Family Advisory Board

The Family Advisory Board (FAB) is a 24 member group of volunteer San Jose State University parents and supporters, established in 2016 to work with the Department of Student Affairs to enhance student success. FAB members volunteer at SJSU events and assist the University in its outreach efforts, as well as network and conduct parent/family surveys that help us focus on the most important issues for students and their families. Representative Liaisons work with individual departments within the University to help the Board make informed recommendations from the unique perspective of family supporters.

How can I get involved?

We have multiple ways for family members to be involved!

Apply Today!

We are currently accepting Family Advisory Board (FAB) Member applications for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Complete this form to apply to be a member of our Family Advisory Board

Additionally, you can apply to join our Spartan Family Volunteers. Spartan Family Volunteers are parents and supporters of SJSU students who assist at new student and family events at SJSU. We are continuously looking for new volunteers to assist our SJSU students and families!

Complete this form to apply to be a Spartan Family Volunteer

If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about these opportunities, please email us at [email protected].

Purpose

The Family Advisory Board will:

Provide advice and counsel in long-range planning for the University and Department activities, programs, and services.
Solicit and provide immediate feedback to the University regarding programs and student activities to enhance and improve the student experience.
Aid in the formulation and promotion of goals and objectives for the Department which will be communicated to Parents and Supporters.
Encourage and support maximum parent and supporter involvement in the activities of the Department and other University events.
Guide and provide feedback on communication between the University and Parents and Supporters
Assist the University in identifying and cultivating Parents, Supporters, and others to support the mission of the University.

Click here to read the FAB Constitution and Bylaws. [pdf]

2023-2024 Family Advisory Board Event Calendar [pdf]

FAB News

2023-2024 Family Advisory Board Members

Chair: Stacy Percell, Ed.D. (2021-Present)

Stacy Percell, Ed.D.

Dr. Stacy Percell is a mother of two daughters and a stepmother to two daughters, two of whom are attending SJSU currently as Juniors. Her passions include family, education, research, gardening, and painting. She is currently an Executive Leadership Coach with a County Office of Education near where she lives, and has been a School Principal and District Assistant Superintendent previous to her current work. Stacy received her Master’s Degree in Special Education and her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Curriculum & Instruction. She has teaching experience in the General Education setting and Special Education at the elementary level and secondary level. Stacy decided to apply to the Family Advisory Board because she wants to give back by volunteering and helping in areas that she is passionate about like Special Education and Education for English Learners. She currently resides in Clovis, California with her husband, and is so excited for the FAB experience this year with SJSU.

Vice Chair: Jim Schulze (2022-Present)

Jim is an Orange County resident and thrilled his son is enrolled at San José State as a sophomore majoring in Political Science. Jim has spent his career as an executive in the foodservice industry, culminating in serving as President/CEO of a foodservice supply company. Currently Jim is President/COO of a data technology company and leads a Vistage group as a Chair. Besides working, Jim has 2 daughters attending Santa Margarita Catholic High School and is married to Susan. Jim is the President and founder of the Santa Margarita Dad’s Club and also works on several corporate boards. Jim is an avid cyclist, both road and mountain bikes, and leads many local rides in the southern California area. Jim is a graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy.

Secretary: Annie Kwong (2021 - Present)

Annie Kwong Annie is grateful to have the opportunity to serve on the FAB. Her unbridled enthusiasm for community, and ensuring that the voices of those members are heard are what bring her here. Event coordination, project management, and relationship building are what she enjoys most. Prior to joining FAB, she dedicated her energy to creating and supporting programs at her 4 kids’ schools (Eastin, IVCMS & JLHS), and their competition teams (TruDance, JLHS Choir, UCALL). As a former collegiate adviser and regional officer for Alpha Phi for 15 years, she has a special affinity for clubs and organizations, and Associated Students, both of which will be her focus as a FAB member. Annie’s Spartan is Kaili, English ‘25. She is also mom to Ryan, Kiana, and Melody, and has been married to her college sweetheart, Stan, for over 20 years. She holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Cal State University Hayward (now East Bay) and works for Genentech, where she is also involved in community activities and diversity labs. In what spare time she has, she enjoys concerts, musical theatre, and watching her kids' performances.

