Funding Sources:

Rayborg (Rae) Owens
Email: rowens@calpass.org
Rae has worked in California schools for 37 years as a high school teacher and a district administrator. As an administrator she coordinated the Career Technical Education and GATE programs, and many subject areas. Currently Rae is the Assistant Director, Secondary for UC Merced Writing Project and is active in the California Writing Project and the National Writing Project.

Rae Owens holds teaching and administrative credentials and a B.A. in English and Sociology from CSU, San Jose.


Barbara Evans, San Joaquin
Email: bevans@calpass.org
Barbara has worked at all levels of education-elementary, middle, and high school and in the teacher credential program for the University of Phoenix. She has served as an elementary teacher, K-12 counselor, vice principal and interim principal with Inglewood USD prior to joining the Elk Grove USD in 1991 as a middle school vice principal (one of her schools was a recipient of the California Distinguished School award) and a program administrator for the Secondary Education Division. She holds teaching, administrative, pupil personnel service and CLAD credentials.

Barbara Evans holds a B.S. in Elementary Education from Fayetteville State University and an M.A. in Education -School Counseling from East Carolina University.

Kate Mahar, Ed.D.
Email: kmahar@calpass.org
Kate has served as an administrator at the community college and high school levels. Previously, her academic and career focus has been on supporting educationally disadvantaged youth and her graduate degrees were pursued to find ways to promote equity in our school systems. Kate currently serves as Director of the Institute for Citizenship Education and Teacher Preparation at Civicorps Schools in Oakland, CA.

Kate Mahar holds an M.A. in Multicultural Education from State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from University of Southern California.


Nicole Nunes
Email: nnunes@calpass.org
Nicole serves as program director for the Cal Teach secondary math and science teacher education program at UC Berkeley. Previously she taught high school chemistry and physics for 10 years and served as the science department head.

Nicole holds secondary teaching credentials, an MAT, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Rice University.

Virginia Horowitz, Nevada/Placer
Email: vhorowitz@calpass.org
Virginia has worked in the classroom as an elementary classroom teacher, mentor teacher and language arts specialist as well as experience in K-12 administration as a Curriculum Director, Principal, and Coordinator for Learning Resources and Technology for the San Diego County Office of Education.. Since 1999, she has served as an education consultant for both San Diego and Sacramento County Offices of Education. As a consultant, Virginia coaches principals of elementary, middle and high schools.

Virginia Horowitz holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership and an M.A. in Reading, both from San Diego State University.

Donna Dutton, East Los Angeles - MT. SAC
Email: ddutton@calpass.org
Donna has served in many capacities during her tenure in the high school public education system. Her major roles include English instructor, assistant principal, interim principal, and director of curriculum and professional development. Her focus is on the continuous improvement model, using student data to support the achievement of all students.

Donna Dutton holds an M.A. in Education and Instructional Leadership from Pepperdine University.


Garry Schneider, East Los Angeles - Montebello
Email: gschneider@calpass.org
Garry has worked in California schools for the last 30 years. He was a high school teacher and taught at the community college level. Garry has administrative experience both at the elementary and secondary levels. Garry has also worked as supervisor of student teachers for UCLA and taught in the masters program for Chapman College. Garry’s most recent position was with the Colton Joint Unified School District as the Director of Secondary Education. In addition, he has chaired numerous WASC Visiting Committees in California and Hawaii.

Garry Schneider holds an M.A. in Political Science from Stanford University and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from UCLA.

Terrence Willett, Monterey
Email:twillett@calpass.org
Terrence serves as the Director of Research for Cal-PASS. Prior to joining Cal-PASS, Terrence was the Director of Research for Gavilan Community College. Before working at Gavilan he was the Research Technician for Cabrillo Community College where he also worked as a math and science tutor. He currently is an ex-officio member of the Research and Planning Group of California.

Terrence holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and an M.S. in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University.

Katheryn Horton, North Bay
Email:khorton@calpass.org
Katheryn serves as curriculum director for a Santa Rosa high school and as a contract researcher on educational policy matters. She spent 6 years in higher education as manager of the CSU Early Assessment Program and journalism instructor for Upward Bound. Prior to her work in education, Katheryn operated her own freelance writing and marketing business.

