Rotary Club of Carlsbad

Russ was born in Toledo, Ohio, moved to Monroe, Michigan at a young age and graduated from Monroe High School. He attended Ohio State University on a Naval ROTC scholarship and earned a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering in 1988. He subsequently earned a Master's degree in Education at the University of Georgia.

Russ was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation from Ohio State and began a thirty year career with the Corps. He retired from active service as a colonel in 1988 and subsequently taught Junior ROTC for nine years in the Sweetwater Union High School District.

Russ was invited to join the Rotary Club of Carlsbad in 1984 while stationed at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. He has been an active member of the club ever since with two small detours as a member of the National City and Bonsall clubs. Russ is a past president of the R.C. of Carlsbad and has served as a club director in all four avenues of service. He has served the district as the Chair of the 4-Way Test Speech Contest, Chair of Youth Services, Governor’s representative (precursor to today's Ass't. Governor) and is completing his third year as the Chair of the Youth Exchange Committee. During 2004-2005 he is the Co-Chair for the district's Foundation Seminar, a member of the GSE Committee and will be heading up the GSE team to Ecuador in November 2004.

8th Grade Algebra and Science
Memorial Academy
Sponsor Club:  S.E. San Diego

Cynthia Holman is a native San Diegan. She was born in the old Naval Hospital in Balboa Park. She grew up in the Los Angeles area. Cynthia lived in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico for three years and returned to the San Diego area 11 years ago.

Cynthia attended Los Angeles Valley College and transferred to California State University at Northridge. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. Cynthia worked on her teaching credential at California State University at Los Angeles and recently received a Master’s degree in Education from Grand Canyon University.

Cynthia worked as a bilingual teacher for Los Angeles Unified School District teaching kindergarten and second grade. She worked with migrant education as well as early childhood development programs and obtained certification for working with gifted students. In San Diego, Cynthia has taught first through eighth grades. She currently teaches at Memorial Academy located in the Barrio Logan area of San Diego. Cynthia teaches 8th grade algebra and science. Next year she will teach 7th grade pre-algebra and science and follow those students to the 8th grade.

3rd Grade Bilingual Classes
Kempton School
Sponsor Club:  La Mesa Sunrise

Linda Machado was born and raised in San Jose, California. She received her BA in Liberal Studies from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1995 and her Bilingual Multiple Subject Teaching Credential in 1996.

After completing school, Linda joined the Peace Corps, Dominican Republic, where she served as an education volunteer from 1997-1999. While in the Dominican Republic, Linda held professional development workshops for local teachers, initiated a Resource Center that promotes the use of didactic materials and educational games in the classroom and lead project plans for various community groups.

Upon return to the United States, Linda began teaching in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District where she taught 1st and 4th grades. In 2002, Linda relocated to San Diego and taught a 3rd grade bilingual class in the Vista Unified School District. For the 2003/04 school year, Linda transferred to the La Mesa-Spring Valley School District where she is currently teaching a 3rd grade bilingual classroom at Kempton School. It is obvious when you meet her that Linda has a passion for teaching and for children.

8th Grade English and US History
Pacific Beach Middle School
Sponsor Club:  Mission Bay

Nicole Mack is a California native. She was born and raised in Northern California, and made the move south three years ago. She loves the San Diego weather and lifestyle and hopes to remain near the beach. She has lived in Spain and Mexico at different points in her life.

Nicole completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, majoring in Spanish, and English Literature. She received her teaching credential from College of Notre Dame in Belmont, CA. She is currently enrolled in a masters program in the subject of Spanish Linguistics at San Diego State University.

Nicole teaches 8th grade English and U.S. History at Pacific Beach Middle School. She will be teaching Spanish next year, when Pacific Beach changes over to an International Baccalaureate program. Previously she taught Spanish at Hillsborough Elementary school in Hillsborough, CA.

Spanish Teacher
Rancho Bernardo High School
Sponsor Club:  Rancho Bernardo

Tara was born in Phoenix, Arizona, but has spent most of her childhood growing up in San Diego. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Education at Northern Arizona University, and is currently obtaining her Master’s Degree in Technology Education from National University.

In her senior year of college, Tara furthered her Spanish language studies for five months at the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterey in Mazatlán, México. Last summer she spent one month studying at the Center for Bilingual Multicultural Studies in Cuernavaca, México. Tara currently teaches Spanish at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego where she has been a full time instructor since 2000. Previously, she taught English as a Second Language to adults for the Poway Unified School District.