Leadership Team |
Rhonda Daniels, Executive Director
Rhonda Daniels has worked at Moving Forward since 2005 where she started as a Community Resources Specialist. She moved on to work as a Case Manager and most recently as the Program Director of Moving Forward. She became the Executive Director of Moving Forward in August of 2015. Rhonda has a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from San Diego State University and Bachelors Degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology from Boston University. Prior to Moving Forward, Rhonda worked in the Workers Comp Industry as a Vocational Counselor for 26 years. Rhonda has two daughters and lives with her husband in Petaluma.
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Sirena Domecus, Director of Community Living
Sirena Domecus joined Moving Forward full time in March of 2015 as the Director of Community Living. Sirena worked with Moving Forward for 8 years prior, part time, as a social skills instructor and support staff for our clients. Sirena graduated with a degree in Social Work from San Jose State University and has over 30 years of experience working with individuals with developmental disabilities. Sirena has worked in a variety of settings including day programs, work programs, regional centers, and recreational programs. Sirena lives in Napa with her family. Sirena continues to be committed to this field and is excited to be part of the Moving Forward Team.
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Tina Newsome, Director of Transitional Living
Tina Newsome came to Moving Forward in 2005, and has over 25 years experience working with individuals with various abilities/disabilities. Tina has a Bachelors degree in Psychology, and her Associates degrees in Child Development, Sociology and Behavioral Science.
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Jennifer Romanek, Facilities Manager
Jennifer Romanek has been at Moving Forward since 1999 and came to us with a lifetime of experience working with individuals with disabilities. Jennifer is an accomplished artist and has a degree in graphic art from Platt Graphic Art and Design in San Francisco. Jennifer was instrumental in creating our art program at Moving Forward and teaches Advanced Art. She loves gardening and has award winning dahlias.
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Barbara Montaldo, Community Resource Specialist
Barbara Montaldo advocates for our residents to create life-long independence through vocational employment programs. She is our liaison with the Department of Rehabilitation, North Bay Regional Center, with employers, and in coordinating work groups for volunteer sites. Barbara utilizes optimistic and positive redirection to assist our clients in reaching their goals during their job search, when coaching, and in teaching our Job Readiness course. Prior to joining the Moving Forward team in 2011, Barbara worked as a behavior aide with school aged children in Napa, Solano, and Sonoma for eight years, and previous to that as a mental health worker in a psychiatric facility. Barbara has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology from Sacramento State University.
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Heidy Espinosa, Office Manager
Heidy Espinosa began working at Moving Forward in February of 2018. She comes with several years of administrative experience. She was previously working as a compliance associate in partner with Napa County Mental Health services. Prior to joining Moving Forward, Heidy served as an advocate to the Latino community in Napa, around mental health awareness and education. She has helped organize our administrative office and assists with onboarding all our new staff. She has developed her bookkeeping skills by working closely with our accountant. Heidy truly enjoys every opportunity she gets to engage with our many residents. Outside of work Heidy enjoys spending quality time with her two daughters and husband.
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Case Management Team
Michael Runas, Community Living Case Manager
Michael Runas works with residents in Community Living, the third phase of our program. He joined Moving Forward in 2008 with over 7 years of experience working in the Human Services field. Previously he worked at a Day Program that served adults with developmental disabilities and as a Therapeutic Behavior Specialist with foster children. Michael holds a B.A. in Sociology, and a A.A. degree in Social and Behavioral Sciences. When he is not at Moving Forward, Michael enjoys working part time as a Real Estate Agent, and spending time with his wife and children, in addition to playing sports and gardening.
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Gloria Laflamme, Community Living Case Manager
Gloria works with several clients in the community. She worked as a care aide for seniors, gaining experience with personality disorders, physical disabilities, and dementia while completing an AA in Liberal Arts and a Bachelors Degree in Social Work at the University of Utah. She completed her internship as a Victims Advocate in the court system at the Salt Lake District Attorney's office advocating for victims of domestic violence and families and the protected persons in conservatorships. She was previously co-owner of a preschool in Utah where she created curriculum, directed, and taught children. She taught and tutored adolescents Spanish, in private school settings. She raised three children and loves, reading, gardening, fine arts, and has a passion for environmental justice.
