Team

Prior to joining Vista Public Charter Schools in 2016, Don Wilson worked for LAUSD for almost 30 years. He most recently served as an Instructional Director in the Intensive Support and Innovation Center under Superintendent Tommy Chang and as Instructional Director for Linked Learning. In this role, he supervised 20 schools ranging from elementary to high school. Prior to that he served as the principal at Wonderland Avenue Elementary School, where he increased student achievement five years in a row, making Wonderland one of the highest ranking schools in the state.  He also served as APEIS at 3rd Street Elementary School, Administrative Coordinator at Santa Monica Blvd. Community Charter, and ELD/Title I Coordinator at Manchester Ave Elementary. He has 17 years of classroom experience as an elementary school teacher.  Dr. Wilson completed a double Bachelor’s Degree at Brigham Young University in English and Spanish Literature and received his Master’s in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Design from Cal State Northridge.  In 2011 he received the California Distinguished School Award for his work with Arts in Education and Way of Council, an innovative program that increases the social/emotional intelligence of students while focusing on oral language development.  He also received the ACCIPIO Administrator of the Year Award for his work with diversity in education.  In 2013 he was accepted into and completed the highly regarded SUPES Academy, a program designed to promote and train future superintendents.

Dr. Felch started his career as a math teacher at the Ambassador School of Global Leadership in Los Angeles. In 2013, Dr. Felch was named an LAUSD and Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year. Also in 2013, Dr. Felch served as an International Judge on the English Talent Television Show in China, Star of Outlook. In 2014, Dr. Felch served as a Math Instructional Coach for the Intensive Support and Innovation Center (ISIC) of LAUSD where he worked directly with 26 different schools to support math teachers, provide professional development, and enhance instruction in math. The following year, Dr. Felch was promoted again to become Assistant Principal at the Communication and Technology School to lead and serve youth in South Los Angeles. In 2016, Dr. Felch completed his Ed.D. at the University of Southern California. His dissertation was on “How Principals of International Studies High Schools Promote Global Competence." In 2017, Dr. Felch became the Principal of Vista Heritage, and he helped open Vista Condor in 2018 as its founding Principal.  In 2022, Dr. Felch was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Vista Charter Public Schools, and in 2023, Dr. Felch was promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Vista Charter Public Schools. Dr. Felch is thrilled to continue to serve the Vista Family and each of its school communities.

Ms. Amaya’s journey in education began in July of 2002 as a teacher at a conversion charter school in East Hollywood. Having grown up in that community, Mrs. Amaya was passionate about giving back by developing students not only academically but emotionally as well. While teaching in her own classroom, Mrs. Amaya understood the importance of empowering students as leaders and therefore planted the seed for the development of the school’s Student Council, which still exists at that school today. Her drive to make an impact in the larger school community motivated her to step out of the classroom to pursue school leadership. She has served in various leadership capacities such as Curriculum Specialist, School Administrator, Assistant Principal, and Principal before serving as Assistant Superintendent for Vista Charter Public Schools. At Vista, her focus on building a positive school culture and developing trust amongst staff has resulted in an atmosphere that allows for all stakeholders--students, teachers and staff- to thrive. Mrs. Amaya is a passionate school leader who believes in creating a transformative school experience where every student is valued. She received her B.A. in Spanish from the University of Southern California and received her M.A. in Education. In 2014, she completed her Administrative Services credential program at CSUDH’s Charter and Autonomous School Leadership Academy. In 2018, Mrs. Amaya was featured in the Most Inspiring Stories series of Voyage LA magazine. When she’s not busy serving Vista schools, you can find Mrs. Amaya supporting her son at his soccer games or her daughter at her volleyball tournaments.

Mr. Hernandez began working in education in 2006 within LAUSD. Throughout his career, he has held various positions providing vital insight into how to support students and communities through extracurricular activities and career education courses. Throughout his time at LAUSD, he has accomplished many goals, which include piloting Cyberpatriots, a national cybersecurity competition, for the middle school division, but also took a middle school team to the national finals. Joining Vista Charter Public Schools in 2017, he has been able to support a new group of students by exposing them to new careers and opportunities through CTE courses. The courses included cybersecurity, 3D animation, photography, robotics, business, art, computer science courses, and much more. In 2022 he was promoted to Chief Information Officer, where he is now in a position to make a much greater impact for all students within Vista Charter Public Schools where his goal is, first and foremost, providing opportunities for students to be exposed to various career fields through CTE and STEAM education.

