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GIVING FLOWERS TO THE RED & LAVENDER BASILISKS! PAGE 4 CELEBRATING 30-YEARS OF THE WOMAN'S PLACE PROJECT PAGE 12

2024-2025 Leadership Team

Amy Battisti

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT LIFE

ext. 2187 | abattisti@ndsj.org

John Bracco

DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS OPERATIONS

& CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS ext. 2104 | jbracco @ndsj.org

Eran DeSilva

DIRECTOR OF TEACHING & LEARNING

Susana Garcia

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

Jen Glasser

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT

ext. 2181 | jglasser @ndsj.org

Bob Mason

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

ext. 2124 | bmason @ndsj.org

Ashley Rae Mathis

HEAD OF SCHOOL

ext. 2105 | amathis @ndsj.org

Kathleen Quiazon

DIRECTOR OF MISSION & MINISTRY ext. 2110 | kquiazon @ndsj.org

Publication

PUBLISHER

ND Office of Advancement

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Vikki Bowes-Mok

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Christina Morello

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bacosa Photography, Christina Morello, ND Office of Advancement, ND Alum Relations, ND Co-Curricular Programs, Wayne Hall

Notre Notes can also be found online at: www.ndsj.org/about-us/publications

Notre Notes is created and published by Notre Dame High School in San Jose, CA. If you have any questions about this publication, please contact us at communications@ndsj.org or (408) 294-1113.

596 S. 2nd Street, San Jose, CA 95112 www.ndsj.org

ON THE COVER:

Sonali Maya DeSilva-Craycroft (Salutatory Address), Nimisha Anand (Valedictory Address)

Head of School Address

Dear Notre Dame community,

This year has been defined by tremendous growth and achievement. Our student leaders excelled in academic, co-curricular and community endeavors, and Notre Dame faculty stand unwavering in their commitment to vision and mission. We close another year with incomparable success!

Reflecting on the 2024-25 school year reminds me that our programmatic growth, financial gain, and regional impact stems from the strength of our community — families, alums, Sisters, board members and partners. I remain deeply convinced that your generosity is divinely inspired; that your presence, time and gifts are interwoven with Notre Dame’s mission. We commemorated the 30th Anniversary of our Woman’s Place Project. We conquered our second Day of Giving — increasing proceeds by $40k. Finally, we earned strong commendations from the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) to accredit and affirm our dynamic work for six more years. Job well done, Notre Dame!

As Vision 2025 comes to a close with great resolve, we look to the future acknowledging the work that is still to come. As the Center for Women’s Leadership in Silicon Valley, next year, we will:

• Engage in Dreamwork: Collectively we will build Notre Dame's next strategic plan. Our mission, recent accreditation marks and survey feedback from CCS, will serve as our foundation. Together, the NDSJ Board, leadership team, faculty, staff and community will chart our path forward.

• Celebrate our Legacy: The kickoff to our 175th anniversary begins next year with festivities to honor our demisemiseptcentennial!

As a Notre Dame Catholic learning community, our mission to equip the next generation of women leaders is more vital than ever. As we continue to serve and inspire, we do so through an equitable lens, doused with joy and unbridled passion for the work entrusted in us.

Have a restorative summer, Notre Dame community. Be kind. Choose joy. And, remember, God is good.

ASHLEY RAE MATHIS HEAD OF SCHOOL

Highlights:

#1 BEST Catholic High School IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY 2021

We opened the Center for Women's Leadership!

Thank You!

We thank our outgoing board members for their service:

Laura Buhl (Sara Murphy ’20) COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, ATTORNEY

Jenny Hsia '99 (Madison '26) PRINCIPAL, ARC PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION & ARCHITECTURE

Rose Pierro '63 Simmons FORMER OPERATIONS OFFICER, HEALTH CARE

We paid off the Center for Women's Leadership! We are the Center for Women's Leadership! 2025 2025

Day of Giving:

$142,836 RAISED

$107,490 RAISED

EILEEN TANGHAL, NANCY ERBA & ANISHA PATEL '16 AT WOMEN OF IMPACT 2024

2024 2025

In conjunction with the Notre Dame leadership team, the Board's standout achievements were completing our five year strategic plan, Vision 2025, and receiving high marks during our WCEA accreditation. Next year we will build our next strategic plan for the school. It has been an honor and privilege to serve the school in this leadership role. I look forward to another transformative year in partnership with you!

