EXECUTIVE BOARD
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Sona Shah, President
Sona Shah is the Founder & Chief Empowerment Officer of My Private Professor, an impact-driven educational services company that collaborates with organizations to offer personalized, on-demand tutoring services & gives back with every tutoring hour to support students in underserved communities.
After earning her law degree from UC Berkeley & practicing business litigation for 6 years, Sona is thrilled to have found a meaningful way to combine her dual passions of education & philanthropy into a sustainable model that helps all students succeed.
Sona is grateful to have over a decade of leadership experience on the boards of nonprofits in Southern California & currently serves as President of Tustin Public Schools Foundation, Board Member of Orangewood Foundation, & Founder of Inspire Philanthropy Fund.
Sona is happiest with her dear family & darling dog, & whenever she’s dancing, drawing, & doing puzzles.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Kate Kersten, President Elect
Kate is a full time philanthropist and volunteer, after a career in insurance underwriting. While raising her 3 boys, she has served as a PTO board member in many positions at several schools. She now serves as president of the TUSD Coordinating Council, which includes representatives from the PTA/PTO of every Tustin Unified school.
The first connection Kate made to TPSF was as a school liaison between her school and TPSF. From then on, she became more and more involved. As an avid runner, she now serves as co-chair of the Dino Dash. “I really have enjoyed every aspect of the Dino Dash, from running it for over 10 years, to having a school booth to now chairing the event. I also enjoy being involved in the grants committee and helping with the golf tournament.”
One of Kate’s favorite quotes is from Eleanor Roosevelt: You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.
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Kirsten Antonius, Vice President of Community Relations
Kirsten has been in education for over 25 years. She has taught preschool through college in the United States and in Europe. Currently, she teaches Language Literacy foundations, strategies and assessments to teaching credential candidates and master’s in education students.
Volunteering her time is a passion of Kirsten’s. She enjoys volunteering at her kids’ schools and working with other philanthropic organizations. TPSF has a special place in her heart, because as an educator she has seen first-hand the impact the organization has on teachers, students and the community. Kirsten is a graduate of TUSD, a former teacher in TUSD, and a mom to three TUSD students.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Derek Hoyt, Vice President of Development
Derek is a senior technology banker with Silicon Valley Bank and has been working with both private and public innovation companies across Southern California for more than 15 years. Derek earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a Finance emphasis from San Diego State University, and serves on the Tech Advisory Board for the Orange County Technology Action Network (OCTANe).
Derek considers himself a gadget early adopter, an aspirational golfer and when he’s not closing deals for the bank, enjoys spending time with his wife and twin daughters.
Derek enjoyed participating in the annual TPSF Golf Classic and deepened his involvement with the Foundation by joining the Board in 2019. Derek says “I appreciate the wonderful experience that my twins are having at Red Hill Elementary and am glad to support the role that TPSF plays in ensuring excellence in all our area schools.”
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Allison Hatcher, Secretary
Allison Hatcher is an independent college advisor, helping students with the college application process. She first started her career as a high school counselor and finds joy working with teens. Allison is a natural mentor, listener, and encouragement to always be our best. She offers a unique perspective as an educator and reporting on the pulse of current students as well as college admissions and what is setting students and schools apart. Allison lives in Tustin with her husband, Mike, and three children, Francesca (Frankie), Deacon, and Ruby all in TUSD schools, and French Bulldog, Georgie.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Mike Ritchie, Treasurer
Mike is a CPA and a senior manager in transaction advisory services at Withum, a national advisory and accounting firm, serving clients throughout the mergers and acquisitions process. Mike earned a bachelor degree in Business Economics with an accounting emphasis from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Mike has been a Tustin resident for over 10 years and a regular participant in the TPSF Golf Classic and Dino Dash. With the first of his two children starting elementary school in the Tustin Unified School District, he decided to deepen his involvement in the Tustin community and join the board in 2021.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Kristen Simpkins, Parliamentarian
After a career in sales, human resources, and training, Kristin became a small business owner, volunteer and philanthropist in order to have time for her growing family.
In her school volunteer leadership roles, she learned about the Tustin Public Schools Foundation. Being a running enthusiast and leading a running club at school, the Dino Dash became her favorite event. She recalls, “The more I understood about TPSF and all of the wonderful ways the Foundation was impacting our TUSD students, the more I wanted to be a part of such an organization. Now, I have the privilege of co-chairing the Dino Dash!”
Kristin comes by her enthusiasm from her father. She believes his mantra was his greatest gift, and she shares it widely: “It’s great to be alive!”
