Board of Directors Biographies

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.

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.

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.

Reedley
1st Term: 12/3/16 - 12/2/19
Contact: board@disabilityrightsca.org or 
Disability Rights California
Attn: Dennis Wall
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Dennis Wall is passionate about advancing the welfare of those with disabilities. He is a retired County Patients’ Rights Advocate from Tulare County who uses mental health services. His personal experience is what drives him to help those in need.

Oakland 
2nd Term: 9/23/12 - 9/22/18
Contact: board@disabilityrightsca.org or
Disability Rights California
Attn: Herb Anderson
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Herb Anderson’s enthusiasm for DRC’s work stems from his daughter, Ashley. She is a talented singer and music aficionado who is visually impaired with a learning disability. DRC provided a wealth of resources and support to Herb’s family after Ashley’s birth.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Los Angeles 
2nd Term: 9/23/12 - 9/22/18
Contact: board@disabilityrightsca.org or 
Disability Rights California
Attn: Judy Mark
1831 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Judy Mark has a 21-year-old son with autism and serves as a leader in the disability rights community. She is a member of DRC's Legislation Committee where she helped lead the successful effort to enact the Self-Determination law signed into law by Governor Brown in 2013.

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.

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.

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.

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.”