Board of Directors
Board
Members
Ada Arevalo
Ada is the founder and CEO of iimpact capital, a purpose driven real estate investment firm focused on affordable, sustainable and equitable housing and community investments. Prior to founding iimpact capital, Ada led fund management, capital raising and impact initiatives for 2 of the largest affordable housing private equity firms. Ada was introduced to PCDA while researching a center of excellence to provide multidisciplinary play based therapy for children of different abilities. After receiving services at PCDA, Ada experienced firsthand the transformational change that DIR provided her family, and it was through that experience that Ada decided to join the board and support the vision and mission of PCDA.
Daniel Dávila, Secretary
Daniel is Principal and Co-Founder of Divisidero Pictures, a firm focused on new venture strategy and finance for leading entertainment companies and independent productions. Daniel was introduced to PCDA as a volunteer with the local branch of the Stanford Alumni Consulting Team (ACT). His experience working with PCDA leadership, and later with PCDA clinicians as a client parent inspired him to join the board to use his marketing, strategic planning, and business skills to help bring PCDA’s services to as many families as possible for years to come. Daniel believes deeply in the transformative value of the DIR Floortime model and in PCDA’s unique position as a leading provider in greater Los Angeles County and beyond.
David Galvez
David has 15 years of banking experience in customer relations, management, and commercial lending. Prior to joining the Bank, Mr. Galvez served as Vice President Relationship Manager for 1st Enterprise Bank. His responsibilities included developing new business clients for the bank and assisting existing clients with financing and treasury needs in the Los Angeles area and Inland Empire region.
Mr. Galvez’s background also includes Business Client Manager and Banking Center Manager positions for Bank of America, N.A., respectively. Mr. Galvez earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from the California State University at San Bernardino.
In his free time Mr. Galvez enjoys spending time with his family in Claremont California. One of their favorite places to pass time pre pandemic was at the Huntington Library in Pasadena. These days they spend most of their time enjoying the nature preserve across the street from their home. When he is not enjoying quality family time, David spends his free time helping local charities by serving on their Board and/or Finance Committees.
Joseph Lee
Attorney Joseph H. Lee has merged his three life passions together to provide for children and families who have special needs. Using his previous experience as a school administrator and navigating school systems, his expertise as an attorney to advocate for the children in need, and the empathetic training as a minister, into his current law practice. When Joseph’s son, Danny, was diagnosed with autism, his life was changed forever.
Joseph’s education and professional experience provide a depth of experience that helps him realize the best outcomes for his clients. He is currently Managing Partner at Chang & Lee Law Firm, as well as Managing Partner at The Law Offices Of Joseph H Lee. He previously practiced at Lee, Green, Stewart & Paul Attorneys at Law (2015-2019), and was a Partner at Law Offices of Lee and Baghoomian (2011-2015). Prior to practicing law, Joseph was Administrator/Superintendent of Schools at Southlands Christian Schools (2006-2011) and Planting Pastor at Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Pasadena (2006-2009).
Andrea Valdez
Andrea Valdez is a Special Education Attorney who represents the parents of children with special needs. She helps parents navigate the IEP process and represents them in Due Process proceedings against school districts. Andrea holds a Juris Doctorate from Columbia Law School and a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Prior to attending law school, Andrea worked as a teacher in a Resource Room. It was through her schooling and teaching experience that she discovered her passion for education and children’s rights, with subsequent work and experiences showing her how important special education and related services are to children with disabilities.
Andrea first became aware of PCDA in 2019. After taking a tour of the facility and finding out more about all of the amazing services and therapies that PCDA offers to children with developmental disabilities and their families, Andrea wanted to be involved in PCDA in any way she could. Since that time, Andrea has been recommending PCDA to her clients and has been volunteering with PCDA on the Gala Committee as the Auction Chair.
Anne Perry, Board Chair
Anne Perry is currently the Center Director for the Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes Centers in Pasadena. A native Oregonian, she grew up in Pasadena, graduating from John Muir High School. She returned to Oregon for college receiving her BA and Master’s in Education from Lewis and Clark.
