Governing Council President

Cindy is an accomplished mechanical engineer with three decades of experience at The Boeing Company. Now retired, she holds B.S.M.E. and M.B.A. degrees and remain firmly committed to engineering and education. She is the president of the Governing Council and Founder of the Sacramento School of Engineering and Science. She also serve as a Global Judge Advisor for FIRST® Robotics, where she trains Judge Advisors worldwide. Lastly, as a past officer and current member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), she actively promote the profession's advancement.   

Governing Council Vice President

Erica Garcia, an Alamogordo native, brings over 18 years of transformative impact across education and nonprofit sectors. With a career defined by innovation and excellence, Erica is the Chief People Officer at KIPP Colorado, part of a prestigious National Charter School Network.

As a visionary leader, Erica has spearheaded initiatives that redefine talent strategy, recruitment, HR operations, and staff development. She founded her own consultancy, partnering with organizations to elevate their people, talent, legal, and hiring practices. Her career highlights include serving as Managing Director of Staff Knowledge and Learning at Teaching Trust, Director of Personnel and Talent at Aurora Public Schools, and Senior Director of Talent and Human Resources at STRIVE Prep Charter Schools, where she built and led high-performing recruitment and HR teams.

Before stepping into system-wide leadership, Erica made her mark as a teacher and assistant principal, igniting change at the classroom level. A proud first-generation college graduate, she holds a Juris Doctor degree, a master’s in public administration, and a bachelor’s in psychology—a trifecta of expertise that underscores her commitment to advancing innovation and excellence.

Governing Council Secretary

Ann DeRoy is currently employed as the Director of Starbase @ Holloman AFB,  she is a retired New Mexico public schools administrator and educator.  She most recently served as the Director of Religious Education at Holloman AFB Chapel.  She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Flickinger Center for the Performing Arts and most recently has been honored to serve as the secretary for the governing council of SSES Charter School. In her spare time, she sings, plays guitar, leads youth group, and loves every minute with her precious family and friends.

Governing Council Member

Joe was born in Roswell N.M., and then relocated to Alamogordo in 1954 when his mother created several private businesses in this area. Forty-seven years of experience in both public and private education, Joe and his wife Jeana are owners and operators of Burton Learning Systems (BLS) in Alamogordo. A home schooling and dyslexia/reading therapy academy, emphasizing self-paced individualized/independent instruction. BLS is the only scientific based dyslexia therapy school in the basin. Along with his brother, Joe owned private businesses in Alamogordo. He now owns Adobe Creek Images, a digital art business emphasizing his own personal photography.

After graduating from from New Mexico Military Institute High School. He attended NMMIJC on a football scholarship. He has an Associates of Arts Degree in Accounting from NMMI. A Bachelors Degree in Social Work and Education from New Mexico State University with several Minors. He holds Classroom Certifications in The Social Sciences. A TESOL Certification from Western New Mexico University, and a Masters Degree in Curriculum from Ashford University. Has also attended the College of The Southwest and Adams State University extension.

In his forty-seven years, Joe has received numerous Classroom Teacher, Coaching, and Administrative Awards/Nominations at the Local, State, and National Levels. His teaching experiences include AP classes at several Secondary Schools around the State of New Mexico, including Alamogordo High School. His administration experience includes Athletic/Activities Director, Administrative Duties, Grant Writing, Curriculum Supervision, Elementary, Jr. High, and High School Assistant Principal and Principal.

Governing Council Member

Racquel Labadie is a mother of three and proud military spouse. She and her family have lived in the Alamogordo area since January of 2024 and is pleased to call this wonderful community home. Ms. Labadie’s professional background is in education and child development, completing her undergrad in Secondary Social Science Education and graduate degree in Administration. A career civil servant, she has worked for the Department of Defense for over a decade in positions of support for military members and their spouses and in advocacy of military-connected children. Ms. Labadie also serves as Secretary of the Otero County Big Brothers, Big Sisters Resource Board, member of the Holloman Resident Council and chairs the Holloman Education Advisory Council. She is a life-long student of science and believes that in nurturing our innate curiosity of the world we can inspire appreciation and action in protecting it.