Board Members
KENDRA JONES
Board Chair
Bio pending
farnaz pardasani
Secretary
Farnaz Pardasani is an active parent of three children across the Los Alamitos Unified School District. She has had a long history with LAEF – first as parent enrolling her children in LAEF after school programs, soon after as a founding member of the LAEF Leadership Circle, and now serving as a Board member.
For almost a decade, she has been an active leader with the District and especially at McGaugh Elementary. She has served in a variety of leadership roles within the McGaugh PTA and has been an active contributor (and creator of) several programs and key initiatives on campus. Farnaz has always been a strong advocate for LAEF after school and STEM programs.
Farnaz worked as an executive consultant for IBM (and prior to that, Deloitte Consulting) leading large-scale transformation projects, organizational redesign efforts, and leadership development programs for the management teams of many large multi-national corporations. She has a Masters in Industrial Organizational Psychology from the University of Colorado.
Farnaz is excited to bring her passion for academic excellence, drive for community engagement, dedication to student success and her experience as a business leader and management consultant to support the LAEF Leadership Team in continuing and extending our support for the children of our community.
Felicia Gonzalez
Immediate Past Chair
Felicia Gonzalez is the proud parent of two boys in the Los Alamitos Unified School District. She currently serves as Vice Chair on the LAEF board and has been an advocate and supporter of LAEF for over 7 years, since her eldest son started taking after-school classes in kindergarten. She has always believed the quality of the LAEF classes and variety of subjects, combined with the high caliber of the teachers, have helped her children develop more of a love for STEAM and other fun and enriching subjects such as coding and Spanish.
Education and learning are important to Felicia as evidenced by her undergraduate degree in marketing from Whittier College and her Masters degree in Communication Management from San Jose State.
Professionally, Felicia is a local Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. She brings a wealth of knowledge also in marketing from her over 15 years of experience in retail marketing, brand management, and franchise marketing in the restaurant and consumer packaged goods industries.
She currently serves on the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce board and previously served on the board of the Okizu Foundation’s Art Inspiring Hope annual gala. She has held multiple volunteer positions at Hopkinson Elementary including Carnival Chair, Box Tops Chair, and Communications Secretary on the PTA Board.
Felicia is married to her college sweetheart and they live in Seal Beach with their two sons. She loves spending time with family and friends, hiking, traveling, yoga, and has been focused on trying to improve her golf game.
Matt herrick
Vice Chair
Matt Herrick is a resident of Rossmoor and a proud parent of three children currently in district at Weaver Elementary and one who graduated from Los Alamitos High School in 2021. He is dedicated advocate for community involvement and a passionate supporter of educational initiatives in the Los Alamitos area. As a former King of the Los Alamitos Education Foundation, he has played a vital role in advancing the foundation’s mission to enhance educational opportunities for students in our district.
Professionally, Matt is the Executive Vice President & Chief Revenue Officer for Financial Partners Credit Union. His role at Financial Partners includes overseeing the Retail Banking, Lending, Marketing, Insurance/Investments teams for the Credit Union and he brings with him over 25 years of experience in these area to the LAEF Board. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Business Administration from Arizona State University.
Matt has an extensive resume of giving back to the community he loves, as he has previously served on the Los Alamitos Hospital Board, Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce Board, Seal Beach Rotary Club and was the President of the Cypress Police Foundation Board.
In his free time, Matt enjoys spending quality time with his family and friends, attending his children’s sporting events, snowboarding, and attending Rams, Angels and Lakers games.
Matt is very excited about joining LAEF Board and is looking forward to working with the LAEF leadership team to make a difference for the kids in our district.
Troy yoshida
Treasurer
Troy Yoshida and his wife, Traci, are residents of Rossmoor where they live with their two daughters, Tamlyn and Torri, both of whom attend Los Alamitos schools. Yes, they’re all “T” names! Troy loves the Los Alamitos District community – he says that it’s a real community where everyone is super friendly and where neighbors are always willing to help their fellow neighbors. Troy is excited to join the LAEF Board and has always looked for ways to give back to the community he loves.
