The CHEA staff employs several employees who all work remotely
from their homes.
Exhibits & Affiliates Coordinator, Office Assistant
Joined CHEA Staff: February 2023
Cathie and her husband have been married for over 30 years. They
home educated their son and daughter for 12 years, graduating
them both from a local PSP. Cathie taught literature and
California history in co-ops and served in children’s ministry
and her daughter’s drama productions.
Cathie worked
as an administrative assistant and international sales
administrator before following the Lord’s leading to educate
their children at home. She enjoys sewing and reading but is
most passionate about serving her family and serving homeschool
families so that generations to come should put their confidence
in God and not forget His works (Ps. 78:7).
Events Manager
Joined CHEA Staff: 2020
Being married over 25 years and homeschooling both their daughters all the way through high school graduation, Dena Bless hopes that her experiences can be used to encourage and support others. She and her husband, Ed, are also the Bay Area/Nor-Cal RABs, and Dena is taking on leadership of the PSP she belonged to for several years. Having a heart for families and being sold out to the benefits of private, Christian home education, she is excited to support and mentor others in any way possible
Education Consultant
Portia and Mike have been married since 1979. They began praying
and investigating home schooling when their first daughter was
two. By the time she was ready for school, they knew God had
called them. They home educated their four daughters through
high school.
Portia and Mike operated a PSP in Long
Beach for 24 years. She taught group classes in Latin and
computer literacy. They began attending CHEA conventions in 1986
and were part of CHEA’s Regional Advisory Board for the greater
Los Angeles Area. Portia has been the Education Consultant for
CHEA since 2014. She has a BA in Business
Administration/Management.
Portia is grateful for
many years of homeschooling with the assistance of CHEA and Home
School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Her goal, with God’s
help, is to encourage and provide information to those seeking
Home Education.
For homeschooling help, call Portia
Monday through Thursday 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. or Saturday 1:00 – 3:00
p.m. at 562-544-7875.
Events Assistant, Advertising Agent
Joined CHEA Staff: February 2023
Katie and her husband, Aaron, have been homeschooling their
daughters since 2022. She is very active in their local
homeschool group and teaches classes in their co-op. She also
serves in women’s ministry at church.
Katie earned a
Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San
Diego Christian College. She then earned a Master of Arts in
Teaching from the University of Southern California. She holds a
single-subject teaching credential in mathematics. Katie taught
high school math for eight years before she and her husband made
the decision to stay home to raise and homeschool their
children. She loves geocaching with her family, reading,
teaching, and supporting moms in their motherhood and homeschool
journeys.
Executive Director
Joined CHEA Staff: Fall 2021
Angela and her husband, Scott, have been married since 1993. Shortly after their first son was born in 1994, they knew the Lord was calling them to homeschool. It took a while to answer that call, but finally, in 2002, with the promise of Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," they began homeschooling. Twenty years and three boys later, they completed their homeschool journey and graduated their youngest son in 2022.
Angela loves encouraging families on their homeschool journeys. Besides working at CHEA, she helps at Cedar House Academy PSP, a homeschool group in Southern California. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies Degree from Grand Canyon University in April 2022 and is a registered instructor with the Institute of Excellence in Writing (IEW). She loves reading, teaching, and encouraging families to privately homeschool and disciple their children. Above all, she cherishes her role as a grandmother and finds great joy in spending time with her granddaughter.
Communications Assistant
Joined CHEA Staff: April 2024
Natalie and her husband, Hansel, have been married since 2010,
and have four children. Growing up, Natalie always wanted to be
homeschooled, so it was an easy decision to make with her
husband when their oldest was of age in 2018.
She and
Hansel also planted their church, Ekklesia SoCal, in 2018.
Hansel has been in pastoral ministry since 2009, and Natalie
grew up serving the local church by doing sound, slides, and
playing keyboard on the worship team. Knowing her love of both
technical and creative things, she earned her Bachelor of Arts
degree in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design from College of
the Ozarks in Point Lookout, Missouri.
Natalie is
passionate about excellence in the creative arena, and loves to
create current, relevant media and marketing for churches and
non-profits. She also serves as Communications Lead for her
homeschool co-op in Southern California.
She is
ashamed to say that her least favorite thing to do with her kids
is arts and crafts. But her absolute favorite activities are
reading good books to them, and those deep conversations as they
get older.
Special Needs Consultant
Joined CHEA Staff: October 2023
Melisa and her husband have been married since 2007. Their only
son was born in 2017 and they have homeschooled him from the
beginning. Her family is active at their church serving in the
Missions Ministry. Melisa also serves on the board as treasurer
at a PSP in the South Bay area of Los Angeles.
Her
previous work experience is in special education. Melisa holds a
clear credential as an Education Specialist from Azusa Pacific
University, along with a Master of Science in Special Education
in mild to moderate disabilities from National University. Her
undergraduate degree is in Psychology from California State
University Northridge.
Melisa is honored to have the
opportunity to come alongside families with children that have
special needs for CHEA of California to pray, support, and
encourage them in their homeschool journey.
The
promise that she’s been holding onto is from 2 Corinthians 12:9,
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my
power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all
the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may
rest on me.”
Administrative Assistant
Monica and her husband, David, have been married for 28 years. They have 4 children, whom she has joyfully homeschooled for 24 years, and will be graduating her youngest daughter and final senior this year. Monica loves homeschool families and has a heart for encouraging and supporting them as they follow the journey the Lord has called them to do. She enjoys spending time with her family, cheering others on, and soaking up every moment as a new Nana.
CHEA Founder, retired
“I had no idea that when God called me to begin homeschooling
and establish CHEA of California, I was embarking on a life-long
career,” Susan said with chuckle about her 35-year involvement
with homeschooling and CHEA of California. “It has been an honor
and a blessing to be called to the Lord’s homeschooling
ministry.”
But in March 2017, God finally called her
to retire from CHEA and the homeschooling community and on to a
new ministry.
Susan and her husband Larry began CHEA
of California and started homeschooling their three children in
1982. In addition, Susan ran a private school satellite program
from 1985 to 1998. She even found time to write An Introduction
to Home Education, now renamed The California Homeschool
Manual.
They graduated all three children, the last
child in 1998, and Susan continued to be an integral part of
CHEA, as a member of the Board of Directors, general manager,
and events manager, for 19 more years.
As a
spokesperson for the home education community, Susan was often
interviewed for radio, television, and print media, and, along
with her husband, were founding board members of The National
Alliance for Christian Home Education Leadership, a ministry to
statewide homeschool leaders.
Susan’s current
ministry involves writing contemporary Christian fiction and
using her expertise in event management to be a staff volunteer
for two Christian writers’ conferences.
“People often
ask me how I’m enjoying retirement. I’m only retired from a pay
check! Retirement for a Christian only means a new direction in
ministry. I am excited to see what the Lord has planned for my
‘sunset years,’” Susan said of her retirement.
Susan
is a professional writer/journalist with a BA degree (1971) from
Cal State University Los Angeles and a graduate of CLASS
(Christian Leaders and Speakers Seminars).
