Board Member Bios
Don Bolce
Board Member
"I knew Paul Miller before becoming a board member in 2000,” said Don Bolce, “and I've long been impressed with the services and programs Kidango offers to children and families in the Bay Area."
Don completed the masters program in Early Childhood Education and received his Early Childhood Teaching Credential from California State University, Hayward. He became a Head Teacher for the Alameda Unified School District's Head Start program in 1973 and remained with Head Start for more than twenty years in many roles, including directing urban and rural programs in northern California. In 1988 he moved to Washington, D.C. and served as the first Director of Government Affairs for the National Head Start Association. He returned to California in 1992 to direct Santa Clara Head Start Transition Project, a federally-funded education reform project focusing on school-linked services and curriculum in the early elementary grades, and later supervised Head Start centers and family services in Santa Clara County.
Don is currently Assistant Director of the Center for Educational Planning at the Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE). In this position, he plays a key role in the development, planning and evaluation of SCCOE programs for children. His favorite projects are those involving early childhood issues and children’s health. Don lives in Fremont with his wife and son, a dog, two cats and a parrot. His wife is a first grade teacher in Newark.
One of Don's heroes is Dr. Edward Zigler, one of the founders of Head Start and Sterling Psychology Professor at Yale University.
Valerie Boyle
Board Member
Valerie Boyle has been impressed with Kidango and its growth over the years, noting that her grandchild attended long ago, back when it was Tri-Cities Children Centers. As a parent who had to work throughout her children’s young years, and consistently found it a challenge to find loving, high quality care for her children, she is very pleased to help support the goals and successes of Kidango. She feels that Kidango is an organization that provides so much more to children and families in this area than she could ever have imagined possible when she was a young mother herself.
Valerie brings over 25 years of experience in association management as past CEO of the Castro Valley, Fremont, Palo Alto and Mountain View Chambers of Commerce. She has extensive knowledge of business, education and non-profit communities, having served on the Ohlone Foundation Board, on a number of state and regional association boards and agencies, and as current chair of Business for Good Government, the political action committee of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce.
Valerie believes quality early care and education should provide a safe environment for children, enhancement and support of the family environment, and often, provide children with the most basic needs that may not be met within their own families.
Self-employed as a small business and non-profit consultant, as well as a licensed realtor and loan agent, she is able to continue her work in Bay Area communities working with businesses, non-profits, and often, with young families seeking assistance in buying their first homes. Her effervescent personality and clear focus makes her a popular consultant and meeting facilitator for both large and small groups.
Lynna Do
Board Member
Lynna joined the Kidango Board in 2006 after many presentations from Kidango at the City of Fremont’s Citizens Advisory Committee Community Block Grant sessions.
Ms. Do was born in Monett, Missouri and moved to California at the age of 12 with her family, via Missouri and Kansas. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Walden University; her primary research focus is in political psychology. She has a master’s degree in Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Politics from the University of San Francisco.
Before choosing to go back to school, Lynna worked for various elected officials in the San Francisco Bay area doing mostly policy work, as well as some media and public affairs. In her spare time she can be found leading research projects and presenting at conferences.
Lynna is very active in politics, as well as other community organizations. She is also very active in the Junior League of Palo Alto Mid-Peninsula, which is a women’s organization dedicated to making a difference in their communities.
Her favorite quote is “Be the change that you wish the world to be” by Gandhi.
Dr. Jacob Eapen
Board Member
Born in Kerala, India, Dr. Eapen is a pediatrician working for the County of Alameda Medical Center at their clinic in Newark.
Jacob Eapen was already a physician from India when he came to school at U.C. Berkeley in 1984 to obtain his masters degree in Public Health. After obtaining his medical degree from India and then specializing in pediatrics, Dr. Eapen worked in Tanzania and Nigeria as a pediatrician. He completed his pediatric residency at Stanford University.
