WASC Commissioners

Dr. Linda Norman is the current Chairperson and represents the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) on the WASC Commission. Dr. Norman has over thirty years working as an educator and school administrator. She considers herself a lifelong learner, having earned three graduate degrees in education including a doctorate in educational administration. She has worked in both private and public schools, taught students in preschools, elementary, junior high, high school, and adult education. In doing so, she has held many roles including that of teacher, preschool director, program director, and school principal. Currently, Dr. Norman serves as Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of Santa Rosa. She also serves as both the Elementary and Secondary Commissioner for the fourteen schools which hold dual accreditation by both WASC and WCEA. When she is not busy taking care of schools, she enjoys spending time with her husband and seeking out new restaurants to […]

Dr. Katherine Thorossian is the Vice Chairperson on the WASC Commission and serves as a public member on the ACS WASC Commission. Dr. Katherine Thorossian previously served as the Superintendent of the Monrovia Unified School District (MUSD). With over 35 years of experience in education, she is recognized for her leadership in student-centered initiatives and academic innovation. Dr. Thorossian earned her doctorate from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Odie Douglas is the immediate past WASC Commission Chairperson. He recently retired as the assistant superintendent responsible for overseeing educational services and supervising elementary, middle, and high schools in the Pleasanton Unified School District located in Alameda County. He earned his Doctor of Education degree in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of San Francisco. Dr. Douglas is a coach/mentor for the California Academic Partnership Program Leadership Network and a national consultant for the College Board and AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination). He previously served as a member of the College Board’s National Academic Assembly and Western Regional Council. He is a Commissioner and Executive Committee member for the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). Dr. Douglas has served as an adjunct professor at California State University, Sacramento. He taught courses in educational leadership, multicultural education, community relations, special education and categorical programs, and […]

Dr. Ward Andrus represents ACSA on the WASC Commission. Dr. Andrus is currently the Superintendent of Murrieta Valley Unified School District located in Riverside County, California. With over 22, 400 preschool – adult students, at 20 locations, he and his team work diligently to Inspire all Students to Think, to Learn, to Achieve, to Care.  Murrieta Valley is a well-recognized district with the top graduation rate in Riverside County and many more accolades. Previously, Dr. Andrus served as the Central Union High School District Superintendent located in El Centro, CA. Prior to CUHSD, Dr. Andrus served in several administrative positions for the Placer County Office of Education, San Juan Unified School District, Folsom-Cordova Unified and the Stockton Unified School District. Dr. Andrus earned his doctorate from the University of La Verne in Organizational Leadership, his Master of Arts degree from CSU Sacramento, and his bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. […]

Stacey Bellow is one of the representatives for the Hawaii State Department of Education on the WASC Commission. Big Island born and raised, Stacey Bello, was appointed as Complex Area Superintendent of the Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa schools on January 19, 2023. CAS Bello began her 28-year educational journey in the Keaʻau complex as a then-student teacher. Over the years, she has served the broader Kaʻū-Keaʻau-Pāhoa Complex area and East Hawaii schools as a substitute teacher, a special education teacher, a district special education resource teacher, a vice-principal and as principal of Keaukaha Elementary, and most recently Keaʻau Elementary school. Stacey earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hawaii at Hilo, an elementary teaching certification, special education K-12 teaching certification, a Master of Arts from National University and her certification in Administration. Stacey is most proud of being the daughter of Madayln and the late Sam Kaeo, Jr., wife of Mason […]

Janice Blaber represents the Hawaii Government Employees’ Association on the WASC Commission. She is the School Principal at Kealakehe Intermediate School.

