Pasadena, CA – The Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) is kicking off the new school year by welcoming nine new members to its Board of Directors: Katrina Cabrera Ortega, Steve Darden, Jane Kaczmarek, Margaret Anne Kean, Arturo Montes, Dr. Kathy Onoye, Miles Prince, Sandy Roffman, and Vannia De La Cuba.
These distinguished individuals bring a wide range of expertise in education, law, the arts, business, public service, and community leadership to support PEF’s mission of achieving excellence and equity for all Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) schools. Notably, both Jane Kaczmarek and Dr. Kathy Onoye are returning to the board, continuing their long-standing commitment to PEF and Pasadena students.
“We are proud to welcome these outstanding leaders to our Board of Directors,” said Dr. Patrick Conyers, PEF Executive Director. “Each brings unique skills, professional expertise, and a deep commitment to public education. Their perspectives and passion for our schools will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen opportunities for every student across PUSD.”
The addition of these nine members expands the board’s capacity to lead PEF’s strategic initiatives, deepen connections within the community, and enhance PEF’s ability to support innovative programs that prepare students for success. Their dedication and diverse perspectives will help shape the future of public education in Pasadena for years to come.
New Board Members
Steve Darden
Steve Darden is co-owner of Simply Divine Beauty Academy and founder/CEO of the Darden Law and Leadership Academy, a nonprofit dedicated to youth development. With more than 25 years of management experience in corporate America, he has held senior roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Western Region Vice President at First Data Corporation and Vice President at Wachovia NB.
Darden has been a dedicated Pasadena community leader for decades. He has served for 24 years with the Tournament of Roses, currently on the Executive Committee, and previously as a City of Pasadena Northwest Commissioner. He is President of the Brotherhood Laymen’s League at Second Baptist Church and spent 15 years as Youth Director for Teens in Progress. A PUSD substitute teacher, he also coached varsity basketball for 13 years, leading teams to multiple championships.
A Pasadena native, Darden earned his bachelor’s degree in Human Services from the University of Phoenix and attended Pepperdine’s Graziadio School of Business.
Vannia De La Cuba
Vannia De La Cuba serves as Deputy to Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo. A Pasadena resident since age five, she attended Jefferson, Madison, Wilson, and Blair schools and earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from USC.
De La Cuba has worked alongside Mayor Gordo since 2003, focusing on civic engagement, strategic relationships, and community building. She played a pivotal role in developing Pasadena’s first Early Child Development Policy and in establishing the City of Pasadena’s Office of the Young Child.
A proud PUSD alumna, De La Cuba continues to support education and community initiatives that strengthen opportunities for Pasadena students.
Jane Kaczmarek
Jane Kaczmarek is best known for her acclaimed performance as Lois on the award-winning TV series Malcolm in the Middle, a role that earned her seven consecutive Emmy nominations and multiple Golden Globe and SAG nominations. She is reprising this role in the soon-to-be-released Malcolm in the Middle limited series. She also voices Judge Constance Harm on The Simpsons.
Her theater work includes productions on Broadway and with the Pasadena Playhouse, including collaborations with CODA Oscar winner Troy Katsur and actor Alfred Molina. In Los Angeles, her stage credits include Kindertransport (Ovation Award) and Raised in Captivity (L.A. Drama Critics Award).
Beyond acting, Kaczmarek founded the nonprofit Clothes Off Our Back, raising over $4 million for children’s causes. She serves as a trustee for the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the Pasadena Educational Foundation, and the Pasadena Playhouse. She raised her three children in Pasadena and now divides her time between Pasadena, New York, and the Berkshires.
Margaret Anne Kean
Margaret Anne Kean is a poet and author of Cleaving the Clouds (Kelsay Books, 2023), with work appearing in multiple literary journals. She is currently working with a composer to adapt her poetry into music and serves as a volunteer poetry reader for Bull City Press.
