Adrian-Ryan Acala
West Hills College, Lemoore

Adrian was born in the Philippines and grew up in the United States. He is 20 years old and is currently attending West Hills College with plans to transfer to UC Merced or UCLA as a biochemical engineer. After graduating, he would like to go to graduate school for biochemical engineering or nanotechnology. This last summer, he was interning for Assemblywoman Nicole Parra and has been previously affiliated with the Great Valley Center’s CATAPULT program, Lemoore’s Youth Advisory Commission and Boy Scouts.

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Honorable Rene Aguilera
Caltrans, Roseville

Rene was born and raised in Roseville, Placer County. He works for the California Department of Transportation, Civil Rights Program and serves on the Neighborhoods U.S.A. (NUSA) National Board of Directors.  He also serves as a chair for the Festival de la Familia and on the Cultural Arts Committee of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and was a Delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, MA.  He is one of two Latino elected official from Placer County on the Roseville City School Board. Rene serves on the Placer County Central Democratic Committee, as a Board Member of the California Latino School Boards Association, and is a member of the California School Boards Association.  Rene also serves as President of the Hispanic Empowerment Association of Roseville (HEAR), where he coordinates the Cesar E. Chavez Youth Leadership Conference and Cinco de Mayo and Hispanic Heritage Month Fiestas. 

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Oscar L. Cabello
Wells Fargo, Modesto

Oscar is Vice President of Wells Fargo’s Community Development Department for the Central California Region. He came to Modesto six years ago by way of Monterey County, where he started his career with Wells Fargo.  When he relocated to the Central Valley 13 years ago, with his wife Brenda and their four children, he knew he had found his home. Working directly with the Wells Fargo Foundation, Oscar manages approximately 2 million dollars worth of giving. He currently sits on a number of Boards and Advisory Committees between Modesto and Fresno and is currently enrolled at Modesto Junior College where he is continuing his education.

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Koua Cha
Central Valley Health Network, Fresno

Koua Cha was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, his family resettled in Fresno in 1983.  Koua graduated from Fresno State University with a double major in Public Administration and Chemistry and a certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. As an AmeriCorps*VISTA with the Central Valley Health Network Koua is responsible for redesigning new clinical operations for outpatient care. He was a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar at the Center for Health Disparities Solutions at John Hopkins University and an Administrative Intern at the Henry Ford Hospital through the University of Michigan.  As a Ronald McNair Scholar, Koua conducted research with California’s hospitals and underserved communities.  He serves on the Board of Directors for the Volunteer Center of Fresno County and Fresno Barrios Unidos.

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Donald Chase
City of Chico, Chico

Donald Chase was born and raised in Chico, California. Upon completion of high school, he enrolled at Butte Community College then transferred to California State University, Chico, where he received his B.A. in Public Administration.  Through college, he worked in the residential construction and civil engineering fields.  In his final two semesters, he interned with the City of Chico Planning Services Department, gaining first-hand exposure to many community land-use planning issues. Donald is now working for the City of Chico as a Planning Technician, providing support services for a comprehensive general plan update.  Donald is an avid outdoor recreation enthusiast, and enjoys spending time with his wife, family and friends enjoying nature and good conversation.  

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Camila Chavez
Dolores Huerta Foundation, Bakersfield

Camila is the Executive Director of the Dolores Huerta Foundation, a non-profit based in the Southern San Joaquin Valley.  She was born in Bakersfield, California and raised at the UFW Headquarters of La Paz where the ideals of non-violence, selfless motivation and personal responsibility were instilled in her by her parents Richard Chavez and Dolores Huerta. After graduating from Mills College she returned to her Valley roots to create change and make a difference.  Camila has volunteered for the United Farm Workers Union, is Co-president of MECHA y Mujerers Unidas, a Board Member for La Pena Cultural Center in Berkeley, and is the Co-founder of the Chicana Book Club.

