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Board of Directors

James Brescia, Ed.D.

James Brescia is the San Luis Obispo County Superintendent of Schools and a clinical faculty member in the Educational Leadership and Administration Program at Cal Poly. James has served as a teacher, principal, and district superintendent in North County since 1989. Dr. Brescia’s writing and research interests include school leadership, instructional leadership, and organizational problem-solving-based leadership. Dr. Brescia has peer-reviewed research published in national and international journals.

Amy Kardel

Amy Kardel, Esq., is the Senior Vice President of Strategic Workforce Relationships at CompTIA and partner of Clever Ducks IT Support. She leverages her extensive experience as an international entrepreneur and IT industry leader to address workforce challenges and grow the tech talent pipeline. With over two decades of experience running an MSP, Amy understands the mindset of founders and tech entrepreneurs. She is passionate about bridging the tech workforce skills gap and creating opportunities for a more diverse hiring pool, drawing on her work across the U.S., Europe, and Africa. A Leadership Fellow with the National Association of Corporate Directors, Amy also brings her expertise as a facilitator for ConnectWise Evolve peer groups and as an advisory board member for ConnectWise. 

Valerie Kraskey

Valerie Kraskey worked at the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education for over 35-years.  She served in positions in the Special Education Department, and for the last 20 years, in the Administration Department, serving the County Superintendent of Schools and the County Board of Education.  Her knowledge and understanding of county office functions, open meeting laws and requirements, and adherence to the operational aspects of boards and commissions, brings a rich experience to the Foundation.  Valerie is a board member, providing communications and media support, to the Atascadero Greyhound Foundation.  

Cory Karpin

Cory Karpin has served as a senior leader and CEO of education, arts and animal welfare organizations for nearly 20 years, taking a short break to lead business development for an early-stage technology company. Since 2015 Cory has been the director of development for Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, one of the top undergraduate entrepreneurship programs in the country. 

Melissa Abbey

Melissa Abbey brings sound judgment and expertise in public school finance to the Foundation’s Board of Directors in her capacity as Treasurer. With more than 30 years in public school business, Melissa’s depth of knowledge in Governmental Accounting Standards, grant management and compliance, and budget & fiscal reporting proved invaluable in maintaining fiscal solvency for SLOCOE during economic downturns. She provided fiscal support to a predecessor of today’s Career Technical Education, the Regional Occupation Program. Melissa’s knowledge and experience serve as a bridge between the SLOCOE (a publicly funded educational agency) and the San Luis Obispo Career Technical Education Foundation (a nonprofit).

Michael Specchierla

With over two decades in education leadership and experience, Michael Specchierla is an Executive Director for the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education and the founder of the SLO Partners program. An entrepreneur at heart, Michael promotes the importance of innovation and hands-on learning which is reflected in the programs he oversees. A recent winner of the California Industry and Education Award, SLO Partners leads the way in modern apprenticeship programs and upskilling opportunities benefiting businesses and residents.

Dan Weeks

Dan is a serial entrepreneur for software products.  After a 25 year career with HP in Engineering Management, he started his first software company, BrightScope, which sold with 70 employees to a private equity firm.  Since 2017, Dan has been 100% focused on social entrepreneurship efforts in tech education. He works for a company providing tech boot camps across the US, is the Entrepreneur-In-Residence for Cal Poly’s New Business Incubator, the SLO HotHouse, and teaches Entrepreneurship at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Brian Asher Alhadeff

Artistic Director Brian Asher Alhadeff is an internationally acclaimed opera, ballet, and symphonic, conductor. In the Czech Republic, he was Artistic Director and founder of the Hradec Kralove International Summer Opera Festival that partnered with the Eastern Bohemian Philharmonic and the Czech State Opera and Ballet. In 2010, Alhadeff guest conducted the Albanian National Radio and Television Orchestra in a nationwide broadcast that included the Albanian premiere of American composer Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 The Romantic. In addition to his work with Opera San Luis Obispo, Alhadeff also serves as the Artistic Director & Conductor of the Lompoc Pops Orchestra, the Principal Conductor for Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo, and the State Street Ballet, Santa Barbara.

 

Ron Yukelson

Ron has more than 30 years of business development, strategic planning, and marketing experience, the last 18 on the Central Coast, primarily in the health care industry. Ron was previously the Chief Strategy Officer for Tenet Health Central Coast and was also Chief Marketing & Strategy Officer at Wilshire Health & Community Services. He has deep roots with the San Luis Obispo and Northern Santa Barbara County business communities, serving on many committees at local chambers of commerce. He is also involved in many local non-profits, serving on the Boards of the SLO County YMCA, The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County and Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center.

Scott Knuckles

Technology leader with over 30 years of experience in technology leadership and management across diverse sectors. Extensive expertise in the enterprise and K-12 markets, with a deep understanding of policies, trends, products, and funding dynamics. Passionate about developing safe mobile learning environments and ensuring learning equality for all learners.

Talia Phillips-Ortega

Talia is a multi-instrumentalist, dancer, educator, and perpetual student. Born and raised in San Luis Obispo, her studies at Cuesta College, Cal Poly, the Central Coast Jazz Institute, Garcia Dance Company, and World Rhythm and Motion Studio helped her become an active and versatile working professional in the local music and dance communities. Talia’s local education has given her opportunity to perform on some of the world’s best stages, such as Carnegie Hall, and to share her love of music and learning in our county’s classrooms. She currently teaches music and movement arts and is an integral member of the County Office of Education’s Arts Outreach Department. Talia realizes that both music and education are boundless and has pursued a career sharing her love of music with the community that raised her.

Partners

Strengthening economic development and student success. (Your gift is tax-deductible)

SLO CTE Foundation is a program of the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education