About Ann
Ann is passionate about figuring out solutions to better serve people with developmental disabilities and their families. At The Kelsey, Ann focuses on the Inclusion Concierge Program – designing housing and inclusion services for people with and without disabilities to access inclusive affordable housing that is centered on the residents’ goals for community living. Ann brings a unique perspective as a family advocate with 30 years of lived experience supporting her family members with complex disabilities. And 20 years of professional experience developing and managing person-centered community health projects through cultural humility lens (meeting people where they are at!)
Ann’s diverse professional experience includes serving as a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) fellow at the UC Davis MIND Institute, Santa Clara County Public Health Policy Aide for County Board Supervisor Ken Yeager, Program Director at the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), Statewide Assistive Technology Project Coordinator and Grants Administrator for the CA Department of Rehabilitation, and as a Board Member for the statewide advocacy organization Disability Voices United.
Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Master of Science in Health Care Administration and Change Management from California State University East Bay, and a professional certificate in Assistive Technology from California State University Northridge. During leisure time, these days, you can find Ann tinkering around in the kitchen to discover the perfect meals and desserts that won’t stress out her body, discovering a good podcast, show, or movie to unwind, and attempting DIY projects to improve her shared living space with her partner and two rescued cats.
What part of The Kelsey’s mission are you proudest to be part of / support?
I am proudest to support and be a part of building “Opportunity through Inclusivity – opening new doors to more opportunities for everyone”.
What does it mean to you to be Disability-Forward? Why does it matter?
Disability-Forward to me means that we value, include, and center on the perspectives of people with disabilities to build bridges at the intersections of historically and systemically marginalized communities to advocate and create more access, choice, and care that is focused on self-determination of the person with disabilities. This matters because if we are not building services and systems that are disability-forward then we cannot successfully capture the diversity of our community and their needs to realize our goal of opening new doors to more opportunities for everyone.