2024 Policy Forum
From Policy to Implementation:
Next Steps for CBOs
Exhibitors
Tuesday, June 18, 2024
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
8:00 Arrival/Check-In
Speakers
Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry
California State Assembly, District 4
Majority Leader Aguiar-Curry
In November 2016, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry was elected to the California Assembly to represent the 4th District which includes all or parts of Napa, Lake, Yolo, Sonoma, Colusa, and Solano counties.
Cecilia grew up in western Yolo County and has long served her community. After going to school and working in the Bay Area for several years, she moved back to her hometown of Winters where she almost immediately became active in the local community and a regional leader on several issues. She first served as planning commissioner and then was elected to the city council eventually serving as the first female mayor of Winters.
While growing up, Cecilia was surrounded by agriculture. As a youth, she cut apricots in the packing shed and helped her father in the walnut orchards in the area. She is still involved in local agriculture as she and her brothers own an 80-acre walnut orchard.
After earning a degree in business administration from San Jose State University, she launched a consulting firm that specialized in public outreach with government agencies.
As mayor of Winters, Cecilia oversaw improvements in the downtown area and worked to improve local schools, including securing computers for every sixth grader in the city. She also brought broadband internet to rural communities, built senior housing, and helped the area to become an agricultural and food innovation hub for the region.
With the understanding that employment is central to any successful community, Cecilia helped bring a PG& E training facility to Winters that provided hundreds of jobs for residents.
Cecilia was also involved in efforts to create the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument in the inner California Coast Ranges that was proclaimed by President Obama in 2015.
She currently resides in Winters a block from her childhood home with her longtime partner, Larry Harris, and has a stepson and two grown daughters.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg
City of Sacramento
Mayor Darrell Steinberg
Mayor Darrell Steinberg has served the people of Sacramento for 25 years and counting.
Elected as Sacramento’s mayor in 2016, he has guided the city through an unprecedented pandemic and the long overdue reckoning around race and equity.
In 2018, he campaigned for and won voter passage of Measure U, a one-cent sales tax, with a commitment to invest in economic development, youth, and affordable housing. In the last three years, the City has invested more than $ 170 million in inclusive economic development and has devoted the vast majority of its more than $200 in federal COVID relief funds to uplifting the community by funding workforce training, grants to small businesses and artists, youth programs and other community investments.
Mayor Darrell Steinbergopen_in_full
As leader of California’s Big City Mayors, Mayor Steinberg successfully negotiated with both Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov. Gavin Newsom to make an unprecedented statewide commitment to addressing homelessness – a commitment that has brought millions of dollars of additional funding home to Sacramento.
Mayor Steinberg has also led the effort to diversify and energize Sacramento’s economy. He crafted an incentive package that helped attract the West Coast headquarters of Centene, a healthcare giant and Sacramento’s first Fortune 100 company. He also negotiated legal settlements that paved the way for the construction of UC Davis’ innovation campus, Aggie Square, which will bring thousands of new jobs to Sacramento while also investing millions in surrounding neighborhoods to prevent displacement of current residents.
As Senate Pro Tem, he worked with two Governors and multiple legislative leaders to help lead the state through its worst economic crisis in decades. His bipartisan work helped end the state budget crisis and earned him and three other Legislative leaders the 2010 John F Kennedy Profiles in Courage Award, one of the highest political honors in the country.
He authored landmark pieces of legislation such as the Mental Health Services Act, a tax on millionaires that now produces more than $3 billion a year to fund mental health services in California; and SB 375, the first bill in the nation to require cities and counties to meet aggressive climate goals as they plan their long-term growth. His legislative record in many other areas of vital public policy -- education, foster care, autism, housing, and initiative reform among them -- earned him a reputation as one of the most effective legislators of his generation.
Mayor Steinberg left the Legislature in 2014 due to term limits and subsequently founded the independent Steinberg Institute, which today has become the leading voice on mental health policy and legislation in California.
As a young father, Darrell served on the Sacramento City Council, focusing on keeping neighborhoods safe, creating good jobs, and providing quality after-school programs. He founded the Sacramento START after-school program to help kids in disadvantaged neighborhoods improve their test scores.