Kean retired after a 27-year career in fundraising and nonprofit management, most recently as Assistant Dean of Development at USC Gould School of Law. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles in public relations, including eight years as Director of Public Relations at Huntington Memorial Hospital.
Locally, she has been active with Octavia Butler Middle School, McKinley School PTA, and Jericho Road Pasadena, among other volunteer efforts. A Southern California native, she received her B.A. from Scripps College and MFA from Antioch University Los Angeles. She is also a proud PUSD parent.
Arturo Montes
Arturo Montes is a lifelong public servant with a strong commitment to public education, community service, and financial stewardship. He attended Cal Poly Pomona, earning a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s in Accountancy. He currently serves as Interim Director of Finance and Administration at Crescenta Valley Water District, where he oversees Customer Service, Finance and Accounting, and Human Resources. In this role, he leads organizational culture initiatives, community stewardship efforts, financial planning, and governance.
Both of Montes’s children have attended PUSD schools, and his son is currently a student at John Muir High School. An active volunteer throughout their education, he most recently served as PTSA Treasurer at Octavia E. Butler Magnet and has supported youth as a scout leader with Scouts BSA Troop 40, as well as coaching in local youth sports programs.
Dr. Kathy Onoye
Dr. Kathy Onoye served Pasadena Unified School District for more than four decades, beginning as a classroom teacher in 1971 and later serving as Principal, Curriculum Resource Teacher, and Mathematics Resource Teacher at Willard Elementary. She retired in 2014 as Executive Director of Elementary, K-6 and K-8 Curriculum and Instruction for PUSD.
She holds degrees and credentials from UC Santa Barbara, CSU Los Angeles, Pepperdine University, and USC, where she earned her Doctor of Education and a School Business Management Program Certificate. In 2019, Congressman Adam Schiff recognized Dr. Onoye as a Woman of the Year in California’s 28th Congressional District.
A returning PEF board member and lifelong advocate for student success, Dr. Onoye continues to serve the Pasadena community and support PUSD students.
Katrina Cabrera Ortega
Katrina Cabrera Ortega is an accomplished television writer- producer known for her work on a wide range of drama series, including Dynasty and Law and Order: Organized Crime. A graduate of UCLA with a B.A. in English and MFA in Screenwriting she is a passionate advocate for the authentic representation of Latinx and other marginalized groups in media. Ortega is also the co-founder of the LIFT (Latinas Inspired for Tomorrow) scholarship which supports Latina high school seniors and a proud PUSD parent interested in giving back to her community.
Miles Prince
Miles Prince is an attorney representing small businesses in civil litigation. He previously worked in the White House and U.S. Department of Justice during the Obama Administration and worked for a federal judge in Sacramento. Before entering law, Prince taught math at a public high school in South Los Angeles.
Since 2018, he has represented Sierra Madre on the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board of Directors. Locally, he has served as Chair of the Sierra Madre Elementary Annual Fund Boosters and Co-Chair of the Sierra Madre Community Foundation.
Prince earned his bachelor’s degree and Master of Education from UCLA and his J.D. from UC Davis School of Law. He lives in Sierra Madre with his husband, Kenny, and their son Holden, a proud Sierra Madre Elementary student.
Sandy Roffman
Sandy Roffman is a special effects makeup artist, arts educator, and small business owner with more than 25 years of experience in the film and television industry. A graduate of Westmore Academy of Theatrical Arts in Los Angeles, she has also taught character design at The American Music & Dramatic Academy and Cinema Makeup School.
A dedicated PUSD parent and volunteer, Roffman has served as Mary W. Jackson PTA President, Executive VP, and Annual Fund Chair, and helped lead the campaign to rename the school. She co-founded the Pasadena Girls Softball Association and currently serves on the Octavia E. Butler Middle School PTSA Executive Board and as a Pasadena Education Network Parent Ambassador.
Her deep involvement in Pasadena schools reflects her strong commitment to public education and youth development.
