Staff Directory

Mike became FCMAT’s chief executive officer on July 1, 2017. Before joining FCMAT in 2015 as the agency’s chief administrative officer, Mike served a combined 13 years as interim superintendent and deputy superintendent of business services and governmental relations at the Riverside Unified School District. Mike has experience as assistant superintendent at Newport-Mesa USD and as financial administrator in accounting and indirect budgets at Hughes Aircraft Company and General Dynamics Corporation. Mike is a regular presenter at many state and national conventions, workshops and professional development programs. He has degrees in accounting and public administration from Cal Poly Pomona and California Baptist University. Mike has a long history in governmental relations, working closely with policy makers in Sacramento on behalf of California’s K-12 students. Mike is married to an elementary school teacher and they have two adult children, and one teenage cat that runs the household. He enjoys gardening and volunteers in his community as president of the board of the Riverside Community College District Foundation and vice chair of the City of Riverside’s Budget Engagement Commission.

Michelle has worked for FCMAT since 2002 in several roles. Prior to FCMAT, Michelle worked as chief business official at Novato Unified School District; business manager and accountant at Marin County Office of Education overseeing the fiscal affairs of 19 school districts; business manager at a privately owned laboratory; and accounting manager overseeing governmental projects with Bechtel. Michelle regularly makes presentations in statewide and local educational agency settings, and serves as an instructor for the University of Southern California (USC) School Business Management Certificate Program. She enjoys helping others serve students better. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree with majors in both accounting and marketing, and has passed all sections of the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Exam in California. She enjoys life in Northern California and with her blended family that includes six sons.

Shayleen began with FCMAT in 2014. Prior to FCMAT, she served as superintendent of Maple Elementary School District, and as a management consultant in district advisory services for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, providing support to 16 school districts. She earned a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and an master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from California State University, Bakersfield, and an administrative services credential from Fresno Pacific University, as well as a certificate in school business management. Shayleen was a teacher and eventually a principal in the school district she had attended as a student, serving there for 20 years. She oversees the FCMAT Chief Business Official Mentor Program, which supports the training and development of qualified CBOs. Shayleen is motivated by a desire to help schools to be successful and offer students the best education possible. She is married to a retired CBO, has three adult children, and enjoys spending time with family.

Diane has been with FCMAT since 2006. She holds a bachelor of science in business administration, CASBO certification as a chief business official, and certifications from both the ACSA School Business Managers Academy and the Institute for Personnel Administrators. Before coming to FCMAT, Diane served as an executive secretary, account clerk, account technician, coordinator of accounting and budget, and assistant superintendent of business services.

She is pleased to have had the opportunity throughout her career and at FCMAT to gain extensive hands-on experience in school business, leading to her appointment as chief analyst. Her motivation comes from helping school agencies serve students and staff more effectively.

Diane enjoys traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

John began working with FCMAT in 2018. He has more than 30 years of private and public sector experience in a variety of management, fiscal, operations, and auditing roles. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from University of California, San Diego and an MBA from California State University, Bakersfield. 

John leads FCMAT’s implementation of fiscal health risk analyses of districts under the new requirements of AB 1840. Prior to his current position, John served as Assistant Superintendent for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools and held leadership positions with the Business and Administration Steering Committee for the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. 

John served with FCMAT previously as a fiscal intervention specialist, with the Lamont School District as assistant superintendent of business and personnel, and in management positions with both UPS and FedEx. He finds it rewarding to help educators make the best use of the resources they have and be more efficient.

When not working for FCMAT, John enjoys travel and spending time in the local mountains.

Michael has been with FCMAT since 2017, having previously run his own accounting and litigation support practice and served as a chief financial officer, chief ethics officer, and senior forensic accountant. He earned a BA in accounting from California State University, Fullerton and is a certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner, a certified forensic accountant, and a diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Accounting. He has conducted numerous financial fraud investigations, resulting in restitution of funds and enjoys helping others learn by conducting fraud prevention and ASB workshops for FCMAT. When away from work, he enjoys time with his two college-age children and continuing his many years of service as a scoutmaster.

Julie joined FCMAT in 2011, having previously worked as a chief business official, director of fiscal services, senior accountant, and paralegal. Julie has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, is a certified public accountant, a chartered global management accountant, and a certified internal controls auditor. She and her husband enjoy traveling, both in an RV and on a Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Andrea has been with FCMAT since 2013. She has a bachelor of science degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting, an MBA, and has passed all portions of the certified public accountant exam.

Before joining FCMAT, Andrea worked in both administrative and technology support, as a fiscal analyst, as a district fiscal services officer, and as a senior district fiscal services officer. She finds it rewarding to develop training and tools to help education agencies operate more efficiently and generate better information. Outside of work, she enjoys aerial photography, airplane camping, hiking, and spending time with family.

Andrea’s motivation to help California’s students comes from having had teachers and administrators who helped her overcome life challenges, and her love of finance began with a high school accounting class. 

Tami joined FCMAT in 2018, having previously served as chief business official at a school district and as both assistant superintendent of business services and associate superintendent of administrative services at county offices of education. She holds a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting with a specialty in management and is a graduate of the USC School Business Management Certificate Program, a certified fraud examiner, and a member of the California Association of School Business Officials. Tami has been involved in California’s three largest chief business official preparation programs as a mentor, teacher, curriculum developer, and designer of web-based classroom materials. She enjoys giving back to her profession through teaching others, and she finds her work at FCMAT rewarding because it helps others. She is an accomplished baker and has two grown children who still benefit from her baking skills.