Dr. Eapen has served as the Health Advisor of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in a refugee camp in the Philippines. Having worked globally, Dr. Eapen has firsthand experience in issues related to children in different communities in a variety of settings. Dr. Eapen has devoted his life to public service and has always been a strong advocate of children's health issues around the world and locally. He has served as the public health commissioner of Alameda County for approximately 10 years. Five years ago he was elected to the board of directors of the Washington Hospital Township. He also serves in the board of Association of California Heath Care Districts (ACHD) and just completed a term in the governance forum of the California Hospital Association (CHA).
Dr. Eapen has been recognized both nationally and internationally for his community service. He was the first recipient of the California physician recognition award from the Medical Board of California. He was also selected as one of the 40 most outstanding alumni of Stanford University medical school from the last 60 years. He was the recipient of the 2007 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, an honor given to Americans who have given an outstanding contribution to this country.
Dr. Eapen lives in Fremont with his wife Shirley who works at Amgen, son Naveen who recently completed his medical studies and daughter Sandhya who graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 2009. He has been with the Kidango Board since 2008.
Kristi Lee Harris
Board Member
Ms. Harris has come to know Kidango as a parent of two young children enrolled at a Kidango child development center. Playing the dual role of parent and board member, Kristi brings a unique perspective to the work of the board. Ms. Harris joined the Kidango Board of Directors in 2009 because she believes that children are our most important asset and should receive the best we have to offer. As a member of the board, she hopes to enhance opportunities for parent involvement throughout Kidango's services.
Ms. Harris has always been drawn to opportunities which allow her to act as a leader in influencing decision making for the better. She is driven to serve her community after seeing her father devote endless time and energy to community service throughout Kristi's lifetime.
While her children spend their days learning and growing in a Kidango center, Kristi works as a program manager with Stryker Endoscopy. Putting her B.A. degree in Business Administration and her project management expertise to work, Kristi carries out strategic vision and portfolio planning for Stryker's web applications. Kristi's strategic operations expertise and deep commitment to serving children make her an excellent addition to the Kidango Board.
Esther Hobbs
President
Esther joined the Kidango Board in 1993, and said she became involved with Kidango because of the agency’s fantastic reputation, adding “I just could not turn down an opportunity to help children.” She says that her experience with Kidango has taught her that everyone has something valuable to share.
Born and raised in Oakland, Esther is the second of three children, her twin sister being only 36 minutes older than she. She graduated from the Oakland high school system and went on to earn an associate’s degree in Social Science from Ohlone College in Fremont.
In 1984, Esther joined New United Motors Manufacturer, Inc. and served as the Quality Circle Program Coordinator and Trainer until her retirement. This position afforded her the opportunity to travel to new and exciting places that she might otherwise not have seen.
When asked who she considers a personal hero, Esther replied that it is her son, Kevin, whose ability to take complex matters and simplify them without compromising the value is something she would admire and respect even if he was not her son. He has also given her the greatest gift, a beautiful granddaughter!
Esther’s favorite quote is, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” This question should definitely make everyone think about how to live life to the fullest.
Leslie Holmes
Board Member
Leslie has served on the board since 1998. She became involved with Kidango because of her daughter Madison. Leslie says, "After Madison was born, and I was faced with various decisions relating to health, child care and education issues, I knew that I wanted to get involved in an area that not only would help Madison and those with disabilities and special needs [but children overall]”.
Leslie is a partner with the Law Offices of Hogan, Holmes & Usoz LLP, a business and civil litigation firm in San Jose. Born and raised in San Jose, Leslie attended St. Francis High School in Mountain View, earned her B.A. in Political Science from San Jose State University and obtained a J.D. from Lincoln Law School in San Jose.
Leslie said that what she likes best about Kidango is the commitment to children. She says she'd like to see Kidango provide more integrated services for children with disabilities and special needs. “We are getting there, but I would like to see that grow into a much larger role.”
