Management Team
Tracey Marquart, MBA, CESP (she/her)
Executive Director
Cell: 831.454.6316
[email protected]
Community Life Services’ founder Tracey Marquart considers social justice and active citizenship work her caffeine. After working in disability services in four different states for over thirty years, she founded Community Life Services to build a disability service organization that truly embraced person-centered practices and offered high-quality services that actively eliminate barriers to real community participation for all. Born in North Dakota, Tracey has enjoyed living in Santa Cruz for most of her adult life. Tracey graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in Communications. She then earned her MBA with a concentration in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University and has a graduate certificate in Rehabilitation Administration from San Diego State University. She has provided leadership and management in a variety of disability services: respite, independent living, supported living, group living, behavior services, habilitation services, supported employment, customized employment, and educational services for children, families, and adults.
From her thirty years of working in disability services, she has built her work around her experiences of learning that all people dream for the future and want their voices to be heard. Since founding Community Life Services, Tracey has cherished building strong relationships with the people we support and our local community. She enjoys celebrating everyone’s milestones and successes as they grow and make progress toward their personalized goals. Leading an organization that works toward important social change gives her immense gratification and gratitude. It continues to fuel her life’s work.
In her free time, Tracey regards music as the air she breathes, reading as the foundation she stands upon, and the beach as her happy place.
Jessica Liddy
South Santa Cruz County Program Supervisor
Cell: 831.419.9774
[email protected]
Jessica leads our South County Program with loads of energy and compassion. A Watsonville resident for most of her life, the majority of her 25 years of experience with Special Education has been spent within South Santa Cruz County. She has been with Community Life Services for over ten years, since its inception. After starting as a Specialist, Jessica gained considerable experience as a Senior Specialist before being promoted to Program Supervisor in our South Santa Cruz County office in Watsonville.
Always leading with our values and mission in mind, Jessica is an integral part of our Management Team. Her contributions are crucial in guiding Community Life into the organization we strive to be. She is dedicated to our clients, our employees, and our organization as a whole.
Jessica considers herself an avid and lifetime learner and enjoys attending conferences, workshops, and training to further develop her knowledge and skills in supporting the disability community. In addition to working as a Program Supervisor at Community Life Services, Jessica volunteers with several nonprofits and organizations in the South County area. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for Pajaro Valley Loaves & Fishes. Jessica continues to find ways to advocate for individuals with disabilities and remains dedicated to our community.
In her free time, Jessica enjoys supporting the local Santa Cruz community and pitching in wherever she is needed.
Kristin Koenig, MS, CESP(she/her)
North Santa Cruz County Program Supervisor
Cell: 831.419.9788 [email protected]
Creative, determined, and passionate, Kristin leads her program supervisor position with a great combination of head and heart. Born in Kauai, Hawaii, and raised in Lake Tahoe before attending Aptos High School in Santa Cruz County, Kristin now enjoys living in Santa Cruz and working at Community Life Services. She graduated with honors from the Dominican University of California with a Bachelor of Science degree. Two years later, she graduated with a Master of Science and moved back to Santa Cruz County.
Kristin started with Community Life Services as an Employment Specialist in 2016 and was promoted to Supervisor in 2019. Working with people with disabilities widens Kristin’s perspective on the positive and productive ways different people live their lives. Her work gives her more appreciation and respect for the range of realities in other people’s experiences. She enjoys developing valuable relationships with the people involved with Community Life Services and feeling closer to her community.
Kristin has a beautiful miniature Australian shepherd named "Buck" and a Maine Coon mixed cat named "Kiki." In her free time, Kristin enjoys hiking, camping, oil painting, and frequenting local restaurants.
