Mr. Hernandez, a proud Bay Area native, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the BASIS Independent Silicon Valley community. After graduating from Yerba Buena High School, he continued his education at Evergreen College before embarking on a successful career in finance. With over thirty years as a Global Financial Analyst for major technology companies, Mr. Hernandez semi-retired in 2017 to prioritize quality time with his family and indulge in his passion for travel. However, his passion for working with students led him back to the workforce in 2023 as a Campus Monitor at BASIS Independent. As a campus monitor, Mr. Hernandez takes great pride in ensuring the safety and security of students, staff, and parents. His goal is to provide excellent support to all individuals he interacts with throughout his day at BASIS Independent. Believing in the value of excellence, Mr. Hernandez appreciates being part of a community that promotes premier education and offers exceptional opportunities to students across the Bay Area. Outside of his professional endeavors, Mr. Hernandez enjoys exploring the world alongside his wife of 40 years. Their recent international travels took them to Greece and Italy in 2019, and over the years, they have cherished their experiences in nine European countries. With two beautiful daughters and two adored granddaughters, Mr. Hernandez finds immense joy in spending quality time with his family. Being a “papa” has brought him the greatest happiness. In addition to his personal accomplishments, Mr. Hernandez shares a fascinating connection with his family—he is a twin, and there are eight sets of twins within his family!

Star graduated from The University of California Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Art and a minor degree in History of Art and Visual Culture. Her focus in fine arts was in printmaking, while her minor degree was in the world of art history and museum studies. Star learned various forms of printmaking such as woodblock printing, screen printing, and lithography.

Through a yearlong museum studies course, she made connections with local galleries and museums in Santa Cruz where she became a volunteer while completing her degree. After college she was an intern for the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History where she shadowed the exhibition designer and learned how to research, design, prototype and install exhibits. Many of the elements she designed are still part of the history gallery at the museum.

As the Auxiliary Program Manager of Social Events at BASIS Independent Silicon Vallery, Star is looking forward to planning another year of social events and advising ASB (Associated Student Body). Through these two roles, she is excited to bring even more of the student voice and leadership to social events.

Star was thrilled to join BASIS Independent because of its outstanding accolades as an academic institution, and for the variety of clubs and events it offers. Learning about auxiliary and the wide diversity of after school programs made her excited to see what’s possible and how every student can join a club that fits their interests.

When Star is not at school, she enjoys making art. A lot of the time she can be found drawing on her iPad and turning her drawings into stickers or prints. When she is not drawing, she can be found out and about visiting friends and family that live throughout the Bay Area.

Ms. Jain is a Campus Assistant at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. She holds an Associate’s degree in Graphic and Web Design from Norwalk Community College in  Connecticut, a Master’s degree in General Management from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies, Pune, India, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Chaudhari Charan Singh University, Meerut, India.

Ms. Jain is dedicated to providing a safe and supportive learning environment and fostering a positive and welcoming school culture through respectful and helpful interactions with students and staff. Before joining BASIS Independent, she worked as a Graphic Designer for Tiger Sports in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and then moved to California.

She was drawn to BASIS Independent Schools because of her love for working with children and the school’s recognition as one of the best academic programs in the country. Ms. Jain’s teaching philosophy is rooted in a Student-Centered approach, emphasizing the importance of creating an environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, receiving positive reinforcement, and understanding the values of respect and responsibility. She believes that by modeling these principles, she can contribute to a nurturing learning environment where students can thrive and reach their full potential.

Ms. Jain believes students learn best when encouraged to adopt a growth mindset and when their achievements are celebrated. She incorporates various activities such as games, puzzles, group projects, hands-on experiments, and creative arts to maximize student engagement. One of Ms. Jain’s most memorable experiences as a 2024 summer camp counselor involved creating a tropical water wonderland with the kids, where each child designed their own tropical-themed jar to take home.

Outside of work, Ms. Jain enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and reading—she is currently reading Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. A fun fact about Ms. Jain is her passion for learning foreign languages; she took a French-speaking course 10 years ago and continues to explore new languages.

