meet our staff

Jim is our lead driving instructor, and is also an instructor trainer. He is a retired Beverly Hills motorcycle cop with more personality than Eddie Murphy. Everyone loves him and his stories. He is an expert at teaching behind the wheel driver training. He has also taught Classroom Driver Education, and Traffic Violator School. But don't ask him about the vehicle code. He may be the only person in the state to have it memorized. He's a huge animal lover, so try not to hit any critters. 

 Barry is not only an instructor with us, but an instructor trainer. He spent most of his career with the United States Post Office where he was a member of the prestigious 1,000,000 mile club (1,000,000 miles with no accidents). His attention to detail and strong desire to do everything the right way is what has earned him the spot as an instructor trainer. He is also very friendly, laid back, and calm. You will learn a lot from him, and have a great time while learning. 

 John was born to teach. He is a behind the wheel driver training instructor as well as an instructor trainer. He was previously an extreme sports enthusiast and whitewater kayaking instructor. This job does not scare him. He has an extremely logical and methodical brain which makes him an incredible communicator. We have never seen anyone who can communicate concepts as clearly and concisely as he can.  

I am super excited  to be part of a great team. I am looking forward to and honored to be an  important part of young people’s futures.I  was born and raised in the Bay Area and have lived in Sonora for three  years. My career was in sales for a large company and after I retired  from there I got my Commercial Driver’s License and became an over the  road trucker for a few years…I drove an 18 wheeler back and forth across  the country and loved every minute of it! So have no FEAR!! I am a  professional driver!I  like to kayak, travel, hang with my kids and grandkids, volunteer for  different organizations and plan on taking a photography class at  Columbia Community College.

 Steve is a people person, and his call to become a driving  instructor with us was fueled by his desire to help others. He genuinely  wants to see you learn and grow as a driver, and have fun doing it.  Your success makes him happy and it’s why he loves this job! His degree  in Community Education, 12 years of customer service experience as a  restaurant manager, and passion for cars and driving, make him the great  instructor that he is. 

Dan has been a licensed driving instructor since 1988.  Yes this is a recent picture!  He doesn't seem to age.   He has owned two of his own driving schools, and consulted others on staring their own, including ours.  He also has spent 10 years of his career working as a counselor in a home for teens.   He as a heart for helping people.  He's knows what he is doing.  You will be in safe and capable hands.  In his off time, he likes spending time with his family, and riding his Harley.

 Allen is Mr. Happy. He seems to always be in a good mood, and this makes him very easy to be around. He's a retired Stockton police officer, and he knows his stuff. However, he seems to have found his calling in this follow up career. Not only does he seem born to teach, but he seems born to teach behind the wheel driver training. He's a great communicator, and truly enjoys being in the car and helping people at the same time.  

 James passion is cars and driving and he is very  personable and enjoys meeting new people. He puts people at ease by  getting to know them and talking about many subjects. He loves to teach  and is excited to join the team and pass on his years of knowledge of  safe and attentive driving skills. James is cool and composed on the  road and knows how to drive in every type of traffic situation there is.   He has travelled  all over California as a professional driver, worked at auto  dealerships, and was an Auto Club Insurance claims adjuster. James has  trained young delivery drivers on the road for many years. He also  speaks conversational Spanish.
 

 An expert with youth, Ryan has worked in the youth group at his church for over 10 years. He loves seeing teens succeed and grow. He does a great job helping students to relax and they enjoy learning from him.  He is always positive and upbeat and sees the best in every situation. He loves driving - especially his family -  CRAZY! 

Scott  is a retired agriculture teacher.  He  enjoys the opportunity to instruct beginning and veteran drivers life-long driving skills to make our lives safer on the public highways. Scott  has worked with FFA students for 30 years guiding and instructing them  about their agriculture projects and developing leadership skills with  public speaking and parliamentary procedure.  He has also taught traffic school in the North Coast area for those citizens that were ticketed for highway offenses.  His goal is to teach young drivers to stay focused on driving and not get distracted.

 Mark joined our team to combine his passions for driving, teaching, and sharing stories. From building and operating a Limousine Transportation company, to  success as an Insurance Claims Manager, he uses diverse life experiences  and humor to connect with people.   He has been in insurance risk management and safety for over 25 years. After graduating from San Jose State University,  He and his wife of 26 years moved to Angels camp to raise 2 kids. 

He LOVES baseball and is a life-long FAN of the SF Giants.   A warm, friendly, person who is quick  to smile-  Mark takes pride in making all students feel welcome and  comfortable as they develop important skills becoming Good Drivers. 
 

 Hunter has 12 years of law enforcement history. As an instructor and a father of teenagers himself, he reiterates the importance of safety and  good driving habits. Good communication, patience, and a sense of humor go a long way!  He is an aspiring voiceover artist, from commercials to animation.   He is also a big sports fan, and played sports when he was younger.  He always loves a good competition!  

 Tyler has always had a passion for educating, imparting perspective and making an impact in the lives of others. After working in IT for 13 years he decided to branch out and help more people in farther reaching ways. Combining his love of driving, with a desire to see better drivers out on the road he brings a calm, friendly and professional manner to the process of driving instruction. Helping new drivers feel safe, confident and comfortable on the road.  When not coaching drivers, he consults businesses and individuals on personal finances and cash flow strategies, and playing with his kid and their cats.

Paul  is a 20 year retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. If  there was one thing his experience in the military taught him it was  that people are more important than things. After retirement he has  enjoyed several different  high school teaching positions which have allowed him to really gain an understanding of how to reach people where they are to help them achieve  their best no matter their circumstances. His  experience teaching children how to drive started with his own. His unflappable demeanor made him the go to parent especially for highway driving practice. His desire is to continue to be part of the learning process as he encourages children and adults alike to be confident about  driving and enjoy the freedom that comes with getting behind the wheel.

 Ron has been driving since he was 14 years old.  Yes, 14  years old!  Ron’s parents owned a trucking company and sometimes Ron  would come to the rescue to help seasoned Semi Truck drivers back into  alleys in downtown Los Angeles.  He was 16 at the time.  Ron has taught  both his daughters and several family members how to drive.  He is  diligent in making sure the person is comfortable and feels safe.  Ron  is a family man, he has been married 36 years, has two beautiful  daughters, two son in laws and two handsome grandsons that are now his  everything.  He is a proud dad and Papa.  Ron has a love for SPORTS and  pretty much anything on ESPN.  His first love is football, ask him,  he’ll tell you. 

 Michael is a retired firefighter of 18 years from San Joaquin County. He  has 28 years of driving experience and during his career he got to live  every child’s dream of driving a Fire Truck and an Ambulance. Being in  public safety for 18 years the goal was to  serve the public and help make a difference in any situation. His goal  now is to help make that difference in the lives of new drivers and  teach the importance of developing good driving habits, safety and  responsibility while on the road. Not just for themselves,  but for others as well. Michael helped his four children learn how to  drive, so he is definitely ready for the challenge. He has a love for  acting, singing and is member of a musical theater group. Also, Michael  and his wife of 20 years are HUGE RAIDERS FANS!   Overall they just love football and competing in Fantasy Football  together.  

From one of his first jobs as a pizza delivery driver to driving for a huge delivery company Josh has always found joy out on the road! Josh loves being out on the road and just traveling in general. He’s driven cross country multiple times as well! One of Josh’s strongest passions is helping people achieve their goals in any way possible. Teaching, training and supportive roles come second nature to him.  Being an instructor is part of his soul! Josh is excited to combine these two passions into a meaningful and purpose driven career.