HFA’s membership consists of its hard-working Board members, its general members who often work collaboratively on Board projects, and its Business members who serve as sponsors of HFA. Here, we present HFA’s Board members, what they do, including their day job along with their role as HFA’s unpaid Board member.
Joan Sieber, Executive Director
Joan is Emerita Psychology Professor at Cal State East Bay, where she was Outstanding Professor of the Year in 1989. She has published many articles, chapters and books, the best known of which is Planning Ethically Responsible Research (Sage Publications). She has also been Senior Visiting Professor at the Kennedy Institute, Georgetown University; Board member of the Hobby Center for Public Policy, University of Houston; and Program Director at the National Science Foundation. She spent 12 years as an academic journal editor. She is now a portrait artist and competitive swimmer. In 2021, she received the Hayward Volunteer Recognition Award for her work in creating the VAPA program and HFA. Joan brought her art interests to HUSD in 2013 to found and fund a series of visual and performing arts programs that, in 2019, resulted in the founding of HFA. (See “How HFA Began” on this website for details.) As President, she coordinates HFA’s programs and is grateful for her board’s amazing talent and teamwork.
Geoff Landreau, President
Geoff is the Art Lead for Hayward Unified School District. Currently he is teaching 3D Design, Advanced 3D Design and AP 3D Design at Mt. Eden High School, where he has taught since 1994. Geoff received his BA in Fine Arts from U.C. Berkeley in 1994 and MA in Secondary Education from San Francisco State in 1997. He worked with Joan, Marisol, and Matt on the original design of the Art Integration Workshops in 2013. With Marisol and Mina, he currently runs Art Integration workshops, Art leads program for elementary schools in HUSD, and the Art is Education shows at city hall. Geoff has worked extensively on other programs such as “Build a Better Bird House” at Sun Gallery and also “Sheltered in the Arts” art contests through HFA. As one of the dedicated, long-term arts leaders in the School District, he is one of Joan’s major go-to sources of ideas, and criticism of hare-brained notions, and hardest working HFA member in the trenches.
Mina Mangewala, Vice President
Hayward Unified School District Visual and Performing Art Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)
Mina Mangewala is a Visual and Performing Art Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA) in the Hayward Unified School District. Prior to working as a VAPA TOSA, Mina was an elementary classroom teacher for 19 years. Her primary focus as the Visual and Performing Arts TOSA for Hayward Unified is working towards creating more equitable arts opportunities for all of Hayward’s students. Mina also works with elementary school teachers on ways to integrate arts more deeply into their curriculum. She has passion for all things dance, especially dances and music of the African Diaspora, and brings that into her work as an educator and leader for arts education. Mina brings her outstanding leadership talents to HFA, where she writes successful grant proposals for arts-focused Professional Development workshops, and assists the President in a range of roles including fund-raising, volunteer training, and coordinating HFA activities.
Hector Garcia , Treasurer
Hector has served HUSD in a variety of administrative roles including Principal, Special Administrator of Hayward Promise Neighborhood programs, and now as Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Educational Services. Maria-Elena is a Transition to Kindergarten (T-K) teacher. Both bring a wealth of knowledge about HUSD, communication skills, and reputations for integrity and organization to their role as co-treasurers of HFA, where they keep the financial books and coordinate with other Bard members on many projects including fundraising and communication with donors.
Minami Cohen, Secretary
Teacher Choir, Hayward High and Fairview
Barbara Halliday, Member
Barbara Halliday is Mayor of the City of Hayward, and an ex-officio member of HFA. Barbara’s professional background as a journalist makes her exceptionally capable of seeing all sides of an issue, hence an outstanding civic leader. a long-term supporter of the arts. HFA is delighted to have her support and guidance.
Ronnie Cato, Director
Ronnie is the instrumental music teacher at Mt Eden High School. He is a graduate from CSU Hayward, and also received his Masters from the American Band College and has served this district for the past 16 years. Hence, he knows the district from the ground up. His drive to inspire students, and build outstanding orchestras and bands is legendary. He brings a range of important skills to HFA, and provides valuable guidance as HFA administers grants to teachers and music programs.
Julianne Clark, Member
Julianne is an interdisciplinary artist with an MFA in Photography from the University of Tulsa. She previously achieved a Cum Laude BA in Photography from the University of Arkansas. She taught in the Oklahoma public school system for seven years, and was recognized as the Oklahoma State Art Educator in 2016. She currently teaches at Tennyson High School, serving as the Visual Arts and Performing Arts Department Chair. Her personal work often questions the reality of photography as a representation of truth. Her art has been exhibited nationally in both solo and group exhibitions, at venues such as Filter Space Chicago, The Southeast Museum of Photography, The Midwest Center of Photography, Black Box Gallery, and the Milwaukee Art Center. Noted recognition includes participation in the 2023 Chico Review, serving as a fellow for the 2019-2020 Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, and a 2020 Student Award of Excellence from the Oklahoma Visual Arts Coalition. Her photographs are included in publications collected by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Modern Art.
Rick Hatcher, Director
Rick is a Director of the Board for the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District H.A.R.D. A lifelong advocate of art and winner of the Bank of American scholarship for Photography, Rick brings his passion for community work and service to HFA. He is an Insurance broker who specializes in commercial Insurance insuring muralists, musicians, art non-profits, photographers, and dance studios. Having spent much of his professional life serving non-profits in Hayward, Rick is a valuable resource for best practices in operating HFA.