Ms. Jimenez holds a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Technology with an emphasis in Crop Science and a Master of Arts in Development Education. She is also a licensed professional teacher. As the Curriculum Coordinator Assistant at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, her primary goal is to support the Academic Programs team, and in turn, our students. She enjoys being at school, and is excited to interact with our Bobcats on campus. She feels a deep connection to education and the sacred process of learning. When she is not working, Ms. Jimenez enjoys gardening, and is currently re-inventing the front yard of her home. She is fond of watching documentaries and series, and also enjoys a good book every now and then. Paperback over Kindle, please! She also likes travelling. In 2017, Ms. Jimenez traveled to Taiwan with her family. They visited Taipei 101, which was at one time the world’s tallest building. They ate at the original Din Tai Fung and experienced riding the world’s fastest elevator at 37.23 miles/hour. In 2018, she also traveled to Thailand and visited temples and floating markets.

Ms. Kolb holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Columbia College. After college, she spent four and a half years as an officer in the United States Navy. In 2008, she moved to San Jose and has been working in private school administration in the Bay Area ever since. She joined the BASIS Independent Silicon Valley family in 2016 as the Head of Operations. Ms. Kolb is a Midwesterner through and through, and feels a special connection to celebrating traditions. Having opportunities to help create traditions is even more rewarding for her. With the academics firmly in place upon her arrival to the school, she enjoyed helping to build the BISV community in its early years. While supporting some of the fun traditions that were already in place, Ms. Kolb has also had the pleasure of working with students to bring new and exciting events to the school. Celebrating the Bobcat community is one of her greatest joys on campus. As the Head of School, a priority for Ms. Kolb is to ensure that our Bobcats understand the importance of balance. “I love working with students and parents that genuinely love to learn and want to continually better themselves. I also want students to spend their time doing activities that they genuinely enjoy, and to spend time doing things for others. A school community places value on so much more than academics: but also in valuing good citizenship, and learning personal responsibility” says Ms. Kolb. She believes in challenging students in achievable increments and praising success as it is achieved, stating, “My goal as an educator has always been to help students enjoy learning and to look forward to coming to school every day.” When not on campus, Ms. Kolb enjoys her time with her family. You will often find her at the hockey rink, cheering on her son during practice, or going on walks with her special needs daughter, whose favorite thing on earth is fresh air and to feel the wind on her face. Ms. Kolb is also an avid professional hockey fan, and enjoys going to Sharks games when she can.

Ms. Larsen attended the University of Redlands and received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Communicative Disorders. She also received her teaching credential in Early Childhood Education from City College of San Francisco. Her educational expertise comes from being an Early Learning Teacher as well as a school administrator. She has spent time in the classroom as a lead teacher implementing curriculum, designing lesson plans, and evaluating her student’s progress. As well as time as an administrator working with current and prospective families.

Ms. Larsen joined BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because “I was impressed by the school’s commitment to academic excellence and its innovative and international approach to education. Additionally, I was drawn to BASIS Independent’s emphasis on creating a supportive and inclusive community where students can thrive both academically and personally.” Her goal is to enroll a diverse range of talented students who are eager to learn and excel not only academically, but also socially and emotionally as well. Away from school, Ms. Larsen enjoys cooking, hiking, and traveling. Fun fact, she once completed a 25-mile trek in just two days with a 3,500-feet elevation gain!

Mr. Ledezma is a Campus Assistant at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree with the goal of becoming a history teacher in secondary education. His main focus as a Campus Assistant is to ensure a safe and well-functioning campus environment. He chose BASIS Independent Schools because he believes strongly in the school’s mission to help every student reach their full potential.

Mr. Ledezma believes that students thrive when given positive reinforcement, while also having the space to make mistakes and learn from them. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking and considers himself a great chef. He also enjoys playing video games, a passion he picked up at a young age, and riding his motorcycle, which adds excitement to his day-to-day travels.

Mr. Benitez is a Campus Assistant at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. He attended Overfelt High School, where he played Varsity Soccer for all four years, consistently maintained a GPA of 3.5 or higher. During his time at Overfelt, he was also involved in student government for a couple of years.

His goal as a Campus Assistant is to learn as much as he can to be the best assistant possible, while also connecting with students to motivate them toward a successful path in life. Mr. Benitez chose BASIS Independent Schools because he felt it was the best fit for him. He believes in building relationships with children first to gain their trust, which makes teaching them much easier. Mr. Benitez feels that students learn best when they connect with educators on a deeper level, beyond just academic subjects. To maximize student engagement, he uses imagination in classroom activities.

