MJC Data Coaches

Embedded in each school, these dedicated individuals serve as the go-to resource for all things related to data, analysis, and continuous improvement. They possess a passion for data and are highly skilled coaches, adept at navigating the complexities of data interpretation and utilization.

Our Faculty Data Coaches are catalysts for positive change within MJC. Their passion for data, coupled with their coaching skills, empowers schools to make informed decisions, prioritize equity, and continually improve the educational experience for all students.

How Can Your Data Coach Help You

• One-on-One Support: Faculty Data Coaches provide personalized assistance to school staff, offering guidance on utilizing data tools and resources effectively. Their expertise ensures that educators are equipped to harness the power of data for informed decision-making.

• Data-Centric Conversations: By facilitating data-centric conversations, our coaches contribute to the enhancement of students' overall educational experience. They encourage collaborative discussions that revolve around data context, enabling stakeholders to derive meaningful insights and drive positive changes.

• Equity-Focused Guidance: Our coaches guide schools in identifying and addressing disproportionate impacts through data analysis. Prioritizing equitable outcomes for students, they help in leveraging data to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.

• Program Review Support: Faculty Data Coaches demystify the program review process, offering valuable support to schools. Through their expertise, they assist in navigating program evaluations, ensuring that decisions are informed by comprehensive and high-quality data.

• eLumen Navigation: Offering assistance in navigating eLumen, our coaches ensure that schools can effectively utilize this platform for educational management. Their support streamlines processes and enhances the overall efficiency of data-related tasks.

Meet Your Data Coaches

Click on the name of each Data Coach to view their Contact Information 

Lori Marchy | School of Agriculture Lori has been a part of the Agriculture team for over 9 years. She is deeply involved with agriculture both at MJC and in the greater community. She is especially excited to work with the School of Agriculture to create meaningful goals and outcomes.

Travis Silvers | School of Arts, Performance & the Humanities Travis Silvers, Music, is an educator who is passionate and excited about the use of data to improve our students’ success and experience. Travis began his data journey in 2017 through our CUE equity training and has led campus wide efforts to center the use of data in his role as faculty chair at San Joaquin Delta College. Please come see Travis with any and all data questions!

Marilu Isiordia | School of Behavioral & Social Sciences I received my doctorate degree in Quantitative Psychology from UC Davis. After completing my doctoral training, I worked as a psychometrician for the Education Testing Services in Princeton, NJ. I joined the MJC Psychology Department in Fall 2020, where I currently teach introduction to statistics and research methods. As a Data Coach, I look forward to support faculty navigate data resources to increase student engagement, retention, and success!

DJ Combee | Schools of Business and Computing, Industry & Trades, and Public Safety My name is DJ and I have always found data to be quite fascinating, especially when that data can allow for better and more optimal decisions to be made. Whether trying to find ways to make things run more efficiently or crunching numbers for optimal stat distributions in video games I have found various types of data to be extremely useful. If you have any MJC related data questions, feel free to reach out to me.

Dario Solorio | Counseling As a counselor at Modesto Junior College since 2017, I have had the privilege of guiding and supporting a diverse group of students on their academic journeys. My role has extended beyond traditional counseling duties to include teaching guidance courses and working closely with students who have been disproportionately impacted by various challenges. My experience in counseling has given me valuable insights into the challenges students face, and I'm excited to leverage that knowledge to help our institution thrive. I believe that data can empower us to make informed choices and create a more supportive and effective learning environment. Together, we can empower our students and promote equity and success for all.

Janet Fantazia | School of Fitness & Health Professions I teach in MJC’s Associate’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree programs in Respiratory Care. I am the Director of the Clinical Education for the AS degree Respiratory Care Program. I also enjoy teaching Medical Terminology as a face-to-face instructor. I graduated from the MJC Respiratory Therapy Program and I have been practicing Respiratory Care for over 20 years. I have worked in Modesto for most of my career and the majority of it at Sutter Memorial Medical Center. This career has been very rewarding and I have had the fantastic opportunity working in many roles from staff therapist, educator, supervisor, management all in the acute care setting. Now I am enjoying teaching in the academic setting. I have enjoyed working in the community at health fairs, as an asthma educator, summer asthma camp, and helping individuals with tobacco cessation. I volunteered to be a data coach for the School of Fitness and Health Professions at MJC. I did this because I enjoy learning new things, and being active in finding ways to help our students be successful. I will be learning some information on how we can help close educational equity gaps in our student population and how I can help with program review. Once I learn a bit more I will be available to mentor faculty and coordinate with colleagues to develop action plans. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions!

Tony Pacheco | School of Language Arts & Education My name is Tony Pacheco and I’ve been teaching Spanish for 20 years. This is my 9th year at Modesto Junior College, MJC. I studied for two years at MJC and finished my BA from CSU, Stanislaus along with my teaching credentials.  In the summer of 2006, I started a study-abroad master’s degree Program from Sacramento State University.  I studied in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Perú and Mexico, and I finished my master’s degree in 2009.  I am a member of the Comunidad Network and actively participate in school wide events. I love teaching and I’m here to help you in any way I can.

Michael Leamy | Library and Non-Instructional Michael Leamy came to Modesto Junior College in 2017 after spending 16 years with the county library system.  He is passionate about finding ways to measure the impact of services that, like the library, don’t fit neatly into traditional success metrics.  His deep love of excel has led to him being included on the Library & Learning Center’s Assessment committee, and being a Data Coach was the next logical step!

Angela Pignotti | School of Science, Engineering & Mathematics Angela joined the MJC Mathematics Department in 2010 after completing a Ph.D. in Statistics from UC Santa Cruz. Angela has engaged in partnerships with NASA Ames, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and NOAA, and applied statistical methodologies to real-world scenarios. By serving as a Data Coach of the SEM School, she looks forward to assisting with navigating data resources and identifying disparities in educational outcomes.