Amanda Owens (she/her)
Operations Coordinator
Amanda’s professional career began in business operations and administrative management and then organically evolved into social services. It was her personal experience as the mom of a son born with a global developmental disability that eventually led her to a life of serving the I/DD community. Born in the Bay Area, Amanda moved to Santa Cruz County just before attending Soquel High School and then eventually raised both of her children here. Before joining Community Life, Amanda was a founding board member of Special Parents Information Network (SPIN) in Santa Cruz County, a nonprofit serving families who have children with special needs aged 0-18 and served on their board for 10 years. She ended her tenure with SPIN as their Board President and began to focus her attention on a career in social services. This path led her to Community Life in 2010 when she joined our team as a Specialist. Amanda thoroughly enjoyed working with the individuals on her caseload and was pleased to be able to utilize her personal experience with I/DD to enhance her skills. It was her experience in business operations management that prompted her to encourage the development of an administrative team for our quickly growing organization and our burgeoning administrative needs. In 2017, Amanda changed her career path at Community Life to help develop our administrative team and began focusing her attention on the essential operational needs of our organization. Amanda now works as our Operations Coordinator and is an integral part of our Management Team where she focuses on creating efficiencies that support our mission and values. Amanda holds a Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and is currently enhancing her education to obtain an Associate’s degree in non-profit accounting.
Amanda’s favorite pastime is taking long walks along the water’s edge with her now-adult son, James, but you can also find her on the tennis courts, hiking among the redwoods or coastal cliffs, attending ballet and theatre performances, enjoying concerts in the surrounding bay area, and spending as much time outdoors as she can. In her free time, Amanda mentors and volunteers with marginalized populations and considers this service an essential component of her life’s work.
North Santa Cruz County Network
Angela Gallagher
Senior Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Filled with constant energy and enthusiasm, Angela brightens our offices as soon as she walks in the door. Angela joined Community Life Services at its inception in 2009 and remains our longest-standing employee. After seeing our Executive Director perform a simple yet thoughtful gesture for another, Angela joined the organization to help make a real difference in the lives of others.
Angela is passionate about health education, inclusion and advocacy. She holds a BS in Exercise Physiology with a minor in Nutritional Sciences from San Jose State University
Angela puts every bit of her energy into her work at Community Life Services. She continues to enjoy working with and learning from our spectacular clients as they teach, challenge and humble her. Over the years, Angela has developed her skills and created wonderful relationships with many of the people we serve. She is exceptionally dedicated, friendly, compassionate and loves to connect with people of all abilities.
Angela enjoys physical activities of all sorts, making music and time spent in nature with furry friends.
Jim Huether
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
An effective communicator, a conscientious planner, and someone who personally engages with the people he meets, Jim joined Community Life Services in August 2016. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Jim now resides in Santa Cruz County. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master's degrees in Engineering from Rice University. After graduating, Jim built an extensive background and a successful career in tech and project management, including as a Senior Software Engineer, a Game Designer/Programmer, a Game Producer, a Senior Manager, a Director, an Inventor, and a Consultant. Our millennial clients appreciate his tech expertise and see his skills as a valuable asset.
At Community Life Services, Jim not only specializes in our employment services but also in our education services, where he supports individuals in achieving their academic goals at both Cabrillo and UCSC. Jim finds success with clients by working with them as individuals; incorporating their individual barriers, abilities, interests, and personalities into his approach to working with them. For Jim, the best part of his job is supporting clients to achieve the accomplishments they weren’t sure they could achieve—whether it be obtaining their first job or graduating college.
In his free time, Jim enjoys the beach, swimming, live music, football, and comedy.
Jenny Hurtado
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Compassionate and goal-oriented, Jenny finds a great fit working at Community Life Services. Born in Reno, Nevada, and raised in Santa Cruz County, she graduated from New School Community Day High School in Watsonville. The New School’s mission to ‘help, support, and motivate others to learn to set and achieve goals’ stays with her and continues to fuel her personal and professional life. Jenny earned her A.A. from Cabrillo College before transferring to UC Merced to earn her B.A. in Sociology. At Community Life Services, Jenny enjoys supporting people to achieve their own independent goals and maintaining rewarding employment.
In her free time, Jenny can be found exploring new places and taking walks with her dog, Chato.
