School of Education Speakers Series

Hosted Virtually Via Zoom

Learn More About Each Webinar Below

Optimist or Pessimist – Which one are you?

Date: April 19th, 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am PT

Topic Description: Come to this humorous, interactive, hands-on session and learn the skills of optimism, as well as techniques for applying them. Practicing optimism, according to numerous studies led by the Father of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman, produces the following benefits: better health, more friends, longer life, and even more wealth. An optimistic worldview breeds a sense of confidence in one’s ability to manage life’s challenges and handle everyday hardships. Optimists tend to view adversities as learning experiences or temporary setbacks, thereby becoming more open-minded and more willing to explore creative solutions. Learn the secrets by enrolling.

About the Speakers:

Susan Charles
Susan Charles Ed.D. has over 30 years experience as a teacher, counselor, and administrator in K-12 education and over 15 years in higher education. Originally from the island of Dominica in the West Indies, where she began teaching, she has lived in the Bay Area for over 45 years. In 2009, she became the Director of Educational Leadership programs at Santa Clara University and presently directs three Masters’ Programs; Administrative Services Program, and M.A./Education and Curriculum, at Notre Dame de Namur University, in Belmont, California. Susan has also written the program for the M.A./Diversity Equity & Inclusion Leadership, which began in January 2024. An offshoot of this program will be a Certificate in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. She also works with schools in India, China, the Bay Area, and has worked in the Caribbean and Kenya. Susan is a trainer and consultant for Six Seconds, an organization that trains professionals in social emotional learning. She sits on many boards. Susan enjoys spending time with her family, grandchildren and friends, gardening, and cooking.

Her Noble Goal is to teach and influence educators to make a difference in the lives of children!

Anabel Jensen
With over 30 years of pioneering work in emotional intelligence education, Dr. Anabel Jensen is an inspiring and caring speaker who helps people find the best in themselves and each other. Anabel says people pay attention to less than 30% of what you say, but 70% of what you do, so she models the lessons she teaches. Anabel was the principal of Nueva School when Daniel Goleman came and wrote about the model emotional intelligence program there; under her guidance the school also won two Federal Blue Ribbon Awards for Excellence in Education. She’s been involved in the founding of several schools in the bay area, and currently serves on two education boards: one of a remarkable lab school (Synapse) educating future change makers and the other a charter school serving diverse populations (Connect Community School).: Synapse. Dr. Jensen has co-authored five books on teaching EQ, written numerous articles, and trained over 15,000 educators and leaders around the globe. She has taught the principles of emotional intelligence, both nationally and internationally. In addition to her leadership at Six Seconds, she is a Professor in Education at Notre Dame de Namur University. Her background includes the teaching and supervising of instruction from preschool to the university level. Anabel received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. She likes to share her noble goal: to use my voice to teach accountability and compassion so that ethical behavior floods the earth.

How do we use the gift of story to empower our teaching?

Date: May 17th, 2025
Time: 8:30am – 10:00am PT

Topic Description: Rachel inspires us to embrace the power of knowing our own story in education, highlighting its ability to forge meaningful connections. She emphasizes the significance of cultivating social, emotional, and culturally sustaining perspectives that celebrate inclusion and resilience. Join the conversation and ignite your passion to reflect inward, discovering how to bring your whole self to the teaching experience.

About the Speaker: Rachel Bacosa is a passionate and dedicated educational leader with over 20 years of experience working in schools across the entire educational spectrum, from Pre-K to university. She has served as a teacher, district coach, university supervisor, professional development trainer and educational consultant. Her innovative and relational approach has transformed the training of teacher candidates and the support provided to teachers, empowering them to thrive in their workplaces. Rachel emphasizes the importance of knowing story work, developing a social, emotional, and culturally sustaining perspective while grounding practices in resilience.

