Leadership

Jeron T. Campbell, Ed.L.D.

Founder and Principal

Dr. Jeron Campbell is an engineer and educator with over 20 years of experience in industry, education, and nonprofit leadership. He is committed to improving the academic performance of urban youth and is the founder of the STEM-focused ACES Technical Charter School in Albuquerque (ACES Tech).

Dr. Campbell began his career at Chrysler and then Ford Motor Company, working in areas such as powertrain engineering, truck product development, and commodity business planning. In 2001 he founded Campbell Academic Services, a 501c3 nonprofit which offers ACT and SAT test preparation as well as basic math, English and writing courses to youth. This volunteer-based Saturday program served over 9,000 students, with many earning admission and scholarships to their college of choice.

Campbell transitioned to K-12 education by completing the Broad Residency for Urban Education. In Detroit Public Schools, he was the Executive Director of School Redesign and supervised 14 high school principals. While Chief of Data and Accountability at Hartford Public Schools, Dr. Campbell led the assessment, data and state reporting, and school choice departments. As Chief Data, Accountability, and Technology Officer in Paterson Public Schools, he led efforts to improve data accuracy in the district’s systems, data literacy and use throughout the district, teacher evaluation methods, and upgrade the district's technology infrastructure.

Dr. Campbell was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and attended the city public schools. He was raised by a single mother, in a low to no income neighborhood, and was a first-generation college student. He overcame these circumstances and is passionate about helping all youth to achieve their dreams no matter what their race or socioeconomic background. Dr. Campbell has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University, a Master of Engineering in Manufacturing from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and a Doctor of Education Leadership from Harvard University. He is a huge sports fan of all three schools, especially the basketball teams!

 Aura Acabal

Assistant Principal

Ms. Aura Acabal was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala. She moved to the United States at the age of 10, attending public schools in Paterson, New Jersey. When she arrived in this country, she was a monolingual Spanish speaker. No one in her first school spoke Spanish and there were no ESL or bilingual classes available to her. Through the help and support of a very special teacher, she adjusted to life in the United States and over time became proficient in the English language. Her family moved to Albuquerque when she was 12 years old. She is a graduate of Highland High School.

Ms. Acabal’s experiences as a newcomer student in the United States were not all positive. She understands how it feels to struggle at times in school. These experiences shaped her perspectives on education as she grew up. With hard work and perseverance, she became a successful student. She wanted to become a teacher, so that she could help students have a positive school experience where their needs are met and they are supported in their learning.

Ms. Acabal believes that all students can learn and reach their own potential. She is very passionate about helping students learn. Ms. Acabal graduated from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in bilingual education and a master’s degree in elementary education. She began her career as a bilingual teacher in second grade. In her 26-year career, Ms. Acabal has graduated with an Ed.S certificate in Educational Leadership and worked as a Dean of Students, an Assistant Principal, and a Principal. She loves to build relationships with students, families, staff and the community. She maintains very high expectations for her students in terms of academics and behavior, because she wants them to succeed so that they can be ready for a great future.

In her free time, Ms. Acabal loves to spend time with her parents. She is a fierce soccer player and loves to dance. She has created and coached soccer teams and after school dance programs at her schools as she realized the need for students to be engaged in extracurricular activities. She has organized fun community events to help families and students become more engaged with the school. Ms. Acabal truly believes in the importance of community being involved in the schools, as it is important for everybody to work together to make a difference in the life of a child.