Introducing Arlena Ford, Principal of Aspire Richmond Technology K-5 Arlena Ford is the founding principal of Aspire Richmond Technology Academy. Prior to becoming principal, she was a principal resident at Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School. She began her career in education as a Teach for America corps member in the Bay Area. As a corps member, she taught 4th grade at a public school in east San Jose, California; she worked to improve the reading and writing skills of her ELL and low performing students and served as chair for several committees. In 2010, she relocated to Los Angeles, where she taught at two highperforming charter schools in south Los Angeles. During her years as a teacher, Arlena taught lower and upper elementary; as well as, middle school science. She engaged in numerous leadership capacities ranging from Lead Teacher to Enrichment Director. Arlena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and Master’s degree in Organization and Leadership from Columbia University, Teachers College. Arlena relocated back to the Bay Area to join the team at Aspire Public Schools as a Principal Resident at the Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School, a high performing K-6 school on the peninsula. A former resident of West Contra Costa County, she is honored to step into the role of founding principal at the Aspire Richmond Technology Academy, a K-5 Blended Learning school. When she is not planning for the opening of the new school, her hobbies include yoga, reading, traveling, and learning new pescatarian dishes. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially spending time with her four nieces and three nephews.