Andrew J. Imparato

Executive Director

Andrew J. “Andy” Imparato began work in February of 2020 as the Executive Director of Disability Rights California (DRC) after a high-impact 26-year career in Washington, DC in disability advocacy and policy. DRC is a $46 million legal services agency with more than 340 staff and 24 offices that serve Californians with all types of disabilities across the age spectrum. Since joining DRC, Imparato has led advocacy efforts to protect the California disability community from health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; helped shape Governor Newsom’s Master Plan for Aging as part of his Administration’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee and Implementing the Master Plan for Aging in California Together Advisory Committee; and worked to position California as a national leader is disability policy, equity and outcomes. From February until October of 2021, he served as an appointee of President Biden as one of 12 public members of a federal COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force that made recommendations to the President and his COVID-response team on how to advance health equity during the ongoing pandemic and during preparations for the next pandemic. In the last two years, Imparato has helped DRC fight for self-determination for unhoused people with mental health disabilities in the context of Governor Newsom’s CARE Court legislation and other initiatives.

While in DC, Imparato served as the Disability Policy Director for Chairman Tom Harkin on the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions; as President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities; as Executive Director of the Association of University Centers on Disabilities; as General Counsel and Director of Policy at the National Council on Disability, and as an attorney advisor to Commissioner Paul Steven Miller at the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He was a key leader in the coalition that came together to support the ADA Amendments Act in 2008 and helped negotiate the disability provisions in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act of 2014.

Imparato has been a key national leader in the disability movement for more than 25 years. Since April of 2024, he has served as the Chair of the Centene National Disability Advisory Council (Centene is a Fortune 100 Medicaid Managed Care Company based in St. Louis). He is on the Board of Directors of Fountain House, a 75-year-old clubhouse and advocacy organization based in New York City that supports the recovery and community integration of people with mental health disabilities in New York, Los Angeles, and beyond. Imparato is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Policy Research Scholars and chaired the planning committee for four international summits on disability employment between 2016 and 2020, organized by Senator Harkin’s Institute at Drake University. He represented the disability rights community on the Executive Committee of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights from 2003-2010.

Imparato grew up in Southern California, received a B.A. in Humanities from Yale College, and is a graduate of Stanford Law School. Imparato is known for mentoring diverse emerging leaders with disabilities and likes to cultivate activism on social media. His perspective is informed by his lived experience with bipolar disorder. He has received a number of honors and awards, including the Ten Outstanding Young Americans Award from the US Junior Chamber of Commerce; the Henry Viscardi Achievement Award from the Viscardi Center in New York; the Corey Rowley National Advocacy Award from the National Council on Independent Living; and the Secretary’s Highest Achievement Award from Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt. He has received appointments to the Maryland Statewide Independent Living Council from Maryland Governors Ehrlich and O’Malley and to the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities from Governor Newsom. He was also appointed by US Senator Tom Daschle to the bipartisan Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Advisory Panel, where he helped develop new models for disability benefits that did not create barriers to employment. He lives in Sacramento with his wife, Dr. Elizabeth Nix, and has two adult sons, one in Los Angeles and one in Philadelphia, PA.

Christian Abasto

Associate Executive Director and General Counsel

Christian Abasto has been zealously advocating for the poor and persons with disabilities for over 25 years. Christian is the Legal Advocacy Unit Director of Disability Rights California (DRC). The Legal Advocacy Unit (LAU) is DRC’s core Protection & Advocacy legal program, tasked with fulfilling our federal mandate to defend the rights of people with disabilities in California.

Before joining DRC, Christian was the Director of Litigation at the Public Law Center where he supervised complex litigation and policy advocacy matters. Christian was also the Managing Attorney of the Housing and Eviction Defense Units at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles. He handled appeals to the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, the California Court of Appeal, and the Appellate Division of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Christian was lead counsel in the 9th Circuit published decision, Barrientos v. 1801-1825 Morton LLC, 583 F.3d 1197 (2009). The decision established positive precedent regarding federal preemption, Section 8 vouchers, and local rent control laws. Christian received a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis in 1997.

Kim Blanc

Finance Director

Shannon Cogan

Associate Executive Director for Individual Rights

Shannon Cogan has served as the Director of the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy since 2021, leading California’s advocacy program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She’s worked at Disability Rights California (DRC) since 2017 and considers herself a lucky lawyer to be able to advance DRC’s mission to defend, advance, and strengthen the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities.

She is a national expert on conservatorship (or “adult guardianship”). She served as a panelist for the Fourth National Guardianship Summit in 2021, discussing and debating the nation’s guardianship systems and developing reform recommendations. She also served on a panel convened by the California Department of Developmental Services and the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabiity Services, reviewing DDS’s conservatorship program and making recommendations to strengthen oversight and identify alternatives to conservatorship.

