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About Us

Our Mission

Roghi Leadership Academy’s mission is to create a community for families seeking a classical educational experience that is both flexible and challenging. We provide a nurturing environment where students can flourish and realize their full potential. Our elite academic offerings focus on a strong educational foundation that cultivates leadership skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, empowering our students to take control of their own future.

Our Vision

Our vision is to develop a generation of leaders who are passionate about making a positive impact on their families, communities, country, and the world. We strive to become the premier leadership academy where young men and women grow into confident, capable leaders guided by strong values and a sense of purpose. We envision a future where our graduates are recognized as respected leaders who possess the knowledge, grit, and passion to pave their own path in life.

Our Story

Roghi Leadership Academy was inspired by a little Italian lady who was a “war bride” in WorldWar II.

Giussipina “Pina” Roghi was born in the seaside village of Marina di Grosseto, a small town in Tuscany. Pina fell in love with a handsome American soldier, Henry, and took a leap of faith in marriage following Henry to the United States along with the rest of Pina’s siblings.

Pina and Henry had seven children and put them all through private school. Tragedy struck the family when Henry was murdered in 1974. At that time, Pina still had five of her seven children living in her home, she spoke limited English and was forced to work tirelessly to support her family. Pina never allowed any of her children to use Henry’s death as an excuse for anything. She constantly preached the value of a good education and kept all her children in private schools.

Her unwavering faith in God, service for others, determination, and perseverance was the type of modeling her children needed to pave a clear path for them as individuals and as a family.

All seven of Pina’s children were college graduates. All seven earned advanced degrees ranging from Master’s to Doctorate degrees. All seven became educators and served their communities as teachers, principals, administrators, and professors. Most importantly, Pina raised leaders. One of her children, Bob, was my father, mentor, and hero who gave his life in service to inner city youth as a teacher, coach, and principal. She set high expectations and did not accept excuses. Pina taught her family the values of faith, hard work, grit, love of family, and love of country. While she certainly cherished her Italian roots, she was a fiercely proud American.

I am honored to call Giuseppina “Pina” Roghi my Nonna. It was the lessons she taught her children, including my father, that were passed along to myself and my siblings to keep alive for generations to come. As Pina’s eldest grandson, I am proud to share that Roghi Leadership Academy has been created to ensure that the Roghi spirit is carried forward.

Our Story

Roghi Leadership Academy was inspired by a little Italian lady who was a “war bride” in WorldWar II.

Giussipina “Pina” Roghi was born in the seaside village of Marina di Grosseto, a small town in Tuscany. Pina fell in love with a handsome American soldier, Henry, and took a leap of faith in marriage following Henry to the United States along with the rest of Pina’s siblings.

Pina and Henry had seven children and put them all through private school. Tragedy struck the family when Henry was murdered in 1974. At that time, Pina still had five of her seven children living in her home, she spoke limited English and was forced to work tirelessly to support her family. Pina never allowed any of her children to use Henry’s death as an excuse for anything. She constantly preached the value of a good education and kept all her children in private schools.

Her unwavering faith in God, service for others, determination, and perseverance was the type of modeling her children needed to pave a clear path for them as individuals and as a family.

All seven of Pina’s children were college graduates. All seven earned advanced degrees ranging from Master’s to Doctorate degrees. All seven became educators and served their communities as teachers, principals, administrators, and professors. Most importantly, Pina raised leaders. One of her children, Bob, was my father, mentor, and hero who gave his life in service to inner city youth as a teacher, coach, and principal. She set high expectations and did not accept excuses. Pina taught her family the values of faith, hard work, grit, love of family, and love of country. While she certainly cherished her Italian roots, she was a fiercely proud American.

I am honored to call Giuseppina “Pina” Roghi my Nonna. It was the lessons she taught her children, including my father, that were passed along to myself and my siblings to keep alive for generations to come. As Pina’s eldest grandson, I am proud to share that Roghi Leadership Academy has been created to ensure that the Roghi spirit is carried forward.

Leadership Team

Meet the dedicated educators and professionals committed to guiding our students toward excellence.

