Our Stories

Overview

Our Clients, Families and Staff tell the rest of the story.

If you are a client or family member of a client, and are interested in sharing your story, please reach out to your Service Coordinator. No achievement is too small, and we would love to celebrate you!

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Angie Li

Service Coordinator

Angie Li attended University of California-Davis and received a bachelor’s in literature in 2018, and then a master’s in literature in 2021. During her time in school, she was a peer advisor and liaison between students and their department, which added to her abilities to advocate and inform.

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Carter

TikTok Star

From a young age, Carter’s parents knew he was exceptionally bright. He was always interested in letters and numbers, and from as early as 2 and a half, Carter was able to write and read big words. It wasn’t until he was 3 that his parents learned his condition was called hyperlexia (early reading). His talents expanded further when Carter was taught mental math in 2020. Afterwards, he shifted his interests from reading to doing math, completely in his head!

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Marlene

Service Coordinator

Marlene has served in the social work field since 2008 where she first began her career working in a residential home for children on probation. Afterwards, she took a position at an after-school program with Access Leisure for children with special needs and enjoyed the work she did. Realizing she would like to continue working with people with disabilities, she transitioned to Progressive Employment Concepts and loved working with clients for longer periods of time beyond just the after-school hours.

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Josh

Josh is a on track to work as in a church and became passionate about pursuing the ministry through his church, Bayside Granite Bay. His interest in ministry began through the community he made at church, and the passion he felt when he would serve and volunteer. He enjoyed being a resource for newcomers and welcoming them into the space. Currently, Josh attends SUM Bible College and is studying theology and ministry. His goal was to further serve the church and learn more about the Bible.

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Eliya

Service Coordinator

Eliya has over 32 years of experience at Alta California Regional Center. He is bilingual and enjoys connecting the Asian community with services and helping them feel comfortable navigating the service delivery system.

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Maribeth

Service Coordinator

Maribeth has worked at Alta California Regional Center since 2014 as a Service Coordinator. She is a mother to two children with autism, and has both the lived and professional experience that allows her to support and connect with the families she works with. Working at ACRC is more than a job for her, it is her life and she seeks to improve the lives of those she works with.

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Buttons n’ Bears, Oh My!

Jackson and Anna both live in Davis, CA, where they grew up and went to junior high school together. They have busy lives volunteering in their community, and both say that they relate well to kids.                                                   

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Mary

Autism Clinical Specialist

Mary Rettinhouse is the Autism Clinical Specialist for Alta California Regional Center (ACRC). She is one of ACRC’s clinical team members and has been with the agency since 2010. Mary is a valuable employee for ACRC; providing knowledge and support not only to clients and staff, but also to regional center service providers and the community.

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Jasim

Comic Book Artist

Jasim is a talented comic book artist and student. He has advocated for his inclusion in society and socially participates in the classroom and community. Through inclusion he has surpassed many of his academic goals in the school setting and recognizes the importance of being valued and appreciated.

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Rowena

Client Services Manager

Rowena is a Client Services Manager who began at Alta California Regional Center (ACRC) as a Service Coordinator in 2016. Her passion for helping others is consistent in work and in her personal life. She continues to pursue her education to further help the community she serves.

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Hayden

Artist and Video Creator

Hayden is an individual of many hobbies and interests. He enjoys learning, researching, painting, and singing. He is an educated person and has career goals that he consistently works towards. He is also a loving member of his family.

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Tessa

Office Supervisor

Tessa has nine years of social work experience and helps Alta California Regional Center run smoothly through office management. She is a role model for her team and is happy to provide support to staff. She serves the community

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Tricia

Client Services Manager

Tricia is an exemplary role model for women and a treasure to have at Alta California Regional Center. During her tenure, she has uplifted those around her, providing support, knowledge and wisdom that has helped 5 of the Service Coordinators she has worked with move upward to management positions. She is a passionate supporter of women’s rights and advocates for educating oneself further.

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Megan

Equine Professional

Living on your own and building a career can be challenging, but Megan has made great strides in achieving her goals. She is a resilient person with a passion for horses and their care. She plans to build a business that allows her to expand on her current skills and responsibilities of providing care for horses.

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Tracy

Honorary Flight Attendant

If there is a person who is meant to be in the sky, it is Tracy. Her kind heart and loving personality make peoples’ hearts soar. Tracy is an honorary flight attendant and enjoys working for Southwest. She has made many friends and constantly seeks new experiences to learn and grow from.

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Samiyah

Overcoming Difficulties

One of the most difficult things to do is overcome adversity and maintain a positive outlook on life. Samiyah, her siblings and her mother, Syretta, did that thanks to having each other and having the help of their Service Coordinator.

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Andre

Being the Representation

Andre is a welcoming person who believes the best way to make a positive change is  through example. He always sees the good in people and has built a wonderful life for himself. Andre enjoys working, enjoying time with his two dogs, and hanging out with friends.

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Felicia

Service Coordinator

Felicia began her career 15 years ago, starting with an Independent Living Services  (ILS) vendor, Lighthouse Living Services. She later transitioned to Elk Grove Adult Community Training (EGACT) and taught in classrooms for day programs. After building her experience with these vendors, she started at Alta California Regional Center (ACRC) in 2020.

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Noe

Service Coordinator

Noe began his career in social work in 2015 working in Supported Living Service (SLS), Independent Living Services (ILS) and Day programs. For most of his career, he has worked in Personal Attendant, SLS, Residential, hospice settings, Respite, ABA and nursing care homes Intermediate Care Facility. Noe has been a natural caregiver since he was a child caring for his infant brother, and he felt compelled to continue that caregiving as an adult. Now, he works at Alta California Regional Center as a Service Coordinator.

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Long

Long started his career in social work in 2015 at Hmong Lifted Underserved Barrier. During his time there, he focused on encouraging Hmong families to get healthcare screenings and access generic resources. Often, he was tasked to outreach to the community in South Sacramento.