Maria Nicolacoudis has dedicated her life to building support programs for adults with disabilities and is taking on what could be her biggest challenge: Providing care for the growing population of older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Nicolacoudis is CEO of Hearts & Minds Activity Center in San Jose, a unique...
In the Spotlight
Welcome to In the Spotlight.
These stories spotlight the people who make San Jose a remarkable place to call home. From unsung heroes to community leaders, we catch up with San Joseans who are doing amazing things — and we share the awe-inspiring stories behind their struggles and successes.
We are telling the unique, ever-changing, diverse story of San Jose. One person at a time.
Who should we feature next? To nominate someone for our next In the Spotlight profile, email [email protected].
San Jose immigration lawyer advocates for citizenship
Richard Hobbs has made it his life’s mission to tackle exploitative systems and help those in need. As an immigration attorney for 35 years, he’s helped thousands of people apply for citizenship and represented many in court. His convictions were marked by encounters with extreme poverty in countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, India and...
Campbell dry cleaner offers free services to the unemployed
When Ali Shirkhodaei immigrated to the United States from Iran at 28 in 2006, he didn’t know how difficult it’d be to get a job, even with his molecular biology degree. He job hunted for a year, with no idea he’d eventually run a successful dry-cleaning business in Campbell. Shirkhodaei did know he wanted to infuse...