Somerville-Bennett hired as THINK Together's IE General Manager

Lisa Somerville-Bennett is THINK Together's newest General Manager with responsibility for the organization's Inland Empire (IE) Region. Adriana Kingtson who previously managed the IE Region will move over to manage a new Southern California Region.

Born and raised in Southern California, Lisa has enjoyed more than 31 years in education.

Lisa began her teaching career in Lake Elsinore as one of the first female high school Vocational Agriculture Teachers and FFA Advisors in California. With extensive school and community support, Lisa was able to build an Agriculture Department and FFA chapter that became one of the top programs in Southern California, with her students earning recognition throughout the state.

After five years teaching high school, and looking for a change, Lisa began teaching Kindergarten in the Jurupa Unified School District. During her twelve years at JUSD, she taught a variety of grade levels, served on numerous site/district curriculum and leadership committees, and served as PTA President at Troth Street School.

While not originally planning to become an Administrator, Lisa was mentored and encouraged to do so. In 1997, after seventeen years of classroom teaching, she completed her Administrative coursework and was hired as an Assistant Principal in the Ontario-Montclair School District. In 1999, she was promoted to Principal and in total has 4 ½ years as an Elementary Principal, 6 years as a Middle School Principal, and one year as a Community Day School Principal under her belt. During her 13 years with OMSD, Lisa gained in-depth training and experience to effectively assist a very large population of English Learners, many coming from a low socio-economic background, to achieve at “opportunity gap” closing levels. Her middle school experiences included exiting the “SAIT” state monitoring process within two years; and in collaboration with her staff and West-Ed, developing an “Alternative Services Delivery Model” which provided full-inclusion in regular education classes for Resource and “Special Day Class” Special Education students. Her middle school ASDM became the template for Ontario-Montclair’s middle schools, was presented at LACOE in conjunction with West-Ed, and was featured in the “Special Edge,” a statewide newsletter which focuses on Special Education issues in California. As Principal of OMSD’s Community Day School, Lisa was able to hire and work with a staff totally dedicated to doing “whatever it takes” for the district’s most academically and behaviorally challenging middle school students. With a “no excuses, never give up” attitude, her proudest moments came when students who “wouldn’t do school” started to “do school” and were able to “earn” their way back to their home school, or begin 9th grade at their regular high school.

Lisa holds a B.S. and Master’s Degree in Agriculture Education, as well as Single Subject and Agriculture Specialist teaching credentials (earned at Cal Poly, Pomona); a Multiple Subject teaching credential; and also has her SB1969 certification. She completed her Tier I Administrative credential through Chapman University, and received her Tier II Professional Administrative credential through Cal State San Bernardino.