NANCY ERBA

(Carolina Hamm '18, Angelina Lewis '25) CHAIRPERSON, BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2024-2025 Board of

Directors

Kathy Almazol

FORMER SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, SJ DIOCESE

Laura Buhl (Sara Murphy '20) COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, ATTORNEY

Katie Colin EXEC. DIRECTOR, US EAST-WEST PROVINCE SNDDEN

Darhil Crooks (Dylan '25) DIRECTOR, APPLE

Sister Terry Davis SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Nancy Erba (Caroline '18, Angelina '25) ND CHAIR, CFO, INFINERA CORPORATION

Mark French PARTNER, KPMG

Kristy Gannon CEO, FLUXX LABS

Selina Garrison (Alana '23) FORMER DIRECTOR, INTUIT

Jennifer Hall (Madison '20) FORMER HR EXECUTIVE, INTUITIVE SURGICAL

Greg Hanson (Kate '22, Sarah '26) EXECUTIVE & ADVISOR, MARKETPLACE COMMERCE

Jenny Hsia '99 (Madison '26) PRINCIPAL, ARC PACIFIC CONSTRUCTION & ARCHITECTURE

Lisa Quintero '91 Jensen SENIOR ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, CRAWFORD GROUP

Sister Kathryn Keenan SISTERS OF NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR

Rose Que '82 Lue (Amanda '23, Diane '23) VOLUNTEER COMMUNITY LEADER

Ruth Ann McNees (Natalie '20) COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, ATTORNEY

Alex Nguyen '94 ATTORNEY, BERLINER COHEN LLP

Anisha Patel '16 ANALYST, CISCO

Rose Pierro '63 Simmons FORMER OPERATIONS OFFICER, HEALTH CARE

Eileen Tanghal FOUNDER & GENERAL PARTNER, BLACK OPAL VENTURES

Melinda K. Postle '88 Thompson GENERAL COUNSEL, MIRO

Class of 2025 Academic Recognition

HIGHEST ACADEMIC HONORS

Amaris Oksana Agossa

Nimisha Anand

Rachel Maria Angelo

Hailee Therese Baluta

Amiya Bansal

Emma Linh Bérubé

Shrijani Shivakumar Buruganahalli

Guadalupe Tonantzin “Lupita”

