PHP Staff Directory

Name Title
Alba Alamillo Bilingual Education Specialist
Alexandra Cramer Receptionist/Admin. Assistant
Carol A. Gallegos Administrative Assistant
Claudia Harty Bilingual Community and Family Services Specialist
Debbie Battersby Parent Liaison
Debbie Drennan Assistive Technology Specialist
Denny de Harne Early Intervention Specialist
Esmeralda Garcia Bilingual Education Specialist
Fax 408 -286-1116
Fax Kaiser Satellite Office 408-972-6745
Jan Tuber Assistive Technology Specialist
Jane Floethe-Ford Director of Education Services
Janet Nunez Manager, iTECH Center
Jocelyn Penner Education Specialist
Judy Bower Librarian
Kathy Kenyon Data Entry Assistant
Kathy Weitsman Parent Liaison
Leslie McNeil Education Specialist
Loni Allen Education Specialist
Maria Avina Bilingual Education Specialist
Mary Ellen Peterson, M.A.
Executive Director
Melissa King Program Coordinator
Minh Phan Bilingual Community and Family Services Specialist
Mouna Raad Bilingual Education Specialist
Nancy O'Rourke Associate Development Director
Netta Anderson Mentor Parent Specialist
Pam Kensinger Chief Development Officer
Paul Schutz Chief Financial Officer
PHP Toll Free Line 866-747-4040
Rosa Solorzano Bilingual Education Specialist
Shriya Shah Workshop Specialist
Sian Liu IT
Tammy Thompson-Cooke Speech Pathologist/AAC Specialist
Tonia Shaw Circles® Specialist
Trudy Marsh Holmes Director, Community and Family Services
Virginia Hildebrand Bookkeeper





Alba Alamillo
Bilingual Education Specialist

albaa@php.com
408 727-5775




Alexandra Cramer
Receptionist/Admin. Assistant

alexandra@php.com
408 727-5775 x128




Carol A. Gallegos

carol@php.com
408 727-5775 x118

Carol started with PHP as a volunteer and then took the position of The Kids on the Block Coordinator. She works with a wonderful group of volunteers to take an educational puppet show about disability awareness, medical/educational differences or social concerns to school age children. She also is the facilitator for the Asperger's Syndrome Support Group and volunteers many hours to the events of Parents Helping Parents.



Claudia Harty
Bilingual Community and Family Services Specialist

claudiah@php.com
408 727-5775 x139




Debbie Battersby
Parent Liaison

deb@php.com
408 972-6741

Emigrated from Quebec, Canada in 1963, Debbie graduated from San Jose State University with a business degree in 1976. She worked in bank management and aerospace prior to the birth of her only child, Charlie, born with diagnosis of Severe Congenital Hydrocephalus in 1990. Husband, Leslie, a civil engineer, works as a Senior Project Manager in the construction industry. His work took the family to homes in Bakersfield and Tracy during Charlie's toddler years.

When her son could not learn to walk, placed him in local group home. Debbie then returned to work in banking and other business fields, but soon discovered her true interest now lay in mentoring other families with special needs children.

Debbie began her Parent Liaison (PL) career with PHP in February, 2000. She soon found herself drawing upon her business acumen, as well as her ten years experience as "Charlie's Mom," to gain acceptance as part of the network of medical professionals at four PHP hospital satellite FRCs.

Debbie continues to enjoy her work as a PL at PHP's sole remaining satellite, Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center. She also volunteers as a Mentor Parent for PHP and the Hydrocephalus Association, as well as singing with the San Jose Symphonic Choir.




Debbie Drennan
Assistive Technology Specialist

debbied@php.com
408 727-5775 x106

Debbie Drennan is one of the assistive technology specialists in the iTech Center, with more than ten years experience in the field. She received her certificate in Assistive Technology from Cal State Northridge. She also has a Masters in Social Work, which she received from San Jose State University, and has previously worked as a medical social worker.

Primarily, however, Debbie is a parent of two sons, each with different special needs. She has a son with Cerebral palsy (CP), and a son with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and Dyspraxia. It was because of her sons' unique needs that she became interested in, and passionate about, assistive technology and the potential it has for many people.




