Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Supervisor Carole Groom
Supervisor Dave Pine
Subject: Appointments to the Commission on Disabilities
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for appointments to the Commission on Disabilities:
A) Shirley Moore, for a partial term ending June 30, 2020; and
B) Krista Martinelli, for a partial term ending June 30, 2020; and
C) Florence Wong, for a partial term ending June 30, 2020; and
D) Chelsea Bonini, for a partial term ending June 30, 2020; and
E) Tryn Miller, for a term ending June 30, 2022; and
F) Carlos Fernandez, for a term ending June 30, 2022; and
G) Evan Milburn, for a term ending June 30, 2022.
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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 through San Mateo County.
DISCUSSION:
As per commission bylaws, the terms of members are 3 years, for a maximum of 12 years. Shirley Moore, Krista Martinelli, Florence Wong, and Chelsea Bonini are being recommended for appointments to seats that were vacated mid-term and, therefore, will be appointed for partial terms which represent the remaining years on the vacated seats.
Shirley Moore is a certified Recreation Therapist encompassing extensive work with people with disabilities and the elderly. Also, she was an original member of the Commission on Disabilities when it was named the Coordinating Council on Disabilities.
As a special education attorney/advocate, Krista Martinelli is planning on launching IEP Collaborative, Inc, which aims to secure Bay Area special needs students’ success in inclusive special education programming and to attain grade-level measured Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for its clients.
Florence Wong is a child psychologist and is currently the President of the Burlingame School District’s Board of Trustees. As a member of the school district’s Special Education District Advisory Committee, she organized the annual Ability Awareness & Tolerance Week activities district-wide.
Chelsea Bonini is an attorney, a Personnel Commissioner for the San Mateo County Office of Education, and Founder & Director of snkids.org, an organization dedicated to working toward better outcomes for all special needs kids.
Tryn Miller is a Volunteer Mobility Ambassador for SamTrans who coaches and trains seniors and adults who are disabled to take public transportation.
Carlos Fernandez is a senior in the Palo Alto University Psychology and Social Action undergraduate program. Being a quadriplegic, he has become an advocate in speaking out against the stigmas that society places on individuals with disabilities through involvement in the Spinal Cord Injury Unit of the Palo Alto Veterans Administration and California Children’s Services.
As a person with Apert Syndrome, Evan Milburn has been inspired by the number of people who have helped him with his disability to reach out and help others with disabilities, to be a voice for those who don’t have a voice. He has been active in Special Olympics, the San Carlos Youth Advisory Council, and the Big Wave Project.
These appointments contribute to the 2025 Shared Vision statement of a Collaborative Community. Our diverse population works well together to build strong communities, effective government and a prosperous economy, civic engagement - including voting, public service, charitable giving, volunteerism, and participation in public discussions of important issues - is uniformly high among the diverse population of San Mateo County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.