Board Member Bios
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.
Dr. Paul Espinas
Board Member
Paul Espinas was born and raised in Fremont, CA. In high school and college, he cultivated a passion for community service and was an active member in service organizations. He graduated from Tufts School of Medicine and completed his pediatric training at Kaiser Oakland Medical Center, where he also served as chief resident. In addition, he has served on medical missions in the Philippines and in Guatemala. Currently, he is a general pediatrician at Kaiser Hayward. In addition to caring for patients, Paul works on programs that address childhood obesity through promoting healthy eating and exercise. Kids should especially play outdoors and experience nature, which has a myriad of physical and emotional benefits.
Paul believes that healthy communities are paramount in fostering the development of healthy, successful citizens. He is happy to join the board of Kidango, as interventions in the early years of life can have profound impacts on children.
Esther Hobbs
Second Vice 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
President
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.
Jill Kirk
Board Member
Jill Kirk believes that Kidango does incredible things for the community and she wanted to be part of making a difference as well. Jill joined the board in 2010 and is looking forward to helping continue to provide vital services to children and families.
Jill was born in San Francisco and grew up in San Rafael, California. Jill obtained a B.A. in Liberal Studies and is in the process of returning to school for her Master's degree. Jill is a supervisor for the Senior Recreation Department and supervises the Youth Services division which includes preschool, before and after school child care and teen programming. With her wide range of experience, she brings new and creative ideas to Kidango.
Jill is proud of Kidango’s accomplishments including providing quality programs and services for families in need.
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
Treasurer
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.
Scott Moore
Board Member
Scott Moore joined Kidango’s Board of Director team in 2010. He is currently employed at Preschool California as a Senior Policy Advisor. In this role Scott helps formulate the public policy and strategy that drives the creation of a high quality early learning system for all California’s children, especially those who need it most.
Scott has a B.A. in political science and a Master’s degree from UCLA. In addition, he attended the Kellogg School of Management at Northern University. Scott was born in San Francisco and grew up in Berkeley, California.
Scott become involved with Kidango because he wants to support Kidango’s mission, staff and most importantly the children and families Kidango serves. Scott is amazed by the Kidango staff's hard work and dedication to provide the best quality early care, education and child development services for children and families throughout the Bay Area. Scott has been involved in several community organizations such as Little Elephant Montessori Preschool, the Low Income Investment Fund and the ABCD Advisory Committee.
Scott's hero is his dad who is an extraordinary father. Scott's advice to parents is “Read to your children every day.”
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.
Vivian Wan
Board Member
As a Fremont resident and mother of two young children, Vivian Wan has known of the high quality Kidango programs for several years. She eventually decided to join the board in 2011, in an effort to support and expand exceptional childcare opportunities, particularly for low-income children. Through her involvement in Kidango's Board, Vivian hopes to help more families in the Bay Area succeed in their educational, health, and economic goals.
Vivian is the Associate Director for Abode Services, a non-profit agency whose mission is to end homelessness by assisting low-income, un-housed people to secure stable, supportive housing; and to be advocates for the removal of the causes of homelessness. She promotes affordable housing for the most at risk in our community – extremely low-income households and those with special needs. She oversees 22 housing programs and affordable housing developments, which keeps over 1,000 people in homes each night. Vivian holds a Masters degree in Social Welfare from University of California, Berkeley in the area of Management and Planning. She has worked extensively in the areas of homelessness, foster care, and community development. She is a former Peace Corps Volunteer and for over 15 years has served families living in poverty.