BUILD THE BRIDGE BOARD MEMBERS
ANDREA LOPEZ
Attorney Andrea López is a Painesville City Schools alumna. Following high school, she attended and graduated from The University of Akron with a dual bachelors in Sociology, Criminology, and Law Enforcement / Spanish. Ms. Lopez received her juris doctor from Western Michigan University – Thomas M. Cooley Law School, where she graduated with honors. During her time in law school, Ms. López was the recipient of many awards such as the Distinguished Student Award and the Leadership Award. Ms. López also served as a teacher’s assistant for contracts law and a student attorney in the “Innocence Project” where she was able to assist people who were wrongfully convicted.
Currently, Ms. López practices as an Immigration Attorney in the state of Florida. As an immigrant herself, Ms. López understands the struggles that the immigration process can place on individuals, families, and businesses and she is passionate about being able to help alleviate this struggle. Ms. López is admitted to the Illinois Bar and is authorized to practice before all immigration agencies and courts.
DERRICK LAMONTE JOHNSON
Derrick Johnson is a native of Southern California; after attending Cerritos Community College in Norwalk, California Coach Johnson received a Division IA scholarship to Kent State
University (OH). Soon after graduating from Kent State University in 1994, Derrick began his coaching career. In 2006 Coach Johnson landed his first Head Football coaching career at Richmond Heights High School (OH). Between 2010-2015 Coach Johnson served as an administrator at Cleveland Heights High School (OH) and Head of Schools at a private day school in Richmond, VA. Derrick Johnson brings over 25 years of coaching and teaching experience to the Build The Bridge Board. Derrick is responsible for founding three non profit organizations, service on three Boards and countless hours committed to philanthropic work empowering adolescents in California, Virginia and Ohio.
GEORGE BURICH
Mr. George Burich has been an administrator in Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools for the past eight years. Mr. Burich earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education of the Handicapped (K-12) at Mercyhurst University, Masters of Education in Sports Management at Cleveland State University, and Master of Arts in School Leadership at Concordia University Chicago. He is currently pursuing his doctorate in Educational Leadership at Concordia University Chicago. Before becoming a school administrator, Mr. Burich worked as an intervention specialist and coached numerous high school sports. He served as head varsity football coach at his alma mater North High School in Eastlake, Ohio, and was named Lake County Touchdown Club “Coach of the Year” in 2011.