Ellen Addonizio
Filed in: A
| Ellen
Addonizio
Certified Public Accountant
Email: eaddonizio@capousd.org
Ellen is a Mission Viejo resident who represents Trustee Area 6, which covers portions of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. Ellen was elected in 2006 for a term ending November 2010. She is one of the “ABC Reform” trustees.
Ellen has lived in Southern California since the 1980s and has lived within the Capistrano Unified School District for more than 15 years.
Ellen is an accomplished Certified Public Accountant. For the past 20 years, Ellen has represented large and small companies, as well as individuals. Ellen’s practice has included auditing, investigative accounting and tax services. Ellen has developed extensive knowledge and special expertise in general accounting, tax planning, long range capital and operational budgeting and cost accounting. Read More...
Jennifer Beall
Filed in: B
| Jennifer
Beall
Member, Committee to Reform CUSD
President, Rancho Santa Margarita Republican Assembly
Member, Citizens for a Safe Rancho Santa Margarita
Jennifer Beall is a founding member of the CUSD Recall Committee and the Committee to Reform Public Education. Jennifer has worked closely with committee members and with numerous volunteers by coordinating research, investigations, campaigns, public relations, government relations, fund raising, development of programs and solutions and other essential committee activities. Read More...
Tony Beall
Filed in: B
| Tony Beall
Member, Committee to Reform CUSD
Councilmember, City of Rancho Santa Margarita
Alternate Member, Orange County Republican Central Committee
Member, Rancho Santa Margarita Republican Assembly
Member, Citizens for a Safe Rancho Santa Margarita
Member, California Bar Association
Former Planning Commissioner, City of Rancho Santa Margarita
Tony Beall is a founding member of the CUSD Recall Committee and the Committee to Reform Public Education. He has worked closely with other committee members and with numerous volunteers by coordinating research, investigations, campaigns, public relations, government relations, fund raising, development of programs and solutions and other essential committee activities.
Read More...
Sheila Benecke
Filed in: B
| Sheila
Benecke
Removed from Office By Voters
in a Special Recall in June 2008
Laguna Niguel resident represented Area 5, which covers Aliso Viejo and a portion of Laguna Niguel. First elected in 1992 and returned to office in 2004 for a term ending November 2008.
Benecke was an anti-reform, Fleming-era trustee and one of the greatest proponents and defenders of CUSD's notorious misspending, facilities blunders and culture of corruption. Her misconduct as a trustee was condemned multiple times by the Orange County Grand Jury, Orange County District Attorney and an independent investigator. She is an admitted serial law-breaker, having committed the worst violations of the California open meetings law seen by state experts in 25 years. A 1990-1991 Grand Jury Report exposes the deep roots of, and players like Benecke who were behind the CUSD culture of corruption. Fortunately, this disgraced old guard trustee was removed from office before her last term expired when she was overwhelmingly defeated in a humiliating June 2008 special recall election.
Californians Aware | CFAC Darkness Award | Quotes
Jack Brick
Filed in: B
| Jack Brick
Aersospace Executive, Teacher
Email: jbrick@capousd.org
Jack Brick is a Dana Point resident who represents Area 1, which covers portions of San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, including Capistrano Beach, and San Clemente. He was elected to the Board in 2008 for a term ending 2012.
Jack has been an educator in our public schools for 25 years -- he is a lifelong supporter and advocate for public education. As the Principal Director for a major aerospace firm, Jack directed an agency with 170 employees and a multi-million dollar annual budget. He has expertise in real property acquisitions, construction and refurbishment – including complex administration, contract and management negotiations. Jack is a former CSULB Public Safety Director (recognized by the FBI for achieving lowest crime rate among the 270 largest U.S. universities) and is committed to making our schools safe and drug free. He has a Masters Degree and a lifetime California Teaching Credential. Jack’s wife was, and two daughters are, public school teachers.
Anna Bryson
Filed in: B
| Anna Bryson
Businesswoman, Former President & CEO, Software Technology Company
Email: anna@annabryson.com
Dana Point resident represents Area IV, which covers portions of Laguna Niguel, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. Elected in 2006 for a term ending November 2010. She is one of the “ABC Reform” trustees.
An Appeal from Anna Bryson | Accomplishments | Quotes | Smart Voter Listing | Website
Capistrano Unified Education Association
Filed in: CUEA
Vicki Soderberg, President
2200 certified staff in this bargaining unit are members of CUEA
Union Contract - "Agreement between Capistrano Unified Education Association and Capistrano Unified School District for the Period July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2004"
John Casabianca
Filed in: C
| John
Casabianca
Casabianca is a Rancho Santa Margarita resident who represented Trustee Area 7, which covers portions of Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and the Coto de Caza and Wagon Wheel areas. He was elected in 2002 for a term ending November 2006.
