Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Jackie Speier, District 1
Supervisor Lisa Gauthier, District 4
Subject: Appointments to the Commission on Disabilities
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for the following appointments to the Commission on Disabilities, effective July 1, 2026:
A) Julia Rubin, representing Community At-Large, for an initial term ending June 30, 2029; and
B) Ava Marie Romero, representing Developmental Disabilities Community, for an initial term ending June 30, 2029; and
C) Maria Katrina Paz, representing Sensory Impaired Community, for an initial term ending June 30, 2029; and
D) John Ulrich, representing Community At-Large, for an initial partial term ending June 30, 2028; and
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BACKGROUND:
The Commission on Disabilities is an advisory body to the Board of Supervisors, providing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in, and influence the development of, public policy that promotes the full integration of people with disabilities in their communities. Members of the Commission are dedicated and committed to improving the quality of life for people with disabilities throughout San Mateo County.
On January 27, 2026, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 081638 updating bylaws specifying the responsibilities and membership and standing rules of the commission, for criteria and reducing its membership from 21 to 15 voting members, and confirming its voting members as representatives of utilizers and providers of service of the following six (6) categories: 1. Developmental Disabilities Community; 2. Physically Disabled Community; 3. Mental Health Community; 4. Sensory Impaired Community; 5. Other Disabilities and 6. The Community At-Large.
DISCUSSION:
Julia Rubin is being recommended to serve representing the Community At-Large on the Commission on Disabilities (CoD), for an initial full term effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029 on a seat formerly held by Katie Murdock, resigning with her first term ending June 30, 2026.
Ava Marie Romero is being recommended to serve representing the Developmental Disabilities Community on the CoD, for an initial full term effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, a seat vacated by Robert Hall after maximum years of dedicated service on the CoD since his appointment began in 2013.
Maria Katrina "Kat" Paz is being recommended to serve representing the Sensory Impaired Community, for an initial full term effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2025 on a seat formerly held by Julie Stamm, who resigned.
John Ulrich is being recommended to serve representing the Community At-Large on the CoD, for an initial partial term ending June 30, 2028 on a seat formerly held by Trynn Miller, who resigned mid-term after approximately seven years of service.
Julia Rubin is a resident of Menlo Park in San Mateo County Supervisorial District 4 and serves as Director of Teaching and Learning at Crystal Springs Uplands School, where she leads professional learning, curriculum development, and instructional innovation for more than 50 educators. An educator and school leader with over two decades of experience spanning elementary, secondary, and higher education, Julia has dedicated her career to creating inclusive learning environments that support the success of all students. She has served in a variety of leadership and governance roles, including strategic planning, board service, teacher development, and cross-functional initiatives that bring diverse stakeholders together to build consensus and drive meaningful change. Julia brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her service on the Commission on Disabilities. As the parent of a young child on the autism spectrum, she has firsthand experience navigating disability services, special education systems, and the complex processes families often encounter when seeking appropriate supports. Her experiences as both an educator and advocate have deepened her commitment to accessibility, inclusion, and equitable opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families. Born and raised in San Mateo County, Julia is honored to give back to the community that helped shape her and is committed to ensuring that residents of all abilities have the opportunity to thrive.
Ava Marie Romero is a competitive cook, podcast host, author and product demonstrator. Her prior worked includes Camp Via West as staff member as counselor and as program aide, culinary demos for persons with disabilities, seniors and families. Ave Marie will be the first celebrity chef to be sworn in to follow her dad, a former South San Francisco Planning Commissioner, as the civic prodigy and was an alternate for the West Winston Manor Community Association prior to this work. She is a resident of South San Francisco with an interest in special education resources and support.
Maria Katrina "Kat" Paz is the founder of LeapGround, a small digital marketing agency based in San Mateo, dedicated to creating accessible websites, social media posts, videos, and documents. Her path to disability advocacy is personal. Kat's only sibling, Gerry, opened her eyes to a truth: physical and virtual systems, infrastructure, and documents which most take for granted were built without the disability and aging communities in mind. She realized that designing with accessibility is not charity but is for the benefit of all. Kat holds a master's degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and spent over two decades in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry before connecting with parents, business owners, advocates, and artists across the disability community. She is also the chief curator of Trailblazing and Transforming: Success Stories of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities, an anthology featuring twelve business founders across five countries. Kat resides in San Mateo, California in Supervisorial District 2.
John Ulrich is a long-time local resident of San Mateo, having attend local grade school and Serra High School. He received his undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley and medical degree from UCSF. John’s work history includes practicing general medicine for several decades. In the early 2000’s, he received certification in clinical trials and worked in patient studies within the biotechnology industry. He supplemented this work with teaching science at the community college. His experience also included working with persons with physical and developmental disabilities. Over nearly ten years, John has worked at the local city library in San Mateo and also worked for a time as a book seller at a local bookstore. His volunteer experience includes several years of coaching grade school basketball and participating in a local service organization. John has volunteered at health fairs for seniors and assisted with delivery of donated groceries within the local community. His interests include trivia team, hiking, fitness and sports activities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.