PROFESSOR OF BIOCHEMISTRY

Jamil Momand (Founder and Board Chair)

Jamil Momand is a Professor of Biochemistry at California State University, Los Angeles. He earned his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry from UCLA. For more than 20 years, he has been a strong advocate for student support in the sciences at higher education institutions. More than 30 undergraduates and 30 graduate students worked in his cancer research laboratory on the university campus. He was the Program Director of the Southern California Bioinformatics Summer Institute and the co-Director of the Cancer Collaborative. He served as the graduate student coordinator for the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program. He is currently a mentor for UCLA postdoctoral fellows through the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Program. He is the Bioinformatics Minor Program Advisor at California State University, Los Angeles.

IT PROFESSIONAL (Retired)

Jon Fuhrman

Jon Fuhrman retired as an IT Development Manager after working for Southern California Edison, Hughes Aircraft, Nestle, and Employers Insurance Group. He graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Biochemistry and earned an M.B.A. from UCLA. He has been a civic leader at the local and county level, serving on the Pasadena City Recreation and Parks Commissioner, the Los Angeles County Information Technology Commission, and, for 27 years, on the County Citizens Commission on Economy and Efficiency. He is an active board member of several community non-profit organizations, including the Pasadena Community College Foundation and the Pasadena Educational Foundation. He has also served as a campaign Treasurer for State Legislators and numerous local elected officials.

BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SCIENTIST (Retired)

Susan Kane

Susan Kane is a retired biomedical research scientist. She received a B.S. in Biology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University. Susan led a research laboratory at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, retiring in 2017 as a Professor of Cancer Biology. She also served as Associate Director of Research and Senior Vice President of Graduate and Professional Studies while at City of Hope. She was co-Director of the Cancer Collaborative, a City of Hope-Cal State LA partnership and she directed a science education outreach program partnering with Duarte Unified School District. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, most recently as board chair at Huntington Medical Research Institutes.

PROFESSOR (EMERITA) OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY

Renee Madyun

Renee Madyun is a retired Professor of Chemical Technology at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. She has been instrumental in developing alliances between education and industry throughout California. She was the founder of the California Bioscience, Chemical and Process Technology Alliance, a collaborative team of community college educators and industry representatives. Her extensive experience in laboratories and the classroom helped her win several grants for sciencerecruitment and curriculum and instructional development for chemical technology, process technology and biomanufacturing programs. She is a co-writer and consultant for the first regional industry- approved Biotechnology Credential exam which tests the skill sets of Community College biotech/biomanufacturing and other science major graduates. She has been the recipient of several community, education, and science industry related awards for her outstanding dedication to career technical education leading to industry employment.

FIRST GENERATION STUDENT

Mary Pace

Mary Pace is a recent graduate from California State University, Los Angeles, having earned her B.A. in English and an M.A. in English Literature. As a first-generation college student, she understands the importance of one's community and other resources to assist students with educational and professional endeavors. She dedicated her undergraduate and graduate years to community service and devoted her time to professional positions that allowed her to share her knowledge of the education system and its services to fellow students. She currently works as an office assistant and hopes to continue sharing her passion for learning and navigating university policies and procedures with the people she meets.

PROFESSOR (EMERITA) OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Sandra Sharp

Sandra Sharp is a Professor Emerita in Biological Sciences at California State University, Los Angeles. She received a B.A. in Zoology from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA. Her career passion has been working with undergraduate and master's level students, in both the classroom and her research laboratory. One of her greatest joys is seeing former students find their rewards in fulfilling careers following years of struggle to do well in school while making ends meet. Throughout her career at Cal State LA, she played an active role in the governance and activities of the statewide CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB). She also sits on the board of Huntington Medical Research Institutes, currently serving as chair of the Education Committee for that organization.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Shabnam Sheikh

Shabnam Sheikh is an environmental professional with a BS in Biological Sciences from University of California, Irvine and MS in Biological Sciences from California State University, Los Angeles. As a Cal State LA alumnus and former Teaching Assistant, she is passionate about supporting STEM students achieve their goals. She currently works as an Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Transportation.