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Joyce Bedard

Joan Bedard graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, with a liberal arts degree. She has lived in Morgan for over 30 years with her husband Alden and has two adult sons. She is very active with all aspects of local community theaters and is a member of the South Bay Singers. She enjoys gardening, reading, sports, travel, crafts, and is always looking for something new to try. Joyce has participated in the Wildflower Run for several years and was encouraged to finally join AAUW by Elizabeth Mandel. She is looking forward to meeting other women and making a difference in the community.

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Cheri Brown

Cheri Brown is a former executive with a national insurance carrier with decades of experience in Medicare sales and training and continues in the field with her own business. She has an AA degree from Gavilan College in Art and a BS in Business Administration from San Jose State. Morgan Hill has been her home for over forty years; she has two adult children. Cheri regularly volunteers for the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce and the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest. She loves to travel. She joined the branch at the Earth Day Festival. She says it has been on her bucket list since the 1980s when her former mother-in-law was a member.

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Ariadne Caldwell

Ariadne Caldwell has a BS degree in International Business from San Francisco State and is employed as an administrative assistant for a tech company. She has a passion for reading and exploring various cuisines. She loves to travel, seeking out new experiences and cultures. She has three younger sisters and four dogs. Ariadne is a former Tech Trek camper, so she has personally experienced the impact of AAUW programs. Now she is eager to contribute back to the AAUW community, helping to empower women and girls. She joined the branch at the Earth Day Festival.

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Anita Connor

Anita Connor has a BA in English and teaching credential from UC Berkeley and enjoyed several decades of teaching various English classes in San Jose, Santa Cruz, and Milan, Italy.  After she was married, she and her husband settled in San Martin, where their daughter attended MH schools and the family participated in local community activities. Anita’s interests include reading, travel, foreign films, museums, and gardening. She swims daily and enjoys easy hikes. A recent widow, she is looking forward to making new contacts in the MH community. She has an interesting story about how she ended up joining Las Madres 34 years ago, instead of AAUW.

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Monique Dubois     

When Monique Dubois stopped at the AAUW booth at the Earth Day Festival, she shared that she had attempted to join the organization many years ago but was returned down because she only had a two-year degree from San Jose State. She was pleased to learn that the membership requirement had been changed in 2005 and that she was now eligible and very welcome. Monique likes gardening, reading golf, and especially spending time with her family. She joined AAUW to contribute to her community and fill her time with constructive activities.

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Donna Melching

Donna Melching is originally from Los Angeles and has lived in Morgan Hill since 1975. She and her husband Gary have three children and six grandchildren. After working as a substitute teacher and an administrator, she decided to return to SJ State to finish what she had started 20 years earlier and earned a degree in Political Science/Public Administration. After graduation she was employed as an industrial engineer, training administrator, and finally at Weston Miles Architects in MH. Donna likes cooking and books and loves tennis. Lucy Grisetti, a new branch member, invited her to the New Member Wine and Whine in April, and the idea of getting involved with AAUW activities and women’s causes appealed to her.

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Tanaya Rose

Tanaya Rose and her husband Chris have lived in Morgan Hill since 2003, but she has been in California for 40 years, coming from New York. They have one son. Tanaya has BS and MS degrees in Criminal Justice from Sacramento State and an MPA from San Diego State. She works 

in law enforcement for Santa Clara County. She is an avid reader, a volunteer at the Magical Bridge playground, and recently joined the city Library, Culture and Arts Commission. Tanaya had been thinking about joining AAUW for many years, so when two members of her 2024 Leadership MH class (Cindy Adams and Carol Ferri) spoke so highly of the organization, she knew it was time. 

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Karen Skahill

Karen Skahill has a BA degree in History and teaching credential from Santa Clara University, as well as a Masters in History from SJ State. She is employed by the Gilroy School District and has been a social studies teacher at Christopher High School since it opened in 2009. She and her husband Kevin have lived in Morgan Hill for ten years and have two adult children. She loves to read, hike, bike, cook, and travel. She learned about AAUW from a friend and joined to meet more people in the community and to volunteer in local activities.

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Georgia Tassos

Georgia Tassos is currently a stay-at-home mom who regularly volunteers  with her church, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in San Jose, especially the San Jose Greek Festival. She has attended West Valley College and has a BA in Comparative Literature from SJ State and another in Creative Writing from New Hampshire University. Her hobbies cover a range of interests: cooking ethnic Greek food, writing fiction, playing video games, swimming in the sea, and has recently taken up Dungeons and Dragons. She learned about AAUW through an event at the library and has followed the organization through Facebook. She joined at the Earth Day Festival and hopes to make long lasting connections in the community.