Robert Mendoza

Founder

Robert Mendoza has devoted over 26 years to educational leadership. He began at his alma mater, St. John Bosco High School, where he served as Dean of Students and assistant head football coach. From there, he led Fairmont Private Schools as Headmaster and Senior Vice President, guiding one of the nation’s premier K-12 institutions to a 93% acceptance rate into top 100 colleges. During his tenure, he as head football coach also revitalized Fairmont’s athletics, taking a football team with no playoff history to a CIF playoff berth in his first year and winning the school’s first league championship.

After 14 years at Fairmont, Robert co-founded RAM Elite Security Services, Inc. with his brother, Ricky—Director for the Los Angeles Police Protective League—responding to the urgent need for armed security in schools. RAM Elite Security Services will protect every Roghi Leadership Academy location, ensuring a safe environment for learning.

Above all, Robert is a devoted husband and father. His wife, Jessica, is an accomplished aerial arts master teacher, choreographer, and SAG/AFTRA member who will lead Roghi Leadership Academy’s aerial arts and dance program. Together, they are proud parents of three sons who share their values of faith, family, and education. Robert and Jessica look forward to helping students thrive in a secure, supportive community at Roghi Leadership Academy.

Jessa Mendoza

Director of Arts

Jessa has over 26 years of teaching experience in the dance industry and has over 12 years experience in the circus industry. Jessa has danced with San Francisco ballet, Tucson ballet and Metropolitan ballet and trained under Mark Ericson from ABT, Phantom of the Opera and Mia Michaels from So You Think You Can Dance. Over Jessa’s extensive career, she has competed and performed at the international Grand Prix, Kodak theater, Cerritos performing arts Center and performed in music videos with Will Smith, Ricky Martin, and Backstreet Boys.

After years of training and performing in the dance industry, Jessa decided to take her dance and choreography expertise to the Circus Industry. Over the past decade, Jessa has owned and operated a Circus Training Center, choreographed countless pieces for circus professionals and aspiring circus athletes. Prior to that, she served as the Dance Director for Fairmont Preparatory Acedemy.

Kathy McGuire

Director of Teacher Support and STEP Program

Kathy McGuire is an innovative and passionate educator with over 30 years of experience teaching and leading in colleges, high schools, educational startups, and elementary schools. With a Master’s in Education in Counseling, Kathy combines her expertise and deep love of learning to develop students and empower teachers alike.

What Drives Kathy:

Student Growth: She is dedicated to shaping students into curious, critical thinkers who are empathetic, problem-solvers, and value strong relationships.
Teacher Empowerment: Kathy excels in training, mentoring, and supporting teachers to inspire both the hearts and minds of their students.
Parent Partnerships: She actively collaborates with parents to foster the educational and personal growth of every student.
Leadership: With clear communication, effective leadership, and an open-door policy, Kathy builds strong relationships with all stakeholders to ensure success.

Kathy is excited to collaborate in advancing Activ8’s mission, driving program standards, and implementing growth strategies that meet the diverse needs of students and families.

When Kathy isn’t in the classroom or collaborating with her team, she and her husband of 26 years, Matt, manage the vibrant life of their three boys. Together, they enjoy biking, beach outings, cheering at sports events, and engaging in their local community through initiatives like the Boys and Girls Club, NMUSD Parent Collaborative, and Thomas House Family Shelter.

P.S. Kathy is an avid reader and would love to chat about your latest book over coffee!

Kathryn Stoney

Curriculum Development

I grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado and later moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where I earned a degree in Elementary Education. After beginning my teaching career, I relocated to Arizona and married my husband, Tyler, becoming a proud stepmother to two beautiful children. While continuing to teach in Arizona, I pursued a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Grand Canyon University.

An opportunity to lead a new TK-8 campus brought my family to California. It was there that my passion for traditional values and moral leadership in education truly solidified, becoming the cornerstone of my personal educational philosophy. Eventually, work led us back to Utah, where I currently serve as the Vice Principal of an elementary school and welcomed the birth of our son, Brody.

Through my professional and personal experiences, I’ve observed the difficulty in finding academically challenging curricula that focus on traditional, wholesome, and patriotic values. This inspired me to start writing curriculum specifically for Roghi Leadership Academy, knowing that my son and many others would greatly benefit from this approach to education.

Ready to Empower Your Child’s Future?

Discover how Roghi Leadership Academy combines classical education with innovative programs.

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