A national advisory committee guides the work of the DCW Strategy Center. The inaugural committee is made up of 26 stakeholders, primarily direct care professionals and people who receive home and community-based services. Beginning in May 2024, members will meet quarterly to discuss the center’s priorities and offerings.
Committee Members
Marvell Adams, Jr. has devoted his career to not-for-profit service for the benefit of older adults and people who love and support them. In his role as CEO of Caregiver Action Network, he regularly writes, speaks, and presents on the critical need to support the millions of family caregivers in the US. And as an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, Marvell seeks out and amplifies the voices of marginalized communities to better ensure a more just environment for all.
Reena Arora is the Director of Care Policy at the National Domestic Workers Alliance, where she helps to lead campaigns at the state level to improve wages and job quality for the direct care workforce. In a prior role as a practicing attorney, she represented domestic workers in cases of wage theft. She also worked in Southeast Asia for a number of years on issues related to labor migration and gender equality.
Jensen Caraballo is a disability rights advocate with a commitment to justice and independence. Currently working at the Center for Disability Rights as the Money Follows the Person Open Doors Education and Outreach Specialist, Jensen is pivotal in educating nursing home staff and professionals on transitioning individuals into community living, drawing on his extensive experience in accessibility, advocacy, and support for individuals with disabilities.
Rachel Chinetti leads the national Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Center of Excellence at Elevance Health and brings diverse experience in the development and implementation of LTSS delivery models, with an emphasis on improving access to services for people with disabilities and older adults.
Karen DeBartolo is a direct support professional at Strategies to Empower People (STEP), a Sacramento, CA provider of support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. DeBartolo provides unwavering support to ensure her employers can live the lives they want to lead. (STEP refers to the people who receive home and community-based services as the employers of the STEP staff who provide the services.)
Bryan Dooley is a community inclusion specialist at Solutions for Independence, a center for independent living in Winston-Salem, NC. He also serves as chairman of the North Carolina Council on Developmental Disabilities and co-chair of the North Central Olmstead Plan Stakeholder Advisory Committee, drawing on personal experience to advocate for others.
Kathleen Dougherty served for 23 years at Delaware’s Medicaid Agency as the chief of managed care operations. She also served as the previous board president of ADvancing States. Throughout her career, her positions have provided her with the experience and privilege of working with, and problem solving for, the direct care workforce. She currently is the director of government and healthcare partnerships at Mom's Meals.
Ms. Luz Echeverry, a home health worker in Massachusetts, draws from her personal experience as a family caregiver to advocate with Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199 for better benefits and improved conditions for herself and her colleagues. With a passion for organizing, she envisions a future with fair wages, ample opportunities for professional development, and increased paid holidays, and in which direct care workers are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Dr. Joanna Fix brings the unique perspective of lived experience as a person diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at age 48. For the last eight years, she has been an active volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association and National Council of Dementia Minds in her community with over 10,000 hours devoted to publicly speaking and creating presentations to promote awareness and education to families, care partners, and those working in the dementia community. Prior to her diagnosis, Joanna was a professor at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA, and specialized in psychological assessment.
Fatimah Howard, an employment community service coordinator at AHRC NYC, advocates for social justice, equality, and independence for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She has made an impact in New York City as a direct services provider, through her advocacy, by teaching basic American Sign Language, and by collaborating with staff to enhance the quality of AHRC’s Women’s Group.
Marisol Jones began her career as an in-home caregiver at 19 years old, after growing up with a father who received services from in-home caregivers. She is passionate about caregiving as an act of equity and is committed to forming a true connection with — and providing dignity, independence, empathy, and companionship — to those she cares for.
Mary Kaschak, chief executive officer of the Long-Term Quality Alliance (LTQA) and its affiliated organization, the National MLTSS Health Plan Association, brings more than a decade of experience in aging and health policy. LTQA and the MLTSS Association work to enhance outcomes and quality of life for individuals managing functional limitations and their families through person- and family-centered long-term services and supports, emphasizing research, education, and advocacy.