Troy Yoshida works as a CPA who has a wealth of experience that goes well beyond just taxes. He graduated from UCLA and has over 25 years of experience in tax, accounting and business. He began his accounting career during college by working two jobs; one where he prepared taxes and the other where he served as the corporate controller. After college, he moved on to a Big 6 accounting firm and worked in the tax & audit departments at Coopers & Lybrand. Subsequently, he moved into private industry and accepted CFO positions at a large law firm and startup internet companies. He also has extensive entrepreneurial experience as the previous owner of three companies specializing in marketing, entertainment and publishing.
When he’s not working, he enjoys watching his daughters play basketball and volunteering his time to support the basketball & community organizations that they belong to. As a family, they enjoy traveling to Hawaii to eat delicious food and relax on the beautiful beaches.
Leanne Voigt
Director
As the proud parent of three Los Alamitos Unified School District students, Leanne is happy to join the LAEF Board and looks forward to serving her local community. She always loved the after-school programs and science fairs her kids participated in over the years, but her real appreciation and passion for LAEF came during her years as Project SEEK President at McGaugh when collaborating to hire an art teacher there.
Leanne’s professional background is in the field of Organizational Development and Human Resources. She has worked for such companies as Toyota Motor Sales, St. Joseph Health System, and Sempra Energy. She is a certified facilitator of several leadership and management programs. Since starting her family, Leanne has focused her energy on volunteer work dedicated to children and families and has been heavily involved in PTA and Project SEEK, as well as organizations such as National Charity League Juniors and the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.
A graduate of UCSB with a BA in Psychology and an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from CSULB, Leanne understands the power of education, but knows teachers and administrators can’t do it alone. She believes it takes the partnership of programs like LAEF to help supplement the curriculum offered during the school day to provide the richest learning opportunities.
Leanne grew up in Long Beach and now lives in Seal Beach with her husband and children. She enjoys traveling, cooking, reading and spending time with her family.
Nilesh Vora
Director
Nilesh is a resident of Rossmoor and a parent of Alyna (8th grade at Oak), Shayla (5th grade at Weaver) and Kiyaan (1st grade at Weaver). He also is a proud graduate of Los Alamitos Elementary, McAuliffe Middle School and Los Alamitos High School. He credits his educational experience as a student as the main reason for establishing his own family’s journey within the school district.
Professionally, Nilesh was part of a very esteemed Baccalaureate MD program at USC allowing to complete his undergraduate and graduate education at this fine institution. He subsequently completed his training in internal medicine at Harbor-UCLA and Hematology/Oncology at the City of Hope before beginning his career in Long Beach. He now holds the distinguished title of being the Medical Director at the Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center for Memorial Care. He also is the Todd Family Endowed Chair for Oncology at Long Beach Memorial and the Chairman for Oncology across the Memorial Care Oncology Program.
One of Nilesh’s proudest career accomplishments is the establishment of a 501c3 charity named the Bucket List Project- a wonderful program designed to create memories for adults with terminal illnesses. He still sits on this community board and is wholly dedicated to creating unforgettable moments for his community’s patients.
In his free time, Nilesh enjoys sports of all types– working out at Orangetheory Fitness, playing tennis and pickleball or attending the latest local sporting event, supporting all Southern California sports teams.
Nilesh is very thrilled at being invited on to the LAEF Board and hopes to give back to the school district that first paved the way to his outstanding career.
board advisors
Dr. Andrew Pulver
Los Alamitos USD Superintendent
Pending
Emily Ledterman
Los Alamitos High School Wellness Counselor
Emily is the Wellness Counselor at Los Alamitos High School where she is fortunate to work in the incredible WellSpace, aka The Loft. Before she was a counselor, she was an elementary and middle school teacher in Orange Unified and then worked with education companies providing professional development for teachers. Emily holds a BS in Health Science, Multiple Subject credential, Computer and Technology credential, Health credential, Pupil Personnel Services credential, and MA in Education and in Counseling. She is a lifelong learner that never tires of finding new strategies to help others. She is so proud to work for Los Alamitos Unified and partner with LAEF to prioritize mental health and provide support and resources to our students, staff and community.