No matter his office, he has always maintained a strong connection to Sacramento’s neighborhoods and has been one of his top priorities since his early days as president of the Tahoe Park Neighborhood Association. Every weekend and many weeknights, the mayor can be found out mingling at events and gatherings.
Darrell Steinberg and his wife, Julie, have two grown children, Jordana and Ari. Darrell is a graduate of UCLA and UC Davis Law School.
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula
California State Assembly, District 31
Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula
Dr. Joaquin Arambula was elected in 2016 to represent the 31st Assembly District in Fresno County in the Central Valley. He is the first Latino physician elected to the California State Assembly.
He proudly represents a district that includes most of the City of Fresno, the rural cities of Fowler, Sanger, Selma, Orange Cove, and Parlier, and unincorporated communities in the southern and eastern portions of Fresno County.
Arambula’s experience as an emergency room doctor in Selma forged his determination to improve health care for all people, especially the most vulnerable. He saw the emotional toll and financial hardships of people struggling with illnesses that could have been prevented with access to quality health care.
In the Assembly, Dr. Arambula served as Chair of Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services from 2016 to June 2023, focusing on improving healthcare access and affordability and ensuring the protection of safety net programs for working families. For example, by collaborating with advocates, he’s been a prime force in gaining full-scope Medi-Cal for all income-eligible adults, regardless of immigration status. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked with community partners to deliver free vaccinations and food distributions to rural and underserved communities.
In other areas, Assemblymember Arambula has worked diligently to address the critical shortage of doctors and medical providers in the Central Valley, to expand workforce development programs and opportunities; and to support veterans and service members.
He also has obtained millions of dollars for the 31st Assembly District to benefit its communities. These efforts include securing $70 million for Transformative Climate Communities to invest in disadvantaged communities; $18 million for State Route 269 in Huron; $15 million for the San Joaquin River Conservancy to increase public access and shape the river into a regional gem; $10.5 million to improve public safety in the cities of Selma, Huron, Firebaugh, and Mendota; $6 million for the CalFood Program to assist local food banks; $2 million to Fresno City College for its Career and Technical Education program; and $1 million to Reedley College for its Aviation Maintenance Technology Program.
In addition, Assemblymember Arambula, in the 2022-23 State Budget, secured $18.75 million for Fresno State as part of the State’s investment in the California State University system’s farms; $15 million to support and expand Accountable Communities for Health, which includes the Fresno Community Health Improvement Partnership; $7 million to Arte Américas in Fresno for building renovations and program expansion for the only Latino cultural arts center in the Central San Joaquin Valley; $5 million for the City of Fowler ($4 million for a new Police Department and a Senior Center and $1 million for renovation of the Fowler Improvement Association Clubhouse); $4 million to Fresno State for new Mobile Health Units; $3 million to the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board for the ValleyBuild program; $2.75 million to the Fresno County Fire Protection District to help fund a new fire station and equipment; and more.
Arambula was born in Delano, the heart of the farmworker movement, and grew up in Fresno, where he attended public schools. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine and the University of Minnesota Medical School. He returned to Fresno after graduation to serve his community as a doctor.
His parents, Juan and Amy Arambula instilled in their children a commitment to hard work, purpose, and public service. Juan is a former Assembly member, and Amy is a healthcare advocate.
Dr. Joaquin Arambula and his wife, Elizabeth, have three daughters.
Assemblymember Corey Jackson
California State Assembly, District 60
Assemblymember Corey Jackson
Assemblymember Corey A. Jackson, DSW, MSW, was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 60th Assembly District. In 2023, he chaired the Human Services Committee and serves as the chair of Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Human Services.
Assemblymember Jackson served on the Riverside County Board of Education in 2020 and represented portions of the cities of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Perris, and the unincorporated community of Mead Valley. He also served as the founder and Chief Executive Officer of SBX Youth and Family Services whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty and violence through mentoring, education, and community organizing. The organization was instrumental in a historic settlement of a lawsuit against the unconstitutional Youth Accountability Team (YAT) program in Riverside County that treated thousands of youths — especially those of color — like criminals for minor adolescent misbehaviors, the county agreed to groundbreaking measures.
