Foundation Board

Robert Jessen Ph.D., Foundation President
foundationpresident@montedelsol.org

To contact the entire foundation, email:
foundation@montedelsol.org

The Foundation for Monte del Sol has been an integral part of Monte del Sol Charter School since its inception. The Foundation raises funds to support school programs and owns the building and land used by the school.

The Foundation provides support for many of the innovative programs at the school such as our Mentorship Program (chosen by the Gates Foundation as one of the ten most promising practices in charter schools), as well as our dual credit program The Sustainable College and Career Readiness Program (SCCR).

Join us as we grow educational opportunities!

Foundation Board

ROBERT JESSEN, Ph.D., Board Chair

Robert Jessen Monte school foundation board member.

Robert served as Head Learner at Monte del Sol Charter School for seven years, following five years of teaching Spanish, French, and US Government at Monte.  Before Monte, Robert was Chair of Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies at the College of Santa Fe. Robert earned his Ph.D. at Northwestern University, studying land issues among the Tarahumara Indians and Mestizos of the Copper Canyon. He has also taught at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, after receiving his BA from Dartmouth College. Robert grew up in Napa, California, with a Spanish mother and a dad from Tulsa. Robert lives with his wife from Chihuahua and a son who has just graduated from Colorado College.

CRAIG LANGWELL, Board Treasurer

Craig Langwell Monte school foundation board member

Craig originally grew up in Albuquerque, graduated from Eldorado High School, and then attended UNM, while working the flight line at the Sunport. His 20-year career in aviation, as a private terminal (FBO) manager, took him to the east coast, where he resided in Atlanta, GA for the majority of his profession. Craig returned to Northern New Mexico in 2020 with his wife, Larissa, and step-son, Joshua. They have been active in their church and Youth for Christ ministries. He most recently became the Campus Director for Sagebrush Community Church in Santa Fe. As a FMdS Board Member and parent of a MdS student, Craig is very excited to serve and offer his support to Monte del Sol’s various innovative educational programs.

John Paul Granillo, Board Member

 

John Paul Granillo was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He’s a painter, sculptor, muralist, and community activist. He’s a co-founder of Alas De Agua, an art collective dedicated to using art to plant fresh narratives in Santa Fe soil.

John Paul focuses his work on indigeneity, art, and teaching art. John Paul believes in direct impacts, this can be seen through his food distribution program for COVID relief and his informal approach to addressing the youth in YCC programs to get them to speak from a deeper and more personal place.

Steve Eastwood

Steve Eastwood and his wife Dorne are relatively new Santa Fe residents, but he is no stranger to the charter school movement. A former board member at a Chicago charter high school, Steve advocated for equitable charter student funding when he served for two years as the Deputy Chief Education Officer of the Chicago Public Schools. Most of his 40-year career in finance has focused on difficult business situations and companies in transition. Steve is a graduate of UC Berkeley and the Chicago Booth School of Business.

We thank our important funders and supporters and invite you to become one!