Faculty & Staff
Welcome, New Classified Staff
Ariana Buccat
Program Coordinator Senior, Staff & Faculty Support Center
Ariana K. Buccat (she/her/hers) has a business background from Santa Clara University
and strives to do good wherever she goes. After spending the past 5 years in public
accounting, campus recruiting, and professional development, Ariana is excited to
embark on a journey into higher education. She is passionate about social impact,
sustainable living, and uplifting BIPOC communities; through leveraging these interests
in her work as a Senior Program Coordinator, she hopes to make a lasting impact at
FHDA.
Michelle Channel
Program Coordinator II, Dual Enrollment
Michelle brings her passion for college access and over 16 years of non-profit experience
to 17³Ô¹Ï. Throughout her career, she has supported students and families
in navigating the higher education system. Prior to coming to 17³Ô¹Ï, she dedicated
the majority of her career supporting underrepresented, first generation college students
through two organizations: Foundation for a College Education in East Palo Alto, and
the Science and Health Education Partnership at the University of California, San
Francisco. Michelle grew up in the local area, and was the first in her family to
earn a college degree. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UCLA, and a
Master of Arts in Education from UC Berkeley. She is enthusiastic about continuing
to support students in achieving their educational goals, and looks forward to helping
them explore the amazing range of college and career opportunities offered at 17³Ô¹Ï.
Janie Garcia
Adult Education Coordinator, Outreach
Janie Garcia comes to 17³Ô¹Ï after serving over 9 years in Adult Education with the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District. During that time, Janie supported students spanning ages from freshmen in high school to senior citizens, as a teacher of high school English, an advocate within transition services, and an administrator of an independent studies program. As a long-time participant—from planning stage to implementation—of what is now known as California Adult Education Programs (CAEP), Janie has also dedicated much effort to aiding Adult Ed. students in their transition to FHDA.
Janie was born and raised in the South Bay and currently resides in San José. Bouncing back from leaving high school at the age of 16, Janie attended De Anza College before transferring to San Francisco State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. After acquiring a teaching credential at San Diego State University and working as a teacher for 5 years, Janie discovered a passion for administration and earned her Master’s in Educational Leadership (K-12) at San José State University.
While student advocacy tops the list of her passions, Janie is also an avid singer, having performed professionally in a local cover band. Additionally, she is a devoted ally of the LGBTQ Community, who supports local fundraising efforts for organizations such as the Billy DeFrank LGBTQ Center of San José, as well as the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Los Angeles LGBT Center through her volunteer work with the AIDS LifeCycle Event.
Adaly Padro
Financial Aid — Outreach Assistant
Saul Torres
Assessment Specialist
Rhonda Wood
Counseling Admin Assistant