Dr. Jackson graduated from CSU San Bernardino, where he received his degree in political science and served as a member of the CSU Board of Trustees and Chair of the Santo Manuel Student Union Board of Directors. He is also a graduate of California Baptist University, where he received his Master of Social Work degree and a Doctor of Social Work degree.
Assemblymember Gregg Hart
California State Assembly, District 37
Assemblymember Gregg Hart
Assemblymember Gregg Hart was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 37th Assembly District. With a deep understanding of local people and local issues, he is proud to have served the Santa Barbara community for more than 30 years – as a Planning Commissioner, City Council Member, California Coastal Commissioner, and Santa Barbara County Supervisor.
Dedication to public service came naturally to Assemblymember Hart, as he was inspired by his parents who spent their lives working for the community. His mother worked as an elementary school teacher and his father was the Library Director for the City and County of Santa Barbara.
Assemblymember Hart began his professional career as a Legislative Assistant for former State Assemblymember Jack O'Connell and went on to become the original manager of the Santa Barbara County Association of Government’s (SBCAG) Traffic Solutions program. There, he promoted local green and sustainable transportation options. Later, his expertise in this arena led him to serve as the Deputy Executive Director for SBCAG, supporting regional efforts to widen the 101 freeway and improve bus and passenger rail service throughout Santa Barbara County.
Growing up in Santa Barbara, Hart attended local public schools, then graduated from Santa Barbara City College and the University of California, Santa Barbara. For more than twenty years, he owned and operated Transitions Preschool, a local, family business dedicated to early childhood education and quality childcare. With a long history of fighting to increase educational opportunities, reduce poverty, prepare for emergencies, and support the health and safety of the people of California's Central Coast, Assemblymember Hart will put the needs of Santa Barbara County and southern San Luis Obispo County are front and center in Sacramento.
Gregg Hart represents the California Assembly’s 37th Assembly District, which includes Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, Buellton, Solvang, Lompoc, Guadalupe, Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Nipomo. He currently serves as Chair of the Assembly Joint Committee on Legislative Audit.
Assemblymember Mike Gipson
California State Assembly, District 65
Assemblymember Mike Gipson
Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson was proudly born and raised in the Watts community of Los Angeles. Assemblymember Gipson always knew that he wanted to make a positive difference in the lives of those he encountered. He understands that his "why" is to serve. It was his upbringing and the foundation provided by his parents that inspired Assemblymember Gipson's dedication to leading and serving others. His father, a truck driver and union President, and mother, who cleaned the homes of wealthy families, provided lessons early in Gipson's life that led him to believe that "I am my brothers'/sisters' keeper." His parents taught him to trust and believe in God and that hard work will always pay off; this led him to become the first person in his family to graduate from college.
Assemblymember Gipson's undeniable passion for public service propelled him to run and get elected to the Carson City Council in 2005. He served as Mayor Pro Tempore before running for the California State Assembly in 2014, where he has served since. Today, Assemblymember Gipson represents the new 65th Assembly District which includes the areas of Watts, Willowbrook, Compton, Carson, North Long Beach, Harbor Gateway North & South, Harbor City, Wilmington, and San Pedro.
Since joining the Legislature, Assemblymember Gipson has been a true leader for his community and among his peers. In 2015, Assembly Speaker Emeritus Anthony Rendon appointed Assemblymember Gipson to serve as his right hand in the role of Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair. He served until July 2023, making him the longest-serving Assembly Democratic Caucus Chair in California State history. Assemblymember Gipson was responsible for setting the agenda for the largest Democratic Caucus in the history of the California State Assembly. Assemblymember Gipson has now been appointed to Chair the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Tourism committee by Speaker Robert Rivas. Assemblymember Gipson also Chairs the Select Committees on Police Reform and Ports and Goods Movement. He also serves on the select Committees on Domestic Violence; Automation and Workforce Development; Califronia-Mexico Bi-National Affairs; Los Angeles County Homlessness; Nonprofit Sector; Restorative Justice; Social Determinents of Health; State Parks; Status of Boys and Men of Color; and the California Creative Economy Workgroup. Assemblymember Gipson is also an active member of the California Legislative Black Caucus as well as Chair of the 76th Council of State Governments West (CSG West) which currently represents 13 states. Assemblymember Gipson, is now serving as Vice-Chair for the Council of State Government National (CSG).