Denny de Harne
Early Intervention Specialist

denny@php.com
408 727-5775 x121




Esmeralda Garcia
Bilingual Education Specialist

mailto:esmeraldag@php.com
408 727-5775 x150




Jan Tuber
Assistive Technology Specialist

jan@php.com
408 727-5775 x104

Jan Tuber is an Assistive Technology Specialist (Learning Disabilities) in PHP’s iTECH Center. She is married and the mother of two teenagers, both of whom have learning differences. Jan has a B.S. degree in Human Development from the University of California, Davis and an M.A. in Counseling from Gallaudet University. She has extensive experience working with special populations, has taught PHP’s “Circles,” and knows American Sign Language. Jan has been with PHP since 2005.



Jane Floethe-Ford
Director of Education Services
jane@php.com
408 727-5775 x115



Janet Nunez
Manager, iTECH Center

janet@php.com
408 727-5775 x173

Assistive Technology Specialist and Manager of the iTECH Center at Parents Helping Parents, Janet is responsible for leading the iTECH team to attain its mission – helping people of all abilities, ages and without regard to financial means, find the technologies that will allow them to fulfill their potential.

Janet holds a B.A. degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a paralegal certificate from West Valley College. She received her Assistive Technology certification from the Research Institute of Assistive Technology and Training in 2000, and prior to her position as Manager worked for 3 years as an assistive technology information and referral specialist for the State of California.

Janet is fluent in Spanish and has spent many years working extensively with the special needs population, including managing a special needs soccer team and working hands-on with students in the school setting. Her areas of interest include special education law as it relates to assistive technology, and technology related to learning disabilities and autism.

Her son, Daniel, who is 14 and has autism, is the driving force behind her mission to educate the public about the potential of assistive technology. In her spare time, Janet enjoys playing flute in the Saratoga Community Band.




Jocelyn Penner
Education Specialist

jocelyn@php.com
408 727-5775 x116




Judy Bower
Librarian

judy.bower@php.com
408 727-5775 x110

Judy Bower, a parent of a teenage son with language and learning disabilities, first heard of PHP over 15 years ago. She was so impressed with their array of services that she became a volunteer. She has worked for over 10 years as the PHP and RiSE Librarian, and maintains the Resource Directory. Judy has a BA from University of Massachusetts-Amherst in Communications Studies, and a Certificate in Marketing Communications from San Jose State University.



Kathy Kenyon
Data Entry Assistant

kathyk@php.com
408 727-5775 x107




Kathy Weitsman
Parent Liaison

kathy@php.com
408 972-6741

Kathy is a Parent Liaison currently working at the PHP Satellite office at Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center. At Kaiser one of her responsibilities is to work with their ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Task Force to help Kaiser provide services to their patients and parents diagnosed with ADHD. She was a member of the Community Adivisory Committee (CAC) for Selpa III for five years.
She has two sons. Christopher, age 22, who has developmental delays, and AJ, age 20.



Leslie McNeil
Education Specialist

leslie@php.com
408 727-5775 x127




Loni Allen
Education Specialist

loni@php.com
408 727-5775 x124

Loni first received support for her son from PHP through referral by a thoughtful parent. A few years later, her daughter was diagnosed with a serious and life threatening disease. She turned to PHP and the Touchstone support group.

Loni works in the Education Department and has a passion to share information that enhances a parent’s ability to participate in the IEP process in a positive and collaborative way. She also loves using internet technology to share information about special education rights, advocacy and 504.




Maria Avina
Bilingual Resource Specialist

maria@php.com
408 727-5775 x149




Mary Ellen Peterson, M.A.
Executive Director

info@php.com
408 727-5775 x153




Melissa King
Program Coordinator

melissak@php.com
408 727-5775 x136




Minh Phan
Bilingual Community and Family Services Specialist

minhtamp@php.com
408 727-5775 x117




Mouna Raad
Bilingual Resource Specialist

mouna@php.com
408 727-5775 x130

Mouna Raad is an Education Specialist at PHP, where she started in March 2002 as a Medical Home Project Coordinator. After graduating from the American University of Beirut with an MS in Biology, she worked as a language teacher, a biology instructor and in the medical device industry in Research and Development and International Regulatory. She brings with her a fluency in four languages and many years of parenting experience.



