Staff & Board

The People Behind the Work

DAC doesn't separate legal defense from social work and peer support. Attorneys, social workers, and mentor parents work side by side as a unified approach to family defense.

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Executive Staff

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    Marc-Andrew Aguilera

    J.D.
    Interim Chief Executive Officer
    ✉ maguilera@sccdac.org

    With 30+ years of progressive leadership, he creates vision and direction through sound strategy. He thrives with mission-driven organizations that value their resources. JD-trained, innovative, and versatile, an astute planner and negotiator with a proven record improving systems and procedures.

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    Tomika Anderson-Smith

    MPA, CNP
    Chief Operating Officer
    ✉ tandersonsmith@sccdac.org

    Tomika has spent 20+ years building operational infrastructure for mission-driven nonprofits and early-stage companies. She works behind the scenes, keeping the gears turning so DAC's clients’ needs are met. She also serves on the Youth Volunteer Corps board and the executive board of Jack & Jill's SF chapter.

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    Hilary Kushins

    J.D., M.S.W, C.W.L.S.
    Chief Program Officer
    ✉ hkushins@sccdac.org

    Hilary has 23+ years in child welfare: 20 as a practicing attorney representing families in Santa Clara County's dependency system, then as Chief Program Officer. She advocates for equitable, family-centered systems change rooted in social justice.

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    Nicole Radden

    Chief People & Human Resources Officer
    ✉ nradden@sccdac.org

    Nicole is DAC's Chief People & HR Officer, with degrees in Business Administration and Public Policy from UC Riverside and management experience across HR, Education, and IT. She is passionate about disrupting systemic cycles through people-centered work.

Operations Staff

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    Yolanda Castro-Lopez

    Operations Coordinator
    ✉ ycastrolopez@sccdac.org

    Bilingual community advocate with 10+ years serving youth & families in Santa Clara County. BS in Business Management. Sexual Assault & IPV advocate trained in Joven Noble, Cara y CorazĂłn, Xinachtli & the Family Practice Model. Culture-centered, grassroots to systems.

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    Julissa Churape-Lopez

    Operations Assistant
    ✉ jchurape@sccdac.org

    Julissa Churape brings experience in case management, client services, and administrative coordination, previously supporting shelter residents toward stable housing. She holds a B.S. in Justice Studies from San Jose State University and is passionate about advocacy and community-centered service.

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    Franchesca Tran

    Case Coordinator / DAC Notary
    ✉ ftran@sccdac.org

    Franchesca holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts in Education and serves as the first face contact person for DAC as an administrative assistant. Franchesca passionately believes in DAC's mission of reuniting families. Outside of her professional life, she dedicates her time to her family.

Court Appointed Family Defense Staff

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    Jasmine Wang

    J.D.
    Legal Director
    ✉ jwang@sccdac.org

    Jasmine previously managed the Corridor Program, providing compassionate, holistic legal representation for parents and children. She earned her JD from Michigan in 2020 and has practiced at DAC since 2022, previously at Covington & Burling.

Court Appointed Attorneys

Dependency Legal Associates

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    Otmar Alvarado

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Dependency Legal Associates
    ✉ oalvarado@sccdac.org

    Otmar joined the team in 2025 after graduating from Golden Gate University School of Law and passing the California Bar. With experience in civil litigation, family law, and real estate, he is driven by DAC's mission to preserve family unity and dignity.

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    Krishna Desai

    Staff Attorney
    Dependency Legal Associates
    ✉ kdesai@sccdac.org

    Krishna is a Family Defense Staff Attorney, representing court-appointed parents in dependency proceedings. Krishna advocates zealously for clients' rights and works toward safe reunification, believing every parent deserves skilled, compassionate counsel.

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    Sasha Nasir

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Family Legal Advocates
    ✉ snasir@sccdac.org

    Sasha is a Family Defense Staff Attorney, representing court-appointed parents in dependency proceedings. Sasha advocates zealously for clients' rights and works toward safe reunification, believing every parent deserves skilled, compassionate counsel.

Family Defense Counsel

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    Arthur Tan

    J.D.
    Senior Staff Attorney
    Family Defense Counsel
    ✉ atan@sccdac.org

    Arthur has been a staff attorney at DAC since 2017. From 2014 to 2017, Arthur was a Guardian Ad Litem with the juvenile court. Arthur graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 2002. He is licensed to practice in Florida, New York, and California. Outside of work, Arthur enjoys traveling.

