About the Advisory Group

The CollegeBuys Advisory Group provides strategic insight, direction, and professional expertise to the California Community College (CCC) system through knowledge transfer, training and collaboration, developing cooperative agreements, and impacting legislation to advance the goals of CCCs and procurement professionals.

Fostering procurement excellence across the CCC system in partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

Advisory Group Members

Angelic Davis

Director, Purchasing, Printing, and Mail Services
Mt. San Antonio Community College District

Angelic Davis, Director of Purchasing, Printing, and Mail Services at Mt. San Antonio College, has over 20 years of experience working in procurement with 15 of those years specializing in public procurement. She has gained valuable experience and knowledge working for diverse agencies in various roles in public procurement, including the City of San Bernardino Municipal Water Department, the City of Moreno Valley, and most recently at Mt. San Antonio College, the largest single-campus community college district in California. Angelic also serves as co-chair for SCCCPA and is the immediate past Chapter Chair of the Inland Empire CAPPO Chapter.

In addition to her vast experience, Angelic holds a Master of Public Administration, is a Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO), and has also obtained NIGP-Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP) certification.

April Marin

Executive Director, Contracts, Procurement, and Risk Management
Santa Clarita Community College District

April Marin is the Executive Director, Contract, Procurement, and Risk Management Services for the Santa Clarita Community College District. She has over seventeen years of hands-on contract experience, including education, healthcare, and medical laboratory agreements. April is highly regarded by her colleagues for her can-do approach and takes special pride in helping others, especially when they have unique purchasing or contract needs. She oversees over $50 million in Purchase Orders each year, and her department was recently awarded the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Procurement Institute for the second year in a row. Her District was 1 of only 14 higher education organizations in the United States and Canada to receive the award.

She currently serves as an alternate Board member on the Statewide Association of Community Colleges (SWACC). She is the Vice Chair of the SWACC Claims & Coverage Committee, and she represents California Community Colleges on the Schools Association for Excess Risk (“SAFER”) Board of Directors. She earned her associate’s degree in Social Science at College of the Canyons, and then went on to graduate with honors from California State University, Dominguez Hills, where she received her bachelor’s degree in Applied Studies, with a minor in Public Administration.

Ben Cayabyab

Contracts Manager
Contra Costa Community College District

With a career spanning 23 years in California Community College Purchasing, Ben has excelled in various roles, starting as a District Buyer before advancing to the position of Senior Buyer and ultimately assuming the responsibilities of Contracts Manager. 
 
For over a decade, Ben has served as chair of the Northern California Community College Purchasing Group. In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Ben was honored in 2016 as the inaugural recipient of the Procurement Professional of the Year award for Northern California. He has made significant contributions to the field through his two-term chairmanship of the California Association of Public Purchasing Officials-San Francisco Chapter, further underscoring his commitment to advancing the profession.
 
In addition to his achievements in public procurement, Ben has also enjoyed success as a high school basketball coach with two section titles to his name and a remarkable victory in the California State Championship in 2017.

Areas of Expertise:
• Public Works Bidding
• Construction Contract Management
• Public Purchasing Laws

Felix (Jojo) G. Sarao

Director of Contract Management and Vending Services
Rio Hondo Community College District

Felix is a strategic and results-oriented procurement and contract professional with more than 20 years of experience in supply chain management, contract administration, and materials management for private and public organizations. He possesses an excellent working knowledge of best practices in purchasing, contract administration, materials management, and applicable statutes and regulations in public procurement. With his extensive experience, Felix has successfully administered RFPs/IFBs/RFQs; contract development and negotiations; and led projects with a strong focus on team engagement, customer satisfaction, and innovative approach in addressing complex issues.

Areas of Expertise:
• Contract Management
• Materials Management
• Strategic Sourcing
• Contract Development and Negotiations
• Staff Development and Training

Jennifer M. Alford, M.A., CPPO, NIGP-CPP

Director of Procurement, Contracts & Auxiliary Services
San Joaquin Delta Community College District

Jennifer Alford is the Director of Purchasing, Contracts, and Auxiliary Services at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, CA. Her career in the public sector spans over 20 years in local government and higher education. Jennifer’s accomplishments include 2 construction bond programs; technology optimization, enhancement, and ERP implementation; and building strategic teams to support organizational mission, values, and goals. She also possesses knowledge and expertise in change management, policy development, financial planning, risk management, and emergency preparedness. Jennifer is a Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) and satisfied the qualifications for the NIGP-CPP certification. She is an active member of several procurement associations and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the California Association of Public Procurement Officials, Inc. (CAPPO).

Jennifer graduated with her bachelor’s degree in psychology (Spanish Minor) from UC Santa Barbara, then attained her master’s degree in professional counseling from Argosy University, Atlanta. She enjoys traveling with family and friends, spending time reflecting outdoors, especially at the beach, and volunteering time in her communities.

Areas of Expertise:
• Purchasing and Contracts
• Operational Effectiveness
• Strategic Team Building
• Project Management
• Public Works

Mark B. Logan, MPA, NIGP-CPP, CPPO, C.P.M., CPPB, A.P.P.

