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Advisory Commissioners and Members

In accordance with the ACSE By Laws, Article I, Section 4, Tenure, "Every Commissioner whose term has expired may continue to discharge the duties of his/her office until his/her successor has qualified."

Legislative Members:

Senate Member
Carol Liu
916-651-4021
916-324-7543 (fax)
Robert Oakes, Legislative Director
robert.oakes@sen.ca.gov

Assembly Member
Joan Buchanan
Diana B. Glick, Consultant
diana.glick@asm.ca.gov

Executive Secretary:
Fred Balcom
916-445-4602
916-327-3706 (fax)
fbalcom@cde.ca.gov

State Board Liaison:

Carl A. Cohn
State Board of Education
1430 N Street, Room 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
916-319-0827

State Special Schools Director:

Scott Kerby
916-327-3850
916-445-4550 (fax)
skerby@cde.ca.gov

Commission Staff Liaison:

Kathleen Smith
916-327-3698
916-327-3706 (fax)
kasmith@cde.ca.gov

Commissioner’s Biographies

Janice Brown

Janice Brown has an Associate in Science degree, holds a Certificate of Achievement as a Developmental Disabilities Specialist, and is a certified Special Education Advocate.

Ms. Brown is a past president of the San Diego Autism Society and also served as member of the San Diego Community Advisory Committee for Special Education and the Claremont Planning Committee. In 2008, she was honored by San Diego’s Autism Society for her years of dedication to helping parents. Over the past 20 years, she has advocated tirelessly for parents and for community services and resources.

Ms. Brown is the parent of a child with disabilities.

Maureen O’Leary Burness

Maureen Burness is a special education consultant and currently serves as the northern California representative to the International Council for Exceptional Children. A recent retiree, she administered special education programs in California for over 20 years. Ms. Burness has a bachelor’s degree in Applied Behavioral Sciences, a master’s degree in Counselor Education, and several education credentials.

Ms. Burness was appointed to the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism and also served on the regional Sacramento Autism Team. Her many honors for her work for students with disabilities include Special Education Administrator of the Year from the Association of California School Administrators, and from the Council for Exceptional Children, as well as the Outstanding Community Service Support award from Alta California Regional Center.

Ms. Burness is passionate about programs and services for all ranges of students with disabilities, especially in the areas of mental health, autism, and disproportionality.

Morena de Grimaldi

Morena de Grimaldi has been working as a Special Education Assistant in a K-5 classroom for the past year and a half. Prior to that, she worked 20 years in retail customer service followed by 12 years in online banking customer service.

Ms. de Grimaldi attended San Francisco State University and San Jose State University where she majored in Chemistry. She is the parent of a child with a disability.

Kenneth Denman

Kenneth Denman is a Resource Specialist in the ABC Unified School District and former President of the California Association of Resource Specialists and Special Educators. He received his bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and his master’s degree in Educational Management. He provides strong leadership in advocating for students with disabilities, playing an integral role in defining the current face of special education through his participation in numerous critical policy projects in California.

In addition to serving on numerous statewide task forces and committees and national forums, Mr. Denman has been recognized for his commitment to students and their special needs by the United States Congress, the California Legislature, California Department of Education, and the County of Los Angeles. He is the recipient of a Certificate of Nomination from the United States Congress for induction into The American Legion.

Diane Fazzi

Diane Fazzi is the Associate Chair for the Division of Special Education and Counseling at California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). She is a professor and coordinator of the Orientation and Mobility (O&M) Specialist Training Program for the blind and visually impaired. Ms. Fazzi earned her doctorate at the joint program of University of California Los Angeles and CSULA in the fields of special education and educational psychology. She is the author of numerous books, publications, and scholarly presentations on topics related to teaching O&M to students with visual impairments, including very young children and children with additional disabilities. In 2008, she received the Distinguished Woman Award from CSULA.

Betty Karnette

Betty Karnette received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from California State University Long Beach with a focus on K-12 and adult education. She taught 31 years for the Los Angeles Unified School District and received the following credentials: Reading Specialist, Adult Education Teacher, Master Teacher, ESL Specialist, Middle School Math Coordinator, and Administration.

Ms. Karnette was elected to the California State Legislature in 1992 and served 6 years in the Assembly and 8 in the Senate where she chaired transportation, elections, arts, port/trade select committees, and served on education committees in both houses. While serving, she authored significant legislation in the areas of elections, transportation, and education that were subsequently signed into law.

