Monica has been assisting Lloyd as a part-time volunteer assistant since the 1995 championship season. Following her retirement as Principal, she transitioned to a full-time role as a volunteer assistant. Colunga’s primary responsibilities are working with the outfield, battery, mindset/leadership, and recruiting.
Dr. Colunga earned a Bachelor of Arts in Movement and Exercise Science with an emphasis in Athletic Training and a Teaching Credential in Physical Education from Chapman University in 1983. While at Chapman, Monica competed on the Track and Field team her senior year and earned “Most improved Player Award.”
Dr. Colunga retired as Principal of Irvine High School, where she served from fall 2007 to spring 2024. Before her tenure at Irvine High, Dr. Colunga spent 20 years at University High School in Irvine, where she held various roles, including Athletic Director, Activities Director, Certified Athletic Trainer, classroom teacher, coach, and Assistant Principal. She first joined Irvine High School as an Assistant Principal during the 2006-2007 school year. In addition to her work in secondary education, Dr. Colunga was an adjunct faculty member at Chapman University from 1997 to 2002 and currently serves as a part-time instructor for the UCI Division of Continuing Education’s Pre-Administration Credential Program.
Dr. Colunga obtained a supplemental teaching credential in Spanish in 1987 and completed a Master of Arts in Education at Azusa Pacific University in 1995. Additionally, she earned her Tier I and Tier II Administrative Credentials from UCI and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership through the UCI/UCLA doctoral program in 2011. In July 2022, Dr. Colunga completed the Harvard Business School Online Certificate Program in Management and Leadership.
Throughout her career, Dr. Colunga has been an active leader in High School Athletics and in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF). She served as an At-Large Representative and later as the Orange County Representative with the CIF Southern Section. During her time as the Orange County Representative, Dr. Colunga also served as the Principal Representative with the Orange County Athletic Directors Association. Additionally, she held a six-year term as President-Elect, President, and Past-President for the Federated Council of the State CIF, as well as a seven-year term in the same roles for the CIF Southern Section. Currently, she serves as a State CIF Appeals Officer. Dr. Colunga is also a member of the UCI Division of Continuing Education Advisory Committee for Administrative Service Credentialing and was a founding member of the Concordia University, Irvine Hispanic & Minority Leadership Advisory Board.
