CIHSI Mission
The mission of the California Institute on Human Services, Inc. (CIHSI), a 501(c)3, non-profit, public benefit organization, is to apply research knowledge to address real world problems in a variety of areas that face our communities, including human services and education.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of CIHSI reflects the diversity and community concerns of the statewide training and technical assistance constituents that the organization proudly serves. Although the Board of Directors is small in number and drawn from the relatively homogenous population in Sonoma County, its members are diverse in ethnic background, religious affiliation, sexual orientation and gender. The Board continues to grow and strives to recruit members that reflect the broad diversity of the statewide demographic of human service providers.
Diane Nissen, Ph.D, President of the Board
Dr. Nissen holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Nissen received key training as a therapist at Chrysalis, a feminist counseling collective. In addition to her service on the Board of CIHSI, Dr. Nissen is affiliated with a number of other non-profit and community organizations including the California Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, If Given a Chance Foundation for at-risk youth, Children's Village of Sonoma County (a multigenerational, multi-racial, sibling foster home), Blucher Creek Watershed Council (founding board member), Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (Associate Director/Organizational Development), and frequently contributes her efforts to Food for Thought, a local interfaith food bank serving low income and LGBT people living with HIV/AIDS.
Lynn Vaughan, Vice-President
Ms. Vaughan has been a member of the Napa Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees since 1999 and a Member of the Rainbow Child Care Board of Directors since 2004. She has provided consulting for PACT, Inc. an inter-racial adoption service provider for five years. Since 2000, Ms. Vaughan has written grants pro bono for the Continentals of Omega Boys and Girls Club, which serves nearly 100% low-income minority children in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Linda Blong, Ph.D, Treasurer
Dr. Blong served as a Project Director for ten years at California Institute on Human Services at Sonoma State University prior to its incorporation as a 501(c)(3) organization. She has worked in the field of human services, supporting children with disabilities, since 1992. A strong advocate and community leader in the field of children with disabilities, Linda served on the Board of Directors of the United Cerebral Palsy of the North Bay since 2002 and is currently serving as President. She has also served as a member of the Youth and Family Practice Network of the National Collaboration on Workforce and Disability/Youth, as the President of the Indiana Division of Early Childhood, Council for Exceptional Children, and as member of the Indiana Family Support Council by appointment of then Governor Evan Bayh.
Mary Shiff, Secretary
Ms. Shiff has a BA in French and an MBA in marketing. She has worked for American Airlines in Flight Service for 33 years. Her volunteer work for the past 17 years has been with the Sebastopol Library and is currently a member of the Sebastopol Library Advisory Board.
George Triest, Board Member
Mr. Triest has served as a past Board Member and Board of Directors President from 1983 to 1986 of Becoming Independent, a direct service agency that serves adults with developmental disabilities. He has also served as a Board member and President of Congregation Ner Shalom, a Reconstructionist Synagogue from 1984 to 1990. Since 2003, Mr. Triest has volunteered for the Jewish Community Free Clinic of Sonoma and Marin County, a medical provider of free services and since 2000, has contributed to free direct services to persons with HIV/AIDS through Sonoma County Face to Face.
Anne Kuschner, Board Member
Ms. Kuschner currently serves as the Project Director of the Desired Results access Project, a special project of the Napa County Office of Education. The Desired Results access Project is funded through the Special Education Division, California Department of Education (CDE) to develop a system of child and family outcomes for young children with disabilities. Her background in early childhood special education includes providing technical support and training in areas of inclusion, assessment, program evaluation and working with families. She has extensive experience in both statewide and national training in developmentally appropriate inclusive practices and has co-authored and co-edited publications disseminated throughout California and nationally. She is currently completing a post-graduate certificate program in infant parent mental health.
Staff Members
CIHSI has dedicated staff whose goal is to provide excellent service in planning and implementing human service training projects. Highly qualified personnel offer expertise and knowledge in a variety of educational topics for professionals in the human service field.
Connie Silva-Broussard, Executive Director
Connie has worked with CIHS since 1998 on a variety of projects. She is currently the Project Director for the CATTA, Statewide Multidisciplinary Centers Coordinator Program, and Child Abduction Intervention and Resource Training projects.
Tamara Karakashian, Project Coordinator
Tamara has worked with CIHS since 2003 on a variety of projects. She is currently working on the CATTA and Child Abduction Projects.
Tania Shaw, Web Development and Project Coordinator
Tania has worked with CIHS since 2001 on a variety of projects. She is currently working on the CATTA and MDT Coordintation projects.
Danielle Stoyanoff, Project Assistant
Danielle joined CIHS in the Spring of 2008. She is currently working on the CATTA project.
Stacy Aguilar, Project Assistant
Stacy joined CIHS in the November of 2009. She is currently working on the CATTA project.