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Our Board of Directors

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STEVE KAPLAN

Interim Chair 

Stephen was most recently the director of behavioral health and recovery services for San Mateo County California from June, 2005 to September 28, 2017. He currently does consulting in the areas of strategic planning, policy development, program implementation and evaluation for government and not-for-profit organizations. Stephen spent 30+ years administering publicly funded substance use prevention and treatment and mental health service programs in California. Some of Stephen’s notable accomplishments in San Mateo include the development of a strategic plan and implementation of a federal second chance reentry grant to address community reentry for persons transitioning from jail; and the implementation of jail diversion services for seriously mentally ill adults.  During his tenure as director Stephen led several system transformation efforts. These included improving service delivery for persons with substance use and mental health disorders; and redesigning the substance use treatment system in preparation for health care reform. Stephen holds a Master’s Degree in social work from the university of Michigan, and is a licensed clinical social worker.

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WAYNE YOST

Treasurer 

Joined the board in 2011.  Wayne recently retired as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer for Ravenswood Family Health Center in East Palo, CA.  Wayne has extensive experience in financial management of community hospitals, regulatory compliance, internal and external audit program development, compliance management, financial analysis and investigation.  Wayne is a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner.  He is a member of the California society of certified public accountants, the northern California chapter of healthcare chapter of healthcare financial management.  The American college of forensic examiners and association of certified fraud examiners.  Wayne received a BA in Healthcare administration from St. Mary's College. 

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Jei Africa

Board Member

(He/His/Him)

PsyD, MSCP, CATC-V, Director of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) at the County of Marin, is an innovative thought-leader and experienced clinician who is passionate about integrating effective culturally responsive practices into the core functioning of County health services. An activist and a storyteller at heart, Dr. Africa, believes that love and justice are essential ingredients in transforming people’s lives. 

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Judith Schutzman

Board Member

 Is a former member of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Commission, former San Mateo County Ombudsman.

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Cassandra Wilson

Board Member

Cassandra Wilson worked as a community caseworker with the City of Daly City Service Center and as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor with Women’s Recovery Association for over fourteen years. In her employment at WRA, she developed a group called Life Skills, after review it was added to their program curriculum.

During Recovery Happens month in past years, Cassandra was the Master of Ceremonies at the Breakfast “kick-off,” where she led the march to the courthouse to receive the Proclamation from the Board of Supervisors of San Mateo County. She is currently a part of Soul Stroll’s yearly event “warm up” exercise team.

In 2020, she was recognized for her many years of extraordinary commitment and contributions to her community and individuals recovering from substance use and mental health challenges by Voices of Recovery of San Mateo County with the Steve Kaplan award.

Her passion for service toward individuals with challenges promoted her to seek a higher education.  She loves to see individuals thrive as they become empowered by goal-setting and lifestyle changes as much as she loves being of service at her church. Cassandra holds several degrees and credentials in human service and recently celebrated twenty-three years of continuous recovery from substance use.

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Angie Chen

Board Member

(She/Her/Hers)

Angie Chen has worked at Portola Partners, a wealth management and investment advisory firm since 2019. Prior to joining Portola, Angie was an entrepreneur where she owned and operated a successful bridal business in San Francisco. Previously, she spent five years in various roles at Bank of America / Merrill Lynch, specifically working on the Institutional Equity Derivatives trading desk. In her spare time, she likes to travel with her family, helps out in her community and aspires to become a life coach to help people in need. 

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Angela Lagman

Board Member

(She/Her)

Angela joined the board in 2021 in an effort to be of service during the COVID-19 pandemic. With resources becoming scarce and the noticeable effects of this on community members struggling with addiction and mental health, she felt it was important to dedicate her free time to a cause that is close to her heart. Angela is a Certified Addiction Treatment Counselor with over 10 years of experience working with diverse populations in both the non-profit and criminal legal sectors. She earned her bachelor's degree in Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice at San Francisco State University and went on to complete the Addiction and Recovery Counseling Certificate Program at City College of San Francisco. Angela is currently a Reentry Social Worker at the San Francisco Public Defender's Office, where she passionately fights to promote social justice, criminal justice reform, healing, and transformation within our communities. 

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Melissa Greenfield

Board Member

(She/Her)

"Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it"    Barack Obama

Sobriety birthday August 8th, 2014

Ms. Melissa Greenfield: is a woman in long term recovery. She started her career here at Voices of Recovery as a Recovery Coach, Peer Supporter, and Advanced Level WRAP Facilitator. As a Registered Alcohol and Drug Therapist, Melissa is now is a Supervisor Care Coordinator at HR360. 

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Janice Fernandez 

Board Member

(She/Her/Hers)

Janice Fernandez is a woman with lived experience and is in long-term recovery. Sobriety birthday, is February 13, 2013. Janice is an alumnus of VORSMC. While she worked for VORSMC she was a Recovery Coach, WRAP Co-Facilitator, and a Peer Mentor for the Hope (Helping our Peers Emerge) Program. Janice has been in the behavioral health system supporting peers in early recovery for 7 years. Janice worked with individuals with developmental disabilities as a supervisor, in the Young Adult Independent Living program (18-25) as an Asst Case Mgr and now works for San Mateo County Behavioral Health (BHRS) as a Peer Support Worker II for the Healthcare for the Homeless program on the Crisis and Response Team. Janice is also on CRT (Crisis and Response Team) as a supporter of natural disasters and crises.

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