VIA's Board of Director

Jeanne Blamey, Board Chair

Jeanne went to Denpasar, Indonesia in 1973 as a VIA volunteer. Her VIA experience led to a life-long interest in Southeast Asian politics and culture, which she has explored through her teaching, work with nonprofits, and travel. Jeanne received a B.A. from Stanford University and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. Jeanne joined the VIA Board in 2008

Gillian Bogart

Gillian was a VIA volunteer in Indonesia from 2009-2011, where she spent time living in Yogyakarta and Denpasar. Stateside, she continues to actively explore culture, social issues, and community development in both Indonesia and the United States. Gillian currently works for the Youth Empowerment Fund, a program of the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and Their Families. She received her B.S. in Sociology from Santa Clara University. Gillian joined the VIA Board in 2013

Jane Clayton

Jane was a volunteer in Denpasar, Indonesia in 1975, and then graduated with a B.A. in Anthropology from Stanford in 1976. She received a Masters degree in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley in 1982 and worked for many years in the transportation planning field. Most recently, Jane and her husband founded NovaTorque, Inc., a venture-funded start-up company which designs and manufactures highly efficient electric motors. Jane joined the VIA Board in 2011.

Patricia Fieldsted

Patricia was a volunteer in Hue, Vietnam from 1998-2000 after graduating from UC Santa Cruz. After returning to the Bay Area in 2000, Patricia worked with Volunteers in Asia as the Vietnam Program Director. Since that time she has worked in a variety of International non-profit and private sector environments in Operations and Logistics management roles. Patricia received her MPA, with an emphasis in Public Management, from SFSU in 2007. She is currently the Director of Administration for the Sustainable Streets Division of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Patricia joined the VIA Board in 2010.

Steve Hope

Steve was a volunteer in Surabaya, Indonesia from 1974-76 after graduating from Stanford in 1974. After returning to the Bay Area in 1976, Steve obtained his single subject teaching credential in social science from the Stanford STEP program and began teaching at what was then Awalt High School in Mountain View. Since that time he has served as a Dean of Student Activities, Vice-principal, and Principal at Mountain View High School. He is currently the Associate Superintendent for HR and Technology in the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District. He joined the VIA Board in 2010.

Judy Birk Kridle

Judy was a VIA volunteer in Hong Kong in 1971. She credits VIA for her life-long love of Asia, particularly Japan. Judy holds a B.A. in Humanities with a specialization in Japanese Studies from Stanford University, an M.A. in Asian Studies from UC Berkeley, and a J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley. She spent several years working in Japan as an English language instructor, an intercultural communication trainer, and a management consultant prior to becoming an attorney. Judy joined the VIA Board in 2011.

Sean Kao

Sean was one of the Taiwanese students who participated the American Language and Culture (ALC) Program in 1991. The ALC program paved the path for Sean to learn, to understand, and further to adapt to American culture. He graduated from National Taiwan University with a B.A. in Anthropology, and holds an MBA degree from Northeastern University in Boston. He has participated in several of the ALC program events since 2005. Sean has spent the past 10 years of his professional life in Corporate Finance. He is currently working as a Financial Manager at Apple Inc. He joined the VIA Board in 2010.

Stephen McNeil

Stephen is Assistant Regional Director for Peacebuilding, Relief, and Youth Work with American Friends Service Committee, a non-sectarian Quaker organization that received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947. Stephen is co-chair of the Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington, DC with a special concern for Native Americans. He served as chair of the Japan US Community Education and Exchange as well as a fellow in exchanges with NPO Network Center in Hamamatsu and Shanti Volunteer Association in Tokyo, Japan. He joined the VIA Board in 2006.

Jennie Mollica

Jennie was a VIA volunteer in Hue, Vietnam from 1994 to 1996 and in Houai Xay, Laos from 1996 to 1998. Her VIA experiences launched her work in refugee communities in California, where she was Associate Director of Lao Family Community Development in Oakland from 1998 to 2005. She currently works for the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Making Connections Oakland initiative, is a volunteer with Refugee Transitions, and serves on the Board of VIA as well as The English Center. Jennie joined the VIA Board in 2008.

Michael Moradzadeh

Michael (Taiwan 1978) continued his Chinese language study through his graduation from Stanford with an International Relations degree focusing on East Asia in 1981. After graduating from law school, he worked in several firms and companies before settling at Intel Corporation where, as Director of External Legal Affairs he often drew heavily on his intercultural experiences through VIA to help enhance many interactions with Asian and other non-US companies and trade organizations. He looks to his VIA service as pivotal in forming who he is today, and retains a strong affection for Chinese culture. It must be added that he enjoys startling waiters by ordering in Chinese at local restaurants. Michael is active in long-distance ocean racing and various charitable and political activities. He joined the VIA Board in 2013.

Scott Sugiura

Scott served as VIA’s Executive Director from 2002 through 2008. He is currently Senior Program Officer at Give2Asia where he manages a portfolio of donors making grants across Asia. Scott has been working in the nonprofit sector for the past 18 years with a focus on Asia for the past 13 years. He received a bachelor's degree in Diplomacy and World Affairs from Occidental College and spent a year at Waseda University as an exchange student. Scott joined the VIA Board in 2013.

Alan Teo

Alan has been active in VIA since his freshman year at Stanford University in 1998. He twice acted as a program assistant for the Exploring Healthcare Program as an undergraduate and served in a yearlong VIA teaching post at Ehime University School of Medicine in Japan from 2001 to 2002. Alan is a physician and psychiatrist who completed his training at UCSF. Also a researcher, he has expertise in research methods and data analysis, and is interested in global health issues. He currently lives in Ann Arbor and works at University of Michigan. Alan joined the VIA Board in 2009.

Mai Tran

Mai volunteered with VIA in 2002-2003 in Hanoi, Vietnam, and after her return to the U.S, she was involved in volunteer recruitment and trainings. She attributes her career path and outlook on life to her VIA experience. She currently works in clinical cancer research at Stanford. Mai will complete her Master's degree in Public Administration with a focus on gerontology in Spring 2011. Her Master's project is working with a local Japanese community center in launching the Bay Area's first Japanese cancer support groups. She joined the VIA Board in 2010.

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