Shannon became a disability rights lawyer due to her experiences advocating for her own child in disability systems. Previously she was a civil trial lawyer and ran a non-profit organization providing adaptive and rehabilitative equipment to children with disabilities. Shannon grew up in rural northern California. She is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley School of Law and her undergraduate degree is in computer science, cum laude, from Smith College. Shannon is a graduate of the OneJustice Executive Fellowship Program in Nonprofit Management.

Desiree Delonia

Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access (DEIA)

Desiree Delonia is the Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA). In her position she works to build and promote DRC’s culture where people feel empowered to be their true authentic selves in order to do their best work for DRC clients and the communities we serve. She is excited to work in collaboration with DRC employees to help move the organization towards positive change.

Desiree started her career with DRC over 11 years ago in a temporary position with the Legal Advocacy Unit. She progressed into a position as an office manager and then senior office manager for the Sacramento office. Desiree is proud to be one of the founding members of the Umoja Employee Resource group, which is a space for employees who identify as Black and African American to gather in community.

She previously worked as a legal secretary and as an instructor for the California Certified Legal Secretary’s exam.

In her free time, Desiree likes to spend time with her two children and create abstract acrylic paintings. She identifies as a person with a disability.

Terry Dickinson

Operations Director

Terry Dickinson joined DRC as the Operations Manager in April of 2019. He has more than 20 years of experience in Building and Operational Management. He is responsible for property, equipment and lease management, service contracts, insurance, maintenance and capital expenditure budgets, inspection and safety of facilities and improves systems, policies, procedures and organizational planning.

Prior to joining DRC, he was the Facility Director for almost 3 years at a Retirement Facility that offered several levels of care for the aging including; skilled nursing, memory care and personal care.

He worked 29 years with the California Department of Corrections, the last 6 of those years as an Associate Warden of Business Services over 13 Community Correctional Facilities and several Out-of-State Facilities housing lower level inmates. He has a degree in General Science.

Ray Freeman

Human Resources Director

Eric Harris

Associate Executive Director of External Affairs

Eric Harris is DRC’s Associate Executive Director of External Affairs with an extensive career working closely with disability leaders, community members, and elected officials throughout the country to progress change for the disability community.

Harris brings significant local, state and federal policy experience, having worked for Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the Democratic National Committee and the California and Hawaii State NAACP.

Mr. Harris has led discussions on disability pride, inclusion and access on platforms throughout the country. He has spoken at Harvard Law School, the University of California at Berkeley School of Medicine and at the White House. 

Harris started his time at DRC in 2019 working in the legislation and strategic partnerships and community engagement units. He served on the State Independent Living Council as a Governor Newsom appointee and as a board member for the Resources for Independent Living in Sacramento. He grew up in Sacramento, California and was an elite wheelchair basketball player.

“Creating public policy that improves the lives of disabled people has been my life’s mission. I look forward to working closely with intersectional disability leaders throughout the state to improve the lives of all people with disabilities.”

Video of Eric Harris at White House Disability Pride Month

Karen Keene

Associate Executive Director of Finance & Administration

Karen Keene joined DRC as Finance Director in April 2016. She has more than 30 years of experience in accounting, finance, and administration in both corporate and non-profit organizations. Karen is responsible for all accounting functions at DRC.

Prior to joining DRC, Karen was the Chief Financial Officer for Volunteers of America, Utah. It addresses homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. Karen has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from The College of Idaho. She has a Master’s Degree in Non Profit Management from Regis University. Her passion is nonprofit work.

Jesse Magano

Senior Director for IT and Special Projects

Jesse Magano is DRC’s Information Technology Director. Jesse leads DRC’s creative and diverse IT team. He is responsible for technology planning, governance and policy, resource allocation and security.

Jesse has worked in the IT field for over 24 years. He has a Degree in Information Technology and Computer Systems Engineering. He holds certifications for Microsoft servers, applications and development platforms.

Before DRC, Jesse spent 8 years in IT roles in web development, network design and consulting. He worked for the State of California’s Health and Human Services Data Center.

Lynn Martinez

Director of Litigation

S. Lynn Martinez joined Disability Rights California in May 2020 and is currently the Director of Litigation for the Legal Advocacy Unit. For over 30 years, Lynn has fought to improve access to justice by enforcing the rights of lower-income, unhoused, and disabled individuals in the state, federal, and tribal courts and policy arenas. Lynn focuses on multi-plaintiff and class impact litigation and further advocates for recognition of the needs of rural Californians. She is a member of the Judicial Council of California’s Advisory Committee on Providing Access & Fairness and is involved in several rural community organizations supporting affordable housing, youth, and disability rights.