Spartan Family Volunteers Coordinator: Robin Pang-Maganaris, Ed.D. (2022-Present)

Dr. Robin Pang-Maganaris is a retired educator who was a school principal for 14 years and an elementary teacher for 16 years in the Bay Area. SJSU played a significant role in Robin's life as an educator as she obtained both her Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential and a M.A. in Elementary Education from SJSU. She also holds a B.S. in Psychology from Santa Clara University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice from Cal State East Bay. Robin is Belmont City Council Member since January 2023. Robin and her husband, Gary, have two children, Kelsey and Steven. Kelsey is a special education teacher for children with moderate to severe needs. Steven is currently attending SJSU majoring in Aviation -- Professional Flight. Steven is expected to graduate in 2026.

Events Coordinator: Nanette Hamilton (2020-Present)

Nanette Hamilton Nanette is a long-time Bay Area resident having moved here in 1986. She has strong ties to the community serving in a number of positions in Parent Teacher Association (PTA) for her sons’ schools as well as many years serving on the board of local youth sports organizations. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from the University of Oregon. After moving to San Jose, she met and married her husband; a San Jose State alum. Ever since then she has split her collegiate allegiances between the Spartans and the Ducks. Now, her son is a Spartan in the Computer Science program and class of 2024. She looks forward to serving the SJSU community and supporting our students and families through FAB. In her free time she continues to support local youth sports organizations and enjoys traveling, hiking,reading and crafting.

Anne Krajewski Harbert (2022-Present)

Anne is a proud parent of a San Jose State Sophomore Football player...Go Spartans! She is a native of San Francisco where she’s been active in the community both personally and professionally for many years. Anne has sat on numerous non-profit boards including being the PTA President for two SFUSD schools, George Peabody Elementary School and Roosevelt Middle School. She has a passion for making sure our children have every opportunity afforded to them throughout their educational careers to ensure all students reach their maximum potential in life. Professionally, Anne has been at Salesforce for the past 8 years holding positions in Partner Marketing, Global Partner Events and Executive Communications. Prior to joining Salesforce, she worked for Oracle, e-Travel, and Taleo holding positions in Marketing, Events and Sales Operations. She currently resides in San Francisco with her family.

Lisa Ball (2016-Present)

Lisa Ball grew up in San Jose and graduated from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. After 20 years of creating business graphics for Silicon Valley companies, she moved to Sunol, CA to raise a family in a rural community. She was very involved with the local k-8 public school for the 14 years her children attended. Her son, a 2020 graduate in Software Engineering, chose SJSU because it's in the heart of Silicon Valley. Her daughter is a Theatre Arts major expecting to graduate in 2024.

Mariana Garcia Serrato (2018-Present)

Mariana Born and raised in Mexico City, Mariana graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry from Universidad La Salle, and worked in the pharmaceutical industry for several years before moving to California. After being a full-time parent to her two children for a while, and volunteering in their classrooms, she decided that she could best effect change in the educational system by becoming a teacher herself and obtained a teaching credential from SJSU in 2010. She currently teaches middle school science in San Jose and finds joy in making her content available to her students in a variety of ways. Mariana’s two children attend SJSU. Her son is pursuing a Masters in Teaching and Teaching Credential, aiming to graduate in 2024. Her daughter is pursuing a degree in animation and is expected to graduate in 2024 with a BFA in Animation and Illustration.

Joanne Marchione (2020-Present)

Joanne As the inaugural international representative on the Family Advisory Board, Joanne was born, raised and lives in Melbourne, Australia. She graduated from RMIT University in Medical Radiations and further post graduate studies in Ultrasonography. After 10 years in her chosen career, she stepped away to become a ‘stay-at-home’ mum. Joanne took on various volunteer positions during her children’s schooling, from Pre-School President to fundraising coordinator for Jesuit Missions. Joanne was an avid executive member of multiple parent associations. Her son, Nick, is an international student athlete on the Water polo team at SJSU, majoring in Anthropology.

Padma Uppalapati (2021 - Present)

Padma Uppalapati Portrait Picture Padma is an engineering team leader, building software solutions for service providers in 5G networks. She Is a passionate problem-solver and a people person in both her professional and volunteering roles. She is dedicated to driving various enrichment education programs in STEM for both neurodiverse and neurotypical students. Over the years she has held various volunteer leadership positions promoting programs including Challenge Based Learning through Destination Imagination competition, Computational Thinking, and Girl Scouts. Additionally, she is mentoring several college students to succeed in their college studies, career exploration and early careers. Her daughter Sriya is a freshman as a business major in the class of 2025.

