Barry Yates is a native Californian, born in Long Beach and raised in Hermosa and Manhattan Beach. He attended the public schools and graduated from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach.
He earned a Bachelor's Degree and his elementary and secondary teaching credentials from Whittier College and a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from California State University, Northridge.
He served in the California National Guard from 1970-1977 as a staff sergeant and joined the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District in 1970 as a 6th grade teacher at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School in Malibu. He remained there until 1998, also teaching 4th and 5th grades.
In 1998, he moved to Franklin Elementary School in Santa Monica as the Assistant Principal and held that position until 2004. He then returned to Juan Cabrillo Elementary School as the Principal, where he currently serves the children and families of the Malibu community.
One of his outside interests is aviation and he became a private pilot in 1984 with certificates in single engine land and sea. He and his wife of 40 years live in Woodland Hills and have an adult son.
Barry and the Juan Cabrillo staff are enthusiastic supporters of the Cornucopia Foundation and the Environmental Learning Center with its focus on the outdoor classroom and promoting environmental sustainability.
