Board of Directors

The Journey School Governing Board (known as the Journey School Council) has members who bring a broad range of expertise and backgrounds to help serve the school. The Council consists of:

Jon Kaplan
Council President
jkaplan@journeyschool.net

Jon Kaplan is Assistant Dean, MBA Programs for The Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University, where he oversees the Full-Time MBA, Flex MBA and Executive MBA Programs.  Besides managing student services for the graduate student body, Jon is responsible for the recruitment of new students into each program.  He also is a part of the strategic planning team for the Argyros School and serves as Faculty Athletics Representative for Chapman University.

Jon is an MBA graduate with honors from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, and came to Chapman University in 2004, after working for 5 years at UCLA Anderson, first as Associate Director of Admissions, and then as Associate Director of the Parker Career Management Center. Prior to getting his MBA, Jon graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Economics from UCLA and spent over a decade as Director of Operations for the UCLA Football Team, where he assisted the coaching staff in leading the team to national prominence.

Jon is on the Board of Directors for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Orange County chapter, and he is a co-author of a book entitled “The Early Career MBA”.

Jon’s daughter Mia is a third grader at Journey.

Kris Powell, Ed.D
Council Vice President
kpowell@journeyschool.net

Kris Powell, Ed.D is a retired Educator with 40+ years of experience as a teacher, reading specialist and administrator at the elementary and secondary levels. Most recently, Dr. Powell serves as a part time consultant, working with new school principals.

Dr. Powell has two adult children who are married and live in Los Angeles and Colorado. She has two beautiful grandsons in Colorado and a step-granddaughter in Germany. She loves to travel, scuba dive in tropical waters, and is learning to paint with acrylic and water color.

Dr. Powell states, “I am very proud of Journey School and its excellent educational program, teachers and staff. It is an honor to volunteer as a member of the Journey Council.”

Michael Corbo
Council Treasurer
mcorbo@journeyschool.net

Mike Corbo is one of the founding parents of Journey School and was a member of the first Journey School Council where he served for the first two years of the school’s charter.

Michael Corbo has had children enrolled in Journey school since its inception.  His two daughters attended Journey K-6 and the oldest will be a sophomore at Chico State. Mr. Corbo’s middle child attended her freshman year at Orange County High School of the Arts and will be a junior next year in Mission Viejo High School, and his youngest child Dan, will be entering the 8th Grade at Journey; the first of his children to be at Journey the full eight years.

Professionally, Mr. Corbo has worked in the elevator and escalator industry for 29 years.  For the last 11 years, he has served as General Manager and Senior Vice President at Mitsubishi Electric where he is responsible for the daily operation, profit and loss of the US Elevator and Escalator Business. Mr. Corbo has also served for ten years on the board of directors for the National Elevator Industry Inc (NEII), currently as a board member and in the past as President and Vice President.

Jan Geisendorfer
Council Secretary
jgeisendorfer@journeyschool.net

Jan’s son, Zach, attended Journey School for 10 years, graduating from 8th grade in 2011. Jan has always loved “Fairy Market” and has chaired or co-chaired for the past 9 years. Jan has worked at Orange County Superior Court In Orange, California, as a court mediator/ investigator for the past 21 years. Currently, Jan assists parents who are separating and/or divorcing with developing a parenting plan regarding custody and visitation. Jan has a B.A. and a M.A. in Psychology from California State University at Long Beach. She has been licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist since 1979.

Colleen Patterson
Council Member
cpatterson@journeyschool.net

Colleen Patterson has thirty years experience in school, finance and asset management industries. Her education includes an MBA in Finance from Chapman College, a BA in Business/Accounting from CSU Fullerton, and she is a Certified Management Consultant. Ms. Patterson is very active in the community at large and has held committee positions in a variety of organizations including the California Association of School Business Officials, the Executive Mandated Cost Network Committee, the Executive Committee Alliance of Schools for Cooperative Insurance, and has been an Alternate member representing California School Districts over 15,000 students.

Since 1999, Ms. Patterson has worked for the Fullerton Joint Union High School District as Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Chief financial officer, and Business Manager.

Michelle Spieker
Council Member
mspieker@journeyschool.net

As a mother of a Journey School second grader, Michelle Spieker feels fortunate to be part of such a rich and diverse educational philosophy and community. Ms. Spieker believes in Journey School and its potential. As a Council member, Ms. Spieker will actively strive to support the school’s mission and looks forward to the opportunity to help launch a development program to ensure Journey’s long-term success.

Ms. Spieker’s professional background includes entrepreneurial experience and marketing. Additionally, she is the author of The Cherished Self , as well as a speaker and workshop leader in the personal empowerment field. Most recently, Ms. Spieker’s focus has been to help spearhead Journey’s garden and ecology program, as she enjoys creating and executing plans.

Ms. Spieker and her husband, Tom, have two children. Their oldest child, Ella, is entering third grade at Journey School and their three year-old, Kai, attends Ms Linnie’s Waldorf preschool in Capistrano Beach.
Ms. Spieker is honored to serve on Journey’s council.

Alyson Berger
Faculty Member

Pam Watkins
CUSD Representative