AISS FOUNDATION - Key Persons
Alix graduated from Chapman University with a Bachelor's in Business Administration in 2015 and is currently a candidate there for her MBA. Alix is an alumna of The Wooden Floor, a nonprofit creative youth development program that aims to transform the lives of children and teens in low-income communities by preparing them for successful college careers. She has volunteered for two years as an instructor at the Achievement Institute. Alix says hearing each scholar's education and career goals have been an experience beyond words. She continues to help mentor our AISS scholars while serving on the board and taking an active role on the Marketing Committee.
Job Titles:
- Content Developer for SolidProfessor
Job Titles:
- Math Teacher at Buena Park High School / Master of Arts in Teaching ( USC, 2019 )
Job Titles:
- Vice President for the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Carlos is the Vice President for the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Active in the community always willing to help out our youth. Carlos Muniz serves on AISS' Advisory Board.
Carmen graduated with an Associate degree in Communications at Orange Coast College. She Graduated with 8 different honor societies under her belt and transferred to Chapman University with Scholarships. Today she is studying to get her BA in Strategic Corporate Communications at Chapman University and a minor in Leadership.
Job Titles:
- Member / Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, CSU Fullerton
Cynthia is a Research Scientist at Edwards Lifesciences. She facilitates their HOLA Program.
Job Titles:
- Leadership Coach and Team Development Consultant
a Leadership Coach and Team Development Consultant helping individuals and organizations recognize and leverage their strengths, in order to be better leaders and build more cohesive, collaborative work cultures. Serves as an Ambassador for AISS.
Debbie obtained her master's degrees in Information Technology Management and Business Administration from Webster University. She earned her bachelor's degree from Chapman University in Computer Information Systems and received her project management certification from UC Irvine. Debbie's professional background includes over 25 years in management with 16 of those years at the international technology distribution giant, Ingram Micro, Inc., where she managed and supervised people in several locations, including Buffalo, New York, Miami, Florida, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Debbie has over 17 years of experience in the non-profit sector. Since high school, she's been in a leadership role, where she was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army JROTC. She is currently on the Kiwanis Santa Ana Board and Chairs the Community Services Committee. Debbie volunteers her free time as a mentor and board member for the Career Beginnings Mentoring Program (CBMP), which mentors first-year college students. Debbie is also a graduate of OCTANE's Nonprofit Accelerator Program. She has a passion for guiding the educational, personal, and professional development of young people. Debbie has been working for the Achievement Institute for over 11 years.
Dr. Ortiz-Franco has also taught at Orange Coast College. He has served the Achievement Institute for nearly 10 years, including as Math Instructor, Formal board committee participant, and Chair.
With years of experience in education and unified school districts across Orange County, Dr. Raya serves as an Ambassador for AISS.
Job Titles:
- Site Coordinator at ASSET's
Edgar graduated from Santa Ana High School in 2003, and he was in the first ever AISS cohort He pursued a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering at UC Davis (Class of 2007), and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Biological Engineering at MIT (Class of 2015) focusing his research on developing biological tools to improve future studies of non-small cell lung carcinoma and breast cancer to help discover new potential therapeutic targets. In Cambridge, Edgar met his wife, and they moved to South Korea, where he worked for a pharmaceutical company that specializes in developing cancer therapeutics, and was tasked to bring these products to the U.S. patient population. Recently returning to the US, Edgar joined the board at AISS and was the keynote speaker at BTG10.
Job Titles:
- Strategic Planning
- VP of Clinical Affairs for the Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies at Edwards Lifesciences
Efi is the VP of Clinical Affairs for the Transcatheter Mitral and Tricuspid Therapies at Edwards Lifesciences. In over 20 years of working in Clinical Research, he has held several Leadership positions in companies in the USA and Europe. Efi has a long history of volunteering in the community from a young age: Volunteer Paramedic and EMT for 15 years in Israel, Board member in Andover Youth Hockey program, volunteer ice hockey coach and team manager for over a decade, and most recently a board member for the Achievement Institute.
Job Titles:
- Software Engineer at Google
Job Titles:
- President at Design & Print Resources
Gloria Strayer is President at Design & Print Resources. Gloria serves as an AISS Ambassador and sponsors one of our alumni, as they continue their college degrees.
Job Titles:
- Design Engineer I, Glidewell Dental, R & D Implants
Dr. Rojas is a retired educator with extensive expertise and experience in teaching and learning science from Pre-K through doctoral levels. As a Board Member of the ARCS Foundation, she arranges for Achievement Institute Scholars to attend STEM research presentations by ARCS Scholars, Ph.D. Candidates at UCI. She is also serving as the Writing Instructor and supporting scholars as they complete their college application essays. A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Dr. Rojas speaks Spanish fluently and enjoys engaging the parents of Achievement Institute Scholars.
