Board of Directors
(please see bios below)
All of our volunteer board members are current or former TPHS Parents.
Staff
Joe Austin
Executive Director
Meet our Executive Director, Joe Austin, who recently retired from the Poway Unified School District, where he supported K-12 STEM and Career Technical Education pathway programs. Before coming to Poway Unified in 2017, he worked in San Diego Unified, where he was a principal for 15 years and a technology coordinator and math teacher for another 10. He and his wife, Tami, are raising three children: Brooks (13), Parker (15), and Avery (20). Tami has taught in San Dieguito Union for over 20 years, and currently teaches Art and English at Earl Warren Middle School. They have lived in Solana Beach for the past 13 years.
Angi Austin
Director of Operations
As a native San Diegan, Angi raised her 3 children (all TPHS Alumnus) here in Carmel Valley. After spending several years working as a volunteer liaison for the Dance Program it felt like a natural next step to join the Foundation staff. Her main focus is on communications, process management and website development. Angi thoroughly enjoys working with parent volunteers, Foundation board members and the Foundation team. When not at work, Angi loves spending time with family, good friends, being outside and working on her house.
Paige Bezdek
After School Program Coordinator
Paige joined the Foundation staff after years of volunteering in support of her three Falcon daughters — one current student and two alumnus. Originally from the Midwest, she spent years pursuing her love of travel as an international flight attendant, which eventually led her here to San Diego. At the Foundation, she helps manage the scheduling and use of TPHS facilities by internal and external groups, When not wearing her Foundation or mother hats, Paige is a dog mom to the world’s sweetest golden retriever.
Alison Gaconnet
Office Coordinator
A resident of San Diego for the past fifteen years, Alison Gaconnet joins the Torrey Pines Foundation board with a background in communications. Prior to moving to San Diego, she worked in the US Senate for the Senate Judiciary Committee followed by the Motion Picture Association of America in the office of Legislative Affairs. A mother of three, Alison has been extremely involved in the education community as PTA President and a Member of the School Site Council. She cares deeply for issues that affect parents, students, and teachers. Alison is honored to support our children’s education at Torrey Pines High School by serving on the Torrey Pines Foundation Board and as a key member of our office staff.
Dawn Stiles-Uppole
Accountant
Dawn Stiles-Uppole is a native of Indianapolis, IN, but now happily loving life in San Diego with her husband, twin boys TPHS class of 2027), and goldendoodle. She has over 25 years of experience in accounting and finance. A huge fan of all things Prince, traveling, volunteering, spending time with friends, and sports, Dawn is currently thrilled to finally have an MLB home team to support! Having been an active and dedicated member of the Parent Teacher Association at every school her boys have attended, she is honored for the opportunity to serve the Foundation in any way she can to help contribute to the continued success of TPHS students, faculty, and families.
Tara Winter
Accountant
Board of Directors
Recognized as one of the top high schools in California, Torrey Pines consistently excels in athletic, academic, visual/performing arts and other enrichment programs that offer students the opportunity to explore and develop interests on multiple platforms, including business, engineering, biotech, robotics, etc. The Board of Directors’ role is to ensure that continues.
Tom Leddo - President
Tom is a proud parent of two Torrey Pines Falcons — one an alumnus of the Class of 2025 and the other a current student in the Class of 2027 — and the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of MD7, a leading global digital infrastructure consultancy. With over 25 years of experience, Tom has helped lead MD7’s expansion, providing innovative solutions in mobile network deployment, lease optimization, energy transition, and data center asset management for major infrastructure operators across North America, Europe, and beyond. His broad background in leadership roles within real estate and technology has refined his expertise in site acquisition, project management, and operational excellence. Tom earned a BS in Business Administration and an MBA from the University of Alabama. He is honored to serve as a board member and is excited to contribute to the growth of the Torrey Pines High School Foundation.
Traci Acers
Past President
Traci has been a San Diego resident for over forty years and is a proud Falcon community member and parent. As a former teacher and school counselor she is passionate about working with school systems, community projects/support, and in the social-emotional learning realm. Traci has been very involved in the Carmel Valley community as a Girl Scout Leader, Ocean Air PTA Board member, CVMS PTA Board member, PTMS PTSA Board member, and Teen Volunteers in Action Board member. Traci is excited and honored to work with the TPHS Foundation to foster student and parent connectedness and support Torrey Pines High School staff with their educational goals. We are TP!
Kerily McEvoy
VP of Development
Kerily joined the Torrey Pines HS Foundation in 2020 when her oldest daughter became a Falcon immediately putting her 30 years technical and software skills to use in helping to relaunch the Foundation website and select a new marketing and web design partner. Alongside her software product management career focused on startups, Kerily holds many volunteer positions including serving on the board of the Solana Beach Schools Foundation for the past 7 years and as philanthropy liaison for I Love a Clean San Diego and Meals on Wheels for National Charity League.