Brian Hughes
Treasurer
Brian believes that improving the community begins by impacting the life of a child. He is proud of his work with Kidango because Kidango is a place where all types of children can gather to learn and develop social skills; a skill set that is definitely necessary in adulthood.
Born in Hayward, Brian Hughes grew up in Fremont. He learned early on about the impact community service can make on future generations. Brian’s mother, Hattie Hyman Hughes, served as a Kidango board member for 13 years. Through conversations with his mother and by attending Kidango events such as Taster’s Showcase, Brian became familiar with the Kidango culture. In October 2005, Brian joined the Kidango board and has served as chair of the Taster’s Showcase annual benefit event.
Brian has been working for Fremont Bank since 1990. He currently holds the title of Relationship Officer for Nonprofit Agencies. Brian is the third generation for the founding family of Fremont Bank. He is also on the bank’s steering committee for FB Team H.E.R.O.E.S. (Help, Educate, Recognize, Organize, Embrace and Serve), which is comprised of Fremont Bank associates who volunteer their time in their communities.
In addition to his family’s commitment to community, Brian has also been inspired by Walt Disney. “He was a man of vision who always followed his heart,” said Brian. “Even in the face of adversity, he never quit.” These attributes motivate Brian to live a life full of quality experiences.
Brian enjoys serving on the Kidango board and is grateful for this opportunity to help shape the future for the children and families who walk through Kidango’s doors.
Dianne Jackson Mclean, Esq.
Board Member
A Kidango board member since 1999, Dianne became involved because of her passion for maintaining healthy and nurturing environments for children. She recalls the difficulties she encountered in finding quality childcare as a working mother. She decided it was important to contribute to the community, due to that experience.
A native of Richmond, California, Dianne graduated from JFK High School and then went on to earn a B.A. degree in Criminology and a masters degree in City and Regional Planning from University of California, Berkeley. She then achieved her J.D. Degree from the Hastings College of Law at University of California, San Francisco.
Dianne is a partner and transactional attorney at the Oakland law firm Goldfarb & Lipman LLP, which specializes in representing redevelopment agencies of cities and counties, housing authorities and nonprofit housing developers.
Dianne is proud of the professionalism that the Kidango staff display and how the talents and capabilities of this organization ensure the continual flow of funding for new and exciting projects.
Other organizations that Dianne is involved with include: California Black Lawyers Association; Caesar Chavez Middle School - Site Council Member, New Haven Unified School District; and the Soka Gakkai International of United States of America.
Dianne is married to Everett McLean, and together they have two children, Everett II and Myisha. Dianne also has two grandchildren, Osiris and Makayla.
Dr. Sowmya Krishnan
First Vice President
Dr. Krishnan is pleased to be a part of Kidango because she is a strong believer in early education for children and in advocating for under privileged kids and families so we can all become productive, fulfilled members of society.
Dr. Sowmya Krishnan is currently VP of Corporate Strategy for RITSnet Inc., a computer network systems management company which she co-founded in 2004. Dr. Krishnan most recently served as Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Ultra Clean Technology (UCT), a semiconductor equipment subsystem. As a member of executive management, she was responsible for providing strategic direction, shaping the company profile and driving long term growth initiatives over her 13 year tenure at UCT.
Dr. Krishnan has been active in various industry forums and is a well respected and visible leader in the semiconductor field. She has served as invited chair in multiple technical areas, has been an invited speaker at technical conferences and has written guest editorials and served on the advisory board for industry trade journals.
Dr. Krishnan has chaired industry related SEMI standards task forces and led the effort to set industry standards related to critical subsystems. She holds two U.S. patents with several ongoing patent applications. She is the author of over 30 technical papers and editorials and is well-known for her expertise in the fields of micro-contamination and semiconductor processing. She received her M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY.
Dr. Krishnan’s interests include volunteering for societal causes. In the past she has volunteered with Friendly Visiting, an organization serving displaced or homebound seniors, and with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society supporting research in cancer.
