Professional Staff

Andrene Headshot

Andrene Kaiwi-Conner

Director, New Student and Family Programs

Mrs. Kaiwi-Conner has been a member of our CSU and orientation, transition and retention community for over 30 years! Prior to joining the SJSU New Student and Family Programs Team in January 2023, she was the director for new student and transition programs at California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo.  Andrene is an active member and leader of NODA, the Association for Orientation, Transition and Retention in Higher Education where she has served the association in many leadership roles -- including as association president, association consultant, annual conference host, on the board of directors, as regional coordinator of four states, and as faculty for the Orientation Professionals Institute. She is first in her family to attend college earning her Associates degree from Cypress Community College in Orange County, then her Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Education degrees, both from the CSU at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. She is passionate about supporting students and their families while they navigate higher education and loves that she gets to do that with an equally passionate team at San Jose State University.

Noheli Fuerte

Noheli Fuerte

First Year Engagement Coordinator 

Noheli joined the NSFP team in June 2022 after earning her B.A. in Communication from Southern Oregon University and Master’s in Higher Educational Leadership from California State University, Sacramento. Fostering relationships with students is her favorite part of her job, with her passion based in supporting them throughout their higher education journey.

List of primary events & projects:

  • Coordinate the annual New Student Convocation ceremony
  • Organize and manage Spartan Spark, our First Year Engagement program
  • Support Orientation sessions and efforts for both First Time First Year students and Transfer students
  • Manage and update Spartan Link, our online pre-orientation module
  • Co-Supervise the Orientation and Transition Team

Alejandra Gonzalez-Zuniga

Alejandra González-Zúñiga

Parent & Family Programs Coordinator

Alejandra joined SJSU in June 2022, earning a B.S. in Agricultural Education from CSU Chico and a Master’s in Higher Education Leadership from USD. She is passionate about fostering connections between families and the university, creating inclusive programs to support student success and engagement throughout their academic journey.

List of primary events, tasks, projects:

  • Organize and manage Parent & Family Weekend events.
  • Coordinate Parent & Family Orientation sessions.
  • Manage the Parent and Family Newsletter.
  • Collaborate with the Family Advisory Board.
  • Develop and implement family engagement strategies.
  • Provide resources and support for families of first-year and transfer students.