Dale Williamson
VP of Finance
After working throughout the US and Europe for 10 years in the Networking and Systems roles, Dale moved to San Diego in 2006. Continuing his career in various roles, such as Customer Success, Sales Operations, Product Management, and Sales, he’s constantly seeking new opportunities and challenges. Outside of work, he loves to watch his son play soccer (football in the European parlance), hiking (including all the highest peaks in SoCal), keeping up with the latest technology and traveling with his family. His wife, Alex, who meet in Dublin, Ireland, have a sophomore at Torrey Pines and a daughter heading to the University of Oregon to study Psychology in the fall.
Jennifer MacDougall
Recording Secretary
Jennifer is excited to join the Falcon Family! A long-time San Diegan, she is a parent to two teens, including a TPHS rising junior. An experienced corporate attorney and senior business executive, her areas of expertise include corporate governance, SEC disclosure, ethics, and trademarks and advertising law. She enjoys serving on the Board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito, as past President of the Association of Corporate Counsel San Diego, and lecturing and mentoring at both USD and Cal Western law schools. Jennifer has a B.A. in Political Science from Stanford University and J.D. from UC Berkeley.
Kristin Andersen
Board Member
Petia Balden
Board Member
Petia is a mom of two future TPHS graduates (Class of 2029 and 2030). Petia is originally from Bulgaria, grew up in Italy, and has been living in San Diego for over twenty years. She has enjoyed volunteering at school since her children were in kindergarten and has held a variety of PTO/PTSA positions at Solana Highlands/Solana Pacific elementary and PTMS. She is a big believer in the importance of parents’ involvement to enhance the staff and students’ school experience. Petia works in the defense industry and manages the export control program at a local shipyard. In her free time, Petia loves spending time with her family and going to the beach. Together we are TP!
Frank Cassidy
Board member
Frank has two daughters at TP, one a TP Alumna (25) and a junior (graduating 2027). Having never served on a school board previously, Frank has enthusiastically written this bio in the 3rd person – very much hoping that enthusiasm, hard work and positivity will compensate for the lack of school board experience. Originally from Ireland, he is leading the U.S. expansion of an Irish-based ERP software company. His goal is to help strengthen connections between TP parents and the school, encourage greater involvement in events, and foster the kind of supportive parent community often seen in elementary and middle schools.
Willie Chao
Board Member
Barry Epstein
Board member
Barry has two daughters – a TP Alumna, a current TP senior – and a dog who is not ready for high school yet. He has served on multiple Boards, including The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, CAUSES (Child Abuse Unit for Study, Education, and Services), and The American Cancer Society. He works in the Advanced Technology Group at ServiceNow, where he is also on the Global Impact Council. He has coached multiple youth sports over the past 25 years and is currently coaching the 7th and 8th Grade volleyball teams at Pacific Trails. Barry is a proud University of Michigan alumnus.
Ranee Fisher
Board Member
A California native, Ranee moved to San Diego in 1996 to attend the University of San Diego, where she earned a degree in Marketing, and has called Carmel Valley home ever since. She raised/is raising her two daughters here, both of whom attended Carmel Del Mar Elementary, Carmel Valley Middle School, and Torrey Pines High School. Her oldest daughter graduated from Torrey Pines in 2026, and her youngest is a sophomore. Ranee has more than 20 years of experience leading merchandising teams across the consumer goods industry and currently serves on the merchandising leadership team at Road Runner Sports. Throughout her daughters’ school years, she volunteered as a Room Parent and has remained actively involved in the Torrey Pines community, supporting the Dance, Cross Country, and Track & Field teams, as well as numerous Foundation events. She is honored to continue supporting the students, teachers, and families of Torrey Pines as a member of the Foundation Board.
Alison Gaconnet
Board Member
A resident of San Diego for the past fifteen years, Alison Gaconnet joins the Torrey Pines Foundation board with a background in communications. Prior to moving to San Diego, she worked in the US Senate for the Senate Judiciary Committee followed by the Motion Picture Association of America in the office of Legislative Affairs. A mother of three, Alison has been extremely involved in the education community as PTA President and a Member of the School Site Council. She cares deeply for issues that affect parents, students, and teachers. Alison is honored to support our children’s education at Torrey Pines High School by serving on the Torrey Pines Foundation Board and as a key member of our office staff.
