Leadership Team
Margaret Fortune, President/CEO
Margaret Fortune is changing what's possible when you create excellent educational options for Black children. Fortune's work is pointed towards one North star to close the African American achievement gap as the president/CEO of nine K-12 public charter schools in Sacramento and San Bernardino counties with a combined enrollment of more than 2,300 students. Fortune has founded some of the top majority African American public schools in the state of California. Fortune founded an early college high school in partnership with Cosumnes River College, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Students can earn a high school diploma and associate degree upon graduation.
Fortune also operates Rex & Margaret Fortune School of Education, a graduate school that credentials teachers and school administrators for over 60 public school systems to address the state's teacher shortage.
Fortune is often invited to participate in or lead conversations detailing the Fortune School approach to successfully educating Black children as a nationally sought-after education expert. She was a catalyst for efforts that resulted in the State of California budgeting a $300 million block grant in 2018 for the lowest-performing students. Fortune, a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, served as an education adviser to two California governors. Fortune is a Trustee Emeritus of the California State University, a Pahara-Aspen Fellow, and former board chair of the California Charter Schools Association. She was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for her substantial contributions to education.
Fortune was inducted into the National Charter School Hall of Fame for her role in reopening schools during the Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history. The seven public schools Dr. Fortune was responsible for reopening during the Camp Fire were the only ones to open on time during the most expensive natural disaster in the world in 2018 in terms of insured losses.
Fortune continues to increase her national footprint through her work as the Co-Chair of the Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools, a national organization founded to protect the right of "self-determination" for parent choice for Black and Latino families. Dr. Fortune is a proud member of the board of directors of the National Action Network Sacramento Chapter.
Chiefs
Bonnie Bensen
Chief Financial Officer
Phone: 916.924.8633
Michelle Grace
Chief Operating Officer
Phone: 916.924.8633
Wesley Pepper
Chief Academic Officer
Phone: 916.924.8633
Directors
Vendetta Dozier-Brown
Program Director – Higher Education
Phone: 916.963.4362
Cell: 916.956.2659
Stefon Dubose
Music Director
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 916.956.4468
Odisa Nyong
Regional Director of Schools
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 916.215.6401
Shonda Moore
Director of Marketing and Communications
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 951.963.4362
Andre Slade
Director of Special Education
Phone: 916.684.0100
Cell: 916.214.8622
Derek Swafford
Athletic Director
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 916.953.3574
Dominic Zarecki
Director of Data, Analytics, and Strategy
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 916.215.3241
Deans
Roque Neto
Dean Higher Education
Phone: 916.924.8633
Cell: 916.956.2069
Principals
Toiya Allen
Hardy Brown College Prep
Phone: 909.884.1410
Fax: 909.889.5002
Kim Howard
Fortune School
Phone: 916.287.4470
Fax: 916.287.4477
Joseph Gambino
William Lee College Prep
Phone: 916.273.1030
Fax: 916.273.1035
Beverly Bryant
Alan Rowe College Prep
Phone: 916.684.0100
Fax: 916.684.0121
Joseph Gambino
Ephraim Williams College Prep Middle School
Phone: 916.262.8083
Fax: 916.273.1035
Carla T. Galbraith
Hazel Mahone College Prep
Phone: 916.999.8187
Fax: 916.999.8196
Akele Newton
Rex and Margaret Fortune Early College High School
Phone: 916.753.1170
Fax: 916.753.1171
Akele Newton
Fortune Middle School
Phone: 916.753.1170
Fax: 916.753.1171
Tamara Williams
Tecoy Porter College Prep
Phone: 916.504.5040
Fax: 916.504.5052