Myrna Holden, Chair, holds a Ph.D. in Social/Clinical Psychology from The Wright Institute, an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from California State University San Francisco, and a B.A. in English from the University of California Santa Barbara.  Dr. Holden specializes in clinical and research training in mental health and was the Director of Student Mental Health Services at City College of San Francisco until her retirement. From 1984-1997, she had her own private clinical practice in San Francisco and Berkeley.  She has provided extensive training and consultation to various mental health clinics such as Kaiser Hospital Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic, Mt. Zion Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at San Francisco, and University of California Berkeley Counseling Center, and has been a presenter at the California State Psychological Association Conference in San Diego, American Psychological Association Conference in Chicago, Illinois, and Michigan State University Conference on Women, Flint, Michigan.

Chamroeun Heng, Vice Chair, is a recent graduate of U.C. Berkeley in Molecular and Cell Biology. He left Cambodia in 2002 and came to California to pursue his education in Medicine. Chmroeun is adamantly committed to understanding the challenges of the Cambodia refugees and passionate about giving them all that he has. "I want to make the most of what I know and what I can do to help those who need my services."

Christine Hopkins, Secretary, is an attorney with extensive experience in benefits for seniors and people with disabilities.   She has advocated for mentally disabled homeless and refugee clients for Homeless Action Center in Berkeley, California, the East Bay Community Law Center, and Samuelson Law, Technology and Public Policy Clinic.    Currently she works as an Associate Attorney at the Law Offices of John F. Martin, practicing Civil Rights, Employment, and Disability Law.  She holds a J.D. from University of California Berkeley School of Law, and a B.A. (Magna Cum Laude) from Bates College.  She is also a member of California Women Lawyers Association, Contra Costa County Bar Association, State Bar of California, U.S. Northern District, and U.S. Eastern District Court.

Mahnaz Rastakhiz, Treasurer,has a B.A. in Arts,and has extensive training in negotiation,management and public relations.She is employed with the State of California, Mahnaz came to USA as a student in 1978 prior to the revolution in her native country Iran. Despite being an immigrant who came here by choice with adequate resources,she always remembers how essential it was to get a helping hand during those first few years.She is now here to be that helping hand to other refugees and immigrants.

Lew Saephan, Member,  is a Mien refugee from Laos, who immigrated to Oakland in 1980.  Ms. Saephan graduated from UC Davis, with a B.S. in Managerial Economics.  She works for International Paper, where she is both a Human Resource Expert and Accounting Specialist.   Previous to that, she worked for the East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation’s (EBALDC) job readiness and employment program for limited English speaking CalWorks recipients.

Tracy Tran,Member, currently works at the Marin County Adult Protective Services and In-Home Supportive Services Programs. She emigrated from Vietnam in 1981 and is fluent in both Vietnamese and English. Previous to her work with Marin County, she worked with American Viet League, the Comprehensive Integrated Resources for CalWorks Limited English Speakers Program, Alameda County’s Legal Language Access Project and for Spanish Speaking Unity Council’s One-Stop Career Center. Ms. Tran received a B.A. in Hospitality Management from San Francisco State in 2000.

James Gracer M.D., Member, is an internist as well as a psychiatrist with 22 years of experience and is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Gracer has been wholeheartedly donating pro-bono psychiatric evaluation and medication management to more than 200 Cambodian refugees since October 2001. These services has brought much needed healing to the difficult lives of these refugees. Dr. Gracer has been providing the same free of charge services to the Afghan, Bosnian, Iranian, Laotian and Vietnamese clients at CERI.

Kas Thon, Member, was born in Kampong Cham, Cambodia.  He was a primary school teacher in Cambodia for many years.  Mr. Thon came to United States in 1981 and has lived in San Jose ever since, where he has dedicated much of his time and effort to improving conditions for the Cambodian community. In 1982, Mr. Thon worked with Asian Americans for Community Involvement as a mental health specialist. For more than a decade, he has been volunteered his time to teach Khmer literacy,  history, and culture to the Cambodian community.  During the same period, Mr. Thon was actively involved with Khmer New Year preparation and planning.  Mr. Thon also sits on the Cambodian American Resources Association board in San Jose.  He is a very talented artist, painter, and sculptor.  Through his tireless dedication, artwork and teachings, Mr. Thon hopes to preserve the richness of the Khmer culture for future generations.  Mr. Thon is a very well known, respected, and valued figure in the Cambodian community.

Kamran Afary, Member, received his PH.D in Performance Studies from Northwestern University. He has extensive experience working with and developing community arts organizations. Dr. Afary teaches Communication Studies at Cal State University in Los Angeles and was a programmer at KPFK radio in Los Angeles from 1980 to 1998.  He wrote his dissertation on grassroots organizations in Los Angeles during the 1990s. Afary has worked extensively with Iranian and South Asian immigrants.

Michael Natali, B.S., RTH, Member, opened his first pharmacy in East Oakland in 1971. He has served the underprivileged refugee and immigrant populations as well ethnic minorities for over 35 years. His compassion and the nurturing quality of his service have played a healing factor in the lives of many of his clients throughout the years.