Governance

Board of Directors

We are deeply indebted to the dedicated leaders on the Saint Francis High School Board of Directors. The individual and collective counsel, expertise and devotion to the school’s Holy Cross traditions and innovative vision enable the school to fully embrace the promise of a Saint Francis education.

In 2020-21, we welcomed two new members to the Board of Directors.

Mark Fernandez ’89

Mr. Fernandez is a partner at Ernst & Young, a global accounting and professional services firm where he provides business advisory services for high-tech companies ranging from early stage venture-backed companies to multinational corporations. He has a B.S. in business administration from California Polytechnic State University and is a long-standing member of the Accounting Advisory Board for the Cal Poly Orfalea College of Business. Mr. Fernandez and his wife, Cara, reside in Saratoga with their two daughters, Gianna ’21 and Giulia ’23.

Fr. Brendan McGuire

Fr. McGuire is pastor of St. Simon Parish in Los Altos and joined the Board of Directors in December 2019. He was ordained a priest in 2000 and holds a B.A. and M.A. in theology from St. Patrick’s Seminary and University. A native of Ireland and the youngest of 12 children, he also holds an undergraduate degree in electronic engineering and a master’s degree in computer science and math from Trinity College, Dublin. In addition, he attended the Executive Program at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He was pastor and vicar general of special projects at Holy Spirit Parish and School and was involved in many diocesanwide education projects including co-founding the Drexel Schools System, a collaborative network of Catholic elementary schools. The author of four books on Sunday homilies, Fr. McGuire also co-founded St. Joseph Financial Services, a finance and accounting resource for nonprofit governance.

Saint Francis thanks April Sakara-Gilley, Joe Cassin and Angela McConnell, who finished their board tenure last year, for their dedication, commitment and leadership.

Joe Cassin

Served on Board of Directors 2014-20; Finance Committee, Chair 2017-20 Parent of Peyton ’14, Joey ’16 and Jon ’19 Director, Supply Chain Operations, Veritas

“During my tenure, it was so gratifying to be a part of key and profound changes such as the hiring and transitions of the Saint Francis president, principal, CFO and the head of Institutional Advancement and the redesign of several school operating policies. My fellow Board members are relentless in their spirit and commitment to the school; I established lifelong friendships that I’ll cherish forever.

“The profound dedication and commitment of the administration and educators to the students never ceased to amaze me. Additionally, our educators and administration want to spend their entire career at Saint Francis. This speaks volumes about the quality of leadership, Holy Cross spirit, students and the community as a whole. My Board experience has given me a whole new perspective and appreciation for the depth of the Lancer community bond.”

Angela McConnell

Served on Board of Directors 2019-20 Parent of Emily ’16 and Lily ’23 Executive Director and CEO, Montalvo Arts Center

“The most rewarding aspect of my time on the Saint Francis Board was being able to contribute to the service mission of the school through the Institutional Advancement Committee and getting to know my fellow Board members. The shared vision of faith, social justice and academic innovation is refreshing and a model of secondary education. I was inspired by the collective passion of the administration, faculty and Board that holds the Saint Francis family in such intentional regard. There are no issues that cannot be solved, no challenges that cannot be surpassed with collaborative mindshare.

“[During the pandemic] I felt privileged to be a part of the leadership that had to weigh considerations around virtual learning and [its] operations and budget. It was a time of serious deliberation and learning and careful communication in a transparent way [that showed] our commitment to students’ learning and outcomes.”

April Sakara-Gilley

Served on Board of Directors 2014-20; Chair, Saint Francis President Search Committee Parent of Sean ’05, Paige ’10 and Taylor Gilley ’15 Retired marketing executive

“Serving on the Board taught me that the Lancer community is extremely supportive and very committed to Holy Cross and Catholic education, with a focus on educating the whole student, academically and spiritually, regardless of ethnicity or background. As chair of the Saint Francis President Search Committee, I worked very closely with many of the faculty, staff and administrators and the Brothers of Holy Cross. We were fortunate to find Jason, who is a great fit for Saint Francis.

“Not really knowing what will come your way each day [during the pandemic] makes it very difficult to plan. Being creative, open-minded and very flexible are key. Saint Francis is doing a great job working through the challenges while always keeping the health of the students and community at the forefront of all its decisions.”

2020-21 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jim Bowler, Chair Mark Adams Helen Benedetti Br. Donald Blauvelt, C.S.C. Arun Chandra Ed Del Fierro ’82 Mark Fernandez ’89 Chris Gomo Maureen Hamer Maria Jones Molly McDonald ’83 Fr. Brendan McGuire Marjorie Muldowney Stacy Reitmeir Bill Ring Vidhu Sharma Cass Taylor ’86 Br. Michael Winslow, C.S.C.