Our team includes:
Lou Barrios is going into his 3rd year of teaching 8th grade Math and Science at HTMMA. He loves teaching and always strives to get the most out of his students. Lou runs with both the high school and middle school track and cross country programs.
A California native, Lou studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of San Diego. After several internships working in education, he realized that he wanted to pursue his true passion, education.
Upon graduation, Lou started teaching through a program called Teach for America. He worked in the Bay Area for Aspire Public Schools as a high school Physics and Math teacher.
Lou also as works as a master teacher through the University of San Diego’s education masters program and serves on TFA San Diego’s Alumni Advisory committee.
Michelle Sadrena Clark is an 11th grade US History and American Literature teacher at High Tech High North County. She earned her Master’s in Pacific International Affairs, with a career concentration in International Development and a regional specialization in Latin America at the Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California, San Diego. Prior to entering graduate school, Michelle lived in Bisai, Japan for two years, teaching English and American culture at public junior high schools while engaging in performance dance and theater. Michelle received her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Irvine, with a major in International Studies and a minor in Clinical Psychology. During this time she also attended La Universidad Catolica Pontificia in Santiago, Chile for one semester. Proficient in Spanish, conversational Japanese and Portuguese, Michelle enjoys international travel and leaves the country at least once or twice ayear. While working at High Tech, Michelle has taken student’s to the Washington D.C., Dominican Republic, Vietnam, the U.K., France, Panama, and Costa Rica. As a member of the renowned public speaking organization, Toastmaster’s International, Michelle has won numerous accolades for competitive public speaking. Michelle recently earned a degree in Dance at Palomar College. With a dual passion for education and dance Michelle embraces an energetic teaching style that truly motivates students to learn.
Ben Daley is the chief academic officer for High Tech High. He acts as an advisor to fifteen high school students and teaches in the HTH Graduate School of Education, where he is the Director of Clinical Sites. Ben joined High Tech High to teach physics as a founding faculty member in fall 2000. He was the second director of High Tech High Original Recipe.
A New Hampshire native, Ben wisely moved to San Diego, CA at the first opportunity. As a student at Haverford College, Ben majored in physics and was credentialed in secondary physics and math. After graduation, he traveled to the Philippines and taught science and math at an international school in Manila. Upon his return to the U.S., he taught physics and AP physics at the Madeira School, a girls boarding school in suburban Washington, D.C. He then moved to California to coach basketball and to teach physics at Pomona and Pitzer Colleges. He earned an M.A. in science education at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is a member of the fifth class of the Aspen-Pahara Education Fellows.
An enthusiastic evangelist for open education and mobile technologies, Karen Fasimpaur has spent over 20 years integrating curriculum and technology. She is president of K12 Handhelds, the founder of K12 Open Ed and the Kids Open Dictionary, an award-winning author, blogger, and online community leader. She started the P2PU School of Ed and has participated in and facilitated MOOCs such as Making Learning Connected (CLMOOC).
She lives in a remote corner of the southwest in an off-the-grid house built with her own hands. She is an enthusiastic writer, cook, and carpenter.
Ryan Gallagher is a 9th grade Physics teacher at High Tech High North County. He has been with the organization since 2003 and was a founding teacher at High Tech Middle North County, a school of zombie apocalypses and incomparable YA fiction.
He is a native of Southern California. He earned degrees in Philosophy and Biology at the University of California San Diego before seeking a teaching credential from San Diego State University. He then continued his education through the HTH GSE where he received a Masters Degree in School Leadership. He is currently a member of the Distinguished Educators Panel at UCSD, a group of researchers and teachers that seek to bridge the gap between the classroom and the science of learning. Ryan was recently invited to review the new Next Generation Science Standards for the state of California as a member of the Science Educators Panel. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children eating froyo and napping throughout the night.