Anne came to Lindamood-Bell after more than a decade as a classroom teacher. She taught students in both public and private settings in every grade from Kindergarten to 6th, specializing in student-led inquiry and project-based learning.
Anne frequently volunteers with organizations that support people with Autism and other developmental disabilities. One of Anne’s first teaching jobs at Pacific Oaks Children’s School, would probably be the catalyst for Anne’s involvement with PCDA as it involved a study of learning through play. Anne believes in the power of Play. “As a keystone in human development and as the heart of human creativity and dynamism. The DIR model uses play to both celebrate individual competencies and make meaningful developmental growth for people with developmental delays. At PCDA my core beliefs are put into practice every day with hundreds of children and young adults. They serve a diverse community, and I want to help.”
Anne has been a member of PCDA’s gala committee for several years. She chaired the 2019 Harvest Moon Gala and the Auction Committee. Anne was asked to chair the 2020 Harvest Moon Gala, which became unviable because of COVID. Anne chaired PCDA’s inaugural virtual bingo event in 2020, and when asked, Anne agreed to resume her gala chairmanship and fulfill that role in 2021, as well as chairing the second virtual bingo event, Spring-O in April 2021.
Jennifer Waggoner
Jennifer Waggoner is the President of Consult Jenny, Inc., where she provides nonprofits, small businesses, and startups with a wide range of consulting services. With a desire to help good causes grow and evolve their meaningful work, she has a wide range of advising and consulting expertise from decades of working across sectors. PCDA’s mission and services inspire Jennifer—her sister has Turner Syndrome and her family would have benefitted from the DIR Floortime model.
In her free time, Jennifer volunteers as a Board Director for the Eureka Valley Neighborhood Association, Observer Corps Co-Lead and Community Safety Team Coordinator for the League of Women Voters of San Francisco, and Digital Transparency Task Force member for the California Fair Political Practices Commission.
Executive Director Emerita
Dr. Diane Cullinane
Dr. Cullinane is a developmental pediatrician, board certified in pediatrics and neurodevelopmental disabilities, and co-founder of PCDA. She began PCDA in 1996 with Mimi Winer, MS, RN and served as Executive Director from the organization’s founding through 2019.
Dr. Cullinane received her undergraduate degree from Stanford University in 1976 and her medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine in 1980. She then completed an internship and residency in pediatrics at Kaiser, San Francisco, and was a fellow in child development at UCLA. Dr. Cullinane has worked in a variety of settings providing care to children with developmental delays and disabilities, including a managed-care medical practice, L.A. Unified School District, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, California Children’s Services, and Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center. She holds a certificate in DIRFloortime® and is the past president of the DIRFloortime® Coalition of California. She is actively involved in professional education for clinicians, participating in conferences and lecturing nationally and internationally.
Dr. Cullinane is the author of Behavioral Challenges in Children with Autism and Special Needs: The Development Approach (W.W. Norton: 2016). In addition to clinical practice and teaching, Dr. Cullinane also contributes to outreach and advocacy for delivery of best practices for children and families. A collection of articles written by Dr. Cullinane can be found here. A profile by the American Academy of Pediatrics, California chapter, can be viewed here.
Founding Member, John Plumb Planned Giving Society
John Plumb
John has been providing for PCDA since the organization’s beginning. A former member of the Board of Directors and an annual donor since 2008 (when PCDA first received nonprofit status), John enabled many “firsts” for PCDA. One of those “firsts” was becoming an inaugural member of the Legacy 100 leadership giving circle; later, he provided PCDA with its first known estate commitment to help continue PCDA’s work well into the future. In John’s honor, PCDA initiated a planned-giving program which will forever be known as the John Plumb Planned Giving Society. In addition to his service to PCDA, John worked for many years in the Flintridge and Ojai Valley School Districts and belonged to various service and fraternal organizations across Southern California. John’s generosity, philanthropic example, and commitment to helping children will never be forgotten.