Suzanne Anderson, MA, MS, is Human Services Specialist and Career Connections Facilitator for the Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance; and Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Gerontology at California State University, Sacramento. She has spent the past twenty years involved with community and statewide organizations advocating for older adults and their families.
Steering Committee
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Catheryn Koss, JD, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Gerontology Department at Sacramento State University where she teaches courses on aging policy and research methods. She has an Anthropology BA from Smith College, a law degree from Oklahoma City University, and a doctorate in Gerontology from the University of Kansas. Her research interests include elder abuse, advance care planning, and diminished capacity. Catheryn is a member of the Gerontological Society of America and a former Borchard Foundation Center on Law and Aging Fellow. Locally, she serves on the Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commission and the Agency on Aging Area 4 Advisory Council. Renita Polk, PhD, is dedicated to advancing policies that protect and empower older adults and individuals with disabilities. As Deputy Director of Aging, Disability, and Older Adult Services at CWDA, she leads statewide advocacy and collaborates with counties to develop equity-driven solutions that promote safety, independence, and dignity. With extensive experience in legislative advocacy and program design, Renita brings a strong commitment to elder justice and a collaborative approach. She also holds a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, which informs her evidence-based approach to policy development. James Treggiari, JD, MSW, is the Adult Protective Services Administrator for the California Department of Social Services. Previously, he was the Executive Director at Legal Assistance for Seniors (LAS). He has spent his career focused on assisting clients from disenfranchised communities including seniors, homeless individuals and families, transgender youth in Los Angeles and dually diagnosed adults in New Hampshire. |
Donna Benton, PhD, Chair, is a Research Associate Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. She is also the Director of the USC Family Caregiver Support Center (FCSC) and the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center (LACRC). Her research focus is on the development of online evidence-based interventions for family caregivers to improve mental and physical health and wellbeing and prevention of elder mistreatment. Kelly Marnfeldt, PhD, MSG, recently completed her Doctorate in Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the RISE Collaborative. RISE works with Adult Protective Services and community members to advance a restorative justice approach to elder abuse and self-neglect. Her work uses implementation science, fidelity assessment, and qualitative research to understand how the RISE model can be replicated and successfully implemented across diverse community contexts and settings. Maureen Sullivan, JD, is an attorney and older adult advocate with WEAVE, Sacramento County’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization supporting survivors of various types of abuse. She currently serves as a Commissioner for the Sacramento Aging and Adult Committee, and the Sacramento County Financial Abuse Working Group. Maureen was staff to First Lady Hillary Clinton’s Health Care Task Force tasked with researching Medicare Fraud and Abuse. Maureen remained in DC for a few years representing nonprofit homes and services for older adults. Since arriving in Sacramento, Maureen has served in many roles and organizations addressing health care and aging issues. |
Molly Davies, LCSW, is President and CEO of WISE & Healthy Aging, and has been a Long-Term Care ombudsman for over 20 years. Alicia Morales, MA, is the Director of the Adult and Long-Term Care Division / Public Guardian-Conservator for Santa Cruz County. Prior to this role, Alicia worked as the Director of the Division of Aging and Adult Protection for Alameda County. She currently sits on the Elder and Disability Justice Coordinating Council, an appointed position under the California Master Plan for Aging initiative. She has previously served as the President of the California State Association of Public Administrators, Public Guardians and Public Conservators (CAPAPGPC) and co-chair of the Protective Services Operations Committee (PSOC), in addition to other leadership roles and participation in several statewide subcommittees. Alicia earned a BA in Psychology from the University of California, San Diego, and an MA in Psychology from Pepperdine University. Jason Sullivan-Halpern, JD is the Director of the CA Long Term Care Ombudsman Association, which represents all 35 local LTC Ombudsman Programs across the state. Jason is a seasoned nonprofit professional, and has worked on a variety of complex social, economic, and environmental issues impacting vulnerable adults. He obtained his JD with an emphasis in advocacy and public interest law from The Pennsylvania State University in 2021 and was the former Editor-in-Chief of the Penn State Journal of Law & International Affairs. |
Staff
Donata Bohanec, Executive Director, has spent over 15 years working in the non-profit and public sector developing programs and promoting community engagement. She has served on CEJC's Steering Committee since 2022. Prior to coming to CEJC, she was the Elder Justice Coordinator at the non-profit Senior Advocacy Services where she led Sonoma County’s Elder Justice Initiative. She earned her Bachelor’s in Anthropology from UC Berkeley and a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco. |
Carol Sewell, Policy Director, is the Coordinator of CEJC's A*TEAM and directs CEJC's statewide network of local multidisciplinary teams. Prior to coming to CEJC, she served as the Legislative Director of the California Commission on Aging, where she supported the Commission’s advocacy work on a broad range of policy issues and helped secure passage of multiple laws promoting elder justice and increase the Legislature’s knowledge and awareness of elder justice concerns.
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Christine Damonte, CEJC Coordinator, has worked for CEJC since 2015. Prior to joining CEJC, Christine worked in the human resources field for 15 years.
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