BOARD BIOGRAPHIES
Paul Bocanegra
he/him
Paul Bocanegra is the cofounder of Reevolution Group, a human rights watch officer for the Children's Division of Human Rights Watch, and a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Paul was sentenced to life without parole when he was 16 years old and served more than 25 years in adult prison. He describes himself as a survivor of Juvenile LWOP and the California prison system. Today Paul works to reform the juvenile criminal justice system by sharing his experiences and struggles within the juvenile and adult systems and institutions.
Hector Camacho
he/him
Hector Camacho is the Vice President of Workforce Development and Dean of Admissions at Reach University .Proudly descended from generations of workers and organizers, Mr. Camacho also serves as community leader in the fight for greater access to education, healthcare, and economic and environmental justice. He currently serves as a trustee on the San Mateo County Board of Education where he was elected by his colleagues to three consecutive terms as board president (2018-2021). He also serves as Past President of the San Mateo County School Boards Association, Vice President of the California County Boards of Education, and a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Education Inclusion Council.
James Coleman
he/him
James Coleman currently serves as a Councilmember for the City of South San Francisco. He is a lifelong resident of South San Francisco, attending Ponderosa Elementary, Alta Loma Middle School, and South San Francisco High School. After graduating, James went on to Harvard University where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology with a minor in Government. James has interned at Bayer Berkeley and worked at a neuroscience lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has also been an organizer involved with the Alliance for Climate Education, the Harvard Undergraduates for Environmental Justice, and Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard.
James was elected in 2020, becoming the city’s youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ member of the City Council. He is passionate about improving early childhood education, addressing climate change, and making South City a safe, affordable, and enjoyable place to live.
Eddie Flores
he/him
With longtime roots in the community and a lifelong commitment to service, Eddie Flores was appointed to the South San Francisco City Council in 2021 and elected to represent District 5 in November 2022.
Previously Eddie was elected to the South San Francisco Unified School District Board of Trustees at-large in November 2018. He served as Board President in 2020-2021. He previously served as delegate at-large for the California School Boards Association (CSBA) and the California Latino School Boards Association (CLSBA).
He currently serves as vice-chair of the San Mateo Council of Cities, and on the Board of Peninsula Division of CA League of Cities; San Mateo Leadership Council; Commute.Org; and the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula.
Maurice Goodman
he/him
Maurice Goodman currently serves as Vice Mayor of the City of Millbrae and was elected in November 2022. He previously served on the San Mateo Community College Board, where he was elected in November 2015, and served as Board President in 2019. Trustee Goodman became the first African American to serve on the Board and, as a former student leader and product of the District, brings a unique perspective to the already progressive and student-centered team. He is a father and husband and worked as a legal paraprofessional for nearly a decade before turning to a career in educational leadership and youth development.
After completing degrees in Administration of Justice and Paralegal Studies at Skyline College, Trustee Goodman went on to California State University, East Bay, and received a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Working as an educator, I was elected to two terms of office on the South San Francisco Unified School District Board of Trustees and served as President twice. Trustee Goodman's volunteer experience includes work with the Red Cross, South San Francisco Host Lions Club, North San Mateo County Boys & Girls Club, and Operation Genesis. He is a passionate advocate for all students, focusing on our community's underserved students and families.
Dana Johnson
they/them
Dana TherActivist Johnson, MSW is a transgender non-binary community activist, Author, documentary filmmaker, DEI&B specialist, and Professional Development trainer. Dana’s an Author and Filmmaker of the memoir, TherActivist: They/ Them/ Theirs, a narrative embracing Identity, Intersectionality, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging. The TherActivist embodies a "therapeutic activism" approach, while servicing and empowering people of color, LGBTQI+ communities, and marginalized populations.
Dana serves as a LGBTQIA+ Commissioner, PRIDE Initiative co-chair, and Board Member of CoastPride LGBTQ+ Center for the County of San Mateo.
Dana has 16 years experience counseling and servicing justice involved youth for the San Mateo County Probation department. They are motivated in assisting in the implementation of inclusive policies and protocols; and passionate about providing LGBTQI+ equity services, social justice services, and activism to marginalized communities.
Andy Lie
he/him
Andrew Lie is the President of the Board of Trustees of the Jefferson Union High School District, having served on the Board since 2015. He is a board member of Peninsula for Everyone, and also serves as a board member of the REACH Coalition. He has been an active parent and community volunteer in Pacifica, having served on the PTO boards of his children's schools and the Spindrift School for Performing Arts. He also coached his children in youth baseball and soccer for many years. He works as Director of Finance for the San Francisco office of Perkins&Will, an international architecture firm. He and his wife Page have been Pacifica residents for 25 years and have two adult children.
