LEAD Advisory Board

Biography

As a 2015 Santa Clara alum, former LEAD student, and former LEAD peer mentor, Alexandria (Alex) Cabral is thrilled to continue her involvement with the program as an Advisory Board member. Alex is a SoCal native, but spent a decade in the Bay Area pursuing her undergrad degree in Economics followed by a career in commercial lending, beginning with technology startups and leading to social enterprises and non-profits. She currently resides in Washington, DC, and works in affordable housing development and finance. Alex is also a board member of the Bay Area-based non-profit, AbilityPath, which provides programming and services for people with special needs. 

 

Alex attributes much of her positive college experience and post-grad success to the support system and resources offered by the LEAD program at SCU. She enjoys supporting the growth of this vital program and getting to know the students and staff who make it unique. Alex has been a LEAD Advisory Board member since October 2020.

Biography

Peter "Scotch" Scocimara brings over 25 years experience managing sales, marketing, network and support operations for high-growth Internet and SaaS services including: Google Cloud, WebEx Communications, Excite@Home, LiveOps and Ooma.  Most recently, Scotch led and managed the operations teams that deliver support, programs and services for Google Cloud customers and partners globally.  He also founded a consumer medical device company, which he led from product concept to market launch and to an eventual sale to Philips.  In a prior life, Scotch worked in private equity and manufacturing.

Scotch currently invests in and advises startups and entrepreneurs on strategy, scaling and fundraising.  Scotch is a trustee at Phillips Exeter Academy and donates his time to expanding educational opportunities in underserved communities.

Scotch earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in International Relations from Brown University.  He lives in Menlo Park, CA with his wife Julia.

 

Biography

As a Santa Clara alum and former LEAD student, Stephen Archer is thrilled to continue his involvement with the LEAD program as an Advisory Board member. Stephen is a Bay Area native, graduating from SCU with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2009.  He has used his degree for a career in real estate and construction management. He is a Project Manager at Devcon Construction. He currently resides in Campbell, CA with his wife (a fellow SCU grad) and son. Stephen is also on the SCU Alumni Association Board of Directors and currently serves as the President-Elect.  
 
Stephen is grateful for the support system and resources offered by Santa Clara University. He looks for opportunities to give back to the communities that have helped him achieve post-graduate success. He is proud to see the growth of the LEAD program and is focused on helping the program continue to grow.

Biography

Ericka Acquaah-Arhin, graduated from Santa Clara University in 2001 with a degree in Business Management and received a MA in Ethnic Studies from SFSU in 2007.  She has more than 15 years of experience working in the tech industry, elite universities, and Fortune 500 companies. Ericka spent the first half of her professional career working in Student Affairs with a focus on Multiculturalism and Diversity prior to transitioning to work in the corporate sector.  She is Principal of Highest Version, LLC,  which offers consulting, coaching, and training expertise in the areas of Organizational Development, Inclusion and Equity, Leadership, Program Development & Delivery and Training.  Some areas of specialization & certifications include Everything DiSC®, StrengthFinders, Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) and GROW® Coaching, as well as training in the highly regarded Co-Active Coaching Model.  She also brings with her the insights gained from being a wife, mother of girls, and a certified group fitness instructor.

Biography

Linda was born and raised in Chicago. She holds a BSJ from the University of Illinois and a MSJ from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. She formerly worked as an editor at Dow Jones Newswires (now WSJ.com) in New York City and as a Senior Writer at  Fidelity Investments in Boston. Currently, Linda is a community volunteer and mom.

Growing up, Linda attended public high school in Chicago and, although she lived many places on the East Coast or in the suburbs of Chicago during her adult life, she always kept a piece of that experience with her. Linda met many kids during high school who had much more difficult family situations than she did, making it hard for some of them to attend college and get decent- paying jobs. This experience led her to become passionate about helping first-generation college students. Linda learned about LEAD Scholars through her work on the Parent & Family Leadership Council. Linda’s son Zach, age 23, graduated from SCU in 2020 with a BS in Computer Science & Engineering and completed his Master’s work at SCU in Engineering Leadership & Management in 2021.

Linda also has two daughters, ages 21 and 19. She spends her free time doing remote volunteer work for an adjunct cancer care center in the Chicago area called The Wellness House, walking her dogs, reading and traveling.

Biography

Having attended both a Jesuit high school and Santa Clara, Quinn is grateful for the role SCU played in providing a holistic and morals-based education. He is eager to give back to the programs that make the university so special. As a 2021 SCU alumni and Career Launch Academy mentor, he has been impressed by the LEAD Scholars Program's role in providing support and professional development opportunities to first-generation students at SCU. Quinn is excited to continue his involvement with the program as an Advisory Board member, primarily supporting strategic fundraising initiatives. Originally from Chicago, he currently resides in Washington DC and works at Bain & Company, a consulting firm. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering, spending time with friends and family, and exploring coffee shops.

