FGSF Board of Directors
Jamil Momand
(Founder and Chair)
PROFESSOR OF BIOCHEMISTRY
Jamil Momand is a Professor of Biochemistry at California State University, Los Angeles. He earned his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Biochemistry from UCLA. For more than 20 years, he has been a strong advocate for student support in the sciences at higher education institutions. More than 30 undergraduates and 30 graduate students worked in his cancer research laboratory on the university campus. He was the Program Director of the Southern California Bioinformatics Summer Institute and the co-Director of the Cancer Collaborative. He served as the graduate student coordinator for the Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) Program. He is currently a mentor for UCLA postdoctoral fellows through the Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Program. He is the Bioinformatics Minor Program Advisor at California State University, Los Angeles.
Jon Fuhrman
IT PROFESSIONAL (Retired)
Jon Fuhrman retired as an IT Development Manager after working for Southern California Edison, Hughes Aircraft, Nestle, and Employers Insurance Group. He graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in Biochemistry and earned an M.B.A. from UCLA. He has been a civic leader at the local and county level, serving on the Pasadena City Recreation and Parks Commissioner, the Los Angeles County Information Technology Commission, and, for 27 years, on the County Citizens Commission on Economy and Efficiency. He is an active board member of several community non-profit organizations, including the Pasadena Community College Foundation and the Pasadena Educational Foundation. He has also served as a campaign Treasurer for State Legislators and numerous local elected officials.
Marilyn Johnson
COMPUTER TECHNICAL SPECIALIST and STUDENT SUCESS PROGRAM COORDINATOR, HR SPECIALIST (Retired)
Marilyn Johnson is a retired Computer Technical Specialist and Student Success Program Coordinator at Pasadena City College (PCC). Marilyn joined PCC after a 20-year career as a Human Resources Specialist. While taking classes at her local community college to update her computer skills, she discovered the deep personal fulfillment of working with the changing faces of community college students. Throughout her career at PCC, Marilyn held multiple leadership roles dedicated to equity, mentorship, and academic advancement. With a mission to support community college students—especially those underrepresented in STEM—Marilyn focused her career on expanding access to scholarships and undergraduate research opportunities, and to facilitating seamless transfer pathways to four-year institutions. As a participant in the PCC Institute of Diversity, Equity, and Justice, she designed and implemented impactful student success initiatives that supported STEM majors and addressed persistent barriers and equity gaps. Marilyn also coordinated the PCC/NIH Bridges to the Future program, supporting students pursuing careers in biomedical research. She serves as recruiter and advisor for PCC’s Biotechnology Program under the CIRM Stem Cell Grant, and has been an active member of the Biotech Hub Grant Southern California Committee. In the final years of her career, Marilyn launched and co-coordinated BlackSTEM PCC—an interpersonal, empowerment-based educational initiative supporting African American students in STEM fields.
Susan Kane
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH SCIENTIST (Retired)
Susan Kane is a retired biomedical research scientist. She received a B.S. in Biology from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Biology from Johns Hopkins University. Susan led a research laboratory at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, retiring in 2017 as a Professor of Cancer Biology. She also served as Associate Director of Research and Senior Vice President of Graduate and Professional Studies while at City of Hope. She was co-Director of the Cancer Collaborative, a City of Hope-Cal State LA partnership and she directed a science education outreach program partnering with Duarte Unified School District. She has served on numerous non-profit boards, most recently as board chair at Huntington Medical Research Institutes.
Mary Pace
FIRST GENERATION STUDENT
Mary Pace is a recent graduate from California State University, Los Angeles, having earned her B.A. in English and an M.A. in English Literature. As a first-generation college student, she understands the importance of one's community and other resources to assist students with educational and professional endeavors. She dedicated her undergraduate and graduate years to community service and devoted her time to professional positions that allowed her to share her knowledge of the education system and its services to fellow students. She currently works as an office assistant and hopes to continue sharing her passion for learning and navigating university policies and procedures with the people she meets.
Sandra Sharp
PROFESSOR (EMERITA) OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Sandra Sharp is a Professor Emerita in Biological Sciences at California State University, Los Angeles. She received a B.A. in Zoology from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from UCLA. Her career passion has been working with undergraduate and master's level students, in both the classroom and her research laboratory. One of her greatest joys is seeing former students find their rewards in fulfilling careers following years of struggle to do well in school while making ends meet. Throughout her career at Cal State LA, she played an active role in the governance and activities of the statewide CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB). She also sits on the board of Huntington Medical Research Institutes, currently serving as chair of the Education Committee for that organization.
Shabnam Sheikh
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST
Shabnam Sheikh is an environmental professional with a B.S. in Biological Sciences from University of California, Irvine and M.S. in Biological Sciences from California State University, Los Angeles. As a Cal State LA alumnus and former Teaching Assistant, she is passionate about supporting STEM students achieve their goals. She currently works as an Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Transportation.
Jeff Silverman
BIOPHARMACEUTICAL EXECUTIVE (Retired)
Jeff Silverman is a retired biopharmaceutical executive with over 40 years experience in product development, manufacturing, engineering, and technical operations. He has a B.S. in Biochemistry from Cal State L.A. and an M.B.A. from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University. He has extensive involvement in cutting edge delivery systems for oncology drugs including large scale production facility design and operation. During his career, Jeff was involved in several industry associations, most notably the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering. Since retiring, he has stayed very active with Cal State L.A., sharing his expertise as a lecturer at the BioStart Bioscience Entrepreneurs Boot Camp. He serves on the Advisory Board for the School of Natural and Social Sciences and the Advisory Board for the Ronald H. Silverman Art Gallery. Jeff and his wife, Amelia, also sponsor an annual symposium at Cal State L.A. focusing on current issues in the natural and social sciences.
FGSF Staff
Marisa Bowers
PROGRAM MANAGER
Marisa received a B.A. in Biology from Occidental College and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the Irell and Manella Graduate School at City of Hope. During her graduate career, Marisa discovered a love of communicating science and engaging the community, which led her to work for a science education outreach initiative at City of Hope aimed to increase student engagement in STEM. After nearly 10 years in this role, she transitioned to a team manager role in local biotech startup. While she enjoyed the fast-paced environment and novel research, she missed engaging with students and the community. As a first-generation college student herself, Marisa understands the difficulty of navigating the college and financial aid systems, and hopes to provide support for other first generation STEM students.