Meet the Academic Leadership Team

 

Managing Director of Academics & Compliance:

Brenna Horan

 

Brenna Horan has a  Master's in Education from UCLA's Principal Leadership Institute and a Master's of Arts in Urban Education: Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University.  She holds a clear administrative credential for school leadership, and two clear teaching credentials. During her career in education, she was a middle and high school teacher, an elementary resource specialist teacher, coordinator, assistant principal, and principal before transitioning to the instructional team at Extera.  She first started teaching in Los Angeles in 2010 as a Teach For America teacher, and has taught students K-12th grade. Her educational philosophy is grounded in equity, culturally sustaining pedagogy and social justice. She is trilingual (Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese) and understands the importance of celebrating home language as the mother of a bilingual first grader.

                  

 

Director of Special Education and Intervention Programming

April Hannon 

April Hannon is a first generation college student, born and raised in Savannah, Georgia. April has a Master’s Degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of South Florida and a clear Education Specialist Credential. She was awarded a Special Education Leader Fellowship for the 23-24 school year which she completed with SELF’s National Institute and is currently a fellow with the Relay Graduate School’s Inclusive School’s Leadership Institute. She began her teaching career as an ESL Instructor at the University of South Florida where she taught academic English classes for international graduate students. She also worked as an ESL instructor in California, before becoming a Special Education teacher. As a Special Education Teacher, she taught students in Mod/Severe and Mild/Moderate programs across multiple contexts ranging from Special Day Classes to Full Inclusion programs. April’s teaching philosophy is grounded in UDL and Inclusion, she believes that all students can succeed in learning if all barriers are removed. 

 

 

 

EPS Academic Coordinator

Jess Rivas (Jacobs)

Jess Rivas holds a Master’s degree in School Leadership from California State University, Dominguez Hills and has earned a clear teaching credential in both elementary and special education from Providence College. She began her teaching career in Rhode Island in 2008 and has taught students from kindergarten through seventh grade. Before joining the instructional team at Extera as an instructional coach, Jess served as an elementary and middle school English/SS teacher, a TOSA for Mandarin immersion students, a demonstration teacher for technology, and a resource teacher. Her educational philosophy focuses on student-centered learning, culturally sustaining practices, and fostering a love for learning for all, adults and students included. Jess is excited to share her love for learning with all the Extera community because she is dedicated to helping others unlock their potential through education.

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    Instructional Coach:         

      Dr. Asmaa Mohamed       

I Am... An accomplished instructional technologist and visionary educator with over two decades of expertise in e-learning and curriculum design. Currently, I serve as an Instructional Coach at Extera Public Schools in Los Angeles, CA, where I develop math and ELA curricula, provide instructional support, and organize professional development sessions.

I'm Proud... To have led various educational initiatives, including the development of innovative curriculum frameworks and the successful integration of digital educational tools. My research on analyzing online course syllabi for planned interactions and learner support has been published, highlighting my dedication to improving online learning experiences during my doctorate degree study. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12520/191

What You Should Know About Me….. I am continuously expanding my expertise in future-oriented education through advanced studies and professional development. I completed my doctorate degree at the American College of Education, and my master’s degree at University College London (UCL).Additionally, I hold multiple teaching certifications across UAE, UK, Egypt, Canada, and USA. I also hold a CELTA certificate from Cambridge University, UK. I am proficient in various educational technologies and methodologies, including Articulate Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, and learning management systems like Canvas.