Dr. Moohay Ahn Choe joined the WASC Commission as a representative of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). She began her educational career in the New York City Schools District as an instrumental music teacher. She then moved to the Los Angeles Unified Schools District and continued to teach music. As funding for music in the schools and music teachers depleted and having English as a minor, Dr. Choe was advised to go into teaching English and English as a Second Language. Transitioning into administration, Dr. Choe has served as Instructional Specialist, Second Language/Gifted Coordinator, Assistant Principal, and Principal. Dr. Choe has been retired for ten years but is fortunate to continue to serve the students in various interim administrative positions. Dr. Choe currently works with ACSA Region 16 and the educational community of LAUSD up to date legislative information and membership opportunities. Dr. Choe is an active community […]

Dr. Kevin Collins is an ACSA representative on the ACS WASC Commission. Dr. Collins began his career in education as a math and science teacher in the Oakland Unified School District. He served as a high school associate principal and middle school principal before moving to a district position. He currently serves as an Assistant Superintendent with the San Leandro Unified School District. He received his teaching credential, master’s degree, administrative credential, and doctorate at Saint Mary’s College of California. He has served as an adjunct faculty member in the department of education at both Mills College and Santa Clara University. He has been serving on WASC committees since 2000, and has served on 40 visiting teams since then. Kevin is thrilled to represent ACSA as an ACS WASC Commissioner.

Dr. Caroline Cota represents ACSA on the WASC Commission. She is the Superintendent of the South Monterey County High School District. Dr. Cota’s WASC experience spans 15 years and includes all facets of the WASC process. She first served in the role of self-study coordinator as a teacher leader in 2009. In all, Dr. Cota has served three schools as a staff member in charge of the self-study and has completed six accreditation visits as a visting committee member and six as a visiting committee chair over a fifteen-year period. Dr. Cota has spent nearly all of her career working exclusively with high schools. She served as a high school special education teacher for 11 years and French teacher for five years. She served in site administrative roles for seven years, first as high school assistant principal, then high school principal. Transitioning to district leadership, she served as director of […]

Julie Cruz represents the California Federation of Teachers on the WASC Commission. Throughout the past 20 years, Mrs. Cruz has been a high school English teacher, instructional coach, cooperating teacher, and WASC coordinator at North Salinas High School in Salinas, California. Overall, she strives to educate with compassion and enthusiasm to make positive influences and academic growth in every student. Outside of work, Mrs. Cruz values her time outdoors, line dancing, and spending time with her family.

Dr. Jeff Davis is on the WASC Commission serving as a representative of the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). After 44 years in education, time split evenly between public and private education, he recently retired as Head of School from TVT Community Day School, a TK-12 school with 825 students located in Irvine California. He and his wife are cycling enthusiasts and they love spending time together on a tandem bike and have completed many week long bike adventures in Israel, France, Canada, and of course the USA. They now reside in Coronado California where they spend lots of time walking, cycling, golfing, and running a charity benefiting children called Pedal Beach Tours.

Greg Dhuyvetter represents the Western Catholic Educational Association on the WASC Commission. He has over thirty-five years’ experience in Catholic education, serving as teacher, administrator, and superintendent of the Diocese of Orange, CA. From the earliest part of his career, he has been involved in educational reform, working with strategic planning, program development, faculty development, and ed-tech initiatives, trying to anticipate and create the new realities of education. He has particularly focused on using school accreditation as a lever for reform, and he has participated on visiting teams, reading teams, and protocol development committees. After serving as superintendent, he spent three years working as Lead Consultant for Catholic School Management, assisting schools all over the country with assessments, leadership training, and strategic planning. In April of 2021, he returned to the field of accreditation, assuming the position of Executive Director of the Western Catholic Educational Association. He speaks regularly at […]

Toby Elmore is one of the two Commissioners representing the California Association of Private School Organizations (CAPSO) on the WASC Commission. Toby currently teaches history and coaches soccer at the middle and high school levels at the Stevenson School, a pk-12 independent day and boarding school on the Monterey Peninsula. Having taught in independent schools for more than 20 years, Toby has spent 15 of the last 19 years working at schools in California. He has taught all grade levels from 7-12, and subject matter ranging from survey courses in American History and Global History, his true passion lay in helping students appreciate and make sense of Middle Eastern and South Asian history. He lives on the Stevenson campus with his wife Amy and his two children Charles and Stella.

