Our Mission, Our Team

Dr. Laurie Scolari grew up among the lettuce fields of the Salinas Valley. Her mother immigrated to California from Mexico and cleaned houses for a living. To teach her a lesson on the importance of pursuing her education, she often helped her mom clean local bars at 4 a.m. before school. The lesson worked: Dr. Scolari now prides herself on being the first in her family to obtain bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. She began her career as a counselor at UC Berkeley. Dr. Scolari also formerly served as the Dean of Counseling and Student Support Services at City College of San Francisco and worked at UC Santa Cruz for 10 years in multiple leadership roles. Today, she is the Vice President of Student Services at Foothill College. Additionally, Dr. Scolari is a lecturer at San Francisco State University, where she teaches policy and law in education courses.

Dr. Byrd is an equity minded scholar-practitioner that specializes in the retention and persistence of students of color.  He has over 15 years of experience in post-secondary education across student and instructional affairs divisions. Dr. Byrd has worked at mid-sized private institutions, large public universities, state-wide organizations and most recently within community colleges. 

Prior to Foothill College, Dr. Byrd served in a variety of roles within the West Valley-Mission Community College District.  Positions included Acting Dean of Student Equity and Success at West Valley College where he provided leadership and oversight over nine student success units and learning communities.  During his time at WVC, Dr. Byrd was instrumental in furthering the college’s goal of becoming an anti-racist campus that values inclusion and diversity by leading initiatives devoted to exploring the racial history of the college, identifying inequities in the student conduct process, and unearthing student engagement shortfalls through a disaggregated data analysis lens. 

Dr. Byrd previously served as the Interim Dean of Language Arts and Director of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services at Mission College.  While at Mission, Dr. Byrd worked with his colleagues to bring African American focused programming to campus, which included the Inaugural Black and Brown Summit and the African American High School Leadership Conference.  Preceding his time on community college campuses, Dr. Byrd served as a Post-Doctorate Fellow at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, a Research and Assessment Assistant at Loyola University Chicago, and Program Director at San Francisco State University.

Dr. Byrd has published multiple manuscripts and presented at numerous national conferences utilizing a critical lens towards equity and social justice.  Dr. Byrd received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education from Loyola University Chicago, Master of Arts in Sports Management from the University of San Francisco, and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State University.

Anthony Cervantes was born and raised in the Central Valley. As a first-generation college student, he learned how important it is to create a welcoming, supportive, and seamless experience for students at the start of their college journeys. Anthony is an alumnus and graduate of Stanislaus State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice and then a Master of Arts degree in counseling from San Jose State University. Since 2010, he has worked in higher education, overseeing recruitment, advising, retention, and enrollment management. Anthony loves working directly with students and learning from their experiences so that he can continue to improve administrative and support processes as our world changes around us. He aspires to earn his doctorate and show students that investing in themselves will only improve their futures.

Before joining us, Dr. Crosby served as the Interim Dean of Student Services at Allan Hancock College, where she was instrumental in managing key student support programs. She also directed the Learning Assistance Program, Veteran Success Center, and Student Health Services at the college, showcasing her ability to oversee complex educational services and initiatives.
Her previous roles include serving as the Dean of Disability Services and Student Affairs at the San Diego Community College District and the Director of DSPS at Fresno City College.
In these positions, Dr. Crosby exhibited her expertise in compliance with ADA and Section 504, along with her skill in budget management and program administration.
Dr. Crosby's academic background includes a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration from the University of Florida and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Organizational Communication from the University of West Florida.

We are committed to creating a safe, equitable, and supportive environment for students with disabilities.  We aim to create a campus climate in which diverse learners are respected, universal design is prioritized, and academic adjustments are implemented.

1. Attend (5) instructional department meetings to inform faculty about the DRC services & policies by June 30, 2024.​

2. Create an inclusive and accessible environment for students.

3. Update/Strategically organize the DRC webpage. To ensure website communication FAQs are clearly understood/updated.

• 50% of DRC students who have adjustment recommendations will request academic adjustments through ClockWork for their classes when needed.
• 5% increase from the previous year in the percentage of students successfully notifying their instructors of their accommodation.

1. 1. Pilot outreach process for prospective students by end of spring 2024​.