Joanna Herman
Board Member
Joanna is a proud Falcon parent (classes of 2025 and 2027) and a graduate of Torrey Pines High School, class of 1994. Joanna is a Partner with Major, Lindsey & Africa, an executive legal search firm. She specializes in working with companies to build and strengthen in-house legal departments within Southern California and across the country. Before joining Major, Lindsey & Africain 2013, Joanna spent over a decade working at law firms in San Diego, including Morrison & Foerster and Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich (now DLA Piper), where she focused on product liability and commercial litigation, working with clients across various industries including pharmaceutical, medical device, toxic torts and aviation. Joanna has previously served on the Board of Directors and held various leadership roles, including that of President, at Congregation Beth Am. Joanna has a law degree from Harvard Law School and received her undergraduate degree from Columbia College, Columbia University. Go Falcons!
Doreen Hom
Board Member
Melissa Ladendorf
Board Member
Melissa and her husband Matt have had three children at Torrey Pines High School over the past 6 years: Madalyn graduated in 2022, Talena graduated in 2024 and Luke will graduate in 2027. For the past three years, she has been involved in teacher & staff appreciation celebrations. She is looking forward to working with other volunteers to continue showing the staff how much they are appreciated and loved with luncheons and gifts. When she isn’t busy organizing fun stuff at TPHS, she has a black belt in Koempo Karate, does Pilates, walks on the beach, raises dogs and tortoises and paints. If you want to see a sample of her beautiful artwork, visit the Administration building.
Suzanne Miller
Board Member
Melissa Nilsen
Board Member
Melissa is an educator and researcher with a deep commitment to whole-child education and public-school advocacy. Originally from the Midwest, she has lived in San Diego for the past ten years with her husband and two daughters, including a current sophomore at Torrey Pines High School. Melissa holds a doctorate in education, and her research focuses on the importance of student-teacher relationships. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her family, in nature, or gardening in her back yard and collecting eggs from her chickens. Melissa is honored to serve on the TPHS Foundation Board and looks forward to supporting the continued success of the school’s students, faculty, and community.
Chris Nowers
Board Member
Chris, originally from the UK, moved with his family to Del Mar in 2024, following 10 years living and working in Europe. His wife grew up in California, and his daughter, who was born in San Francisco, will be a junior at Torrey Pines during the 2026–27 school year. Chris was inspired to join the Torrey Pines High School Foundation Board after participating in the 2026 Challenge Days. The experience deepened his connection to the Torrey Pines community and strengthened his desire to contribute more actively to the school and its students. Chris has enjoyed a successful career in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, holding a variety of senior leadership roles in the U.S. and internationally. He looks forward to bringing his experience and commitment to the Foundation in support of Torrey Pines students and families.
Ed Rohrbach
Board Member
Angela Schrack
Board Member
Originally from Pennsylvania, Angela moved to San Diego in 2014. A former nurse, Angela began volunteering as room mom and a teacher’s helper in Art class every year when her youngest children were enrolled at Solana Santa Fe Elementary. She then became a PTSA board member and Red Ribbon Chair at Earl Warren Middle School. She has 3 children; including a TP alumni and a TP sophomore. She enjoys cooking for her family, loves the beach and spending quality time with her kids and 2 schnauzers.
Dawn Stiles-Uppole
Board Member
Claudia Zhou
Board Member
Claudia and her husband, Eric, live in RSF with their two daughters, a rising junior and an incoming 9th grader at TPHS, and their two dogs.
Claudia is passionate about supporting students, teachers, and the school community. As her daughters have grown, she has been actively involved through classroom volunteering and service on the PTA and School Site Council. These experiences have strengthened her appreciation for educators and her commitment to helping students thrive.
Professionally, Claudia is a seasoned actuary with extensive experience in insurance and fintech, bringing a data-driven perspective, collaborative leadership, and a strong commitment to community service.
Thanuja Zupan
Board Member
Thanuja is a former Business Development Representative and Director of Client Relations in New York City. She is the parent of a junior at Torrey Pines High School and a seventh-grade student at Pacific Trails Middle School.
A dedicated volunteer leader, Thanuja has worked closely with educators, families, and students to strengthen school communities and enhance the educational experience for all. Her leadership roles have included serving as PTA President at Sage Canyon School, Vice President of Communications at Carmel Valley Middle School, and Health & Wellness Chair at Cottonwood Creek Elementary School. She also serves as an elected parent representative on both the San Dieguito Union High School District Advisory Committee and the School Site Council at Torrey Pines High School.
Throughout her volunteer service, Thanuja has planned and led numerous school and community initiatives that foster engagement, promote wellness, and strengthen connections among students, families, and educators. She is excited to be part of the Falcon community both as a parent and a returning board member!
Join the Board
Without TPHSF Torrey Pines High School cannot remain great, because the school budget does not provide the funding to go from good to great. With exceptional programs and an enriching immersive social and emotional experience students grow and achieve in exceptional ways. We are here to make sure that every student reaches their potential.