Marty Fricke represents the California Teachers Association on the WASC Commission. He began his career in California public high school education in 1995. He was a teacher of both social studies and German in the Merced Union High School District, where he was also the pilot writer and teacher for the district’s Ethnic Studies curriculum, and served as a Mentor Teacher. He moved to University High School in the Los Angeles Unified School District as a school counselor in 1999, and then to Saugus High School in the William S. Hart Union High School District 2001, where he has continually served in the role as a counselor. In addition to his regular counseling assignment, he served for over a decade as the counseling department chair at Saugus High School. He was the lead professional development high school counselor for the Hart District from 2018 to 2023, a role in which […]

Andrea Fukumoto represents the Hawaii State Department of Education on the WASC Commission.

Anna-Lisa George is a WCEA representative on the WASC Commission. In her nearly thirty years in Catholic education, Anna-Lisa George has served as teacher, department chair, and administrator. She is particularly interested in the development of curriculum and assessments, effective technology integration, horizontal and vertical curriculum alignment, and promoting collaboration and teamwork among colleagues. She began serving on WASC and WCEA accreditation teams in 1994 and since then has served as chair and/or member of over 25 visiting committees. She finds the self-study and accreditation process to be a powerful tool for growth in schools. Most of her career has been spent doing what she loves most: teaching English and coaching the academic decathlon team. She enjoys fostering a love of reading and writing in her students and instilling in them a love of learning.

Dr. Jim Gerhard represesents EARCOS on the WASC Commission. Dr. Gerhard has been director of the Seoul International School in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) since. 2022. A native of New York, Dr. Gerhard has served in educational leadership positions for over 18 years across elementary, middle, and high school levels, as well as in the role of school director. His extensive experience includes school admissions, curriculum coordination, and faculty and leadership professional development. Throughout his career, he has worked in international schools in Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, Thailand, Burma, and Sierra Leone. Dr. Gerhard previously served as a school coordinator with the Near East South Asia Council of Overseas Schools (NESA) and as an active member of the Southeast Asian Schools Activities Conference (SEASAC) league. He currently serves as chair of the Korean-American Interscholastic Activities Conference (KAIAC) Heads of School committee in Seoul. Prior to his leadership positions, […]

Melissa Handy is a Hawaii Private Teacher on the WASC Commission. With over twelve years in technology leadership roles at Hawaii’s independent schools, Melissa Handy brings a unique blend of experience and passion to her work. Growing up in Pennsylvania, where her parents were both dedicated elementary school teachers, Melissa naturally gravitated towards education. Now at Le Jardin Academy in Kailua, HI, she serves as the Executive Director of Strategic Planning and Technology, seamlessly blending strategy with hands-on teaching in her IB DP Computer Science classes. A strong advocate for STEM, Melissa also invests her energy into coaching FIRST Robotics, instilling innovation and creativity in students. Beyond her professional commitments, she cherishes the moments spent connecting with her daughter who lives in Seattle, WA.

Matt Hannan represents the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) on the WASC Commission. He is currently the ACSI Director of Accreditation for the Western Division. Born and raised in California, Matt has been in education for 25 years, serving in both public and private schools as a teacher, ASB Director, Assistant Principal, and Principal. In addition his involvement with accreditation, he has been actively involved in high school sports governance with the CIF-San Diego Section for over a decade, serving as a Conference President and as a member of the Executive Committee for the Board of Managers. He and his wife of 28 years have two grown daughters and he loves spending time with them any chance he can.

Karin Hansen Del Ray represents the Hawaii Teachers Association on the WASC Commission. She is a fluent Hawaiian Language speaker which lends itself well to knowing and understanding the cultures, history and languages of Hawaii’s vulnerable populations. She has four daughters, all of whom attended Hawaiian Immersion Preschool, Punana Leo, and the public high school where she has taught at for the past 20 years, Kahuku High and Intermediate. She was intimately involved in their early childhood education and volunteered in the classroom two to three times a week interacting with the keiki in ‘olelo Hawai’i, and she had the privilege of working again with her children and so many other public high school students as the class adviser and NHS adviser at KHIS. Ms. Hansen Del Ray attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education in the EPA masters program about education, policy research and implementation methods, and analysis to […]

Candi Kern represents the California State PTA on the WASC Commission.

