Board of Directors

 Jack Hinojosa, Board President

Jack Hinojosa has been the Associate Executive Director at Child Development Resources of Ventura County, Incorporated (CDR) since 2006, overseeing the Resource Referral Department, Family Child Care Education Network (FCCEN), and all State Funded Programs, including General Alternative Payment and Subsidized Child Care Programs. He has been with CDR for more than a decade.

 Kathy Lago, Board Vice President, Bay Area Regional Vice President

Kathy Lago is the Resource & Referral Program Manager at Solano Family and Children’s Services. She has been with the organization for nearly two decades, working in program planning, development, and supervision. She has also been an active participant in Bay Area R&R activities for 12 years, including membership on Asilomar conference planning committees and the strategic planning committee. Beyond her work with the Network, Kathy has chaired local community councils, the Solano County Local Child Care Planning Council, and Children's Alliance.

 Gloria Balch, Northern Regional Vice President

Gloria Balch, Deputy Director of Valley Oak Children's Services , (VOCS) in Chico has has been in the child care field for 34 years, first as a co-director at a CDE contracted child care center serving children 2.9 to 5 yrs. Later moving into Resource & Referral in 1984, currently overseeing the operations of the Resource & Referral Department and the Quality Services unit, including; the Family Child Care Education Network (FCCEN), the Child Care Food Program, the Behavioral Health Intervention Program and all local contracts. She is also responsible for program development, coordination of interns/volunteers, grant research & writing, and collaboration with community agencies to provide VOCS information on services and to explore and provide for expanded opportunities and services for child care providers, families, and children throughout Butte County.

 Rosa Barragan, Central Valley Regional Vice President

Having worked in the child care field for more than a dozen years, Rosa Barragan has implemented programs and services for the children, families and child care providers in Merced County. In her current position at the Merced County Office of Education, she is responsible for program development, grant research and writing, and collaboration with community agencies to provide opportunities for child care providers, families, and children throughout Merced County. Prior to her current position as R&R Supervisor, she worked as the Supervisor of the Alternative Payment Program, as well as a Youth Advisor for the Employment Development Department.

 Yuovene Whistler, Southern Regional Vice President

Yuovene Whistler was born, raised and has lived within the service area served by Crystal Stairs – South Central Los Angeles, Inglewood, Gardena, Hawthorne and Lawndale. It is the commitment to and love of community that has made her 15 years of work at Crystal Stairs that much more meaningful. She is currently the Manager of the Resource & Referral Department where she oversees various government and private contracts that assist families and the broad spectrum of the early care and education workforce, as well as representing Crystal Stairs on various boards and committees.

Prior to joining Crystal Stairs, Yuovene was a Part-time Faculty member at California State University, Northridge where she was a Laboratory Instructor and Lead Preschool Teacher for the Department of Family Environmental Sciences' Child Development and Family Relations Lab School. She is in her second year as Southern Regional Vice President and serves on the Network’s Strategic Plan Implementation Committee.

 Kay Ruhstaller, Chair, Public Policy Committee

Kay Ruhstaller has been the Executive Director of Family Resource and Referral Center (FRRC), San Joaquin County for more than ten years. Kay's professional career has been devoted to children's advocacy.

 Aideen Gaidmore, Member At-Large

Aideen Gaidmore is the Executive Director of the Marin Child Care Council. She was born and raised in Dublin Ireland where she earned her degree in Early Childhood Education. Aideen has spent the past 11 years working in the world of Resource and Referral. She is the Chair of her local First Five Commission; a Commissioner for Marin’s Local Planning Council and a member of the leadership committee of Marin Kids.

 Lola M. Cornish-Nickens, Member At-Large

Lola Cornish-Nickens has worked for Community Resources for Children in Napa County for ten years. Lola began her career with CRC as a referral counselor and is now the R&R Program Manager. She serves on several boards, including Solano-Napa AEYC, the local child care planning council, and the homeowners association. Lola is also working to complete a Bachelor of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education. Lola strives at staying up-to-date in the field by being active in the Network's Data and Technology Committee and the Professional Development Task Force.

 Soledad Viramontes, Member At-Large

Soledad Viramontes is Project Director for the Resource & Referral program at the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), managing both the Los Angeles and Monterey County R&R offices. MAOF is a nonprofit, community-based organization established in 1963 to serve disadvantaged individuals and families in the Los Angeles area. MAOF is one of the largest Latino-oriented, family services organizations in the U.S.

Prior to her work in the nonprofit world, Soledad spent 16 years in banking.

 Kim Morrison, Member At-Large

4Cs of San Mateo County

 Janet Zamudio, Member At-Large

Janet Zamudio has been providing resource and referral information to parents and providers for more than 12 years at BANANAS in Oakland. She currently works as a Resource and Referral Manager. In addition to managing health and safety programs and trainings for providers, Janet also works onsite with child care programs and provides them with assessment and consultation to help them improve their program quality. Janet has worked as a Parent Voices organizer and prior to coming to the R&R world, she worked at a non-profit serving immigrants and refugees on legal issues.