In addition to an educational and political career, Ms. Karnette's community activities include, but are not limited to, California Democratic Party, Long Beach Anti-Poverty Association, Long Beach Memorial Hospital Children’s Clinic, Long Beach Playhouse, Operation Jump Start, National Women’s Political Caucus, Planned Parenthood, Long Beach Historical Society, and the Retired Teachers Associations (local, state, and national). In 1987, she was named Woman of the Year, 57th Assembly District.

Tom Peraic

Tom Peraic is an attorney who has worked in the field of education law addressing issues involving charter schools, personnel, facilities, and risk management/insurance matters. Mr. Peraic has a background in civil and probate litigation in both state and Federal courts. He is an interested parent in special education and maintains a focus on sharing best practices throughout California. He is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and earned his Juris Doctorate degree at Hastings College of the Law.

Naomi Rainey

Naomi Rainey is an award-winning educator, philanthropist, speaker, entrepreneur and civil rights advocate. She has a Bachelor’s Degree, two Masters Degrees, and seven teaching credentials and has been recognized locally, statewide, and nationally.

Ms. Rainey is a distinguished alumna of the California State University at Long Beach. Here many honors include teacher and administrator of the year, the Los Angeles County Human Relations Award, League of Women Voters “2009 Woman of the Year”, the Community Coalition for Environmental Justice’s Human Relations Award, and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Peacemakers Award.

Ms. Rainey currently serves as President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Long Beach Branch. Under her leadership, the Long Beach NAACP received eleven National Thalheimer Awards. She serves on the Long Beach City College Foundation Board of Governors, St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees, and is the Vice President of the Long Beach Cancer League, as well as other community and state organizations. She is proud to be the wife of the late Paul Harold Pierson, Jr.

Mariano Sanz

Mariano Sanz is a school counselor at Palos Verdes Intermediate School with the Palos Verdes School District. Born and raised in Spain, Mr. Sanz obtained a masters in psychology from the Universidad de Salamanca and in school psychology from the Universidad de Madrid.

For 25 years, Mr. Sanz has been a teacher and middle school counselor for various school districts in the Los Angeles area. He is involved in promoting full inclusion for students with disabilities both as an educator and as the parent of a young woman with developmental disabilities.

Mr. Sanz is a member of the Harbor Regional Center (HRC) Board of Trustees. He has served on the HRC board for more than 20 years in various capacities, including as president and state representative.

Barbara Schulman

Barbara Schulman believes she was born a teacher. She received her Bachelor of Sciences degree in special education from Southern Illinois University and currently serves as a special education teacher at the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in Mission Viejo.

Ms. Schulman’s passion for special education emphasizes the benefits of full inclusion in the classroom, extra-curricular activities, and in paid employment. She strives to instill confidence and self-awareness in her students as well as a desire to be contributing members of society.

Among her many accolades, in 2011, Ms. Schulman was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Education Award from the Orange County Department of Education, a program that recognizes the contributions of individuals, groups, and organizations whose unique efforts have impacted the education of Orange County students.

Jaclyn Vincent

Jaclyn Vincent is a mother to a daughter who is deaf and a native signer of American Sign Language (ASL). Recently, she worked with the California Department of Education as a writer of the Parent Resource Guide for Deaf and Hard of Hearing infants (and toddlers), ages 0–3.

Ms. Vincent obtained her master’s degree in Sign Language Teaching and Deaf Education from Gallaudet University and McDaniel College. Her professional experience includes teaching 4th grade at California School for the Deaf, Riverside, and as an ASL instructor at McDaniel College and Maryland School for the Deaf.

Ms. Vincent’s website, www.jaclynvincent.com, aims to share resources and enhance awareness about bilingualism in ASL and English, and to assist families to learn more about deaf children's early language acquisition, early intervention, and bilingual literacy activities to do at home.

Kristin Wright

Kristin Wright as Chair of the California Advisory Commission on Special Education (ACSE), brings multiple perspectives to the important role that the ACSE plays in the lives of students with disabilities. She is the parent of a daughter born with significant disabilities and has a passion for helping traditionally disadvantaged populations. She received her bachelor’s degree in sociology from California State University at Sacramento and will receive her Special Education Teaching Credential and master’s degree in 2010.

Ms. Wright's history of public service includes two consecutive terms as Chair of the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education in Sacramento City Unified School District, and currently, a two-year elected term on her neighborhood association board.