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Thomas Perez, Transitional Living Case Manager
Thomas joined the Moving Forward team in October 2018 working as a Transitional Living Case Manager. He has a B.A. Degree in Sociology from The California State University of East Bay in Hayward, California. Thomas previously worked as a behavior assistant for a non-profit service agency that provides behavioral intervention and day programming to developmentally disabled adults. During his free time Thomas enjoys hiking, reading, cooking and spending time with family and friends.
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Ariana Perryman, Transitional Living Case Manager
Ariana joined Moving Forward in June of 2018. She received her Bachelors of Arts Degree in Sociology from California State University, East Bay. During school, she was chosen to participate in a Study Abroad Program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, studying the socioeconomics of poverty. She originally started with Moving Forward as a Job Coach/Support Staff and is now a Transitional Living Case Manager; focused on the second phase of the Moving Forward Program. In her spare time, Ariana loves tending to her rescue animals, hiking around the Bay Area, traveling, tending to her succulents, and creating beautiful beaded jewelry.
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Lucia Ledbetter, Community Living Case Manager
Lucia Ledbetter joined Moving Forward in October of 2018 as a Community Living Case Manager. Lucia has over 13 years of experience working as a Case Manager in Health and Human Services supporting youth and families. Lucia is a strong advocate and brings to Moving Forward experience in sex education based on her work with teen families. Lucia enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering at the SPCA.
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Jillian Lagman, Community Living Case Manager
Jillian joined the Moving Forward team in June of 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice Administration from California State University, East Bay. She focused her studies on law enforcement and economics. Jillian started as a job coach and support staff for Moving Forward for 9 months before becoming a Community Living Case Manager. She has years of experience as an administrative assistant. Jillian also as is very active in her community by volunteering for her local church where she works at food banks, serves food to the homeless, assists seniors at a senior living center, and tutors elementary and high school students. Jillian enjoys playing video games, watching movies, cuddling with her corgi, and cooking.
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Support Staff
Renee Brambila, Personal Trainer / Support Staff
Renee Brambila is an AFAA Certified Personal Trainer. Renee’s areas of expertise are full-body and flexibility training. Renee began working with the Moving Forward residents individually as a Personal Trainer eleven years ago. In 2009 Renee came on board with Moving Forward as Support Staff, and today Renee leads a walking group Monday through Friday, and teaches Yoga along with other Sports related outdoor activities at Moving Forward. In addition, she continues to take on work as a Personal Trainer with individual clients.
Outside Consultants and Instructors
Kenn Vigoda and Jack Dempsey - Instructors: Music Class
Kenn Vigoda and Jack Dempsey have been making music with our MF residents since May 2016 teaching harmony, timing and the joy of singing. Jack has a degree in Education and is a retired stock broker. He got involved with music education through his own kids. Twenty years later he is a volunteer in three music therapy programs in Napa. Jack believes most people are not musicians, however, all people are singers!
Kenn began playing bass guitar at age 16 and after obtaining a degree in Chemistry and working as a winemaker for many years, he found his way back to making music. Along with Jack, he enjoys sharing music with young adults and seniors in and around Napa. Kenn says he is not sure who gets more out of singing with the residents at MF, them or us!
Kenn began playing bass guitar at age 16 and after obtaining a degree in Chemistry and working as a winemaker for many years, he found his way back to making music. Along with Jack, he enjoys sharing music with young adults and seniors in and around Napa. Kenn says he is not sure who gets more out of singing with the residents at MF, them or us!