Jennifer Kucera was born with spinal muscular atrophy. A lifelong self-advocate focused on systems change at the state and national levels, she currently serves as a member of United Healthcare’s National Advisory Board, the chair of the Ohio Olmstead Task Force, and chair of Ohio’s State Council on Developmental Disabilities, as well as the healthcare outreach coordinator for the Center for Disability Empowerment. She resides in her own apartment with the help of her caregivers and her emotional support dog, Miley.
Chinda Lucoski is a parent advocate for her daughter, who has multiple disabilities, including intellectual and developmental disabilities, cerebral palsy, and autism. Lucoski also serves as a job developer, coach, and local organizer for the New Mexico Caregiver Coalition. With a degree in psychology and extensive training in behavioral health and wellness, she passionately guides her daughter's educational journey, fostering opportunities like hands-on experience in the culinary arts program and internships at local hospitals.
Joseph Macbeth is the Chief Executive Officer and President of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) and has worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities for more than 40 years - beginning as a direct support professional. Joseph is recognized as an international leader in the advocacy and movement to recognize direct support as a profession. For the last 15 years, Joseph has been a highly sought-after contributor on the workforce challenges that affect the intellectual and developmental disabilities service system.
Randy Magusara is a home care worker with more than 23 years of experience in respite and hospice care, including caring for people with Parkinson’s disease and dementia and stroke survivors.
Cory McMahon, a constituent specialist at the Missouri Department of Mental Health's Federal Programs Unit, brings firsthand insight into legislation and advocacy that is fueled by his own experience receiving home and community-based services. Recognized as a Missouri Mental Health Champion for his commitment to public policy issues impacting individuals with disabilities, Cory's dynamic perspective stems from his dual roles as both a service consumer and a passionate advocate.
Kate Murray is the president of Applied Self-Direction, an organization dedicated to expanding and enhancing self-directed care across the United States. Her work focuses on providing technical assistance related to Medicaid policy and labor law.
James Murtha is a counselor/social worker from Michigan and also a person with a disability (quadriplegia/spinal cord injury) who relies on direct care professionals to live independently. James has also advocated for disability rights through involvement with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Regional Champions program and as a member of the Administration on Community Living’s first RAISE Act Family Caregiver Advisory Council.
Okechinyere Rosemary Nnaochie is a compassionate advocate who fearlessly champions the rights of those who feel marginalized or intimidated. She currently serves on the steering committee of the Home Care Council – Houston Chapter. With a commitment to excellence and professionalism, she brings transformative care to individuals with disabilities.
Gabrielle Sedor has dedicated her career to advancing practical public policy and solutions that empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and the direct support professionals who serve them. She has extensive leadership experience, including serving as director of the ANCOR Foundation and as ANCOR’s first chief operations officer, and held earlier positions with a statewide provider association in Pennsylvania.
Alene Shaheed is a person with a disability who has used home and community-based services to live independently. Following a spinal surgery in 2017, she sought support from Justice in Aging and the Florida Health Justice Project, both of which helped empower her to become an advocate for both herself and others who need assistance.
Nicholas Smith is a direct support professional at SPIN, which provides community-based support and services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Recognized for his proactive approach, infectious positivity, and ability to foster independence, Nicholas's impact extends far beyond his role, inspiring both colleagues and the individuals he supports to strive for excellence.
Allicyn Wilde is a senior public policy coordinator with the Service Employee's International Union. Specializing in Medicaid-funded home and community-based services, Allicyn has been a direct care workforce and labor advocate for nearly 15 years.
Lanaya Morgan Young is a behavioral health technician at Black Hills Works in South Dakota, where she provides essential support, as part of a team, to individuals with disabilities across various domains; offering residential, employment, healthcare, and recreational support to nearly 600 individuals through numerous facilities across the city.
Micaela Zamora is a seasoned and experienced caregiver/service provider with more than 15 years of experience. She is a direct service provider by day and mother by night.