A native of California, Mary Jane Almandoz has called Cape Girardeau, Missouri, home for the past five years. A graduate of the University of Southern California, with a degree in Spanish and English literature, she earned a lifelong teaching credential and spent many years teaching Spanish in both public and private schools. She worked as the Special Events Corporate Sponsorship Chairperson for the City of Palmdale and was active in the Rotary before returning to the education field. She took a leadership role in developing the Spanish curriculum and the teacher training for the original charter school, Desert Sands Charter High School in Lancaster, CA. For seventeen years Ms. Almandoz devoted much of her time and energy to the Learn4Life Charter Schools, holding numerous board positions and serving as President of several of these charters and attending state and national charter conferences as a supporter and advocate of the charter school model. 

Ms. Almandoz is a member of the LY Chapter PEO in Cape Girardeau and in her spare time, she enjoys traveling, reading, researching genealogy and spending time with her family.