Board Members
Alan Schoenfeld, Board President
Alan Schoenfeld is a professor of Education and Mathematics at U.C. Berkeley, where he has spent more than 30 years studying thinking, learning, and teaching. Schoenfeld has served as President of the American Educational Research Association and Vice President of the National Academy of Education, and has chaired the education and research committees for a wide range of professional associations. He is passionately devoted to Moving Forward, in large measure because the program has helped his daughter grow in so many ways.
Ned Goldstein, Board Vice President
Ned graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and received his J.D. and MBA degrees from UCLA. He is best known for his long term as General Counsel and Senior Executive of Ticketmaster, during which time he oversaw all legal matters, business affairs and governmental affairs for the company worldwide. Ned has served on the Board of the Westview School, which specialized in providing quality education to students with learning disabilities. He is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Arts Work Foundation and was a member of the Board of AGIA, two not for profit charitable organizations that specialize in the arts and in African American Arts, respectively. He has also served on various other charitable and civic Boards, including Cities in Schools In Inglewood, Public Counsel, Coro Southern California and the Sports and Law Program of the Constitutional Rights Foundation. He has been a major contributor and active fundraiser for the City of Hope supporting its National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute and the City of Hope Music and Entertainment Industry Section. Ned now lives in Calistoga with his wife Marcia. His daughter Elana is studying abroad while his son Sasha is a resident at the Moving Forward Transitional Living Program.
Diana Gordon, Board Secretary
Diana brings 30 years of experience with non-profit management, both public and private, in the areas of development and implementation of programs, financial management, fund raising, media management, organizational systems development, legal and regulatory requirements, facilities management, recruitment and admissions, team building, training and supervision of staff. Diana co-founded with Leslie Medine, Alternatives In Action, HOME, the Bay Area School of Enterprise, HOME Sweet HOME Preschool, Moving Forward, On The Verge and On The Move. Diana is currently the Chief Financial and Operating Officer for On The Move in addition to running Explorations, a youth college and career center. For the past two years she has run the Workforce Investment Board youth programs, including the Summer Youth Employment Program. In 1996 Diana began working with a core group of parents to develop make a reality Moving Forward. Together with those parents and the six founding residents, Diana successfully opened Moving Forward in 1998 under the umbrella of Alternatives in Action. In 2000 Diana moved Moving Forward into its own non-profit organization, filing for and being awarded the 501c3 non-profit status by the IRS and the State of California. Diana left shortly thereafter to return to the work she started at Alternatives in Action. In 2009 Diana joined the Board of Moving Forward. Diana became our new President of our Board of Directors in August of 2016.
Yi Shepard, Board Treasurer
Yi Shepard is a practicing tax CPA with 28 years of professional experience advising multinational businesses on tax related matters. Yi is currently on the board of Healthcare for All California and is an active participant in various nonprofit organizations that provide financial literacy education to under-served youth. Yi has previously served on the boards of West Coast Children’s Clinic and Shelter Inc., both nonprofit organizations. Yi was born and raised in China. She came to the United States in 1986 after graduating from medical school in Shanghai with training in pediatrics. Over the years, Yi has traded her dream of pursuing a PhD in Economics after retirement to that of a BA with a major in painting and minor in poetry. When she is not dreaming, Yi firmly believes in contributing to a better reality.
Merilee Bennett, Boardmember
A third generation Californian, Merilee Ann Bennett was born and raised in Redlands, California. She graduated from the University of California at Riverside in 1975 with a degree in German Culture and Civilization. Her interest in European Culture began when she joined her husband in Germany for two years during his military service commitment. Upon her return she finished her education while working in a variety of jobs, including YMCA Program Director, Bookkeeper, Activity Director and Restaurateur, until, after earning a Certificate in Interior Design, she settled into her true calling as a Residential and Commercial Interior Designer. She has been in private practice for 28 years. Merilee has served on many Boards and Community Service projects including: The Jr. League of Riverside where she was Treasurer, Sustainer to the Board and Raincross Award Recipient, The Old Riverside Foundation, Panhellenic Alumni Association, Trinity Summer Camp, Riverside Art Museum Board, Riverside Community Health Foundation Board President, Riverside Medical Foundation Board President, Kimberly Crest Foundation Board and Moving Forward Towards Independence Parents Assn President and Board Member/ Secretary. Merilee is married to Bruce Bennett and resides in Newport Beach, California. She has two adult sons, enjoys singing, genealogy research and floral design in her spare time.