Juli Furtado
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Juli is a native New Yorker with an impressive history and skill set. As a student at the Stratton Mountain School in Vermont, she was scouted for the U.S. National Ski Team and became its youngest ever member. Her academic career continued with a bachelor’s in marketing in 1992 from the University of Colorado Leeds, for whom she was also a ski racer. During this time, she developed an interest in Colorado’s robust cycling culture, and saw such immediate success in competitive road bicycle racing that she quit skiing to cycle full time. After cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, she partnered with Santa Cruz Bikes to design and market the Juliana, the first mountain bike designed specifically for female riders, and today she heads their Juliana Bicycles line. In addition to being an athlete and marketer, Juli has also volunteered at the Special Olympics, , served as a board member of Jacob’s Heart, a child cancer support organization in Watsonville, and is a current advisory board member for the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative. She brings a history of advocacy for education, mental health, and social support services with her to Community Life Services.
In her free time, Juli enjoys crossword puzzles, drinking Peet’s Coffee, watching episodes of Seinfeld, and spending time with her son, Wyatt.
Halie Fox
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Compassionate, understanding, and organized, Halie joined Community Life Services in October 2023. She grew up in Southern California and moved to Santa Cruz to obtain her bachelor's degree. She studied environmental studies with a minor in sustainability at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She gained professional experience working with the Santa Cruz community through interning at The Homeless Garden Project and working for Housing Matters. She finds passion in working for community-based non-profits. At Community Life Services Halie finds fulfillment and joy while working with people to support them in achieving their personal goals.
In her free time, Halie enjoys spending time outdoors hiking, swimming at the beach, and listening to live music.
Cheryl Jackson-Saunders
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Cheryl has a long history of career choices that involve caring for others. Her 30-year career in massage therapy has instilled a deep belief in the body/mind connection. Everyone brings their own history and abilities into each situation, and finding ways to accommodate each person’s present need is both challenging and rewarding. Meeting each situation with compassion and empathy, while instilling a great work ethic and pride in independence, makes her happy. A holistic approach as well has been her focus as she attended Cabrillo, earned her Community Health Worker certificate, and began her employment at Community Life. There is much to love in this community of supportive and inclusive professionals. Helping people live their best life is an amazing and fulfilling thing to do!
Ana Hunter-Nickels
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Community goal-oriented and innovative, Ana joined our team in February 2023. Born and raised until age three in El Salvador, Ana then moved to Virginia, where she spent the remainder of her childhood. Since obtaining her Bachelors in Social Work at EMU in 2019, she has continued to work in the differently-abled community being a live-in caregiver and a Community Living Specialist back in VA. Ana loves to be a sojourner, along with learning new cooking techniques. She is an avid reader, and poet who loves nature, and is a dance/karaoke fan. She is excited to explore and engage in the diverse communities Santa Cruz has to offer and will be beginning her Master’s in Social Work studies as well.
Kelli Parmenter
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Compassionate, patient and goal-oriented, Kelli finds her way back to our company after being a stay at home mother for 7 years! Kelli has been a great fit working at Community Life Services in the past and we are excited to have her join us again!
Born and raised in Santa Cruz, Kelli has been active with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities most of her life as a Direct Support Professional and in personal experience. Kelli has a great amount of experience caring for and advocating for others.
She started in this line of work when she was just 18 and has been in the business of hospitality and caregiving ever since. She loves to garden, cook for her family, has many furry friends at home and loves being outdoors! At Community Life Services, Kelli enjoys supporting people to achieve their own independent goals while balancing her busy life as a mother. Kelli encourages questions and open communication.
Nicola Perissinotto
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Karissa Rheuby (they/them/theirs)
Senior Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Fun, spunky, and compassionate, Karissa adds great energy to our Community Life team. They developed a passion for supporting others while at Watsonville High School, participating in the ECHO Academy (Education, Community, Humanitarian, Outreach) for three years. After graduating from Watsonville High, they went on to study Early Childhood Education and taught preschool. Karissa has been working with people with disabilities for over five years. Prior to joining Community Life Services, they gained experience working at multiple local disability services organizations. They joined Community Life Services in 2019 and since then have become one of our Senior Employment & Independent Living Specialists. Karissa cherishes growing as a Specialist and finds passion and purpose while working with the people at Community Life Services.