Castañeda-Liles

Allie Yuting Cheng

Eryx Cooper

Iris Camille Corai

Rose Audrey Dampier

Ca Dang

Maryanne Dang

Thy Dao

Sonali Maya DeSilva-Craycroft

Maia Avery Dietz

Lucy Germaine Elliott

Riya Regina Fernando

Emily Elizabeth Floyd

Rio Funatsu

Radhika Garapaty

Samanya Girish

Sneha Reddy Gorla

Ira Gupta

Pakhi Gupta

Katie Natsumi Hamada

Laila Sofie Heigre

Alexssa Evangelina Hernandez

Christine Nguyễn Hoàng

Reece Huang

Heshma Hussain

Thamra Hussain

Kaitlyn Huỳnh

Meera Gandhi Jhaveri

Paramita Kadamby

Noor Khoury

Izabelle Kokkat

Srikeerthana Kotturu

Valerie Kwan

Daniella Lauser

Kendall Elizabeth Lloyd

Stephany Patricia Lopez

Angelica Dawn Lopez Lorenzo

Tania Makhija

Zoya Malik

Elodie Victoria McComber

Miriam Nebu

Amabelle Huu-Doan Nguyen

Amanda Nguyen

Ashley Nguyen

Madison Nguyễn Tô

Hana Nomoto

Isabelle Nicole Ong

Evangeline Grace Pacheco

Shirley Thien-Y Pham

Calista Roldan

Chloe Llandelar Salisbury

Maya Schechtman

Karina Mayuri Schiffert

Anika Ciana Shetty

Preesha D Somaiya

Dening Sun

Avani Sundaresan

Rithika Suresh

Amy Patricia Snyman

Julie Marilyn Chun Threefoot

Mei Ann Tambuluri

Paula Tran

Safiya Tran

Serena Valani

Neha Ayyathan Valoth

Annabel Rae Vickery

Anishka Vissamsetty

Sophia Ellie Walker

Kaitlyn Yam

Katherine Siyin Yu

NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNITION

National Merit Scholarship

Anishka Vissamsetty

National Merit Finalists

Maia Avery Dietz

Riya Regina Fernando

Kendall E. Lloyd

Miriam Nebu

Anishka Vissamsetty

Commended Scholars

Rio Funatsu

Samanya Girish

Pakhi Gupta

Heshma Hussain

Thamra Hussain

Kaitlyn Phương Huỳnh

Paramita Kadamby

Zoya Malik

Elodie Victoria McComber

Anika Ciana Shetty

Mei Ann Tambuluri

Safiya Tran

Neha Ayyathan Valoth

Katherine Siyin Yu

ACADEMIC MEDALS

Computer Science

Anishka Vissamsetty

English

Sonali Maya DeSilva-Craycroft

Mathematics

Kendall E. Lloyd

Modern Languages - Chinese

Madison Nguyễn Tô

Modern Languages - French

Elodie Victoria McComber

Modern Languages - Spanish

Paramita Kadamby

Modern Languages - Bilingual

Maya Schechtman

Religious Studies

Ca Dang

Science - Life

Pakhi Gupta

Science - Physical

Riya Regina Fernando

Social Studies

Evy Hutchins

Social Studies - History

Maia Avery Dietz

HEAD OF SCHOOL

LEADERSHIP AWARD

Rio Funatsu

Their adventure continues!

ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN

BARNARD COLLEGE

BOSTON UNIVERSITY

BROWN UNIVERSITY

CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN LUIS OBISPO

CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, CHICO

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY

CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

DE ANZA COLLEGE

EMORY UNIVERSITY

FOOTHILL COLLEGE

FRANKLIN W OLIN COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

INDIANA UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

ITHACA COLLEGE

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

PITZER COLLEGE

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA

SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY

SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

SEATTLE UNIVERSITY

SPELMAN COLLEGE

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY

TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA CRUZ

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER

UNIVERSITY OF DENVER

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA, CHAMPAIGN

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO

UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND

UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO

UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE

VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY

WASEDA UNIVERSITY

WEST VALLEY COLLEGE

WILLAMETTE UNIVERSITY

YALE UNIVERSITY

Notre Dameʼs Year in Review

2024 - 2025

AUGUST

• With the blessing of the Sisters of Notre Dame, faculty and staff kicked off the school year by gathering for Notre Dame's annual employee retreat at Santa Clara University. The focus was on Hallmark 6 - “We create community among those with whom we work and those we serve.”

• 32 alums returned to their alma mater as faculty or staff.

• The school year began 675 students strong with the Class of 2028 as the newest additions!

JANUARY

• Band & Strings students performed the National Anthem for SJ Barracuda Hockey. Choir students performed at SCU Choral Festival. Music ministry students led mass for Catholic Schools Week at the Cathedral with Bishop Oscar Cantú and 34 schools from the Diocese of San Jose.

• Diversity Council hosted the annual Diversity Showcase, including a night market and fashion show of cultural attire, spoken word, music and dancing!

• ND's quarterly professional learning for faculty and staff was focused on Race, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, led by Chris Harris from SCU, Trevor Gardner and Arianna Caplan from Arise HS, Oakland.

• 1,600 pounds of crab were consumed at ND’s sold-out, 22nd annual Crab Fest, a fundraiser for co-curricular programs.

• Black Student Union club members hosted a school-wide assembly with a panel of 5 women (including 1 NDSJ alum) from a variety of professional fields. With the theme of "African Americans in Labor," this thoughtprovoking Q&A panel offered insight about career journeys, perspectives and wisdom in their various industries.

SEPTEMBER

• The Legacy Breakfast gathered 12 current students, 11 alum mothers and 4 alum grandmothers on campus.

• The Class of 1954 celebrated 70 years of friendship and the Class of 1974 celebrated 50 years!

• The annual Black Light Mixer had students from 33 local schools in attendance.

• The annual student Club Fair marked 37 student clubs and interest groups.