Outside of work, Mr. Benitez is an artist who creates abstract art on canvases and works on murals. He is also a bike mechanic and played semi-professional soccer for two years in Mexico.

Coming Soon!

Ms. Lin earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Communication at the Communication University of China in Beijing. She then went on to get her Master of Science degree in Music Therapy at the State University of New York – New Paltz.

As the Dean of Students for Grades TK – 2, Ms. Lin cares to create a supportive, respectful, and trustful environment for her students. Ms. Lin wishes to be a strong support system for her students, and strives to build a trustful rapport with them. She believes that in an engaging and inspiring learning environment students can learn how to find and activate their positive resources when they are having a challenging time. Ms. Lin also explains how being patient and consistent is the key to learning best. She feels that each student can go above their limits and climb their highest if they have strong confidence while they practice their skills.

In her free time, Ms. Lin enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her family. Playing music is always her way to restore energy and helps her to be resilient.

Mr. Lopez has an Associate of Arts in Business from Gavilan College. He has worked in different professional settings, always executing his impeccable customer service skills. He has had opportunities to manage a small business throughout his career. He explained that he did not take a traditional route towards his education initially, but he is glad that he “made the choice to make a difference, no matter how small it may have felt at the time.” Mr. Lopez enjoys being part of the BASIS Independent Silicon Valley team, and seeing how dedicated the school is to its students. He continued, “With such a great support system in place, it makes me proud to know that we always strive for the best for our students.” In his free time, he loves to travel to diverse places and play sports: Mr. Lopez is a true soccer fan! He enjoys spending the holidays with his family and is always ready to try new food.

Ms. Mageean attended Foothill College before transferring to UC Santa Cruz, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology, with an interest in marine biology. She currently serves as a Campus Assistant at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, with the goal of eventually becoming a teacher.

Ms. Mageean is passionate about sharing her love for marine biology with students and hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists. She chose BASIS Independent Schools because she sees it as an environment where she can grow professionally and ultimately fulfill her teaching aspirations.

At home, Ms. Mageean enjoys spending time with her cat and two dogs. Outside of work, she loves hiking, backpacking, and scuba diving, and is currently working towards earning the title of Master Scuba Diver.

Coming Soon!

Ms. Massa earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications from Indiana University. She later received her Master of Science degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution from Nova Southeastern University. As the Summer Programs Coordinator for BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower, Ms. Massa is excited to create a summer camp that offers students with supportive and intentional development programs where students build resilience through connections, collaboration, and challenges.

As part of the founding team for the BISV Lower Summer Camp Programs, Ms. Massa is able to set a positive tone for the camp, start new traditions, and develop the framework for the most sought-after summer experience in Silicon Valley. When Ms. Massa is not coordinating our Summer Camp Program, she loves to take vacations with her family and enjoy time away in the sun.

Ms. McCollum joined BASIS Independent Silicon Valley as the Director of Admissions in 2015, and in 2018 she transitioned to the college counseling team. She chose BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because she loves seeing students rise to their full potential. “I am excited to work with students on the final leg of their BASIS Independent Silicon Valley journey. I am confident these students will change the world, it’s a privilege to be a small part of their story.” Prior to joining BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, Ms. McCollum worked in admissions at the University of Chicago. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from San Jose State University. When Ms. McCollum is not at work she enjoys wrangling her energetic son, reading, and DIYing.

Ms. Moorthy holds her Bachelor of Science and Master in Biology degrees from Mumbai University in India. She also has a Google certification in Project Management. As the Curriculum Coordinator, her goal as a contributor to the Academic Programs department is to use her skills and experience to ensure the smooth functioning of the school as it relates to teacher and student schedules, generation of grades, and finding the solution to daily flow objectives. Ms. Moorthy chose BASIS Independent Silicon Valley because of the supportive environment and the umpteen opportunities from teaching to administration. In her role as Curriculum Coordinator, she is able to leverage the skills acquired through her education and experience and help the school, and this gives her pleasure and satisfaction. Ms. Moorthy loves to cook in her spare time and try new recipes. She enjoys catching up with her friends and visiting new vacation destinations with her family. When the weather is nice outside, she can be found in the garden planting all her favorite herbs, plants, and flowers.