Board of Trustees

The Music for Minors Board of Trustees is a select group of dedicated individuals who govern the overall objectives and vision of the organization. For information about joining our governance leadership, please contact Marcy Straw at marcy@mfm.org or 650.237.9130.

MEET OUR PARTNERS

Liz Rome earned a BS in Zoology at UMass Amherst and a Master’s in Biology from Harvard University (Ext.). She worked in the biotech field before raising two boys; she also volunteered 19 years with the Los Altos Art Docents, serving in many board positions, including chair. Liz has volunteered for other nonprofits including MVLA Scholars (board, scholar selection) and Global Fund For Women (advisory committee); helped in fundraising events for El Camino Hospital Foundation, Family and Children Services of Silicon Valley, the Cantor Museum of Art, and the Friends of Westwind Barn. Currently she creates jewelry with proceeds on sales going to various local nonprofits. Liz initially joined the Board in 2011, and then re-joined in 2018.

Homer Wong worked for a combined 34 years with Hewlett-Packard, serving in a series of management and executive positions including General Manager of the Americas Direct Marketing Organization and Director of Americas HR. After leaving HP in 2007, he transitioned to the financial services industry as VP of Retail Sales and Business Development for First Tech Federal Credit Union. Homer has also held long-standing board leadership roles with such nonprofits as the Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse and the Center for Excellence in Nonprofits. He will officially join the MFM Board in January 2024.

Bill Johnston attended San Diego State University, where he earned BAs in Physical Education (Kinesiology) and Mathematics, as well as a secondary teaching credential. After graduation, he taught junior high school and coached high school football in San Diego until the passage of Proposition 13 terminated both contracts.

Bill then moved into the banking industry, and served as Senior Corporate Training Officer for the largest privately-owned bank in California. In 1981, he attained the Certified Property Manager (CPM®) and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM®) designations, and worked in the the field of property management for 40 years, including as CEO of his own company. Bill joined the Board in 2022.

Gretchen Gelke has a BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of California-San Diego and a MS/PhD in Cognitive Psychology from UMass, Amherst focused on Reading Comprehension and Attention. She is currently Head of Research for Privacy with Google. Gretchen began her career in academia and continued adjunct teaching for many years. She has worked as a researcher in academic, healthcare, government and industry settings throughout her career. She has played trumpet and french horn since high school. Gretchen joined the Board in 2019.

Jerry Brown has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford and an MS in Electrical Engineering Communication Theory from the University of Utah. After starting his career as an engineer at General Motors, Jerry became a commercial pilot and now flies the 787 Dreamliner for American Airlines. He is an avid tango dancer and is learning to play the Bandoneon (an instrument descended from the concertino used in tango music). Jerry joined the Board in 2019.

Cathy Combs is a former Music for Minors Volunteer Educator (1988-1996 at West Valley, Montclaire, and Bullis Elementary Schools) who also served on the Board from 1990-2000, and 2011-2019, including two years as President. In addition, Cathy has been a member of the MFM Advisory Board and People of Note. She holds a BA in Spanish and an MA in Education from Stanford, and taught high school Spanish in local schools for many years. She has sung as a first soprano with Schola Cantorum since 1977. Cathy re-joined the Board in 2020.

Dr. Andre Cooper holds a PhD in Linguistics from Yale University and a Master’s degree in education. As an undergraduate, he majored in linguistics and German while also studying piano, voice, and music theory and composition at the Eastman School of Music. During his university career he was an administrator and taught courses in linguistics, educational technology, Black studies, women’s studies, German, and speech and hearing science at leading universities in the USA and the Caribbean. After retiring, he and his wife, Dr. Denise Thompson, worked to mobilize volunteers across the Caribbean to be effective leaders in their communities.

Andre and his wife moved to the Bay Area in 2017 where he began subbing in schools in his spare time. After subbing in over 90 area schools, he developed a love for teaching elementary school in underserved communities, and now joyfully teaches first grade at KIPP Excelencia in Redwood City.

Music is one of Andre’s passions and he is proud to share that passion with young people. He joined the Board in 2021.

Alicia Heneghan brings over 20 years of experience as a teacher, literacy specialist, principal, and district administrator. Currently serving as Principal of Laurel Elementary School Upper Campus (Menlo Park City School District), she previously served as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction in San Mateo-Foster City School District and most recently as a Leadership Coach at UC Berkeley. Alicia is known for a collaborative, equity-driven focus to her work, and is passionate about working to better support students who are at risk. Alicia joined the Board in 2023.

Diego Hernandez is an emerging conductor with a passion for bringing people of diverse talents together to do great things for the community. Since 2021 he has served as the first-ever Music Director of the Googler Orchestra, a community orchestra of Google and Alphabet affiliates. Under his direction, the Orchestra has performed over a dozen concerts, expanded its audience, and engaged in new collaborations, including a 2022 benefit concert for Music for Minors. In fall 2023, Diego will begin a Master of Music program in Orchestral Conducting at Northwestern University, where he will also serve as Music Director of the Northwestern Philharmonia for 2023-24. Diego joined the Board in 2023.

Michelle Quilantang has a BA in Anthropology from UC Riverside and MA in Instructional Leadership from National University. She has been an educator in San Jose since 2005. Michelle has served many roles in education including teacher, instructional coach and principal. Currently, she serves as principal of Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary School in the Franklin McKinley School District. Her main areas of interest in education include working with English learners and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Michelle joined the Board in 2022.