Governing Board

Michael Harris

Chair

Michael Harris is coming on as our Governing Board Member. He has a background in human behavior, psychology and senior care. He is a dedicated Board Member in various other organizations like Center For Elders Independence, Marin Community Clinics, Marin Housing Authority, and The San Francisco Foundation. Also, he serves as a Supervisor/Counselor for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Michael does it all and his articulate and personable leadership skills with excellent program management, strategic planning and operational oversight abilities will make him an exceptional Board Member.

Beth Gray

Vice Chair

Beth Gray joined the PA Marin Governing Board in December 2017. She is an IHSS recipient and has a strong desire to improve the quality of the program and upgrade the benefits offered to the IHSS providers.
Beth is a Psychiatric Clinical Nursing Specialist with a Masters in Nursing. Her sub-speciality is in trauma and she has created and presented over 30 workshops for students and providers on the effects of trauma and abuse. In 2007, she was part of a five person panel invited to speak on trauma at the United Nations for the International Commission on the Status of Women. When her son was young, she was involved with the developmentally disabled community. Beth conducted a workshop for nurses about the various resources available to these individuals at a time when resources were not connected as they are today. She has also fostered medically fragile infants.
Beth worked for the University of California in San Francisco as a faculty member and a training coordinator. She also worked for San Francisco General Hospital as a Psychiatric Nurse. She currently resides in Novato, CA with her two kitties Princess and Precious.

Eli Gelardin

Member

Eli Gelardin serves as the CEO for the Marin Center for Independent Living (Marin CIL). He has over 17 years of experience working in the field of disability justice. During his 13 years of leadership, the small grassroots organization has expanded capacity to serve a diverse community of over 1500 individuals with disabilities (including older adults) every year. Marin CIL prioritizes equal access and racial equity.
Marin CIL plays a key role in supporting community members in accessing long term services and supports through “One Door” across their lifespan. To expand this hubs & spokes strategy Marin CIL partners with local healthcare payers as well as other safety net providers and community-based organizations. In 2019, Marin CIL and the County of Marin’s Aging and Adult Services established California’s 6th designated Aging and Disability Resource Connection.
In 2020, Marin CIL launched Powered & Prepared which provides personal preparedness planning and resources (including high voltage batteries and temporary housing) in response to the increasingly disproportionate impact climate change has on individuals with access and functional needs. Since the start of the pandemic, Marin CIL has been at the forefront of COVID response working closely with County government to provide an array of services, supports, and advocacy. Eli translates his personal experience into his professional roles. He served as a two-term Governor appointee to the California State Independent Living Council (Chair from 2013-2014). Locally, Eli serves on the boards of the Aging Action Initiative, the Marin IHSS Public Authority, and the World Institute on Disability. Eli lives in the Bay Area with his family. He honors the memory of his daughter, Oliva, every day through his work.

Carolyn Shulman

Member

Carolyn is a dedicated professional with a multifaceted career spanning across various sectors, from global brand marketing to social services advocacy. With a profound commitment to community welfare and a proven track record in strategic leadership and change management, Carolyn has made significant contributions to organizations both locally and internationally.

In her role at Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS), Carolyn serves as a Case Manager in the Multiservice Senior Program (MSSP), providing comprehensive support to vulnerable seniors in Marin County. Her dedication to ensuring the well-being of the elderly population is reflected in her adept management of case files and coordination with community resources.

In her prior career, Carolyn held impactful roles at leading companies such as Cisco, where she served as Global Brand Marketing Leader for Webex. There, she led the development of a new brand platform and established impactful partnership strategies, showcasing her ability to drive brand innovation and social impact. Additionally, Carolyn’s tenure at Workday as VP of Brand Experience saw her implementing initiatives that drove brand strategy and scalability, further solidifying her reputation as a strategic leader in the marketing realm. At John McNeil Studio, Carolyn’s role as EVP and Managing Director involved spearheading marketing activities, driving new business growth, and strategically repositioning clients. Her efforts contributed significantly to brand elevation and market expansion for the companies she served.

 

Roger Rose

Member

Roger has been part of the PA Marin Governing Board since June of 2012. Roger’s working experience includes being a Communication Associate for David Perry & Associates, Gallery Assistant for the Return to Tradition Gallery and currently the Assistant Editor for the CineSource Magazine in San Francisco. Roger has been a recipient of IHSS for over 20 years. He has served in numerous Boards, Commissions and Task Forces such as the Independent Living Resource Council in San Francisco and the BART Accessibility Review Task Force. Roger’s main motivation to be part of the PA Marin Governing Board is to offer universal accessibility for seniors and disabled individuals so they can reach their greatest life opportunities.

Shelley Norris-Alvarez

Member

Shelley has over 40 years’ experience working with people with disabilities, primarily in the mental health field. She acquired a Master’s Degree in Counseling in 1979 and have been working in the field ever since.
In 2022 she retired from the County of Marin after 8 years working as a Residential Services Coordinator with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services. She helped monitor the residential services budget and projected spendings, coordinated admits and discharges of clients at psychiatric treatment facilities, and residential facilities, and was the county liaison with the various facilities. She also tracked client’s progress with case managers to assess when a person was ready to move to a lower level of care so they can be back in their community.
Prior to her employment with the County, Shelley worked for many years in the not-for-profit sector. She was Director of Employment Services at Buckelew Programs. She provided managerial oversight of all aspects of Employment Services.
Prior experience included working with people who were unhoused in Richmond, working on a grant through CAM to assist low wage workers achieve better wages, and as a business owner of Norris Vocational Consultants for 11 years, conducting comprehensive job analyses of the physical and environmental aspects of an injured worker’s job.
Between 2006 and 2019, Shelley surveyed other Behavioral Health and Employment Services programs throughout the United States, to determine if the organizations meet quality standards to achieve accreditation through CARF – the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities. These standards included applicable policies and procedures, evidence-based practices, patients’ rights, health and safety, etc.
On a personal note, Shelley is a mom and grandma to 3 wonderful young granddaughters. She experienced the value of in-home support when my mom was no longer able to care for herself.

Jonathan Frieman

Treasurer

After purchasing a law degree from New College School of Law in San Francisco, Jonathan helped co-found several nonprofits in Marin County. He had earned an MPA from the University of Denver and then trained as a hands-on bodyworker in the advanced discipline of Aston-Patterning, running a private practice afterwards, before turning to the service arts.
As Vice President of the Marin City Health and Wellness Center board, he helped them gain FQHC status. He raised $1.5M to help Marin Clean Energy gain a foothold in the county, and led a community-wide effort to try and keep Target out of San Rafael. He is co-director of and president of the board of InSpirit, which raises funds to supplement the IHSS payments its clients with quadriplegia receive in order to be able to stay in their homes. He incorporated the Youth Transforming Justice from the Marin Youth Court and is its first board president. A 27 year resident of San Rafael, he served as assistant coach for San Rafael and Novato High’s varsity football teams. He has a severe hearing loss of 100db from birth, and plays guitar and bass and writes songs. He is an autodidact in human prehistory and lives with his wife Suki, a 20 year-old Burmese cat.

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