Assemblymember Gipson also serves on the Standing Committees of Governmental Organizations; Insurance; Revenue and Taxation; and Human Services. He has championed groundbreaking legislation to ban "ghost guns" in the state of California, expand access to mobile stroke units, reduce barriers to employment, significant police reform bills that now prohibit chokeholds, ban restraints that lead to "positional asphyxiation" and eradicate "police gangs."
Assemblymember Gipson is a diligent champion for his district in providing resources and funding for important programs in communities that have been historically underserved. In 2022, Assemblymember Gipson secured nearly $4 billion in state funding. Services for youth and culture were prioritized in Watts as Assemblymember Gipson secured $5.5 million for the community in the form of increased recreational opportunities and a 4-acre arts and culture campus. A new Pathways in Technology Early College High School educational institution in Compton will serve as a place for the community to get Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics jobs and skills that were only made possible by a $3.5 million budget allocation which Assemblymember Gipson also secured. An additional $1 million was awarded to the Wilmington Boys & Girls Club to help this essential community asset continue to run and make improvements to safety and transportation. Assemblymember Gipson also championed $110 million to fund a state-of-the-art art Goods Movement Workforce Training Campus in the Los Angeles Harbor Region, which will deliver an increased supply of well-paid, trained workers to the industry. To address the pressing mental health issues faced by many young adults, Assemblymember Gipson also successfully spearheaded $10 million to fund peer-to-peer mental health services in K-12 schools throughout California.
Most notably, Assemblymember Gipson's work in the areas of police reform, education, social justice, health, and housing has resulted in several awards that include "Legislator of the Year" by the California Association of Black Lawyers; the "2021 Champions for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease" by the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation; the "Outstanding Legislator" award by the Community College League of California; and "Legislator of the Year" again by the Children's Law Center, among many others.
Assemblymember Gipson currently resides in Carson with his wife, LeCresha Gipson. They have three sons, Devon and Jordan, as well as 5 beautiful grandchildren: Faafetai Ole Alofa, Cataleya Acevedo, Amore, and two twins Kaaleo & Kayhlanii. Their third son, D'Ancee, was killed at 3 years old as a victim of a hit-and-run motorist that has never been captured.
Assemblymember Mia Bonta
California State Assembly, District 18
Assemblymember Mia Bonta
Mia Bonta was elected to serve California’s 18th Assembly District in a special election on August 31, 2021. The 18th Assembly District encompasses the East Bay area of Northern California. It includes a large portion of the City of Oakland and the cities of Emeryville and Alameda. Assemblymember Bonta’s priority is to make California a more affordable, inclusive, and equitable home for all.
Mia has spent her career advocating for students and working families. Mia made Alameda her home more than 20 years ago where she has worked for and led several nonprofit organizations focused on improving educational outcomes for low-income students. Before being elected to the State Assembly, Mia served as the CEO of Oakland Promise, a cradle-to-college and career preparation initiative across Oakland public schools. In 2018, Mia was elected to the Alameda Unified School District School Board and she served as Board President from 2018-2021. In addition to her professional work, Mia has served on the boards of national non-profits seeking to build power for low-income people like Community Change Action and local providers like Alameda Free Library Foundation. Mia also served as an appointed 18th Assembly District Delegate to the California Democratic Party and on the AD-18 Advisory Committees for Women, Education, and Early Childhood.
Mia’s advocacy on behalf of children and working families became the focal point of her campaign for Assembly. Mia has seen firsthand the cracks in the systems intended to lift up the most vulnerable in her community, and she campaigned on priority issues such as fighting homelessness, building more affordable housing, passing transformative criminal justice reform, and combating the threat of climate change. She also intends to prioritize issues in California’s public education system so that students and teachers have the resources they need to succeed.
