CETA Foundation: The People of CETA
THE DIRECTORS: Past and Current Activities
The directors of CETA are dedicated as well as talented. They bring perspectives from many cultures and walks of life that will make for a rich program:
Maria Tidwell worked 26 years in clinical labs before retiring to life in rural Elmira. She has rescued a collection of large parrots and works with their special needs. Her other talents include acrylic paintings and handicrafts. She volunteers many hours because she believes the programs are worthwhile & educational.Jenny Rundle is a lifelong resident of Solano Co. and currently lives in Vacaville. She loves animals and working around them, especially dogs, cats & birds. Her favorite ranch animals are Bea, Ben and Shiloh and enjoys just being at the ranch helping out wherever needed. Her teenage son, Jacob, often comes with her to pitch in on ranch projects and at special events.
Maian Ngo will graduate from the University of California, Davis in June 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and an emphasis in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is a member of the Vet Aide Club and Circle K International at UC Davis. Exploring her career interests as an undergraduate, she has interned at CommuniCare Health Center as a Clinical Dental Intern, at Davis Dental Surgery Center as an Oral Surgery Intern, at the UCD Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital as a Cardiology Intern, and at the UCD Department of Plant Sciences Drakakaki Lab as a Laboratory Research Intern. She is also presently interning at the UCD School of Medicine Department of Neurology as a Biochemistry Research Intern in which she assists with research on congenital neuronal-muscle disorders and muscular dystrophy. Growing up in San Jose and the mountains of Morgan Hill allowed her to take care of many different animals; these include birds, chickens, goats, fish, a rabbit, and over a hundred dogs. She is currently a pre-veterinarian student who enjoys working with all the animals at Phoenix Ranch and is CETA Foundation’s Secretary/Treasurer.
Russell Kusama, a native of Sacramento, is a licensed Marriage, Family and Child Therapist. He has been Administrator and Executive Director of Progress Ranch Treatment Services for Children since 1978 and actively involved since 1975 with California Group Home Association (now part of California Alliance of Child and Family Services) where he held all officer positions. He was the recipient of the 1985 Director’s Award from the State Dept. of Social Services for service on the Community Care Facilities Advisory Committee and Progress Ranch, under his guidance, received the 2005 Davis community’s Brinley plaque.
Dr. Susan Chan from San Francisco's East Bay has been owner of Veterinary Outreach since 1990. ( website: www.vetoutreach.net ) She has 20 years of experience as a veterinarian with most of her clinical experience in low-income areas. Before veterinary school, she tutored special needs children, worked in church day camps in San Francisco Chinatown and developed an outdoor education program in Richmond. She was awarded the Malcolm X Tenet Human Rights Award by the Davis Action Coalition, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Award by the California State Assembly, and recognized for Outstanding Community Service at the 5th Annual Davis Martin Luther King Jr. Awards. During and after her service with Solano County, she pushed for many changes to reduce euthanasia rates, improve adoption success and improve animal health. She has personally fostered many "unadoptable animals", rehabilitating them so they could be placed in appropriate homes and still works with several rescue groups.
Dr. Chan has developed a collection of well-socialized animals that are appropriate for the various programs described. Her family has been actively developing facilities at Phoenix Ranch to support the educational programs described and invested in equipment for off-site presentations, a "barn" for gatherings and talks and is currently building a walk-in parrot aviary. She has done presentations for elementary schools and hosted group visits at the ranch and has developed safety rules and guidelines for visitors. Her annual sheep-shearing event has drawn many participants. PLANS FOR CETA: Dr. Chan is currently doing activities on a small scale, and building the programs as volunteers and funds become available. We've laid out is a broad picture of the direction we want to take but we are realistic and know that it will take one step at a time. We are optimistic that the first step is one step toward an organization that can harness the enthusiasm of many and serve a broad spectrum of our community.
