Who’s Who Recognizes The Honorable Reverend Dr. Michael L. Hopwood

The Honorable Reverend Dr. Michael L. Hopwood is a California native and sought-after speaker, teacher, and administrator with 30 years as an educator and community servant. He was awarded the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Word of God International University in 2012, and is the founder and overseer of Secrets of Success Restoration Life Association, a faith based non-profit association: http://www.secretsofsuccess.net Secrets of Success is dedicated to building communities through evangelism; world outreach and civic engagement; biblical counseling; and the restoration of families.

Dr. Hopwood’s record of achievement began early with his passion for basketball. At Compton High School, he was named Captain of the basketball team as well as Student Body President. In addition to many other successes, his high school team was featured on ESPN’s list of the all-time No. 1 prep basketball teams in America. He continued pursuing basketball in college and then played professionally in Europe for five years, where his teams won Division II titles. Later, he held several coaching positions including Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at Cal State Los Angeles.

One of Dr. Hopwood’s longest lasting passions, though, has been his passion for education – both as a student and an educator. He holds a B.A. in Business Education from Arizona State University, a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from National University and a Master’s in Biblical Theology from Esther Mallet International Bible University, where he received his Ordination. He is a graduate of the Association of California School Administrators Principal Academy and Awarded Senior Associate by the California School Leadership Academy (2004).

He began teaching in 1982 at L’ Ecole Secondaire in Switzerland, and gained further experience as a math teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District and Pomona Unified School Districts. He was soon promoted to Assistant Principal at Locke High, Gompers Middle School and King Drew Magnet High School in South Central Los Angeles. He has held the positions of: President of the Compton Unified School District Board of Trustees, Board of Directors Associated Pomona Teachers, California Teachers Association State Council Representative, and Chairperson of the California Teachers Association-City of Compton Joint Future Search Committee and Chairperson of Compton High 100 year Celebration Committee. In the Los Angeles Unified School District, he also held the positions of Administrator Employee Relations Investigations Unit, Administrator of Operations Education Service Center Intensive Support and Innovation Center, Central Operations Coordinator in addition to Coordinator of Operations and Safety Local District 7.

In January of 2007 he was appointed to the Los Angeles Unified School District Human Relations Council and served as the council’s only African-American male member.

He is a founding member of the Education is a Civil Right Committee, a member of several service organizations, and served several years on the Scholarship Selection Committee for the Coalition of Black School Administrators.

Dr. Hopwood is also committed to ending violence in schools and on the streets. He is an innovative violence prevention specialist and one of the nation’s foremost authorities on Safety Collaborative. In the 1990s he helped establish groundbreaking Safe Passage programs for Gompers Middle School and David Starr Jordan High School students traveling the gang ridden streets to and from school. The programs became a model for subsequent programs throughout the Los Angeles Unified School District, Watts and Compton – which contributed to an historic decline in crime across the City of Los Angeles. Later, in 1998, he was selected as a member of the Los Angeles County Office of Education Advisory Committee on Street Gangs. And while an administrator, he supervised various successful anti-violence programs including the L.A. Bridges Anti-violence Program, Young Negotiators Conflict Resolution, the Gang Risk Intervention Program (GRIP), 21st Century Program, and the After School/Safe School Antiviolence Program.

Dr. Hopwood has served as an advisor to many elected officials, city, county and community-based agencies and nonprofits. He has served on the Watts Gang Task Force, Assembly Member Karen Bass 47th Assembly District People’s Council, 2006 Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Education Congressional Council, The County Wide Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, and the Los Angeles County Inter-Agency Gang Task Force. In 1997 he was appointed California School Boards Association Governmental Relations Chair for Assembly Member Richard Floyd.

Dr. Hopwood has dedicated his life to helping others, and it shows in the glowing way others talk about him. Pastor Troy, of Troy Boy International, says “We are thankful to God for the dreams and vision that Michael is certain to have ignited within the hearts of some of the youths who were blessed to receive an impartation from his vast reservoir of resources and personal insight.”

Who’s Who member The Honorable Reverend Dr. Michael L. Hopwood can be found on the Who’s Who Directory where he is looking forward to networking with you.