DR. ELLA BAKER - CHANCELLOR
Dr. Ella Baker has served in academic leadership roles for over 15 years. She has extensive K-12 and higher education experience as a teacher, professor, administrator, program director, school director, and CAO. At Maranatha High School, she established the Learning Support Program which supports students with learning differences. She also created the interdisciplinary Oliver Honors Program which guides MHS students through over 100 classic texts including the entire Bible and is modelled on the Oxford tutorial system. She is the Founding Director of Pathways Early College Academy and was the Chief Academic Officer of Pathways College before her promotion to Chancellor. She has extensive board and executive committee experience and has driven policy and programming initiatives through her leadership to create more accessible and supportive schools, corporations, and nonprofits across the country.
NORBERT KREUZER - BOARD CHAIRPERSON
Norbert Kreuzer is an experienced higher education/post- secondary school professional, with extensive experience for over 14 years. He is also an experienced audio engineer and media creative with internationally award winning production credits. Throughout the 1990’s Norbert was actively working in the music/entertainment industry in Germany, and later in Florida, where he worked with artists such as Backstreet Boys, Mariah Carey, Toni Bennet, Joe Cocker and the Beach Boys. Norbert started his career in education in 2003 as educator at Full Sail University, in Winter Park, FL where he began sharing his professional experience with students in production environments. In 2007, he took over the career services department at the Institute of Production and Recording in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and became its campus director in 2012. In 2016, Norbert relocated to New York City and is currently President/CEO of the Institute of Audio Research in New York, the oldest audio/recording school in the world, where he is responsible for all operations of the institution, including compliance initiatives, marketing and branding campaigns, and curriculum development. Norbert is currently serving as School Commissioner with the national accreditor ACCSC (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges), where he is also a Panel Chair and Progress Committee Chair. He is also actively involved with the Coalition of New York State Career Schools and is part of an ad-hoc committee, working with New York State Education to revise current regulations.
AARON PRICE - BOARD MEMBER
Aaron Price is a Deputy Sheriff, and previously a Police Officer for the Tehachapi Police Department, and responsible for the oversight of The Code Enforcement Division. Mr. Price plans and organizes comprehensive neighborhood improvement projects while coordinating with multiple departments and divisions. Mr. Price has additional assignments in Patrol Division and as a School Resource Officer. Prior to his role as a Police Officer, Mr. Price has served his community as a Code Enforcement Officer for the Tehachapi Police Department and the City of Palmdale, where he was responsible for civil and criminal enforcement of Municipal Code, and other related laws. Mr. Price attended Pathways College, becoming one of the first graduates of Pathways College, with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration. Mr. Price took an interest in bettering his education after getting married and having his first child. He looks forward to contributing to improve the education of others in Pathways College, and advance the goals of Pathways College’s programs to broaden opportunities for youth in the community.
AERIELL WOODHAMS - BOARD MEMBER
Volunteer Support Coordinator
Aeriell Woodhams is currently working in Grant Management for nonprofits throughout LA County. She graduated from California State University San Marcos with a Bachelors of Arts in Sociology in 2019. She has spent the last 4 years gaining experience in the nonprofit field, specifically in volunteer management, development, and nonprofit programming. Aeriell was a recipient of the Pathways in Education CREW Scholarship in 2014 upon graduating from Options for Youth- San Bernardino.
JIM GRIFFIN - BOARD MEMBER
President, Momentum Strategy & Research
Former President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools
Jim Griffin is the founding President and leads all strategic initiatives—providing outreach to partners and participating organizations and testimony on MSR’s research results. Prior to founding Momentum Strategy & Research, Mr. Griffin was the President of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, a non-profit association of Colorado charter schools.
Mr. Griffin began with the League as a law student volunteer in 1994. At that time, Colorado’s charter law was just a few months old. Mr. Griffin spent the better part of the last 19 years shaping policy in Colorado through legislation, media work, and legal efforts in areas ranging from funding and facilities, to defining and measuring school quality and performance. He has helped launch various first of their kind efforts in areas such as: charter school accountability and evaluation, legal advocacy, facilities financing, teacher quality, group purchasing, and charter school food service.
Mr. Griffin has also been involved in starting and/or advising several national organizations that support and advocate for charter schools, including the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
JULIE GREEN - BOARD MEMBER
Service Champion
Julie Green is a college graduate with degrees in Environmental Studies with a minor in Communication. Julie was part of the Crew Program at Options for Youth in San Juan as part of an 18- month program. She participated in college readiness classes, team-building workshops, field trips, community service events, and compete to earn college scholarships. She was awarded $18,000 Scholarship to California State University, San Marcos. Julie also has been a part of the outdoor education program, earning community service hours at Rocky Mountain Pathways Ranch, Pathway Travels. She currently works for Agilent Technologies manufacturing gas chromatography products which are used to ensure the safety, quality and purity of our food, air, water and pharmaceuticals.
KARIN NEWLIN - BOARD MEMBER
Educational Consultant
Karin is a specialist in curriculum and instruction, systemic change, teambuilding, and leadership training. With 40+ years of experience, she has participated in all aspects of education. Most recently, Karin worked with community members in the Los Feliz area to found the Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts. Karin pushed LFCSA to be a school that is visionary and innovative, demonstrating first hand that, just as the world has changed and progressed, so must education.
Karin was a professor with the Principal Leadership Institute at UCLA, as well as an educational consultant for the Galef Institute, DesignWorld, Inc., and the Unban Learning Center, working in school districts and corporations throughout the U.S. In public education, she worked as a teacher, counselor, and served as principal of eight elementary and junior high schools, three of which were identified as California Distinguished Schools during her tenure.
Named California Administrator of the Year and a California Distinguished Principal, Karin was a participating member of Educational Insights, a national education/corporate “Think-Tank,” which gathered leaders from around the country to solve some of the toughest issues plaguing education today. Additionally, she served on the National Advisory Board for the J. Paul Getty Trust’s, Institute for Education in the Arts, and was a team member for the State Department of Education’s California Restructuring Project.
She received her B.S. in English Literature and her M.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Southern California, and has completed additional course work in the areas of psychological tests and measurement, counseling, and guidance.
DR. CHRISTIE DEGREGORIO - BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Christie DeGregorio is a dynamic and visionary leader in higher education, dedicated to
expanding access, fostering innovation, and ensuring academic excellence.
Before joining Pathways College, Dr. DeGregorio served as Provost at Paier College, where she
spearheaded academic initiatives that strengthened curriculum development, enhanced student
support services, and expanded opportunities for creative and professional growth. Prior to that,
she was Vice President of Education at Premier Education Group, overseeing multi-campus
academic operations and driving strategic initiatives that improved student outcomes. She also
served as Director of Compliance at Schiller International University, ensuring institutional
integrity and accreditation compliance across global campuses.
Dr. DeGregorio holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from Suffolk University Law School and a Ph.D. in
Educational Leadership from ICCSE University. She is also a graduate of Boston College’s
Carroll School of Business, where she developed a strong foundation in strategic management
and organizational leadership.
Beyond her extensive leadership in higher education, Dr. DeGregorio is an accomplished
attorney, bringing a deep understanding of policy, governance, and advocacy to her work. Her
legal expertise has been instrumental in shaping policies that promote equity, inclusion, and
institutional effectiveness. Additionally, she is a published children’s book author, using
storytelling to inspire young minds and cultivate a love for learning.
Dr. DeGregorio’s leadership is defined by a commitment to academic excellence, integrity, and
compassion. She believes in the transformative power of education and is dedicated to creating
pathways for students from all backgrounds to achieve success.