A member of FCMAT since 2015, Jennifer received her bachelor of science in business administration and management from the University of Redlands and spent several years working in fiscal services for districts, county offices and SELPAs throughout the state. She cites as one of her favorite professional accomplishments assisting a district in overcoming a negative certification, necessitating close cooperation between administration, employee unions and other interested parties in making important decisions to enhance revenues and decrease expenditures.

Jennifer finds it especially rewarding when working with school district business staff, acting as a sounding board when they have questions. When she’s not immersed in school finance, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Marisa has worked at FCMAT since 2010, having previously served as assistant superintendent of business and administrative services at Atwater Elementary School District and as a contracted chief business official at the Merced County Office of Education. She holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting, and is a certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner, and a certified internal controls auditor. Marisa led the statewide implementation of FCMAT’s LCFF Calculator and finds it rewarding to help strengthen the knowledge and technical expertise of those serving in public education. She describes herself as “a tenacious problem solver.” She has been married to her husband for 25 years and has two grown sons.

Jeff joined FCMAT in 2018. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Arizona and is a certified fraud examiner. Prior to joining FCMAT, Jeff was the chief business officer at the Alameda County Office of Education, where he spent 16 years overseeing 18 school districts with a combined $2 billion in funding. Originally from New York, he began his career in Silicon Valley and later audited numerous public and private firms throughout the southeastern United States. When he is not helping school districts, Jeff can be found on the banks of a trout stream, chasing a covey of quail, or impersonating an Iron Chef.

Debbie joined FCMAT in 2017 and supports school districts and county offices in school finance and budgeting, multiyear financial projections, efficiency studies, organizational reviews, and fiscal health risk analyses.

Before joining FCMAT, Debbie served in both the internal and external business departments at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools for six years, most recently as internal chief financial operations officer. Prior to that she served as the chief business official at a Kern County school district for 10 years.

Debbie has more than 30 years of experience in accounting, and 24 years in school business. She received her bachelor of science degree in business management from the University of Phoenix and her MBA from California State University, Bakersfield. Debbie has also earned chief business official certification from California State University, San Bernardino and is a certified fraud examiner. She is treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of downtown Bakersfield. Debbie is a native southern Californian and is married with four grown children and two grandchildren.

Scott joined FCMAT in 2013. His previous work included serving as a senior programmer/analyst at the Stanislaus County Office of Education, manager of information systems at the Merced County Office of Education, chief information officer at Capistrano Unified School District, and executive director of information systems at the Monterey County Office of Education. He holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a concentration in computer information systems and is a certified chief technology officer. Scott is a member, past president and previous board member of the California Educational Technology Professionals Association (CETPA), serves on the steering committee for the Technical Assistance and Professional Development Project (TAPD), and is a steering committee member and founding member of the committee that developed the Chief Technology Officer Mentor program. Scott finds it especially rewarding to help smaller school districts and county offices implement educational technology to help students. He enjoys swimming, traveling, restoring early muscle cars, and spending time with family.

Laura has worked at FCMAT since 2000. Prior to that she was an assistant city editor and copy editor for The Bakersfield Californian newspaper, and a court reporter in both state and federal courts. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University, Fresno, and is a member of the Creative Pro Network for professionals who work with Adobe software products. She can spot typos and spelling errors from a great distance, and strives for accurate, clear communication in FCMAT’s reports and other publications. When not at work, she enjoys traveling, sewing and spending time with her husband and two poodles.

John joined FCMAT in 2005, having previously worked as a high school English teacher, communications manager, newspaper feature editions editor, and communications and technology manager. He has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in theology, and has completed graduate coursework in graphic design. Some of his most rewarding professional work was for an international charity that helped Romanian orphans. He is motivated in his FCMAT work by the knowledge that our work helps students. When not working at FCMAT, he enjoys spending time with family and bicycling for transportation.

Leonel has been with FCMAT since 1998 after previously working as a news editor at the Arvin Tiller and Lamont Reporter newspaper and as a reporter for The Bakersfield Californian. He holds a bachelor’s degree in communications studies from California State University, Bakersfield. His reporting career included first-hand coverage of the Los Angeles riots in 1992. He is pleased to be part of an organization that improves public education. He and his wife, Ester, enjoy spoiling their two grandchildren and living in a home filled with family, books, and reading.

Veronica has been with FCMAT since 2007, prior to which she worked as a business manager, human resources assistant, and accounts receivable manager. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Ashford University, San Diego, California, and chief business official certification from the California Association of School Business Officials. Veronica finds it rewarding to connect with and help others in their work at FCMAT. Outside of work, she enjoys time with family and outdoor activities.

Kay has been with FCMAT since 2017, having previously worked as a receptionist, bookkeeper, office manager, and process server. She has taken college accounting courses, has completed the Kern County Superintendent of Schools’ business office training program, and has 35 years of experience in bookkeeping and office management. She is motivated by the team she works with at FCMAT. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her great-nephews and being mom to an English bulldog named Lola.

Amanda began with FCMAT in 2014, having previously worked in management at a bank and in retail. She is the mother of twins and enjoys staying fit. She enjoys working with the FCMAT team and striving to excel in her career.

Linda has been with FCMAT since 1999 and previously worked as the superintendent’s secretary and in other positions at the Marin County Office of Education for 30 years. Outside of FCMAT, she volunteers for Guide Dogs for the Blind and enjoys gardening and watercolor painting.