Prior to joining DRC, Lynn specialized in land use, affordable housing development, and fair housing, serving as the Managing Attorney/Senior Litigator at Western Center on Law and Poverty and Managing Attorney/Pro Bono Coordinator at Legal Services of Northern California. Lynn also worked at the National Housing Law Project and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, providing legislative support, technical assistance and training on the state and national level. She has published a number of articles and publications, and was co-editor of the comprehensive affordable housing manual, Housing for All. Lynn served as a visiting professor at UC Davis School of Law and was core faculty for the Benchmark Institute. She also was judge pro tem in Solano County Superior Court for eight years, hearing cause for the issuance of domestic violence Emergency Protective Orders during the hours when the local courts were closed.

Lynn’s personal interests include traveling, hiking, the arts, and entertaining.

Jenny Olson

External Affairs Manager

Jenny Olson is Disability Rights California’s (DRC) External Affairs Manager. Jenny manages and coordinates government outreach and external relations efforts, oversees the events unit and is the primary contact for the Associate Executive Director of External Affairs, Eric Harris.

Jenny started at DRC in 2004 as an administrative assistant 1 in the Developmental Disabilities Peer Self-Advocacy unit. Over her 20+ year career at DRC, she’s held numerous administrative roles spanning five units before becoming the External Affairs Manager.

Jenny holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and a minor in Economics from the University of California at Davis. She has a passion for policy and community engagement and enjoys organizing opportunities and events that equip the disability community with the knowledge they need to understand policies and legislation and bring about change.

In her spare time, Jenny is an avid dancer and a certified Zumba instructor. She also enjoys live sports, concerts, traveling and spending time with her husband and two daughters.

Hannah Peskin

Associate Director of Leadership and Board Development

Hannah Peskin is the Associate Director of Leadership and Board Development and the primary contact for Executive Director Andy Imparato at Disability Rights California. She also oversees the Executive Unit and the support of the Board of Directors.

Hannah has a Master’s Degree in public administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management and leadership, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with an emphasis in women’s rights.

Much of Hannah’s career has been spent in the nonprofit field, including time at the Sacramento SPCA. Her passion for nonprofit work started with volunteering as a child at a cat shelter, and has grown through working with organizations that support their communities and those in need.

In her spare time Hannah likes to spend time doing outdoor activities, including hiking with her rescue dog. She is passionate about women’s rights and animal advocacy. Hannah’s goal is to contribute to positive change in social equity issues and help form the next generation of leaders.

Jung Pham

Associate Executive Director for Investigations and Self-Advocacy

Jung Pham is the director of Consumer Assistance, Payee Review, and Investigations (CAPRI).   DRC’s CAPRI program investigates individual rights violations ranging from physical abuse to financial exploitation against consumers in a variety of residential and community settings. 

Jung has been with DRC for over 12 years working primarily on issues involving crimes, abuse, and exploitation against individuals living with disabilities.  His advocacy centers around collaborative justice advanced through investigations, policy development, grassroots initiatives, and case-studies.  

Jung is particularly passionate about working on opportunities to advance the rights, safety, and independence of individuals living in community congregate settings.  He was a founding member of Independent Living Coalitions in Santa Clara, San Bernardino, and Alameda counties. 

Kendra Wagner

Associate Director of the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy

Kendra Wagner is Associate Director of the Office of Clients’ Rights Advocacy with Disability Rights California. Realizing the immense impact access to community-based services had on family members with disabilities, Kendra found her way to Disability Rights California in 2009.

Kendra’s interest in disability rights and justice deepened following her early work in collaborative justice. A strong believer in autonomy and self-determination, Kendra collaborates with advocates and attorneys throughout the State of California to ensure that people with disabilities have access to the supports and services they need and want.

Kendra earned her bachelor’s degree in history before pursuing her law degree.

Daniel Wagoner

COPR Director

Daniel Wagoner is the Director of the California Office of Patients’ Rights. He is responsible for the advocacy programs in state hospitals and the jail-based competency treatment programs, as well as the statewide training and support given to county advocacy programs.  

Daniel began advocating and educating within California’s mental health system in 2007, and has gained a profound knowledge of the rights of forensic mental health patients and state hospital operations. Over his career he has shared this knowledge while providing hundreds of training sessions related to the rights of people receiving mental health services. 

Daniel has been involved in state hospital advocacy through the implementation of numerous regulations, including those providing residents with due process prior to removing their right to make certain health care decisions. He also played a lead role in setting up the advocacy program for the Enhanced Treatment Program within the Department of State Hospitals, and in creating the online advocacy training required of new County Patients’ Rights Advocates. 

In 2013, Daniel was named the “Advocate of the Year” by the California Association of Mental Health Patients’ Rights Advocates. He is the only state hospital advocate to ever receive this honor. Daniel started his disability advocacy journey well before he began his career with DRC. As a teen, he often found himself attempting to eliminate stigma by speaking up for his disabled younger brother.