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Keynote Speaker

Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez, Alameda County

Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez was sworn in as the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County on January 3, 2023.  She is the first woman and Latina Sheriff in Alameda County. 
Sheriff Sanchez started her career with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in 1997.  She worked hard and excelled through the ranks over the course of her 27 years:

Sheriff’s Technician (1997-2001) - Assigned to North County Jail (now the Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility), in Oakland where she tracked and logged the day-to-day activities of the jail.

Sheriff Recruit (2001) - Attended the 117th Academy at the Alameda County Regional Training Center in Dublin.

Deputy Sheriff (2001-2009) - Served as a sworn peace officer, at Santa Rita Jail, on patrol at AC Transit Police Services and  Eden Township Substation, and as a detective at Dublin Police Services.

Sergeant (2009-2013) - First line supervisor at Santa Rita Jail and AC Transit Police Services, and detective sergeant at Dublin Police Services.

Lieutenant (2013-2015) - Served at the Glenn E. Dyer Detention Facility (GEDDF).

Captain (2015-2020) - Served at GEDDF and later within Support Services, managing the Planning and Research, Technology Systems, CALEA, Multimedia and Central Identification Units.

Division Commander (2020-2022) - Oversaw and managed the Santa Rita Jail facility in Dublin.


Speaker

Supervisor Dave Haubert, Alameda County, District 1

During my time in various elected positions, Mental Health has been a top priority.  Making sure that our most vulnerable population throughout Alameda County have access to resources is key.  As a former school board member, Dublin Mayor, and a father of 3, the well-being of children has always been at the top of my list.  During the COVID-19 pandemic it was brought to light the topic and struggle with Mental Health. Mental disorders in children can drastically change the way children learn, behave, or handle their emotions. I wanted to make sure parents are aware and informed. In my role as Alameda County Supervisor, I have hosted town halls for Dublin, Livermore, and Fremont for students & families; this was to inform parents and students of the available programs in their school districts and with the assistance of Alameda County programs. I’m proud to say that I support not only our County programs, but also community based organizations who meet the critical needs of mental health and wellness.

Speaker

Alanna Powell, President & Founder, Boldly Me

Alanna will talk about the impactful partnership between BoldlyMe and NAMI Alameda County South, both working together to meet the needs of our community. Alanna's journey includes being a survivor of Alopecia Universalis, a condition that has required her to develop coping mechanisms to overcome its challenges. Her impressive career in the high-tech industry as a change agent, engineering, and PMO manager for prominent companies like Hewlett Packard, Yahoo!, and Redwood Systems exemplifies her commitment to success and empowerment. Alanna currently manages Cybersecurity/Information Security and SOC compliance programs at Juniper Networks.

Her vision is to help people transcend emotional trauma stemming from differences related to birth conditions, medical treatments, injury, disease, and self-perception. Alanna seeks to empower individuals to embrace their uniqueness, pursue their dreams confidently, and fearlessly be their authentic selves.

BoldlyMe's mission centers on educating, mentoring, and supporting individuals to achieve their full potential while fostering community awareness and individual self-esteem. The organization believes in embracing diversity and celebrating individuality, ensuring that feeling or being different is embraced both by individuals and society.

During her presentation, Alanna will highlight the valuable work that BoldlyMe and NAMI Alameda County South are doing together, serving our community's needs and promoting self-empowerment and acceptance. We are excited to have her share her experiences and insights at our walk.


NAMI Walks Master of Ceremonies

Robert Villanueva, President, NAMI Almeda County South

Robert is a NAMI National IOOV (In Our Own Voice) Trainer of Trainers. Robert has been a key player in establishing IOOV as an integral part of acute care psychiatric hospitals in Alameda County.  That has been met with great success in achieving positive results in improving the quality of patients’ lives by providing peer support and hope.

Robert has trained IOOV presenters throughout the United States.  Robert is a NAMI Peer to Peer program leader and Connection (recovery support group) leader. Robert taught the first NAMI Peer to Peer Class in Alameda County.  Also, Robert is a Peer Mentor for the Mentor on Discharge® program.  Through those and other NAMI consumer involved programs, Robert has been an exceptional asset and influence in expanding consumer involvement NAMI Programs in Almeda County and elsewhere.

In addition, Robert has worked tirelessly both nationally and internationally to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

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