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Mayra Chavez
UC Merced, Delano

Mayra Chavez was born in Mexico and raised in Delano, CA. She attends UC Merced and is pursuing a B.A. in Political Science. Mayra works as a student assistant for the Financial Aid and Registrar Department at UC Merced and serves on the Student Affairs Advisory Committee. After graduating from UC Merced she will pursue her masters degree in Political Sciences with an emphasis in International Relations.

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Jacquie Davis-Van Huss
North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, North Fork

Jacquie grew up in North Fork, the exact geographical center of California. She is a Sierra High School graduate and obtained her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies at National University. She is currently the Tribal Chairperson of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians which is the State of California’s fifth largest tribe. Jacquie currently serves on the Indian Health Services CATAC, the Blueprint Regional Advisory Committee, California Nations Indian Gaming Association By-Laws and Legislative Committees and also the CalTrans Native American Advisory Committee.  Her focus is on her tribe’s economic development project just outside of the City of Madera and to bring cultural awareness to the Central Valley. Her son Marc, 23, is a Crane Valley HotShot Firefighter for the US Forest Service. In her spare time, she attends NBA basketball games in various cities and enjoys spending time with her family and her circle of friends.

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Honorable Amarpreet "Ruby" Dhaliwal
City of San Joaquin, San Joaquin

Ruby was born and raised in Punjab, India. In 1983 at the age of 20, he migrated to California and completed a B.S. in Business Administration from Fresno State University and passed the CPA exam. He has operated a small business in San Joaquin for over 15 years and has been married to Raj for 20 years. Ruby is the father of two daughters, Pawanpreet, who is a junior at Harvard University, and five-year-old Jasleen, who is in kindergarten at San Joaquin Elementary School. Ruby believes that improving your life as well as the lives of those around you is a self rewarding phenomenon. As a long time citizen and current mayor for the City of San Joaquin, he is trying hard to do just that. Ruby enjoys soccer, hiking, skiing and mountain biking.

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Stephanie Ford
Sacramento County, Sacramento

Stephanie trained under the Child Abuse Prevention Council and Community College Foundation Family Development Program where she received her credentials. Stephanie graduated from University of the Pacific with a B.S. in Human Services and is currently completing her Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy with an emphasis in community counseling. She joined Sacramento County in October 2004 with the Oak Park Multi-Service Center. Stephanie became Program Coordinator for the food program outreach and has served as a citizen’s academy member, collaborative board member, parent advisor and MDT facilitator. Stephanie has experienced a wide range of community involvement throughout the Sacramento area. Stephanie’s commitments continue to encompass team building, cooperative planning, community involvement and development, financial responsibility and lastly respect for cultural diversity. Stephanie sees herself as just a small part of a larger village.

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Honorable Melissa Hunt
Curves, Anderson

Melissa Hunt was born and raised in Shasta County, California.  She has a Master of Arts degree in Education.  She taught elementary education for fourteen years.  Looking for a challenge and more experience in the business world, she left her teaching career and now manages a business in Anderson. She spent 16 months on the Federal Grand Jury in 2005-2006 and was appointed to the Anderson City Council in January 2007.  She volunteers as a fundraiser for YMCA PlusONEMentors of Shasta County, helps out with the Toys from the Heart toy drive and the Anderson Cottonwood Christian Assistance food drive. Melissa is also involved at her church by singing on the worship team.

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Bernice Kao
Fresno County Library, Fresno

As a career coach at the Fresno County Library, Bernice Kao has launched many innovative job training programs and has provided helpful career development services. She established the first, and an award winning, career center in a public library in the Central Valley. Most of her trainings focus on on-line job searching, resume writing, and behavior based interviews (BBI). Bernice earned a Masters Degree in Library Science from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland after she came from Taiwan to America for Graduate School on a full scholarship.  The professional lives of Bernice and George, her husband, have led them to work and live in Ohio, Minnesota, Florida, Alabama, Illinois, and California.  They love their home in Quail Lake in Clovis, because since 2002, they've said, once and for all, “good-bye Chicago snow!"

