San Joaquin County Office of Education

LEADING WITH LITERACY
TEKA SIMS
Early Literacy Coordinator
Language and Literacy

Teka joined the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) in 2024 – and her passion for literacy has made a profound impact on the organization. With a combined 20 years of classroom experience in Jefferson Elementary School District and Manteca Unified School District, Teka brought her wealth of knowledge and expertise to the SJCOE to help shape the way educators approach literacy instruction. In her role, she supports districts and teachers in understanding the Science of Reading. She is also the SJCOE liaison for the countywide early literacy initiative spearheaded by Dr. Troy A. Brown, County Superintendent of Schools, in 2023.

“Supporting educators in exploring structured literacy, both what we teach and how we teach it, is especially powerful,” Teka shared. “Knowing that this work is helping teachers unlock the magic of reading for every student is both humbling and deeply fulfilling.”

Teka is married with three children. She enjoys reading and working in the community with her church and Delta Sigma Theta sorority sisters.

INSPIRED TO SERVE
CATALINA KAUR
Prevention Coordinator

Catalina came to the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) in 2019 with the perspective of meeting students where they are. From overseeing career developers who connected at-promise youth with job opportunities to her new role as the youth prevention coordinator in Comprehensive Health, Catalina is a shining example of SJCOE’s core values of Educate, Innovate, and Inspire. She currently leads the Youth Mental Health Development Academy to provide year-long, peer-to-peer mentorship and counseling in mental health destigmatization, substance abuse disorders, social media bullying, school violence and deescalation, and more.

“Everything we do is rooted in service at the SJCOE,” said Catalina. “It’s an environment where service is woven into our workplace culture, and I am empowered to perform at my highest potential to serve these students and families.”

Catalina is the first graduate from Stanislaus State, Stockton Campus to join the Stan State University Alumni Council. When she and her husband aren’t spending time with their golden retriever, Moose, they enjoy concerts and comedy shows.

EQUATIONS FOR EXCELLENCE
DELGEL PABALAN
Director of Mathematics
STEM, Workforce Development, and Innovation

Delgel, affectionately known to her colleagues as “Del,” is the San Joaquin County Office of Education’s (SJCOE) new director of Mathematics. With an obvious passion for all things STEM, Del came to the SJCOE in 2021 after teaching biology in Tracy Unified School District. Before her well-deserved promotion, Del served as a STEM coordinator overseeing professional learning opportunities for educators around the Next Generation Science Standards, and running various summer camp programs for students and teachers alike. In her current position, Del will lead professional math development for local districts and expand math-related student events–like the inaugural Math Publisher’s Fair in January 2026.

“The most rewarding part of my job is working with educators on ways to integrate STEM curriculum into their classrooms,” said Del. “This work helps me stay grounded in what matters most: ensuring high-quality education is available for ALL students.”

Del, her husband, and their two children love to travel, whether roadtripping locally or jetsetting on an international adventure!

DRIVEN BY DISCOVERY
STEFFANY ZANINI
Coordinator, FabLab
STEM, Workforce Development, and Innovation

Some would call Steffany’s career journey a bit “wild!” A San Joaquin County native, Steffany attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa for her Bachelor’s in Zoology. Her expertise led her to the Honolulu Zoo, Sacramento Zoo, and the San Francisco Zoo before returning home. She joined the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) in 2018 in the STEM department as a Summer Camp Counselor at the Durham Ferry Outdoor Education Center. Since then, Steffany has become an integral
part of the FabLab–the SJCOE’s unique engineering maker space.

“We have an amazing STEM department here at the SJCOE,” said Steffany. “I love being able to see the impact of the work we do-from planning and hosting the Girls Coding Network to incorporating AI into animal care for our FabCrab, Hermes.”

Recently, Steffany graduated with her Master of Education in STEM from the Teacher’s College of San Joaquin. She enjoys traveling with her family, paddle boarding, and has a passion for coaching and mentoring (you’ll catch her on the flag football field at East Union High School!).

2922 TRANSWORLD DRIVE • STOCKTON, CA • 209-468-4800 | WWW.SJCOE.ORG