Job Titles:
- Math Teacher at Buena Park High School ( August 2020 )
Job Titles:
- Software Engineer at Google
Job Titles:
- Program Manager / Lead Instructor
Jonathan graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 2019 with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. He is planning to go back to receive his Master's in Educational Leadership. Born and raised in the city of Santa Ana, and he graduated from Saddleback High School in 2015. His dream job is to become a principal within the Santa Unified School District.
Job Titles:
- President and Founder of NPI Services
For 20 years, Judy has served as President and founder of NPI Services- an electronics manufacturing services company in Costa Mesa. Judy serves as an AISS Ambassador.
Karla Perez graduated from Century High School and the AISS Program in 2009. After earning three AA degrees from Santa Ana College, she obtained a Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering from California State University Long Beach in 2015. While completing her education, she served as the AISS Program Math Instructor. Karla married engineer Sean Ramirez and they became entrepreneurs, co-founding their own company Tera Engineering. Karla serves as the Vice President of Operations with 30 employees in the city of Santa Ana. She now serves as an Achievement Institute Board Member and the Marketing Chair. She is a generous donor and offers factory tours and internships to our scholars.
Job Titles:
- Founder of Tera Engineering Co.
Job Titles:
- Secretary / Communications & AISS Alumna '11
Lisette graduated from Saddleback High School and the AISS Program in 2011. As a first-generation college student, she obtained a Bachelor's in Psychology at Chapman University, with minors in Sociology and Latin American Studies. After achieving a Master's in Social Work from USC, Lisette joined Chapman University as a Student Affairs Case Manager through the Dean of Students office. While facilitating a partnership between Chapman and AISS, Lisette worked as an AISS Writing Instructor and coordinated our Alumni Association. Lisette now works as a Family and Community Engagement Specialist for the Santa Ana Unified School District, where she supports many of the students who participate in our program.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Superintendent of SAUSD
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor in Biochemistry
- Member / Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics, CSU Fullerton
Professor Ortega, an Assistant Professor in Biochemistry, studies double-stranded DNA viruses utilizing the bacteriophages as a model system to understand viral replication and assembly in this family of viruses. He received his bachelor's degree from Grinnell College and his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. He completed postdoctoral work at Harvey Mudd College in Claremont and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Deeply committed to equity and opportunity for all, Dr. Ortega serves on the AISS Program Committee, bringing speakers from CSUF on The Growth Mindset and connecting scholars to organizations such as SACNAS, the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.
Michael Stanislawczyk Cerebrum Consulting a leader in Information Services, Technology, and Education. Serves as an Ambassador for AISS and volunteers as an Instructor.
Job Titles:
- College Counselor at Alliance Judy Ivie Burton Technology Academy H.S
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman of the Board / COO / CFO, Intellivision Entertainment
Nick has over twenty-five years of entrepreneurial-driven innovation and execution leadership. As a co-founder of Intellivision, he is passionate about the video game company's focus on family and multi-generational dynamics that cater to different levels of sophistication in knowledge according to age. Nick was referred to AISS through our participation in the OCTANe Non-Profit Accelerator Program as a prospective board member. He comes to AISS at the ideal time to guide our board development as we transition from Founding to Governing/Managing to Fundraising Stages.
Nidia develops instructions for use and implant instructions for Spinal Cord and Deep Brain Stimulation Systems. Nidia graduated from CSU Long Beach with a BA in English Rhetoric & Composition. She earned a Six Sigma Green Belt certification and a Technical and Professional Communication Certificate. She has been volunteering with AISS since 2014. Education has been a gift of opportunity and a passion for Nidia since she could remember. She values and supports the AISS mission of giving students from an economically disadvantaged community, a background similar to her own, a greater opportunity to succeed by helping them make educated choices for their future.
Nino is an AISS program facilitator and volunteer on the AISS Advisory Committee. He is a part of Rocket Science Tutors and teaches a Science and Engineering class during the scholars' summer program.
Job Titles:
- Additive Manufacturing Design Engineer at Boeing
Job Titles:
- Founder
- President Emeritus
- OUR FOUNDER
Paul graduated with an Economics degree from Yale and has been a pillar for education in the Santa Ana community. He is currently a Kiwanis Santa Ana and Elks Lodge member. He taught at Santa Ana High School for 39 years, crafting several programs including SAUSD's Regional Occupation Program. He founded AISS in 1997 and then launched it in 2001.
Job Titles:
- Program Student Advisor / Instructor
Salvador graduated from The University of Redlands in 2008 with a BA in History. He developed leadership and problem-solving through Eagle Scout training, and communication and interpersonal skills through Disneyland customer service. By posing a Question of the Day prior to each class session, scholars say, "he helps us learn about each other outside of the program and think about events that shaped us into the people we are today." A dual citizen of the United States and Chile, Salvador enjoys speaking Spanish and visiting his father's homeland biennially.
Job Titles:
- Planner I for the City of OceanSide
Taylor is the Financial Advisor at Thompson/Katzaroff Financial Group. Now serves as an ambassador for AISS.