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Board of Directors
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ILR of Solano and Contra Costa Counties is supported by a dedicated board of directors made up of committed community volunteers and working professionals.
Learn more about how to become a board member.
Sarah Birdwell
Board President
Sarah has been a member of the board at ILR since 2008 and became Board President in August 2010. As Board President, Sarah oversees fundraising and implements policies and procedures. In April 2011, Sarah joined The In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Committee, a state-funded program that advises and assists the Board of Supervisors of IHSS Public Authority. |
Kathy Mitsopoulos
Board Vice President
Kathy Mitsopoulos was born in Alameda, California in 1948. She contracted polio in 1952 and uses a power wheelchair for mobility. Kathy graduated from Napa High in 1967 and then attended Business College for a year in Santa Rosa. She married her first husband in 1972 and as blessed with a beautiful baby boy in 1974. After her divorce in 1976, she went back to school and earned a certificate in bookkeeping and accounting.
After getting her certificate, she worked for Community Resources for Independence in Santa Rosa for two years before moving to Fairfield. Kathy then worked at Travis Air Force Base for the next 10 1/2 years where she met and married the love of her life and gained a second son! She currently has seven grandchildren. Kathy retired in 1992 and took about three years off before she began working for ILR as an Independent Living Specialist in January 1995. She left ILR in December 1999 to work on a research project for Kaiser that recruited and trained volunteers to provide social and emotional support to senior citizens and people with disabilities to enhance their overall health and well-being. When the project ended in May of 2000, she was hired by Faith in Action which had already been established to provide the same services.
In January 2005 Kathy had to quit her job due to a serious car accident. She now serves on the IHSS Public Authority Advisory Committee to the Solano County Board of Supervisors. Kathy is excited about serving on the Board of Directors for ILR as she has a great passion for the much needed services provided by this agency. |
Teri Ruggiero
Board Secretary
Teri Ruggiero is a 15-year Solano County resident, and was born and raised in Napa, CA. Teri graduated in 1991 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, Chico where she focused on issues centered on senior and disabled populations.
Upon graduation, she started working in the community providing information and referral services through the United Way, and started her career in social services in 1993. In 1999, while working up through the ranks as a social worker, supervisor, and program manager in Sacramento County, she obtained my Master’s Degree in Public Administration.
In 2005 Teri was promoted to a Division Manager position in Yolo County and remained there until July 2009. Her personal career goal has always been to make a difference in the community by providing quality service to enable all persons to be self sufficient, safe, and healthy. Teri is strongly committed to serving and advocating for older and disabled adults so that they may remain safely in their own homes as long as possible. She is now the new administrator for the Public Authority of Solano County. |
Michael Baublitz
Board Member
Michael Baublitz has received degrees in Anthropology and Geography from UC Santa Cruz, and a Masters in Geography and Environmental Science from Cal State East Bay. Michael is a Polio survivor. He enjoys sharing his story with the disabled community, inspiring individuals to achieve what he calls “life goals”. As a member of ILR’s board for three years, Michael assists with educational outreach, recruitment and fund raising. Currently Michael is writing a ‘bio-novel’ and is expected to receive his Doctorate in Applied Seismology in 2012. |
Donna Brown
Board Member
Donna Brown was born in Scotland and has lived all over the world, Japan, Spain, England, and Holland to name a few. She graduated from High School in Florida and then moved to Hawaii to attend college.
She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1989. The disease progressed quickly and required the use of a wheelchair in 1991. Her son was born in 1992 and she has been a resident of Fairfield since 1993.
Before being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, Donna worked for McMahans furniture’s corporate office as an accounts payable clerk and moved on to work as an Office manager in the accounting office for a NAFFMB military installation in Holland. She also worked in different accounting offices doing all aspects of accounting. Donna and her husband started a home based computer business in 1995 so that she could work from home doing all the accounting aspects of their home business. The business closed in 2005 after her divorce.
She started “The Donna Project”, a fundraiser for a newer wheelchair accessible mini-van, in March of 2009 and raised funds to purchase her new van by December of 2009. She took possession of her 2004 Ford Freestar mini-van on January 8th 2010, 2 days before her birthday. The van is like new with only 24,000 miles.
Donna joined The In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Committee in 2007 with the hope of being an example to others with disabilities. She is an advocate for those who struggle to overcome physical disabilities and she stays positive by surrounding myself with positive people. |
Donnie Mitchum
Board Member
Donnie Mitchum served as the President of ILR’s Board of Directors from March of 2008 to July 2010. Donnie is the successful business owner of DM Investment/Development & Coordinating. Donnie’s extensive experience as a financial advisor and in depth insurance knowledge has prepared her for the responsibilities of this task. A warrior at heart, Donnie enjoys riding her motorcycle, gardening and cooking. |
Frances Smith
Board Member
Frances Smith is currently the director of the Yolo County IHSS Public Authority. Fran has a 40-year history of volunteering and working in the social service field with particular expertise in advocating for people with developmental disabilities. She is experienced in training and educating community members about laws, regulations and administrative policies relating to services provided to elders and dependent adults. She has served as a legislative advocate in California, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. for disability-related legislation. She has been a consultant to 13 states on the development of state legislation on Family Support and to three states on the development of consumer controlled Personal Assistance Services. She has a proven ability to find creative solutions to problems.
Fran’s community activities have included serving on the Contra Costa County Family and Children’s Services Advisory Committee, Area Developmental Disabilities Board V, and she was one of the original members of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Elderly and Handicapped Task Force. She is currently a trustee for her local church and on the Board of Directors for the Masquer’s Playhouse in Richmond, California.
As the mother of a daughter with multiple disabilities and a son with cerebral palsy, Fran experienced first hand the need for continual vigilance in promoting and preserving services for people with disabilities. Fran also spends a lot of time outdoors in her garden. |
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Main Office
1850 Gateway Blvd., Ste. 120
Concord, California 94520
Phone/TTY: (925) 363-7293
Fax: (925) 363-7296 |
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Contra Costa Office
301 West 10th Street, #18
Antioch, California 94509
Phone/TTY: (925) 754-0539 |
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Solano Office
1545 Webster Street, Ste. C
Fairfield, California 94533
Phone/TTY: (707) 435-8174
Fax: (707) 435-8177 |
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Board of Directors