SAS Class 1959

Member, Board of Trustees
Member, Scholarship Committee
(Nora photo at left)
     Graduated SAS in 1959 and attended Philippine Women's University, finishing in 1964, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She was in the middle of her Master's Degree program in Nursing Education and Administration when her call to immigrate to Canada came, cutting short and leaving unfinished her MA studies. Nora currently lives with her husband Peter Sprenger in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They have two sons and a grandson, Matthew. She recently retired as a Registered Nurse (RN).
     Nora worked extensively in City's Teaching General Hospital Centers in Acute Medical, Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Care as well as Rehabilitation Post Op Surgery, Geriatric, Psychiatry and Maternal and Child Care in a capacity of mostly that as a Charge-Nurse. Her most interesting experience was when she worked in Hydro Town in a small northern community hospital with Emergency Medivac Flights involved in transporting patients/casualties and at times just extremely urgent cases to the city's General Hospital centers.
     Shortly after graduation from the Philippine Women's University, Nora was hired by the Luzon University School of Nursing as a Clinical Instructor in Dagupan City. She taught Medical Nursing and followed nursing students in their Clinical practice to different private teaching hospitals, the provincial hospital and teaching Clinics. Nora was also involved with teaching Public Health Nursing and following up with the student's clinical practice in the City, Community and Rural Health settings. Then she relocated to take a teaching position at the St.Catherine School of Nursing in Quezon City. There she taught Medical Nursing and followed nursing students with their clinical practice and experience at the Philippine Army Hospital, the V-Luna General Hospital in Quezon City. She also taught Communicable Diseases Nursing with students clinical follow up in this area.
     Nora's vision for SAS Ai, Inc is to reach out and to welcome all Alumni - with increased emphasis to non-Tagudinians and non-Filipino Loved Ones/spouses - by anticipating their needs, making them feel comfortable and at ease, letting them share and take part in our "Big Family" affairs. For hobbies and interests, Nora likes reading Biographies and true stories. She is into gentle workouts with a touch of Yoga, traveling, watching God's given beauty in nature be it in spring, summer, winter or fall. She is usually glued near living room window watching multishaped chunks of ice floating down the Red River during early springtime.
     For volunteer activities, Nora is an active member of the Philippine Nurses Association of Manitoba, fundraising for scholarships. Nora and Peter have actively volunteered for many years with the under-privileged with mental disabilities of the Sarah Riel Inc. runs by the Catholic Grey Nuns. Peter is still active; Nora participates only when really needed. She is also a member of the four-person "Selection Committee" for the Philippine Nurses Association of Manitoba Scholarship Program. In 1990 she founded an intercultural Club called the "Phil-Canadian Group," comprised mostly of Filipina ladies married to Caucasian men, the main purpose of which is to preserve cultural heritage and identity now and for future generations.

SAS Class 1961

Member, Board of Trustees
US Navy (Ret)

(Andring photo at left)
     Alejandro Ladi, Andring for short, was born and raised in Dardarat, Tagudin, in the province of Ilocos Sur and belongs to the graduating class of SAS 1961. During his final year at SAS he thought of becoming a cadet at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and ultimately earn his wings and become a fighter pilot. He felt that this was the only way to get into higher education and secure a promising career because his parents couldn't afford to send him to college. Before the opportunity to try his luck with the Philippine Military Academy came, he applied for enlistment in the US Navy, which, at the time, had a recruiting station based at the US Naval Base, Sangley Point, Cavite. He was one of the few candidates who qualified to be accepted and thus shipped out for boot-camp training in San Diego, California.
     Andring’s stint in the US Navy lasted from 1965 to 1989 where he served aboard various ships, men-of-war, US Naval vessels, such as, Destroyers, Jumbo Oil Tankers, Fast Guided Missile Frigates, Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarines,and Fast Attack Submarines. His Navy experience was complemented if not enriched by his assignment as Requisition Control Officer with Commander Naval Forces, Pacific, as the Requisition Control/Budget Officer, Ships Project Officer and Assistant Officer-in-Charge with Fleet logistics Integrated Overhaul Team aboard Mare Island Naval Station, Vallejo, California.
     After his retirement from the US Navy, he worked with a private Navy contractor as Warehouse and Supply Supervisor, Safety Officer and Purchasing Manager. He is married to Paulina Salum of Cabugao, Ilocos Sur/Gonzaga, Cagayan. He and Paulina have four children, three natural born and one who is adopted. They have a total of six grandchildren. Andring is the eldest of nine children of the late Federico Ladi and Trinidad Somera of Dardarat, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.
     If you find it difficult to contact him when he is not babysitting his grandchildren, you would have better luck finding him by combing through the many gaming casinos in the San Francisco Bay area.

