Profile
As a health educator for a brain and spinal cord injury prevention program for at-risk youth, Joel Garcia was often asked questions about mentoring and how he got into the medical field. These inquiries about furthering education and career planning led him to return to school to pursue a career in teaching. Garcia began his career in education as a Teaching Assistant in 2002. He taught at Juvenile Hall and Toussaint Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2007, Garcia became the Vice-Principal of Monarch School, a K-12 educational program specially designed for children and youth experiencing homelessness. He currently serves as the Principal of Monarch—a position he has held since 2010. Garcia is currently enrolled in the Joint Doctoral Program with University of California, San Diego, and Cal State University, San Marcos. His dissertation, a comparative case study, explores the resilience-promoting protective factors available to homeless high school students attending two different school models. Joel successfully defended his dissertation in February of 2013 and will graduate with Doctorate in Educational Leadership in June. Garcia and his wife Cathy have three young children, Ella, Ryan, and Olivia.