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Tom Zeigler, Member at Large
Tom grew up locally, attending Tustin Unified schools, and has continued that tradition with his two daughters. After earning a degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly Pomona, Tom forged a new path and became an attorney after receiving his law degree from Lewis & Clark. He now focuses on business transactions for a local law firm.
He says that his motivation for serving on the Foundation board, “aside from working with an amazing group of community leaders,” is that the Foundation “helps unify the community by raising funds to provide additional resources to the schools.”
Tom’s secret talent is cooking. He donates his culinary skills to fundraisers and his lucky family and friends.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Sujata Mody Kamdar, Member at Large
Sujata joined her family business, GBS Linens, at sixteen years old. Along the way, she earned her BA and MBA from UC Irvine, and now serves as President of GBS Linens.
She believes that “the beauty of TPSF is they offer programs, grants, scholarships, and events to give ALL of our students opportunity where there may not have been any. TPSF prioritizes both the kids as well as the educators in our district. The work TPSF does truly feeds my soul.”
When not working or volunteering, Sujata loves to spend time with her family and friends, working out at her favorite CrossFit gym, and cooking using produce from her organic garden.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Megan Foss, Member at Large
In her work as a licensed clinical social worker, Megan helped families deal with substance abuse, mental health challenges, and cancer treatments. That passion for helping continued as Megan focused on raising her family and volunteering at her daughters’ schools.
That’s when she was introduced to the Tustin Public Schools Foundation. “I learned about TPSF through my daughters’ schools and my involvement with PTO and PTA. I had always been impressed with the fact that the fundraising efforts benefited all Tustin schools. I was honored to have been asked to join the board and continue to enjoy working with such a dedicated group.”
Megan is the Foundation’s expert hostess. Her homemade jams and baked goods are craved by many around town.
BOARD MEMBERS
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Joanne Arakaki
Joanne currently works as an internal audit consultant at RGP. She is a CPA and has worked in major financial firms in Chicago and New York. She is also a ballet teacher certified with the American Ballet Theater teaching in local communities. Her son and daughter attend Tustin schools, where she has served in various leadership roles on the PTO Boards. She values the connections she has made with the families, schools and the district through her volunteering. Her experiences has taught her the beauty of working with different cultures and communities. She is excited to serve the greater community with the TPSF Board and help support excellent education around the district.
During her free time, she enjoys taking ballet classes, traveling and biking with her family.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Doug Baum
After growing up in Hong Kong for a portion of his life and serving in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Baum chose Tustin for both his Orthodontics/Dentofacial practice and his home. His daughter now attends Tustin Unified schools.
Dr. Baum first became involved with the Foundation (TPSF) as a sponsor of the annual Dino Dash event. “Over the years I have seen how important The Foundation (TPSF) is to our Tustin community and schools. I feel honored to have been asked to be a board member and to be part of the great work The Foundation (TPSF) does.”
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Ryan Coe
Ryan began his career with the Tustin Police Department in 2005 after serving 4-years in the United States Air Force where he served in Operation Enduring Freedom stationed in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Ryan graduated from the Golden West College Police Academy and has worked a variety of different assignments throughout his career, prior to his current assignment as the Special Operations Commander in the Community Policing Bureau.
During his tenure at the Tustin Police Department, Ryan has focused on personal development and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Management and a Master of Arts Degree in Management and Leadership, both obtained from Webster University.
Ryan is pleased to extend his community involvement and join the Foundation Board in 2020.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Jeff Corless
As the Founder and CEO of Venture Strategic, Jeff is an outside-the-box thinker who oversees his firm’s strategic communications, marketing, and issue advocacy services. When most people see a crisis or challenge, Jeff sees an opportunity. He refined his perspective and outlook on communications through his experience serving as Political Director to former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina in 2010, as Chief of Staff for a California Legislator, and Chief Deputy for an Orange County Supervisor. He has advised numerous successful candidates, corporate clients, and public agencies on cutting-edge communications, public relations, and marketing strategies.
Jeff holds an MBA from Chapman University and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University. A native of the Tustin community, Jeff graduated from Foothill High School. He is proud to serve as a volunteer board member for TPSF and passionate about ensuring his daughter and son, along with their peers, are the beneficiaries of the same world-class education he received from Tustin Schools. Go Knights!
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Erick Fineberg
Erick is currently the principal of Tustin Unified’s K-12 Online Blended School, and heads up the TUSD Transfers Department. He serves as an important voice on the TPSF board for Tustin Unified employees. Erick co-founded the Foundation’s Summer Academy, and continues to serve as the director of the program.
“Being a TUSD administrator, I have the opportunity to change lives at my site. Being a part of TPSF affords me the opportunity to effect change on a larger scale and support the TUSD community across the board.”
