Your Life. Your Voice. Your Leadership. Join us for the major self-determination conference for the Hispanic community.
Guest of Honor
Sen. Caroline Menjivar
A first-generation American and daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, she is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with a background in social work, emergency medical services, domestic violence advocacy, and nonprofit leadership. Her career has focused on improving public health, mental health, education, and community services. Guided by a lifelong commitment to public service, she advocates for policies that promote equity, inclusion, and support for California families.
Keynote Speaker
Andrew J. Imparato
Nationally recognized disability rights attorney and advocate with over 25 years of experience. He has led major disability policy efforts, including helping secure the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and has worked extensively with bipartisan leaders to advance civil rights, employment, and disability services. As a person with a disability, he brings both professional expertise and lived experience to his advocacy, strengthening research, leadership, and inclusion efforts across the disability community.
Keynote Speaker
Aaron Carruthers
More than 25 years of experience in civil rights, public policy, and government leadership. He has led statewide initiatives focused on housing, employment, safety, and disability inclusion, including efforts to phase out subminimum wage and expand access to critical resources. As a person with disabilities, the child of parents with disabilities, and the parent of a son with disabilities, Carruthers brings both professional expertise and lived experience to advancing equity and opportunities for Californians with developmental disabilities.
Featured Presenter
Michi Gates
She has held leadership roles at North Bay Regional Center, Kern Regional Center, and currently serves as the Chief Deputy Director of Program Services at the California Department of Developmental Disabilities, where she works to strengthen services and support for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families across California.
Special Presenter
Marlene Morales
Also serves as the Self-Determination Program Ombudsperson. In these roles, she supports the implementation of California’s Self-Determination Program, helps resolve concerns from participants and families, and works to improve access to person-centered, community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
🟦 CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE
● 7:30 a.m. Exhibitor, Sponsor & Presenter Set-Up
Begin your UNIDOS journey by connecting with families, self-advocates, professionals, and community partners from across California. Explore resources, innovative programs, and community spaces while experiencing the warmth, culture, and hospitality that define UNIDOS.
● 8:00 a.m. Registration
Breakfast • Exhibits • Mariachi • ICC La Leyenda
Opportunity to network and visit the exhibitors table, Micro-Enterprises, SDP and Wellness Rooms.
🟫 RAÍCES: Uniting Our Community
● 9:00 a.m. Opening Ceremony • Conference Oath
Every movement begins with a shared purpose. Celebrate our journey, embrace our community, and join us as we commit to building a more inclusive California.
● 9:10 a.m. La Leyenda
Discover the story behind ICC and How a united community’s journey became a movement that now empowers thousands of families across California.
● 9:25 a.m. Sponsor Recognition
Celebrate the organizations and partners whose commitment helps expand opportunity, equity, and inclusion.
🟥 LIDERANDO – Collaboration and Commitment
● 9:35 a.m. Keynote • Aaron Carruthers, SCDD.
Gain a statewide perspective on leadership, advocacy, and the opportunities before California’s IDD community.
● 10:00 a.m. DDS Directives and priorities • Michi Gates, DDS
Hear the latest statewide initiatives, priorities, and innovations shaping the future of developmental services.
● 10:15 a.m. Practices that Generate Results, Connecting Resources, Strengthening Supports:
A Person-Centered System • Regional Center Executive Directors Leadership Forum Regional Center Directors discuss collaboration, innovation, and practical solutions for improving equitable access to services.
● 10:50 a.m. Collaboration and Commitment:
A Dialogue to Protect Rights Keynote • Andy Imparato, DRC
Explore how civil rights, inclusion, and strong public policy continue to strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act.
● 11:30 a.m. Guest of Honor • Senator Caroline Menjivar
Hear how legislative leadership can strengthen services, expand opportunities, and improve outcomes for Californians with disabilities.
🟨 CELEBRANDO COMUNIDAD – Who’s the Boss?
● 12:00 p.m. Lunch • Mariachi • Premio Fresita
Community Celebration: Celebrate Latino culture through food, music, fellowship, and recognition while strengthening relationships across our community.
