Staff Biographies
Admin & Support
Diana Short
Diana Short was appointed Executive Director of Community Resources for Children on December 1, 1994 after serving 3 months as Interim Director. Prior to assuming the position at CRC, Diana was licensed as a small family child care provider caring for 6 children in her home. Her business experience as a licensed family child care provider and her experiences as a parent consumer of child care have provided an understanding of the child care field beyond the formal education in child development. Diana’s past work experiences include: Child Care Food Program Coordinator and Child Care Initiative Project Coordinator at Community Resources for Children, Nutritionist/Food Service Supervisor for Sonoma County Head Start, Life Skills/Home Economics teacher at the elementary, junior high and high school level in New Jersey, and Program Director for the YWCA of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Diana earned a BS Degree in Home Economics Education from Mansfield State College in Mansfield, Pennsylvania and an M Ed Degree from the Pennsylvania State University. She resides in Sonoma with her husband, Mike. Diana and Mike have two grown daughters, Marisa and Amanda.
Claudia Alexander
Claudia was born and raised in Southern California but has made Napa her home since right after high school graduation. She and her husband John have 3 grown children and 4 grandchildren. Claudia’s experience working in the field of Early Childhood Education spans several decades and includes: preschool teacher, owner/operator of her own family child care home, and child care center director. She has a certificate in Early Childhood Education from Napa Valley College, an Associate Degree from Napa Valley College, and a Bachelors in Business Management from St. Mary’s College. Special interests include: reading, camping, sewing, birds (especially hawks), and the ocean. One of her favorite quotes is “When you change the way you process the world, the world you are processing changes.”
Jessica Villegas
A Napa native, Jessica is the “Go to Girl” here at Community Resources for Children. Her job at CRC is broad and ranges from covering the reception desk, to maintaining CRC’s website calendar, to training new staff and volunteers. Jessica has also been involved in organizing many of CRC events including Picnic Day and the Faux Gingerbread House workshop. She has worked with CRC for 12 years and was given the title “Administrative Assistant of the Year” by KVON radio in 2000. An avid Pittsburgh Steeler fan, Jessica enjoys watching football, reading, dancing and visiting Las Vegas. Her main joy comes from spending time with her family and friends.
Maria Bernal
Maria was born and raised in Michoacan, Mexico. She moved to the Napa Valley after graduating from a private Accounting and Business Administration academy. Currently Maria is working on a Computer Studies Degree and has taken several accounting and business courses at NVC. Maria has been employed at CRC for nearly 14 years, and in her spare time enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and her dog. Her favorite quote is: “Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.” Bronnie Ware
Cheryl Laski
Cheryl was raised in the Midwest, and after receiving her A.A. Degree in accounting from Indiana University, moved on the to the sunny state of Florida, where she earned a B.S. Degree in Business and Computer Information Systems. She lived in Arizona for awhile and came to California 14 years ago with her husband to raise their children. Cheryl started her career testing software, and moved on to Network Administration, primarily with non-profit and municipal entities. Cheryl has volunteered in Cub Scouts, school and her church, supports her daughter in music and theatre, and her son in traveling soccer. Cheryl often reminds her children (and herself) of Grandma’s rule, work first, then play!
Harjit Khaira
Harjit Khaira resides in Napa with her husband and two young children. Harjit has an MA in Education/Social Justice from the University of Michigan and a JD from Golden Gate University, School of Law. She is fluent in Punjabi, a northern Indian language. She has served as a Napa County Grand Juror, and is an active member of the Napa County Medical Society Alliance. Prior to moving to Napa, Harjit spent 2005-06 in Melbourne, Australia developing education initiatives and teaching. Through non-profit involvement, Harjit has worked to create sustainable programs for impoverished residents in India. In 2006, in collaboration with the Center for Community Legal Education (University of San Francisco, School of Law), she helped organize an investigative mission to India, where several schools, rural villages & and refugee conditions were examined. She received a personal interview with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India. She consults her broad skills to various businesses and in her free time, Harjit enjoys traveling, reading, learning about various cultures, spirituality, spending time with her family and participating on her family’s pistachio farms. She is a true “jack of all trades”.