• The Woman’s Place Project celebrated 30 years with community members and a reception honoring the founder, Sr. Maureen Hilliard, SNDdeN. This event included media coverage by KCBS Radio, NBC Bay Area, San Jose Mercury News and Sowing Goodness.

• Women's Leadership Week honored the Class of 2028's tribute to 157 historic women with the annual Woman’s Place Project, and the Class of 2025 for their advocacy work with nearly 18k hours of leadership at the Young Women’s Advocacy Summit.

• 10 students chaperones from Notre Dame Seishin, Japan visited campus for two weeks under the care of host families.

• JB Hall was filled to the brim with joy during ND’s annual Spirit Week.

OCTOBER

• The ND community raised $201,240 for tuition assistance at the 16th annual Women of Impact luncheon, presented by Marvell.

• The Class of 2028 was formally introduced as the Green & Blue Sharks at Freshman Night Out.

• Nuns on the Bus trekked nationwide for their “Vote Our Future” tour and made a special stop at Notre Dame High School, the Center for Women’s Leadership in Silicon Valley!

• Sr. Carol Shoup, SNDdeN, became our guardian angel on October 21, 2024, after dedicating her life to the mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, serving in ministry throughout the United States and in our San Jose learning community.

• The ND community raised $142,836 benefiting the faculty and staff endowment at the 2nd annual Day of Giving.

• The spring musical, Legally Blonde, highlighted the amazing talents of our ND performing arts students! This included 5 shows, 1 preview night, 1,258 patrons, 101 roles filled by 84 students, 25 student leaders and 1 supportive community. This could not have been achieved without our teachers, staff, administration, technical theater team and parent volunteers!

NOVEMBER

• Notre Dame achieved an impressive #1 Best Catholic High School in Santa Clara County ranking according to Niche. This honors our outstanding academic and co-curricular programs, community engagement, faculty, staff, students and families!

• Students participated in the national #RubyBridgesWalktoSchoolDay on Nov. 14 to honor civil rights activist Ruby Bridges.

• ND Athletics recognized Quinlan ‘25 and Radhika ‘25 on #NationalSigningDay. Quinlan committed to University of Denver for volleyball and Radhika to Yale University for basketball.

• The 18th Annual ND Reads featured author Marilyn Chase for a talk and book signing of her work Everything She Touched: The Life of Ruth Asawa.

• 412 students took 968 Advanced Placement exams.

• The “At Last I See The Light” themed junior/ senior prom was a smash hit! 371 students danced the night away with 87% of the senior class and 77% of the junior class participating!

• Faculty and staff welcomed over 450 guests from the incoming Class of 2029 at Freshman Family Welcome Day.

• Senior Recognition Night honored many achievements for Class of 2025, including: 77 seniors achieved highest academic honors (4.45 GPA or higher), 85 seniors were recognized as part of the National Honor Society, and five seniors were recognized as National Merit Finalists.

DECEMBER

• Students from dance and music groups performed at downtown San Jose's Christmas in the Park.

• Campus Ministry, Latinas Unidas, ND's folklórico group and the ND Compadres parent resource group joined forces to create a night of culture and celebration at the 13th annual Las Posadas.

• ND Dads parent resource group hosted their annual Father/Daughter Breakfast with more than 200 guests in attendance.

• From August to December, there were a total of 74 classes that experienced field trips and 54 of them were walking field trips in downtown San Jose. There were also a total of 63 guest speakers and 53 were in-person.

• Notre Dame proudly celebrated the graduating class of 2025!

• 65 students experienced immersion trips to several exciting destinations. Justice and cultural immersions took place in East Los Angeles, Spain, France, London and Belize. The ND Choir toured throughout France, including a tour stop in Namur! A delegation also attended the Sisters of Notre Dame student leadership conference in Boston, MA.

• ND summer programs were a success! Be sure to check our website in February to register for Summer 2026: www.ndsj.org/summer

INTEGRATEDTHEFOUNDINGMOTHERSOFEJL HUMANITIES(2008-09) WITHCHARLOTTECARLSON&RITACORTEZ

SERVING THE YANCOLO COMMUNITY INELSALVADOR(2010)

HONORING ERAN DESILVA AND SUSANA GARCIA

Two pillars of Notre Dame — Eran DeSilva and Susana Garcia — are departing after 25 years each of transformational leadership and service. DeSilva, director of teaching and learning, and Garcia, assistant head of school, have shaped nearly every aspect of the school’s mission-driven legacy.

