Make a Difference

Meet the DPAC Team

There’s a lot of different people working behind the scenes to make things happen at DPAC. The reason why we’re able to do what we do is because of the hard work and dedication of our staff.

DAY PROGRAM staff

instructor

Marlee Aloe

“I won 1st place during a cheerleading champion competition with a broken wrist.”

instructor

Levi Brown

“I don’t like seafood.”

day program manager

Josiah Cheslik

“I’m the proud dad of a newborn daughter.”

instructor

Brandon Dean

“I’ve skydived in Monterey, California.”

instructor

Kent Edmond

“I’m a political buff.”

instructor

Josie Harmount

“I’ve been to 47 states!”

instructor

Austin Hill

“Both sides of my family are adopted.”

instructor

Theo Jensen

instructor

Hobart Kane

“I can fold my ear inside the lobe!”

instructor

Andrew Mercado-Fabila

“I love to read manga and comic books.”

instructor

David Murray

instructor

Monica Torres

“I love to collect DC comics.”

instructor

May Vargas

“I’ve visited Barcelona and Lisbon.”

instructor

Haroon KHan

“I ride 132 miles a week on my bike.”

instructor

Stephen Vollmar

“Dodgers fan since the 1980s.”

Supported employment program staff

Supported Employment Program Manager

Roz Ramos

“I love the ocean, I surf at 4am everyday!”

Executive director

Executive Director

Lisa Gonzales

“I bleed blue! I’m a hard-core Dodgers FAN!”

our board

Our board members are the driving force behind everything we do at DPAC. They help keep us on track and guide us to become the best deafplus adult day community center in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.

Sheli Barber

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Vanessa Brown

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Nancy Eddy

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Stefanie Ellis Gonzales

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Brad Hatton

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Patrick Osullivan

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Julie Rems-smario

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Tom St. Dennis

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Many thanks to Our sponsorship

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Address

  • 5437 Central Ave, Suite 4, Newark, CA 94560

Phone

  • +1 (510) 556-2750

Email

  • info@deafplus.us

© 2021-2022 DPAC Deaf Plus Adult Community. All rights reserved | crafted & produced by dozanü innovations

Sheli Barber

Ms. Barber is a Deaf psychotherapist, licensed in California, working for Deaf Counseling Center. She obtained her Master’s degree in mental health counseling from Gallaudet University. Upon graduating from Gallaudet University, Ms. Barber worked as a therapist at Sound Mental Health in Seattle, Washington for five years. She then worked as Direct Services Coordinator and as a counselor with Seattle’s Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services (ADWAS), where she specialized in working with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Ms. Barber has presented at schools and conferences in the Deaf community, covering numerous mental health issues, including Cyberbullying, Sexual Harassment, Conflict Management Skills and Positive Parenting. She also co-authored a chapter in the book, Psychotherapy with Diverse Deaf Clients on Treating Sexual Survivors. In addition to working for Deaf Counseling Center, Ms. Barber is an Adjunct Faculty at Ohlone College where she teaches courses such as Counseling the Deaf and Mental Health Interpreting.

Vanessa Brown

Vanessa Brown, M.Ed., DPAC Board President and Co-Founder, has a vast amount of administrative experience working in non-public special education school settings and has been an active Board member for several community agencies focused on enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. Vanessa Brown is a parent of a deaf plus adult and has extensive professional and personal experience mentoring and training families to successfully navigate the education, health and social services systems. Ms. Brown has developed programs for deaf children and other children, youth/adults with special needs and/or other diversity needs. Currently, Ms. Brown is the Transition Services Coordinator for an accredited special education high school providing families with the tools and resources to identify appropriate post-secondary program options. Ms. Brown was awarded the 2018 Educator of the Year Award from the BRIDGES from School to Work Program for her outstanding dedication and commitment to working towards addressing the employment barriers for youth/young adults with disabilities.

Nancy Eddy

Nancy Eddy is the retired DPAC Executive Director and co-founder of the program.  She has the experience as a parent to her adult child’s lifetime of deafness and developmental disabilities, advocate, friend and ally to other consumers and their families.  Her training and professional qualifications include:  BA in Social Science, elementary teaching credential, 5 years with Friends of Children with Special Needs where she developed programming and supported living opportunities for deaf and hearing participants, and 10 years with bay area family resource centers helping with families who had children with special needs find their way through the complex support systems.  We are very proud that Ms. Eddy received a 2016 Jefferson Award by KPIX television.   In 2018, Nancy was recognized by Assemblymember Kansen Chu as a Community Hero and given a commendation by Newark Mayor Alan Nagy.  The award Nancy is most proud of is DCARA’s Cares Award given in 2019 for Deaf community service.

Stefanie Ellis-Gonzales

As a parent of a Deaf Plus adult, Stefanie has a vested interest in increasing education, resources, advocacy, and networking opportunities for professionals and families of Deaf Plus children and adults. Stefanie works at Ohlone College as a Counselor in the Deaf Studies Division, providing academic and personal guidance for Deaf, hard of hearing, as well as hearing students in the ASL and Interpreting programs. Stefanie also provides consulting and training services to companies that employ Deaf individuals, with a focus on creating innovative strategies to increase access, enhance communication and ultimately create stronger partnerships in the workplace. She also has a background in teaching, presenting, and writing. Stefanie holds a BA degree in Psychology with Summa cum Laude honors from Gallaudet University, a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from San Francisco State University, and a Pupil Personnel Services Credential from San Jose State University. She and her husband, Len Gonzales, reside in the glorious Bay Area with their third-generation Deaf children. She enjoys spending time with family, visiting flea markets, being in nature/camping and traveling and her daily dark chocolate (the darker, the better!).

Brad Hatton

Brad Hatton graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in Transformative Leadership.  Dr. Hatton has served his community as a Realtor for over 30 years. He serves on the Washington Hospital and Ohlone College Foundations.  SSG Hatton is also an active member of the California State Guard.  He spends his free time at home cooking up a storm and manicuring the backyard.  As a DPAC board member, Brad believes in collaborating with his peers to seek out better solutions and stronger outcomes for DPAC stakeholders.

Patrick O'Sullivan

Patrick is responsible for leading the development, implementation and support of information systems at one of the world’s leading philanthropic organizations, as well as for identifying emerging IT opportunities to meet the ambitious strategic vision of the organization. Patrick holds a bachelor’s of science degree in computer science from Long Beach State. A native of southern California, he resides with his family in Redwood City where he enjoys trail running, travel, and attending concerts and music festivals.

Julie Rems-Smario

As the Early Language and Education Programs Consultant, I work at the California School for the Deaf with the CORE Division. My work includes distributing SB 210 Deaf children’s language milestones, assessing young Deaf children’s ASL skills, supporting families of Deaf infants and young children, and training Early Start professionals (Part C). I have two master’s degrees, the first one from California State University, Northridge, and the second one from San Francisco State University. In 2020, I successfully defended my dissertation at the California State University, East Bay.

Tom St.Dennis

Thomas St. Dennis is a retired executive from the semiconductor industry. He serves on the board of FormFactor Inc, Axcelis Technologies and Veeco Instruments as well as several start up businesses. Mr. St. Dennis holds an M.S. in Physics and a B.S. in Physics from University of California, Los Angeles.