Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Kelly Wachowitz
Board Co-Chair, Chief Financial Officer for Planetary Hydrogen
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True believer in the power of people and ideas to change the world. Currently serving as CFO of XPrize winner Planetary Technologies, developing a low-cost solution for carbon dioxide removal from the atmosphere using ocean chemistry for permanent, safe, and durable storage. Favorite ocean phenomenon include cuttlefish, siphonophores, and the languages of fishes. Co-founder of Catch Together, an impact investment platform financing fishing quotas and permits in North America in exchange for conservation. Lead the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Vibrant Oceans Initiative (www.investinvibrantoceans.org) to develop six sustainable fisheries investment opportunities in Chile, Brazil, and the Philippines. Advised foundations and NGOs on sustainable fisheries investment opportunities in twelve countries. Served as member of the Global Think Tank for the World Bank’s Ocean Partnerships for Biodiversity Conservation, and as judge for the Economist World Ocean Summit Ocean Innovation Challenges. Prior roles at Encourage Capital (Partner), AllianceBernstein’s US Real Estate Fund (MD and COO), iStar Financial/Timberstar (acquiring and managing forestland), NYC EDC, and Goldman Sachs. Received a BA in History with Honors from the University of California in Los Angeles, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Maria Pappas
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Board Co-Chiar, Chief Philanthropy Officer, The Tech Interactive
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Maria has a 30 year history in nonprofit where she began her career at the American Heart Association learning the basics of fundraising, board development and community engagement. She was Development Director, Executive Director and Senior Business Development Director while at the AHA. Maria joined The Tech in 2012 as Vice President of Development and has recently been promoted to Chief Philanthropy Officer. Maria leads the development team and has been responsible for The Tech raising over $150M from 30,000 donors during her tenure. Maria's CASC involvement started when she was 16 years old and attended a summer conference at Stanford. She then went on to become a counselor and gamma. Maria was part of the international team that developed Agenda 21, proposals which were presented to Secretary-General Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow and President Ronald Reagan in Washington DC in 1988. Maria earned her BA degrees in Sociology and Psychology with a business emphasis from UCLA and recently completed her Masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University.
Derek Yung
Secretary-Treasurer, CFO of TransForce
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Derek Yung was elected to the CASC Board of Directors in December 2022 and will serve on the Marketing Committee. He was recently named Chief Financial Officer of TransForce. Previously, he was CFO at wine.com. Derek holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Derek served CASC as a trainer and trainer of trainers for our leadership conferences and was involved with our work with the Association of Young Leaders based in Moscow, Russia.
Derek Yung is the Chief Financial Officer for TransForce, a leader in commercial driver solutions and operates a nationwide network for drivers to match truck drivers through an online marketplace. Derek has a history of impactful CFO roles at technology-driven companies, including Wine.com, eHealth, Hotwire (part of Expedia Group) and Ticketfly (acquired by Pandora Media). Derek began his career as a management consultant at Accenture and Alvarez and Marsal, where he specialized in partnering with Fortune 500 companies to develop and implement technology enabled business strategies. Derek has an MBA with Distinction from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BS in Computer Science from Stanford University.
For almost a decade, Derek served CASC as a trainer, trainer of trainers, and assistant director for leadership conferences. Derek was also involved with CASC partnerships with the Association of Young Leaders, a Russian-based youth leadership organization, and with Earth Train, a worldwide campagn by youth to youth to ensure a liverable planet.
Randy Bangs
Board Member
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Mr. Bangs currently serves as the Superintendent of the Soledad Unified School District.Superintendent of Educational services and as a principal at the high school and middle school level. He worked in the Salinas Union High School district as Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services for twelve years. He is past-president of Region 10 for the Association of California School Administrators and currently is the chair for the ACSA Mid-State Conference.
Krystal Lomanto
Board Member, Krystal Lomanto, San Benito County Superintendent of Schools
Superintendent Lomanto is in her 33rd year in education. Superintendent Lomanto started her career as a high school science teacher, a coach, class advisor, and served as a teacher on special assignment.
Superintendent Lomanto held several administrative roles before being elected as the first woman county superintendent in 2015. Superintendent Lomanto was the principal of a large comprehensive high school for seven years, serving over 2,200 students. Superintendent Lomanto led the site during the 2008 recession, helping to close the achievement gap for English Learners and Hispanic students. Superintendent Lomanto was a champion for equity and access for all students and has carried that same passion into her Superintendency at the County Office.
Superintendent Lomanto was recently elected to her third term as County Superintendent of Schools. Superintendent Lomanto leads with experience, accountability, and provides strong leadership for the districts and community she serves. She is passionate about her work with the districts and community and because of her strong leadership, she has been awarded several distinguished awards; Association of California School Administrators Region 10 Superintendent of the Year, San Benito County Chamber Women of the Year, selected as the Trail Blazer of the Year by Senator Caballero, and League of United Latin American Citizens Women of the Year.
Superintendent Lomanto has led the County Office of Education with a strong commitment to meeting the needs of all students across the county. Under her leadership, the county office has developed and implemented three crucial initiatives: Building Bridges 2 Literacy, Healthy Minds Healthy Lives, and Arts Forward. Superintendent Lomanto has focused on building the leadership capacities of the San Benito County Office of Education administrative team to ensure the team leads with consistency, integrity, and compassion. She is extremely proud of the Local Control Accountability Plan approval team, Differentiated Assistance, and Comprehensive Support and Improvement teams, for their incredible work utilizing the improvement science model.
