Peter Lounsbury
Chairperson of the Board
Pioneer University
Mr. Lounsbury grew up in the New England area. After High School he attended and
graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science Degree in
Plant and Soil Science (1965).
Following his move from Massachusetts to California, Mr. Lounsbury was offered a
position with San Bernardino County as a Biologist. In this position he worked with
local ranchers, farmers, and home-owners to find solutions to agricultural problems with
an emphasis in weed control, non-native plant infestation, and insect management. Mr.
Lounsbury retired after serving in this position for thirty-six years.
Mr. Lounsbury has had a long-standing professional association with the Mojave Desert
Resource and Conservation District (RCD) and has served on the RCD Board since 1980.
In addition, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture decided to expand the mission of
the RCD by forming a series of Resource Conservation and Development Councils to
assist in the development of rural infrastructure and to stabilize rural economies, Mr.
Lounsbury was elected to the newly formed Board. Mr. Lounsbury still serves on the
Council Board and is active in promoting the local economy.
In 1981, when the youngest of Mr. Lounsburys children was attending grammar school,
Mr. Lounsbury, always community minded, took an interest in the local school board.
Beginning his service as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Oro Grande School
District that year (1981), Mr. Lounsbury has served continuously as an elected Board
Member of the School District. When faced with declining enrollment and fewer
programmatic opportunities for local students, Mr. Lounsbury became a strong advocate
for a Charter School Program that would reach out the broader community. The result of
that effort is two very active and very different Charter Schools: Riverside Preparatory
School and Mojave River Academy. Both of these schools are strongly associated with
the School District and the District Board also sits as the Board for both Charter Schools.
When it became apparent that these highly innovative schools were not able to hire
teachers with a background in project-based instruction or an affinity for the role of the
professional teacher, Mr. Lounsbury agreed to Chair an exploratory committee that later
became the Pioneer University Board of Directors. Mr. Lounsbury currently serves as
the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for Pioneer University.
Kim P. Moore, Ph.D.
President of the University
Dr. Kim Moore is the Superintendent, and Chief Executive Office of the Oro Grande
School District, sponsor of Pioneer University and serves as the Universitys President.
He earned his Bachelors Degree from Loretto Heights College (Regis University) in
Denver, Colorado majoring in Biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew) and literature. He
earned his Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from California State Polytechnic
University, and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Education with an emphasis in
Educational Psychology from the University of California, Riverside. While he began his
education career teaching elementary school, middle school, and high school, he has
spent most of his career as a school and district-level administrator. As an administrator
he has held positions as assistant principal, principal, director of personnel, assistant
superintendent for educational services, and assistant superintendent for business services
and chief financial officer, before coming to Oro Grande as superintendent of schools. In
addition, he has taught graduate level courses in research design, statistics, instruction,
and educational psychology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, The
University of California, Riverside, and National University. He was recognized in 1994
by Johns Hopkins University, California Outstanding Educator Awards Program with
special honors for exemplary work in the field of education and that same year,1994, he
received the Distinguished Alumni Award in Education from California State Polytechnic
University, Pomona.
Jason A. Moore, Ed.D
Executive Vice President and Provost
Dr. Jason Moore has a broad background in education having taught in both elementary
and middle school in the San Bernardino and Apple Valley School Districts, served as an
Assistant Middle School Principal in Palm Springs and most recently served as Principal
at Tiefort View Elementary School at Fort Irwin. At Riverside Preparatory School, Dr.
Moore has the responsibility for Curriculum and Instruction and a member of the
Cabinet. Dr. Moore holds a Bachelors Degree in Liberal Studies with a minor in Theater
Arts and Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from California State University
at San Bernardino. He earned his Doctor of Education Degree from the University of
Southern California (USC).
Greg ?Lundeen
Senior? Vice? President,? Finance ?and? Chief? Financial? Officer
Joseph? Andreasen
Secretary ?of? the? University
Mr. Joseph Andreasen is the Deputy Superintendent of the Oro Grande School District.
The Oro Grande District is the sponsor of the Riverside Preparatory School. He serves as
Chief Operating Officer, Executive Director, and a Master Teacher at Riverside Prep. Mr.
Andreasen earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies and his Master’s Degree in
Educational Administration from California State University at San Bernardino. Mr.
Andreasen has taught at every grade level in elementary and middle school and has
served as a principal at both the elementary and secondary levels. Immediately prior to
coming to Riverside Preparatory he served as Senior Director of Personnel for the Victor
Valley Union High School District. In addition, Mr. Andreasen has served on both school
boards (Victor Valley Union High School District) and community boards (Spring Valley
Lake). He currently serves as a member of school accreditation committees for the
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). He is active in the community
and his church.
Edna? Rodriguez
Director
Mrs. Edna Rodriguez was elected to the Oro Grande School District Board of Trustees by
the electorate of the Oro Grande School District in November 2008 and took her seat on
that Board in January of 2009. As a member of the Oro Grande School Board, the
founding organization for Pioneer University, Mrs. Rodriguez was elected to the Board of
Pioneer University in April of 2009.
Mrs. Rodriguez is a long time community activist in the High Desert area and is
particularly active within the Oro Grande community. Having grown up in the area and
having attended high desert schools through twelfth grade, she is very familiar with the
educational needs of the area. She is affiliated with the local Parent Teacher
Organization (having served as President), the Girl Scouts, Youth Soccer, and a variety of
other civic organizations. Mrs. Rodriguez is most proud of her family (she and her
husband of thirteen years have three wonderful children) and her work with the
community.
Since graduating from the University of LaVerne, Mrs. Rodriguez has worked for a
variety of Law firms. She is currently employed by the Law Firm of David W. Brown in
Victorville, California.
Carl Ackerman
Director
Mr. Ackerman has been a member of the Oro Grande School District elected
Board for the past 20 years. Having graduated from the University of
Maryland in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science in Military Studies, Mr.
Ackerman enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served for over
30 years. Mr. Ackerman retired from the Air Force as a Colonel. While
serving in the Air Force, Mr. Ackerman obtained his Masters of Science in
Education from the University of Southern California.
Susan Thomas
Director
Senior Vice President/Regional Manager of American Security Bank, has been a High
Desert resident for nearly 28 years. Sue believes that each person enriches a community
through their personal commitment to service and she embodies that belief.
Sues community activism is expansive.
She was a member of the Apple Valley Unified School District Trustees from 2001 to
2006 and in recognition of the value of her experience as a Trustee, she was recently
appointed to the Apple Valley Unified School District Personnel Commission.
She currently serves on the Board of the Victorville Rotary Club and has previously held
board positions on the Town of Apple Valley Community Block Grant Advisory
Committee, St. Marys Advocate for the Poor Committee and the Red Ribbon
Committee. She is also an active member of the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce. In
2004, Sue was honored by the Town of Apple Valley when she was named their Citizen
of the Year.
Sue resides locally with her husband, Larry Channel, a retired Air Force Officer. She is
the mother of three children and the proud grandmother of five.
Vacant
Director