A proud Black Latina, Mia was raised by activists who protested outside the halls of power so that one day, people like her could have a seat at the table inside. Growing up, Mia moved 13 times in 16 years, and with every move, she carried what was most precious to her: a crate of books. Education was the one constant in her life, and Mia was fortunate to attend schools that would foster her love of learning and offer her a caring community of teachers and administrators committed to her success. For Mia, education was life-changing and was what first inspired Mia to become a public servant. Mia holds a B.A. in Psychology from Yale University and went on to pursue an Ed.M from Harvard Graduate School of Education and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Assemblymember Bonta lives in Alameda with her husband, Rob, and their three children.
Assemblymember Akilah Weber
California State Assembly, District 79
Dr. Akilah Weber
Dr. Akilah Weber was elected in April 2021 to represent California's 79th Assembly District, which includes La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley/La Presa, and parts of the cities of El Cajon and San Diego. Dr. Akilah Weber is a medical doctor, educator, former City Councilmember, San Diego native, and mom to two young boys.
Dr. Weber is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist, and she is the founder and past director of the Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology Division at Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego. She also served as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at UCSD.
Dr. Weber has served on the La Mesa City Council where she’s worked to implement the city’s Climate Action Plan and championed the creation of both a Community Police Oversight Board and the La Mesa homelessness task force. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Dr. Weber has also been on the frontlines of the city’s efforts to protect public health. Her long record of community activism includes serving on the boards of La Mesa Conversations and the La Mesa-Foothills Democratic Club and volunteering as the science coordinator for the Links to STEM program for children who are underrepresented in STEM fields.
Dr. Weber grew up in the Oak Park neighborhood of San Diego and graduated from Encanto Elementary School and Gompers Secondary School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana and her Medical degree from the University of Rochester Medical School. Dr. Weber completed her residency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at Chicago Cook County Hospital and her fellowship in Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Weber lives in La Mesa with her boys, Kadir and Jalil. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and The Links, Incorporated.
Senator Anthony Portantino
California State Senate,
District 25
Senator Anthony Portantino
Senator Anthony Portantino represents California’s 25th State Senate District, which stretches along the 210 Freeway from Sunland/Tujunga to Upland. He proudly represents the Rose Bowl, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Griffith Park, Warner Brothers, Disney, Caltech, and the Claremont Colleges.
Supporting public education, mental health, and sensible gun control have been priorities for Senator Portantino during his time in office. His accomplishments include increasing funding for special education and the K-12 Local Control Funding Formula. He has authored legislation that created California’s umbilical cord blood collection program, pushed back school start time for middle and high schools, banned the open carry of handguns on Main Street California, raised the purchase age of firearms to 21, and placed the suicide hotline number on student identification cards. In addition, his efforts have created a science fellowship in the State Capitol and established a unique partnership between the University of California and Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
He personally negotiated the end of the 710-freeway tunnel with the Brown administration and authored SB 7, which formally ended the threat of the freeway, protected the non-profits in the corridor, and paved the way for Pasadena to develop the dormant freeway stub.
Senator Portantino currently serves as the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a Select Committee to foster trade between California, Armenia, and Artsakh.
Before his years as a representative, he spent many years working in film and television production, served on the California Film Commission, and spent nearly eight years on the La Cañada Flintridge City Council, with two terms as Mayor. In 2019, he was awarded the prestigious Ellis Island Award at a ceremony in the historic island’s great hall.
Senator Portantino grew up in New Jersey, where he attended public schools and graduated from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he met his future wife, Ellen, a longtime business executive at Warner Brothers and Disney. They have two daughters.
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
California State Assembly, District 67
Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva serves as California’s 67th Assembly District representative, which includes the communities of Anaheim, Artesia, Cerritos, Cypress, Buena Park, Fullerton, Hawaiian Gardens, and La Palma. The Assemblywoman is currently serving her fifth term as a representative in the California State Assembly.
She currently sits as the Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 5 on State Administration, and is a member of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. She also sits on the following Assembly standing committees: Higher Education, Budget, as well as Housing and Community Development.Â
Assemblywoman Sharon Quirk-Silva was first elected to serve in the California Assembly in 2012. In 2016, she regained her seat to serve the constituents of North Orange County. In 2018, the constituents re-elected her to serve the communities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, La Palma, and Stanton. After being reelected in 2020, Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva was elected to the newly redrawn 67th Assembly District in 2022, encompassing North Orange County and parts of Los Angeles County.