   2. Have at least three (3) VRC programs per quarter with at least 10 student veterans in attendance at each.

   3. Create survey to evaluate VRC & counseling services​.

• Increase outreach efforts to result in a 10% increase of student veterans accessing VRC services
• Develop a plan to increase service connected students accessing VRC services by mid-fall 2023

Dr. Isaac Escoto has served as a general counselor at Foothill College for over 15 years. While working as a counselor, he also held leadership roles such as Curriculum Committee Faculty Co-Chair, Academic Senate President, Guided Pathways Facilitator, and Counseling Department Chair. Isaac holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from San José State University as well as a Master’s in Education/Counseling and Student Personnel from San José State University. His leadership style is multi-faceted with an emphasis on equity, shared vision building, open communication, transparency, and leading by example. Isaac is excited to work with the Foothill Counseling Division in his new role as interim dean and looks forward to connecting with everyone on an individual basis.

The mission of the Foothill College Counseling Division is to empower students in their educational journey by building upon their diverse strengths. We advocate on behalf of learners to overcome institutional barriers while providing academic, career, transfer, personal counseling and instruction. We celebrate the worth and dignity of each individual as they positively contribute to their communities and global society.

• To evaluate the quality of customer service: counseling accessibility, online appointment system, counseling appointments, and Quick Questions by Fall 2020.

• Improve student access to online counseling by piloting Cranium Cafe (CF) by spring 2020.

• Collaborate with IR on a self-study of the impact of counseling on student retention, persistence, & success.

Ed Plan Counseling

Students will understand and identify the required courses needed to meet their educational goals.

Personal Counseling

Students will apply intervention strategies meant to address personal  issues - Students will leave appointments feeling their needs were addressed

Career Counseling

• Students will identify career options related to their educational goal by utilizing career resources and exploration tools.

• Students will understand the connection between major/course selection and career goals.

Transfer Counseling

Students will be able to identify courses and transfer requirements for their selected school(s) and major(s).

Alexis Donato grew up in Southern California and received her associate degree in American sign language from Saddleback College as a first-generation college student. She then received a Bachelor of Arts degree in deaf studies, with a psychology minor, from CSU Northridge. Alexis continued her educational journey, completing her Master of Arts degree in clinical psychology from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. A Californian at heart, Alexis settled in the Bay Area, providing therapy to deaf foster care youth and working in community mental health as a licensed therapist. Since arriving at Foothill College in 2015, she has been committed to reducing the stigma of mental health on campus. Alexis thoroughly enjoys connecting with students from all backgrounds, working closely with and witnessing them achieve their personal wellness goals through counseling and workshops. When she’s not working, you can find her geeking out on current wellness trends or baking something delicious with her family.

April C. Henderson is a San Francisco native who returned to college 15 years after high school. Her educational goals were affirmed by the mentoring she received from counselors and faculty at De Anza and Foothill College. Recognizing this supportive experience would have made all the difference when she initially attended college, April decided she wanted to make that difference for others. April received her degrees while employed full-time at Foothill, married, and raising a family. Influenced by the historical legacy of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, the emphasis of her master’s degree examined systemic barriers fostering disadvantages in education based on ethnicity, class, gender, and disability. April believes her non-traditional educational journey connects her most deeply with the mission of EOPS. A lover of music and dance, you can often hear diverse genres of music coming from her office, and with a soulful beat playing, you might catch her dancing at college events.

Driven by a legacy of equity and social justice, we provide a personalized connection for our students so they have the navigational capital to achieve academic success. We enhance the student experience by offering solution-based practices. We provide over and above services aimed to encourage, support, and empower students from entry to completion.

• The counseling department will contact summer 2023 enrollment days participants twice each quarter during the 2023-24 academic year. This communication will include upcoming registration dates/deadlines, reminders to make a counseling appointment, and a list of basic needs/tutoring/foothill connect resources.​

• The counseling department will increase general counseling appointments with Pacific Islander, Native American, Filipinx, and Black students by 10% (per group) by the end of the 2023-24 academic year by incorporating proactive counseling practices.​

• The counseling department will provide an allied health program-focused educational plan workshop each quarter during the 2023-24 academic year. 

Patty Mendoza was born and raised in Nicaragua and migrated to California at 11 years old. She is the first in her family to attend and graduate college. Patricia has worked with underserved students, education, and resource development communities for over fifteen years. Patty has her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University, and has a Master’s in Social Work. Previous to Foothill, Patty served as the Interim Financial Aid Director at Berkeley City College (BCC).  While at BCC, Patty served on the President’s Leadership Team. Patty worked to leverage the work of Financial Aid at the institutional level while continuing to center on students and Latinx student success. Using high-impact practices and culturally relevant interventions, she designed, developed, and implemented financial aid programs to support all college students, including the first-generation, undocumented, and Latinx populations. Previous to BCC, Patty worked as a Financial Aid Technician at Skyline College. Patty is committed to serving the community she comes from and is excited to making a positive impact at Foothill College.

