Team

Edward King

Edward is a senior-level executive with extensive experience in computer systems, finance, administration, and public accounting.  Edward’s experience in diverse industries includes light and heavy manufacturing, retail industries, food and restaurant industry leaders, government and military defense industries, public schools, and banking industries.  Edward has proven abilities to improve operations, develop business growth and maximize profits.  In addition to Edward’s education, he also holds various different licenses to include Certified Public Accountant, Cisco Certified Network Associate, CompTIA Security+ and CompTIA A+ and Network+ Certifications.  Prior to Alliance Career Training Solutions, Edward worked as an Accountant, a Finance Director, VP of Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Executive Officer.  Edward is passionate about keeping up to date with the current technology and enjoys stepping into a classroom to teach students the latest information.  He believes in empowering individuals through education.

As far as our students are concerned, Ed is the best thing to come along since microchips! His wealth of knowledge about all things “techie” and his skills as an instructor made him an instant favorite.

Julie King

Business Law Instructor.

Julie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she was a member of the Political Science Honor Society.  She received her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, was an extern law clerk to the Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District.  Julie has over 25 years of experience in law practice; worked as the Assistant General Counsel of Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc., and its 16 independently operating subsidiaries.  She has counseled and trained employees for McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. on contracts, licensing, trademarks, and handling legal issues of the company.  Julie is a noted speaker with the State Bar of California; Continuing Education of the Bar of California; the Celtic Bar Association; the Orange County Bar Association; and Lorman Education Services. Additionally, she has been a guest lecturer on employment law at the California State University, Fullerton, and taught classes at Western State University School of Law and the University of California Irvine’s Paralegal Program.  Julie has been active in the Association of Corporate Counsel and served on her Chapter’s Board of Directors for eight years, including as its President.  She also served for four years as the Co-Chair of her local bar association’s Corporate Counsel Section and was honored as a Woman of Distinction in the Business Law Community.

Alex Sanchez

Microsoft Introduction and Academic Director.  Alex has been teaching Microsoft Office and other business software for years.  He is a Certified Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Master, with training in staff supervision and classroom management.

Carolyn Gallego

Carolyn successfully graduated from UCSB with a B.A. in Business Economics. Her undergraduate education was a launchpad for her success as an entrepreneur, business development specialist, and instructor.

Before teaching with the team at ACTS and becoming a Microsoft Certified Specialist, she built a career in entrepreneurship and business development. Carolyn specialized in manufacturing, retail, branding, and PR, forging a path to executive leadership. She built and ran her own successful company for over 20 years.

What many students don’t know is that Carolyn first walked into ACTS as a student. After acing Jose and Edward’s classes in career training and rekindling her love for learning, Edward told her the best way to learn more is to teach. Then Edward offered her a dream job as an instructor at ACTS so Carolyn could continue teaching and learning. As an instructor, Carolyn is driven by her passion for planting positive seeds that make a difference in the lives of others.

When Carolyn isn’t teaching, she loves playing tennis and exploring her creativity.

Jose Avalos

Microsoft Software Instructor.  Jose has been teaching Microsoft Office and other business software programs for over 10 years.  He has achieved the title of Certified Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Master and continues to learn new software relevant to his classes as it is released.  Additionally, he is training in other software to reach a new level of qualification that will allow him to teach more classes.

Paula Matelli

Paula is an IT business professional with 30 years of experience in many aspects of the Information Technology/Information Systems field.  Paula started her own business, PJ Grafx, in October of 1991 as a graphic designer and desktop publisher.  She went on to become a State of California Credentialed Instructor and has been teaching since 1992. She has taught a wide range of classes from beginning computers to advanced programming.  She is well versed in custom database design and custom programming for Microsoft Excel. Her teaching qualifications include the following: database design with Microsoft Access, graphic design & desktop publishing with Dreamweaver, InDesign and Acrobat, SharePoint-both on-premise and cloud versions, VBA for applications, Power BI and PowerPivot, Dashboarding with Excel, SQL, Crystal Reports, and Tableau.

Linda Blumenthal

Writing and Grammar Instructor.  Linda has 36 years of experience teaching English high school level, as well as specializing as a reading clinician at the middle school level. She holds a B.A. and M.A.in English from San Jose State University, as well as a Pupil Personnel Services Credential from the University of California, Santa Cruz.  An experienced Advanced Placement test proctor, she is a frequently requested guest teacher. She has her own business, Picky  Editing, and is the editor/proofreader of 8 published books as well as other kinds of documents: legal, contracts, web blasts, grant applications, doctoral dissertations, and more.  She is active in financial services with Blumenthal and Associates, specializing in asset protection, retirement planning, and health programs.  She serves in leadership in several national and international educational and charitable organizations, with experience in coordinating and administrating scholarships and grants.

Glenn Woodson

Jack W.