“These two incredible women have used their gifts to serve the Notre Dame community, from students and families to colleagues and the wider world,” said Kathleen Quiazon, director of mission and ministry, who has worked side by side with them for more than two decades. “I’ve been inspired to watch them meet every opportunity with grace and wisdom. I will deeply miss their leadership, vision and commitment.”

Their legacy includes teaching thousands of students, pioneering innovative curriculum, and championing holistic education, academic excellence and institutional sustainability.

DeSilva is especially passionate about her work founding the Facing History Student Leadership Group, which she designed as a space for quiet leaders and deep thinkers. The SLG is a student-led group that works within the school and with other Bay Area schools to promote social change and civic engagement. For more than a decade, students have participated in cross-school meetups, learned from speakers and experts on various historical and contemporary issues, and developed leadership skills.

Pioneers of purpose and compassion

“The students in my class are bright, confident young people who will undoubtedly be the leaders of tomorrow,” said DeSilva, a lifelong learner and equity advocate, known for her trailblazing classroom innovations and joyful spirit. “Over the last few years, I have so enjoyed being able to work with committed, mission-aligned teachers to deepen their craft and commitment to the Notre Dame hallmarks. How many school leaders have the honor to work side by side with their former students?”

Teaching is not a job, it ’ s a passion.

MS. DESILVA

It has been a true privilege to do this work and I am deeply grateful.

MS. GARCIA

Garcia's contributions are far-reaching, from teaching religious studies classes, to leading immersion trips and retreats, to welcoming new families as the "face of Notre Dame" in the admissions process, and most recently her role in a new leadership model that marked Notre Dame's 170th anniversary — providing oversight of enrollment, distinctive programs, professional development and strategic planning to support the school's viability and vitality.

“Looking back on my time at Notre Dame, I am proud of my role as a builder — a builder of community and curriculum, of distinctive programs and opportunities, of access for generations of women,” said Garcia, who is described as genuinely wise, strategic and grounded in spirituality. “The world desperately needs what Notre Dame offers, especially the impact of our graduates and their leadership.”

Among their most lasting legacies is the Education for Justice and Leadership program, which they helped pilot with a cohort of colleagues in the 2008-2009 academic year. Now a fully integrated part of Notre Dame’s curriculum, it reflects their shared belief in education as a vehicle for transformation.

“During each of their 25-year tenures, they exemplified commitment, passion and excellence,” said Ashley Rae Mathis, head of school. “We honor the fruits of their labor — their dedication to advancing educational equity and developing distinctive programs at Notre Dame." •

WITH MICHELLE MCGOVERN INSIDE THE CENTER FOR WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP CONSTRUCTION SITE (2020) WITH THE CLASS OF 2017 TEAL & ORANGE RAVENS AT PROM WITH MAHEK PATEL '23 & EMILY SALDIVAR '23, CLASS OF 2023 COMMENCEMENT

WITH JIM FLOYD, CHAPERONING ANGEL ISLAND FIELD TRIP (2014)

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY IN 2009 FOR MS. GARCIA, HOSTED BY HER HOMEROOM STUDENTS, THE CLASS OF 2012 PINK & GREEN COBRAS

MS. DESILVA WITH ALUMS SHE TAUGHT AND/OR MENTORED, WHO NOW CURRENTLY WORK AT NOTRE DAME

Honoring Women, Inspiring Generations

The Woman’s Place Project celebrates 30 years, 5,000 place settings

30 years ago, Sister Maureen Hilliard, SNDdeN envisioned a project that would uplift and celebrate the often-overlooked contributions of women throughout history. From that vision, the Woman’s Place Project (WPP) was born — adapted specifically for Notre Dame San Jose’s freshman religious studies classes. Her goal was to create a meaningful process and space where young women could honor the legacies of women who came before them.