Gerry McFaull
Board Member
Gerry McFaull’s background is in leadership of Engineering and High Tech businesses where he has learned from managing through both the good times and the lean. Today he runs a sourcing and consulting business which he co-founded in 2002 and is married with four children.
Gerry has worked extensively in volunteer positions in a wide variety of roles, and has served on the Board of Directors at the Fremont Chamber of Commerce leading committees for Finance, Marketing, Communications and Special Projects. Gerry also currently serves on the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee for the Fremont Unified School District.
“If you want a lively conversation,” says Gerry, “please ask me about two of my most heartfelt beliefs that ‘Our children are our future’ and ‘Strong communities depend on the people who comprise that community’. The team at Kidango is an outstanding example of what is possible and I am proud and excited to be a small part of a tremendous story of success in creating better opportunities for our children and widespread community involvement.”
Kathryn Mertens
Board Member
Kathryn Mertens has been a Kidango Board Member since 1994.
Born and raised in Spokane, Washington, Kathryn graduated from Gonzaga University in Washington where she received her bachelor degree and masters in Business Administration. As a Human Resources Compensation & Benefits professional, Kathryn has held positions and consulted for a number of Silicon Valley firms. She has been very instrumental in fund raising activities for Kidango including the Taster's Showcase signature event.
Kathryn decided to become involved with the Kidango Board of Directors because she believes strongly in giving back to the community in order to make it a better place to live. Kathryn feels that it is important to help young children succeed in life by giving them the best care and education possible. She is very connected to the mission of Kidango as it is directly aimed at giving children the best possible start in life. She finds the work that she does as a member of the Board of Directors to be highly rewarding.
Anette Raichbart
Board Member
Raised in Fremont, Anette attended Mission San Jose High School and went on to earn a B.A. in International Relations from the University of California at Davis and a masters degree in Educational Leadership from San Jose State University.
In 1999, Anette began working for the Fremont Unified School District as a Social Studies teacher at the secondary school level. In 2004 she transitioned to the administrative side of education and became the assistant principal of Robertson High School and the Cal-SAFE (California School Age Families Education) coordinator for Fremont, Newark, New Haven and Livermore school districts. For the 2009-2010 school year Anette has decided to take on a new challenge and transition to Washington High School as an assistant principal.
As the Cal-SAFE coordinator, Anette regularly interacted with teen parents and their children, and developed an understanding and compassion for children of all ages. Anette is committed to quality early childhood education, comprehensive and alternative education for students.
Anette finds inspiration in the quote by Herbert Hoover, “children are our most valuable natural resource.”
Dr. Raj Salwan
Board Member
Dr. Salwan joined the Kidango Board of Directors in June 2009. Although born in India, Raj considers himself a product of Fremont where he grew up, went to school and continues to live today with family. It was important to Raj that he become involved in an organization which is rooted in Fremont as he is, and Kidango was the perfect match for his values and interests. As Raj puts it, "I only do what I believe in and I believe in Kidango."
Raj is committed to supporting the work of Kidango not only because of its tremendous presence and accomplishments, but also because he respects the efficiency of it operations, the competent staff and the wide scope of the agency's work. He believes Kidango's services offer a one stop shop for everything kids and that the services are immensely valuable to the community. As a Board Member, Dr. Salwan hopes to help improve the financial health of the agency every year and help Kidango become even more self-sufficient.
Dr. Salwan is the Medical Director and Chief Veterinarian for the American Animal Care Center, the largest private practice veterinary center in the Bay Area. He achieved his doctorate in Veterinary Medicine with Summa Cum Laude honors and was class valedictorian at TU School of Veterinary Medicine. He also has a bachelor's degree from University of California, Irvine.
Raj also shares his time with many other organizations including the California Community Development Center, Fremont Education Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, City of Fremont Human Relations Commission and the Tri-Cities Democratic Forum. When asked what drives him, Raj points to his hero and role model, his father. Raj has seen his father fulfill the American dream and has been inspired by his drive. Raj also gets motivation from some of his favorite quotes which include: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."-Friedrich Nietzsche and "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."-Mahatma Ghandi.