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Darla Mills
CAL FIRE, Fresno

Darla’s family immigrated to the Great Valley from Oklahoma in the 1930s and 1940s, bringing with them a love of the land and a desire to make a better life for themselves and their families. She was born and raised in the northern end of the Great Valley and now resides in Fresno, California. She has worked for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since 1987 as an Urban Forester.  At the age of 35 she returned to college in 1995 to finish her Bachelor’s of Science in Forestry (BSF) and now posesses a love for trees, nature, and the outdoors.  Darla likes to read, knit, crochet, cook, garden and enjoys sharing her harvests with friends and neighbors, whether it is flowers, vegetables, an afghan, or a casserole.  She is a volunteer at Camp Smokey and the Forest Products Commission booth at the California State Fair, and has conducted Forestry Merit Badge workshops for Boy and Girl Scouts.

In the 1860s, six generations ago, Brian Rouch’s family migrated to Tulare County.  Brian graduated from Porterville High School in 1997 and went to Vancouver, British Columbia to study Political Science and Philosophy at Trinity Western University.  Upon graduating from his undergraduate studies, Brian went on to Boston College for graduate study in Political Science with a research emphasis in energy policy.  His research in energy policy inspired him to pursue a career in green energy and carbon mitigating design measures.  In his free time, Brian enjoys community service and exercise.  He is a member of the Visalia Breakfast Rotary, Visalia Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee, City of Visalia Smart Growth Task Force, Chairs the City of Visalia Environmental Committee, and College of the Sequoias Arts and Lectures Committee.  In August 2006, Brian founded YouthSki, a youth development program that makes skiing free for disadvantaged and at risk youth.  When not engaged with a service project, Brian enjoys rock climbing, snow skiing, and white water kayaking.

Erica Tootle
Sequoia Riverlands Trust, Visalia

Erica Tootle is the Communications Coordinator for Sequoia Riverlands Trust, a nonprofit, community-based land trust in Visalia that works to conserve the natural and agricultural legacy of the southern Sierra Nevada and San Joaquin Valley. A native of Edgerton, Ohio, Erica and her husband, a Visalia native, relocated to Visalia in June 2007. Erica graduated magna cum laude from Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, where she studied advertising management and received the Outstanding Graduating Senior award for her major. Erica is aunt to six nieces and nephews in Visalia and Strathmore, and enjoys spending time with family, attending live musical performances, cooking, traveling, and being in nature.

Dennis Wallace
Habitat for Humanity-Golden Empire, Bakersfield

Dennis Wallace has served as the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity-Golden Empire in Kern County, California since 1997.  He has worked in different capacities to provide opportunities for low income families to achieve homeownership for nearly thirty years. He began working with farm worker communities in Ventura County and throughout the years, his vocation has allowed him to work many places in the world including Belize, Paraguay, Guatemala, Panama and Washington D.C. Dennis is a Vietnam veteran.  He attended the University of San Francisco on the GI Bill where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Human Relations and Organizational Behaviors. He has been married for twenty-nine years to Connie, and they have three children, eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.

Paul Wallace
G bar N Veterinary Clinic, Newman

Paul Wallace was born in San Diego. He received his Bachelor’s Degree, from UC Davis in Ag Science and Management, and his Master’s Degree from CSU Fresno in Plant Science. Paul is the Practice Administrator at G bar N Veterinary Clinic in Newman, California. Previous positions include Chief Financial Officer for Milt Wallace Video, in San Francisco, and the Pest Control Advisor for Naumes Orchards in Marysville. He has also raised cattle, walnuts, almonds, and drives trucks. Paul lives in Newman, with his wife, Cathy and 9 year old daughter, Molly.  His hobbies include woodworking, hunting, fishing and target shooting.