Katheryn holds her BA in communication theory from UC San Diego and an MA in Educational Leadership from Sonoma State University.

Robert (Bob) Sizoo
Email: bsizoo@calpass.org
Bob Sizoo has co-directed the Redwood Writing Project for twenty years and has been the Early Assessment Program Coordinator at Humboldt State University for the past four years. He also taught sixth-grade in Eureka for ten years. He co- directed the Writing Retreat in Santa Fe, NM for the National Writing Project for three years, and has directed the Lost Coast Writing Retreat in Humboldt County each summer since 1992. He has published one book, Teaching Powerful Writing (Scholastic. 2001), and is working on two more for Scholastic.

Bob Sizoo holds a BS and California Teaching Credential from Humboldt State University.

Daniel Martinez, Ph.D , Riverside
Email: dmartinez@calpass.org
Daniel has worked in the California Community Colleges as an institutional researcher for 17 years. Currently, he is the Associate Director of Institutional Research at the Riverside Community College District. He has also taught psychology courses at community colleges in Southern California.

Daniel Martinez holds a Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis on postsecondary education administration from The Claremont Graduate School.

Lucia Lachmayr, San Mateo
Email: llachmayr@calpass.org
Lucia has taught at San Francisco State University, City College of San Francisco and Skyline College in San Bruno, the latter being where she currently teaches English, Reading, Integrated Reading/Writing and Literature classes. She is Co-coordinator of the Puente Project learning community, which furthers the goal of helping historically underrepresented Latino/a students navigate their way successfully from the community college to 4-year university. In addition to Cal-PASS coordination, she also participates on the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Cycle (SLOAC) Steering Committee, College Success Coordinating Committee and the K-16 Bridge Summit Planning Committee.

Lucia Lachmayr holds a B.A. in Literature with a minor in World and Comparative Literature from San Francisco State University as well as an M.A. in Composition, an M.A. in Literature, and a Certificate in Teaching Reading at the Postsecondary Level, all from San Francisco State University.

Lisbeth Ceaser, Santa Barbara
Email: lceaser@calpass.org
Lisbeth has served as director of Precollegiate Academic Development and AmeriCorps Service learning projects and is a CSU Chancellor’s Teacher Preparation Scholar. Lisbeth currently serves as Director of Special Projects for the College of Education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. She is Campus Coordinator for the CSU Early Assessment Project and CSU Faculty Representative for statewide initiatives in reading education. Her professional interests are curriculum development, literacy, and teacher education.

Lisbeth Ceaser holds teaching and administrative credentials, an M.A. in English and an Ed.D. in Higher Education from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Dr. Constance J. Fish, North San Diego County
Email:cfish@calpass.org
Connie has a long history in California education. Since her first teaching position in 1968, she has been a classroom teacher, Curriculum Coordinator, Resource teacher, Assistant Principal, and Principal. In addition, Connie served as an Assistant Superintendent for 13 years. Connie is currently serving as an adjunct professor for Point Loma Nazarene University in the administrative credential program and as an education consultant coaching principals in program improvement schools.

Connie Fish holds an Ed.D. in Policy, Planning, and Administration from the University of Southern California.


Cali Linfor, East, South and Central San Diego County
Email:clinfor@calpass.org
Cali has taught in the Rhetoric and Writing Department of San Diego State University (SDSU) since 1996. She has also been an instructor of composition, creative writing, reading, and English as a Second Language at Grossmont Community College, MiraCosta Community College and San Diego City College. Deeply involved in curriculum alignment work between higher education and secondary schools, Cali has served as the SDSU’s Language Arts Coordinator for the CSU’s Collaborative Academic Preparation Initiatives, the Co-Director of San Diego’s Reading Institutes for Academic Preparation (RIAP), and worked closely with the California Reading and Literature Project on reading and writing across the content areas. Cali also coordinates the Cal-PASS English Curriculum Alignment Project.

Cali Linfor holds a B.A. from UCLA in Literature and Women Studies and an MFA from SDSU in Creative Writing.


Alana Nicastro, East San Diego County
Email:anicastro@calpass.org
Alana has worked in Higher Education for 13 years. She has taught in communication, education and business schools at San Diego State University, University of San Diego, Westmont College and as a visiting lecturer at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand. She launched and directed the University of San Diego (USD) Center for Learning and Teaching and has actively served on committees designed to strengthen Women's Centers and Gender Studies programs on college campuses.

