Dear HTH Staff and Families,

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire High Tech High (HTH) community for your care and engagement throughout the CEO selection process. Your perspectives and hopes for the future were invaluable as we evaluated candidates through search committee interviews, professional references, director reviews, senior leadership input, student evaluations, and moderated Q&A sessions with teachers and parents. Your collaboration was essential in shaping this outcome.

Today, we are thrilled to announce Dr. Diana Cornejo-Sanchez as the next CEO of High Tech High! After an extensive national search involving countless educators, Diana emerged as an extraordinary leader uniquely equipped to safeguard HTH’s design principles while guiding us into an exciting new chapter.  

With over 16 years of experience deeply rooted in project-based learning (PBL) and a steadfast commitment to equity, Diana has consistently demonstrated her ability to improve student outcomes while enhancing teacher and staff experiences. Her leadership roles at HTH—Director of the Teacher Center (2018–2021), Director of Instructional Leadership and Development (2021–2023), and most recently as our Interim CEO (Dec 2023–Present)—have shown her capacity to lead across all levels of the organization with integrity, clarity of mission, and purpose.

As we celebrate HTH’s 25th anniversary, we are inspired by our history and energized by what lies ahead. Under Diana’s leadership, we will continue evolving as a learning laboratory that innovates while staying true to our core principles—ensuring all students receive an exceptional educational experience.

We extend our gratitude to all candidates who participated in this process for their inspiring contributions, as well as DRG for their expert guidance in managing this search.  Special thanks go to our selection committee—comprising board members, directors, deans, and teachers—for their dedication and vital input during this process.  Our work would have been incomplete without their voice.  Thank you to: 

• Gary Jacobs: Chairman of the Board
• Chrissy McComish: Board Trustee
• Brett Peterson: Director, HTHM
• Edrick Macalaguim: Director, HTHCV
• Janie Griswold: Chief Learning Officer
• John Santos: 12th Grade Teacher, Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs HTH
• Juliet Mohnkern: Director, HTMM
• Peter Jana: 11th Grade Teacher, HTHM
• Renee Rojas: Dean of Students, HTMM

With Diana at the helm, HTH is ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead. Our TK–12 Board looks forward to collaborating closely with our sister organizations—the globally recognized talent of our Graduate School of Education and the growing resources of the HTH Foundation—to write the next chapter of our story together.

We are excited about what lies ahead for HTH under Diana’s steady hand and dedicated leadership. Thank you for your continued trust and partnership as we embark on this journey together.

Sincerely,

Gary Jacobs

Albert Lin

Chrissy McComish

Lida Rafia

Randy Ward

HTH Board of Trustees