Advisory Committee

Sixteen (16) representatives from across Merced County accepted invitations to form the County's first Local Aging & Disability-Friendly Action Plan (LADAP) Advisory Committee. They include aging and disability subject matter experts, local policy and services leaders, community advocates, and persons with lived experience. The Committee will meet monthly between January and June 2025 to support the completion of a comprehensive action plan through technical guidance and policy and project prioritization.

Below is the list of Advisory Committee members:

• Adourin Malco, Central California Alliance for Health

• Barbara Hurtado, Central Valley Regional Center

• Bruce Metcalf & Gina Thomas, Merced County Rescue Mission

• Christopher Jensen, City of Merced Parks & Recreation

• Edward Skelton, Merced County Veterans Service Office

• Erick Serrato, Worknet Merced County

• John Ceccoli, Merced City and County Continuum of Care

• Kevin Alvey, Valley Caregiver Resource Center

• Kristina Gardner, City of Atwater

• Linda Smith, Merced County Department of Public Health

• Margaret Buchmann-Garcia, Center of Vision Enhancement

• Morgan Leon, Merced County Office of Emergency Services

• Paul Thao, Merced Lao Family Community

• Serenity Anderson & Mari Bautista, The Bus, Merced's Regional Transit System

• Suzanna Gámez & Lynornces Downum-Hanzal, Resources for Independence Central Valley

• Tiffany Ho, Merced County Planning Division