🟩EMPODERAMIENTO – A Future With Purpose: Ensuring the Protection and Well-Being of Our Community
● 1:00 p.m. Self-Determination Program Update, Marlene Morales, DDS Learn about important Self-Determination Program developments and practical strategies for expanding access and participation.
● 1:20 p.m. SDP Leadership Roundtable
Hear from statewide experts discussing solutions for improving accessibility, consistency, transparency, and implementation.
● 1:55 p.m. I Heard it Through the Grapevine… • Financial Management Services Leadership Forum
Meet California’s leading Financial Management Services providers and discover how strong partnerships support successful self-determination.
🟧 TRANSFORMAR
● 2:40 p.m. ICC Project Expressway – Pilot Project with VMRC and the VMRC LVAC
Learn how collaboration and innovation are helping families transition into Self-Determination more efficiently.
● 2:50 p.m. LO NUESTRO
Launch: California Values Framework
Be part of the launch of a shared vision designed to unite California’s diverse disability community around common values.
● 3:00 p.m. Launch: HEART, Honor & Equity – Advocates of the Round Table
Witness the launch of California’s newest leadership initiative dedicated to preparing the next generation of self-advocates, family leaders, and community champions.
● 3:10 p.m. Paving the Way to the Future • Self-Advocate Leadership Panel
Hear powerful stories directly from self-advocates and siblings as they share their experiences, hopes, and vision for the future.
● 3:45 p.m. Closing Celebration
Celebrate new friendships, shared learning, and a renewed commitment to advocacy as we continue building stronger communities together.
● 4:00 p.m. Networking
The conference may end, but the movement continues. Connect, collaborate, and become part of a growing statewide network.
Featured Panelist
Dr. Jesse Weller is the Executive Director of the San Gabriel and Pomona Regional Center. In this role, he leads the delivery of services for more than 18,000 individuals with developmental disabilities. As a licensed clinical psychologist, he uses his experience to manage complex operations, oversee budgets, and expand programs such as Self-Determination. Additionally, he acts as the primary liaison between the community and the California Department of Developmental Services to ensure compliance with regulations and reduce equity gaps in service.
Jonathan is a collaborative leader who has spent his career advocating for individuals with developmental disabilities and the families who support them. He is guided by the belief that strong relationships are the foundation of effective service delivery, and he works to ensure that regional center systems are accessible, responsive, and grounded in person-centered values.
In his current role, Jonathan partners closely with staff, vendors, and clients and their families to strengthen communication pathways, reduce barriers to timely services, and improve access to needed services and supports. He is deeply invested in developing staff capacity, empowering clients and families, and creating organizational cultures in which all members of the community are respected, supported, honored, and recognized for their diverse contributions and valued services.
Jonathan’s work reflects a commitment to excellence, dignity, equity, and the lived experiences of the people served by California’s developmental services system. He envisions a case management process that is complementary to the individual’s own life and gives them both control and ownership of their contributions and their life decisions. He brings a thoughtful, grounded perspective shaped by years of listening to, and learning from the people our system serves.
Jane Borochoff is the y Executive Director of Westside Regional Center based in Culver City, California, where she serves as the chief executive for a $660 million non-profit corporation with over 300 employees working together to listen, inform and support individuals with developmental disabilities living on the west coast of L.A. Previously, Borochoff served as Executive Director of Educational Programs Inspiring Communities, Inc., in Houston for over 20 years. She founded The H.E.A.R.T. Program (www.heartprogram.org) in 2006 where she currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors.
Kate Kinnamont is the Associate Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Center. She has been with SDRC for over 27 years and has held numerous positions at SDRC including Intake Service Coordinator, Program Manager, Manager of Intake Services, Regional Manager, and Director of Client Services. She was promoted to Associate Executive Director in May of 2022. Kate has a Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Development. She earned a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Nonprofit Management Solutions in 2018 and completed the prestigious Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders at Stanford University Graduate School of Business in May of 2026.
