Who We Are

    The Burwen Education Foundation was established in 2001 by David and Susan Burwen, inspired by the Jewish tradition of Tzedakah, the Hebrew word for philanthropy and charity, which is a form of social justice that benefits the donors as much as the recipients. David and Susan’s two sons, Jason and Daniel, graduated from Mountain View High School (MVHS) in the late 1990’s.  Given the excellent educational opportunities provided to their sons, David and Susan chose to “give back” by awarding scholarships to senior AVID students from Mountain View High School with high academic potential to make it possible for them to attend a quality four-year college or university.

     Members of the BEF Board of Directors, who also serve as Mentors, are all volunteers working out of our homes. There is virtually no overhead for the
    Foundation.

    Why We Get Involved

    Our interactions with our scholars are, to put it simply, an extremely rewarding investment of our time. The relationships we form with them are deeply gratifying as we watch them achieve success and grow into confident adults. As we become intertwined with their lives, we form genuine bonds of caring and trust, becoming like an extended family.

    Our Board Of Directors & Mentors

    Susan and David Burwen, founders of the Burwen Education Foundation in 2001, are passionate about the role of education in lifting people out of poverty and giving them the opportunities to lead more fulfilling lives. They also believe in “paying forward” the opportunities they had access to as members of the middle class. They developed the criteria and application process for choosing scholars and, while no longer actively involved in the selection of new scholars, they continue to be deeply involved in mentoring existing scholars. David’s career was focused on sales, marketing, business development, and executive management in high technology companies. Susan was a staff research scientist at the Veterans Administration. They learned their mentoring skills from raising their own two sons, to whom they are deeply grateful. David has a Bachelors Degree in Physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Masters Degree in Physics from Brandeis University. Susan has Bachelors Degree in Biology from Brandeis University and a PhD in Cell Physiology from Harvard University.

    Jennifer Pence has been the Executive Director of the Burwen Education Foundation since 2009. She plays many roles in making the BEF effective and successful. She is involved in the selection and mentoring of the BEF scholars. She brings expertise in helping the scholars choose appropriate colleges, prepare for SAT/ACT exams, apply for scholarship funding to supplement the funding provided by the BEF, and find meaningful internships. Jennifer is the founder and owner of the tutoring business Academic Springboard and is on the board of the nonprofits MVLA Scholars, Elevate Tutoring, and the Reach Foundation in addition to being an active member of the Rotary Club Chapter in Burlingame, CA. Jennifer was also co-founder of the Windmill Giving Circle and was the philanthropy columnist for the Mountain View Voice for several years. Jennifer has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Harvard University.
    Shiva Avari plays a lead role in selecting the winners of the BEF scholarship and mentoring them through college and beyond. She has been actively involved in mentoring the scholars since 2016. Shiva is an Obstetrics Hospitalist. She emigrated to US from Iran as a teenager. As a first generation student to attend college, she recognizes how difficult it is for first generation students to navigate the US educational landscape. Dr. Avari has a Bachelors Degree from California State University, Los Angeles and an MD from the University of Southern California.

    Wendy Walleigh focuses on coaching our college graduates about career issues, including resume preparation and networking, as well as with life choices and decisions. The majority of Wendy’s career was in high-technology marketing and sales. Later, she became the Vice President of Marketing and Development for Junior Achievement of Silicon Valley, an organization dedicated to educating students in grades K-12 about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. In the spring of 2016, Wendy joined the Los Altos Rotary Club where she focuses on international projects. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Tufts University and a Masters Degree in Communications from Boston University.