SAS Class 1980

Member, Board of Trustees
Member, Scholarship Committee
Lead, SAS Ai Scholarship Field Team
(Leonardjon Photo at left)

     Graduated SAS in 1980. Attended Maryhurst Seminary 1980 – 1981 but stopped studies due to a shortage of financial resources. He enrolled at La Union Technical School in 1982,under a school work-scholarship program, putting in his time as a radio reporter/announcer for the school’s DZLU AM Radio station. He was the youngest member of the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters sa Pilipinas) in 1983.Representing the school in the Regional National Telecom Quiz Contest in 1983, he emerged the first place winner.Graduating Class Valedictorian in March 1984, he earned a Class A licenseas aRadio Communication Operator.While awaiting immigration to US, Leonard enrolled at St Louis University (SLU), College of Engineering. He graduated March 1989 with a degree of BS ECE (Electronics and Communications Engineering).While at SLU, he participated actively in sports activities playing basketball and table tennis and was involved in various musical activitiesand productions. He was a consistent and perennial member of the University Dean's list.
     Leonard migrated to the US right after his graduation at SLU, and in 1990 worked for Ocampo-Esta Corp. (OEC), a consulting firm based in Vallejo as a Design Engineer at PG&E via the staff augmentation program. After six years at OEC and PG&Edoing power engineering, he decided to try his luck looking for a job in the then burgeoning Silicon Valley hi-tech industry.While waiting for offers he taught Math and Computer Fundamentals at Galileo High School in the San Francisco School District. Finally, the hi-tech company Siemens Rolm gave him a call and in 1996 he was hired to work as a Technical Support Analyst.While working at Siemens he won the MAC Challenge award and was picked to be part of the training and advertising video production for Siemens.
     In 1997 he received an offer from Centigram to join their Technical Assistance Center (TAC).Exactly a year to the day after being hired by Siemens he left for a better opportunity and position and joined Centigram Communications in May 1997 as a Technical Support Engineer. Within the span of six months, Leonard went from Tech Support Engineer to Tech Support Specialist.In May 1998, a year after he was hired at Centigram, the telecommunications company Mitel of Canada bought the CPE division of Centigram. Thus he joined Mitel in 1998, and was sponsored to attend graduate school on Mitel’s dime. Two and a half years later in October of 2000, he graduated from the University of Phoenix (UoP), Santa Clara Campus earning his MBA with emphasis on Technology Management.
     During that Centigram-Mitel merger in 1998, he was promoted to Product Support Engineer, then to Technical Support Manager a mere six months later. He was promoted to Product Support Manager in 2000 and in March 2001 as Mitel consolidated all their TAC resources centralizing all of them in Ottawa, he turned down the offer to move with the company to Ottawa. As a result, Mitel appointed Leonard to be the Technical Account Manager for the US Western Region, allowing him to do his daily work and duties from his home office (telecommute). Leonard is a constant participant as guest speaker in various Mitel Dealer Forums and was nominated for the Mitel Innovation award.In October of 2008, he was appointed as the Escalation Manager for the entire US Central-Western Region, a position that he currently holds to the present day.

SAS Class 1962

Member, Board of Trustees
Member, Scholarship Committee
(Willie photo at left)
     Willie immigrated to the US in 1970, and after a week she got married to her college sweetheart Eddie Santamaria from Baguio City. They had their first child after nine months and the rest is history. Today, the Santamaria's have 2 beautiful grandchildren: Cameron and Connor.
     Willie taught elementary and middle grades with the San Francisco Unified School District for 8 years then became principal of Daniel Webster School. Appointed as Supervisor/ Coordinator of Operations, Curriculum and Special Projects in the K-8, she traveled all over the country as an educational consultant, talking about Leadership and School Change. She left San Franciso in 2000 to run the Alameda Court Schools for 2 years which was a very rewarding experience. She was recruited afterwards to reform and restructure 2 ( K-6 ) Improvement Schools in the Oakland Unified School District. When her grandson Cameron was born in 2007, she decided to retire however, she was recruited again to take over the School Director position of Space Exploration Academies, a Science/Math Charter School, a partnership of the University of California, Berkeley and NASA.
     Aside from her "APOS"tolic work, Willie sings with a Jazz Band that performs all over the Bay Area. She tries to be actively involved in the educational field by moonlighting at CALState University supervising would-be school administrators and teacher leaders and by traveling to Manila once a year to give leadership/curriculum workshops to principals and administrators.
     She started Project E.T.C. etc. ("Educating the Children") 2 years ago in Farola, Tagudin with Linda Byers, a retired teacher and friend, raising funds to start the venture. Books, teaching and learning materials were sent and the tuition fees for some 200 kindergartners were fully paid. Next year, 2010, UC Berkeley School of Dentistry will be sending interns and the project will fund a deserving student's high school tuition for 4 years.