Alex Marquez is the Self-Determination Program (SDP) Manager at the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC). He has worked in the Regional Center system for multiple years, specializing in SDP since its early implementation, including the initial soft rollout and lottery selections through the program’s continued growth and development. Alex has extensive experience supporting individuals and families with person-centered planning, budgets and spending plans, service implementation, and navigating the SDP process.
In his role at SCLARC, he has helped develop SDP trainings and community outreach efforts designed to increase awareness, understanding, and participation in the program, including Independent Facilitator drop-in office hours and community roundtable discussions. Alex is passionate about making SDP more accessible and helping individuals and families use self-determination to create meaningful lives and greater opportunities for community inclusion. He also brings a background in USA Swimming and adaptive aquatics, with a strong interest in recreation, inclusion, and meaningful community participation for individuals of all abilities.
Will Leiner is a Managing Attorney at Disability Rights California (DRC), leading the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Practice Group within the Legal Advocacy Unit. He specializes in civil rights, community integration, and systemic reform for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities
Dr. Vivian Haun is a Senior Policy Attorney in the Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Practice Group at Disability Rights California (DRC), where she leads legislative and budget advocacy to improve home and community-based services. A graduate of the UCLA School of Law, she specializes in California’s developmental services system, special education law, and expanding competitive integrated employment for individuals with disabilities. Dr. Haun utilizes her extensive policy expertise and personal background to eliminate administrative burdens and foster equity within California’s regional center network.
Christofer Arroyo is the Deputy Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the California State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD), where he spearheads legislative analysis, state budget tracking, and systemic policy change to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With over 34 years of dedicated experience working closely with English- and Spanish-speaking communities, he previously served as the Regional Manager for SCDD’s Los Angeles office. In that former capacity, he led extensive advocacy, training, and capacity-building initiatives spanning seven regional centers and nearly one hundred educational agencies across Southern California.
Miguel Larios is the Director of Community Services at the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) and has been with the organization for more than 15 years. During his tenure, he has served as a Bilingual Service Coordinator, Evaluation Specialist, Program Manager, Regional Manager, and Assistant Director of Client Services for Early Childhood. Miguel holds a Master’s degree in Education and is committed to advancing high-quality, person-centered services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
David Webb-Rex is Community Services Manager at the San Diego Regional Center (SDRC), where he leads the team supporting Financial Management Services within the Self-Determination Program — helping ensure participants and families have what they need to direct their own services. He brings more than fourteen years of experience serving people with developmental disabilities, including several years working directly with participants and families across San Diego and Imperial Counties as an SDP Program Manager, Participant Choice Specialist, and a Service Coordinator. A credentialed Education Specialist, David is committed to advancing independence, inclusion, and the long-term stability of the Self-Determination Program.
Cesar Garcia is the Director of Clinical Services at South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC) and has dedicated more than 30 years to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Beginning his career as an Early Start Service Coordinator, Mr. Garcia has served in a variety of leadership roles, including Program Manager, Assistant Director of Client Services, and Director of Client Services. Today, he provides leadership for SCLARC´s Clinical Services Department, including Early Start, Intake, clinical specialists, and the McClaney Family Resource Center.
Mr. Garcia is passionate about partnering with families and promoting self-determination, inclusion, and meaningful community participation. He believes that individuals and families are the experts in their own lives and is dedicated to supporting them in navigating services, exercising choice and control, and building lives that reflect their values and aspirations. His collaborative leadership style, deep knowledge of California´s developmental services system, and commitment to equity have made him a trusted resource for families, community partners, and professionals alike.
Connie and Harvey Lapin are the renowned co-founders of Disability Voices United and pioneering disability rights advocates who helped write and pass California’s historic 2013 Self-Determination Program law. Inspired by their son Shawn’s autism diagnosis in 1970, they spent over five decades building national and local support networks, including serving as leaders for the Autism Society of America and founding Jay Nolan Community Services. Through university lectures, legislative testimony, and state advisory roles, they successfully led the grassroots campaign that transformed California’s regional center network to grant individuals true control over their own service budgets.