 Jennifer Greppi, Member At-Large

Jennifer Greppi is a single mom of two smart and beautiful girls age 15-18. She is a former CalWorks/Welfare participant who used the program to get the education she needed to become and remain fully self-sufficient. Jennifer is the community organizer for the Southern Alameda County Chapter of Parent Voices a Statewide group that fights for quality affordable child care for all families. Over the last 8 years she has built the chapter into one of the strongest in the statewide group. She also works as a resource and referral coordinator at 4C’s of Alameda County serving families in Southern Alameda County. Jennifer is very involved in the community and serves on many committees and boards as part of her work such as the Alameda County Child Care Planning Council, and a member of the Board of Directors for Parent Leadership Action Network (PLAN).  A vocal advocate for child care, Jennifer is often in Sacramento testifying on behalf of low-income working parents on child care issues. She is committed to working hard to make policy changes that will help all children and families succeed in today’s challenging economy! Jennifer is regularly sought after in the community for her expertise in child development and advocacy and her work with parents is known statewide.   

 Kelly Graesch, Member At-Large

The Resource Connection, Amador/Calaveras County

 Deborah Marius, Public Member, Treasurer

Deborah Marius is an Instructor at, and the Coordinator of, Fresno City College's Child Development Center. She has been a member of the Network's Board of Directors since 2009.

 Justin M. Lichterman, Public Member

Justin Lichterman, JD, is a senior associate in the San Francisco office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliff, LLP. His practice focuses on securities and complex commercial litigation. Justin has also been a judicial clerk for the Honorable Arthur P. Roy, Colorado Court of Appeal. He has served on the Network Board of Directors since 2008.

 Paula Neth, Public Member

Paula Neth is the Family Programs Manager at Google. She has over twenty years of experience in child care resource and referral at both the state and local level. Through her various roles in CCR&R, she brings experience in quality rating and improvement systems, management and support systems for local CCR&R agencies, professional development and career management systems for early childhood educators, public policy, as well as early childhood systems building through strategic partnerships. Paula is a passionate and committed advocate in building strong systems for all families and their young children.

 Saeed Mirfattah, Public Member

Saeed H. Mirfattah, M.A. is an independent consultant and founder of Catalytic Collaborations, a consultancy practice focused on advancing and strengthening the social sector. Mr. Mirfattah's career has included leadership positions at private and public institutions including The Mimi and Peter Haas Fund- a private family foundation in San Francisco, CA.; The Santa Clara County Children and Families Commission and The San Mateo County Children and Families Commission where he designed and managed large scale early care and education initiatives. Prior to these assignments, Mr. Mirfattah managed the Work and Family Program at the California Child Care Resource & Referral Network where he engaged corporate clients in the development of employee work/life programs. Mr. Mirfattah holds an advanced degree in Social Anthropology which he earned from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. He advised organizations nationally and internationally including projects in Israel, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

 Susanne Martinez, Public Member

Susanne Martinez has been involved in advocacy efforts on behalf of women and children for more than three decades. She began her career as a legal services staff attorney at what is now called the National Center for Youth Law in San Francisco, she handled law reform litigation on behalf of low-income children and families.

Beginning in 1977, and for the following 20 years, she worked in the US Senate. She was the Staff Director of the Senate Subcommittee on Child and Human Development (Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee), and later worked for then-Democratic Senate Whip, Alan Cranston (D. CA.), handling a broad range of social justice and civil rights issues. After Senator Cranston’s retirement, she joined the staff of Senator Russ Feingold (D. WI.), serving as his Legislative Director and Counsel.

In 1997, Susanne joined Children’s Defense Fund (CDF), as Senior VP for Policy, and from 2001-2005, served as VP for Public Policy at Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA).

Susanne has published a number of articles on public policy issues affecting women and children. She has served on the boards of the National Family Planning, Reproductive Health Association and Planned Parenthood of Shasta-Diablo, California, and Alliance for Justice, and has also been a member of the California Department of Education’s Statewide Pupil Assessment Panel.

Currently, Susanne is a public policy consultant working with various nonprofit foundations, including the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and The California Endowment.

 Vanna Shir, Board Secretary, Public Member

Vanna Shir is the Director of Human Resources at Triage Consulting Group, a health care consulting firm based in San Francisco. Prior to being appointed the Director, she worked as a consultant where she managed hospital reimbursement review projects across California, Colorado and Washington. Currently, she oversees all HR functions, where she coaches and develops management teams, creates employee engagement strategies, designs compensation and benefits plans, and drives solutions for people success. She holds the professional designation of Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). She has served on the Board of Directors since 2009.

 Sara Bachez, Public Member

CA Association of School Business Officials