Dr. Christine McCormick is an WASC Commissioner representing the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA). Dr. McCormick was raised on a ranch outside of Wheatland, CA. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Humboldt State University and worked as an auditor for the first part of her work career. She made the switch to education when her children were little earning her teaching credential from Chapman University and her Master’s in educational administration from National University. She holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership where she focused her research on the needs of small school districts. She has served as a school administrator for over 15 years and during her 27-year career in education has participated in the WASC process as a teacher, administrator, committee member, and chair. In her spare time, Christine enjoys traveling, gardening, and reading. She has two grown children, one stationed at the Naval Base […]

Monique McWayne represents the California Department of Education (CDE) on the WASC Commission. She currently serves as the Interim Director of the Educator Excellence and Equity Division at the CDE, which is responsible for supporting policy, program development, and disbursement of statewide funding to support the professional learning of teachers, principals, and other school leaders. During her 10-years with the CDE, Monique has led professional learning initiatives to support content standards implementation and state and federal grant initiatives to support student academic achievement and educational innovation. Monique also serves as the California state educational agency director of the federally-funded Title II, Part A program. Prior to joining the CDE, Monique served 10 years as an educator in California local educational agencies.

Dr. Eric Mooney is one of the ACSA representatives on the WASC Commission. Dr. Mooney is a highly dedicated and passionate educator serving the Colton Joint Unified School District in Southern California as the Director of Secondary Education. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Thomas Edison State University and began teaching in New Jersey as a middle school history teacher. Dr. Mooney continued his academic journey by pursuing a Master’s and Doctorate in Educational Leadership, which equipped him with the skills necessary to assume leadership roles within educational institutions. Throughout his career, Dr. Mooney has served in various educational capacities, including classroom teaching, curriculum development, and administrative positions at the site and district levels. Dr. Mooney resides in Riverside, CA, and outside of his professional endeavors, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with his husband of 17 years, Robert Armenta, Jr.

Alesha Moreno-Ramirez is a California Department of Education representative on the WASC Commission. Alesha Moreno-Ramírez, MA, is a spirited educator with a passion for service to culturally, linguistically, and experientially diverse scholars, families, and communities. Over more than twenty five years, she has served as a bilingual classroom teacher, migrant educator, family liaison, district coach, and county office administrator before joining the California Department of Education as Director of the Multilingual Support Division in 2021. Alesha’s portfolio includes administration of Title III, Part A and Title I, Part C educational programs and state multilingual initiatives to support English learner-classified, immigrant, and migratory students to uplift educational opportunities for all of California’s children and youth.

Dr. Christopher “Kit” Oase represents the California School Boards Association (CSBA) on the WASC Commission. Dr. Oase has been a member of the Ripon Unified School District Board of Trustees since December 2010 and also serves on CSBA’s Delegate Assembly.  A California native, Kit is a retired educator having served 35 years in public education including the communities of Elk Grove, Escalon, Stanislaus County, and San Leandro.  He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Sacramento State University, and a doctorate in political science with minor areas of concentration in economics and sociology from Idaho State University. In the field of education, Kit has had experience as an elementary and high school teacher, and high school and county school’s administrator.  He served for 6 years as a member and chair of the California Commission on Educational Innovation and Planning and served for more than 20 years as a visiting committee […]

Jennifer Owens is on the WASC Commission representing postsecondary education. Jennifer started her career in education at Grossmont Adult in 2005. She taught high school diploma classes as well as high school equivalency preparation for 16 years before becoming Director II of the ESL program and the El Cajon Adult Center in 2022. Jennifer graduated from San Diego State University with a B.A. in Anthropology and with a minor in American Indian Studies. When not working, Jennifer enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Jason Sample serves as the Charter School Commissioner on the WASC Commission.

