Jonathan Burgueno
Jonathan Burgueno attended Sedona Charter School from 3rd to 8th grade, graduating in 2001—just before the school moved to its permanent campus on Kachina Drive. He remembers SCS as free-form, fostering independent learning in the context of an integrated curriculum, with frequent collaborative projects. There was always something to be working on. His teacher for four years, Michelle Price, challenged him and pushed him to constantly grow and expand his skills.
“It seemed like we gave presentations in the classroom almost every week,” he says, which helped boost his comfort level with public speaking and performing. Moving on to Sedona Red Rock High school, he found he was well-prepared and able to adapt to a variety of settings. He began interning at KAZM and worked as a radio personality there for 5 years.
Jonathan enjoyed radio work so much that he considered a career in broadcast journalism while attending Northern Arizona University. But he found the call to business was stronger. In 2006 he joined a mortgage brokerage firm in Sedona—and he has been at it ever since. Now he works for Pinnacle Capital Mortgage—and both his sisters have joined him in the business.
“I like the residential mortgage business,” says Jonathan. “It’s challenging and fun at the same time and I get to help people buy homes.” It has also that allowed him to stay in Sedona while growing financially, purchasing and developing properties in the Verde Valley.
When asked what advice he has for current Sedona Charter School students, Jonathan says, “Take advantage of the numerous opportunities that become available to you—don’t be afraid to try new things!”