Alternative Payment Program
Michele Savage
Michele, who was born in Iowa and raised in the bay area, lives in Napa with her husband Tom. She and Tom have 4 grown children and 4 grandchildren. Michele has devoted more than 30 years of her life to working with and for children, including, owning and operating her own family child care home, and working as a child care center director, before coming to CRC. Michele attended Dominican College and has an AA Degree in ECE from Napa Valley College. She loves gardening, spending time with her grandchildren, volunteering for her church, playing games and reading adventure/mystery books. Her favorite quote is “Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses.”
Jeanne Fridolfs
Jeanne, Assistant Manager for our Alternative Payment Program, joined CRC as a Case Manager in 1999. Previous to joining CRC she worked for many years with children and families in a variety of preschool settings. Jeanne loves understanding and working with regulations. She likes the fact that “every day is different”-you never know what to expect and it keeps things from being too routine. Most of all Jeanne genuinely likes the families she works with and enjoys helping others. Her favorite children’s author is Robert Much who wrote the ever popular book “I love you forever”.
Joann Acantilado
Joann was born in Oxnard, California but grew up all over the world, being part of a military family. She has traveled to many countries including: most parts of Europe, Mexico, Spain, Greece, the Philippines, and her favorite-Italy. Joann speaks Spanish and Tagalog, and would love to learn more languages. She enjoys playing the piano, crafting, scrapbooking, cooking, watching movies, photography, beading, and going to the beach. She has an interest in, and personal experience with, children with special needs. One of her favorite quotes is “When you fully trust a person without doubt you’ll get one of two results, a person for life or a lesson for life.” (Author Unknown) The loves of her life are her children: Christian, Isabella, and Anai. Joann has been with CRC since 2005.
Silvia Angel
Silvia lives in American Canyon with her husband and young son. Celebrating her 9th anniversary with CRC this year, she has held several different positions including: Program Assistant, Receptionist/Office Coordinator and her current position, Case Manager. Special interests include: reading, traveling, going to the movies, and-she is a big fan of the San Francisco 49ers! Her favorite quote is “If you ain’t laughin’, you aint livin’”- Carlos Mencia
Sonia Garcia
Sonia is integral part of the CRC “family”, having joined CRC in 1999! She worked in both the Toy Library and our Resource & Referral Program before becoming a Case Manager. What she enjoys the most about her job is empowering and encouraging her clients to reach their self sufficiency goals. One of her favorite quotes is “Live your life as if this was the last day of your life because surely one day it will be.” She loves to spend time with her grandchildren and read them stories from one of her favorite children’s book authors, Eric Carle, books like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you see?”.
Resource & Referral Program
Lola Cornish-Nickens
Lola Cornish Nickens lives in Napa with her husband Marc and daughters Kat and Mimi. Lola has more than 24 years experience working with children and families in different capacities and settings including: nanny, family child care assistant, preschool teacher, afterschool program teacher, and youth services. She has also worked or volunteered in Waldorf programs, Montessori programs and church, and has been active as a Girl Scout leader. She has served on and held office on many boards and committees, including: Child Care Planning Council, NapaLit, Solano-Napa AEYC, Napa Valley AEYC, CCCRRN Data & Technology Committee, CCCRRN Professional Development Task Force, Girl Scouts of Napa Service Team, and her local Homeowners Association. Lola has attended Napa Valley College, Cuyamaca College, and is working on completing her BS in Early Childhood Education from Pacific Union College. Special interests and hobbies include: singing, reading, music, camping, theatre and puppetry. Her favorite quote is “Raising children should mean helping them to become what they already are in God’s eyes.” – Eberhard Arnold
Simone Brunetti
Simone has been with CRC since 2008, and has worked in the field of early childhood education for over 15 years. She holds her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a BA in Psychology and Social Behavior. Simone has worked as a preschool lead teacher, director, child advocate and trainer. She has worked in a wide variety of programs including college lab schools, private schools, faith based centers, NAEYC accredited centers, and therapeutic preschool settings. Most recently she has worked at CRC as the lead for planning and implementing Napa County’s CARES Plus program and as the Active Bodies Project Manager, specializing in physical activity and nutrition for children 0-5 and. She is a certified consultant for the Nutrition and Physical Self Assessment for Child Care program (NAP SACC). Simone is an active member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and sits on the local Solano Napa Affiliate Board as Vice President. She currently teaches classes for the Child and Family Studies department at Napa Valley College. Her areas of expertise include Developmentally Appropriate Practices, The Multiple Intelligence Theory, Music, Movement and Gross Motor Development, Indoor/Outdoor Environments and Math and Science for Preschoolers. She has been trained extensively in ECERS, the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale and the Pre K CLASS observation tool. Simone’s special hobbies and interests include: the outdoors, scrapbooking, photography and travel with Hawaii and Disneyland as her favorite destinations. Simone’s favorite quote is “It’s not how smart you are that matters, what really counts is How you are smart.” - Howard Gardner.