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    Madison MacLeod

    J.D.
    Support Attorney
    Family Defense Counsel
    ✉ mmacleod@sccdac.org

    Madison MacLeod is a support attorney who studied History at UC Santa Cruz (summa cum laude, 2019) and earned her JD from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2024. She is driven by protecting communities impacted by systemic injustice.

Family Legal Advocates

  • Malia Bow

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Family Legal Advocates
    ✉ mbow@sccdac.org

    Malia is a Family Defense Staff Attorney, representing court-appointed parents in dependency proceedings. Malia advocates zealously for clients' rights and works toward safe reunification, believing every parent deserves skilled, compassionate counsel.

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    Maggie Cockayne

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Family Legal Advocates
    ✉ mcockayne@sccdac.org

    Maggie Cockayne joined DAC in 2024 after practicing family and dependency law. A Santa Clara Law graduate (2nd in her class), she's been a licensed resource parent since 2013, helped six family reunifications, and serves as a QPI Champion and DFCS trainer.

Office of Dependency Counsel

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    Sarah Brauer

    J.D.
    ODC Supervising Attorney
    Office of Dependency Counsel
    ✉ sbrauer@sccdac.org

    Sarah was part of DAC from 2021 to 2024 and rejoined in 2026. She has appeared in Federal and State Court throughout Northern California on a wide variety of cases ranging from criminal to family to employment law. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys boxing and spending time with family.

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    Audrey Calderon

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Office of Dependency Counsel
    ✉ acalderon@sccdac.org

    Audrey graduated from Monterey College of Law in 2024 and joined DAC in 2025 after practicing debt collection and record clearance law. A first-generation graduate, she now serves as an attorney for the Office of Dependency Counsel, zealously advocating for families in dependency court.

Social Workers

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    Kira Johnson

    M.S.W
    Social Work Program Director
    Court Cases
    ✉ kjohnson@sccdac.org

    A social worker with over twenty years of experience, Kira is a trauma-informed practitioner who uses a strength-based approach to empower families. Her commitment to cultural and emotional competence is reflected in her role as co-chair of DAC's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee.

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    Carolyn El-Shammaa

    M.S.W.
    Social Worker
    Court Cases
    ✉ celshammaa@sccdac.org

    A bilingual Social Worker, Carolyn has been part of DAC since November 2021. Holding a BA from UW-Madison and an MSW from UC-Berkeley, she brings over ten years in Family and Children's Services, drawn to DAC's mission and interdisciplinary approach. Outside work, she enjoys her 4 children and pets.

Mentor Parents

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    Dave Shuster

    Mentor Parent Program Manager
    Court Cases
    ✉ dshuster@sccdac.org

    As Mentor Parent Program Manager, Dave supervises seven Mentor Parents supporting child welfare-involved families, overseeing cases, data, training, and HR. He is passionate about helping families reclaim dignity and become positive role models, and is a proud father of 4 and grandfather of 2.

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    Melissa Elias

    Senior Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ melias@sccdac.org

    A Mentor Parent at DAC, Melissa guides mothers through the dependency system with unconditional love, leading by example and empowering clients to be their best selves. A former client who lacked support during reunification, she is dedicated to giving mothers the support she wished she had.

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    Alyssa Torres

    Senior Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ alopez@sccdac.org

    A Mentor Parent at DAC, Alyssa is a beacon of transformation and hope. A 2018 DAC Parent of the Year and Family Reunification Day honoree, she defied her past as a product of the system, became a first-generation high school graduate, and now guides and empowers mothers through the dependency system.

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    Rehmi Ruiz

    Senior Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ rruiz@sccdac.org

    Rehmi is a dedicated mentor parent with a passion for helping mothers involved in the dependency system. Rehmi helps mothers with intimate partner violence trauma, substance use disorder trauma and those with criminal justice histories. Rehmi has been with DAC since 2017.

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    Gildardo Amador

    Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ gamador@sccdac.org

    Gildardo draws on his own lived experience navigating the child welfare system to serve as a DAC mentor parent. He offers firsthand insight, support, and encouragement to parents working toward reunification, and is passionate about helping Santa Clara County families.

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    Brenda Manzo

    Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ bmanzo@sccdac.org

    A Mentor Parent at DAC, Brenda began her journey as a Corridor program client and holds a Mentor Certification from SJCC, where she is currently a student. She provides unwavering support to mothers meeting court-ordered obligations for reunification, driven by her dream to prove it is possible.

