Teachers of San Joaquin Kannada Sangha

Mrs. Ashwini Hiremath is currently serving as the Principal of Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama. She has been volunteering as a teacher since 2020, and has taught Grades 1 to 3 class students. She is Certified by DeAnza & Foothill Colleges, in Early Childhood Education for School Age Childcare, Inclusion & Children with Special needs, and School Age childcare. She holds a Diploma in Computer Science from TMAES in Karnataka. Ashwini has actively volunteered in PTAs for 8+ years with various Elementary schools. She loves being around kids and is passionate about educating children in fun ways to grow them academically with great human values that shape them into good future citizens. Apart from her teaching, she enjoys stage decoration-related arts, and crafts, sewing, listening to music, traveling, cooking etc. She has owned and runs a very successful Home-based Daycare business, for the last 5+ years. ashwini.hiremath@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Tejaswini Krishnamurthy, Vice Principal and Kannada Teacher, holds a Master's degree in Information Technology from IIIT Bangalore. As a native Kannada speaker she has undergone formal Kannada language education, and has been teaching Kannada at various grade levels with Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama, since 2020. Tejaswini is passionate about fostering love for Kannada by making learning both fun and accessible. Outside the classroom, she enjoys music and sports. Her daughter is enrolled in the program since 2020.
tejaswini.krishnamurthy@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Shailaja Raju is currently serving as the Vice-Principal and High School Program Lead of Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama. She holds a Master's degree in Computer Science & Engineering from California State University, East Bay, California, and a Bachelor's Degree in Science from the University of Bangalore, India. She has CBEST teaching certification to her credit. Shailaja has extensive experience spanning over two decades teaching children in a wide variety of subjects like Computer Science Programming, Mathematics, and Kannada Language. She has been part of the Namma Kannada Program since 2021 teaching students at various grade levels.
Her twin boys have been enrolled in the Namma Kannada program since 2021 and working towards earning their high school credits for Kannada as world language. Shailaja loves interacting with young minds and believes in fostering a love of learning through logical reasoning and critical thinking practice using the latest applications & tools to enrich virtual learning.
Outside of the classroom, Shailaja enjoys spending time with her family, doing indoor plant gardening, playing musical instrument (Veena), spending time with her pet dog (Archie) and cooking. She has successfully owned and run an MPM Math Franchise in East Bay, California for 7+ years.
shailaja.raju@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Deepika Gajjar Deepika comes with a unique blend of HR & Education, with an MBA in Human Resources and prior experience as an HR Coordinator. She brings organizational insight, empathy and conflict-resolution skills to education-enhancing student development. She is a passionate Educator with 6 years of experience fostering academic growth and a lifelong love of learning in students, who firmly believe's in unlocking every child's potential through dynamic, student-centered approach. She strive's to improve learning outcomes through engaging instruction, personalized support, behavior management, and collaborative learning environments. Skilled in lesson planning, adaptive teaching strategies, and building strong parent-teacher partnerships. Her goal is to nurture confidence, curiosity, and creative expression by making learning joyful and empowering.
deepika.gajjar@nammakannada.org

Mrs. Pooja Sthavarmath a native Kannada speaker is a senior teacher at Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2020. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Acounting from the University of Gulbarga in Karnataka. Pooja works as a substitute teacher at LUSD, and volunteers year round very actively in multiple community organizations. Having undergone education in Kannada as a medium of instruction until 10th grade, she is passionate about Kannada language and is dedicated to passing it on to the next generation. She enjoys yoga, exercise, dance, and listening to music.

Mrs. Kusuma Gadagi, is a gold medal winning graduate in Textile engineering with a B.Tech from BIET, Davangere, She has experience working in the Textile and IT industries for about 7 years. She took a break from pursuing career for family reasons, and has used the time to volunteer in public schools and the tech museum of San Jose. Her passion for Kannada landed her as a volunteer teacher in Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2021, where she has taught grades 1 & 2. and is on a mission to make Kannada learning a fun and interesting experience for young minds. Apart from teaching, Kusuma enjoys listening to music, reading books and solving puzzles. Library is her favorite place to go!

Mrs. Pavithra Veerappa has been serving Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama as a dedicated Kannada teacher since 2022. With a passion for preserving and promoting Kannada literature and culture, she has employed smart teaching methods to make language learning engaging for students. She holds a master's degree in Science with a major in Botany (Plant Science) from Mysore University and has previously worked as a research scholar in Plant Tissue Culture, that shows her analytical and research-oriented mindset. Her background in Kannada, and love for the language led her to teaching, where she is good at simplifying complex concepts, connect lessons with real-life contexts and enhancing conversational skills. She works full time as an Accounting Assistant at Rainbow Corporation. Whether in classroom or beyond, Pavithra remains committed to empowering learners in and fostering a deeper appreciation for Kannada language.

Mrs. Swetha Jois, a native Kannada speaker, holds M.Sc. and M.Phil degrees in Chemistry from the University of Mysore. She has two years of experience teaching college-level chemistry and has been volunteering as a teacher for various grades with Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2022. Her stories and poems have been featured in Indian newspapers and magazines. Swetha is passionate about fostering a love for the Kannada language and dedicates herself to teaching Kannada within the community. In addition to her teaching endeavors, she has a deep love for music and fine arts, and has successfully trained children in songs, skits, recitations, and storytelling performances for community events prticipated by Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama.

Mrs. Sowmya BV has been a teacher at Namma Kannada Kalike Kaaryakrama since 2023. She holds a degree in Computer Science and Technology and has worked in the tech industry. Inspired by her grandfather, who served as the headmaster of a government school, she embarked on teaching as a career with great passion and dedication. Additionally, she has volunteered for 2-3 years in an elementary school and has homeschooled her son for two years. Looking ahead, she plans to make teaching her core profession. Outside of her professional interests, she enjoys working out to stay fit and healthy.

Mrs. Shilpa Manohar holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and brings 10 years of experience as a Test Analyst at Infosys. A native Kannada speaker, she has always been deeply passionate about teaching the language and is an active member of the SJKS Entertainment Team. Her journey as a Kannada teacher began in 2025 after relocating to Lathrop, CA, where she had the privilege of teaching first-grade students. Beyond teaching, Mrs. Shilpa enjoys singing, dancing, and playing various sports, which keep her creatively and physically engaged.

Sowmya B R is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background, holding a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Public Administration, and Kannada, as well as an MBA in Human Resource Management. She resides in Lathrop, California, with her husband and two young sons. With eight years of experience at Indian Railways (2012-2020), Sowmya honed her communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills as an HR professional. Passionate about early childhood development, she is currently pursuing Early Childhood Studies at Ohlone College to further her goal of creating nurturing learning environments that foster confidence, growth, and holistic development in children. In her free time, Sowmya enjoys reading novels, gardening, and cooking, which keep her creatively engaged.

Mrs. GangaWali holds a Bachelor's degree in Engineering with a specialization in Industrial Production and has approximately 10 years of experience as a SAP functional consultant across various organizations. As a native speaker of Kannada and with over twelve years of formal language education, she offers a distinctive approach to teaching Kannada that is deeply rooted in its cultural context. Her journey as a Kannada instructor commenced just a few months ago when her daughter joined the Kannada program. Currently, Ganga teaches first graders alongside the lead teacher. Her achievements are largely due to the steadfast support from her students, family, and fellow educators. In addition to her teaching role, Mrs. Ganga has a passion for movies and music.