Ever Rodriguez
he/him
Ever has been a resident of North Fair Oaks (NFO) for over 25 years, and has been doing community work for over 20 years with various Bay Area non-profit organizations, including the Green Branch Library (which provided social justice library materials for children), El Tecolote (San Francisco’s oldest bilingual newspaper), the Stanford-Puente-Pescadero project (a Stanford School of Education interpretation program for immigrants in Pescadero, CA), and the Climate Ready North Fair Oaks collaborative effort to advance equity and environmental justice.
Ever has served the North Fair Oaks Council since 2015 and has been the Chairman for four years. His education includes an MA in Library & Information Science from San Jose State University, and he works for the Stanford University Libraries. He is part of the Bay Area’s letterpress printing community, and part of a traditional Mexican music coalition with members from all over the Bay Area who support cultural events and activism. Through his community activism, Ever is working to improve marginalized communities’ quality of life and enhancing opportunities for advancement in education, health, labor, housing, emergency preparedness, the environment, and other essential human needs.
Kalimah Salahuddin
she/her
Kalimah Salahuddin currently serves as the Vice President of the Jefferson Union High School District Board of Education. She is a Past President of the San Mateo County School Boards Association (SMCSBA) where she served for two years and continues to serve as an area representative. At the County level, she served on the COVID-19 Recovery Council and is one of the founding members of the REACH Coalition, an advocacy group made up of elected officials and community leaders of color to increase equity and community health for all. She also currently serves on the Board of the Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County, Caminar, and previously served as a Board Member for Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco where she has been a regular site volunteer. She is currently employed at Exelixis as the DEI Community Programs Manager and is a mother to three wonderful adults.
Cecilia Taylor
she/her
Cecilia Taylor is the Vice Mayor for the City of Menlo Park. She is a social justice advocate, community organizer, and non-profit founder. She served as the Mayor of Menlo Park in 2020, the second from her community in 35 years. Cecilia founded the non-profit Belle Haven Action to drive equitable outcomes for her community. She is tireless in her efforts on environmental justice and community health and wellness hrough her service on the Umoja Heath for San Mateo County, the UCSF Long Covid Advisory Board, the Stanford Community Health Council (2022-2025), the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and on the boards of many non-profits.
Lisa Tealer
she/her
Lisa Tealer serves as the Executive Director of the Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council(www.bachac.org ), a community health based organization focused on eliminating health disparities in diverse communities across generations in San Mateo County. BACHAC has an inclusive approach to this work by partnering with several organizations through health education, connection to resources and advocacy. Prior to this role, Lisa spent 30+ years in the biotech industry in technical and management roles supporting clinical trials and manufacturing processes and in human resources roles specifically managing a wide range of diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives. She continues to consult in the diversity, inclusion and equity space as a Senior Associate with J. Mattox & Associates, (www.jmattoxandassociates.com) a consulting firm that offers customized services and expertise to partner with organizations in creating inclusive, equitable and diverse workplaces. She has facilitated sessions on diversity, inclusion, racial equity and allyship for several non-profit, healthcare and government organizations.
Rosie Tejada
she/her
Rosie Tejada is a first generation Filipino-American and proud mom of two. Since 2014, she has served on the Jefferson Union High School District Board of Trustees. She currently serves on the County Committee for School District Organization, and is on the Executive Board of the San Mateo County School Boards Association. She was heavily involved in PTA at both her children's schools from elementary school through high school, and helped pass funding measures for the JUHSD and other local school districts. In 2016 she was awarded the Asian and Pacific Islander Hero of San Mateo County Mind, Body, and Soul award and in 2022 received a PCT Honors Award for serving the San Mateo Coastside community.
Shara Watkins
she/her
Shara Watkins is currently the Vice President for the San Mateo - Foster City School District. She has dedicated her life to education and to the students in her local communities. After graduating from Wellesley College, she participated in the Teach for America program in New York City. During this time, she earned her Master’s degree in Childhood General and Special Education. Over the past twelve years, she has been a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and curriculum designer. Shara has lead extensive teacher training on a variety of topics, from equity in education to using technology as a tool to improve student learning. In August 2013, Shara and her husband moved to San Mateo and have finally found their home. Since moving to Bay Meadows, she has been actively involved in serving and supporting her community. As a SMFCSD School Board Trustee, she looks forward to continuing to give back to the students, families, teachers, and San Mateo-Foster community in a way that leverages her expertise and continues the trajectory of excellent schools for all kids.
Ligia Andrade Zuniga
she/her
Ligia Andrade Zúñiga, M.P.A. currently serves as the Vice President for the San Mateo Union High School District. She believes that education opens the path to opportunity. She has dedicated her focus on educating, advocating for, and empowering individuals with disabilities and young people of color around higher education, reproductive health rights, civil rights, and disability justice. For over 20 years she has served on many commissions, boards, and committees such as the San Mateo County Commission on the Status of Women, Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of San Mateo County, San Mateo County Health Commission, California State Independent Living Council, and the San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities. Ligia holds a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Administration and Counseling, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California. Ligia is a parent of two graduates of the SMUHSD and resides in San Mateo.