Casabianca was an anti-reform, Fleming-era trustee and a proponent and defender of CUSD's notorious misspending, facilities blunders and culture of corruption. His misconduct as a trustee was condemned multiple times by the Orange County Grand Jury, Orange County District Attorney and an independent investigator. He is an admitted serial law-breaker, having committed the worst violations of the California open meetings law seen by state experts in 25 years. Fortunately, this disgraced old guard trustee was removed from office when he was overwhelmingly defeated by reform trustee Larry Christensen in the November 2006 general election.
Californians Aware | CFAC Darkness Award | Letters | Quotes | Smart Voter Listing
Larry Christensen
Filed in: C
| Larry
Christensen
Owner-Operator Engineering Firm, Real Estate Developer
Email: ljchristensen@capousd.org
Larry is a Coto de Caza resident who represents Trustee Area 7, which covers portions of Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita and the Coto de Caza and Wagon Wheel areas. He was elected in 2006 for a term ending November 2010. He is one of the “ABC Reform” trustees.
Larry is a Southern California native. Larry has been married to his wife Deborah for 24 years. They have two daughters, both of whom attend California universities. The Christensen family has lived within the Coto de Caza area of the Capistrano Unified School District for 18 years.
Column | Quotes | Smart Voter Listing Read More...
Committee to Reform CUSD
“Restoring Honesty, Integrity and
Accountability to Public Education”
Since 2005, the Leaders of the Committee to Reform CUSD have worked tirelessly to implement positive change and significant reform to the Capistrano Unified School District, the 9th largest school district in California, and now the Leaders are working with state legislators, prosecutors and concerned citizens in other jurisdictions to implement similar reforms across California.
The Mission - Simple and Straightforward
The Leaders’ mission statement is simple and straightforward -- "a campaign dedicated to restoring honesty, integrity and accountability to public education” -- and they have achieved remarkable success. Their efforts have resulted in the adoption of processes for monitoring and improving the air quality inside hundreds of temporary portable classrooms, the creation of a comprehensive district-wide facility needs assessments, which confirmed the Leader’s contention that more than 75% of the public schools are not in compliance with State life/safety requirements, the adoption of strict anti-nepotism policies -- and the adoption of the first balanced budgets in years. The Leaders have received accolades and widespread coverage in local television, radio and newspaper media – and in 2009 were prominently featured in a motion picture documentary examining the status and quality of America’s public school system. Read More...
Marlene Draper
Filed in: D
| Marlene
Draper
![Draper 15_2[1]_2](files/page314_blog_entry17_1.jpg)
San Juan Capistrano resident represented Area 2, which covers portions of San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo, and the Ladera Ranch and Las Flores areas. First elected in 1988 and returned to office in 2004 for a term ending November 2008.
Draper was an anti-reform, Fleming-era trustee and one of the greatest proponents and defenders of CUSD's notorious misspending, facilities blunders and culture of corruption. Her misconduct as a trustee was condemned multiple times by the Orange County Grand Jury, Orange County District Attorney and an independent investigator. She is an admitted serial law-breaker, having committed the worst violations of the California open meetings law seen by state experts in 25 years. A 1990-1991 Grand Jury Report exposes the deep roots of, and players like Draper who were behind the CUSD culture of corruption. Fortunately, this disgraced old guard trustee was removed from office before her last term expired when she was overwhelmingly defeated in a humiliating June 2008 special recall election.
Californians Aware | CFAC Darkness Award | Letters | Quotes
James Fleming
Filed in: F
| James Fleming
Capistrano Unified School District
Resigned: August 14, 2006
James Fleming served as Superintendent of Capitrano Unified School District from __________ until August 2006.
Background and career: Blog | Letters | News | Quotes | Superintendent Fleming's Real Legacy
Criminal prosecution: Blog | DA Raid Photos | Docs | News | Quotes
Shelia Henness
Filed in: H
| Shelia
Henness
Represented Area 6, which covers portions of Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo.
Henness was an anti-reform, Fleming-era trustee and one of the greatest proponents and defenders of CUSD's notorious misspending, facilities blunders and culture of corruption. Her misconduct as a trustee was condemned multiple times by the Orange County Grand Jury, Orange County District Attorney and an independent investigator. She is an admitted serial law-breaker, having committed the worst violations of the California open meetings law seen by state experts in 25 years. Fortunately, this disgraced old guard trustee was removed from office when she was overwhelmingly defeated by reform trustee Ellen Addonizio in the November 2006 general election.
