About me
Dr. Marcus Funchess, is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the San Bernardino City School District (SBCUSD). Dr. Funchess graduated from California State University San Bernardino in 1996 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology. Learning about the inequitable social structures of our society gave him motivation to become an educator. Teaching for 10 years in San Bernardino City Unified, Dr. Funchess discovered how his intentional words and actions positively impacted the lives of his students and their families. Thus, the determination to become a leader in education began. He earned a Master’s Degree from National University in Cross Cultural Teaching and went on to pursue and earn his Doctorate in Leadership for Educational Justice from the University of Redlands.
As an educator for over twenty-six years, Dr. Funchess has maintained a servant-leader approach. As a vice principal, he conducted countless home visits and coordinated several initiatives to support families and boost student learning in low-income communities. His purpose and passion eventually led him to the principalship. As a principal, Dr. Funchess developed school conditions where students, teachers, staff and parents shared a collective sense of purpose for learning and community uplift through education. This sense of purpose also guided his work as Director of Human Resources. His goal to identify, hire and develop educators with a passion for changing young lives through their words and actions allowed him to reshape recruitment efforts to attract diverse and service-minded individuals. As Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Funchess continues to advocate for students and families by developing effective systems to attract, hire, grow, develop and retain a diverse and empowered workforce for the city of San Bernardino. He truly believes in what Nelson Mandela contended. “For, education is the most powerful weapon, which we can use to change the world.”