Emily grew up in Seal Beach and graduated along with her husband from Los Alamitos High School. Their three children (Abbie-CSULB, Parker-University of Utah, Colby-LAHS) have attended McGaugh, McAuliffe and Los Al High School where she was active in PTA, chaired McGaugh’s carnival and served as Project SEEK President at McGaugh for 2 years. She has been a member of National Charity League for the past 10 years and serves as the President of the Song and Cheer Booster Club. She has been married for 24 years and loves to spend time at the beach, Disneyland, on a lake or walking with her two golden doodles, Captain and Sailor.
Melissa Chambers
Lee Elementary School Teacher
Melissa is currently the STEAM Lab teacher at Lee Elementary School where she works with students in grades 1-5. Melissa began her teaching career in 1999 in Long Beach Unified and then transferred to Los Alamitos in 2002. Before taking the position of STEAM Lab teacher she worked as a classroom teacher with experience teaching in grades 1, 4, and 5. Melissa began teaching for LAEF in 2010 and has taught classes in both the after school program and the summer sessions, including Maker Club, Digital Storytelling, and Coding. She has organized and run the STEAM Fair for Lee Elementary since LAEF brought the event to the district in 2016. Melissa has a passion for teaching and helping students to connect with new technologies and each other through play and hands-on learning.
Melissa grew up in Seal Beach and graduated, along with her husband, from Los Alamitos High School. She received her BA in Liberal Studies and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from CSULB. Melissa’s twin boys, Ian and Evan, recently graduated from Los Alamitos High School, where she spent many hours volunteering for both the Marching Band and Show Choir programs. Her boys will be attending Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Maritime where they will study Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering.
When not teaching, Melissa loves to travel with her family, read, go for walks, and spend time with friends. She is excited about joining the LAEF team as the Elementary Staff Advisor and sharing their vision with the community.
Mairi Payne
Los Alamitos High School Senior
Mairi Payne is a dedicated student who began her academic journey at Hopkinson Elementary School, continued through Oak Middle School, and is now a senior at Los Alamitos High School. Her passion for music is evident in her active participation in the marching band, drumline, and concert band.
Beyond her musical talents, Mairi is deeply committed to community service. Since 6th grade, she has been a devoted volunteer with LAEF, a connection that began with her involvement in summer camps. Each summer, she spends over 100 hours volunteering for the Summer Enrichment Institute. Her dedication has now earned her the exciting opportunity to join the board as the Student Advisor, where she looks forward to making an even greater impact.
Joy Wadleigh
PTA Council Advisor
Bio Pending
emeritus Board Members
Dave Appling
Emeritus Board Member
David and his wife, Diane reside in Cypress, California. They lived in Los Alamitos from 1969 to 2002. David and his wife have owned and operated a family run Insurance Agency, Appling Insurance Services, Inc. located in Los Alamitos since 1976. Their 3 sons all attended Los Al Elementary, Pine Middle School and graduated from Los Alamitos High School. Two of their five grandchildren went to Lee Elementary, Oak Middle School and graduated from Los Alamitos High School.
David has been very active in the Los Alamitos community. He served as President of the Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) from 1995 to 2008. He was the President/Founder of the LAHS Football Foundation, raising over $180,000 to date in scholarship funds. He served on the Los Alamitos Youth Center Board from 1987-2011 and was President twice in 1992 and 1997/98. He was Director of the Rotary Interact Club at LAHS from 1983 to 1987 and was a member of both the LAHS Vocational Advisory Committee and LAUSD Advisory Council.
David was awarded Los Alamitos Chamber “Man of the Year” in 1994, Cypress College Americana “Citizen of the Year Los Alamitos 1999″ and Los Alamitos Museum “Citizen of the Year 2013.” David’s past affiliations include Coach/Board Member at St. Hedwig Little League/Pony/Colt/Thoroughbred League and LAYAA Football and Basketball Leagues.
For fun, David is the President/Founder of the “Finest Annual Trout Invitational Tournament” at Lake Crowley which started in 1984 and continues to the present. While 150-200 grandfathers, fathers and sons fish for 2 days, they also have raised money for various charities including Ronald McDonald House, Cancer Support Foundation, American Heart Association and the Los Alamitos Museum.
