FSD Board of Trustees

Beverly Berryman - Clerk

Trustee Area 3

Ruthi Hanchett - Member
Trustee Area 4

Ruthi Hanchett has worked as a global child advocate and human trafficking expert for nearly 20 years.

Ruthi spent a decade with World Vision International as a policy expert and advocate, working with the UN, World Bank, and global leaders, for children’s education, protection, and human rights. There she designed and led global initiatives to increase children’s voice and participation in decisions that affected their well-being.

For the last decade Ruthi has lived in Fullerton and focused her work locally. She is an Adjunct Professor of Human Trafficking at Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice. She stays busy teaching and training students, parents, and community members on how to keep children safe from abuse, starting the Fullerton Human Trafficking Partnership, and coaching a youth-led organization called Live2Free, that mobilizes college students and high schoolers to fight human trafficking. She is especially proud of a program she developed in partnership with Santa Ana Valley High School, Project Kinship, the OCDE, and Vanguard University, to empower vulnerable teens to address human trafficking in their community.

Ruthi has served as a volunteer in many FSD initiatives and programs, including as a PTA leader at Raymond Elementary, where her two daughters attend the Dual Language Academy in Spanish. She has served on FSD Diversity Equity and Inclusion Sub-Committees, DLA committees, the Wellness Advocacy Council and more. She is married to Matt and a proud mom to two students in the Fullerton School District. Ruthi looks forward to partnering with the FSD community to serve our students, teachers, staff, and families and welcomes collaborative input.

James Cho - Member

Trustee Area 2

First Elected: 12/16/2024
Term Date: 2025-2029

1401 W Valencia Dr. Fullerton, CA 92833
(714) 447-7410 

 
james_cho@myfsd.org

(Please be sure to include your e-mail address if a response is requested.)

James Cho grew up in Fullerton, first learning how to speak English at Sunset Lane before transferring to Laguna Road for GATE. He then attended Parks and Sunny Hills and is a graduate of UC Irvine and UC Berkeley Law School.

After college, James commissioned as an Air Force officer, deploying to the Horn of Africa, Afghanistan, and Iraq with combat search and rescue units. He is a graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School and still serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserves.

As a Deputy Director at the County of Orange’s Social Services Agency, he helps to protect seniors and children from abuse and to help county residents get food assistance and free health insurance.

James now lives a mile away from his childhood home with his wife Vanessa, and the two spend their weekends corralling their Sunset Lane son and their rescue mutt, Lady.

Vanesa Estrella - Member

Trustee Area 5

First Elected: 12/16/2024
Term Date: 2025-2029

1401 W Valencia Dr. Fullerton, CA 92833
(714) 447-7410

 vanesa_estrella@myfsd.org

(Please be sure to include your e-mail address if a response is requested.)

Vanesa Estrella is a proud South Fullerton resident, business owner, nonprofit leader, and mother of two daughters enrolled in the Fullerton School District’s dual immersion program. She and her husband, Ray, have called South Fullerton home for over 20 years, raising their family and fostering strong connections within the community.

As the daughter of immigrants, Vanesa arrived in the United States at the age of eight and attended local public schools as an English Learner. She went on to graduate with honors in Business Administration and Criminal Justice from California State University, Fullerton, funding her education through work and scholarships. Vanesa now leads her family’s renowned business, El Pachuco Zoot Suits, while giving back to the community through initiatives supported by the Estrella Family Foundation.

A dedicated advocate for multilingual families, Vanesa has served as ELAC President at Raymond Elementary and DELAC President for the district, working to enhance parent engagement and representation. She is also a passionate supporter of children with special needs, inspired by her personal experience as the parent of a child with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

Committed to preserving cultural heritage, Vanesa performs alongside her daughters as a principal dancer in Grupo Folklorico Monte Alban, a nonprofit troupe that shares the vibrant traditions of Mexican folklorico throughout Fullerton.