President
Ronae Harrison
Email: [email protected]
Ronae Harrison is a Staff Assistant II for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control (SAPC) division of Los Angeles County Public Health Department. The SAPC program leads and facilitates the delivery of a full spectrum of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services proven to reduce the impact of substance use, abuse, and addiction in Los Angeles County. Although she is a dedicated and hard worker in all that she does, her most important and rewarding job is that of mothering her two children, who attended Arts in Action Community Charter Schools for elementary and middle school. Ms. Harrison joined the Board in 2014, when she was elected United Parent Council (UPC) President, and saw the positive impact parents made when their voices were heard. After a year acclimating to her additional work assignments, she returned to the board in 2016 where she is presently serving as the President.
Treasurer
Deborah Bronner
Email: [email protected]
Deborah R. Bronner is an attorney practicing in the area of business and consumer law. She has operated a law firm as a solo practitioner in Los Angeles for close to thirty years. Ms. Bronner has extensive experience as a business owner and as an attorney specializing in business disputes and business transactions. She is committed to the founding principles of the Arts in Action Charter School. Ms. Bronner earned her BA at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, a Masters degree in Urban Studies at University of New Orleans and a J.D. at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Board Members
Raúl Alarcón
Raúl Alarcón is the Chief Academic Officer for City Charter Schools. Raúl leads the academic vision at City Charter through supporting school leaders navigate the implementation of instructional practices, curriculum, and assessments. Raúl was the founding principal for City Language Immersion Charter (CLIC) and is a tenured lecturer for the Principal Leadership (PLI) program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Raúl has worked in the educational field in Los Angeles for over twenty years and started his career in education as a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Raúl obtained his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership through UCLA and his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership in Technology through California State University Los Angeles. Raúl has served as a consultant for the Mexican Cultural Institute, Westwood Charter School, and the Scotts Foresman Educational Publishing Company, and has coordinated events such as the English Learners in California Symposium. Raúl grew up in East Los Angeles close to the Arts in Action schools. Raúl's areas of expertise include bilingual education practices, school leadership development, instructional practices and professional development, and strategic planning and charter school management.
Catherine Belcher
Dr. Catherine Belcher is the Executive Director of CHAMPS, Charter High School of the Arts. CHAMPS provides high quality arts instruction for students interested in pursuing a career in the arts. CHAMPS strives for equity and access in the arts for all students. Prior to CHAMPS, Catherine has worked as the Managing Director of Academics at Equitas Charter Academies, the Director at Synergy Quantum Academy, the Director of Learning and Engagement at The Imagination Foundation, the Founding High School Principal at Larchmont Charter School, and the Director of Teaching and Learning at West Adams Preparatory High School. Catherine started her career in education as a public school teacher. Catherine has taught as a Visiting Professor for the Longy School of Music of Bard College in the Master of Arts program. In addition, Catherine taught at Loyola Marymount University as Assistant Professor for the School of Education. Catherine received her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Master of Arts in Teacher Education and her Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University. Catherine is passionate about arts education. In addition to the myriad of educational leadership and teaching positions that Catherine has held, Catherine is a former dance teacher and has consulted in the Los Angeles area with different organizations to bring access to the arts.
Rachel Gibbs
Rachel Gibbs is a parent representative for Arts in Action Community Charter Schools with a child who currently attends Arts in Action. Rachel obtained her nursing degree from Wilmington University and her Masters in Health Care Administration. Rachel is certificated in Infection Control and Epidemiology and serves on the board for the GLA Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology. Rachel works for UCLA as an Ambulatory Infection Preventionist. Rachel is responsible for hospital-level implementation of UCLA’s infection prevention program across three hundred plus hospitals and clinics. The position involves educating healthcare providers, consulting with leadership regarding infection prevention issues, and communicating and implementing evidence-based infection prevention practices. Prior to Rachel's work at UCLA, Rachel worked as an Infection Preventionist and Nursing Supervisor for the Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH). Through Rachel's work for the LADPH, Rachel supported the creation of government regulatory and agency guidelines, implements infection prevention education programs, and develops infection prevention and control policies for LA County. Prior to Rachel's work at LADPH, Rachel served as the Director of Nursing at Avanti Hospitals. Rachel works closely with Arts in Action on health related matters and provides valuable consultation and resources on school safety.
Lizette Villarruel
Lizette Villarruel is a parent representative for Arts in Action Community Charter Schools. Lizette currently works as a child care specialist at the University of Southern California. Lizette has three children, and her children have attended Arts in Action. Lizette has been an active parent at Arts in Action for the last nine years. Lizette has grown up in the Boyle Heights/East Los Angeles area, and graduated from Roosevelt High School. Lizette is actively involved in the Boyle Heights arts community through her daughter’s participation in a local Ballet Folklorico dance group, and Lizette is actively involved in her local church, Resurrection Church. Lizette joined the school board because she wants to be involved in her children’s education. Lizette’s areas of expertise include early childhood development and performing arts. Lizette has seen how much Arts in Action has helped her children and joining the school board is her way of giving back to the schools.