Ms. Najera started her work in the area of Special Education at a conversion Charter School in the East Hollywood area 18 years ago. There she served as a Special Day Class teacher for students with Mild/Moderate Disabilities in grades Kinder – 2nd , then moving into the RSP Teacher role for grades 3rd – 6th . Erika came to Vista Charter Middle School in 2014, where she continued to support students and families in the area of Special Education as the RSP Teacher for grades 6th – 8th . She received her B.A. in Latin American Studies from Cal State LA and earned her Special Education with an Autism Authorization Credential from the Los Angeles County Office of Education. In 2019, she earned her M.A. in Educational Leadership along with her Administrative Services Credential from Cal State Dominguez Hills. This provided her with the opportunity to work and provide services to more students within the Vista Charter Public Schools as the Special Education Coordinator for the LA Region. Mrs. Najera currently serves all Vista Public Schools as the current Director of Special Education and Pupil Services. During her downtime, Mrs. Najera enjoys time with her two young children going to local theme parks or enjoying a good book.

Dr. Real has had a 26-year career in education with a focus on creating equitable access to
college and career opportunities for her students. She began her career in the Walnut Valley
Unified School District as a French teacher and high school Counselor, Instructional Dean, and
the only female Principal in Diamond Bar High School’s 41 year history. In 2015, she moved to
the Monrovia Unified School District as the Director of Counseling, College, & Careers where she developed opportunities in Career Technical Education and a model Early College program in collaboration with Citrus Community College that earned the 2019 Golden Bell Equity and Access Award from the California School Board Association.  Most recently, she has come to Vista Charter Public Schools where she was the Principal of Vista Meridian Global Academy, a start-up high school focusing on a transformative experience that prepares students in an underserved area of Santa Ana so that they develop the skills and network necessary to become leaders in addressing global issues. Dr. Real has transitioned into the role of Vista Charter Public Schools’ Director of Counseling, College, & Careers where she focuses on creating critical partnerships that will enable students to participate in internships, job site visits, mentorships, free college courses, and develop their professional network while still in high school.

Dr. Real completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA, her M.S. in Secondary Education at CSU Fullerton, her M.A. in School Counseling at Azusa Pacific University, and her Ed.D. in
Educational Leadership at USC.  Her doctoral research focused on improving student emotional, behavioral, and cognitive engagement through career technical education, rigorous career preparation, and access to the social capital necessary for career success.

Ms. Medina had a diverse and enriching career journey. Currently, she is serving as the Business & HR Manager at Vista Charter Public Schools, where she has been working for the past 6 years. Her career began in 2000 with the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she had the opportunity to work in various departments gaining valuable experience and knowledge at different levels of the education system for over 10 years. She transitioned to El Rancho USD where she developed her organizational and administrative skills serving as an Office Manager. Her journey continued to Beverly Hills USD where she initially worked as a Payroll and Benefits Technician and was subsequently promoted to the role of Accounts Payable Specialist. Her career path led her to higher education at Glendale Community College, where she took on the role of Financial Aid Technician and assisted students access the financial resources they needed for their education. Before joining VCPS, she contributed to the Alvord USD in the Human Resources department, broadening her experience in HR processes and policies. Ms. Medina’s journey has been marked by continuous growth, learning and passion, which have provided a strong foundation in business, finance, and human resources.

Mr. Adjemian started at Vista Charter Public Schools in August 2010, he now serves as the Database Administrator. He is responsible for the Student Information System, academic and compliance reporting, collecting, maintaining, and integrating student and staff data on demographic and academic levels. He also supports students and teachers with access to education technology. Zareh holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Physics from the D.A.E. University of Tehran, Iran. From the business owner to the director of a multinational textile company to the CEO/CFO of a clothing manufacturing company, Zareh has done it all. Life experience and his commitment to children’s education drive him to do what he does at Vista on a daily basis. He is continuously striving to expand his knowledge and master new technologies. He recently received a Master of Scheduling certificate from California State University Dominguez Hills. Zareh is the founder and editor in chief, of Oragark Armenian Periodical, reporting local and community news to thousands of subscribers from 2006 to date. He was executive director of the ACF Glendale Youth Center for over ten years.  He has and continues to serve on the boards of various nonprofit organizations. During his free time, Zareh loves family BBQs and going on walks with his sweet dog Ooloonk.