In their free time, Karissa enjoys going to the gym, reading, and lounging on the beach.
Jasmine Nemerovski
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Compassionate and friendly, Jasmine joined Community Life Services in January 2023. She grew up in the North Bay Area but moved to Santa Cruz to attend UCSC. She is currently studying Psychology and hopes to eventually obtain a Master’s in Occupational Therapy. Jasmine has experience working with adults on the Autism spectrum but is dedicated to learning how to best support people with different types of disabilities. At Community Life Services, Jasmine enjoys connecting with her clients and helping support them in achieving their goals.
In her free time, Jasmine likes to sing with her A Cappella choir on campus, look after her houseplants, and explore Santa Cruz with her friends.
Rebecca Sheen
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Friendly, caring, and dedicated, Becky joined Community Life Services in 2019. A Santa Cruz native, she has a strong personal and professional history with the disability community. Becky has an adult son with autism, who is also a client of Community Life Services. Becky earned her certified nursing assistant certification (CNA) from the Career College of Northern Nevada before continuing to The University of Nevada, Reno to become a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). Becky started her involvement with the Special Olympics in 1988 and continues volunteering with them to this day. She enjoys coaching the Special Olympics in Santa Cruz throughout the year. Her favorite sports to coach are soccer and track. At Community Life Services, Becky loves individualizing her work with clients to make each one of their dreams come true. Her proudest moments at work are when clients reach a new level of independence and she has, ‘worked herself out of a job.’
Becky enjoys spending time with family, volunteering with the Special Olympics, traveling, and taking walks on the beach.
Sina True (She/Her)
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Hailing from Santa Cruz County, Sina grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains where she graduated high school at San Lorenzo Valley High and finished her first Associate Degree in Photography at Cabrillo College. In her most recent college ventures, she complete her latest degree in Health Science where she progressed to employment services during her over decade long stint at Goodwill Central Coast. Through volunteering at numerous non-profits over the past 2 decades, she has grown to see how everyone can make a difference in their community, simply with their time.
In her free time, she enjoys travelling, photography, jewelry fabrication, playing bass, and promotion for Santa Cruz’s local goth club, The Box. With experience in multiple arts, Sina brings a creative approach to problem solving, tending to think outside the box.
Kiana Van-Kregten
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Kiana has been working with Children and adults within the Autistic community for about 5 years. Teaching life skills, and independence and promoting each client to live their best life. She has a passion for working with people from all walks of life and strives to give as much support to their lives as possible. She strives to be a voice for those who struggle and have a hard time using theirs. Advocating for those who can not. She is currently studying to get her Psychology degree which she hopes to eventually intermingle and adapt into her current career.
Shanti Yarrow
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Passionate about education and planning, Shanti brings a lifetime of varied education and work experiences to Community Life Services. She earned her BA in Sociology at St. Lawrence University. Afterward, she worked as a teacher, which set her on a path of gaining and cherishing knowledge and educational experiences. Shanti enjoys connecting with people one-on-one through shared experiences and common interests. To Shanti, education is a lifelong journey that helps sustain our goals and interests in life. As a Specialist at Community Life Services, she values connecting with each individual she works with in order to achieve their goals, celebrate successes, and enjoy a shared journey together.
Administrative Team
Sara Ridgeway
Administrative Assistant
Office: 831.600.7778
[email protected]
Known as having one of the best laughs in the office, Sara keeps our office in top shape as our Administrative Assistant. After her adoption from Russia when she was 7 years old, Sara grew up locally in Santa Cruz. After graduating from Soquel High School, Sara obtained several Computer Applications & Business Technology Certificates from Cabrillo College before graduating with her A.S. in Computer Applications & Business Technologies. For most of her life, Sara has been around people with disabilities. She has worked with IHSS, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) for over four years. She enjoys working at Community Life Services as every day is different and she loves the people in the office.
In her free time, Sara enjoys relaxing and hanging out with her dog, Luna.
