Meet the Staff
Billy O'Malley
I've been a neon artist and an animator; I worked on James and the Giant Peach! But I am a life-long teacher I work at Cañada College and my full-time position is at Burlingame Intermediate School, where I am the Maker Space, Robotics and Engineering-Maker teacher. Here at BAPA, I teach the Pop-Up class, Photography, Animation and the brand-new Automata class (kinetic toys!) This will be my third year with the program. My favorite part about BAPA is the level of focus that the students have. I've run summer programs at many different places and BAPA outshines all of them!
Burnie Gipson
Mr. Gipson or Mr. G has over 20 years of teaching experience including teaching of his language of ASL. Mr. G received his Master’s in Education while teaching during COVID and has taught in K-12 and college environments; he loves sharing his culture and language.
Daisy Hsieh
Daisy grew up in Taiwan and moved to the United States in 6th grade. She holds a B.A. in Child and Adolescent Development and has a strong passion for education and counseling. She has had a lot of experience with working with children since high school, mostly through serving at the church she was attending at the time. During her free time, Daisy enjoys going on easy hikes with her friends or catching up with friends over boba.
Patti Spezzaferro
Patti Spezzaferro has loved gardening since she was a little girl in Canada. She is a Master Gardener with an associate degree in horticulture from Foothill College. She is past president of the Peninsula Rose Society, where she was awarded the Bronze Metal for outstanding service. Currently, she is President of the Atherton Garden Guild. This summer at BAMP will mark Patti's fourth year teaching Introduction to Gardening. She is excited to get her students' hands in the soil, learning how to map the sun, soil structure, planting herbs, and much more. When not puttering around in her garden, she loves to read and hike with her husband, Ross.
Quentin
Quentin (he/him) is an instructor very familiar with design and digital technology. He holds a BSc in Physics, and since graduating has pivoted to gain a breadth of knowledge at the Digital Art and Animation Department at Cañada College. Quentin also has lived experience of many kinds of neurodivergence and professional experience supporting neurodivergent and otherwise disabled learners, as a peer tutor, as a direct support professional, and as a guiding member of an online community of neurodivergent LGBTQ+ adults. He personally dreams of redesigning the world to be more inclusive and accessible. He is looking forward to teaching Game Design, Game Design & Coding, 3D Modeling, Digital Art, Graphic Design, and Website Building this summer.
Samir Abboud
Samir is a Professor of Engineering and Computer & Information Science at the College of San Mateo. He has more than 25 years of experience teaching engineering and computer science at seven colleges and universities across the Bay Area. Throughout his career, he has taught over 25 different courses in engineering, computer science, electronics, and solar technology. At CSM, Samir has also taught Bay Area Pathways Academy (BAPA) classes for three years, including Math 6–9 and Science 6–9, where he inspires middle school students to explore the exciting world of STEM. Before transitioning to higher education, Samir worked for 25 years as a Senior Engineer Scientist at IBM Corporation’s Almaden Research Center in San Jose. His work focused on advanced research and development in information storage and engineering technologies. Samir holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Information Storage Technology. Why I Love BAPA: I love teaching young students science and engineering because it allows me to share my passion for discovery and innovation while helping them see how technology can change the world.
Shereen Foroutan
Shereen Foroutan is a visual artist and illustrator with a passion for creative expression and imaginative storytelling. This is her 4th year teaching at BAPA Summer Camp, where she leads classes in illustration, sculpture with paper Mache, animation and video with Canva and pencils & pastels (mixed-media art). Shereen specializes in helping young artists bring their ideas to life through fun, hands-on projects that spark creativity and confidence. Her teaching style blends structure with play, encouraging students to explore their own style while learning foundational art skills. She believes every child has a unique voice, and her goal is to make the art room a joyful and empowering space for everyone. She studied art for 4 years at one of Iran’s top art schools, specializing in graphic arts, and continued her education in studio art at San Mateo Community College. Her classes have included acrylic painting, watercolor, sculpture, digital art, graphic design, photography, mixed media, traditional illustration, and drawing. Shereen also attended professional workshops in marionette doll making, children’s book illustration, ceramics, character design, and color theory. In addition to her training, she has received multiple awards in national illustration competitions in Iran, with official recognition from the Tehran Department of Education for artistic excellence.
Steffi Sin
Steffi Sin graduated with an MFA in Creative Writing from Arizona State University and worked as an Associate Producer on a Showtime documentary that was nominated for a Sports Emmy. She now teaches English Composition at the College of San Mateo and spends her free time reading, writing, crocheting, and watching TV. At BAPA, she teaches Writing Skills, Creative Writing, Script Writing, Drama, and Public Speaking. In Writing Skills, she looks forward to teaching incoming eighth and ninth graders how to build essays, and sixth and seventh graders how to use logical appeals to write advertisements and other campaigns. In Creative Writing, her favorite lesson is “Writing with Magic” because of the endless possibilities and lovely stories her students create. In Script Writing, she is inspired by the limitless imagination of her students who script sci-fi action thrillers, detective mysteries, and more in her class. In Drama Club, she loves both improv games because of the energy her students bring, and watching her students dig through the props box to find inspiration for characters in their skits. In Public Speaking, she is motivated to help students create a stronger sense of confidence throughout the session with each practice speech. This year, she is returning for her third summer with BAPA. Each year, she looks forward to meeting a new, exciting group of students who she hopes to inspire with creative prompts and fun writing exercises, even students who might not like writing upon entering her classroom.