Gina Boomershine (2022-Present)

Gina Gina is the proud mom of Jacob, who is a SJSU majoring in Industrial Design in the class of 2026. She is a physical therapist and helps direct a Bay-Area Rehabilitation Center. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking and drinking coffee. She lives in San Jose with her husband and little dog Dobby. Jacob's older sister, Zoe, graduated from UC Davis in 2022.

Tina Bhatia (2022-Present)

Tina Bhatia Tina was born and raised in India, and she has received a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Tina has held several managerial positions in India before moving to New Jersey in 2002. While in NJ, her work experience was in the banking field. After becoming a full time mother, she decided to take a break from corporate life. When Tina moved to California in 2006, she joined the Pleasanton Mother’s Club first as a member. Wanting to be more involved, she took a board position, initially as a treasurer and then went on to become the Co-Director of the club. Tina and her husband Pradip, have two wonderful children, a boy, Karan, who is a Sophomore at SJSU (Business) and a daughter, Miraya, who is a 5th grader. She actively volunteers as a room parent at her daughter’s school. She was the Secretary of the Parent Faculty Club 2021-22 and is the current President of the Club. She is also a Girl Scout Troop Leader. Tina is on the board of her daughter’s School Site Council. Her current work is in Special Education. Her hobbies include going for walks, traveling to new destinations, and cooking. As a new board member Tina is looking forward to contributing towards the board’s goals and vision. Spartan Up!

Soofia Inayat (2022-Present)

Soofia Soofia holds an MBA and Graphic Design degrees and is a Mobile App leader in the supply chain risk management industry. She has a passion for design and loves creating meaningful experiences for customers. She is a long-time resident of the bay area and is always looking for opportunities to contribute to the area's success. Soofia is delighted to be part of FAB working with SJSU to make the university an unforgettable experience for students and families.

DJ Saxena (2023 - Present)

DJ Saxena DJ is a proud father of two strong and independent daughters; the older one works for Adobe, and the younger one is a sophomore at SJSU. Originally from New Delhi, India, DJ has been living and working in Northern California for about 20 years. He holds an MS and an MBA from UC Davis. Coming from an educators' family, DJ has been passionate about education. He has sat on parents' advisory boards, and has run several voluntary education programs for the underprivileged in Northern India. He also enjoys coaching students applying for graduate programs, or looking for research opportunities.

Marina Onaca (2023 - Present)

Marina Onaca

Marina Onaca is the CEO and Founder of World Wide Cultural Exchange (WWCE) and LifeTRAVELED. These organizations provide global skill-building experiences to over 2,000 individuals and organizations in the United States and more than 35 countries every year. They achieve this by implementing public diplomacy and international exchange programs in close partnership with the U.S. Department of State. Marina has dedicated her career to international education and business, driven by a deep passion for connecting cultures, people, and ideas. She is renowned for her ability to develop, implement, and manage bold organizational transitions and for her capacity to help individuals and organizations realize their full potential.

Marina spent the early part of her life abroad, which gave her a unique perspective on cross-cultural experiences. She believes direct involvement in a foreign culture leads to faster language development and a deeper cultural understanding. This was the founding principle of her organization. Through years of experience in program development and implementation, diverse staff training, supervision, broad-scale implementation, and marketing of programs overseas, Marina has established solid relationships in the U.S. and abroad. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Alliance for International Exchange and the Parent Advisory Board for Oaks Christian School in Westlake Village, CA. She is also the VP of the College Project for the PTK ALPHA NU XI Honor Chapter and is a member of NAFSA, ACA, WYSE, and SHRM.

Matt Jenkins (2023 - Present)

Matt Jenkins has served in a variety of leadership assignments in the US Army. Colonel Jenkins currently serves as the Chief of Operations for the 63rd Readiness Division. He formerly served as assistant professor, and Director of Strategic Leadership in a Global Environment at the United States Army War College. He has taught numerous leadership courses as an assistant professor of Military Science at Western Illinois University. Matt holds an A.A from Marion Military Institute, B.S. in Education from Indiana University, M.A. in Public Administration from Indiana State University, and an M.A. in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. He is currently attending St. Catherine University completing an Associate of Applied Science degree in the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) program. Matt and his wife Yuko reside in Mountain View, California with their youngest daughter Malinda, a junior in high school, and their oldest daughter LeAnn, a freshman at SJSU.