How President -Principal Dan Horn, Amanda Allen, and Vince O’Donoghue foster growth, inspire generosity, and keep mission at the heart of St. Gen.
“I know of no better name for such a spirit of active devotion to the community…than the excellent word ‘loyalty’…the willing and thoroughgoing devotion to a cause, when the cause is something which unites many selves in one, which is therefore the interest of a community.” – Josiah Royce, quoted in The Community of the Beautiful by Alejandro Garcia-Rivera, 1999
I was fortunate to be granted access to interview a cohesive leadership team: Dan Horn, Amanda Allen, and Vince O’Donoghue of St. Genevieve School, K-12, for Asian Journal Press.
In 2025, St. Genevieve was ranked one of Niche’s Best Private High Schools in California, based on “a rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents.” Yet what makes St. Genevieve truly remarkable is not only its academic standing but the spirit of love and community at the heart of the school.
A leader of vision and energy
Dan Horn, president and principal, is now in his 27th year of leadership. He is legendary for cultivating major donors to fund expansion projects. Brimming with energy, he spoke with pride about a soon-to-be-completed performing arts theater and the acquisition of a nearby Presbyterian Church campus, made possible with the support of Archbishop José Gomez, a Presbyterian pastor, and generous donors.
“The community is second to none. We have visitors from all walks of life. A group from Australia spends a day annually at St. Gen with their priest, leaders, and principal, who sensed something special here. They said to me: ‘Don’t take this for granted. This is a special place.’”
Against the odds facing many Catholic schools, St. Gen continues to grow, now enrolling more than 1,000 students. The campus has quadrupled in size, reflecting both the community’s support and families’ commitment. IT staffer Sean See recalled seeing his former kindergarten teacher, now retired, returning to campus to drop off her grandson. For him, this was a testament to the school’s lasting legacy across generations.
Inspiration icons
Mr. Horn once introduced me to the school’s “inspiration icons”: President Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter. Photographs of their worldwide contributions hang in the newly purchased Presbyterian wing’s meeting room. One poignant image shows Mrs. Carter guiding two students as she pointed to the Carters’ burial plots on their peanut farm. After both Carters passed, St. Gen’s Valiant Voices traveled to honor them.
Another enduring icon is Sr. Clare Fitzgerald, for whom the new performing arts theater will be named in 2025. In a retreat she once led, she told students: “I feel like I am journeying with God through you, wonderful people. If you give God a little bit, He gives you a hundredfold back. St. Genevieve has a special place in my heart.”
Her portrait, painted by then-8th grader Melania Simidyan, now a freshman, captures her elegant years of life and service. Faculty and staff pledged $100,000 toward the theater, and the Valiant Voices traveled to sing at her celebration of life on the East Coast.
Mission lived daily
Amanda Allen, executive director, embodies this mission. Known for standing in the 108-degree summer heat with hat and umbrella to oversee dismissal, she manages operations, staffing, and campus logistics. She believes in the “spirit of joy and the mission. By your presence, you make a difference.”
Her hiring philosophy is simple: “Someone who is kind, and someone we want to work with.”
The school’s diverse staff — Caucasian, Asian, Latino, Armenian, and African American — reflects its inclusive culture. “The entire team shares the mission. We follow God’s calling. Every relationship, every course curriculum is intentional. You are called to a vocation; you cannot view it as a job, or you will not last here. It is 24/7. Of course we sleep, but we are constantly on, and you have to believe in the mission from your heart. The mission becomes a way of life.”
Vice President Vince O’Donoghue echoes this commitment. A parent of three children, two of whom are choir members, he works with the parish and community to “look at future plans, to ensure the school is here for generations to come.”Having chaperoned the choir nationally, he saw their talent and poise firsthand, and recalled Archbishop Gómez being impressed when he met them.
A mission of love
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Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 16 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4decades.She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participating NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22national parks in the U.S., in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.