“The WPP highlights women throughout history, and seeing all those accomplishments in one room is incredibly inspiring,” said Ariana Flores '00 Gutierrez, a mother of three daughters — Alicia '24, Amelia '24, and Miriam — and goddaughter to Sister Maureen. “When I was a student, I knew it was something special. But now, as a mom of three young women, it carries even deeper significance. My daughters can see, tangibly, that anything is possible.”

To mark the 30th anniversary of the WPP, Gutierrez and her daughters created commemorative place settings in honor of Sister Maureen and artist Judy Chicago, whose iconic feminist artwork The Dinner Party inspired the project. Chicago’s 1970s installation, a grand ceremonial banquet featuring place settings for significant women in history, served as the creative and philosophical foundation for Notre Dame’s own adaptation.

This year, 157 freshmen participated in the project, designing and presenting their own tributes for a diverse collection of women with stories to be told. Over the past three decades, more than 5,000 unique place settings have been created as part of this living tradition, each one a heartfelt story of a woman whose impact deserves to be remembered.

“This project embodies everything meaningful about the Notre Dame experience,” said Susana Garcia, assistant head of school. “It is rooted in creativity, storytelling and the recognition of women’s contributions.” •

EACH YEAR THE NDSJ COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER ANEW, AND THERE IS YET A NEW VILLAGE TO NURTURE THE YOUNGER ONES.

THIS VILLAGE — STUDENTS, TEACHERS, MAINTENANCE WORKERS, PARENTS, STAFF — guides and supports WPP IN OCCURRING ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE IT TAKES

the whole NDSJ village!

— SISTER MAUREEN HILLIARD, SNDDEN

The Power of Giving

Day of Giving

For the love of Notre Dame

Faculty and staff felt the love at an April 2025 community meeting, where they were welcomed by a joyful Spirit Tunnel — a lineup of cheerleaders waving pom poms and students proudly holding bright green signs reading, “We love ND teachers!” Smiles broke out across the crowd, some teachers even danced their way through. Closing out the tunnel with flair was Head of School Ashley Rae Mathis, who grooved her way into a room filled with grateful faculty and staff.

“This is the first time in our school’s history that we collectively fundraised to invest in our Faculty & Staff Endowment. Raising funds for this group of leaders is not solely mission-forward, it’s joyful. It’s honorable to celebrate the brilliant humans who serve our students each day,” said Ms. Mathis, with her trademark smile. “They are unparalleled.”

This occasion marked Notre Dame’s second annual Day of Giving, which raised an impressive $142,836 toward a goal of $150,000. These funds will strategically enhance faculty and staff compensation, benefits, professional development, classroom resources, recruitment and retention.

Launched in 2023 with an initial $50,000, the endowment has grown more than $1 million — a testament to the generosity of a community that believes deeply in Notre Dame’s mission. It was St. Julie Billiart who declared that teaching was "the greatest work on earth." She prioritized the formation and support of the Sisters who taught in the first Notre Dame schools, and we are continuing that legacy with this endowment.

“I wanted to participate in the Annual Day of Giving because I hope to boost our learning environment and support our teachers,” said Rose ‘27, the winner of Head of School for the Day. “The most fun part was spreading the word about the donations — it felt great to be part of something meaningful. I'm so excited and looking forward to being the Head of School for the Day!” •

Alums welcome the Class of 2025 to the ND Alum Network

Alums from every decade starting from the 1950s to 2019 returned to campus for the Alum & Senior Networking Lunch in May. The seniors networked with alums from a variety of career sectors, enjoyed a pasta lunch and received some inspirational and motivational words from guest speaker alum Tucker Ricchio ′08, talented executive chef and winner of Season 2’s Next Level Chef.

Suzan Belfield ′75, Olivia Salguero ′15, Alana Garrison ′23 and Tina Fontenot-Martin ′96 returned to their alma mater to celebrate the Class of 2025 Black Student Union graduates in conjunction with welcoming our incoming Class of 2029 freshman at our inaugural Notre Dame Sunflower Ceremony! This cultural celebration honors Black students with a special farewell and marks new beginnings and hopeful futures.

