Hardy Black has been a local community leader in the High Desert for the past 50 years.  Mr. Black began his career as an educator in the Hesperia Unified School District, serving for 38 years in various teaching positions and leadership roles. In 2006, Mr. Black was elected to the Hesperia Unified School Board, where over the course of eight years he served as clerk, vice president, and president of the board.  In 2012, Mr. Black was appointed the Desert Trails Preparatory Academy board where he currently holds the position of President. Mr. Black obtained a Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, San Bernardino.  He has been an active member in his church for over 50 years and has provided the same years of service to the Boy Scouts of America and Little League sports.

Marnella Mayberry has demonstrated dedication to the area of education for over 50 years.  She began her career in West Virginia serving as a Teaching Assistant, Secretary, Reading Coach, and Head Start Teacher. Ms. Mayberry ventured into corporate America as she worked as a Legal Department Assistant for Montgomery Ward and a Credentialing Department Associate for Pacific Care of California.  But education has always been in Ms. Mayberry’s heart.  She returned to teaching as a  Reading Program Assistant.

Barbara Hale is a Founder and the Executive Director of two CA charter schools in the Inland Empire. Her career in education began in 1994 in early childhood. Since 2009, Ms. Hale has worked in the charter space to ensure school choice for families. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Growth and Development, a Master’s in Education, and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. Ms. Hale has a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and an Administrative Services Credential issued by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. In addition, she served on the Riverside County Board of Education as an elected Trustee for 8 years.

Alicia is a life-long resident of the Victor Valley, graduating from Victor Valley High School. Alicia is the CFO at Excelsior Charter School since 2008, and the COO of Excelsior Charter Group. She has worked in public school education finance for over 30 years in a variety of accounting positions in the business services departments. Alicia holds a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Brandman University. She worked at Victor Valley Union High School District for 12 years and at Adelanto Elementary School District for 3 years before joining the Excelsior team. Alicia is a proud mom of 3 children and grandmother to 1.