Theresa Blankenstein
Emeritus Board Member
Theresa is a proud LAUSD parent with two students in the district. Education and volunteering are very important to her, and she has served on the board of both her school PTA and the district PTA.
Theresa is a local family law attorney. Before moving to Rossmoor in 2003 with her family, she spent more than a decade working in legislation and government affairs in Michigan and Arizona. She has a B.A. in Elementary Education from Michigan State University, a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, and is a member of the State Bars of California, Arizona, and Michigan.
“I am so enthusiastic about our LAUSD district because parents, educators, administrators, and volunteers all work together with LAEF to provide amazing educational opportunities for our students.”
Randy Hill
Emeritus Board Member
Randy has been a resident of Los Alamitos for over 20 years, and he and his wife Diana raised their two sons in the community; both went to Rossmoor, on to Oak and then graduated from Los Al High. While raising his family in Los Al, Randy supported the community in many different ways including as President of LAYB, Los Al Football Booster President, Griffin Football Foundation, Board Member of CSMP, and he was also a two-time “Heroes of the Heart Award” Recipient. Randy and his wife Diana were also recently recognized as “Honored Citizens” by the Los Alamitos Museum.
While President of LAEF, Randy was dedicated to ensuring every student has enriching educational opportunities, and he continues to be very committed to growing LAEF into a sustainable nonprofit organization that continues to support the ongoing needs of the Los Alamitos Unified School District and its students. His belief is that all children deserve to have the educational opportunities they need in order to succeed in our District…and in life.
Randy is a Professional Real Estate Broker, with expertise in residential and multi-family homes. One of his favorite things to do is introduce new families into our wonderful community and school district. He is a wonderful “Ambassador” for the Los Alamitos area!
“We moved to Los Alamitos in search of the best schools available for our two sons. During our time here and my involvement as a result of being in the schools, coaching every sport and various other activities, it became apparent to me that our children truly have limitless potential. Given the time, attention and resources, there is nothing they can’t achieve. My sons have graduated and moved on, exceptionally well equipped for the world out there. It is an honor to be a part of LAEF and to share the mission of building and improving what has meant so much to us and our children.”
Brian Leibl
Emeritus Board Member
Bio pending
Sean Payne
Emeritus Board Member
As a local Edward Jones financial advisor in Seal Beach, Sean believes it’s important to invest his time to truly understand what people are working toward before they invest their time and their money. A big part of his job is to provide the most appropriate financial strategy for his clients and their families. In his work with LAEF, Sean utilizes the same thinking in his passion for expanding student enrichment here in the Los Alamitos school district. As an Emeritus Board Member, Sean helps LAEF strategically think through ideas and processes to ensure LAEF is making the optimal decisions for the students within our district.
During his career, Sean has served as field trainer, mentor, coach and consultant and has been honored with Edward Jones’ Client Service Excellence award for the past three years. He also received the AAMS professional designation in 2005 and the CFP® professional designation in 2008. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1998.
Sean is extremely active in our community, not only serving on the LAEF Board, but also on the Precious Life Shelter board, and he is Past President of the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/ Seal Beach. He believes that building relationships is key, and you can often find him greeting folks with a smile at LAEF events.
Sean and his awesome wife Amy have two daughters, both of which are proud LAUSD students! And all of the Paynes were born and raised in Orange County.
“One of the reasons we moved into this community was to provide our two girls with the outstanding education provided by the Los Alamitos school district. I am honored to be a part of LAEF and support our schools directly.”
Mike TanNourji
Emeritus Board Member
Mike is the proud parent of three amazing children. They keep him and especially his incredible wife Lorie very busy. Mike has been involved in numerous non-profits (Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Stand Up for Kids, UCI, Leadership Circle, United Way) over the years primarily by writing checks. He felt it was time to do more and is thrilled to be on the LAEF board, helping all of the children in the Los Alamitos Unified District. He grew up in Los Angeles and attended the Los Angeles Unified School District. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in Economics and is also a graduate of UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business where he earned his MBA in Finance and Marketing. He is passionate about the importance of education and the opportunities it can create for all children.
