O’Dowd is blessed to have a strong Board of Regents, each of whom bring tremendous talent and expertise to our community. Our Regents, which include a number of current and former parents, as well as dedicated alumni, operates as a board of limited jurisdiction in collaboration with the President. Together the Board works to ensure the school fulfills its mission and prudently allocates its resources to provide an exceptional formational experience for students.
This spring, our Board approved the following members for 3-year terms, beginning in June. We are excited to welcome their gifts and leadership to the school, where they will guide central elements of our institution - from ensuring we enact our mission and charism, to supporting our development and finance priorities.
Let’s welcome our newest members!
Marcus Alexis - Marcus has worked in the investment management industry for the past 30 years. He is currently a Senior Director with Cambridge Associates. During his time in the financial services, he's been an active leader in industry-wide initiatives to boost the recruitment, retention and promotion of Black, Hispanic, Native American, Asian American and female professionals, and in promoting the allocation of institutional capital to investment firms founded and led by people of color. He is passionate about development work and has supported the Board development committee at Head Royce for the past 3 years. Marcus believes strongly that O’Dowd serves as a beacon of hope and a safe harbor for its students, helping them build a foundation of beliefs and values that will guide them through life. He is the proud parent of an O'Dowd junior. He is non-Catholic and grew up in the Episcopal Church.
Yolanda Davis - Senior Director of Operations at ServiceNow, Yolanda brings to the Board her 20+ years with Bay Area Fortune 500 & 100 technology companies, 15+ years of managing and coaching global teams, and broad experience in operations, blending her work in strategy and planning, transformation, and program management. Her commitment to serve on the Board stems from two specific interests - an opportunity to maintain and evolve the enriching experience O’Dowd offers to future students, and a passion to give back, providing equity and opportunity to children of diverse backgrounds. She is a non-Catholic who describes herself as spiritual. For her daughter (class of 2021), O’Dowd’s religious studies and opportunities to participate in Campus Ministry were a valuable experience, deepening her faith and spirituality.
Matt Herreras - As Director for AWS Global Partner Marketing, Matt has 20+ years of GTM and technology leadership experience across multiple market segments, including Fortune 500, 100 and 50 companies, Government, Higher Education, and Healthcare. He is an active member of the Latino diversity, equity, and inclusion POD at VMware. Catholic education has been central to Matt's family history, and he credits the Catholic church with recognizing his father's early academic potential, supporting him in his studies and guiding him through the application process at Loyola Marymount University, where he won a full scholarship and later became an attorney. Some of Matt's earliest memories are of his dad giving thanks for the generosity of the Catholic community which lifted him out of poverty. Matt believes in the Catholic mission to enrich people spiritually and academically, and believes that O’Dowd is a living example of this mission. He is the proud parent of two former O'Dowd students, one a recent alum (class of 2021). He and his wife Meghan are members of Corpus Christi Church in Oakland.
MaryAnn Pearson '90 - MaryAnn is the Head of Learning Services at The Phillips Academy, an Alameda school serving youth with complex behavioral, emotional, and educational needs, where she also heads the English Department, conducts academic evaluations, heads up the Spring Fundraising Campaign, teaches sculpture, and, her greatest passion, teaches middle and high school students to read. An enthusiastic alum, MaryAnn is the proud parent of a recent O'Dowd graduate (class of 2022) and a current O'Dowd junior. Though non-Catholic, MaryAnn attended Catholic school for grades 3-12 and was raised to embrace all faiths as a result of her unique religious background: her mother was raised in the Church of England, her father’s family was Mormon, and she attended a Jewish summer camp for many summers.
Anne Swinney - Anne is the current chair of O'Dowd's Dragon Parents & Guardians, and her energy and enthusiasm for building strong communities combined with her passion for the value of a faith-based education will make her a valuable asset to the Board. In her latest venture, Anne was excited to bring her 25+ years of business, finance, and executive leadership skills to serve as COO of FirstSteps for Kids, whose mission is ensuring highest quality care for children with autism. A committed change leader, Anne negotiated the first statewide contract with California’s largest health plan, introducing ABA treatment to its members with autism, and later founded and sold a multi-state behavioral health company that provided treatment in homes, communities and schools. Anne is the parent of a recent O'Dowd graduate (class of 2022) and a current O'Dowd junior. She and her husband, Jeff, are members of Corpus Christi Church in Oakland.
Daryl Tom '81 - A highly motivated and goal-oriented leader, Daryl has led high performing teams in global fortune 100 companies for the majority of his professional career, serving as Managing Director of Accenture, the largest global management and technology consulting firm, for the past 10 years before retiring in 2022. Daryl’s experience on non-profit boards includes serving as Board President for the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (Northern California Chapter) and currently serving as Board Chair for the Calaveras County Search and Rescue Team. Daryl brings his Catholic faith, his enthusiasm as a proud alum, and his focus on stewardship and DEI work to the Board of Regents. He and his wife, Chris, are members of Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church in San Ramon.