Advisory Board

Board Chair | Former Mayor, City of Paramount | Teacher (Retired), El Rancho U.S.D.

Diane J. Martinez is a graduate of Our Lady of the Rosary School and Pius X High School ’78. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, Long Beach, then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She spent over 30 years of her teaching career in the classroom and also served as a Reading Resource Coach.
She served as Mayor and a City Council Member for the City of Paramount from 1994 - 2019. During her term in office, she also served as President of California Contract Cities Association representing 70 cities with more than 7 million residents. She was recently appointed to Lakewood Regional Medical Center Governing Board and also serves on the Los Cerritos YMCA of Greater Long Beach Board. In her spare time, she enjoys playing golf, traveling, reading and attending Country music concerts. Ms. Martinez is honored to be on the board to support her Alma Mater.

 Account Executive, Dreyer, Robbins & Associates

Greg Breen was born in Los Angeles and Catholic schools are part of his upbringing having attended Cathedral Chapel for elementary school and Loyola High School (Los Angeles). He has a vast career which includes tax accounting at Pricewaterhouse Coopers and teaching as an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University. He has served as a member with the Hermosa Beach City School District and currently serves as a board member with Art Division and the Hermosa Beach Little League. He Holds a Bachelor's Degree from Claremont Men's College and a J.D. from UCLA.

Attorney/Legal Consultant

Linda Dakin-Grimm is admitted to practice law in California, New York and Washington D.C. As lead counsel, she has successfully handled numerous jury and bench trials, appeals and arbitration proceedings in courts across the United States including the US Supreme Court. Commencing in 2016, Ms. Dakin-Grimm chose to concentrate her practice on pro bono matters, taking on more than 50 unaccompanied minor children in immigration proceedings. In addition to the required legal work in immigration and state courts, Ms Dakin-Grimm organized and leads a group of interpreters/mentors to assist the children and works to identify resources (scholarships, school supplies, language learning tools) to help the children truly thrive. Ms. Dakin-Grimm's clients presently attend St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy, Cathedral High School, Bishop Mora Salesian High School, Sacred Heart High School and Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School among others. Ms. Dakin-Grimm speaks widely on immigration-related issues. Ms. Dakin-Grimm has consistently been ranked as a leading lawyer by Chambers USA (Band 1), Benchmark Litigation (Top 250 U.S. women in litigation), and other such league tables. Her numerous publications have appeared in: The National Law Journal, The Deal, Directors Monthly, Business Valuation, The Lawyer, National Underwriter, Best’s Review, Business Insurance, California Litigation, California Management Review, Corporate Conduct Quarterly, California Law Business, Reinsurance and Verdicts & Settlements. She is also a member of  the Advisory Board of St. Michael's School in Los Angeles. 

Educator

Regina Dell'Oro was born in Mexico City, and lived there mostly as a child. She moved to Washington D.C. with her parents at the age of 11 years old. She attended Georgetown University where she pursued a Doctorate in Philosophy. Her doctoral dissertation was published as a book by Peter Lang press; The title of the book is From Existence to the Ideal; Continuity and Development in Kant’s Rational Theology. While at Georgetown she met her husband, Roberto Dell’Oro, and together they began their family with two children. She has taught Philosophy and Spirituality at the collegiate level at numerous university's including: American University, De Sales School of Theology, George Washington University, Georgetown University. Her academic career came to a halt after her son was diagnosed with autism.  This circumstance motivated her to become trained in Applied Behavior Analysis by the C.A.R.D Center where she devoted many hours working with her son and other special needs children. She eventually moved to California where she became involved with American Martyrs Parish in Manhattan Beach, starting a ministry for kids and families with special needs. Mrs. Dell'Oro is fluent in Spanish, English, Italian, French and can read German.  

Aerospace Engineer | Scientist & Educator

Gary E. Grimm, PhD, earned a Bachelor of Arts with honors in Physics & Mathematics from the University of Chicago, an Master's in High Energy Physics from Yale University, a PhD in Low Temperature Physics from the University of Oregon, and has several patent credits. In his aerospace industry career, he participated in building satellites and instruments for remote sensing, i.e., the collection and interpretation of electromagnetic radiation, contributing to the Chandra X-ray Observatory Satellite, the NPOESS weather satellite, and the LANDSAT series of earth resources satellites. Now retired, Mr. Grimm, translates higher mathematics, the language of physics, and complex experimental findings into everyday language and images to explain the wonders of science and our universe to children. He hosts Ask a Scientist Sessions at St. Michael’s Elementary School in Los Angeles, Cathedral High School in Los Angeles, Central Catholic High School in Portland, OR, and accompanies St. Michael’s 5th Graders to the Department of Defense sponsored Starbase Learning Activity in Los Alamitos, CA.