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    Joseph Nunez

    Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ jnunez@sccdac.org

    Joseph is a Mentor Parent at DAC, drawing on lived experience to guide other parents through the dependency system. With empathy and patience, Joseph offers encouragement and practical support, helping families stay hopeful on the path to reunification.

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    Louis Vidal

    Mentor Parent
    Court Cases
    ✉ lvidal@sccdac.org

    A Mentor Parent at DAC, Louie has overcome addiction and incarceration and draws on his personal experience to empathize with clients facing similar struggles. He actively supports their journey toward family reunification while sustaining his own recovery through church, AA, and NA meetings.

Corridor Program Staff

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    Andrew Johnson

    J.D.
    Staff Attorney
    Corridor Program
    ✉ ajohnson@sccdac.org

    Andrew is a Staff Attorney with DAC's Prevention team, helping families access support before crisis leads to court involvement. Andrew believes strengthening families early is the most effective way to protect children and keep families together.

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    Alondra DeSantigo

    M.S.W., A.C.S.W.
    Senior Social Worker
    Corridor Program
    ✉ aalcaraz@sccdac.org

    As a Corridor Social Worker at DAC, Alondra helps families navigate the Criminal Justice and Dependency systems, connecting them to resources and self-sufficiency skills. She holds BSW and MSW degrees from San Jose State and embodies DAC's hope.

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    Kimberley Mejia

    M.S.W., A.S.W.
    Social Worker
    Corridor Program
    ✉ kmejia@sccdac.org

    Kimberley joined DAC's Corridor team to help people navigate difficult systems. She holds BSW and MSW degrees from San Jose State, with experience in case management, crisis intervention, and harm reduction. She's passionate about advocacy and empowerment.

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    Ana Nevarez

    Senior Mentor Parent
    Corridor Program
    ✉ anevarez@sccdac.org

    Ana is a dedicated Mentor Parent at DAC with a Peer Mentor Certification from San Jose City College, pursuing Drug and Alcohol Counselor certification. She empowers clients through support, resources, and self-advocacy, drawing strength from her own personal journey.

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    José Fontanillo

    Mentor Parent
    Corridor Program
    ✉ jfontanillo@sccdac.org

    Jose has overcome significant challenges, including addiction and homelessness. Inspired by his son, he now helps others on their recovery journey, offering hope and support both at DAC and through community programs like Echo Compassion, AA, and NA.

Board of Directors

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    Dana Bunnett

    Board Chair

    Dana Bunnett has 25+ years of experience in the non-profit sector, currently serving as Executive Director of Kids in Common, advocating for children and advancing agency goals. She previously worked with the American Red Cross and the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Commission, focused on improving outcomes for families.

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    Jaime E. Lopez

    M.S.W., LCSW
    Board Treasurer

    Jaime Lopez served as Assistant Director of Santa Clara County's Department of Family and Children's Services (2006–2015), overseeing 500+ staff. He holds an MSW from UC Berkeley and has been a licensed clinical social worker since 1980, with decades of leadership across mental health and social services.

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    Darlene Montero

    Board Secretary

    Darlene Montero is a Mental Health Peer Support Worker with Santa Clara County Behavioral Health. Previously a case manager with Community Solutions FACT, she's a former DAC Mentor Parent (2013–2020), Certified Parent Leader, and Foster Youth Task Force member with lived experience in child welfare.

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    Mario Montemayor

    Board Member

    Mario Montemayor is a Program Coordinator in Behavioral Health at Community Solutions, supporting clients facing substance abuse and mental illness through intakes, assessments, and care coordination. He previously spent seven years at DAC as a Mentor Parent, helping fathers reunify with their children.

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    Sue Saign

    J.D.
    Board Member

    Sue Saign graduated Valedictorian of law school while raising her son, opening her family law practice in 2015. A former Lincoln Law School professor and mother of 4, she's earned numerous honors and served the SCCBA, Gilroy Chamber, and other community and legal organizations.

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    Héctor Sánchez-Flores

    Board Member

    Héctor Sánchez-Flores is Executive Director of the National Network of Compadres, promoting healing-focused, culturally rooted strategies for youth and families. He champions racial equity and inclusion on various boards. Chicano/Indigenous, he lives in San José with his wife and two kids.

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    Kiana Martinez

    Board Member

    Kiana serves on DAC's Board of Directors, bringing experience to guide the organization's mission and strategy. Committed to family preservation and access to justice, Kiana helps steward DAC's growth and impact across Santa Clara County.

If you're interested in serving
on the DAC Board of Directors

Contact Tomika Anderson-Smith