Nancy O'Rourke
Associate Development Director

nancyo@php.com
408-727-5775 x138

Nancy O’Rourke is part of the Development Department team securing funding and resources for PHP. Since 1993 she has been involved in not-for-profit management as a development officer, deputy director and executive director. Nancy has a BS in Textiles and Business Management from the University of California, Davis.

Nancy and her family have benefitted from PHP’s many services. She first contacted PHP in 1988 as the parent of a newborn daughter with Down syndrome. She still uses the information she learned at an IEP training provided by PHP back in 1990. Currently she and her husband participate in the Parents of Adult Children with Developmental Disabilities (PACDD) support group at PHP.




Netta Anderson
Mentor Parent Specialist

nettaa@php.com
408 727-5775 x129




Pam Kensinger
Chief Development Officer

pamk@php.com
408 727-5775 x133

For over 20 years, Pamela Kensinger has made her life’s work in Resource Development a blend of service and commitment to the world of Public Benefit Corporations. As a professional fundraising, marketing and communications specialist, Pamela has worked as staff for organizations such as Hospice of the Valley, YWCA in Santa Clara County, LASPCA, and Girl Scouts of Santa Clara County. Before joining PHP she was an independent contractor and president of Venus Enterprises & Associates where she provided guidance and hands-on support to dozens of agencies from children’s services and arts to education and healthcare. At the wee age of 4 years, Pam began her life-long passion for music as a vocal musician and musical theater performer. Until the birth of her two special needs children, she sang in many church choirs, concert groups, bands and did studio work. Now her musical passion is focused in the healing arts and is studying to become a Certified Music Practitioner to do bedside music for the critically and/or terminally ill. Within each relationship, Kensinger makes every attempt to bring balance and positive interaction in a holistic manner. When asked about her work/personal style she states, “I try to operate from a concept of structured flexibility!”



Paul Schutz
Chief Financial Officer

pschutz@php.com
408 727-5775 x140

Paul Schutz has been PHP’s Chief Financial Officer since August 1996.
Paul received his Masters Degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from Santa Clara University in 1979, was licensed (MFT) in 1981, and qualified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (now the Association of Fundraising Professionals) in 1990.
Since 1979, Paul has been providing not-for-profit management for a variety of South Bay Area organizations as an Executive Director, Development Director, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Chief Operations Officer, and Chief Financial Officer.
Paul has been a Bay Area resident since 1960 and currently lives in Los Gatos.



Rosa Solorzano
Bilingual Resource Specialist

rosa@php.com
408 727-5775 x119




Shriya Shah
Workshop Specialist

shriyas@php.com
408 727-5775 x184




Sian Liu
IT

sianl@php.com
408 727-5775 x147




Tammy Thompson-Cooke
Speech Pathologist/AAC Specialist

tammy@php.com
408 727-5775 x166




Tonia Shaw

Circles® Specialist
tonias@php.com
408 727-5775 x




Trudy Marsh Holmes
Director, Community and Family Services

trudy@php.com
408 727-5775 x102

Trudy has 18 years of experience working with families that have children with special needs. As the Director of Community, Family and Health Care Services at Parents Helping Parents (PHP), Trudy designs and implements programs and services for children of all ages with special needs and their families. She also volunteers as the co-facilitator of PHP's Parents of Adult Children with Developmental Disabilities Support and Information Group. Trudy participates on numerous local and national disability-related advisory committees. Trudy earned her Early Childhood Intervention Certificate from Santa Clara University in 1994. Prior to joining PHP, Trudy had a 15-year history in the healthcare industry and held a teaching credential in the specialty area. Trudy founded and ran PHP's Seizure Support Network for 9 years, producing several national conferences.



Virginia Hildebrand
Bookkeeper

408-727-5775 x141