Dynamic Independent School in Culver City Welcomes New Finance and Operations Leader
Turning Point School
Since 1970, Turning Point has been graduating students who are confident in their abilities, masterful in their achievements, and empathic in their worldview. Located in Culver City, CA, Turning Point serves approximately 300 students in preschool through 8th grade. The school’s “positive equation for achievement” is based on scientific research and positive psychology, and encompasses the intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and emotional elements that drive each student’s experience and growth from the very first day of preschool until eighth grade graduation. The school is committed to a program that produces talented, capable students who are not only ready to take on the challenges of high school, but are proud to have already made the world a better place.
As a member of the senior leadership team, the director of finance and operations (DFO) oversees the school’s financial management, in addition to key operational areas: facilities, human resources, security and safety, and information technology. The DFO supervises two positions in the business office (a controller and an HR manager, the latter of which is currently unfilled), and facilities. The DFO partners closely with other senior administrators across multiple divisions and departments, including: academic, admissions, development, and DEI. An ideal candidate is someone who can provide day-to-day, hands-on leadership for finance and operations, but still offer strategic guidance to the head of school, senior leadership team, and board of trustees on long-term financial strategy. Culver City is a vibrant and rapidly transforming part of Los Angeles that offers many opportunities for growth, yet it is also a highly competitive market that requires creative approaches to resource management and financial planning. The DFO reports directly to the head of school and was warmly welcomed to the community in the late spring of 2025.
Turning Point School was thrilled to welcome Ellen Lin Charls to the position.
Meet the new leader
Ellen Lin Charls is a dedicated leader with 17 years of experience supporting public charter schools. She has developed deep expertise across all non-academic functions essential to school operations. Her work consistently balances the strategic with the tactical—whether crafting high-level plans or rolling up her sleeves to manage the day-to-day operational details critical to success. She holds a M.B.A. in Nonprofit Management & Entrepreneurship and a B.A. in Politics from Pomona College.