Her work is deeply rooted in CASEL’s Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies, the CRTWC SEC Anchor Competency Framework, and the mission of Acknowledge Alliance, which focuses on building school connectedness and positive relationships between students and educators. Rachel is the Project Coordinator and Professional Development Lead for Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child (CRTWC), and she is also a Faculty and Teacher Candidate Supervisor for the SJSU Teacher Education Department. Additionally, she works as a Resilience Consultant with Acknowledge Alliance.

Above all, Rachel is a devoted mother of two, a wife to her husband of 25 years, and she enjoys spending time in nature, creating with various art mediums, and cherishing quality moments with family and friends

Notre Dame de Namur University is an equal opportunity employer firmly committed to non-discrimination in its hiring and other employment practices and personnel policies. In compliance with all applicable federal and state laws, except where a bona fide occupational qualification exists, NDNU will make employment decisions irrespective of the staff member’s race, color, religion, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age (except for minors), sex, marital status, citizenship status, military service status, sexual orientation, medical condition (a cancer-related or genetic condition), disability and/or any another status protected by law. When necessary, the NDNU will reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities if they are otherwise qualified to perform all essential functions safely and do it without undue hardship to the NDNU. Inquiries regarding the College’s equal opportunity policies should be directed to the Human Resources Department via email at hr@ndnu.edu. NDNU admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Mark Dee

Magellan Solutions USA launched under the visionary leadership of Mark A. K. Dee, Chief Executive Officer – a consultant and service provider for healthcare administrative support, IT development, energy, call center, and business process outsourcing. Mark has served in various multi-level management positions in his 21 years of service in the United States Air Force (USAF). He performed as Immunology and Microbiology department manager, Medical Laboratory Assistant Director, Facility and Security Manager, and finally retiring in the military in 2008 as Superintendent/Assistant Chief of Operations of 330 personnel Medical Group. Mark has experiences in the services industries since he retired, including running a restaurant chain as the CEO. He has also developed other businesses in the Martials Arts studio and 3d-printing industries. He has a BS in Health Sciences and Hospital Administration, Board Certified in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Graduated in the Senior Executive Leadership School from the USAF, Master’s in Business Administration, and a Master’s of Science in Systems Management at Notre Dame De Namur University.

Chosen Cheng

Chosen Cheng is owner of CMC Group, a privately held engineering and marketing consultancy for small business startup ventures. He currently works with project teams developing patented award-winning solar roofing systems and patent pending drone-based augmented reality geological and thermal mapping solutions. He was formerly a Silicon Valley marketing and innovative corporate training manager. As an avocation and a way to “pay it forward” he enjoys teaching and career coaching college and graduate MBA students many of whom are pioneering first generation college students from underserved communities. He and his wife, a Notre Dame alum, celebrated their wedding reception at the Ralston Mansion in the 70’s and have two stupendously successful, married adult children who between them have four stupendously adorable grandchildren.

Arthur Chait

Entrepreneur, Executive, Engineer, Investor, Professor, Mentor. Founder & CEO EoPlex Inc. ($31 million VC funded startup acquired by ASTI Singapore). President Stanford Research Institute (SRI) Consulting Division (800 staff worldwide). SVP Flextronics (responsible for $8 Billion in global accounts). President Zitel Software. Principal Booz Allen. R&D Director Halliburton. Adjunct Professor Menlo College, Visiting Professor Universidad Francisco Marroquin (Guatemala), Mentor Draper University, Judge Startup Chile. BS Engineering Rutgers, MBA Strategy University Pittsburgh.

Kelly Cansler

Kelly completed both her BS (Finance/Economics) and MBA from NDNU. She utilized her business education to launch an insurance agency in 2008 with Farmers Insurance. It’s grown into multi-million-dollar agency, organically and through acquisition. She has been recognized by Farmers Insurance being ranked within the top 10% of agents nationwide, but also as a speaker, trainer, and mentor within the Farmers Insurance Community. Kelly is extremely connected with local businessowners through several networking channels.

