I’m thrilled to welcome three new members to the Direct Care Alliance board of directors: Angel Saylor, Mark Cerna and Ted Rippy. These are three extraordinary individuals who care deeply about improving the direct care profession and have been involved with the DCA for years. All three of them are graduates of the DCA Voices Institute.
Angel Saylor has been a direct care worker for nineteen years. She is a certified nurse’s assistant and a certified restorative nurse’s aide. Angel became involved with DCA because she wants to help direct care workers make their voices heard on issues of respect and career benefits.
Mark Cerna began working with people who had disabilities in junior high school as an elective, and continued to do so until he graduated from high school. Mark was brought back to the field of caregiving when his father became sick in 2006 and was his primary caregiver for three months. After his father passed away, he realized it was his calling was to be a caregiver. He has been working in the field ever since. Mark is now a direct caregiver with A Better Way of Living in Albuquerque.
As a CNA, Ted Rippy has worked in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and assisted living facilities as a counselor and administrator of medications. As a board member for Food and Medicine, a community service organization advocating for workers’ rights, he urged the state senate to support bills advocating for direct care workers. He is also secretary of MSEA-SEIU Local 771.
Mark, Angel and Ted represent workers across the country and will make their voices heard as we continue advocating for better wages and benefits; adequate training; more respect; and the strengthening of the direct care workforce. They join Jennifer Craigue (Chair) and Tracy Dudzinski (Vice Chair) on our fantastic board of directors. Jenn and Tracy are both home care workers – it is historic and I’m proud that the board will be led by two direct care professionals. View the complete board of directors list.
