Vicki Smothers, President and co-founder. As the Community Programs Specialist II for Prenatal Advantage, Ms. Smothers coordinates prenatal services and counsels teen mothers from East Palo Alto. As a longtime resident of East Palo Alto she has an extensive knowledge of community dynamics and resources. Ms. Smothers is also one of the founders of the East Palo Alto AIDS Task Force. She provides expertise in the area of the recovery of women, including parolees and ex-offenders.
Janet Thomas, Treasurer is the founder and director of a home for disable individuals. She has worked in the field of recovery with women and brings her knowledge of services, the needs of women and of the disabled to the Board. She has been a resident of East Palo Alto for many years.
Robert Hoover, Secretary is a community leader of East Palo Alto. He is the founder of East Palo Alto Junior Golf Program, Co-founded Just Us: Taking Our Community Back and has been involved in several community programs and organizations such as: One East Palo Alto(OEPA), Youth Development Center(YDC), Block Club Organizing, former Chairman of Ravenswood City School District Board, and East Palo Alto Teen Summer Project. He has initiated the development and supported many of the programs within the community.
Jose Capistrano is a Free At Last alumni. He has a long history of being a community leader and advocate. His loyalty to Free At Last goes without saying; he has been a volunteer with us for over 8 years. He has been involved with the 12 step fellowship for over 14 years. He has been a dedicated and committed volunteer coaching for Ravenswood Youth Athletic Association, providing spiritual care at Stanford Hospital and at St. Francis of Assisi for more than 7 years and continues to be an unswerving volunteer.
Linda Mills, J.D., M.S.W., Ph.D., Former Assistant Professor at the UCLA School of Social Welfare. She has done research for the US General Accounting Office and Brandeis Health Policy Institute, taught social welfare and law classes at Berkeley and John F. Kennedy University. Dr. Mills founded and directed The Hawkins Center of Law and Services, and award winning, self-supporting legal and social services agency in Richmond, California. Her treatment emphasis is on persons with disabilities, public assistance recipients, and survivors of domestic violence. She is currently working at NYU as Vice Provost, Undergraduate Education and University Life, Professor of Social Work and Public Policy Law.
Sharifa Wilson is a former mayor of East Palo Alto. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Elementary Education from New York University and graduated with Fellowship status form the American Leadership forum. Sharifa Wilson has founded and developed programs to help disadvantaged youth and is a seasoned liaison with federal, state and local public agencies. She was a member of the City Council and City Mayor for many years. Sharifa chaired the State of California High Crime Response Team; catalyzed formation of the Youth Commission for East Palo Alto; she is co-founder and director of Children’s Preservation Network Inc. She is currently working with College Track as the Director of College Affairs and Internships.