Candidate for
Board Member; San Mateo County Community College District

Van Ton Quinlivan was born in Vietnam. She came to the United States at the age of six and spent her childhood in Hawaii. She later moved to the Washington D.C. area to attend Georgetown University where she graduated magna cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She also earned the honor of being nominated for Rhodes Scholar. After graduating from Georgetown, Van moved to California to continue her education at Stanford University where she earned an MA in Education Policy and an MBA in 1995. Through her college years, Van's lifelong love of education took hold and flourished.

In addition to her formal education, Van has built a solid professional background that spans the private, public and non-profit sectors. Van was one of only 14 women worldwide to have the honor of being selected a Leadership Fellow by the International Women's Forum in 2000. She worked as Vice President of Knowledge Universe and brought innovative technologies to learning products. Van also worked as Director of Strategic Marketing for Digital Island, a telecommunications startup that went public and for Pacific Bell as Special Assistant to the CFO. Prior to that, she served as lead negotiator for major contracts for the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command. Currently, she enjoys her position as an adjunct faculty member at DeAnza Community College and her role as mother to her two-year-old son, Nicholas. The Ton Quinlivan family reside in Redwood Shores.

Van Ton Quinlivan has put her dedication to improving education and her commitment to the community to work in San Mateo County. Under Van's leadership, School-force launched Save the Music with the Little School District that Could (www.school-force.org/savethemusic) in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District. The new organization raised funds needed to preserve music programs and protect teaching positions. Van's most recent accomplishment came when, as Co-President of the foundation, she presented the district with a check for $244,000 from a successful fundraising drive to keep libraries open and music programs alive. Van also sits on the Board of Coro Northern California, whose mission is to train leaders for public service. And, she is a Chamber of Commerce Leadership graduate, 2002-2003.

Van Ton Quinlivan's educational and professional background, her dedication to education, and commitment to family and community make her an outstanding choice for the San Mateo County Community College Board of Trustees.