During his 25-year business development, sales, advertising and marketing career, Mike has distinguished himself as an innovative leader focused on developing exceptional client solutions. He has established a track record of delivering exceptional results in transformative environments. He has successfully built strong teams through a transparent and highly accountable leadership model.
In his current role, Mike leads Business Development for EY’s (Ernst & Young) Government and Public sector in the West region. In his prior position, Mike was Executive Vice President, Advertising for the Los Angeles Times Media Group (LATMG). He was responsible for revenue, strategy and development for the Los Angeles Times, latimes.com, cars.com and Times Community News (seven daily and weekly newspapers and websites); he also oversaw the Ad Operations and Advertiser Marketing functions.
He has previously held senior sales and marketing leadership roles with Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business Information Services and Onvia Inc. Mike feels very fortunate that he has been able to work in such great environments with such great brands and with such high quality people. He wants to bring what he’s learned in the private sector about excellence in business development, marketing and leadership to non-profits like LAEF.
Kim Baldwin
Emeritus Board Member
As a parent of a LAUSD student, Kim has always been deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of children in our community. She is active at a school volunteer level, but even more directly in her multiple impactful roles within the LAUSD over the years. Kim is the current Vice Chair of LAUSD’s Personnel Commission, and has been part of the Commission since 2014. As an active volunteer at the school level, Kim served on Hopkinson’s PTA Board from 2017 – 2019 as both corresponding and co-corresponding secretary, as well serving on several school-wide PTA committees. For her volunteer efforts over the years, the Hopkinson PTA honored Kim in 2019 with its Very Special Person Award. In addition, Kim was a founding Board Member and Secretary of The Friends of the CDC group that raised significant funding to enhance the LAUSD’s District-wide preschool program.
Kim proudly served as Secretary and Board Member of LAEF from 2014-2019, initiating necessary amendments to portions of the LAEF bylaws, participating in every District-Wide STEAM showcase, and volunteering on various committees over the years. She is passionately committed to enriching the lives of students throughout our District and is an outspoken advocate for LAEF’s after-school and SEI programs.
When she is not volunteering for the District, Kim is a litigation paralegal for the global law firm of Seyfarth Shaw LLP, where she has worked for the past 16 years, assisting various teams of attorneys with incredibly complex legal cases and presenting these cases at trial. This experience allows her to look at situations from a process-oriented, fact-based perspective. Kim’s skills in her career have been called upon by numerous Boards and groups within the District, and she is always more than happy to offer her insights.
Kim was raised in Rossmoor and is a proud Alumni of Rossmoor Elementary, Oak Middle School and Los Alamitos High School, and is incredibly committed to maintaining a legacy of Griffin Pride. Her father, Ted Horn, served the LAUSD as a Personnel Commissioner for 29 years, until his death in 2009.
Kim is incredibly active in our community, volunteering wherever she is needed. She strongly believes that our community’s children are our future, and she is committed to creating the pathways and systems to enable that to happen, well into the next decade.
Kim and her husband Stephen have one son Zachary, a proud Oak Lion!
KEVIN GUETIG
Emeritus Board Member
Kevin Guetig has 25 years of financial services experience working with businesses of all sizes. Currently he is a Senior Vice President for City National Bank managing a Commercial Banking office in Orange, CA. In this role, he works with middle market companies to serve all their financial needs.
Over the course of his career, he has served a wide range of companies and non-profits in terms of both size and industry. In addition to LAEF, Kevin is active with Camp Fire USA Long Beach.
Kevin lives in Seal Beach with his wife and two daughters who both attend school in Los Al USD. Kevin earned a BA in Accounting from the University of Louisville.
Trini Jimenez
Emeritus Board Member
Trini is the Vice President of Public Affairs for the Watson Land Company, an industrial real estate developer and owner of industrial properties throughout Southern California and the East Coast. Trini works with elected officials and government agencies at the local and state level, implementing public affairs and community relations strategies consistent with protecting company interests. He monitors and tracks legislative and regulatory issues impacting the company, developing and implementing strategies driving public policy priorities.