Terri Schwabauer represents the Western Catholic Education Association (WCEA) on the WASC Commission. She began her career in education as a parent volunteer at a Catholic elementary school in Northern California where she was eventually employed as the school secretary, teacher, and then principal. Terri served as principal for fifteen years in two North State Catholic schools and currently serves the Diocese of Sacramento as Regional Director and Accreditation Officer for elementary and secondary schools. In addition to her teaching credential, Terri holds an Administrative Services Credential, an MA in Education, and a BA in Psychology. As principal, Terri thoroughly enjoyed working with students, teachers, and parents. Though she misses those interactions, she now loves collaborating with principals in all aspects of accreditation, including those principals at the schools in which she serves as a visiting committee chair. In her spare time, Terri enjoys gardening and spending time with her […]

Dr. Sherry Segura represents charter schools on the WASC Commission. Dr. Segura has more than 29 years of education experience and is a proud product of the California public school system. She served as a middle school English language arts, English language development, and reading intervention teacher. She spent 7 years as an instructional coach, supporting teachers in growing and developing their craft. She was a successful early childhood, elementary and K-8 school administrator in Colorado and in California. She is committed to providing all students with a rigorous, high-quality education coupled with enrichment opportunities to ensure post-secondary success. Her unique experience of teaching middle school, instructional coaching, overseeing preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school, teaching undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students is pivotal to understanding the entire academic trajectory. Dr. Segura received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities and Fine Arts from the University of Central Florida. She […]

Ms. Jeanne Wilks represents the Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools on the WASC Commission. Ms. Wilks holds a Master of Education in Private School Leadership from the University of Hawai‘i and has been an independent school administrator since 2013. She currently serves as Head of School at Holy Nativity School in Honolulu, a position she has held since July 2019. In addition to her leadership at Holy Nativity, she serves on the Board of Directors for the Hawai‘i Association of Independent Schools (HAIS) and is a member of both the HAIS Accreditation Committee and the Early Learning Committee. Ms. Wilks is passionate about the accreditation process, which she values for its emphasis on continuous improvement and its role in promoting a culture of lifelong learning and growth within schools.

James P. Willis II serves as the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists representative on the WASC Commission. He serves as the Pacific Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists vice president for education, effective July 1, 2025. A lifelong educator and administrator, Mr. Willis has devoted more than four decades to Adventist education — having served as teacher, principal, and superintendent across the United States. His previous leadership roles include superintendent of education for the Allegheny East Conference and the South Central Conference, as well as earlier teaching and administrative positions in Southern California, Southeastern California, Central States, and Northeastern conferences. A graduate of Oakwood College (now Oakwood University), Mr. Willis earned his B.A. in religion with minors in history and secondary education in 1978. He later received an M.A. in curriculum and instruction from Loma Linda University, and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in administration and leadership from La Sierra […]

Livingston “Jack” Wong is a public member representing Hawaii on the CS WASC Commission. He serves as Chief Executive Officer of Kamehameha Schools (KS). Prior to being named CEO in 2014, he served as an attorney for Kamehameha Schools for 17 years, including as its Vice President of Legal Services and General Counsel. Before joining Kamehameha Schools, Jack represented international, national and local businesses, financial institutions and landowners in the areas of real estate, finance, and business associations. He also previously served as an adjunct professor at Hawai‘i Pacific University, teaching Business Law. Jack has B.A. in Economics from UCLA and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law. Under Jack’s leadership, Kamehameha Schools embarked in 2015 on a bold, exciting voyage that envisions, in one generation, a thriving Lāhui in which all Native Hawaiian learners achieve postsecondary educational success, enabling good life and career choices. Kamehameha Schools, founded in 1887 […]

Dr. Christy L. Wood represents the National Lutheran School Accreditation (NLSA) on the WASC Commission. Dr. Wood is currently the principal at St. John’s Lutheran School in Napa, CA.  Prior, she served as Director of School Ministries at Lamb of God Lutheran School, Las Vegas, NV and as assistant principal at West Portal Lutheran School in San Francisco, CA. Her educational experience encompasses 28 years of teaching experience PS-8. During those years she worked in Arizona, California, and Nevada. After graduating with a Bachelors of Art in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University, Dr. Christy enrolled in Concordia University Irvine where she obtained her Lutheran Teaching Diploma and California Teaching Credential. Christy obtained a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University Irvine and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University Portland. Most recently, she is completing her Educational Doctorate in Educational Leadership at Concordia University […]