Director of Student Teaching, Whittier College

Jeanie McHatton graduated from Pius X High school in 1964. She has been involved in education for over 45 years. During her college years at CSULB, she was an instructional aide for Long Beach Unified School District. She began her teaching career in the Norwalk-La Mirada School District, where she was a Kindergarten Teacher, Reading Resource Teacher and Assistant Principal. Additional leadership roles include Assistant Principal with the Paramount Unified School District, Principal with the Whittier City School District and Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Whittier Union High School District. In retirement, Mrs. McHatton remains active in education serving as the Director of Student Teaching for Whittier College and substitute teaching for ABC Unified School District. In addition she is currently a member of the ABC Unified School District’s Strategic Planning Committee and involved with the Band Boosters and on the School Site Council at Gahr High School in Cerritos. She has been active at Cerritos College for over ten years, serving on the Foundation Board and was appointed to the Cerritos College Board of Trustees in June 2011, where she served for a year and a half. In her spare time, Mrs. McHatton loves traveling with her husband and grandkids, and shopping.

School Principal, Long Beach & Montebello U.S.D. (Retired)

Ray Rivera graduated from Pius X High School in 1972 and went on to earn his Bachelor of Arts, Teaching Credential and Masters’ Degree in Educational Administration from Cal State University, Long Beach. Mr. Rivera worked as an elementary school teacher for 6 years before beginning his 28 year career as a school administrator. He became a school principal at the age of 33 and served for 24 years as a principal at five different schools in the Long Beach and Montebello Unified School Districts. Mr. Rivera’s final assignment was as principal at Suva Intermediate School in Montebello Unified, retiring in 2012. Mr. Rivera spends his spare time playing golf, serving as a consultant in Montebello, selling collectibles on Ebay and enjoying time with his grandchildren. Mr. Rivera is glad to reconnect with his high school alma mater and proud to be serving on the St. Pius X - St. Matthias Advisory Board.

Teacher, El Rancho U.S.D

Stephanie Senteno-Tapia teaches English and AVID students at El Rancho High School in Pico Rivera where she also serves as the Director of Activities. She is a product of Catholic Education having graduated from St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs and going on to the University of Notre Dame where she was awarded a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and a Master's in Education. Ms. Senteno-Tapia enjoys reading, dancing, and spending time with her family.

Senior VP, Capital Group Companies, Inc.

John H. Smet grew up in the Midwest having attended St. Martha’s Elementary School in Dearborn, Michigan. His leadership has been instrumental to the success and growth of PMA. As an initiative of the John H. & Cindy Lee Smet foundation, he and his wife established the Onward Readers and Onward Scholars Program (www.onwardscholars.org) to provide marvelous opportunities for deserving students to grow in faith, in their academics, and in their lives through Catholic education inspires him to also serve on the Board of the Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles. Mr. Smet's past philanthropic work has included serving on the board of Habitat for Humanity. In his free time he enjoys gardening, energy saving, watching the Green Bay Packers and the Wisconsin Badgers win. He served as the founding PMA Board Chair (2013-2018) until stepping down from that role in 2018. He is proud to partner with St. Pius X - St. Matthias Academy community in providing a world class Catholic Education to our students. Mr. Smet received a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

President, JCA Associates & Tiernay Properties

Charlie Steinmetz serves as a board member at St. Pius X- St. Matthias Academy and is also president of the Steinmetz Foundation whose work supports numerous literacy and educational programs throughout Los Angeles. As a graduate of St. Bernard’s High School in Playa Del Rey he is a product of Catholic Schools and also serves on the Board of Catholic Education Foundation which helps supports scholarships for students attending inner city Catholic Schools. “We have turned struggling bottom-tier schools into real powerhouses,” he says. He is a firm believer of experiential learning and his contributions have brought many opportunities and partnerships to the St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy community including, UCLA, Oceans Institute, and Junior Achievement of Southern California to name a few. In his spare time he travels the world as an archeologist. Mr. Steinmetz holds an MBA from UCLA.

Pastor, St. Raymond Catholic Church

Father Samuel W. Ward was ordained a Priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on May 31, 2003, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He celebrated his First Masses of Thanksgiving as a priest at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church on June 1, 2003, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord.

Father Sam is currently the pastor at St. Raymond Catholic Church. He preciously served as the Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese. He was Pastor of St. Helen Church in South Gate, CA from 2008-2013. Previously he was Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Santa Clarita (2007-2008) and St. Emydius Church in Lynwood (2003-2007). He has served as Chaplain at St. Matthias High School/St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in Downey for the last 17 years. He currently resides at Holy Family Catholic Church in Glendale. He was Recording Secretary for the Council of Priests (2004-2008) and San Pedro Regional Representative for the Council of Priests (2010-2012) and served as Secretary/Treasurer for the Council of Priests (20011-2012). He has been a member of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, a fraternal group of Catholic priests, for ten years. Father Sam received a M.A. Theology and M. Divinity from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, CA in 2003 and a B.A. Philosophy from St. John’s Seminary College in 2000. He graduated from UC Irvine Cum Laude with a B.A. History and B.A. Psychology & Social Behavior (1995). Father Sam was raised in and attended public schools in Oak Park, CA and graduated from Oak Park High School in 1989. Baptized at St. Genevieve Church in Panorama City, CA, he received his First Holy Communion (1979) and Confirmation (1985) at St. Jude Church, Westlake Village. Father Sam is the third of four boys born to Edward Ward of Oak Park, CA and Vivian Ward of Agoura Hills, CA and has five wonderful nieces and nephews.