Directors & Staff
James McGrath
Founding Director
Prior to joining IVA High full-time in August 2015, Mr. McGrath practiced law with a prominent international law firm representing Fortune 100 companies spanning a variety of industries including real estate finance. He was named a Rising Star in Southern California Super Lawyers and Los Angeles Magazine.
Summer Sanders
Director, Head of School
Mrs. Sanders was hired as part of the founding team in September 2015 as the Director of Community Engagement and Admissions. Mrs. Sanders now serves as the Head of School, working collaboratively with all members of our community supporting a comprehensive mission and vision.
Makenna Briceno
School Counselor
Makenna is passionate about arts integration, empowering youth, and organization. She comes to IVA High with a counseling background from California State University, Fullerton and has a wealth of knowledge in supporting youth.
Darlin Ortiz
School Counselor, Community School and Homeless Liaison
Darlin graduated from a Long Beach Public High School and received a Bachelors in Human Services at Cal-State Dominguez Hills – Go Toros! She immediately began working as a case manager with domestic violence, substance abuse, and homeless populations.
Megan Gomes
Office Manager
Holding degrees in both Creative Writing and Education from the University of Colorado, Megan initially had hopes of being a children’s book author (…which she still may become!) After college, she taught at a dual-immersion preschool in Taiwan, and led summer camps in Singapore, before returning to California.
Clarissa Borrayo
Office Administrator
Prior to joining full-time at IVA High in August 2024, Miss Borrayo was employed full-time in the medical field. After five years of dedicated service during the pandemic, she made the decision to return to academia in pursuit of her dream career.
Myriam Loeschen
Outreach Team
Myriam brings a balanced blend of formal marketing and event planning experience. Her work is centered in creating connection and is rooted in joy.
Kerry Loeschen
Paraprofessional: Student and Facility Support
Kerry Loeschen, a native of Long Beach, joins IVA High School as Campus Faculty Aide. He brings a myriad of skills that will add significant value to our students academic experience. He is a trombonist with a degree in composition from CSULB.
Jason Rivera
Paraprofessional: Student & Office Support
Jason is passionate about working with students and helping them succeed academically and personally. He has a bachelor’s degree in history from UC Irvine, which gives him a strong foundation in research and critical thinking.
Alice Oueijan
Counseling Intern
Hi! My name is Alice Nicole Oueijan, and I’m a School-Based Family Counseling Graduate Student at California State University, Los Angeles. I earned my Bachelor’s in Communication Studies in 2012 and my Associate’s Degree in Psychology from Long Beach City College in 2023.
Teachers
Daniel Avery
Math Teacher
Daniel comes to IVA High after spending years in education—first as a private tutor and then as a teacher. He received his undergraduate degree from UCLA and his Master’s in Teaching from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Michelle Bennawy
English Teacher, English Language Support, LBCC Teacher Liaison
Ms. Bennawy holds a BA in History from California State University, Northridge and teaching credentials in Social Sciences and English Language Arts.
Serena Buie
English Teacher
Serena received her BA in English from Westmont College and worked at a mental health treatment center for teens and then at IVA Middle School for several years before going to CSULB for her credential.
Ollie Cigliano
Resource Specialist II
Ms. Ollie George Cigliano is a private chef, food educator, fully credentialed Education Specialist Mild to Moderate II, ELL & Autism Authorization, and Owner of Ollie George Cooks Llc, based in Long Beach, California.
Marisol Marquez
Spanish Teacher/Outreach Team
Marisol graduated with a B.A. in Spanish from California State University, Long Beach, where she also obtained her teaching credential. She is currently enrolled in a School Counseling program.
Jose Pinzon
Social Science Teacher
Jose is a native of Long Beach, and a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in History. He has over 6 years of classroom experience, having first started as a migrant education tutor/translator, and later as a teacher at We the People High School.
Anas Sallam
Science Teacher
Anas comes to IVA High after spending multiple years in education as a tutor and long term substitute teacher. He received his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from UCI and his teaching credential from CSULB.
Dustin Schmidt
Associate Director of Curriculum and Humanities Teacher
Throughout his academic career, Dustin has been devoted to engaging K-12 students on a variety of topics in the humanities and philosophy.
Desmond Williams
PE Teacher
Desmond grew up playing basketball and participating in the sports scene. His love of competing on a team, as well as being the oldest of 3 children in his family, led him to become a teacher.