David Ellis is the General Manager at Cambrian Financial Management Services, where he leads operational strategy to support individuals navigating California’s Self-Determination Program. He oversees the organization’s Financial Management Services ensuring that participants with developmental disabilities can seamlessly access state-allocated funding while maintaining full personal autonomy. Throughout his tenure, Ellis has focused on driving regional program expansion, streamlining billing workflows, and scaling specialized teams to bridge structural service gaps between independent service providers and regional center budgets.
Olaf Luevano is part of the RitzFMS team, where he specializes in community outreach, marketing, and directly helping individuals and families navigate the Self-Determination Program (SDP) in both English and Spanish. He builds relationships with community partners and provides guidance to help participants and families maximize their SDP experience.
Before his current role, Olaf served as the Program Director for Ritz Vocational, where his team helped many individuals increase their independence, improve safety awareness, develop daily living and workplace skills, and obtain competitive, integrated employment.
Olaf is passionate about creating opportunities for people with disabilities to live more independent lives, make their own choices, and become active members of their communities.
PPL is a leading FMS provider that helps Medicaid and government program participants manage payroll, employment taxes, and budgets for in-home, self-directed care.
Victor Lira is the President of Support Services at Aveanna Healthcare, where he leads the operational and strategic direction of the company’s regional center services and programs. He oversees divisions that deliver critical assistance to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including financial management services, respite care, and personal assistance programs. With over two decades of healthcare leadership experience, Lira previously served as the Vice President of Regional Center Services at Premier Healthcare Services before joining Aveanna Healthcare in 2018. He leverages his extensive background in program expansion, regulatory compliance, and community advocacy to streamline service delivery across California regional centers and enhance autonomy for participants.
Peyman Dadmehr is an attorney, entrepreneur, and co-founder of ACE FMS. More importantly, he is a parent who experienced California’s Self-Determination Program firsthand while navigating services for his own family.
After seeing the challenges families faced with complicated processes, outdated technology, and limited access to support, Peyman and his wife, Sara, founded ACE FMS with a simple goal: build the kind of FMS they wished had been available to their own family.
Drawing on his background in law, technology, business, and operations, Peyman has helped build ACE around innovation, transparency, accessibility, and exceptional service. He remains actively involved in the SDP community and is passionate about making Self-Determination easier for participants and families to navigate.
Rob Selvin is a Support Broker and Regional Manager at GT Independence, where he oversees advocacy and independent support services for individuals navigating the Self-Determination Program. He assists participants with developmental disabilities in designing personal service plans, managing individual budgets, and recruiting independent staff. Drawing on his extensive experience within California’s regional center network, Selvin focuses on reducing service equity gaps and ensuring families have the guidance needed to maximize their autonomy. He works closely with community stakeholders to streamline the transition from traditional care models to participant-directed services.
AllWork Platform Services is entering California as a new Financial Management Services provider for the Self-Determination Program, bringing an Employer of Record model backed by proven experience and a track record, not a trial run. Leading that work is Program Director Jessica Mercado, who brings more than five years of experience in the Self-Determination Program and over a decade in Regional Center FMS and home care services, including prior roles with national FMS providers GT Independence and PPL.
She’s spent her career in this work, not learning it from the outside, and she’s building AllWork’s California presence around the same belief that’s guided her the whole way: families deserve real support, not just a platform and a login. AllWork Platform Services is proud to bring that standard to California, and glad to be joining the community it’s built to serve!
Tony Venzor is the Regional Operations Director of SequoiaSD. He has been working in the healthcare field for over 20 years. He joined the AssuranceSD team in 2023 (the parent company of Sequoia) and shortly after helped open the SequoiaSD office in California. He is grateful for the opportunity to help the families and participants in the Self Determination Program in California as he believes that self determination is the future of healthcare services. He is determined for his entire team to do the best job possible for all current and future SequoiaSD participants and families!