Biography

Ashley Dunn is the Associate Director for the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program at Stanford University. The mission of CTSA Program is to transform clinical, translational research and education at Stanford University to make it more effective at discovering and implementing data-driven strategies to serve the health needs of individuals and the population. As a LEAD alum, Ashley is committed to supporting the recruitment/retention and academic achievement of marginalized, under-represented students in LEAD and beyond. With her background in Public Health, she is particularly interested in working to expand the diversity of health professionals and research workforce in research/medicine.

At Santa Clara University, Ashley is an adjunct lecturer for the LEAD Scholars Program. She teaches a course titled Lead 22: Exploring Graduate School that helps students gain insight into how to research and successfully apply to graduate school, as well as explore the graduate school experience. Students are also provided with an overview of graduate school options in addition to tackling writing the personal statement for identified schools of interest.

Originally from Maryland, she was an undergraduate at Santa Clara University and received her Masters of Public Health in Health Education and Promotion from University of Southern California. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Translational Health Sciences at George Washington University. Her research will focus on understanding the complex interplay between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and biopsychosocial factors of pain to better understand the specific nature and magnitude of risk that ACEs may have on the development and/or maintenance of adolescent/young adult chronic pain.

 

Biography

Oscar Lopez earned his  bachelor’s and master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Santa Clara University.  He currently works as a Mechanical Design Engineer in the consumer product industry, and before that he spent 11 years in the semiconductor industry where he  focused on the mechanical design of semiconductor equipment.

While at Santa Clara University, Oscar was fortunate to be a LEAD scholar, and is  happy to see how much the program has grown over the years. He feels honored and is excited to serve on the LEAD Advisory Board. He hopes to bring a different perspective as a LEAD alum and to play a part in growing LEAD to reach and help more first-generation students.  Oscar is also involved as a professional mentor for the Career Launch Academy.  

Whenever possible, Oscar likes to volunteer and pay forward all of the help he got from mentors, teachers and others when he was in school. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, especially if Carne Asada and coffee is involved. His hobbies include tending to his reef aquarium, tinkering with designs and  3D printing them, and enjoying a good basketball or soccer game.

 

Biography

A fifth-generation Californian, Annamarie graduated from SCU in '91 with a BA and in '92 with an Elementary Teaching Credential. Her career included teaching 1st-5th grades in both the Redwood City School District and Cupertino Union School District. Annamarie returned to SCU in '97 for graduate school and she completed her MA in Education in '98.

 

She will always be grateful to Santa Clara University for helping to instill an ethical and moral compass which has helped guide her decisions in life. She was originally drawn to Silicon Valley for its diverse population and the community’s intellectual curiosity and optimism.

 

Annamarie's love of education, desire to inspire students and connect people has brought her to the LEAD Scholars Program. She is excited to help support students' academic success, engagement at SCU and help launch their vocational opportunities. Annamarie's family are long-time puppy raisers for Canine Companions of Santa Rosa and she is an active volunteer at her children's school.

 

Biography

 

Biography

Thai-Huy (Thai) Nguyen is a proud Bronco from the class of 2005! He was raised in the Bay Area and is the first in his family to earn a postsecondary degree. Thai is a policy researcher for the RAND Corporation, where he conducts research in the areas of education policy, postsecondary student success, and workforce development. Prior to his current role, Thai was an assistant professor of education at Seattle University, a Jesuit institution in the Pacific Northwest. He received his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. 

Biography

Born in El Salvador, Tito Rosa came to the United States as a young child. In 2002, Tito moved from Compton, California to attend Santa Clara University.  In 2006, Tito graduated from Santa Clara University with a degree in Business Management and a double Minor in Spanish/International Business. As a first-generation immigrant and the first person in his family to attend college, Tito understands first hand the impact and importance that a student support program such as LEAD Scholars can have on the short- and long-term success of an individual.

Tito has spent his entire career so far at Enterprise Holdings, where he began as an intern and moved his way up to Regional Manager. Tito spent 13 years in the San Francisco Group overseeing various operations, including the San Francisco Airport. In 2018, he was promoted to oversee all franchise operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

As part of the Advisory Board, Tito will bring his perspective, resources and support to students and alumni, while also working to secure funding for future plans.  Tito hopes to inspire and mentor students, with his goal being to connect with current students and help them navigate the challenges that first-generation college students may face. He is passionate about helping others create opportunity for themselves and find a successful path in life.

 

Biography

Rob Scholla, S.J. is a native of Los Angeles.  Before entering the Society of Jesus, he did undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Southern California and graduate work in Education at the University of California in Berkeley.

As a Jesuit, he obtained his M.A. in Mediaeval Philosophy from Fordham University and later spent seven years working and studying in Rome where he completed his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, specializing in the area of Fundamental Theology.

In addition to teaching in a number of Jesuit secondary schools, he has had the opportunity to teach here at Santa Clara, the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Loyola Marymount University.  Currently, Fr. Scholla is a faculty member in the Religious Studies Department at Santa Clara University. He is also the Director of Catholic Studies Program, and the Faculty Director of Loyola Residence Hall.