Alana Nicastro holds an Ed.D. in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego.


Marilyn Burt, Imperial Valley
Email:mburt@calpass.org
Marilyn has worked in schools in California and Utah for 30 years as a high school English teacher and Academic Coach. As Academic Coach, she mentors new teachers, plans and presents professional development opportunities, and works with veteran teachers in polishing their skills. Currently, she works at two comprehensive high schools in El Centro and is involved in the county BTSA program as a District Lead and support provider.

Marilyn Burt holds teaching credentials in Utah and California, a B.S. in Communications from Utah State University, Logan, Utah, and a M.A. in Teaching from Grand Canyon University.

Ron Williams, Ed.D., San Bernardino, East Valley
Email: rwilliams@calpass.org
Ron has an extensive background in transforming educational institutions across the State of California—Bakersfield, Chico, Palmdale, Madera, Palmdale, Sacramento, and San Bernardino in the roles of teacher, principal, coordinator, director and faculty in K-12 through four-year institutions. In 2000, he became the Coordinator of Secondary School Reform for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools where he facilitates all pre-school through university initiatives, including the Center for the Advancement of Smaller Learning Environments (CASLE).

Ron Williams holds an Ed.D. in Administration and Leadership from La Sierra University.


Virginia Rabor Moran, San Bernardino, High Desert
Email: vmoran@calpass.org
Virginia has served as a researcher and planner in the California Community College System for the past 12 years. Currently, she is the Executive Dean of Institutional Effectiveness at Victor Valley College, and Interim Executive Dean of Technology & Information Resources. In those roles, she provides leadership and oversight for research, accreditation, overall organizational development for the college, as well as effective use of its technology and information systems. She has also served as an associate faculty member in Psychology for several postsecondary institutions in the Inland Empire.

Virginia Moran holds an M.A. in Psychology from CSU, San Bernardino.


Katy Schneider, West San Bernardino
Email: kschneider@calpass.org
Katy has served as a teacher and school administrator at the elementary and middle school levels in K-12 districts for 28 years. As an elementary school principal, she was selected “Elementary Principal of the Year” in 2000 by the Association of California School Administrators. Her most recent position was Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services in Bonita Unified School District. She has also taught educational leadership at Chapman University, Azusa Pacific University, and the University of La Verne. Her most recent full-time position was as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services in the Bonita Unified School District. Currently she serves as a consultant to evaluate district programs and provide support to principals in the Los Angeles and San Bernardino County Offices of Education.

Kathryn Schneider holds an M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of Redlands and an Ed.D. in Policy, Planning, and Administration from the University of Southern California.

Kate Mahar, Ed.D.
Email: kmahar@calpass.org
Kate has served as an administrator at the community college and high school levels. Previously, her academic and career focus has been on supporting educationally disadvantaged youth and her graduate degrees were pursued to find ways to promote equity in our school systems. Kate currently serves as Director of the Institute for Citizenship Education and Teacher Preparation at Civicorps Schools in Oakland, CA.

Kate Mahar holds an M.A. in Multicultural Education from State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from University of Southern California.


Kentaro Iwasaki
Email: kiwasaki@calpass.org
Kentaro has taught all levels of high school mathematics for 15 years and is the math department head at Mission High School in San Francisco. In addition to mentoring MA candidates and student teachers from Stanford and San Francisco State University, he has been a lead teacher on two NSF grants and facilitated numerous other grants. He has developed curriculum for an online math program through the University of Texas at Austin and earned National Board Certification. He is a support provider for candidates for National Board Certification.

Kentaro Iwasaki holds a BA from Stanford in Japanese and a secondary credential from San Francisco State University.

Eden Dahlstrom, Ed.D., Project Director, ACCESS
Email: edahlstrom@calpass.org
Dr. Dahlstrom serves as Cal-PASS’ Project Director of the Aligning Curricula and Career Education for Student Success (ACCESS) initiative. She has been involved with public education agencies in California since 1998. Prior to joining Cal-PASS, Dr. Dahlstrom served in a variety of roles in the California community college system, including: Research Coordinator, Sociology Instructor, Director of Instructional Services, Director of Community Education and Consultant.

Dr. Dahlstrom holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California.