Board of Directors Biographies
Jennifer Restle
San Diego
2nd Term: 3/8/14 - 3/7/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Jennifer Restle
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Jennifer Restle educates and advocates on issues of diversity and inclusion. At Vassar College, while acquiring a degree in psychology, she realized the universality of the "disability experience," and after graduation, worked to create a voice for students with disabilities at University of Massachusetts, Amherst, educating administration while nurturing students through a peer mentoring program.
Charles Ehrlich
Menlo Park
2nd Term: 3/8/14 - 3/7/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Charles Ehrlich
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Chuck Ehrlich's interest in disability issues grows out of the experiences of his younger daughter, Jennifer. Now a college undergraduate, Jennifer has had a chronic disabling illness since junior high school.
Pamela Romano
Torrance
1st Term: 9/17/16 - 9/16/19
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Pamela Romano
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Pam Romano’s interest in disability issues stems from helping a family member who had mental health disabilities as a child. She became even more involved in the issue when former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took away funding for county mental health programs through the schools. “Any child with a disability should be entitled to a free and appropriate education,” Pam said.
Ralph Black
Sacramento
1st Term: 8/14/17-8/13/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Ralph Black
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Ralph Black, who has been blind since childhood, first became interested in disability rights as a student at California State University Long Beach in the early 1970’s. He, along with other students, successfully led an advocacy campaign to have the Legislature provide public funding to support programs for students with disabilities at all public colleges and universities in California.
Lorraine Casto
San Francisco
1st Term: 12/3/16 - 12/2/19
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Lorraine Casto
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Lorraine Casto’s advocacy on behalf of her children sparked both her and their interest in helping others in the disability community. Lorraine has an adult son with cerebral palsy, a daughter with mental health disabilities and a daughter who works as an emergency room nurse. She is a lawyer in private practice at a major international law firm where she handles business litigation matters for her clients.
Donna Duarte
San Diego
1st Term: 8/14/17 - 8/13/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Donna Duarte
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Donna Duarte is an educator and advocate who is Deaf and has disabilities. Donna worked for both the San Diego Community College District and the State of California. She served as a member of the Mental Health Advisory Council for Deaf Community Services of San Diego and as a volunteer with multiple organizations throughout Southern California.
Elizabeth Barrios Gomez
Los Angeles
2nd Term: 3/7/15 - 3/6/21
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Elizabeth Barrios Gomez
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Elizabeth is a parent and a dedicated advocate. She is committed to working tirelessly to impact change within underserved communities through advocacy, training, and empowerment.
James Janz
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn:James Janz
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
James Janz’ became involved in the disability community when his son, William, now 29 was only a few years old. He learned that William was “developmentally delayed. “”It’s an interesting term, and not necessarily inaccurate. We found William can learn and do many things. However, some take him a while longer.” James said he and his wife, Kathryn, have had to deal with the usual issues facing people with disabilities, including fighting with school districts to protect their son’s rights.
Scott Keller
San Diego
1st Term: 3/11/17 – 3/10/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Scott Keller
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Scott Keller describes himself as a “proud and passionate” member of the Deaf community nationwide”. He was born Deaf and comes from three generations of Deaf family members.
Richard Krzyzanowski
South San Gabriel
1st Term: 3/11/17 – 3/10/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Richard Krzyzanowski
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Richard Krzyanowski has both professional and personal connections to the disability community. For more than 16 years, he has worked as a mental health advocate, organizer and educator, focusing on ending stigma and promoting social justice.
David Oster
Torrance
2nd Term: 9/21/13 - 9/20/19
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: David Oster
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
David Oster is an advocate for people with disabilities. He is a program coordinator for his local chapter of People First of California, South Bay and Harbor Area. He is the director of the non-profit People First Foundation.
Hector Ramirez
Canoga Park
1st Term: 12/3/16 - 12/2/19
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Hector Ramirez
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Hector Manuel Ramirez is a lifelong disability rights advocate. He is a Latino Chiricahua Apache, Two Spirits who has Autism and Bipolar Disorder. He works with county, state, national organizations, and policy makers to create legislation to reduce mental health disparities, especially for racial and ethnic communities.
Sandra Smith
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Sandra Smith
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Sandra Smith describes herself as a “seasoned disability consumer, parent and child advocate trainer”. She is the parent of 36-year-old Chad, an artist who is autistic and African American. “Autism and being a black male can create many civil rights concerns”.
Jeffrey Thom
Sacramento
1st Term: 8/14/17 - 8/13/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Jeffrey Thom
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Jeff Thom has been an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities for more than four decades. After graduating with a B.A. in political science from Willamette University, he received a law degree from Stanford University. He passed the bar in 1978.
Yolanda Vargas
Sacramento
1st Term: 8/14/17 - 8/14/20
Contact:
board@disabilityrightsca.org
-or-
Disability Rights California
Attn: Yolanda Vargas
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Yolanda Vargas, who is disabled, spends her days helping disabled youth become self-advocates. However, she wasn’t always concerned about the rights of disabled people. It wasn’t until her little brother was born with Down syndrome that she realized disabled people have to continually fight for the right to exist in their communities. She wants to “ensure future generations of disabled people are able to maintain and gain the rights we deserve.”