Shannon Leonard is a lifelong educator and the principal at the Cisneros Campus. Mr. Leonard holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Additionally, he holds a Masters degree in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University and Masters degree in Principal Leadership from UCLA. 
Entering his 25th year in education, Mr. Leonard has been a kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade teacher. He started his teaching career teaching at LAUSD schools 49th Street School and Lovelia P. Flournoy Elementary in South Central Los Angeles. From there he taught in Shanghai, China, followed by KIPP Raices Academy in East Los Angeles, followed by Camino Nuevo (Burlington and Cisneros campuses), and finally at KIPP Vida Preparatory Academy in South Central Los Angeles. 
Although his first love is teaching, Mr. Leonard also has passion for educational leadership, due to the ability to impact the educational system and improve schooling experiences for a large number of students in and across communities.He was the founding principal of Camino Nuevo Sandra Cisneros from 2011 - 2016 before becoming the Director of Teaching and Learning at KIPP SoCal. Mr. Leonard is thrilled to come back to Cisneros and lead the school that has always been a part of his heart and soul.
 Mr. Leonard is a life-long educator who believes wholeheartedly in Nelson Mandela’s quote that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”  Mr. Leonard hopes that education can also be used to uncover and discover the unique talents and brilliance that each and every child has within themselves. He hopes to do this by fostering a joyful, healing culture at Cisneros and giving children as many diverse learning experiences as possible, in core subjects, the arts, and beyond.

As assistant principal of instruction, Ellie is responsible for ensuring that all students are receiving high-quality instruction that will help them become literate, critical thinkers, and independent problem solvers who are agents of social justice. She works closely with the principal to ensure the school’s strategic plans and goals are met. Prior to joining the school's leadership team, she was a fifth-grade teacher for seven years with the Los Angeles Unified School District. At the Sandra Cisneros Campus, she has been a fifth- and sixth-grade teacher. Her professional experience also includes being a Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment support provider, grade-level chair, Association of Equipment Management Professionals program facilitator, a member of the Teacher Leadership Team, a member of the Camino Nuevo Ethnic Studies Coalition, and facilitator of the G.I.R.L.S. Club on campus. Ellie earned her Bachelor of Arts and Bilingual, Cross-Cultural, Language and Academic Development teaching credential from San Diego State University, and a Master of Arts in New Media Design and Education at California State University, Los Angeles.

As assistant principal of student supports, Emmanuel (Alex) is responsible for the development and execution of a robust plan to align instructional practices and school programs to a “whole child” approach that builds a strong foundation for student achievement while building positive school culture as he works with students, families, and other stakeholders.  He also works closely with the leadership team to support teachers with data-driven instruction in mathematics. Alex is a founding teacher at Cisneros and prior to his transition to the leadership team, he taught 6th grade mathematics, science, and an architecture elective at Cisneros. He is a facilitator of the BOYS group on campus which is a space for adolescent boys to discuss, challenge, and redefine what it means to grow up as a young man in our community.  Alex grew up in South Central Los Angeles and graduated from Berkeley with a degree in Architecture and a minor in Education. He received his teaching credential and masters degree in Education from UCLA where he received the Stone Foundation Fellowship Award.  When not at school, Alex enjoys spending time with his family,  working on cars, practicing photography, and camping.

Hello! My name is Yabin Palacios, and I am proud to serve as the School Operations Manager at Camino Nuevo Charter Academy Sandra Cisneros Campus.

My connection to Camino Nuevo runs deep. I was born in Calpulalpan, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was just seven months old. I grew up in Koreatown, Los Angeles, and come from a family of seven. All five of us siblings have been part of the Camino Nuevo family since 2003, making this community especially meaningful to me.

As a student, I attended the former Camino Nuevo Harvard campus, where I experienced firsthand the impact that a caring and supportive school community can have on students and families. Being able to return and serve the organization that helped shape my own educational journey is truly a full-circle moment.

Before joining the Sandra Cisneros Campus, I worked at Kayne Siart Campus beginning in 2022. During my time there, I gained valuable experience and learned so much about school operations, leadership, and building systems that support student success. Those experiences helped prepare me for my current role as School Operations Manager.

As both a parent and in education, I understand the importance of creating a welcoming, safe, and positive environment where students, families, and staff feel valued and supported. I am passionate about building strong systems, fostering community, and ensuring that our school operates smoothly so that teachers can focus on teaching and students can focus on learning.

I am grateful to be part of the Camino Nuevo community and look forward to continuing to serve our students and families each day.