SAS Class 1997

Member Board of Trustees
(Jingle photo at left)

     Jingle Uy, eldest daughter of Amparo and Engr. Rudy Uy and a grand daughter of Cirila Lozano-Ramirez, was born in Lorma Hospital, San Fernando, La Union with cerebral palsy. This condition though debilitating would not deter Jing from enjoying life, including going to school at SAS as a normal student without handicap.
     Growing up in Becques, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, she attended Saint Augustine School at the main campus in town and graduated in 1997. Jing was the first student with disability and wheelchair bound to attend SAS. Even with such a disability and to her Mom’s credit, Jing was given the rare opportunity to experience normal school attendance within a normal school environment despite the fact that she had to be pushed in a wheelchair to be able to get around to her various classrooms.
     A serious student, Jing strived to be on the Deans List every year. She immigrated to the United States together with her parents and her younger sister last July 1998. Jing attended college at Southeastern College in Iowa and earned her AAS degree in Drafting Technolgy.
     Her work experience includes working as a Metal Detailer at CECO Buildings System for three years.
     Jing is a current member of ICC (International Chat Club) with memberships all over the world. ICC helps Orphanage Facilities in the Philippines.

SAS Class 1980

Member, Board of Trustees
Member, SAS Ai Scholarship Committee
(Lorna Photo at left)

     Lorna Labitoria Alay-ay, hails from Del Pilar, Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. She is married to Mr. Floro Alay-ay of Ronda, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur. Lorna and Floro are blessed with two daughters, Maria Florian L. Alay-ay and Maria Florence L. Alay-ay. Graduating from St Augustine School in 1980, Lorna belongs to the very illustrious batch of SAS alumni with the likes of Leonardjon Buenavista, Vicky Dauz Chua, Vangie Lagria, and Annie Querubin. For almost 14 years to the day from 1987 to 2001, Lorna worked as an employee of St Augustine School as the student guidance counselor.
     Today she is off doing bigger and better things in Hong Kong, where she works as an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). In this capacity, and in addition to her responsibilities and tasks, Lorna is able to use her evangelical skills spreading the good news to all who will listen. She is an avid poster in the SAS Alumni International website, posting the weekly gospel reading from the Roman Lectionary.
     She is also friend and confidant to many overseas Filipino workers specially those in the Hong Kong area. She gathers with them and in the process is able to share the good news with everybody as a matter of practice. A humanitarian at heart, Lorna was the one who recommended to members of SASAi Arthur Narcisa and his need for help in defraying some of his dialysis expenditures.

Honorary Backer and Supporter of SAS Ai, Inc.
Scholarship Committee

(Virgie photo at left)
     Ms. Virginia Buban is an entrepreneur who owns and operates two companies. For her main preoccupation, she is a successful real estate broker working with Century 21 properties. She is currently the Chief Financial Officer of WeeBee Staffing, a local staffing agency based in South San Francisco, California.
     Among many success stories attributed to Ms Virgie Buban, the one that stands out is her sponsorship of an entire section of a class in a local school in the San Francisco School District. She single-handedly funded and financed the tuition fees of all 45 students that comprised the special class.
     Ms Virgie Buban is also currently associated with the Daughters of Isabella, an international charity organization that takes care of the spiritual needs of women by taking care of them, by visiting those who are in the care homes and hospitals and raising funds in order to help the poor. She is the associate of the Regent of the chapter based in San Francisco.

SAS Class 1981


Member, Scholarship Committee

(Liza's photo at left)

Liza graduated with honors from SAS in 1981. A UNP/DOST Academic Scholar, she graduated CumLaude from the University of Northern Philippines in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Physics in 1985. While in college, Liza involved herself not only in academics but also in spiritual formation and community service. She was an active member/officer of the Legion of Mary and the Legion’s choir which served during weekly Eucharistic celebrations mostly held in hospitals and in homes.

Immediately upon her graduation from the University of Northern Philippines, she was hired by St. Augustine School (SAS) as a Secondary School Math/Science Teacher for the school years 1985–86 and 1986–87. From there she went to work as a Secondary Math/Science Teacher for St. Theresa’s College of Quezon City from 1988 to 1994 and for Claret School of Quezon City from 1994 to 2002.

Liza currently lives and works in Houston, Texas where, starting in 2002 to the present time she is employed with Community Services in the Houston Independent School District, working as a Special Education teacher (EC-12th), Math teacher (6th-12th), and as a Science teacher (8th-12th) grades. She spends her evenings working as a Math consultant in a tutoring company.

In addition to being an expert on the use of personal computers (both MacIntosh and PC), Liza’s hobbies include swimming, hiking, doing fitness exercise and hanging out by the beach.