Katie Azevedo
Diversity and Engagement Coordinator
Office: 831.600.7778
[email protected]
Katie brings joy to our North County office as our Administrative Specialist. She joined our Community Life Services Team in 2021 and we have been smiling ever since. Katie graduated from Evergreen State College and then worked for over a decade at Easter Seals as a Behavior Specialist. After taking quality time to savor raising her two daughters, she re-enters the workforce with fresh eyes. Katie’s lifelong commitment to finding joy in the little things and giving back to her community makes her a great team member and contributor to Community Life Services.
In her free time, Katie enjoys riding around town with her two girls on the back of her bike, playing disc golf, or heading up the coast to play on the beaches.
Erin Hoffman
Bookkeeper
Our favorite math whiz, Erin joins Community Life Services with more than fifteen years of bookkeeping experience. Born in San Jose, she grew up in Aromas, California where she still resides. Erin currently attends Hartnell College, where she is working towards her Accounting Bachelor's Degree. Accounting is very exciting for Erin. She loves working with numbers and feels very satisfied when numbers add up. She thinks of math and accounting as a puzzle she has to solve.
Erin’s hobbies include art and horseback riding. She has ridden horses since she was five and continues to this day. In her free time, she runs a face-painting / special effects make-up business, which she enjoys immensely.
Ace Grushkin,
IT Professional
Office: 831.600.7778
[email protected]
Known as our prime IT guy, Ace has been with Community Life Services for over seven years. A Santa Cruz native with a knack for problem-solving, Ace has over ten years of experience working with people with disabilities. He attended Cabrillo College before continuing at San Jose State, where he is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science. Since starting at Community Life Services as a tech volunteer when we had a mere two laptops in our one-room office, Ace has grown with the organization and now provides tech support for each of our employees across offices at opposite ends of the county.
Everyone at Community Life Services depends on Ace for his efficient tech support.
South Santa Cruz County Network
Maria Ayala
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Maria has over 8 years of experience supporting adults with disabilities in many aspects of Independent Living. Maria was born in Southern California, spent a lot of time in El Salvador, and has been a part of the Watsonville community for many years. While working at Community Life Services, Maria enjoys the rewards of assisting individuals to gain independence through hard work and dedication to their goals.
In her free time, Maria loves to spend time with her family, watch movies, and is an avid reader.
Griselda Aguirre
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Sandra Cortez
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Known for her great sense of humor and warm smile, Sandra joined Community Life Services in 2016. Raised in Watsonville for most of her life, she graduated from Cabrillo College with an honorable mention, earning two Associate’s Degrees, one in Community Health and the other in Liberal Arts with an emphasis on Science. She has over twenty years of Administrative experience. Sandra completed the Peer Counselor Training and received her Certificate of Achievement along with various other seminars to improve her administration skills. Before working with Community Life Services, she gained experience working in the special needs field for seven years, previously working with children with autism. Sandra loves her job and enjoys being able to make a difference and teaching new skills to her clients to achieve their life and employment goals.
Throughout our offices, Sandra has built a respected reputation for her great ideas and for following through with professionalism and a kind heart.
Yande Fuentes
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Perla Garcia
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
A Watsonville native, Perla grew up around people with different disabilities. She graduated from Pajaro Valley High School and then became a Certified Nurse Assistant. She worked as a Medical assistant for a Podiatry office. Perla gained professional experience caring for and assisting adults with disabilities as a residential counselor for Drake House in Monterey, CA. At Community Life Services, Perla finds joy in assisting clients as they work towards their personal goals and watching their faces light up as they make progress in their daily lives.
In her free time, Perla enjoys going for afternoon walks on the beach with her family. For a few years, she picked up kickboxing as a hobby.
Veronica Juarez
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Dedicated and strong, Veronica has been with Community Life Services since its inception. As one of our original team members who started with us when we had a one-room office in Soquel, she has grown alongside us and now focuses her time in our South County office in Watsonville. Veronica earned an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts and Science. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from San Jose State University. During her internship at SJSU, she led work training programs for low-income women. Veronica worked with migrant children for four years as a teacher’s assistant and summer program leader. Passionate about making a difference in our community, she is a valued member of our team, who is known for offering new ideas and fresh perspectives.