Class of 1969 Reunion

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Class of 1990 Reunion

Saturday, October 11 - Sunday, October 12, 2025

Notre Dame Grand Reunion (Fall 2026)

If you would like to work with Alum Relations and help plan a fun and exciting grand reunion, please email alums@ndsj.org

01

Gerry Zaro ‘46 Johnson

After retirement from Johnsons for Children, her family owned clothing store in San Luis Obispo, Gerry continued her involvement in the Monday Club. The club was started 100 years ago by local women when the Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis service clubs did not allow women. The Monday Club volunteers in educational, civic and cultural initiatives that enhance the life of the community. In 2024, Gerry at the age of 95 was honored for being its longest serving member.

02 Heather Simon ‘94 Payne

Heather recently started as the Carter C. Kissell Professor in Law at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, with her research focusing on energy law, environmental law and regulatory policy.

03 Nicolle Morazán ‘00

Nicolle has accomplished a career in nursing and spent 16+ years in the medical aesthetics field. She is a full-time aesthetic nurse practitioner specializing in non-surgical treatments to help patients look and feel their best. She also recently earned a Master’s degree. Outside of work, Nicolle is a proud mother to two boys and loves balancing her career, motherhood and her passion for her work in helping others.

04 Rosemary Hua ‘10 DeAragon

Rosemary and her husband, Chris, welcomed their first child, Gemma Hua DeAragon. Rosemary is enjoying her maternity leave and the adjustment as a new parent.

05 Lluvia Carrasco ‘12 Lomeli

Based in San Diego, Lluvia is a full-time stay at home mom to two boys, Ronan and Joaquin. She spends her time on all things child development, healing the feminine, family love and spirituality.

06 Gabriela Ornelas ‘13

Gabriela Ornelas recently earned her juris doctor from Columbia Law School as a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. While at Columbia, she was a Max Berger ’71 Public Interest/Public Service Fellow, participated in the Family Defense Clinic and served as the managing articles editor for the Columbia Journal of Race and Law. Currently, she is a Herbert and Nell Singer Fellow at the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem. In collaboration with the office’s family defense practice, Ornelas is developing a familial preservation practice model that operationalizes mitigation in defense of families facing termination of parental rights petitions in New York Family Court.

07 Janelle Lief ‘14

Janelle Lief '14 married Cassandra Lopez last September in Laporte, CO. Joining her were many of her close classmates from the Class of 2014. (From left to right: FRONT - Kaela Crowley, Quinn Cabral, Janelle Lief, Juliana Orr. BACK - Jaclyn Woodward, Sophia Mountz)

08 Juliana (JJ) Mount ‘15 Carlson

JJ recently published a memoir, My Hummingbird, and highlights the period in her life she lost her mom to ovarian cancer and how her faith helped her cope. Her book can be found on Amazon and many other online platforms. For more information, visit jjcarlson.net.

09 Emily Gremett ‘17

Emily received her white coat for her Doctor of Physical Therapy from University of St. Augustine in San Marcos, CA.

10 China Martin ‘17

01

In early 2024, China became CEO of her family’s 28-yearold printing company. Her company earns an estimated $350,000 in sales annually. She has seen the true benefit and growth achieved through dedication and hard work. 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

596 S. 2nd Street

San Jose, CA 95112

Address service requested

www.ndsj.org | @notredamesj

Honorable Erica Yew

SANTA CLARA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE & EDUCATOR

Judge Erica Yew has served on the Santa Clara County Superior Court since 2001. She was President of the Asian Pacific Bar Association of the Silicon Valley and served on the California State Bar Board of Trustees. She also provided leadership to the Asian Law Alliance, the Legal Aid Society and the Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Services. In 2025, she received a Community Heroes Award from the Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Board for her commitment to justice towards individuals navigating the legal system while facing behavioral health challenges.

Dr. Sejal Hathi ´09

PHYSICIAN & PUBLIC SERVANT

Dr. Sejal Tyle Hathi is a board-certified physician and nationally recognized public health leader with more than 15 years of experience advancing physical and mental health, women's rights and public policy in the United States and globally. She serves as the 4th permanent Director of the Oregon Health Authority and unanimously confirmed by the Oregon Senate to oversee all health care and public health services, policies and programs for the State of Oregon. Most recently, she served as New Jersey's deputy health commissioner and state health officer and as the Biden White House's Senior Policy Advisor for Public Health.

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