An Independent Day School for Grades 6-12
Leadership

Board of Trustees 2021-22

2021-22 Board of Trustees

Christopher Alden ‘88
Sumir Chadha
Kate Dachs, President
Jason Davila
Andrew Davis
David Ebersman
Evan Goldberg
Andrea Higuera-Ballard
Gerald Horkan
Kevin Laws
Jeff Lee
Ana (Gonzalez) Leyva '07
Becky Logan '89
Peter Meier
Kristi Spence ‘59
Joshua Stein ‘91
Hans Tung
Cristal Waldrop
Wilson Xu

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  • Mission

    Through transformative teaching and meaningful connections, we empower kind, curious learners to thrive together.

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  • Core Values

    We Celebrate Scholarship
    The foundation of Crystal is academic excellence.

    We Seek Growth Challenges
    Our culture says try it.
     
    We Foster Kindness & Inclusion
    Crystal is a caring and diverse community.

    We Strive for Balance
    A holistic approach to well-being is integral to our mission.

    We Engage with Enthusiasm
    With unbounded spirit, we give our best effort every day and pay it forward to our community.

    We Lead with Humility
    Being grateful and open-minded, we pursue lifelong learning.

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  • Chris Alden

    Alumnus ‘88

    Chris runs Palace Games, a playable art company in San Francisco that builds immersive escape room experiences. Previously he ran several companies, including Red Herring, a media company that he co-founded while teaching at Crystal in the early 1990s. He holds a BA in History from Dartmouth. Crystal had a big influence on my life, and I am committed to ensuring that the school thrives for generations to come.    

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  • Sumir Chadha


    Investment chair, parent ‘22

    Sumir is the founder of WestBridge Capital, focused on investments in India. Previously he founded Sequoia India, and worked at Goldman Sachs and McKinsey. He holds an MBA from Harvard and a BSE Computer Science from Princeton. Sumir serves on the Board of Trustees at Princeton University, and on the Board of the American India Foundation. My daughter loves Crystal’s outstanding teachers and its warm, down to earth culture.

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  • Kate Dachs


    President, Board Chair, parent ‘22 ‘25 ‘28

    Kate taught elementary school in Daly City. She holds a BA in Art History from Bates and a MEd and California teaching credential from the University of San Francisco. Kate has served on the boards of There With Care, Family Advisory Council at UCSF, and Ambassadors for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. I was struck by Crystal’s authentic community of educators and families the first time I visited, and continue to revel in my children’s experiences.
To view trustee biographies, click on the plus sign.

Email boardchair@csus.org to provide feedback on important school matters.

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  • Jason Davila


    Parent ‘23, ‘25

    Jason is the co-founder and CEO of The Davila Group Inc., a real estate investment and development company. He is the manager of The Davila Foundation and a member of the Knights Hospitaller, focusing on local charities and service to humanity. Jason holds a BA Economics from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Our family feels fortunate to be a part of the Crystal community...from the world class academics program, to the warm and inviting culture.

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  • Andrea Higuera-Ballard


    Advancement chair, parent ‘24 ‘26

    Andrea formerly worked in brand management and public affairs. She holds an MBA and BA International Relations from Stanford. Andrea serves as a trustee for KIPP Bay Area Schools and as an advisory board member for the Stanford Haas Center for Public Service. She is the former President of the Hillsborough Schools Foundation, and a former trustee for Family Connections and CuriOdyssey. Our family loves the engaging, inclusive, and supportive learning environment at Crystal. 

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  • Ana (Gonzalez) Leyva '07

    Alumna ‘07

    Ana is Founder and CEO of Lelu. Previously, she worked at tech unicorns ServiceTitan and Box. She holds an AB from Princeton University and a MBA and MA in Education from Stanford University. Crystal taught me to love learning and to be a lifelong learner. Being part of this beautiful community is a gift that keeps on giving.

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  • Josh Stein


    Alumnus ‘91, parent ‘19

    Josh is Partner and Managing Member at DFJ, a venture capital firm. He holds a BA from Dartmouth and an MBA from Stanford. Josh serves as a trustee for Stanford GSB Trust and previously served as a director for the Center for Venture Education and Kauffman Fellows Program. As a student, Crystal helped shape me into the person I am today. I learned to believe in myself, and that if I applied persistent effort I could tackle challenges that seem quite daunting.

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  • Andrew Davis

    Head of School Mount Tamalpais School

    Andrew was formerly the Head of Middle School at Crystal and was instrumental in planning our expansion. He holds an MBA, MA Ed, and BS in Religious Studies from Stanford University. At Crystal students both explore and excel. Crystal encourages a breadth of experience while also allowing students to learn deeply about their passions – academic, artistic, and athletic. This is exactly what young adolescents need most.

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  • Gerald Horkan


    Parent ‘21 ‘24 '26

    Gerry’s career has focused on the technology and media industries at Crispin Capital, Yahoo!, Booz Allen and Hewlett Packard. He spent a considerable portion of his career in Asia and speaks Japanese. Gerry holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Columbia and an MBA from Harvard. He serves on the Columbia Engineering Development Council, and previously served as treasurer for the Hillsborough School Foundation. The Crystal faculty have inspired my children to try new things and to live the Crystal values.

