Randy Barth founded Think Together in 1997 after a gang shooting in Costa Mesa, CA to help meet the needs of a specific neighborhood. He invested personal funds and bootstrapped the organization as volunteer Board Chair while tending to his day job as a stockbroker and later as a corporate CEO. After a successful 20-year business career, Randy began to apply his entrepreneurial skills to education as CEO of Think Together in 2004.

Since then has scaled the organization to $85 million in revenue and 3,000 employees serving more than 200,000 students in over 600 programs across CA. He diversified the organization into a variety of direct service programs for students and professional services for teachers and administrators around a specific school turnaround model that is data-driven and people-centric, which produces transformational results for schools (think Moneyball for education). In a little more than two decades, Randy built one of the largest education social enterprises in CA, with a current year growth rate of more than 40%.

Randy, along with former LA Times report Jennifer Delson, is the co-author of the book, Think Together, How YOU Can Play a Role in Improving Education in America. He serves on various boards and as a Senior Fellow at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs. Randy graduated from UCLA in 1981 with a BA in Economics and studied under Peter Drucker at Claremont Graduate University. Randy lives in Santa Ana, CA with his wife Mary and has two adult daughters, Katie and Emily.

Dr. Robin Avelar La Salle is founder and CEO of Orenda Education, a professional education and technical assistance organization.  For more than 20 years, Dr. Avelar La Salle and the Orenda team have been thought partners for districts and schools aspiring to transform their systems and practices to raise student achievement.  An equity warrior and an advocate for justice within the educational system, Dr. Avelar La Salle’s mission is to change the odds for the twenty million kids in US schools for whom the current systems of instruction and improvement are not working -- predominantly Latino, African American, and students from under-resourced families.

She received her Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University, and during her career has held the roles of teacher, principal, district administrator, researcher, and university professor. She is the author of many articles on education equity and several books, including her newest work Shattering Inequities: Real World Wisdom for School and District Leaders, written in partnership with Dr. Ruth S. Johnson.

San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' Ted Alejandre began his first four-year term as the county's 34th superintendent on Jan. 5, 2015. He ran for the county’s lead educational seat unopposed in 2018 and began his second four-year term in Jan. 2019.

With more than 30 years of experience in public education, Mr. Alejandre has been a teacher, vice principal, principal, director of fiscal services and assistant superintendent of Business Services at the district level. He joined the County Superintendent of Schools office in 2008 as the assistant superintendent of Business Services and also served as the deputy superintendent for County Schools prior to his election as county superintendent.

As county superintendent, Mr. Alejandre has fostered a collaborative spirit with the 33 school districts in the county that are home to the more than 406,000 students, while increasing the visibility of educational partnerships in the community. His office oversees a $315 million annual operating budget and employs nearly 2,000 employees.

As part of the Countywide Vision to promote a better quality of life for all residents of the county, Mr. Alejandre has spearheaded efforts to increase countywide literacy rates for preschool-aged children with the adoption of the Footsteps2Brilliance program.

Since taking office, Mr. Alejandre also instituted the award-winning, countywide Student Advisory Panel of high school representatives who explore countywide issues in education, the economy, safety, and health and wellness providing opportunities for active student involvement and leadership.

Mr. Alejandre is a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves and served 18 years with the 701ST Combat Operations Squadron. Currently, he serves as the deputy director for Air Force liaison officers in Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino counties, and is responsible for the recruitment and evaluation of prospective students for the Air Force Academy.

Mr. Alejandre is a 1982 graduate of Aquinas High School. He received his associate degree in Administrative Management from the Community College of the Air Force, his bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and master’s in Educational Administration from Cal State University, San Bernardino.

Dr. Angelo Farooq is appointed as the Chairman of the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB) under Governor Newsom administration. CWDB develops a common policy framework for the +$6 billion statewide workforce system that is the largest in the country. He is appointed by CA Treasurer Fiona Ma as co-chair of her Housing, Economic Development, Job Creation Advisory Council and appointed by Controller Betty Yee on her Council of Economic Advisors. Angelov is an entrepreneur in sustainable development. He is elected on the Board or Education for Riverside Unified School District. Angelov earned his Bachelor’s Degree from UC Berkeley, Executive Master and Doctorate of Policy, Planning & Development degrees from the University of Southern California.

The elected Riverside County Superintendent of Schools serves as both the chief executive officer of the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) and the Superintendent of Schools for the county’s preschool through 12th grade segment of that system—the 4th largest in California.

The County Superintendent leads the team of extraordinary employees at the RCOE in working with each of the county’s 430,000 students, almost 18,000 classrooms, 500 schools and 23 school districts to help ensure all students receive a high quality education, graduating from high school academically and socially prepared for college, the workplace, and civic responsibility.

The County Superintendent and staff work to ensure each school district remains in solid financial condition. They advocate at the local, state and national levels for effective public education policy on behalf of the students, families, schools and school districts in the county. And they move forward sound, timely and effective education initiatives at the county level to help ensure all students are well prepared for the future.

Dr. Edwin Gomez serves as the 13th Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.

In his role, Dr. Gomez works with the county’s 23 school districts and the staff at the Riverside County Office of Education to ensure high quality education that invests in all students while developing and sustaining strong collaborative relationships with students, teachers, parents, and the community for student success.

Dr. Gomez began his educational career teaching in grades K-8. He has served as a principal in various social-economical communities, led a school out of program improvement status, subsequently resulting in nomination for a National Blue Ribbon Award. Dr. Gomez has been a district Chief Academic Officer and served as a District Superintendent for Adelanto Elementary School District and Coachella Valley Unified School District.

Prior to his appointment as the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Edwin Gomez served as the Riverside County Deputy Superintendent of Schools and as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Riverside County Office of Education, overseeing the day-to-day operations and coordinating the legislative link between the County Office and state and federal government officials.

Dr. Gomez earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Studies from Pitzer College, his multiple subject teaching credential from the University of Redlands, and Masters of Arts and Doctorate degrees from the California State University, San Bernardino.

Edward is a Los Angeles native, but Inland Empire adopted. Moving from LA to Fontana in 2010, Edward immediately dove head first into the local and regional business community, making a name for himself as someone who 'moves fast' and 'gets things done'.

Reach out to Edward directly:

schedule a call --> https://calendly.com/edwardornelasjr/15min
email: eornelas@iechamber.org