Cleta Riojas is the Founder and Head of School of Freedom Generation Higher Education, where she also remains actively involved with students as a Classical Christian educator, mentor, and dual enrollment professor.

Cleta brings nearly three decades of professional experience spanning teaching and coaching, leadership, management, corporate America, entrepreneurship, ministry, homeschooling, and education. Her path into educational leadership wasn't traditional, and she considers that one of its strengths. Every season—from corporate leadership to motherhood, from entrepreneurship to homeschooling—has shaped how she teaches and how she believes children should be educated.

At the center of it all is a conviction that has become deeply personal:

Education is about more than preparing children for what they will do. It is about helping shape who they will become.

Her story is not one of following a traditional path into education. It is the story of how God used each season of her life to shape the educator and leader she would eventually become.

Mr. Dave Barrett brings to Freedom Generation a remarkable legacy of more than 48 years in secondary education, but what makes his influence especially meaningful goes far beyond the length of his résumé. His life brings together academic excellence, decades of classroom experience, championship-level coaching, deep roots in the Oceanside community, and a lifelong faith in Jesus Christ.

Ruben Luna brings to Freedom Generation more than four decades of professional creative experience in graphic design, fine arts, architectural renderings, and freelance business. But what makes his contribution to Classical Christian education especially valuable is not simply the number of years he has worked in the creative industry. It is the perspective those years—and his Christian faith—have given him about truth, beauty, creativity, craftsmanship, and the responsibility to pass knowledge to the next generation.

Dr. Hutz Hertzberg serves as Chief Education Officer of Turning Point Education, where he has played an important role in Freedom Generation's educational partnership with the organization. In 2022, Freedom Generation became Turning Point Education's first 5C School, beginning a partnership centered on equipping the next generation with a strong biblical worldview and the courage to think, lead, and live with conviction.

Dr. Hertzberg brings decades of leadership experience spanning Christian education, ministry, pastoral leadership, and student development. He previously served as President of Christian Heritage Academy in Northfield, Illinois, and as President of Christian Union, where he helped advance the organization's work of developing Christian leaders at universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford.

His ministry experience also includes serving as Executive Pastor of the historic Moody Church in Chicago, Executive Director of The Orchard Network, and Associate Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for Chicagoland.

Dr. Hertzberg served for 20 years as a Chaplain in the United States Naval Reserve, primarily alongside the United States Marine Corps. He has also continued his ministry as Senior Protestant Chaplain at Chicago O'Hare and Midway airports, providing leadership to a team of chaplains and overseeing weekly chapel services.

Freedom Generation is grateful for our longstanding relationship with Dr. Hertzberg and Turning Point Education and for a partnership that has supported our commitment to educating students with biblical truth, strong character, academic purpose, and the courage to stand for what they believe.

Diego Longaker partners with Freedom Generation to provide on-campus athletics and physical education instruction for our students. Through hands-on training, team sports, and structured physical activity, Diego helps students build strength, coordination, confidence, discipline, and teamwork.

Diego works directly with our students on campus each week, creating an environment where they are challenged to grow not only as athletes, but also in character. His approach encourages students to work hard, support their teammates, persevere through challenges, and learn how to compete with integrity.

Through our partnership with Diego and his athletic program, Freedom Generation is able to provide students with meaningful athletic opportunities as part of a well-rounded Classical Christian education that seeks to develop the whole student—mind, body, and character.