Cliff Burnette

Cliff is the senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Rambus, a global chip and IP provider that advances data center connectivity and solves the bottleneck between memory and processing. Cliff has over 20 years of experience leading global human resources operations for publicly traded companies with expertise in employee relations, organizational development, and compensation strategy. Prior to Rambus, Cliff worked for several other high-tech companies in the semiconductor and medical device space and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Marketing from Texas State University and a master’s degree in Human Resources Management and Organization Development from the University of Texas at Austin.

Memo Morantes

Memo Morantes has been a San Mateo County resident for more than 45 years. He has been a three-term San Mateo County Board of Education incumbent, a Redwood City/San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce board member, a Sequoia Hospital Foundation member, a co-chair of the Latino Leadership Council of San Mateo, and a civic/community activist.

Sheryl Young

Sheryl serves as a director for Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, which provides $10M each year for innovative teachers and social entrepreneurs throughout the Bay Area. Prior Sheryl served as CEO of Community Gatepath and AbilityPath.org. She has over 30 years of managerial experience in operations, finance, and marketing. Young is a graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders, earned an M.A. of Public Health from UC Berkeley, an M.A. in Special Education from Ball State University and a B.A. in Political Science from Purdue University.

Brian Schumacker

Brian manages South San Francisco-San Bruno’s wastewater treatment plant and with a dedicated staff of over 40 professionals who safeguard community health and protect the fragile San Francisco Bay ecosystem. Brian holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration, both from Notre Dame de Namur University. Brian has also earned the highest levels of professional certifications in wastewater treatment.

Mario Rendon

Mario Rendon serves as District Director for State Assemblymember Kevin Mullin. He develops the communications, public relations and constituent service strategy for the office and supervises a small team that represents Mr. Mullin in the 22nd Assembly District within San Mateo County. He has over twenty year’s experience working with elected officials at the local, state and federal level developing public policy.

Jerry Hill

Jerry’s public service started with his local neighborhood association that progressed to the California State Assembly and Senate where he authored legislation resulting in laws on issues related to consumer protection, utility safety, coastal protection, public health, education and the environment. Jerry was born and raised in San Francisco, receiving his BA from the University of California, Berkeley and a Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University.

Magda Gonzalez

Magda was most recently the City Manager for the City of Half Moon Bay, California. Prior she was the City Manager of East Palo Alto, California and Assistant City Manager, Redwood City. Magda was President of Cal-ICMA, representing the Local Government Hispanic Network and serves on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo Credit Union and the Latino Leadership Council of San Mateo County. Magda is also a member of ICMA and the State Bar of California and received several awards and recognitions, including Career Excellence Award (WLG) and the Ethical Hero Award from Cal-ICMA.

Jeremy Dennis

Jeremy currently serves as Portola Valley Town Manager. Previously, he’s worked for elected officials at all governance levels, including twice as District Director for local assemblymembers. He worked as the Palo Alto Long Range Planning Director, and for San Mateo County in management roles. Jeremy has a Masters in Urban Planning from the London School of Economics, and graduated from UC Davis studying US History/Political Science.

Kate Comfort-Harr

Kate is Executive Director of HIP Housing, a nonprofit specializing in creative affordable housing solutions throughout San Mateo County. Kate is a frequent speaker on a wide array of affordable housing topics and is passionate about the cultivation of collaborations between the private, public and social sectors. She serves on the Board of Directors for the San Mateo Credit Union and was awarded the Chamber San Mateo County’s 2020 Business Woman of the Year Award.

Jeff Cox

Program Director for Master of Public Administration

Jerome Nadel

Jerome Nadel is Internationally experienced design-led marketing executive (CMO and GM) with a track record of improved market position, revenue growth, and M&A. He is an advance degreed psychologist and user experience product/service design expert, board member and advisor. Jerome recently retired from Rambus as where he was CMO and GM of the security software division that he led the sale to Visa. He has had a variety of chief marketing officer and chief user experience officer roles at companies including Human Factors International, SLP InfoWare, Gemplus, and Sagem. He started his career in the IBM Human Factors Labs. He is also an avid cyclist with National and multiple California State Champion titles.