In her free time, Veronica cherishes being a loving mother to three beautiful children and dedicates all her accomplishments to them.
John Lechtenberg
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
[email protected]
Fabian Leonor
Senior Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Known for his integrity and belief in people, Fabian is one of our original and highly sought-after specialists. Fabian joined our team in 2012 when we were working out of our one-room office in Soquel. He now focuses his time in our South Santa Cruz County office in Watsonville. Currently working on pursuing a Human Services Degree at Cabrillo College, Fabian plans to continue to CSUMB to obtain his BA in Collaborative Health & Human Services. Fabian is an active member of our vibrant Watsonville community, volunteering with Recreation Advocates, Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, and the Salvation Army. He approaches his work at Community Life Services with a friendly and energetic attitude and is considered a fantastic role model and change-maker. Fabian is willing to take on any challenge presented to him with both enthusiasm and dedication.
In his free time, Fabian enjoys coaching his son’s basketball team at the YMCA, volunteering with Recreation Advocates, and spending time with three wonderful children and three adorable grandchildren.
Maura Leonor
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Generous and hard-working, Maura joined Community Life Services in 2014. A South County native, Maura earned her A.S. Degree in Human Services, with Certifications focused on Drugs, Alcohol, and Communications. Maura worked at Cabrillo College and the Learning Community Academy for College Excellence. From her experience working at multiple academic institutions, she learned how to organize and fundraise for community events and to enrich awareness of active fulfillment. Maura is a Board Member of Recreation Advocates, an organization that helps local youth groups achieve scholarships through working towards their recreational goals. At Community Life Services, she enjoys networking and gathering our clients together for socializing and fun - consistently creating a wonderful time for all of us.
Throughout our offices, Maura is known for her big heart and for making amazing hummus and salsa.
Judith Lopez
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Warm, caring, and outgoing, Judith joined Community Life Services as one of our original employees and has been with us ever since. She has 16 years of experience with social, family, and child psychology. Through her experiences, she focused on developing social-emotional and behavioral skills, medical management, and life skills as well as skills to enhance her job coaching abilities. Judith is bilingual. She holds strong problems solving and communication skills. Judith is a long-standing member of our South Santa Cruz County team, with her focus on individuals in Watsonville and even Salinas. Throughout her tenure with us, she has worked hard to get to know every aspect of her client’s lives so that she can truly understand their individual needs and support them thoroughly.
Judith enjoys involvement with community advocacy. She has a wonderful sense of humor and can regularly be found laughing and smiling with colleagues.
Petra Rocha
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Passionate about knowing and working with people with disabilities in her personal and professional life, Petra has worked with people in the disability community since 2015. A local Santa Cruz County resident, Petra has lived in Watsonville her entire life. She graduated from Cabrillo College in 2018 and received an A.S. Degree in Criminal Justice, Liberal Arts, and Spanish. Now, Petra is currently pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Human Development and Family Studies with a minor in Social Work. At Community Life Services, she delights in the journey of supporting our community members by figuring out the best way to meet their needs and accomplish their individualized goals.
In her free time, Petra loves spending time with her family, especially her daughters. They enjoy going to amusement parks. In the summer, they enjoy going to The Beach Boardwalk as well as the Bowling alley. Petra loves visiting all the beaches in Santa Cruz County.
Alejandra Rodriquez
Employment & Independent Living Specialist
Strong, friendly, and understanding, Alejandra brings her seven years of experience working with people with disabilities to her work at Community Life Services. Born and raised in Watsonville, California, she went on to earn her AA degree in Criminal Justice. Her previous work experiences include working with adults and kids and the LGBTQ+ community. She has worked with people with drugs and alcohol issues, and mental health issues, and has experience with applied behavior analysis therapies. Alejandra joined Community Life Services in 2020.
In her free time, Alejandra enjoys spending quality time with her family.