Charter Administration
Superintendent & Co-Founder
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 four beautiful grandchildren. Some weekends you may find her on stage performing in local community theatre productions.
CFO/Business Manager & Co-Founder
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.
Kelly Fagan
Compliance & Accountability Coordinator
District Testing Coordinator
kelly.fagan@laetx.org
Yarizel Gracia
Human Resources & Payroll Coordinator
yarizel.gracia@laetx.org
Isabel Munguia
Charter Administrative Assistant
isabel.munguia@laetx.org
Erika Ealba
Receptionist
erika.ealba@laetx.org
Tiffany Bishop
Special Education Coordinator
tiffany.bishop@laetx.org
Cherita Blankenship
504/Dyslexia Coordinator
cherita.blankenship@laetx.org
Laura Lopez
Registrar and Data Controller
laura.lopez@laetx.org
Kendall Keene
Systems Administrator
kendall.keene@laetx.org
Margarita Diaz
Facilities Coordinator
margarita.diaz@laetx.org
Yareli Gomez
Food Service Coordinator
yareli.gomez@laetx.org