Superintendent Lomanto currently is a member of the California County Superintendents and sits on numerous committees within the organization. She is a board member of the K12 Highspeed Network board, was elected as the Region 10 ACSA State Legislative Committee representative, is a representative on the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence Advisory Board, and was selected be a representative on State Superintendent Thurmond' COVID response and Literacy task forces, just to name a few.
Eric Schwartz
Board Member, Director of Marketing for Clorox
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Eric leads successful consumer product portfolios. At Tyson, Hillshire, Henkel & Clorox, Eric has owned P&Ls of up to $3 billion and led teams including R&D, Food Service, Analytics, Insights, Project Management, Marketing and Innovation, with indirect leadership of Manufacturing, Logistics, Financial Planning and Accounting. He has led diverse Food and Household product portfolios including breakfast sandwiches, poultry, breakfast meats, corn dogs, waffles, frozen desserts, water filters, trash bags, detergents, fabric softeners, air fresheners, hard surface cleaners and insecticides.
Eric’s multi-chapter career began in CASC programs at age 15. He was a CASC summer programs delegate before any involvement in student leadership, and went on to serve as a student member of hi school board, as student body president, and as a staff member for CASC programs. His involvement with the CASC organization intensified, and – like for many CASC alumni – became a personal and professional formative experience that continues to pay dividends in workplace setting decades later, including instilling an unbreakable habit to work with others to drive change.
Rupesh Shah
Board Member, Granular
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Rupesh currently leads Product, Analytics, and Customer Support for Granular, the software arm of Corteva Agriscience, a leading agricultural company. Rupesh has 20+ years of product experience, striving to solve significant customer problems by developing deep customer empathy and working closely with design, engineering, and data science to design and build innovative software and data products for end users. Previously, Rupesh held leadership roles in product development at Khan Academy, Infusionsoft, LAUNCH, Simpa Energy, and Intuit; he has also led sustainability and solar initiatives at Simpa Energy and Intuit. In addition, Rupesh is on several boards, including De La Gente, a coffee cooperative and wholesaler based in Guatemala, Nexleaf, a global health company working to ensure the high potency of vaccines, and is an advisor to several high-potential social enterprises through Rippleworks. Rupesh holds a BA in Sociology from UC San Diego and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Aaryn Rose Pratt
Aaryn Pratt, an independent consultant in Executive Leadership and HR Strategy, joined the CASC Board in August 2023. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer for Peet’s Coffee and was Global Head of HR and Communications for Banana Republic and Janie and Jack Brands. Prior to her career with the Gap Inc. family of brands, she was a strategy & change consultant. She holds a B.A. in Organizational Communication from CSUS and a Master of Science in Organization Development from Pepperdine University.
Aaryn’s first CASC camp was in 1989, where she went on to volunteer as a counselor, Gamma, and Assistant Camp Director. In addition to serving on the Board, Aaryn leads CASC Parent Camp. One of her three daughters is a proud CASC Camper, attending her third year this summer
Kristie To
State President
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Kristie To (she/her) is a senior at Northwood High School in Irvine, Orange County. Prior to being the CASC State President, she served as the State Development Director, led the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, and worked on the Board of Directors and Legislative Policy Committee. In her free time, she enjoys playing percussion and pursuing her passions of youth empowerment, political advocacy, and advancing racial justice.
Amira Hutcherson
Secretary/Treasurer
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Amira Hutcherson (she/her) is the current Secretary/Treasurer and a senior at Shasta High School in Redding, California. Besides CASC, Amira enjoys reading and writing, but also volunteering in her community. In the future, she wishes to major in international relations and further her passion for global politics and cooperation. You can reach her at amira.hutcherson@casc.net with any questions or concerns.
Helios Lung
Development Director
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Helios Lung is a sophomore at Monte Vista High School. He is the current State Development Director, and previously served as the Region 4 Development Director. In his free time, he enjoys watching early 2000s romcoms and playing chess.
Michelle Lee
Communications Director
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Michelle Lee is the Communications Director for the 2023-24 term. Michelle goes by she/her pronouns and is a senior who attends Sunny Hills High School in Orange County. Aside from CASC, she is a part of her district's GENup team as the political director and is also an editor for her school yearbook. In her free time she enjoys reading the news, updating her spotify, drawing her friends, film photography, and people watching. You can reach her at michelle.lee@casc.net.
Lawrence Kim
Region 11 President
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Lawrence Kim (he/him) is a sophomore from the Biomedical Science and Technology Academy at Chino High School. He is CASC's Region 11 President, serving the San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Outside of the CASC setting, Lawrence enjoys dancing, debating, and eating delicious food. Additionally, shopping for shoes is something that he is always eager to do in his freetime!
Executive Director
June Thompson, Ph.D.
Board of Advisors
Liebe Geft, Director
Museum of Tolerance
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Ted Lempert, Executive Director
Children Now
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L. Karen Monroe, Superintendent
Alameda County Office of Education
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David Nakashima, Consultant
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Jack Russi, National Managing Partner
Deloitte & Touche
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Robert Sternfels, Director
McKinsey & Company