Californians Aware | CFAC Darkness Award | Docs | Smart Voter Listing | Website
Ken Lopez Maddox
Filed in: L
| Ken
Lopez-Maddox
School Board Member, Businessman
Email: kmaddox@capousd.org
Ken Lopez Maddox is an Aliso Viejo resident who represents Area 5, which covers Aliso Viejo and a portion of Laguna Niguel. He was elected to the CUSD Board by a landslide margin in the June 2008 recall election and re-elected in the November 2008 election.
Ken is a former member of the California State Legislature and served on the State Assembly’s Education Committee -- educating and protecting children is Ken’s top priority. Ken authored California’s Amber Alert system, co-authored legislation requiring class size reduction and led efforts to protect children from toxins on campus. A 17-year police officer, he proudly served as a DARE officer in nearby schools – Ken is committed to making our schools safe and drug free. Ken has his Masters Degree in Management and was a Senior Fellow at the UCLA School of Public Policy and and Social Research. He is father of two children who have attended CUSD schools.
Column | Quotes
Dr. Roberta Mahler
Filed in: M
| Roberta
Mahler
Capistrano Unified School District
Board
Approved: June 8, 2009
Dr. Mahler brings with her an
impressive 42-year tenure in public education. She started her
career as a school cafeteria cashier in Saugus, California and
retired as district Superintendent of Centralia School District in
Orange County. She was a teacher and Learning Coordinator in Downey
and Fountain Valley School Districts, served in a variety of
administrative positions including that of principal in the Irvine
Unified School District, and has taught at the undergraduate, post
graduate and doctoral level at a variety of private and public
universities. She was Interim Superintendent for Westminster School
District and currently works as a consultant for the Orange County
Department of Education.
Blog | Quotes
Sue Palazzo
Filed in: P
| Sue Palazzo
School Board Member, Property Manager, Teacher
Email: spalazzo@capousd.org
Sue Palazzo is a San Juan Capistrano resident who represents Area 2, which covers portions of San Juan Capistrano and Mission Viejo, and the Ladera Ranch and Las Flores areas. She was elected to the CUSD Board by a landslide margin in the June 2008 recall election and was re-elected in November 2008.
Sue has been an educator in our public schools for thirty-three years -- educating and protecting children is her top priority. Sue has been a property manager for thirty years, with significant experience in facility maintenance, code compliance and real estate accounting. She is a lifelong supporter and advocate for public education and is committed to reallocating resources back to the classroom and away from district bureaucracy. Sue has her Masters Degree in Elementary Education and is a mother of three children who attended CUSD schools.
Michelle Russell
Filed in: R
| Michelle
Russell
Member, Committee to Reform CUSD
Member, Rancho Santa Margarita Republican Assembly
Member, Citizens for a Safe Rancho Santa Margarita
Michelle Russell is a founding member of the CUSD Recall Committee and the Committee to Reform Public Education. She has worked closely with other committee members and with numerous volunteers by coordinating research, investigations, campaigns, public relations, government relations, fund raising, development of programs and solutions and other essential committee activities.
Read More...
Tom Russell
Filed in: R
| Tom Russell
Member & Spokesperson, Committee to Reform CUSD
Member, Citizens for a Safe Rancho Santa Margarita
Member, Rancho Santa Margarita Republican Assembly
Former Planning Commisser, City of Rancho Santa Margarita
Member, California Bar Association
Tom Russell is a founding member of the CUSD Recall Committee and the Committee to Reform Public Education. He has worked closely with other committee members and with numerous volunteers by coordinating research, investigations, campaigns, public relations, government relations, fund raising, development of programs and solutions and other essential committee activities.
Read More...
Mike Winsten
Filed in: W
| Mike Winsten
Attorney, Independent Businessman
Emial: mwinsten@capousd.org
Mike Winsten is a San Clemente resident who represents Area 3, which covers most of San Clemente. He was elected in 2008 for a term ending 2012.
Mike has been a business, finance and real estate attorney for 21 years. Mike will be your eyes and ears to ensure CUSD complies with all laws. He has been the owner-operator of a successful independent O.C. business for 11 years and a proven, effective, results-oriented leader. As the CUSD Recall Committee Chairman, Mike is dedicated to restoring honesty, integrity and accountability to CUSD. He has an Undergraduate Degree from Cornell, law degree from USC and MBA from UCI. Mike and his wife have five children, four attending school in CUSD.
Articles | Blog | Quotes
Official Statement: Opposition to Union-Backed Recall
Open Letter to the Community