Prior to her service in the State Legislature, she served in local government as a member of the Fullerton City Council from 2004 to 2012, including serving two-terms as Mayor. As a life-long resident of Fullerton, Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has a close relationship with the North Orange County community.  Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva is a mother of four and married to Jesus Silva, former Fullerton City Councilmember and teacher.
As a life-long resident of Fullerton Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva has close relations with the community. She was educated in Fullerton public schools through 12th grade and went on to earn an Associate of Arts degree from Fullerton College, a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at University of California, Los Angeles, and a Teaching Credential from California State University, Fullerton. As one of ten children, she honed negotiating skills and learned the advantages of teamwork early on. As a teacher in the Fullerton School District, Sharon was able to learn about the concerns of her community first hand. A practice she has continued with her work in the State Assembly. Quirk-Silva has been a strong influence in her Assembly District community, and in the lives of her constituents and their families, paving the way for the next generation of California's leaders. As a legislator, she is passionate about all Californians having access to affordable housing, quality education, and access to physical and mental health services.
Quirk-Silva’s history of local service in Orange County guides her philosophy on how state government should operate. Solutions are found at home, within the community. Her office’s priorities are simple: to use constituent feedback to prioritize the issues, to focus on finding solutions for the people she represents, and demand that Orange County residents receive their fair share of state services.
At the top of her list of priorities are affordable housing, addressing the homelessness crisis, and supporting California’s businesses. Her focus has been to continue to advocate for her top priorities, having passed many bills addressing causes of Housing and Homelessness, Education, Public Safety, and Mental Health.Â
Ever since the beginning of her career holding office, she has been active in organizations serving all of District 67 and Orange County, becoming familiar with our district's cities and developing relationships with their leaders. Sharon knows the importance of community action and advocacy for Orange County's families and businesses. She will take to Sacramento that tireless advocacy and talent for bringing people together to solve problems. As a wife and mother Sharon understands the challenges California families face in today’s difficult economy. She has cast key votes in the State Assembly after two terms in office, and is always ready to engage in more valuable causes for the State of California into the future.
Assemblywoman Quirk-Silva is a mother of four children and married to Jesus Silva, Fullerton Council Member and Teacher.
Anh Thu Bui, M.D.
Project Director, 988-Crisis Care Continuum
California Health and Human Services Agency
Anh Thu Bui, M.D.
Dr. Bui has worked as a community psychiatrist in California for over twenty years, serving individuals of all ages in several county specialty mental health programs and community health centers. She earned her Medical Degree from the Mayo Clinic School of Medicine in 1995 and holds board certifications in Psychiatry, Community and Public Psychiatry, and Addiction Medicine. She is a proud alumna of the California Health Care Foundation Health Care Leadership Program, administered by Healthforce Center at UCSF.Â
Much of her work in advocating for individuals with serious mental illness and substance use disorders has been informed by experiencing and witnessing trauma in her family and community as a refugee from Vietnam, and 35 years later, seeing the positive expansion of essential health services via the Affordable Care Act. She worked at the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) for two years as a Medical Consultant in Behavioral Health, including serving as Project Director for the SAMHSA 988 Cooperative Agreement to DHCS to support implementation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.Â
She is honored to have joined the California Health and Human Services Agency since October 2023 to work on 988 implementation and integration into the crisis care continuum and improve behavioral health services for all Californians.
Scott Graves, Ph.D.
Budget Director
California Budget & Policy Center
Scott Graves, Ph.D
Scott Graves, Budget Director, analyzes health and justice system policies and leads the organization’s work on state and local budget processes. On health policy, Scott’s work aims to ensure that Californians have equitable access to quality, affordable care. His justice system work highlights ongoing racial disparities and the human and fiscal costs of California’s overreliance on incarceration. Scott’s work on budget processes aims to give Californians the tools they need to effectively engage decision makers and advocate for fair and just policy choices. Previously, Scott covered safety net programs, housing, and early care and education for the Budget Center.
