Dr. Rhonda Taylor began her teaching career as a student-teacher at Lakeview Elementary School in 1991. She then moved to the Mountain Empire School District, where she taught for two years before returning to Lakeview as a general education teacher. In 1996 she moved to Lakeside Farms, where she received a Greater San Diego Reading Association Literacy Star. Her administrative path took her to Lakeside Middle School, back to Lakeview Elementary, the Lakeside District Office, and then to the Poway Unified School District. In 2016, the community elected Dr. Taylor to serve as a School Board Trustee. She was the school board president from 2017 to 2018, and in 2021, the community chose her again to continue her service as a school board member. Due to her extensive work in connecting her military families to the school setting, she was awarded the Patriot Award in 2016 and the Seven Seals Award. In addition, Dr. Taylor is a member of the Lakeside Woman’s Club and the Lakeside Historical Society.

Patricia Espinoza Fernández, Ed.D., is a results-driven education leader with extensive experience in PK-8 education, teacher preparation, and student support services. Dr. Fernández currently leads the Student Support Services department at Lakeside Union School District, overseeing attendance, safety, and student well-being, while also serving as Title IX Coordinator, advocating for compliance and student success. A champion for diverse and special populations—including foster youth, students experiencing homelessness, military-connected students, and multilingual learners—she excels in inclusive, high-impact educational practices. A bilingual, first-generation college graduate, she is deeply committed to mentorship, community engagement, and the transformative power of education, dedicating her career to accessibility and opportunity for all students.

Dr. Leslie Hardiman has proudly served as the Principal of Tierra del Sol Middle School (TdS) for the past nine years, following three years as Vice Principal, marking 12 years of dedicated leadership at the school. TdS has embraced the motto “Every Student, Every Day,” ensuring that each student receives the support, resources, and encouragement they need to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Over the last 12 years, TdS has experienced significant growth, increasing enrollment from 565 students to 704 students. This growth reflects not only the school’s strong academic programs but also its inclusive, student-centered culture. Dr. Hardiman has led initiatives aimed at improving attendance, enhancing school climate, and supporting the whole child, resulting in tangible progress across multiple areas of student success.

Dr. Stern began her career as a high school English teacher, later becoming a middle school principal, Executive Director of Math for America, a Head of School, and now education content strategist. A writer and contributor to many publications, Dr. Stern is an education thought leader, creating K-12 resources for teachers and principals. She earned a Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning from NYU.

As the Senior Customer Success Manager at SchoolStatus, Brenda Tapp is in constant conversations with the school and district staff who are tasked with improving student attendance. With over 2 decades of experience in overseeing daily operations and leading high-performing intervention and technical training teams, Brenda has honed her expertise in attendance management and interventions. She actively participates with the State Attendance Review Board, serving as liaison with district leaders and collaborating with IT and front-line staff to implement best practices and achieve remarkable attendance goals.