Previous to joining Watson Land Company, Trini served as Director of Government Affairs for the BNSF Railway Company with responsibility for the Southern California region. Prior to working in the field of Government Affairs, Trini practiced law as an attorney with the firm of Burke, Williams and Sorensen in Los Angeles. He practiced within the fields of Municipal and Education Law, representing various municipalities, school districts, and other local government entities.
Trini received his J.D. from the UCLA School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach. Trini served on the LAEF Board of Directors for the maximum term of six years and continues to serve as a Board Member Emeritus. Trini and his wife Maria are proud parents of two beautiful daughters, both of whom are Los Al USD students.
Tom Lent
Emeritus Board Member
Tom and his beautiful wife, Deann, have six children between them! Five of the six have graduated from Los Alamitos High School (with four subsequently earning college degrees and the fifth in process), while their youngest is a current student at the high school, class of 2022.
Tom and his wife were married and bought their Seal Beach home in 1996, drawn to the area primarily because of the strong school district. Tom is a graduate of California State University, Long Beach and is a CPA. (His wife is also a CPA and they refer to themselves as “boring accountants!”)
He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Southland Credit Union, a nearly $1 billion financial institution with 60,000 members and 160 employees headquartered in Los Alamitos. Tom loves the fact that he lives and works in the local area and that the credit union is such a strong supporter in the local community. He previously was a partner with the CPA firm of McGladrey & Pullen for nearly 20 years and has over 35 years’ experience in the financial services industry.
Tom is thrilled to give back to our schools that have helped equip his children to thrive and succeed in school and in life. He was crowned the King of Hearts for LAEF in the 2014-2015 campaign and is now happy to serve on the LAEF Board, to which he was appointed in August 2016.
Ruth Anne salau kurkjian
Emeritus Board Member
Bio pending
STAFF Members
Carrie Logue
Executive Director
Carrie lives in Seal Beach and joined the LAEF team as Executive Director in December of 2013. She began her professional career at Opportunities for Learning Public Charter Schools in 2004 as an Experiential Learning Instructor, then quickly rose through the ranks, holding positions of Teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal in the San Gabriel Valley and Long Beach/Capo regions. Carrie’s time as a charter school administrator in this alternative education program, which focused on credit recovery, led to improved academic results in API scores, increased math completion rates, increased graduation rates, and increased enrollment.
As an educational leader, her staff, students and parents are always the primary focus. Carrie brings project management, implementation, personnel, and people skills to LAEF and has continued its momentum and growth. The STEM subjects are especially important to her, as her husband is a Vice President of Software Development and she sees firsthand the need for more education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math.
Carrie has a BA in Public Administration from Cal State Fullerton, a History/Social Science teaching credential from Cal State Long Beach and an Administrative Services credential. She holds a grant writing and administration certificate from CSU Dominguez Hills, has completed the Executive Directors Leadership Institute through Executive Service Corps, the Mentorship Program through the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Orange County (AFPOC), and the Executive Learning Group through Fieldstone Leadership Network. Carrie is on the board of AFPOC and serves on the Los Al USD Safety & Wellness Committee and the Career & Technical Ed Advisory Committee. She enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her husband and daughter (who is an elementary student in Los Al).
Kerrie DaVanon
Student Services Manager
Kerrie brings a wealth of experience and a passion for education, wellness, and community building to her role as LAEF’S Student Service Manager. With a background as an elementary school teacher for a decade followed by ownership of a local fitness business, Kerrie embodies a dedication to both academic enrichment and holistic well-being.
In her role as Student Service Manager, Kerrie is responsible for coordinating, staffing and evaluating the Enhanced Learning Program, Wellness Programs, and STEAM events and workshops. Her commitment to ensuring the highest level of programming for students is unwavering, with a focus on delivering content that is not only fun and engaging but also educational, facilitated by top-notch teachers.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Kerrie is deeply involved in her community, exemplified by her efforts in raising over $150,000 for local non-profits, including being crowned LAEF Queen in 2017. Her heart for community building and service extends far beyond her professional role, as she actively seeks opportunities to serve and uplift those around her.
