Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Neal I. Taniguchi, Court Executive Officer
Subject: Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission Appointment
RECOMMENDATION:
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Recommendation for three appointments to the Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Commission:
A) Steve Grieb for an initial partial term ending December 31, 2025; and
B) Tiffany Uhila-Hautau for an initial partial term ending December 31, 2026; and
C) Ruchi Mangtani for an initial partial term ending December 31, 2026.
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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 Delinquency Prevention Commission.
DISCUSSION:
With the recommendation of the Juvenile Judge Susan Irene Etezadi, Presiding Judge Elizabeth K. Lee has appointed Steve Grieb, Tiffany Uhila-Hautau and Ruchi Mangtani to the Juvenile Justice Commission for the term prescribed by law. Steve Grieb is being recommended for appointment to a seat formerly held by Rebecca Flores, for an existing partial term ending on December 31, 2025. Tiffany Uhila-Hautau is being recommended for appointment to a seat formerly held by Allen Bustos, for an existing partial term ending on December 31, 2026. Ruchi Mangtani is being recommended for appointment to a vacant seat formerly held by Austin Willis which expired on December 31, 2022; Ms. Mangtani will therefore fill a new partial term ending on December 31, 2026. This is a request that the Board of Supervisors appoints the above-listed commissioners to the Delinquency Prevention Commission.
Steve Grieb moved to San Mateo earlier this year after retiring from a distinguished career as General Counsel to the Kansas Supreme Court, during which he was legal counsel to three Chief Justices over 12 years. After an earlier career in finance, Steve’s experience as a CASA volunteer in Kansas inspired him to return to law school and pivot to a career in law. Along with his CASA experience, Steve worked as an administrator with the Citizen Review Board of the family court system in Lawrence, Kansas, which monitored every child in the child welfare and juvenile justice system, to ensure they received the services they needed. His experience supporting youth and working with the judiciary inspire his desire to become a JJDPC Commissioner to advocate for youth in the juvenile justice system and continue to improve the administration of juvenile justice in San Mateo County. He is currently volunteering with Project READ at the San Mateo Library, and with the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission (JJDPC) as an Education Skills Attainment project volunteer, and is a member of the 2023-24 cohort of the SMC Civics 101 Academy.
The JJDPC Membership Committee was impressed by Steve’s exceptional legal background, proven commitment to advocating for youth and his positive, life-long learner attitude.
Tiffany Uhila-Hautau is a lifelong resident of SMC and resides in East Palo Alto. She is the executive director of Anamatangi Polynesian Voices, and daughter of Mama Dee Uhila. Tiffany’s commitment to deepening the connections and resources allocated to the community of East Palo Alto and advocating for youth inspires her desire to join the JJDPC. With a strong background in health education and cultural relevancy, Tiffany believes in the power of connecting families with their cultural identity and benefiting from strengthening family culture. She is the founder of The Parent Project, and has experience advocating for youth and raising awareness of alternative and restorative practices and cultural-based healing and restoration. Tiffany has experience working with YMCA, Stanford Healthcare Community Council, and is a founding board member of both East Palo Alto Community Archive and Junior Golf. She has worked with the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and with BHRS as a member and partner for over 15 years.
The JJDPC Membership Committee was impressed with Tiffany’s commitment to continuing to build on her parents’ remarkable legacy of service to their community, honoring cultural heritages, and finding individualized opportunities for youth to keep them out of the juvenile justice system and help them thrive.
Ruchi Mangtani is currently in her junior year of high school at the Menlo School, and became interested in prison rights reform efforts on a local level after conducting research into the national history of the prisoner rights movement and prison reform. Ruchi has organized several book drives to provide books to prisoners, and also organized workshops on prison reform. Over the past summer, Ruchi traveled to Norway to study the prison system there on a grant from the Hand Foundation. As a spokesperson on Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s Student Advisory Board, Ruchi led a subgroup in writing a policy proposal regarding the need to improve HVAC systems in federal prisons, and is also working on a proposal to reduce sentencing for simple drug possession convictions, substituting incentives to enter treatment programs in lieu of jail time. Ruchi is inspired to join the JJDPC by her experience in partnering with local schools and nonprofits and working with youth to raise awareness around criminal justice reform and providing safe space and support for youth with incarcerated family members.
Ruchi is also an active volunteer with the European Prison Education Association, Wisconsin Books to Prisoners, is an ambassador for One Prosper International (leading teaching efforts for underprivileged girls in India), and has worked with Safespace Youth Action Board, a mental health advocacy nonprofit.
The JJDPC Membership Committee was impressed with Ruchi’s skills in research and writing, her strong work ethic and commitment to learning and advocating for prison reform and youth and prisoner rights, and her proven ability to think globally and act locally.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.