Who is "the council"?

The Sonoma Advisory Council consists of 21 members; ten are appointed by the Board of Supervisors and eleven by the Advisory Council. Advisory Council members contribute many volunteer hours serving on committees and task forces, as well as visiting grantee agencies in an effort to learn first hand what services are being provided. They work closely with the Area Agency on Aging Director and staff on local program funding distribution, legislation and the agency's overall direction and goals.

The Council is strengthened by the diversity of its membership. Representation on the Advisory Council includes three representatives from each county supervisory district, as well as service provider representative, minority group representative, senior advocate representative, person with disability representative and nutrition services consumer.

The Advisory Council members consider demographic trends, unmet needs and emerging issues affecting seniors, adults with disabilities and family caregivers and recommend agency direction to the Board of Supervisors.

The Advisory Council also develops a four-year plan recommending goals, policy and advocacy priorities for the Area Agency on Aging. The Advisory Council recommends funding policies and priorities and oversees the request for proposal process for awarding service contracts to local community agencies.

Advisory Council members provide presentations on senior services and resources, elder abuse prevention and family caregiver issues to community groups and organizations upon request, call 707.565.5950.

The Advisory Council is a mandatory body under both the Older Americans Act and the Older Californians Act.

Advisory Council Committees

The Sonoma County Area Agency on Aging is comprised of individuals who volunteer their time to advocate and improve the quality of life of seniors, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers. There are many ways you can volunteer to make a difference in the lives of people in your community. read more..

Advisory Council Members

Marce Becerra

Member-at-Large Representative
Advisory Council appointee

Rich Broaddus

Disabled Populations Representative
Advisory Council appointee

Margaret Dale

District 1
Supervisor Brown appointee

Jane Eckels

District 3
Advisory Council appointee

Judith Eisen

District 5
Advisory Council appointee

Louis Funk

District 3
Supervisor Smith appointee

Henry Lasky

District 2
Supervisor Kerns appointee

Tom Maloney

District 2
Advisory council appointee

Warren Metzger

District 3
Supervisor Smith appointee

Gail Pardini Plass

District 4
Supervisor Kelley appointee

Mary Raymond

Member-at-Large
Advisory Council appointee

Jim Redding

Member-at-Large
Advisory Council appointee

Laurel Ritz

District 4
Advisory Council appointee

Dick Schwartz

District 4
Supervisor Kelley appointee

Alain Serkissian

District 5
Supervisor Reilly appointee

Don Streeper

District 2
Supervisor Kerns appointee

Katherine Taylor

District 1
Supervisor Brown appointee

Elizabeth Tipon

Minority Groups Representative
Advisory Council appointee

Vacancies

District 5
Supervisor Reilly appointee

District 1
Advisory Council appointee

Member-at-Large
Advisory Council appointee