Advisory Council Member Biographies

This position is currently vacant.

John Gardner is Executive Director of Triad Leadership Group. He has 40+ years of executive level management and leadership experience and is a Life Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He is a former President of Toast Masters International (Westlake Village) and serves on the advisory council of CFA Foundation. He is actively involved in the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce and is on the Advisory Council on Aging for the City of Camarillo.

This position is vacant.

Connecting people to the services they need is Ari Larson's passion. She is currently the president of the Rotary Club of Fillmore, former president and current board member for the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley, and Soroptimist International Camino Real Region District 1 Director. She is married to Peter Larson and has two Chihuahua-mixes named Penelope and Cleo. In her spare time she enjoys reading and belongs to a few book clubs.

Sandy Fide retired from the Southern California Gas Company in November 2009, having worked various positions in her 40 years of service. For more than 14 years, she has enjoyed volunteering as an usher for the Thousand Oaks Civic Theatre. She sings with the Forever Young Singers from the Goebel Senior Center in Thousand Oaks, entertaining the elderly at many area retirement homes. Sandy enjoys seeing her three grandsons who live in Fresno.

Breeze Zuckerman was born in Israel, moved to the US in 1996, and has been living in Ventura County since 1999. She served in the IDF as an Operation Officer and has background in law, journalism, and psychology. She volunteered in various organizations and now looking forward to contribute to the well being of the aging community in Ventura County.

Deirdre Daly is the representative for the City of Ojai.

Bill Nugent's professional life involved 38 years of law enforcement. He spent 9 years with the Port Hueneme Police Department, 22 years with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and 8 years with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. Bill and his wife of 61 years have two children. He is currently is a board member for Help of Ojai, a counselor for the Heath Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program and an AARP income tax preparer.

Resident of West Ventura County since 1967, Clark Owens was an area realtor for 45 years. He serves on the Oxnard Senior Services Commission for a new senior center. As co-chair of the VC Coalition of Home Modification, he helped seniors and adults with disabilities continue to live independently. He has also held roles on the Ventura Planning Commission, was Chairman of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, and served as President of the Ventura Board of Realtors.

Alice Frost Sweetland was born at Lying Inn Hospital in Oxnard. She has volunteered with St. John’s Hospital Auxiliary for almost 50 years, served on the Board of St. John’s Healthcare Foundation, and belonged to VC Forty Leaguers. She is chair of the Oxnard Senior Services Commission and the coordinator of a speakers’ bureau of senior citizens for the VCOE. A recent widow after 52 years of marriage, she spent most of her married life in Oxnard. Alice has 3 children and 2 grandchildren.

The City of Port Hueneme has a vacant position on the VCAAA's Advisory Council. For more information about the application process please contact Anna Hanely at ahanely@cityofporthueneme.org.

The City of Port Hueneme has a vacant position on the VCAAA's Advisory Council. For more information about the application process please contact Anna Hanely at ahanely@cityofporthueneme.org.

Vacant

Dr. Maria Munguía Wellman, LISW, LCSW has served as clinical staff at the University of New Mexico Children’s Psychiatric Center, and as Assistant Professor at New Mexico Highlands University. She taught human diversity/multicultural theory, clinical practice, and qualitative research at NMHU. She remains committed to the ongoing interdisciplinary study, practice, and teaching of identity, community, and culture.

More information to come.

Carol Martin was selected to represent the City of Simi Valley.

Loretta graduated with her Masters in Nursing from UCSF (University of California San Francisco Medical Center). She has had a rich career in nursing from staff nurse to Nursing Administration - starting new projects. Since 1982 she has been involved in all aspects of the Electronic Health Record. She served on the Council on Aging for Thousand Oaks for 6 years, currently she is involved with the Conejo Valley Village.

Stephanie Belding has been a Ventura County resident for more than 40 years. She currently serves as a Commissioner and vice-chair for the Thousands Oaks Council on Aging. She is a retired school teacher with nearly 40 years dedicated to serving students in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

This seat is currently vacant.

Suz Montgomery is a passionate advocate for seniors to stay engaged in living. She is on State Senator Hannah Beth Jackson’s select committee on Aging, was appointed as a lobbyist of the VC AARP, and established the nonprofit Extended Learning Academy. As an older adult educator, she created ENCORE, a free senior computer training program that gives seniors skills for employment. She makes visits to care homes and hospitals, runs errands for those in need, and so much more.

Smita Dandekar enjoys teaching ``Yoga for Wellness`` classes in the Simi Valley Senior Center. As a retired person, she works with the members of the VCAAA Advisory Council and volunteers to help seniors in any way she can.

The position is currently vacant.

Martha Shapiro, LCSW, is director of programs for Senior Concerns, overseeing the Adult Day Program and the Caregiver Support Center, ensuring participants are treated with dignity and respect to maximize quality of life. She earned a Master’s in Social Welfare from UCLA and holds a License in Clinical Social Work. Martha serves on the LGBT Aging Coalition of Ventura County, Ventura County Compassionate Care Coalition, and Dementia Friendly Ventura County.

Mike Williams is president of Grey Law of Ventura County Inc. He is a graduate of Alan Hancock College and CSU Fresno. He served in the Coast Guard from 1970 to 1973, and joined Grey Law in 1979 before becoming president and director in 1981. Mike has served as a commissioner for the Ventura County Housing Commission and has held a regular role as an instructor at the Ventura College of Law, He maintains a private law practice that is limited to Estate Planning and Probate.