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Alumni Spotlight

Amiya Bansal ‘21

Amiya Bansal ‘21 started her high school career planning to focus on STEM classes, but she soon found her calling working with public policy and local government. By the end of her freshman year in June 2022 she was serving as both the District 6 Youth Commissioner for the City of San Jose and was working as an intern for Matt Mahan’s campaign for Mayor of San Jose, where she worked on his communication team. After the election, she then worked as a summer intern in the Office of the Mayor where her work focused on homelessness, transportation and public safety.  

By October 2022, Amiya had joined the Executive Board of the San Jose Youth Commission, where she currently serves as the Social Media Manager/ Communications Director. In her role on the San Jose Youth Commission, Amiya works to create policy recommendations presented to the mayor and the city council to support San Jose youth.

Amiya had several new opportunities in 2024, including an internship at the Hoover Institution where she worked in marketing and development. Amiya was also chosen as a fellow at The Los Altos Institution, where she was selected as only one of 48 fellows out of 847 applicants.  Amiya writes public policy and moderates political panels, including one featuring Congresswoman Anna Eshoo.

Amiya’s most recent venture included a return to political campaigns as an intern for former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo’s successful campaign to the U.S. House of Representatives.  

Amiya Bansal 2021

Mr. Mike Fishback recently invited Amiya to meet with a group of ACDS middle school students to talk with them about her work in local government and public policy.  Mr. Fishback reported that Amiya shared that one of the lessons she learned while working on Sam Liccardo’s campaign against Evan Low was that, “It’s not necessary to hate your political opponent; you can work against their campaign because you believe that your candidate is uniquely suited to the office while still wishing your opponent well and hoping they get to lead in some other way.”

Amiya told the group that she had originally intended to focus on STEM subjects when she was in high school, but later realized that her true passion was politics and public policy. Amiya encouraged the students to continue to try different things in their own lives, explaining that even after making the jump from STEM to government she was able to refine her interests further when she learned that writing and implementing public policy was something she particularly enjoyed.

Amiya will graduate from Notre Dame High School in June 2025.

ACDS is proud of our alumni and their accomplishments. Below are a few more alumni spotlights that show just a small sample of the exciting paths they forged after graduating from ACDS.  Please contact us to share your ACDS alumni story.

More Alumni Spotlights...

Amiya Bansal 2021

Amiya Bansal ‘21 started her high school career planning to focus on STEM classes, but she soon found her calling working with public policy and local government. By the end of her freshman year in June 2022 she was serving as both the District 6 Youth Commissioner for the City of San Jose and was working as an intern for Matt Mahan’s campaign for Mayor of San Jose, where she worked on his communication team. After the election, she then worked as a summer intern in the Office of the Mayor where her work focused on homelessness, transportation and public safety.  

Emmett Griffith

Emmett Griffith '08 attended ACDS from Begindergarten through 8th grade and is a member of the class of 2008. Upon graduation from Presentation High School, he next enrolled at Chapman University, where he pursued and obtained a double BA in Integrated Educational Studies and English Literature. Emmett went on to obtain his M.A. in Higher Education & Student Affairs at New York University.

Anya Barrese ‘14

After graduating cum laude from Seattle University in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a minor in philosophy, Anya is currently the Lifestyles Coordinator at Parkshore Senior Living in Seattle, Washington. She shares that working at an incredibly rewarding job, living in a beautiful city, and having wonderful friends and family makes her happy and is more than a person can ask for.

Lisa Ricchio'04

We've been following Tucker (Lisa) Ricchio '04 very closely these past few months, and Chef Tucker has written in to keep us up to date. Read on to hear all about how she started her journey as a Chef, what her Italian grandparents taught her about food and cooking, and her experience on Gordon Ramsay's show, Next Level Chef.

Matt Hunt '12

After graduating from Leland High School in 2012, Jake Heindel '08 completed a bachelor's degree in Film Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. As a Video Producer for the San Jose Sharks, Jakes says that one of his most significant accomplishments is "making the opening hype videos that play on the big screen before the players take the ice." They are an impactful way to energize the crowd before the game starts. If you're a Sharks fan, you've probably enjoyed one of his four opening hype videos. His favorite is the Stealth Jersey open video from the 2021-2022 season. 

Matt Hunt '12

Meaghan Schapelhouman ’14 attended ACDS from Begindergarten through 8th grade. Upon graduation from Presentation High School, she next enrolled at Marymount Manhattan College, New York City, where she pursued and obtained a degree in musical theater. To the delight of all who know her, Meaghan completed the circle and recently returned to Almaden Country Day School to join the staff as a teacher in the arts.