Charlene A. Mattison is the Assistant Dean for Advancement at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where she received her law degree. She currently serves as a member of the San Juan Unified School District on the Facilities, Transportation and Finance Committee. She is the mother of two children, one at Churchill Middle School and one at Del Dayo Elementary School.

Dr. General Davie brings to the Foundation board 39 years of experience in the field of education. His work experience in education began as a classroom teacher and ended with his retirement as Superintendent of Schools for the San Juan Unified School District. During his tenure, General received recognition for his work from peers and the community, including the Marcus Foster Award from the Association of California School Administrators and Superintendent of the Year Award from the Sacramento Urban League. He continues to serve children and the community through his work on the Board of Directors for the Sacramento Children’s Home and the Sacramento Symphonic Winds. General believes that educating our citizens is our nation’s most important business.

Gayle Hensler brings over 10 years experience in fundraising to the SJEF Foundation, including planning, coordinating and overseeing events benefiting non-profit organizations and children. The last of her four children, who all attended San Juan district schools, graduated from Bella Vista in 2007. Gayle has a degree in special education and successfully ran a family-owned business before selling it in 2003 and devoting her time to working in her children’s schools. Gayle has become an auto enthusiast through her marriage, and she and her husband have spent years collecting, restoring and attending car events. Gayle also serves on the Board of the Niello Concours at Serrano.

Lucinda Luttgen was elected to the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education in 2004. Lucinda is a passionate advocate for science education. She has taught science to junior-high students and high school students for 29 years. Almost too many times to count, Lucinda was named the Andrew Carnegie Middle School’s Outstanding Teacher of the Year, and in 1995 she was named the San Juan School District’s Teacher of the Year. Lucinda retired from teaching in 2004, but she continues to promote science education by working at the California State University, Sacramento, science teacher outreach program and working with the Science Olympiad. With over 55 years in our district as a student, teacher, parent of a student, grandparent of a student and board member, Lucinda is dedicated to excellent San Juan Schools. Lucinda is an ex-officio member of the Foundation Board.

Richard Launey was elected to the San Juan Unified School District Board of Education in 2004. Rick has a Masters degree in Government from Texas Christian University and he has been both a Dean and a College President, and was head of the national education division of a leading commercial Internet service provider, where he worked to promote Internet access for colleges, universities, and public K-12 schools nationwide. Since 2000, Rick has been working as the Executive Director of a non-profit organization focused on school safety issues and staff development for K-12 schools in California. Rick and his family have lived in the San Juan School District for 28 years, and his three children are all graduates of El Camino High School. Rick is an ex-officio member of the Foundation Board.

Craig Fechter, CPA, has a practice located in Rancho Cordova. His firm specialties are government accounting and auditing, private audit/review/compilation, non-profit auditing, tax compliance and consulting. Craig has been an adjunct faculty of accounting at American River College and is presently teaching a business tax course at UC Davis Extension, where he assisted staff in developing the course material, learning objectives and course outline. Craig is an active member of the community, serving on the finance and executive committee of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento and the Transportation and Finance Committee of the San Juan Unified School District. Craig and his wife Joanna have three children. Their oldest daughter Maren attends Cowan Fundamental and their son Braden is in the special education program at Citrus Heights school.

Mary Lyn Kagan, founder and President of Kagan & Associates, provides project management, business development, and administrative training for public and private entities, as well as small businesses in Sacramento County and the Bay area. Mary Lyn also serves as Chief Operations Officer for Leonard Gonzalez Enterprise, Inc., (LGEDN, Inc.) an international business development corporation with a focus on Latin and South American opportunities for US entities. Mary Lyn is an advocate for project management (PM) techniques/theory and provides project management support and training, team building, communication, leadership and computer training. She is an active advocate for collaborative partnerships between non-profits, educators, local agencies, and business to leverage community resources. Mary Lyn provides proposal writing services and consults with education/youth focused entities that promote “project-based learning”, workforce development programs, and strategies for building strong collaborations. Mary Lyn is an appointed member of the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors’ Children’s Coalition and the Coalition’s Advocacy Committee, member of the EMERGE Leadership team (formerly Ready By 21), Mayor’s Commission on Sacramento’s Youth, San Juan Education Foundation Board Member, Chairperson of AAW’s Advisory Council, and Secretary for the Teachable Moment Foundation. She served 4 years on the Sacramento City Unified School District’s Bond Oversight Committee, and has been a member of the “e21” Students First Community Advisory Committee, Phoenix Park (formerly Franklin Villa) Social Services Planning Team, Youth Service Providers Network – Team Planning Committee, Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber - Education Committee and Small Business Advisory Committee, and a stakeholder member of the California Workforce Investment Board - Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities Partnership (ITOP). Association memberships include the Point West Rotary of Sacramento, National Association of Female Executives (NAFE), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and the Charter School Development Center.

Sonja Atkins is Safe Kids Coordinator for Mercy San Juan Medical Center’s trauma prevention program, leading statewide legislation, creating opportunities for public/private partnerships, leading strategic planning processes for local and statewide groups, and coordinating child safety and educational activities throughout the county. She has worked in the health education field since 1994. She received a B.S. degree in Human Development from UC Davis and did Master’s course work at Emory University. Sonja has served on the SJUSD Strategic Planning Committee and is active with Deterding PTA. She has two children who attend Deterding Elementary. Both of Sonja’s parents were teachers in the district for over 30 years and she attended Sierra Oaks and Arden and graduated from Rio Americano.

Samantha Thomas is a Chief with California State government, where she has served 22+ years. She is also a member of Governor's Schwarzeneggar's Council for California Preparedness Emergency Advisory Workgroup for Public and Private Partnerships. Samantha has served as a Director elect on several Inter/national and local Boards including Director roles for Strategic Planning, Policy, Fund Development, Public Relations, and Marketing. She is a frequent international keynote speaker, has worked with European Union members, Parliament representatives, country leaders in more than a dozen countries/five continents and is a contributing author to books, magazines and news media. She has served as a mentor with the Sacramento Middle School Mentor Program and as a Director on the Sacramento County SPCA Board. She and her family live in Carmichael.

You might recognize Pat as the Sacramento school teacher who became Miss Sacramento, Miss California, and a National Finalist in the Miss America Pageant in 1951-52. After retiring from teaching, she joined the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society. Shortly after Pat began playing in Hal Needham’s No Name Jazz and Dance Band, and then additional bands, Absolute Jazz Band and Black Tuesday Jazz Band. They played venues such as the Crest Theatre and many Old Sacramento locations and played several years in the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. In 2004, Pat was invited to join the Musicats Jazz Band, as well as substitute on piano in the Dixon Firehouse Philharmonic Jazz Band! More recently, she has formed Pat Blucher and the Jazzin’ Gents. Pat has also given back to the community serving on the Cancer League, American Association of University Women, and Beta Sigma Phi philanthropic sorority. She belongs to the SCTA, CTA, NEA, and Mu Epsilon Sigma (Miss American Sorority).