Before joining the Budget Center in 2002, Scott was a researcher for the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute, Consumers Union, and the University of Texas at Austin’s Public Policy Clinic. He also was a newspaper reporter in California, a Pulliam journalism fellow, and a California executive fellow. Scott holds a Ph.D. in political science from UT Austin and a bachelor’s degree in government and journalism from California State University, Sacramento. His undergraduate work included a year at the University of Bristol in England, focused on politics and international relations.
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Scott is an advocate for educational equity in his daughter’s school district. Outside of the office, you can find him listening to Mexican music and planning his next trip to the Eastern Sierra.
Brian Fitzgerald
Local Governmental Financing Chief
Dept. of Health Care Services
Brian Fitzgerald
Brian Fitzgerald is the Chief over the Local Governmental Finance Division (LGFD) within the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). LGFD is responsible for the management and oversight for county and local government federal reimbursement and financial oversight activities critical to ensuring access to high quality and cost efficient health care. Through DHCS, contracted local governmental agencies provide behavioral health care coverage, as well as, reimbursement to counties and/or school districts for administrative activities, targeted case management, and certain medically necessary school-based services
Paula Wilhelm
Assistant Deputy Director Behavioral Health
Dept of Heath Care Services
Paula Wilhelm
Paula Wilhelm is currently serving as Interim Deputy Director for Behavioral Health with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), after joining DHCS in 2022 as an Assistant Deputy Director for Behavioral Health. On behalf of DHCS, she oversees behavioral health licensing, certification, and grant programs, and leads policy development and implementation for an array of Medi-Cal and behavioral health initiatives. These include the California Behavioral Health Community-Based Organized Networks of Equitable Care and Treatment (BH-CONNECT) Demonstration, and California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) behavioral health policies. Paula has been working on Medi-Cal policy since 2015. Prior to joining DHCS, Paula was Director of Policy for the County Behavioral Health Directors Association and served as the organization’s policy and advocacy lead on substance use and drug policy throughout her tenure. She has also held Medicaid-focused roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and California Association of Public Hospitals. Paula began her health care career providing direct client services and administrative support at community-based women’s health clinics in Atlanta and San Francisco.
Al Rowlett, LCSW
Chief Executive Officer
Turning Point Community Programs
Al Rowlett, LCSW
Al Rowlett is the Chief Executive Officer for Turning Point Community Programs, overseeing over fifty programs in ten Northern California counties. He is an ardent advocate and proponent of diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and access in health/mental health care for the underserved and poorly served in California. Al is the current California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CBHA) Board Chair and the former Chair for the California Institute of Behavioral Health Solutions (CiBHS). In 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Al to the Proposition 63 - Mental Health Services Act, Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSA OAC); in 2013 Assembly Speaker Tony Perez appointed him to the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Independent Citizens Oversight Council (ICOC). Al holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Ottawa University, a Master of Business Administration in Health Services Management from Golden Gate University, and a Master of Social Work from California State University Sacramento and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
Matthew Madus, MSW
Executive Director
Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County
Matthew Madaus, LCSW
Matthew Madaus has over 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field. He is currently the Executive Director of the Behavioral Health Collaborative of Alameda County, an association of nonprofit mental health and substance use providers serving the most vulnerable children, adults, and families. Mr. Madaus also provides expert witness consultation and testimony to law firms on the behavioral health standard of care. He co-founded a clinical software company to disseminate a web-based mental health screening model, which is being used in schools, clinics, and organizations in the US, Canada, and Australia.Â
Mr. Madaus was the CEO of Edgewood Center for Children and Families, leading a full continuum of services including special education, community-based treatment, kinship support services, residential treatment, and crisis stabilization programs. Prior to Edgewood, he was a regional Executive Director for Victor Community Support Services and the Director of Residential Treatment at Chamberlain’s Children Center. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Mr. Madaus received his MSW from San Diego State University.