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  • Becky Logan


    Alumna ‘89, parent ‘19 ‘23

    Becky (Davidow) Logan was an elementary school teacher at Phillips Brooks School and taught parent education on topics from diversity to sibling conflict. She is a facilitator for Love and Logic parenting programs. She holds a BA Fine Arts from St. Lawrence and is a former trustee at Phillips Brooks School. I continue to be grateful for the foundation of lifelong learning that I gained at Crystal as a student.

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  • Hans Tung

    Parent ‘26

    Hans Tung is a Managing Partner with GGV Capital, a global venture capital firm with roots in Silicon Valley and Singapore. Born in Taiwan and grew up in LA, Hans also cohosts the Evolving for The Next Billion podcast with founders from around the world. Previously he was a general partner at Qiming Venture Partners, a vice president at Bessemer Venture Partners, and a tech banker at Merrill Lynch. Hans holds a BS in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University. The authentic and progressive community at Crystal embraced my family from Day One and constantly inspires us to be the best version of ourselves.

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  • David Ebersman


    Parent ‘21 ‘23

    David is the co-founder and CEO of Lyra, a healthcare technology company focused on behavioural health. Previously he was the CFO at Facebook and Genentech. He holds an AB in International Relations and Economics from Brown. He serves on the Board of Directors at SurveyMonkey and Castlight. Crystal has been a great fit for our family. Our kids are getting a great education while enjoying school and developing new interests outside the classroom.     

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  • Kevin Laws

    Facility Master Plan chair, parent ‘24, ‘26

    Kevin is the CEO of AngelList. Previously, he founded Vast.com, was a Principal at PacRim Venture Partners, a Vice President at Epinions, and worked at Booz Allen & Hamilton. He holds an MBA from MIT and a BS Computer Science from Dickinson College. He served as the Treasurer for the Hillsborough Schools Foundation and a Trustee for Family Connections. I love the focus Crystal places on students driving their own learning and advocating for themselves.

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  • Peter Meier

    Parent ‘25

    Peter is the leader of the Paul Hastings Real Estate Litigation practice. He serves on the Planning Commission for the City of Belmont, and is a former member of the Board of the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Public Interest Law Project. He holds a JD from UC Davis and a BA History from Columbia University. Crystal Springs created a community that was immediately welcoming to our child, as well as to us as parents, and that welcome and engagement has sustained over time.

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  • Cristal Waldrop


    Secretary, Trustees chair, parent ‘22 ‘25

    Cristal was the executive director of a nonprofit law firm that provides civil legal services to the homeless. She has taught fundraising and board development in the nonprofit sector. She holds a BS from University of Virginia and an MBA from Columbia. She served as a trustee at Carey School. The committed and supportive Crystal faculty strikes the balance of nurturing and nudging -- helping students develop self-confidence, critical thinking, and an appreciation for different perspectives.

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  • Evan Goldberg


    Vice President, Campaign chair, parent ‘19 ‘23

    Evan is the founder of NetSuite and is currently an EVP at Oracle. He holds a BA Applied Mathematics from Harvard. Evan founded BRCA Foundation, which supports research on inherited cancer syndromes. He serves as a trustee for V Foundation for Cancer Research, served as a trustee for Woodside School Foundation, and established a squash program for urban youth. I am thrilled by the fantastic programs and people at Crystal.

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  • Jeff Lee


    Treasurer, Finance chair, parent '21 '23

    Jeff is a managing director and co-founder of Northern Light Venture Capital, which focuses on early stage opportunities in China. He holds an AB Economics from Harvard and an MBA from U Penn. Jeff is an active supporter of Harvard College, the Korean American Community Foundation of San Francisco, and the Mirae Foundation. My favorite aspect of Crystal is the close-knit and authentic culture of the community.

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  • Kristie Cotton Spence


    Lifetime trustee, alumna ‘59

    Kristi has a family law mediation practice and was previously a partner at the law firms Berra Spence and Carr, McClellan. She holds a BA and a JD from Stanford. Kristi served as president of San Mateo County Bar Association. She is a former trustee at Pacific School of Religion, San Mateo Library Foundation, and Children’s Home Society. As a student, parent, faculty member and lifetime trustee, Crystal has always been an important and formative part of my life.

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  • Wilson Xu


    Risk Management and Audit chair, Campaign chair, parent ‘22 '26

    Wilson was an EVP at Palo Alto Networks, and previously held technical and management positions at Juniper, NetScreen and Network Associates. He holds a BE Computer Science from Tsinghua and an MS Computer Science from Penn State. Crystal’s engaged faculty and excellent programs motivate students to learn, enjoy and thrive.

Emerita Trustee

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  • Jennifer Johnson


    Alumna '82, parent '11 '19

    Jenny is President and COO of Franklin Templeton Investments. She holds a BA in Economics from UC Davis. She is recognized as one of the most influential executives in asset management. Jenny serves as a board member for the BizWorld Foundation and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

GENERAL: (650) 342-4175 | info@csus.org    ADMISSION QUESTIONS: admission@csus.org

Middle School

10 Davis Drive  |  Belmont, CA 94002  |  (650) 645-1000

Upper School

400 Uplands Drive  |  Hillsborough, CA 94010  |  (650) 342-4175
Nondiscriminatory Policy: Crystal Springs Uplands School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.