Meet our Advisory Council! If you’re interested in getting involved, please visit our Become a Member page.
Chairperson
Suz Montgomery
Chairperson
City of Ventura
City of Ventura
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.
Past Chairperson
Antoinette Olson
Immediate Past Chairperson
City of Simi Valley
City of Simi Valley
Antoinette “Toni” Olson spent her career in nursing and healthcare, retiring from Los Robles Medical Center as Director of Acute Rehabilitation. Toni became a volunteer with the Simi Valley Police Department in 1999 and was Volunteer of the Year in 2011. She’s a member of the SV Council on Aging, FBI Infragard information sharing team, Simi Valley Unified School District Independent Oversight Committee, and is an Amber Alert volunteer.
City of Camarillo
Dr. Allen Zatkin
City of Camarillo
Dr. Allen Zatkin was selected to represent the City of Camarillo.
This position is currently vacant.
John Gardner
City of Camarillo
John Gardner is the representative for the City of Camarillo.
City of Fillmore
Rebecca Morales
City of Fillmore
Rebecca Morales is the representative for the City of Fillmore.
Ari Larson
City of Fillmore
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.
City of Moorpark
Sandra Fide
City of Moorpark
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.
Vacant
City of Moorpark
This position is currently vacant.
City of Ojai
Deirdre Daly
City of Ojai
Deirdre Daly is the representative for the City of Ojai.
Bill Nugent
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.
City of Oxnard
Clark Owens
City of Oxnard
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 Sweetland
City of Oxnard
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.
City of Port Hueneme
Vacant
City of Port Hueneme
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
City of Port Hueneme
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.
City of Santa Paula
Vacant
City of Santa Paula
Vacant
Dr. Maria Munguia
City of Santa Paula
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.
City of Simi Valley
Antoinette Olson
City of Simi Valley
Antoinette “Toni” Olson spent her career in nursing and healthcare, retiring from Los Robles Medical Center as Director of Acute Rehabilitation. Toni became a volunteer with the Simi Valley Police Department in 1999 and was Volunteer of the Year in 2011. She’s a member of the SV Council on Aging, FBI Infragard information sharing team, Simi Valley Unified School District Independent Oversight Committee, and is an Amber Alert volunteer.
Carol Martin
City of Simi Valley
Carol Martin was selected to represent the City of Simi Valley.
City of Thousand Oaks
Loretta Allen
City of Thousand Oaks
Loretta Allen is the representative for the City of Thousand Oaks.
John Posta
City of Thousand Oaks
John Posta graduated from George Washington University with degrees in engineering and law. He served as US Patent Office Examiner and owned a private practice specializing in patents and trademarks for 40 years. After retiring, Posta moved to Thousand Oaks in 1993. He currently serves as a Commissioner on the Goebel Senior Center Commission, a Commissioner on the Thousand Oaks Council on Aging, and is active in the Conejo Senior Volunteer Program.
City of Ventura
Lori Harasta
City of Ventura
Lori is a longtime advocate for seniors, providing support through teaching, residential placement, and implementing educational events. Besides serving on the Advisory Council, Lori is secretary for the Ventura Council for Seniors, current Co-Chair and immediate past Chair of the Elderly Fall Prevention Coalition of Ventura County, past Chair of the Healthy Living for Individuals 55+ Committee, and member of the Ventura County Evidence-Based Health Promotion Coalition.
Suz Montgomery
City of Ventura
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.
Supervisorial Appointees
Vacant
BOS District 1
This position is currently vacant.
Aleta Buckelew
BOS District 2
Aleta Buckelew chose to leave her career in law to help care for her mother who was living with Parkinson’s Disease. She now helps care for her 94-year-old aunt. Aleta and her fiancé find great joy singing for older adults and veterans living in local assisted living and nursing facilities.
Bill Cunneen
BOS District 3
Bill Cunneen is a retired Navy Officer who served as a pilot and technical manager. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Physics. In retirement he became a caregiver for his wife who became an invalid in 2006 and died in 2013. He represents County Supervisor Kelly Long on the Advisory Council and is involved in adapting the Ventura County educational system to develop the workforce of the future.
Smita Dandekar
BOS District 4
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.
Joyce Pinkard
BOS District 5
Joyce Pinkard is appointed by the Board of Supervisors as a senior representative.
Service Provider Representatives
Martha Shapiro
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
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.
Focused Population Representatives
Dani Anderson
Disabilities
Dani Anderson is Executive Director of the Independent Living Resource Center. She has worked in state, federal, and nonprofit disability advocacy for more than a decade, with focus on community education of disability pride and improving communication. She is Chair of the Governor appointed California State Rehabilitation Council, and past member of the Calif. Advisory Commission on Special Education.
Sue Tatangelo
Family Caregiver
Sue Tatangelo has more than 25 years’ experience in developing and implementing programs and services to improve quality of life for vulnerable older people and their family caregiver. With a master’s in Organizational Management and grad of the VC Leadership Academy, she is Chief Resource Officer for the Camarillo Health Care District, where she championed the development of the Wellness and Caregiver Center.
Marcy Sherbok
LGBT
Marcy Sherbok has served as an activist in Ventura County since the early 1990’s. Along with her participation on the VCAAA's Advisory Council, she helped launch the VCAAA Foundation as secretary of the Board of Directors. Marcy is actively involved with the Ventura County LGBT Aging Coalition, working to improve services to the county's LGBT community. Marcy and her soulmate Joan have been together for 23 years and celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in July 2018.
Vacant
Mental Health
This position is currently vacant.
Sylvia Taylor Stein
Veterans
Sylvia Taylor Stein is Executive Director of Long Term Care Services of Ventura County Ombudsman Program. She serves on the board of the Calif. Long Term Care Ombudsman Association and is a member & former officer of the National Association of Local LTCO. She is a member of Consumer Voice and CANHR Least Medicating Team and chairs the Committee for an Independent State Ombudsman, sponsor of SB 345, LTCO Program Independence and Improvement Act of 2012.
Vacant
Consumer
This position is currently vacant.
Vacant
Medical Provider
Sylvia Taylor Stein is Executive Director of Long Term Care Services of Ventura County Ombudsman Program. She serves on the board of the Calif. Long Term Care Ombudsman Association and is a member & former officer of the National Association of Local LTCO. She is a member of Consumer Voice and CANHR Least Medicating Team and chairs the Committee for an Independent State Ombudsman, sponsor of SB 345, LTCO Program Independence and Improvement Act of 2012.
California Senior Legislators
Karen Gorback, Ph.D.
Karen Gorback, Ph.D., is a retired dean from the Ventura County Community College District and taught in the Graduate Schools of Education at CLU and CSUN. Karen is commissioner on the Thousand Oaks Council on Aging and volunteers with the Conejo Valley Village and KCLU Radio. She was crowned 2015 Ms. Senior Ventura County and is enjoying an encore career as a writer. Karen loves teaching Memoir Writing at Conejo Valley Adult School and promoting re-entry education and writing.
Tony Gitt
Tony Gitt is Director and Treasurer of Conejo Valley Village and is a Commissioner on the Thousand Oaks Council on Aging. He serves as chairperson of the Conejo Valley Unified School District Measure I Bond Oversite committee. During his career in aerospace, Tony developed the original military GPS receivers as well as inertial navigation systems for commercial and military aircraft. He rose to the level of Vice President of Programs at Litton Aero Products.
Senior Legislator
This position is currently vacant.