Elisa Koff-Ginsborg, MSW
Executive Director
Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association
Elisa Koff-Ginsborg, MSW
As the first Executive Director of the Behavioral Health Contractors’ Association (BHCA), Elisa Koff-Ginsborg (she/her) leverages her national policy and local organizing experience, extensive professional training and deep passion to create a strong safety net to support people affected by mental illness and substance use so that they have the same opportunities to fully participate in life as others in our community. With more than 25 years of non-profit and government experience that encompass policy analysis, advocacy, organizing, nonprofit management and direct service as a social worker, Elisa works collaboratively with nonprofit and government leaders.
Previously, Elisa served as Interim Director of the Interfaith Council on Economics and Justice and Associate Director of Community Education at Working Partnerships USA. She has a BA from Syracuse University, an MA from the Eagleton Institute at Rutgers University and an MSW from Catholic University of America.
She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Community Housing Developers, Willow Glen Performing Arts Boosters, Willow Glen Community Extended Day Enrichment Program and the Willow Glen Elementary PTA, as auditor of the Willow Glen Middle School PTA, on the Valley Health Plan Advisory Board and as chair of the City of San Jose Parks and Recreation Commission.Â
Erin O’ Brien, LCSW
President and CEO
Community Solutions
Erin O’Brien, LCSW
Erin O’Brien, LCSW, President & CEO of Community Solutions, has dedicated the past 25 years to creating positive and impactful changes in the human services arena. She is a passionate champion of ensuring access to quality behavioral health services for children, families, and adults facing mental health and substance abuse challenges. Erin is a respected leader in the nonprofit sector, appreciated for her focus on developing quality programs and championing policies that harness collective strengths and create opportunities for individuals in need.
She is active in multiple state and county efforts that impact vulnerable and under-served populations, holding strategic leadership positions as a voice for children, families, and adults in the areas of behavioral health services and broader human services.
David Mineta, MSW
President and Chief Executive Officer
Momentum For Health
David Mineta, MSW
David K. Mineta is President and CEO of Momentum for Health. He was appointed to the position in August 2015. From 2010 to 2015, Mr. Mineta served as a Presidential appointee in the position of Deputy Director of Demand Reduction for the White House Drug Policy Office. In 1996, he worked with Asian American Recovery Services and was named Deputy Director in 2007. He served twice as board president for the Jefferson Union High School District Board of Trustees. Mineta received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Social Work from San José State University.
Kerry R. Venegas, M.Ed.
Executive Director
Changing Tides Family Services
Kerry R. Venegas, M.Ed.
Kerry Venegas is proud to be the Executive Director of Changing Tides Family Services, a large non-profit in rural Humboldt County, California. Kerry brings over 30 years’ experience spanning the public, private, Tribal, and non-profit sectors in education, early childhood programs and public policy. She previously served as the Education Director for the Hoopa Valley Tribe and the Assistant Education Director for the Yurok Tribe. In addition, she was the Director for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded Native High School Initiative at the National Indian Education Association in Washington, DC; a Peace Corps Volunteer working with Indigenous Quechua communities in Bolivia; an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow for the National Science Foundation’s Rural Systemic Initiative; a research consultant with the Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development - Honoring Nations program supporting and sharing innovations in self-determination and education; and a high school science teacher working with at-risk youth across the United States. Ms. Venegas holds an M.Ed in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University, an Education Specialist degree in Transition Special Education from the George Washington University, a M.A. in Secondary Education from the University of New Mexico, a B.S. in Bio-Ag Science-Entomology and B.A. in Literature and Writing from Colorado State University. She continues her commitment to strong programs that support the well-being and development of all children, youth, and families, with a particular emphasis on early childhood mental health, and long history of advocacy for the achievement, education, culture, and communities of Native families.Â
Keisha Pitts, JD
Director, State Policy & Advocacy
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Keisha Pitts, J.D.
Keisha Pitts, JD is the director of state advocacy and policy at the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, where she leads and advises on state policy and advocacy strategies that advance the interests of National Council members within state government. Keisha works to advance state policies that increase access to Mental Health First Aid, collaborates with state associations and national organizations to implement the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, and advances improvements impacting telehealth, parity, workforce, and more. Keisha has extensive experience leading state advocacy efforts on behalf of healthcare providers and has played a key role in the passage of several historic state laws impacting patient access across the states and U.S. territories.