Amber Shallenberger
Amber has been working in the field of Early Childhood Education since 1992. Prior to coming on board at CRC she worked as a child care provider in her own home, and then later in private preschool facilities with children raging in ages from 3 months to 5 years. Amber is the “beloved” facilitator of the Active Minds program. She has an Associate Teacher certificate and continues to pursue her studies at Napa Valley College with an ultimate goal of obtaining her AS Degree and Certificate in Child and Family Studies. Amber’s passion is to continue to gain a better understanding of early development so that she may better serve the families and children in our community. In her spare time she enjoys playing music, painting and gardening. Amber and her husband Jonny have two children, Heatherann & Daniel.
Maribel Miranda
Maribel, a graduate of Napa High School, has been taking early childhood classes through Napa Valley College and UC Davis Extension. At CRC she wears a variety of “hats”. She is involved in many aspects of the Resource & Referral Program including assisting with preparation of workshops and Active Minds sessions, Registration and enrollment for Active Minds and other administrative tasks for the Toy Library & Early Learning Center. She is responsible for our many beautiful flyers and is the creator of our wonderful e-newsletter, the “Early E-dition”. In her spare time Maribel enjoys going out with friends and watching action movies.
Nancy Miranda
Nancy moved to California with her family from Mexico at the age of 11. She and her husband Joe have three children, Bryan, Angela and Benjamin. Nancy is currently studying psychology through Ashford University and has also taken classes through the Child & Family Studies program at Napa Valley College. At CRC Nancy wears many hats, but she is probably best known for sharing her expertise with families as our Resource & Referral Specialist. Nancy volunteers with Awana, Girl Scouts, and as a bible study teacher. Her long term goal is to work with teen moms and immigrant families. In her spare time Nancy enjoys music, cooking and taking pictures. When asked about her favorite place to go she replied “There are so many I can’t choose one! My favorite place used to be on my Grandmother’s porch. She used to make us coffee with fresh made sweet bread. She told us stories of when she was young, so special to me.” Nancy’s favorite quote is “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King
Anna Mendez
Anna, our friendly Toy Librarian, brings to CRC a wealth of experience working with children and families. She has worked in a variety of preschool settings, been a foster parent, and provided licensed child care in her own home. She has also worked with the elderly as a Home Support Provider for Napa County, and with special needs children at Wintun. Anna resides in Napa with her “wonderful husband” Rick Mendez, and their two daughters, Bianca and Raquel. In her spare time she loves to be with her family, go for walks, sing and ice skate. Her favorite children’s author is Shel Silverstein.
Jennifer Dobbs
Jennifer, CRC’s AmeriCorps Member, has completed her first term of national service and is working toward successfully completing her second term. While living in her home state Indiana, she studied music and education. She is currently attending Vanguard University in pursuit of her Child Development Certification. Jennifer is a certified Positive Discipline trainer, and has also completed training in preventing child abuse & neglect, family violence, and conflict resolution and cultural awareness. Jennifer strong background in computers and graphics lends itself well to assisting with CRC’s website. She is currently taking graphic design classes at NVC. Jennifer lives in Napa with “the biggest joy of her life”, her son Jordan. She enjoys singing on the worship team at her church and one of her favorite quotes is “Community means strength that joins our strength to do the work that needs to be done. Arms to hold us when we falter. A circle of healing. A circle of friends. Someplace where we can be free.”
Amanda Razdik
CRC’s newest addition, Amanda, is a graduate of California Polytechnic State University where she received a BS in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration. Amanda has worked in various locations throughout the bay area as a physical education teacher and has worked as a substitute teacher in Sonoma Valley for K-8 grade. In her leisure time Amanda enjoys playing soccer, rugby, pickleball, hiking, biking and being with her family. She also loves traveling and exploring other countries and cultures. Amanda and her husband Johnny live in Sonoma with their chocolate lab named Indigo.
