Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Jeniffer Alcantara, Interim Court Executive Officer
Subject: Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for appointments to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission, each for an initial partial term ending December 31, 2028:
A) Kelly Delaney; and
B) Chelsea Bonini.
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BACKGROUND:
For the efficient and effective statutory compliance of the review of juvenile operations in this county, the Court and the Board have agreed that the appointees by the Court to the Juvenile Justice Commission are appointed concurrently by the Board of Supervisors to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission. Historically, the County’s practice has been to have candidates for Commission membership identified by the County or by the Commission membership. The Court then reviews, appoints, and recommends concurrent appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
DISCUSSION:
This is a request that the Board of Supervisors appoint the above-recommended commissioners to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission.
With the recommendation of the Juvenile Presiding Judge, Susan Jakubowski, Presiding Judge Stephanie G. Garratt does not object to and recommends to the County of San Mateo the appointment of Kelly Delaney and Chelsea Bonini to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission for the term prescribed by law.
These appointments are for initial partial terms effective upon approval of this memorandum and ending on December 31, 2028. Kelly Delaney is being recommended to a seat formerly held by Kenneth Williams, who resigned prior to his December 2028 term expiry. Chelsea Bonini is being recommended to a seat formerly held by Eugene Jackson who resigned prior to his December 2024 expiry.
Dr. Kelly Delaney is a lifelong San Mateo County resident who grew up in San Bruno and currently serves as the Education Director at Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS) in Half Moon Bay. With more than two decades of experience as a K-12 educator and teacher educator, she has dedicated her career to expanding educational opportunities for Latino students, farmworker families, and underserved communities throughout San Mateo County, bringing an important Coastside perspective to the Commission.
Dr. Kelly Delaney has presented on countering systems of oppression, fostering inclusive learning environments, and advancing culturally responsive teaching practices. Her work focuses on supporting English learners and multicultural education, with particular emphasis on the Cultural Wealth Model. Through her leadership at ALAS, she advances educational equity by partnering with farmworker families and connecting students with mentorship, advocacy, educational resources, and community support.
Dr. Delaney has also taught at Camp Glenwood and facilitated restorative practices courses at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's San Quentin prison, bringing extensive experience working with justice-involved youth and adults. Her background in research and data analysis, combined with her commitment to dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, reflects her dedication to advancing equitable systems and improving outcomes for vulnerable youth.
Dr. Delaney earned a Doctor of Education in International and Multicultural Education with a Human Rights emphasis from the University of San Francisco. She also holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction and Teaching Credentials from Notre Dame de Namur University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley.
She served as the keynote speaker at the inaugural Prevention in Action Conference in January 2026, where she helped advance meaningful dialogue on educational equity and youth development. We are confident that her expertise and deep understanding of the needs of our Coastside communities and farmworker families will make her a tremendous asset to the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commissions and to the youth and families we serve.
Chelsea Bonini serves as the Area 4 (San Mateo) Trustee on the San Mateo County Board of Education, President of the San Mateo County School Boards Association, and a member of the San Mateo County Democratic Central Committee. She also serves on the California School Boards Association Delegate Assembly and planning committees for statewide conferences.
An educator, attorney, and longtime San Mateo County leader, Chelsea brings more than three decades of professional and lived experience in education, public policy, and community service. She has dedicated her career to expanding equitable educational opportunities and improving outcomes for students with disabilities, at-promise youth, and system-impacted young people. Her longstanding record of public service includes serving as a San Mateo County Office of Education Personnel Commissioner, San Mateo County Behavioral Health Commissioner, San Mateo County Commission on Disabilities Commissioner, and Trustee of the San Mateo-Foster City School District. She has consistently championed student-centered, strengths-based approaches to improving educational access, mental health services, disability rights, and opportunities for children and families across San Mateo County.
Chelsea also played an instrumental role in the success of our inaugural Prevention in Action Conference in January 2026. We are grateful for her partnership and know she will be a tremendous asset to the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commissions and to the youth and families we serve.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.