Laura McBain is the Director of External Relations at High Tech High. Laura was a founding teacher of High Tech Middle and was the principal of two HTH sites (HTM and HTH Albuquerque). As faculty member of the HTH Graduate School of Education, she directs the HTH Leading Schools Program, a one year hybrid program, geared toward external educators wishing to be change agents in their schools. Laura also helps external schools develop school reform initiatives centering around 21st century learning, charter school development and professional development. Laura has a B.A. in English and minors in Political Science and Spanish from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, a teaching credential from San Diego State University, and a Ed.M. in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Edrick Macalaguim is absolutely excited to start his long-awaited journey with HTMCV. He is looking forward to a year of wicked-awesome projects that will allow him to learn and grow along side his students. Growing up, Edrick attended Bonita Middle and Eastlake High School, so he feels honored and blessed to be able to give back to the Chula Vista community. After high school, Edrick attended SDSU where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Studies and his Multiple Subject CLAD Credential. In 2008, he entered the HTH Graduate School of Education, and completed his course of study with a Master of Education degree in Teacher Leadership in 2010.
Before working at HTMCV, Edrick taught at Myrtle S. Finney Elementary for 11 years as a 6th grade teacher. Throughout his tenure, he had been able to hone his teaching skills by working with a diverse population of students. During his last four years in the district, Edrick had transformed his classroom into a High Tech High inspired environment; using project-based learning, critiquing protocols and concepts of “Beautiful Work”, the students in his class were engaged in a learning experience that supported deeper understanding and tremendous growth.
After attending UC Irvine and receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English and a minor in Educational Studies, Asal Mirzahossein received her Master of Arts in the Teaching of English at Teachers College, Columbia University. Eventually making her way back home to the west coast, Asal found her place in the educational sanctuaries of High Tech High North County.
In her sixth year at High Tech High North County, Asal continues to be wholeheartedly dedicated to finding meaning in her experiences as a teacher and furthermore, guiding her students to finding and understanding the value of meaning in their individual lives. Asal knows that the Humanities can be a gateway to this pursuit. With that in mind, Asal works to empower herself and her students with the humanistic knowledge, tools, and language to believe in the magnitude of finding fulfillment in a meaningful life. Rob Riordan is the president of the HTH Graduate School of Education. He has worked as a teacher, trainer, and program developer for over 40 years. As a teacher in the Cambridge, MA public schools, he developed two innovative school-to-career programs, for which he was named National School to Work Practitioner of the Year in 1994. From 1996-99 he directed the New Urban High School project, a joint initiative of the Big Picture Company and the U.S. Department of Education. Forseveral years he designed and taught the practicum seminar for all student teachers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He was a founding staff member of the Tennessee Governor’s Academy for Teachers of Writing, and a Lead Founder of the Community Charter School of Cambridge, MA. His publications include two books: Schooling for the Real World: The Essential Guide to Rigorous and Relevant Learning (Jossey Bass, 1999), with Adria Steinberg and Kathleen Cushman, and Seeing the Future: A Planning Guide for High Schools (The Big Picture Company and the U.S. Department of Education, 1999).
(Jan) Philipp Schmidt is executive director and co-founder of Peer 2 Peer University (P2PU) – the grassroots community for social learning online. He is an MIT Media Lab Director’s fellow-in-residence and works with Joi Ito and Mitch Resnick on new models for open learning. He is an open education activist, innovator, and entrepreneur. Philipp co-authored the Cape Town Open Education Declaration, served as a founding board member for the OpenCourseWare Consortium and has been awarded Shuttleworth and Ashoka fellowships. He lives in Boston, and dreams of the beach.
Azul Terronez has been with the High Tech High family in several capacities since 2005 both in the classroom and out. He is as an adjunct faculty member of the HTH Graduate School of Education and spends his day in as an 8th grade teacher at High Tech Middle School.In the last 19 years he as been a principal and director at both the middle and high school levels.
He worked as an Associate Programs Officer for the Texas High School Project, helping launch various STEM academies throughout Texas. He has served as the Curator of Media for the Southwest Museum in Highland Park, California, the Director of the Nosotros Youth Theater in Hollywood, and was the Theatrical Director for Catskills West in Beverly Hills.He is passionate innovation, design thinking and learning. When not in school Azul enjoys running, yoga, entrepreneurship and spending time with his children and partner.
Emilio Torres joined High Tech High in 2012 as a middle school math and science teacher. He had spent the previous 3 years at Point Loma High School, teaching math and coaching the men’s rugby team. He earned and cleared his math credential through the San Diego Unified School District Intern/BTSA Program. Prior to teaching, Mr. Torres practiced law in Chicago and New York City. As a lawyer, he worked pro bono coaching the moot court and mock trial teams for a Bronx charter school that primarily serves socioeconomically disadvantaged students. This experience inspired him to leave law and pursue teaching.