Charter Administration

Lorraine Mantei 

Education: 

• B.S. in Marketing (University of Southern Indiana)

• M.Ed. in Educational Administration (Texas A & M-Commerce)

Texas Educator Certification:

• Mid-Management Administrator PK-12th

• Elementary Self-Contained 1st-8th

• Generic Special Education PK-12th

• Theatre EC-12th

Lorraine Mantei is a public educator who is committed to the students of Dallas. She taught for 8 years in the Dallas Metropolitan Area in a variety of classroom settings. Her teaching background ranges from a self-contained special education classroom to a departmentalized sixth grade setting.

For over 20 years, Lorraine has worked as an administrator in the North Oak Cliff Area of Dallas, first with Dallas ISD and then as superintendent of La Academia de Estrellas.

As the co-founder of La Academia de Estrellas, Lorraine played a pivotal role through the charter application process. As co-author of the charter application, she has detailed knowledge of the programs set forth in the charter, giving her a distinct advantage through the start-up phase and as the school has grown. Her wide range of experiences and her expertise make her particularly well suited for the role as the Superintendent of La Academia de Estrellas.

Lorraine loves spending time with her family, especially her five beautiful grandchildren. Some weekends you may find her on stage performing in local community theatre productions.

Richard Tuck

Education:

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Duke University)

• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering (Rutgers University)

• Master’s of Business Administration (Southern Methodist University)

Richard brings a strong business background, with an MBA from SMU, to his work as La Academia de Estrellas' Chief Financial Officer and Business Manager.  Richard also serves as the charter's Title IX Coordinator.

He co-authored the original charter with Lorraine and together they founded the school in August of 2006. He has been the CFO for LAE since its incorporation back in 2003 but began his official employment with the school in January 2009. As the school's CFO, Richard manages the school business office, overseeing finance, accounting, and human resources.

Richard is a staunch supporter of the athletic program at La Academia de Estrellas, and you’ll often find him pacing the sidelines or quietly cheering from the stands.