James Richard - Board Chair

Music Professional / Media Director / Program Director

 

James is an accomplished Musician with a background in Media, with proven success in managing volunteers, independent contractors, and a work ethic marked by a commitment to excellence, innovation, and teamwork. ​

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Ariel Mayormita

Musical Director at St. Joachim Catholic Church

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Ariel is a liturgical musician and the director of music at St. Joachim Church in Hayward, California. He is a piano and voice teacher, a composer of liturgical music, and a choir director. He is an active member of the National Association of Pastoral Musician and is involved in addressing Asia-Pacific Rim Musicians concerns. Ariel is an active leader of the Diocese of Oakland and is delegated to direct music for diocesan events and liturgies. ​

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Marietta Ocampo

Retired Clinical Laboratory Scientist at Stanford Hospital Health and Clinics. She worked at Stanford at the Special Coagulation Laboratory working with patients that has been bleeding or clotting problems. 

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Marietta is also a realtor with Legacy Real Estate and Associates and is a Senior Real Estate Specialist. She is an active community leader and an instrumental part of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Pilipino community in San Ramon. She started the Simbang Gabi ministry at her church and had successfully led a number of fundraisers. Some were concerts of invited famous choirs from the Philippines. She also started the annual Adobo Feed dinner and this event had different cultural themes. 

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Marietta is an active part of her community. She loves inspiring teens to learn and grow their faith. She is also an active part of Saint Joan of Arc Music Ministry. She sings in the choir, she is a cantor, plays guitar with the St. Joan Band and lately she just learned how to do the handbells. Marietta loves to play her violin, ukulele and piano. 

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Melinda Martin

Public Health Program Management- Community Advocate

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Melinda has over 15+ years of experience in strategic planning and partnership development. Melinda has a strong background in nonprofit grant procedure and implementation. She worked with various nonprofits including the Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco, San Francisco Community Health Center, Asian Health Services, Asian & Pacific Wellness Center and the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organization. She effectively managed and executed various aspects of fundraising events including securing sponsorship, live auction, VIP reception. She is a parent of a GMAA student. She believes the importance of music education is critical to building one's confidence and tenacity.  

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Renee Best

Renee plays an integral role in community building and resource allocation.  She helped mentor and created a workflow system to increase efficiency within the organization.  She retired from the State of California after 30 years of service with at least 10+ years working in Human Resources. In 2017, she was hired by Connecting Water Charter School to open and set up their new school, Connecting Waters East Bay (CWEB) in Union City, CA.  She has served the Community in multiple capacities and is the Clerk for her local Church.

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Vernon Miyata

Secondary Music Teacher at Arroyo High School

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Vernon is the Instrumental Music and Band Director at Arroyo High School. Vernon is in charge of the jazz band, concert band, intermediate band, orchestra, guitar, and the after school program that includes marching band, winter percussion, and winter guard. In 2014, Vernon led the Arroyo High School Winter Guard to compete in the Northern California Band Directors Association (CBDA) Winter Guard Competition. After a disappointing string of 6th place finishes earlier in the month, the guard put on an emotional performance. Competing in the Scholastic Division, the Arroyo Guard took first place honors

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Guido Fazio

Guido Fazio is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area. He majored in music at San Jose State University, Cal State Hayward, and Chabot College. He studied with prominent woodwind teachers in the Bay Area which include saxophone, clarinet, and flute. He also studied jazz piano with Frank Sumares (jazz educator and author).

 

Guido also studied jazz improvisation and co-authored a book with his mentor and author of multiple instructional books, the late jazz guitarist, Warren Nunes. Guido is a composer and arranger for big bands, small ensembles, duets, and solo pieces. Genres include classical, jazz, pop, Gospel, and ethnic styles. Guido has been teaching for more than 30 years and has surpassed 3,000 students to date.

 

Guido has been a woodwind clinician for students from elementary school through college level, including jazz improvisation clinics at local college and high school festivals. He has also taught beginning music recorder classes for third graders for 10 years. Guido is currently performing with the "Fog City Stompers," a traditional style of jazz with the intent to preserve our national treasures art form. Their newest CD release is entitled "All Fogged Up." Guido's music literature includes classical, jazz classics, big band, The American Song Book, Afro-Cuban, country, folk, pop, Italian, Jewish, Portuguese, and South American styles. Guido has performed with and backed entertainers and renowned jazz artists, including Steve Allen, Phyllis Diller, Mel Torme, Patsy Cline, Sarah Vaughn, Rich Little, Louis Bellson, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Bill Watrous, Phil Woods, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bruce Forman and Gordon Goodwin. He is currently writing a series of jazz improvisation books that are suit to fit a workbook for jazz ensembles, or for individual use.