Erick is a big fan of baseball. In fact, the seeds of the Summer Academy were sown on a ball field while playing with Tustin Unified colleagues. He has visited every MLB stadium at least once.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Joanne Huang
Joanne is a full-time mom of 3 boys and an active volunteer at her school and church. After graduating with a B.S. in Operations and Industrial Engineering and a career in software development, she is committed to her community through serving on the PTO board and heading various passion projects at the schools such as the Entrepreneur Fair and Team Kids. Joanne is passionate about creating opportunities for children from all socio-economic backgrounds to lead and be involved in a variety of activities. She has joined the TPSF board to walk alongside our amazing public schools and provide resources for them to expand their programs.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Anisha Looney
Anisha Looney is the proud parent of three children, all currently attending Tustin Unified School District schools. Having attended public schools from grade school through high school, and then graduating from a public university (UC Irvine ‘00), Anisha is passionate about public education. Anisha is committed to strengthening our Tustin public schools to assure all students have access to the very best opportunities to thrive academically and to discover and pursue their passions.
For nearly 20 years, Anisha has been working at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. As a fundraiser, she’s learned to plan and execute events of varying sizes, while also raising money to help end childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases. In her free time between work and carpooling, Anisha enjoys vacationing with her husband Chris and their three kids, working out, and shopping at Target. She’s also a boba connoisseur and loves finding new vegetarian recipes for Meatless Mondays with the family.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Caroline Marchant
Caroline can often be found on the ice. She is an ice hockey fan, coach, and competitor at the National level. With a BS in Industrial Engineering, she learned how to make things work. She honed those skills raising four children and navigating their many activities, all while remaining active with ice hockey and her career as a stylist. Caroline joined the Foundation board because of her belief that “education is so important for the growth of our children. Each and every child should have the opportunity to a great education.”
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Tracie Pham
Tracie is an attorney, handling business transactions and tax litigation for a group of farms located in central California.
“I became involved with TPSF because I believe that TPSF impacts either directly or indirectly the lives of all students in the Tustin School District. Through its grants and programs, I see that TPSF helps children that are less fortunate or without a voice. It is so meaningful to be part of an organization that strives to give back to the community through the children and helps make a difference in their lives. It is a pleasure to be a member of a board that constantly challenges itself to be an agent of change for all the students in the Tustin School District. I am honored to be a part of this organization.”
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Kyle Morrison
Kyle has three young children that will be attending Tustin unified schools. He works for Earthco Commercial Landscape as the Vice President of Operations serving landscape maintenance, construction, and tree services for homeowners associations. Kyle has a bachelor's degree from San Diego State University in Finance.
Kyle has been a resident of Tustin for over two years and with his first child beginning elementary school, he decided to increase his involvement in the community. In his spare time, he likes to coach and play lacrosse.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Curtis Rach
Curtis’ three children all graduated from Tustin Unified schools. He continues to live in North Tustin, and works as a financial advisor, focusing on the investment needs of businesses, business owners, professionals and individuals.
Curtis has made a difference in the community by coaching youth sports and serving on several boards in the Tustin community. He also is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the University of California, Davis, where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural and managerial economics.
In his spare time, he enjoys the outdoors, including the beach, paddle boarding and participating in various sports.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Laurie Shenasi
Laurie grew up in Orange County and settled in Tustin after graduating from UCI. She works from home for Fluor Corporation as part of a globally dispersed team, collaborating with colleagues primarily in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. As Organizational Change Management for Project Controls and Estimating, Laurie is responsible for communications and training as data centric work processes and systems are implemented. She has a passion for volunteer work and for supporting the interests of her kids. Over the past 20 years she held various positions in the PTA/PTO both in the US and overseas.
After volunteering at the Dino Dash for 5+ years and being the TPSF liaison for her daughter’s school, she was honored to join the TPSF Board to be able to support kids in all of our Tustin Schools. She loves the work of the Foundation and enjoys being a part of this incredible team of talented volunteers.
Dedication. Expertise. Passion.

Renee Stein
As a retired pediatrician, Renee serves as an advisor to Beckman High School’s Medical Certificate Program, which introduces high school students to multiple careers in the field of medicine and gives them opportunities to interact with various medical professionals.
Renee strongly believes in the value of high quality education. She’s involved with the Tustin Public Schools Foundation to help TUSD teachers get all the resources and materials they need to help every student realize his or her maximum potential.
You can find Renee and her family at Anaheim Ducks games, volunteering to cook dinner at the Ronald McDonald House, or eating chocolate. Many people are chocolate fans, but Renee is a super fan. She’s attended chocolate festivals, chocolate tastings, and chocolate workshops; and even hosts her own annual chocolate party.