20 years, ECS has flourished into award-winning schools. Environmental Charter High School is ranked in the top 3% of U.S. public high schools by U.S. News & World Report, and was chosen as one of three national finalists in President Obama's Race to the Top Commencement Challenge. ECS was in the first round of schools to be given the Department of Education's inaugural Green Ribbon Award in environmental and sustainability education and Environmental Charter Middle School - Gardena received the 2015 California Gold Ribbon Schools Award for academic excellence. All ECS schools are WASC accredited.
In June 2019, Alison transitioned into the role of Director of Growth and Sustainability. In this role, she focuses on school growth, leading the expansion of high quality charter school seats into which ECS middle schoolers may matriculate through the launch of ECHS #2 in 2020-2021. She also manages mission-aligned green school facilities development, management and operations, spearheads sustainability initiatives, liaises with national and local green school partners and oversees development, partnerships and advocacy.
A teacher and lawyer by training, and mother at heart, Alison set out to create a different kind of educational experience for students, which has evolved into a model for schools across the country. Steps from Los Angeles' major freeways, Environmental Charter Schools campuses are oases in an urban landscape and incorporate sustainable green features in their designs. Alison's favorite spots are the bubbling stream that trickles out to a dry river bed, the student-designed playgrounds, the classroom garage doors that open up to patios, and of course, the chickens.
Alison holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the State University of New York, Albany, and Juris Doctorate from Temple University Law School. At Temple, she participated in the LEAP program, teaching inner-city youth about their constitutional rights. After earning her teaching credential from California State University, Dominguez Hills, Diaz taught for eight years as she developed the blueprint for what would become Environmental Charter Schools. Alison also served as a faculty member at California State University, Dominguez Hills and worked as the Education Specialist for TreePeople.
Diaz was named 2011 Woman of the Year by the State of California Assembly. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Green Schools National Network, is an Advisory Board Member for the Antioch Teacher Education Program and is a Senior Fellow for the City Scholars Foundation. She was also invited to keynote the National Green Schools Network Conference and has spoken at functions hosted by Rotary International, Women's Environmental Council and the Women in Green Forum.
When she's not changing the face of education, Alison can be found on the slopes, skiing with her daughter, Taylor, traveling to parts unknown, or enjoying time with family and friends!
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Int Math 2, AP Calculus
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- President of the Board
Job Titles:
- Information Technology Technician
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Government / Economics
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Games and Movement & Family Support Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, 12th Grade College Prep
Job Titles:
- Humanities Instructional Coach
Job Titles:
- 504 & Intervention Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Special Education Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Secondary Math Specialist
Job Titles:
- Librarian / Testing Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Math / Science Core
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Special Education
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Secretary of the Board
Job Titles:
- Safety Coordinator and Parent Liaison
Job Titles:
- Director of Principal Development / Coach
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Teacher, 8th Grade English
Job Titles:
- Special Education Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Assistant
Job Titles:
- Instructor
- Green Ambassadors Specialist
Hannah Sands is the Green Ambassador Intern Instructor. Joining the ECHS team in 2018, Hannah's responsibilities include developing environmental justice-based lesson plans and supporting the creation of the gardening club. Previously, she served as the Policy + Research Associate for Los Angeles Waterkeeper, where she worked on Measure W, the stormwater capture policy. Hannah was drawn to ECS because she has a passion for learning new things, hands-on teaching, and the school's commitment to environmental and social justice.
Hannah is a graduate of Scripps College and holds a B.A. in Environmental Sustainability. She is also a native of Montclair, New Jersey. Her favorite song is Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley, she played rugby throughout college, and she spends her free time reading in parks, in the ocean
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Environmental Science
Job Titles:
- Accounting and Payroll Manager
Job Titles:
- Student Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of School Health and Safety
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Green Ambassadors
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal of Instruction
Job Titles:
- Director of Compliance and Operations
Job Titles:
- Teacher, History & English
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Environmental Science
Job Titles:
- Teacher, ELD / Literacy Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Gentlemen 's League Facilitator and Supervision Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Director of Development
- Director of Development at Environmental Charter Schools
Julie Vo is the Director of Development at Environmental Charter Schools. In her role, she works to develop and build ECS partnerships while overseeing fundraising, marketing, grants, PR and communication activities. Upon her arrival in 2015, Julie was drawn to ECS' commitment to growing civic-minded and self-aware students who are knowledgeable in community development practice and excited about making a difference.
Julie loves to connect with people and help them develop their strengths and share their personal stories. She holds a B.A. in Sociology and Asian American Studies and a minor in Education from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Julie has over fifteen years of experience in grant writing, nonprofit development, youth mentorship programs and community arts. Before coming to ECS, she oversaw grants and communications at MOMS Orange County. She has been honored for her community leadership by the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and Senator Lou Correa and her writing was awarded Best Advocacy Voice by New American Media. Julie currently serves on the board of the Vietnamese American Arts & Letters Association (VAALA) and the Advisory Boards of Orange County Environmental Justice and the CA Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative. She also organizes with VietUnity-SoCal, Viet Solidarity & Action Network and commongroundoc.
Job Titles:
- Director of Strategic Initiatives at Environmental Charter Schools
- Strategic Initiatives
Active in the charter school movement since 2003, Kami Cotler is currently the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Environmental Charter Schools. Kami began her education career in a small, rural district in Virginia, where she taught in an interdisciplinary, alternative program for at-risk high school students. Returning to Los Angeles in 2001, she was introduced to the charter world when she joined the faculty of Environmental Charter High School. Seeking a quality elementary school for her son, she became involved with the founding of Ocean Charter School, a K-8 arts-integrated charter, and served as its founding co-director. Ms. Cotler also consulted with start-up charters including the Goethe International Charter School and then rejoined ECS to help establish Environmental Charter Middle School-Gardena, where she was founding principal for four years.
Job Titles:
- Special Education Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Education Specialist, 6th Grade
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Treasurer
- Vice President of the Board
Job Titles:
- Speech & Language Pathology Assistant
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal of Instruction
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Environmental Science
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal of Student Services
Job Titles:
- Office Coordinator & Outdoor Education Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Art & Advanced Art
Job Titles:
- Teacher, SAI / Education Specialist
Job Titles:
- Director of Special Education
Job Titles:
- Campus Engineer Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Games & Movement
Job Titles:
- Speech & Language Pathology Assistant
Job Titles:
- Research and Writing Specialist
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English / History
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Special Education
Job Titles:
- Human Resources Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Coach, Social Justice & Equity
Job Titles:
- Director of Human Resources
Job Titles:
- Payroll and Accounting Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Integrated Math II and Accelerated Math 10
Job Titles:
- Community Liaison & Parent Engagement Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Teacher, World History / AP World History
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Green Ambassadors
Job Titles:
- Office Assistant & Special Education Compliance Clerk
Job Titles:
- Research and Writing Specialist
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Special Education
Job Titles:
- Special Education Coordinator