 

Biography

Lisa is the CEO of Vector Laboratories, Inc., a standalone Private Equity-backed company. Prior to being CEO, Lisa was the COO of Vector, a business within Maravai LifeSciences. With over 20 years of experience, Lisa is an accomplished general manager and commercial executive. Prior to Maravai, Lisa was VP of Marketing at 10x Genomics where she transformed the organization through people and processes to sustain high growth. From 2005-2018, Lisa led global PCR reagent and instrumentation businesses within Applied Biosystems, Life Technologies and then Thermo Fisher Scientific. Under her leadership, the businesses grew faster than market, resulted in 30+ new product launches and introduced new manufacturing capabilities to significantly improve profitability. While at Thermo Fisher, Lisa also led a B2B sales channel to supply and out-license genetic analysis products and IP to molecular diagnostic partners. 

 

Lisa received her doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Santa Clara University.  Lisa has a passion for helping women and minorities navigate their career journeys.  In Lisa’s free time, she enjoys giving back to the community, serving on several boards within the education sector.  Lisa has served on the San Jose State University Master in Biotechnology advisory board since 2009.  In January 2021, Lisa joined the Board of Directors at the all-girls high school, Notre Dame Belmont.  Most recently, Lisa joined the advisory board for the LEAD Scholar Program at Santa Clara University.

 

Biography

Jen Stirling partnered with Dr. Erin Kimura-Walsh to drive support for LEAD Scholars and causes across campus, while serving in various roles in the SCU Development Office from 2010 to 2022. In February 2022, she began a new position as Associate Vice President of Development / Executive Director of Campaigns at San Jose State University. She is thrilled and honored to be a champion for LEAD Scholars as Advisory Board Co-Chair. Jen graduated  from Santa Clara University with a BA in Liberal Studies and a BS in Psychology in 2006 and an MA in Interdisciplinary Education in 2008.

Biography

Theresa Sueoka lives in Salt Lake City, UT, where she was born and raised.  She is a first-generation college student, who graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Communications, and a J.D. from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.  Along with being involved with other non-profits as a community volunteer, she is a member of the SCU Parent and Family Leadership Council and learned about the LEAD Scholars program through her work there.  A past primary and secondary classroom volunteer, Theresa understands the importance and need for a structured support system for first generation students as they move to undergraduate education.  She believes the guided mentoring and emotional support provided by the LEAD Scholars program during college, creates a foundation for future successes in life after college.

Theresa enjoys Ikebana, traveling, cooking and spending time with family and friends. 

Her son, Maxwell, age 23, graduated from SCU in 2020 with a BS in Finance, and in 2021 with a Master’s in Finance and Analytics.  Her son, Josef, age 21, is in the Class of 2023 and a double major in Communications and Art. 

 

Biography

Kristina is a Santa Clara alum (’90) and a San Francisco Bay Area native.

Kristina has enjoyed a 27-year career in biotech startups. She credits her Santa Clara education for how far she has traveled into the business of scientific discovery. Kristina has led teams in finance and lab operations, from facility buildouts to large pharma M&A transactions. What she treasures the most, is that she was fortunate enough to learn from brilliant scientific minds in Silicon Valley.

Kristina was the first person in her family to attend a four-year university. Kristina’s mom immigrated from Quito, Ecuador, and her dad is a 2^nd generation San Francisco Fireman. Kristina knows how important a LEAD program can be. At SCU in the late ‘80s, it was a meeting with the SCU Office of Chicano Affairs/Chicano Student Resources that transformed how she valued her college and later career experiences.  Now she volunteers and writes screenplays full-time.

Biography

Martell graduated from SCU in 2013 with a degree in Economics. He currently works as an FP&A Business Partner at a digital healthcare startup and previously held finance roles at Security and Networking companies. While at SCU, Martell benefited from being a LEAD scholar, a member of Igwebuike, and participated in SCU’s club and intramural sports. Recently, he relocated from the Bay Area to Seattle, WA, with his wife Rachel, whom he met during LEAD week! He is very excited to give back through LEAD and looks forward to contributing to the program. Martell enjoys reading, bowling, exploring new places, sci-fi/fantasy, and martial arts.

Biography

Rachel graduated from SCU in 2011 with a degree in Communication. With over 10 years of experience in fundraising, primarily at the children’s hospital at Stanford, she currently works at an independent school in Seattle. Originally from the Bay Area, she recently relocated to Seattle with her husband, Martell, whom she met during LEAD week many moons ago! Rachel is excited to give back to LEAD as a member of the Advisory Board. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, trying new foods, and spending time with her new puppy.

Biography

Tennyson Jones graduated from Santa Clara University in the Class of 2014, earning his Bachelor of Theatre Arts with a Minor in Urban Education. At Santa Clara, Tennyson was involved as an Orientation Leader, Student Ambassador, and was awarded the "Student Life" Award upon graduation. He utilized his degree to help start SCU's volunteer program with Teatro Catalina, an arts education non-profit in Nicaragua. Since graduating from SCU, Tennyson has spent 10 years working for Netflix as a corporate entertainment recruiter and founder/leader of the LGBTQ+ employee resource group Pride@Netflix. Throughout his time at Netflix, Tennyson has begun to move into a focus on Emerging Talent - a team created to build internship opportunities for historically underrepresented students. He is thrilled to lend his educational and professional passions to help elevate the experience of the next generation of LEAD students.