Director of Procurement and Contract Services
Cerritos Community College District

Mark B. Logan, Director of Procurement and Contract Services at Cerritos College, has over 20 years of experience and expertise in complex public procurement and contract management. In his current role, he is responsible for contracting, procurement, public works, warehouse operations, mail, and telecommunications. Leadership contributions to the public procurement profession include serving on the FCCC CollegeBuys Advisory Group, Universal Public Procurement Certification Counsel (UPPCC) Board of Examiners (BOE) as a public procurement subject matter expert (SME), various board member roles for the National Institute for Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) California chapter, past co-chair for the Southern California Community College Purchasing Association (SCCCPA), and delivering various public procurement presentations and workshops. In 2015, he was also awarded the inaugural Southern California Procurement Professional of the Year award.

Mark holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree from California State University, Long Beach, Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration, and has also earned the professional designations of NIGP Certified Procurement Professional (NIGP-CPP), Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO), Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.), Certified Professional Public Buyer (CPPB), and Accredited Purchasing Practitioner (A.P.P.).

Areas of Expertise:
• Procurement Leadership
• Complex Public Procurement
• Contract Negotiation
• Procurement Best Practices
• Public Works Contracting

Michael Robins

Executive Director, General Services
Cabrillo Community College District

Formerly the Chief Operating Officer of a large social services agency, Michael has been a purchasing, contracts, and risk management director in the California Community College system for eleven years. He previously worked internationally with law firms negotiating business collaboration ventures, as well as with non-government organizations, and as a consultant to governments. Robins was affiliated with the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. where he advised members of Congress. As the Director of Education and Fund Development at the Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden for six years, Michael created a collaboration with the University and all local elementary schools. He is on the Board of Directors of the Davidson Family Foundation, which made the largest gift in the history of the California State University system in establishing the Charles W. Davidson School of Engineering at San Jose State University.

Areas of Expertise:
• Contracts and Negotiation Strategies
• Risk Management and Risk Transfer
• Construction Bidding and Construction-Related RFP Processes
• International Education, Study Abroad, NGO Collaboration, and Overseas NGO Construction Projects
• Outdoor Education and Environmental Education

Mina Hernandez, M.Adm.

Director, Purchasing & Material Management
MiraCosta Community College District

Mina Hernandez is the Director of Purchasing and Material Management at MiraCosta Community College District. She provides innovative leadership at MiraCosta which includes contracts administration and overseeing procurement, warehouse, mailroom, and copy center operations. Prior to MiraCosta, she was the Executive Director of General Services for West Valley-Mission Community College District. Mina is a statewide leader. She led the efforts in creating the Purchasing Guidebook and Purchasing-Facilities Guidebook, which serve as best practice guides for the California Community College System. Mina is a frequent presenter on topics related to innovation in procurement and contract management. In 2022, she completed ACBO I and II. She has led many efforts to streamline and modernize procurement practices at the various higher education institutions she has worked. In March 2021, she was selected by PlanetBids as an awardee for the annual Breaking Barriers award. In October 2021, she was awarded the CHEC Focus on Efficiency Award for leading the Purchasing-Facilities Guidebook, along with being awarded with her team for their modernization efforts with MiraCosta’s procurement processes during COVID-19.

Mina graduated with a Master of Administration from Northern Arizona University in 2012. She has a multifaceted background, having worked in higher education administration for 16 years and in the private sector as a legal professional for over a decade.

Areas of Expertise:
• Public Works
• Contracts
• Project Management
• Best Practices

Priya Jerome

Executive Director of Procurement, Central Services & Risk Management
South Orange County Community College District

Priya Jerome has over 24 years of experience in managing complex supply chain activities at a global scale in private industry and within the California public educational system. She joined the South Orange County Community College District (SOCCCD) in 2018 as the Executive Director of Procurement, Central Services, and Risk Management. She leads the District’s centralized purchasing, contracting, central services (warehouse and mailroom), and risk management programs that support two colleges. She oversees these programs with a deep understanding of distinctive business needs in education, high currency in codes, statutes, and regulations, and a unique private sector perspective for customer service and process improvements.

Priya’s leadership and commitment to excellence have been recognized in the various personal and institutional awards/recognitions she has won. In 2019 she was recognized as the Administrator of the Year at SOCCCD and in 2020 she was recognized as the Southern California Procurement Professional of the Year. In 2021 her District won the much-coveted Orange County Turning Red Tape to Red Carpet Award for Incorporating Innovative Technology for converting SOCCCD into a Fully Online Bidding, Contracting, and Public Procurement Organization—an effort she spearheaded from start to successful completion.

Priya is actively involved in several state organizations in support of community college procurement and risk management initiatives. She is the VP of the board for the Protected Insurance Program for Schools and Community Colleges, a JPA which is responsible for workers’ compensation insurance claims. She is also the Vice Chair of the Underwriting Committee for the Statewide Association of Community Colleges, which is responsible for property and liability insurance. Priya holds an MBA from the Queensland Institute of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Areas of Expertise:
• Public Procurement
• Public Works – Bidding and Contracting
• Risk Management – Liability, Workers Compensation, Litigation, Insurance, and Indemnity
• Contracting – Contractual Clauses, Liability, Indemnity, and Insurance