Terry Caskey

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Biotechnology—Gene Sequencing Technology

Terry Caskey grew up on a small farm in the Central Valley of California. As the first in his family to attend college, he was proud to complete his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UCSB, then his master’s and Ph.D. in engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He has spent 20+ years leading research and technology development organizations, starting with mobile device technologies, and later, microelectronics and biotech. In his current position as Director of Engineering for Illumina, he has lead their product development teams as they have been leading in the areas of pan-cancer screening, lifesaving gene therapies, targeted drug treatments and many other important discoveries.

He has always carved out time to include an element of service in his life. He has supported the Team in Training organization in collaboration with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation, the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering and is an active member of the Harbor Island Yacht Club and San Diego Outrigger Canoe Club.

Terry has 26 patents awarded and 14 pending. He and his wife Baily have lived in San Diego for over ten years.

He thanks his sponsors Glenn Younger, Duke Sobek and Gil Johnson.

Falon Leszczynski

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Associations-Home of Guiding Hands

Falon serves as the Vice President of Operations for Home of Guiding Hands, overseeing the functionality of 28 residential group homes and a 25,000-square-foot resource center located in El Cajon. Her responsibilities extend to managing the transportation department and supervising the entire IT network supporting over 800 employees across office, remote, and group home settings. In addition to her operational role, Falon spearheads HGH’s marketing initiatives, fosters company culture, and addresses risk management. She also leads special projects, including the implementation of the organization’s EOS framework.

She has a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Western Governors University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services from Springfield College. Prior to her tenure at HGH, she served as the Special Programs Manager for the San Diego Housing Commission, where she played a pivotal role in planning, directing, and overseeing the City of San Diego’s Homelessness Response Center. Before her time at the San Diego Housing Commission, Falon held leadership positions at the YMCA, contributing to the successful opening and operations of various YMCA facilities.

Falon sits on the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities (FDD) board and currently chairs the California Disabilities Services Institute (CDSI) board.

Outside of her professional commitments, Falon, alongside her husband Lenny, have four school-aged daughters and three dogs. During their free time, the family can often be found at the softball field, hockey rink, or participating in diverse events at Balboa Park.

She thanks her sponsors Lenny Leszczynski, Michael Brunker and David Oates.

Veronica Perondi

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Education-State University-Program Manager

Veronica Perondi currently serves as the Assistant Director of A.S. Programs for Associated Students at San Diego State University. In this role, she’s dedicated to empowering students through leadership and engagement programs.

She earned an undergraduate degree in International Relations from San Francisco State University where she was was actively involved in the International Education Exchange Council. Driven by commitment to education and personal growth, Veronica earned a master’s degree in Post- Secondary Educational Leadership from San Diego State University.

Outside of her professional life she’s deeply committed to giving back to the community. She is passionate about environmental conservation and she often volunteers for beach clean-ups and trash pick-up initiatives. Additionally, she’s involved with Guide Dogs for the Blind and support events for the blind and visually impaired community, inspired by her husband’s work as an Orientation Mobility Specialist. Veronica’s journey in volunteering began at a young age when she assisted with a church Christmas toy distribution, leaving a lasting impression of the joy that comes from helping others. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy hiking and travel; particularly, they love to explore small communities. Veronica spends time expressing her creativity through various crafts, such as painting and crochet.

 

She thanks her sponsors Corey Polant, Jordan Harrison and Jordan Maharaj.