Rosemary Sedillo Glatt
Board Member
Rosemary joined the Kidango Board of Directors in 2006. She became involved with Kidango because of the agency’s political and social advocacy for children.
Rosemary was born and raised in the Bay Area. The daughter of farm workers and from a Spanish-speaking family, she learned early on to navigate the Mexican world at home and her American world at school. Rosemary graduated from Sequoia High School, making her the first in her family to get a high school diploma. She went on to be the first in her family to attend college where she earned an A.A. degree in Business from San Mateo Jr. College.
Over the years she has held positions that included national recruitment of minorities at Stanford University, research and evaluation of bilingual education in schools, and 16 years working on San Jose Unified’s federally mandated school desegregation case, one of only seven nationally at the time. Rosemary obtained her B.A. degree in 2000 in Psychology and Sociology, continuing to build on the values her family has long-instilled in her, namely hard work, a love of family and community and keeping the heart and mind open to the struggles of women, children and families.
When asked about her role at Kidango Rosemary says, “I feel honored to be part of a childcare organization where the Executive Director, staff, and the Board work together effectively as a team. Kidango has a passionate commitment to the education and care of children through its programs and services. Kidango makes a difference in this world and encourages us all to do the same.”
Rosemary finds inspiration from Cesar Chavez’s statement “the end of all education should surely be the service to others.”
Shams Tabrez
Second Vice President
Shams is inspired by the fact that Kidango is a true community of teachers, parents and members of the public who all work collectively to help children fully develop their own unique qualities. He is particularly impressed with how Kidango continues to strategically locate new facilities in order to help more children benefit from its Mission.
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Shams grew up in Manchester, England. He holds multiple degrees, including an M.B.A., and credits his strong educational background for his successes.
Shams is a vice president for SELA Inc, a manufacturing company with offices around the world, as well as an author of over 30 technical and commercial articles. In 2000, he became a U.S. patent holder for an invention in Advanced Semiconductor Technology.
Shams has been inspired by the writings of Thomas Jefferson and how he helped craft the Declaration of Independence, an enduring and inspirational document with values that still guide the way for people today. "Jefferson truly understood the power of the written word and valued education, for it is the key to helping people progress," says Shams.
As a board member, Shams wants to see that Kidango continues to build strong relationships with key partners to help generate resources to sustain and grow Kidango and its programs.
Shams lives by the words of Yogi Berra, who once said "If you come to a fork in the road…. pick it up!"
Shams thinks that education is that fork in the road and he is looking forward to doing his part in helping Kidango children pick up all the benefits education has to offer.
Nancy Thomas
Secretary
Nancy believes that children enter this world with a natural curiosity and wonder about their environment. She sees Kidango as a place where children can explore their pre-school world, both socially and academically, and develop the foundation to be successful learners in the K-12 environment.
Born in Minnesota, Nancy moved with her husband and young children to the Bay Area in 1969 and has lived in her Newark home ever since. She received her bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University and her master degree from Stanford, both in Electrical Engineering. She retired from Hewlett-Packard after a 25 year career, half in various engineering positions, and half as the company’s National Contributions Manager.
Nancy is a champion of science education, especially for young girls. Prior to joining the Kidango Board in 2007, Nancy was a board member for RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching). She has also served on several national science advisory boards and helped write and manage two successful National Science Foundation grants for Bay Area school districts.
Nancy is serving her second term as a board member for the Newark Unified School District, and is an elected member of the Alameda County Central Democratic Committee. She is a member of the Newark Rotary Club and the Newark Optimist Club.
Nancy was drawn to Kidango because of its highly successful programs and its talented and dedicated staff. She looks forward to witnessing the organization’s continued expansion, especially in areas that target children and families with the greatest need.