About

Instructor Bios

ESL Instructor

LOIS DORN

Lois has been teaching ESL for more than 20 years in the San Diego area. She has a Masters in Education and a Bachelor's in Journalism from the University of Oregon, along with a TESOL certificate from UCSD. She loves inspiring second-language learners and helping them to achieve their goals.

CTE Instructors

ANEL MARTINEZ

Anel has been teaching Child Development and parenting courses for more than 15 years in the South Bay. She holds a Masters in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy and a Bachelors in Multiple Subjects. In addition, she works for Sweetwater Adult Education as a CTE Resource Teacher. Anel is passionate about Adult Education and enjoys transitioning students into higher education or workforce.

NORA MENZIES, BCBA

Nora will have the pleasure of leading you through the Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) course, as well as our new Instructional Assistant, Behavior & Health Support Specialist, and K12 Educator Success Training Institute programs. She is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). In this role, she has worked in both private and educational settings. She also has twelve years of experience as an elementary school educator and, more recently, have taken on a role in adult education, offering professional development opportunities to staff at the school district level and to adult students engaged in a master's degree program at Arizona State University. She looks forward to getting to know you all!

KRIS COLLINS, BSN, RN

Kris has worked over 20 years in ICU and Trauma, as well as in Post Anethesia Care Units (PACU). Since 2015, she has been working within the Coronado Unified School District as a substitute health office nurse, performing student hearing and vision screenings and medical clearances. We are pleased to have Kris co-instruct the K12 Behavior & Health Support Specialist Training Program.

Guest Instructors for K-12 Educator Success Training Institute Courses

JULIA BRAGA, MEd

Julia is an English Language Arts & Development Teacher on Special Assignment at Coronado Unified School District. In this role she supports TK-12 teachers, students, and administrators to coordinate CUSD's English Language and Development programs including curriculum and state testing. She has been an English Language instructor, tutor and college admissions advisor, substitute teacher, and 6th grade teacher.

LINDSEY CUMMINS

Lindsey is a Second Grade teacher and 12-year veteran of Village Elementary School. She has found her place in the classroom and sees the progress of her students as the gratification for her time as their teacher. “The best thing about being a teacher for me is seeing the growth that the students have within the year. It’s the rewarding piece. It’s where you see all of the effort come to fruition: to see where they started, and see where they end, and just being able to track that growth…. It’s really rewarding.”

MINDY HAYES

Mindy is a School Liaison Officer, stationed at the Coronado Naval Base. She supports, assists, and creates a connection between school districts, military installations, and military families. SLOs face a wide range of issues concering schools and military children's education, fulfilling seven core responsibilities: school transition services, deployment support, special education system navigation, partnerships in education, homeschool linkage, postsecondary preparation, and installation, school, and community communications.

WENDY LEWIS, MEd

Wendy is a Secondary Education teacher at Coronado High School.

KATIE QUINLY, MA

Katie has worked for the Coronado Unified School District as a Moderate/Severe Education Specialist for 11 years. She has a master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis and loves working to create opportunities for students with disabilities. She is the special education department head at Coronado High School and is on the bargaining team for the Association of Coronado Teachers. She loves to travel, bike ride and garden. Katie is excited to support others with strategies to include students across settings.

Instructors for Fee-Based Classes

JOE ANDERSON

Joe currently teaches this course at SDSU, MiraCosta, Southwestern, and Cuyamaca Community Colleges. He is also the host of “Your Money Your Wealth” on AM 760 KFMB radio. Joe received a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Florida and is a frequent speaker for a wide range of professional groups in San Diego County. He is a board member of The Society of Financial Service Professionals and a member of the Financial Planning Association.

LORENA BACA

Lorena Bača has been teaching Spanish at all levels for 25 years. Since 2010, she has taught at Coronado Adult Education. Lorena's company, Elia Enterprises, has offered a foreign language after-school program to CUSD since 2008, making a fun learning experience for students aged preschool through adults. She taught Spanish Story Time at the Coronado Public Library for six years, and since last year, she is currently teaching Spanish at the John D. Spreckels Center.

CHRISTINE BRADY

Christine studied ballet professionally with the School of American Ballet of the New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Center City Ballet, and the Pennsylvania Ballet. She performed with the Princeton Ballet Society and Princeton University Dancers. Christine is the President of the Americas Foundation, Fundacion de las Americas. Also, she has been directing the performing arts program for the La Esperanza schools and the fledgling Universidad Marucana for the past 30 years.

AKISHA CHANEY
Akisha teaches our Zumba Fitness course. Akisha is a nationally certified fitness instructor with 11+ years of experience teaching Zumba, Cardio Kickboxing, Body Pump, and various Group Fitness classes. Join in for a sweat session full of fun, energy and calorie burning good time.

NANCEE LEWIS

Nancee is a freelance photojournalist and owner of Nancee Lewis Photography. She works in the greater San Diego area covering news and feature events for local media outlets. Over the past 30 years, she has been a staff member of The San Diego Union-Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, and The Shreveport Times. Currently, besides her photojournalistic endeavors, she photographs private events, corporate and commercial assignments, and works with clients creating stylized individual and family portraiture. Nancee welcomes the opportunity to teach" others who are interested in photography and to share her passion for the photographic arts. She looks forward to working with students and passing along the knowledge she has gathered along her own photographic journey.