Meet the AARP California Executive Council
By: States: California Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2007-08-01 14:13:00-04:00
The Executive Council is responsible for helping to set state priorities and to provide guidance on achieving those priorities. Each member brings uniquely valuable skills and experiences to AARP.
Jeannine English serves as AARP California State President. Prior to her appointment, English served for two years on AARP's National Policy Council, an advisory committee to the AARP National Board of Directors.
English came to AARP after a long and distinguished career in state government, including more than 10 years as executive director of the Little Hoover Commission, an independent state oversight agency created to investigate state government operations and promote efficiency, economy and improved service to the public. Most recently, English was appointed by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez to represent the public as a member of the Board of Governors of the California State Bar.
As volunteer state president, English will lead the California Executive Council and work in partnership with State Director Tom Porter and in collaboration with other volunteers and staff to achieve AARP's strategic priorities in California.
English, who celebrated her 50th birthday by climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft.), is an avid runner and cyclist who recently completed her second annual bicycle ride around Lake Tahoe (72 miles).
English and her husband, Howard Dickstein, have four sons, ranging in age from 14 to 29.
Thomas A. Porter joined the AARP as California State Director in September 1997. Prior to joining AARP, Porter served as executive director of the Public Interest Center for Long Term Care, which brought together a coalition of senior disability groups on important issues related to long-term care, placing particular emphasis on policies that encouraged independent living and reduced the need for institutionalization.
Porter has been working on issues relating to aging and long-term care since he became legislative assistant to the California Assembly in 1970. Over the next 20 years, he served in a number of positions in the Legislature, including Chief Consultant to the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long Term Care. He also served as legislative advocate for the California Alzheimer's Association.
As state director, Porter is responsible for overseeing all educational, community service and advocacy activities serving AARP's more than 3 million members in California.
Robert Warnagieris Ed.D, joined the Executive Council in 2005. Dr. Warnagieris had a 39 year career with the Department of the Navy in the field of missile test and evaluation. He is a former Executive Director of the Pacific Missile Test Center, Point Mugu, California, and he served 10 years as a member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service.
Dr. Warnagieris also had a parallel career of 28 years in education, serving on two school boards and as Associate Professor for the University of La Verne and West Coast University in the fields of public policy, education, and strategic business management. He also lectured in engineering at California State University, Northridge.
Since retirement, Dr. Warnagieris has been active as an advocate for older Californians. Prior to his appointment to Executive Council, he served as Volunteer Manager of AARP's California Advocacy Strategy Team.
Lavada E. DeSalles of Sacramento, a former AARP California State President, has also served as a member of AARP’s National Board of Directors. As a member of the Board, she served as chair of the AARP Insurance Trust and vice chair of the Board Governance Committee.
Lavada retired in 1994 after 32 years of service with the State of California Employment Services. At the time of her retirement, she served as executive director of the Governor's Task Force for Employment of Older Workers.
In addition to her AARP activities, Lavada has been a member of the International Association of Personnel in Employment Security, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the African American Leadership Association.
Among her many honors, Lavada has received the Los Angeles Mayor's Certificate of Appreciation presented by the late Tom Bradley, a Certificate of Special Recognition from Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and an Outstanding Achievement Award from the African American Leadership Association.
Marvin Schachter, has been the chair of the Pasadena Senior Advocacy Council since 1995 and has also served as the president of the Advisory Council of the Los Angeles County Area Agency on Aging, as a member of the California Commission on Aging, and as a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging. He is also Vice President of the Menorah Housing Foundation.
Schachter's background includes teaching at various Universities and colleges, including Brooklyn College, University of Colorado, Columbia University, and Cambridge University (England). He is exceedingly active in his community and has held various positions in numerous organizations.
Schachter has been a spokesman for AARP as well as a lecturer on the senior community at the University of Southern California Andrus Center and for community and business organizations. He has organized and participated in senior housing conferences for various Southern California area agencies on aging. Schachter brings a wealth of expertise and is well poised to support the vision of AARP.
Jacquelyn Paige spent a long career with the State of California, serving four governors in various positions in the area of health and human services. For fourteen years, Paige directed the California Health Policy/Data Advisory Commission, a statutorily-mandated, bi-partisan commission that advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the State Health Planning and Development Director on issues related to health policy, planning, public information, and education.
A prior gubernatorial appointment included five years service as Associate Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, where Paige was responsible for local governmental issues and public relations. This work included liaison responsibilities to county health and human services leaders and associations, as well as constituents active in health and social service policy design and development affecting access to care.
Paige also served as Chief of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations for two years with the California State Department of Mental Health, working with county mental health directors, advisory groups, clients, and families.
Having worked with multiple gubernatorial administrations, Jacquie brings a wealth of experience in the fields of health, legislation, and related senior issues.
David Pacheco is the Director of the California Senate Fellows, one of the oldest and most distinguished civic education programs in the country. It is a graduate fellowship program jointly offered by the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State University and the California State Senate. David joined the Center in 2005 after a distinguished career with the California Legislature and as an academic administrator with the University of California.
David has served seven members of the Senate and Assembly since his arrival in Sacramento as a Jessie M. Unruh Assembly Fellow in 1978. He is a University of California annuitant and has been a member of the academic senates at UC Santa Cruz, San Jose State and Stanford Universities. David holds advanced degrees in Education Administration from San Jose State University and Sociology of Education from Stanford University. He is the former Director of Communications and Intercultural Studies at UCSC Extension and is a former faculty/field studies coordinator at San Jose State University.
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