About POE South Bay
Powering Opportunity in Education — South Bay (POE South Bay) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Los Gatos, California, incorporated in 2015.
We provide multi-year scholarships, mentorship, and career development to low-income, first-generation college students. 98% of all donations go directly to students, and the program is entirely volunteer-run. We currently work with first-generation, low-income students across San José, Los Gatos, and the greater South Bay, with new school partnerships forming each year.
We strive to "be the difference" for students who see college as a tangible goal but a financial challenge — not just with a check, but with a mentor who stays with them for the whole journey.
Our History
POE South Bay was founded in 2015 by Donna Guldimann and Rosemary Rossi. They saw a gap they couldn't ignore: talented, hardworking students at Lincoln High School in San José and Los Gatos High School who had earned a spot in college but couldn't count on the resources to get there. Inspired by Pursuit of Excellence, a similar program on the Peninsula, Donna and Rosemary worked with them, using their model to eventually build something of their own in the South Bay: an independent, volunteer-run nonprofit designed around a simple idea — a scholarship check isn't enough on its own. Students also need someone in their corner for all four years.
That idea has held from day one. Every Scholar POE South Bay supports is paired with a volunteer mentor who helps them navigate the parts of college that first-generation students so often have to figure out alone — from financial aid to office hours to choosing a major to simply asking for help. It's a model built on relationships, not just funding.
What started with two school communities has grown into a program supporting Scholars across San José, Los Gatos, and the greater South Bay, with new school partnerships forming each year. Since 2015, POE South Bay has funded 93 Scholars, with 43 currently supported. Ninety-eight percent of every donation still goes directly to students — a founding commitment Donna and Rosemary built in from the start, and one the board has kept ever since.
Over a decade later, the mission hasn't changed: every student who has earned the opportunity to go to college deserves the chance to finish it. What has changed is our reach and our independence. We deeply value the experience and support that POE Peninsula has provided, and we've now reached the point where we're able to operate as our own entity: Powering Opportunity in Education — South Bay. We are supporting more students than ever, thanks to a growing community of supporters, and we look forward to your continued support.
POE South Bay
Board of Directors
Rosemary Rossi
President
Rosemary is a co-founder of POE South Bay and has served as President since 2025. Previously, she served as a trustee for the Saratoga-Los Gatos High School Board for over a decade. Helping with her two young grandchildren is a pleasure and a continual learning process.
Michele van Zuiden
Michele is a retired health care executive. She has served on a variety of public and not-for-profit boards, including serving for 8 years as a publicly elected school board member for the Los Gatos-Saratoga High School District. Michele is committed to helping underserved children through her work as a Court Appointed Child Advocate. She also mentors for POE South Bay.
Vice-President
Treasurer
Rosemarie Pottage
Rosemarie brings public-sector financial leadership experience to POE South Bay. She has volunteered her accounting expertise since 2022 and became Treasurer in 2025, following a long career in government accounting that includes serving as finance director at San José Unified School District and chief business officer at Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District.
Christine Bachen
Chris has mentored POE since 2019 and served on the board since 2025. Previously, she taught Communication at Santa Clara University for 34 years. At SCU, she advised hundreds of undergraduates. She also served as the university's Director of Educational Assessment, collaborating with faculty and students on projects related to student success, well-being, and learning.
Secretary
Jane Ogle
Jane was Deputy Director for Healthcare Delivery Systems at the California Department of Health Care Services. She is currently an independent consultant working on several assignments in health care policy and delivery.
Board member
Board member
Manuel Avalos
Manuel has been a Board member, mentor, and volunteer with POE since 2021. He works in regional planning, supporting rezoning efforts across the Bay Area. While studying at Brown University, he was heavily involved in programming at the First-Generation/Low-Income Students' Center.
Samantha Hernández
Samantha has worked in the higher education field for nearly a decade. She is passionate about the Foster Youth community and empowering first-generation college students. She currently serves as a Program Director at West Valley College.
Board member