David Pyle, Boardmember
David Pyle, DDS, has been a general dentist in Walnut Creek California for 35 years. Before earning his dental degree David served on a medical evacuation team with the Air National Guard and worked as a computer programmer in the aerospace industry in our push to reach the moon. He has been married to his wife Susan for 41 years, has 2 adult children and 1 grandchild. He and Susan are founding parents of Moving Forward and David served as Moving Forwards 1st board president, and has served in various capacities on the board since it’s inception. In his free time David enjoys being a husband, parent, and grandparent and also enjoys many outdoor leisurely activities like camping, fishing and traveling.
Daphne O' Regan, Boardmember
Daphne O'Regan is married with two sons, one of whom has been at Moving Forward for four years. She is a clinical law professor at Michigan State University and has an M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell University. She is co-founder and board member of Lansing Inclusive Communities, Inc., an organization serving developmentally disabled adults and their families in the area of Lansing Michigan. She served on the East Lansing School Board for four years and is currently on the East Lansing Transportation Commission.
Peter M. Dubois, Boardmember
Pete brings an extensive background in global management consulting, where his primary focus has been business strategy, technology adoption, and operations performance. His industry experience covers a wide breadth, including healthcare, technology, financial, consumer goods, and mission-based organizations. Most recently, Pete served as Managing Director, Healthcare Technologies at The Advisory Board Company, focused on best practices and technology to improve patient experience and outcomes at 3500 member hospitals. He came to the Advisory Board via its acquisition of a mobile healthcare technology start-up venture that Pete was instrumental in building from 2007 to 2012. Prior, Pete held senior management roles at McKesson Corporation, a pharmaceutical distribution and healthcare software solutions company; and fifteen years with Arthur D. Little, Inc., a global management consultancy, as director of the operations and technology management practice, working in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. In a volunteer role, Pete’s experience includes management consulting support for the Community Gatepath organization in Burlingame CA; and serving as the founder and President of a 501c3 foundation focused on diversity in sports in the San Francisco Bay Area. Pete earned his M.B.A. from The Citadel, and completed his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at the State University of New York at Buffalo, both summa cum laude. Pete is bilingual (English/Spanish); and currently resides in Napa, CA.
Erica Conway, Boardmember
Erica Conway, D.D.S. Has lived and worked in Napa for over 23 years. She grew up in Fremont, CA and received her B.S. in Biology from St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA in 1992. She received her doctor of dental surgery degree in 1995 from University of the Pacific Dental School and has been in private practice ever since. She is so proud to say that many of the Moving Forward clients are some of her favorite patients. She has three left handed daughters- Grace 18, Gretchen 15, and Samantha 12. She enjoys being involved in the community and making a difference in people’s lives. Her daughter, Gretchen, has Down syndrome and has been fully included in school thus far. She brings a local perspective for marketing and fundraising to the board. Her interests include travel, cycling, swimming and helping people with disabilities live happy independent lives.
Abby Shaw, President of the Family Association
Abby is the President of the Moving Forward Towards Independence Parent's Association. Abby facilitates the Parent's Association's two meetings per year and with the Association's other officers is working to increase parent and family digital access to program information. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, David. They are parents of Elaine Green who is currently living in the Transitional Program at Moving Forward Towards Independence. Abby enjoys talking about the program and her experiences with new and prospective families. Abby's career focuses on the interaction between communications and technology, and she has held many titles, such as Editorial Director, Information Architect, Infomaster, Content Strategist, Senior Editor, and so on. She has started four businesses, sold one and still owns the fourth, the Webinar Group. Her current assignment is as the writer for Wells Fargo's Corporate Strategy group.