In her free time Kerrie enjoys great hikes, traveling, spending time with her two kids and playing lots and lots of pickleball.
Kerrie’s unique blend of educational expertise, business acumen, and community-minded spirit makes her a driving force in shaping a transformative student experience. Through her leadership and dedication, Kerrie is committed to not only building community within her community but also serving it with passion and purpose.
Lauren Deninno
Donor Relations & Development Manager
Lauren joined the LAEF team in 2016. Lauren has a passion for fundraising and non-profit work and LAEF was the perfect fit for her to return to work after spending time raising her kids! Lauren has 2 children in the Los Alamitos School District (currently McAuliffe and LAHS) and has been dedicated to volunteer work through PTA and Friends of groups ever since her children started at McGaugh Elementary School in 2010. Lauren served as President of Project SEEK for 3 years and served on the Project SEEK board for 7 years as well as chairing countless events. Lauren is also involved in National Charity League, South Coast Chapter with her daughter and has been part of the NCL organization since 1998 where she was part of the NCL Juniors group for 17 years.
Lauren grew up in Seal Beach and is a proud alumni of Los Alamitos High School. She has a B.A. in History from Pepperdine University and a J.D. from California Western School of Law. Lauren enjoys spending time at the beach, snowboarding with her family, going to Angels baseball games and watching her kids on a field!
Michael Kahn
Programs Manager
Michael Kahn is the Programs Manager for the Los Alamitos Education Foundation. He was raised in Rossmoor and attended Hopkinson, McAuliffe and Los Alamitos High School. He is a Griffin through and through! Mike attended Sonoma State University for one year before the football program folded. As a freshman inside linebacker, he was named freshman defensive player of the year and earned all-NCAC honors. As a sophomore, he transferred to Humboldt State University and started another two years at middle linebacker. After finishing his collegiate football career in Northern California, he transferred to Cal State Fullerton and began coaching linebackers at Orange High School in 2000 under the tutelage of his former linebacker coach at SSU.
Upon graduation from CSU, Fullerton in 2003, Michael taught and coached at Warren High School in Downey for three years. He then coached football for two seasons at Lakewood High School while substitute teaching in Long Beach Unified and concurrently completed his teaching credential. Upon completing his teaching credential, Michael was invited to work for the family business in Tucson, Arizona which he did for the next 6 years. He became an expert at property management as he managed three apartment complexes, two retail strip centers, an industrial building and several houses.
As much knowledge as he gained in Tucson, Michael is ecstatic to be back home in Los Alamitos where he is only minutes from the surf. He is honored to serve the district and community that did so much for him! Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Cal State Fullerton and a Business teaching credential from National University. He is married and has two children.
yolande davies
Programs Coordinator
Yolande Davies is the Programs Coordinator for LAEF. She is a multilingual, culturally diverse, resident of Seal Beach, where she lives with her supportive and loving husband, kids and their energetic golden retriever.
As a parent with children in the Los Alamitos School District, she is eager to continue fostering programs and opportunities to enrich the students within the Los Alamitos School district. Prior to joining LAEF, Yolande was heavily involved in Project SEEK at JH McGaugh Elementary for numerous years, in a variety of roles from Treasurer to Board member and volunteer.
Yolande is a performance-driven, outcome orientated and highly resourceful professional, with over 10 years of demonstrated project management expertise at Disney Cruise Line. She can boost efficiency and enable process enhancements by effectively utilizing and integrating data analysis. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Milpark University in South Africa.
She has long admired LAEF’s mission and goal to make STEM, Languages, Wellness and After School activities more accessible to all students within the Los Alamitos community and is excited to be a part of team LAEF.
Amelia Nicholls
Community Outreach Specialist
Amelia was born and raised in Australia and relocated to the USA 10 years ago with her husband and two children. She is a proud mom, with both of her children attending Los Al schools. She earned her degree in Interior Design from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and her career journey has taken her from designing beautiful spaces to her current role as a Community Outreach Specialist for LAEF.
In addition to her professional endeavors, she has a passion for cooking, traveling, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. These hobbies enrich her life and keep her balanced as she navigates her various responsibilities.
Jamie Karl
Office Clerk
Bio pending.