We provide an equitable, sensitive, and confidential environment to teach students how to maximize their educational financial resources. We make a conscious effort to reach out to our diverse student body to offer: 

• high-quality financial aid assistance
• support in removing financial barriers
• accurate and timely delivery of services in a caring manner

What are the service area outcomes/strategic objectives for the coming year?

1. By Fall 2024, the FA department will implement quicker response times to decrease waiting times by 10% through email, phone calls, virtual front desk, and front desk.
2. By Spring 2025, the FA department will increase FA in-reach and outreach by using marketing materials to increase financial aid literacy among current incoming students.
3. By Fall 2024, the FA department will decrease the number of confused students by 8% by updating the FA website to encourage students to self-educate using FA online resources.
4. By June 30, 2024, increase the FAFSA and Dream-Act completion rate among new incoming students by 10% by implementing FAFSA workshops, one-on-one assistance, and online resources.

Disbursement Process:

Students will understand when, how, and on what basis they will receive their financial aid and, as a result, the number of visits/calls/emails on these issues will decline.

Access to Scholarships:

Students will understand how to maximize their financial resources through scholarships and more of them will access our scholarship system as a result.

Financial Literacy:

Students will expand their understanding of financial literacy and real-world financial skills.

FAFSA/CADAA Access & Completion:

Students will know how to access the FAFSA and understand what steps are needed to complete it and # of FAFSA’s completed will increase.

Variety of Financial Options:

Students will understand the wide variety of financial options available to them.

Dean of Students Catalina Rodriguez was born and raised in San Jose, CA. As a first-generation nontraditional college student, she learned how important it was to utilize student services for her success and the success of all students. She has made it her mission to support students through knowledge of college resources. As the Dean of Students, Catalina focuses on maximizing student learning by developing positive student culture and structured, supportive environments. Catalina received her master's degree in business administration and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology. She earned her degree while working full-time and raising a family, and after 15 years of working in financial education, she decided she wanted to make a difference in students in higher education. When she is not working, she travels with her family, is out hiking, loves to cook, and dance, and participates in community organizations such as Fresh Lifelines for Youth as a mentor and the Santa Clara County K-12 Racial Equity Committee.

We passionately and purposefully educate, engage, and empower students inside and outside the classroom with the intent of cultivating leadership and inspiring civic engagement. We diligently protect the rights of our students and guide them with sincerity, compassion, and mentorship.

1. Decrease the number of reported academic integrity violations by 10% within the academic year by providing student videos and outreach resources. 
2. Increase awareness and satisfaction of the college judicial process among students by implementing educational initiatives, with the goal of establishing baseline data through the measurement of workshop participation and satisfaction scores based on surveys by the end of the academic year.
3. Implement a restorative justice program to reduce recidivism rates by 10% among students involved in minor offenses over the next academic year. 

1. By June 30, 2024, 100 of Foothill’s Socially, Culturally, and Economically Diverse (SCED) students will access and utilize the BIPOC Multicultural Center though student outreach, social media, student check-in, student surveys, workshops, events, and one on one counseling sessions. 

2. By June 30, 2024, we plan to host 10 workshops, speakers, or events for students of color to increase cultural and global competency and mental health awareness.   

3. By June 30, 2024, partner with five student clubs and five student focused departments (ex. SLI) on campus to create opportunities for SCED students to connect with each other and organizations on campus to promote understanding and cooperation among diverse groups.  

The Owls Nest Center at Foothill College is dedicated to providing a centralized location for students, a supportive and nurturing environment, offering free resources on campus and in the community to address holistic student needs. These resources include food, housing, transportation, financial wellness, personal hygiene, and academic supplies.

• By June 30, 2024, we will increase the number of students receiving services by 100.  

• By June 30, 2024, we will increase awareness of available services by 5% through outreach and marketing.  

• Conduct satisfaction surveys every quarter to find out what is working and what is not and increase survey participation by 100 more students. 

The Mental Health & Wellness Center offers psychological services and personal counseling to all students in a confidential, non-judgmental space to receive support from licensed professionals to promote wellness, success, and hope.

• Increase the promotion of online mental health resources this academic year with weekly posts on social media and canvas with 12 weekly social media posts and 3 canvas posts containing easily accessible information to support student mental health.

• Foster a culture of mental health support within the college community by organizing mental health awareness campaigns and hosting at least three campus-wide mental health events per academic year in collaboration with student organizations, faculty, and community partners.

• Ensure that students have a positive experience with the Mental Health & Wellness Center by maintaining student satisfaction with mental health services satisfaction rating of at least 85%, selecting “Very Satisfied” or “Satisfied” within this academic year by consistently gathering feedback and actively addressing concerns.