Gavi Gershov is the Managing Director and Co-Founder of TrueCare FMS, where he leads the strategic direction and operations of the organization’s Financial Management Services. He focuses on assisting participants and families navigating California’s Self-Determination Program, ensuring they can seamlessly manage their individualized funding allocations. Through his leadership, Gershov collaborates closely with independent facilitators and regional centers across the state to streamline employer-of-record models and maximize participant autonomy.
Vanessa Ochoa is a Latina advocate at Disability Rights California who, inspired by her daughter’s autism diagnosis, has spent 13 years supporting Spanish-speaking families and immigrants with disabilities. In her current role, she connects the organization with community leaders and works to break mental health stigmas within the Latinx community while sharing her passion for singing.
Nuna Atadja is a Public Affairs Manager at Waymo, where she leads community engagement, communication strategies, and public relations initiatives to support the expansion of autonomous vehicles. Operating out of the Los Angeles area, she spearheads localized awareness campaigns and educational demonstrations designed to help the public, including seniors and local communities safely understand and adopt autonomous ride-hailing technology ahead of new regional launches. She holds a degree from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst and utilizes her expertise in public communication to build trust and navigate local regulatory and community landscapes for the company.
Mr. Jesse Rocha has dedicated nearly three decades to the South Central Los Angeles Regional Center (SCLARC), beginning his career in 1997 as a Service Coordinator and advancing through a series of leadership roles, including Fair Hearing & Complaints Coordinator, Program Manager, Assistant Director, Director of Children and Adult Services in 2018 and currently the Director of Adult Services.
Throughout his tenure, he has played a key role in strengthening services and supports and case management operations, including the development and implementation of SCLARC’s Smart Chart case management system to improve efficiency and ensure compliance with state and federal requirements. Alongside the other SCLARC Directors, Mr. Rocha oversees support services for more than 24,000 individuals and their families, providing leadership to case management units and a team of more than 500 staff members. He collaborates closely with the Executive Director, Board of Directors, state agencies, and community members and stakeholders to develop policies, maintain regulatory compliance, and advance person-centered support and services. Mr. Rocha represents SCLARC at statewide meetings and serves as a liaison with California’s Department of Developmental Services.
Teodoro (Ted) Bilbao was promoted to Chief of Case Management for SCLARC’s Department of Children and Adult Services on March 1, 2019. Over the course of 28 years at SCLARC, he has held several leadership and service positions dedicated to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities.
Mr. Bilbao began his career at SCLARC as a Service Coordinator in the Department of Children and Adult Services, where he developed extensive experience in case management, service coordination, and advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Through his dedication, strong leadership skills, and commitment to quality services, he was promoted to Quality Assurance Specialist and later to Senior Quality Assurance Specialist within the Department of Community Services. In these roles, he was responsible for reviewing service delivery practices, ensuring regulatory compliance, conducting program evaluations, and supporting initiatives designed to improve the quality and effectiveness of services throughout the agency.
Recognizing his expertise in both direct services and organizational leadership, Mr. Bilbao returned to the Department of Children and Adult Services as a Program Manager, where he supervised a traditional case management unit and provided guidance and support to Service Coordinators serving a diverse population of individuals and families. He was later selected to lead the Specialized Services Unit (SSU), a highly specialized program responsible for supporting some of SCLARC’s most complex and vulnerable individuals.
Through his progression from Service Coordinator to Chief of Case Management, Mr. Bilbao has demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership, program development, and the continuous improvement of services for individuals with developmental disabilities. His broad experience across multiple departments has provided him with a comprehensive understanding of regional center operations and has equipped him to effectively support SCLARC’s mission and strategic goals.
Elizabeth Espinosa is a multilingual, two-time Emmy Award-winning reporter for KTLA.
Elizabeth’s passion for storytelling has taken her across the hemisphere and into some of the world’s most treacherous regions. Most recently, Elizabeth produced and hosted a special report about disabled and abandoned children in El Salvador. In addition, she co-hosted and co-produced “Forgotten Footprints: The Hunted Children of Uganda,” a 30-minute special, which received an Emmy for highlighting the crisis in East Africa
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