Our Team

I love FRN because it is a community of people who are passionate about families and fierce warriors in advocating for children with disabilities. No place else like it.

I have been working with families of children with disabilities for over 20 years. I am the mother to a son with complex healthcare needs. My story is the story of the families we support at FRN. When families connect with FRN, they are supported by experienced and knowledgeable staff who have navigated the same paths. I am an avid NBA basketball fan.

I have been working with FRN families since 2018. I am a parent of two boys who adore complex contraption games and playing Minecraft. During my free time, I enjoy cooking and baking a variety of foods, DIY projects, and sight-seeing natural wonders with my family.

Amelia has a deep passion for providing support and training to disadvantaged and underserved populations. As a longtime Alameda County resident and parent to a child with an ultra-rare genetic mutation and multiple disabilities, she understands how access to services can change people with disabilities and their caregivers’ lives. At FRN, she has done much of her work with adults with disabilities although supports people and families of all ages. With a background in housing, she can support families not only with disability services but basic needs support.

I have been working with children with complex medical needs since 2006. One of the best parts of my jobs is bringing families to the annual Family Voices Health Summit to help families connect with their elected representatives.

I am a program manager but I have a lot of extra jobs at FRN – as staff ask me for help with their computer or phone. In my spare time, I like spending time with my family, doing crafts and baking.

I am a mother of five wonderful children, and I am extremely proud to be a blessed woman to have them. Life has placed me in the right time and place to face various challenges. I am deeply committed to supporting my community, as my personal experiences, with my daughter who faces disabilities, and with my mother, who suffered from cerebral palsy for 17 years, have deeply impacted me. My mother’s legacy and my daughter’s determination inspire me to persevere and motivate me to continue with the mission of serving my community.

In Iran, I spent my summers taking care of my cousin with Muscular Dystrophy. Then in the US, I was the primary caregiver for my brother with a Traumatic Brain Injury. My most profound training comes from parenting two kids with disabilities. I am passionate about providing support to other families so they don’t feel alone.

I am the warrior mom of two kids and my younger son has a rare disease and has special health care needs. In addition to working at FRN, I co-run the Union City Special Needs Library Playgroups. I have a passion for arts and crafts. I enjoy working with families and helping them advocate for services.

I love working for an organization that does amazing things for the community. I found out about FRN through my mom because FRN helped her in many ways. I love what we do and am so happy to be a part of this team. In my free time, I enjoy fitness and watching movies.

My son has led me to knock on the doors of FRN years ago after his diagnosis. And today I’m proud to be part of this great team and to be able to support the community, as one day they did with me.

Originally from Afghanistan, I understand the unique challenges faced by families raising children with special needs. With both personal experience and professional expertise, I’m here to assist Farsi/Dari-speaking families in navigating the system. I’m dedicated to supporting families through coaching, so they can advocate for their children and access the support networks they deserve.

I was born in Hong Kong. It’s always my pleasure to help the community and Chinese-speaking families. I love purple. You would always see me with purple hair. I love traveling, shopping, trying out new restaurants, learning another culture.

I have been with FRN more than 10 years now, and I have 3 children. When not busy helping families, I like playing practical jokes – but only on my co-workers.

I have a passion for helping my community, so discovering FRN was truly exciting. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness how children and adults thrive when they receive the support they need. On my days off, I enjoy shopping, spending time with my family, or cheering on my loved ones at soccer practices and games.

My son Santi, who is 10 years old, has autism. I attended an FRN support group and from day one I felt welcomed, understood, and started to know about resources for my son. My goal is to help families by connecting them with the system to make their journey a little easier.

I graduated from Penn State with a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies and a minor in Psychology. As a military spouse and special needs parent, I’m passionate about supporting families. My education, combined with the passion I found in navigating my family’s needs, led me to FRN. As a Family Navigator, I believe in empowering families with empathy and understanding, creating a strong sense of community. I know how isolating it can feel to navigate your child’s needs, but you are never alone in this journey—let’s work together to build a brighter, more supportive future for your family.

My loves are family, live music, drums, and Disney. Stitch is my spirit animal.

I studied democracy and human rights and I am an advocate for women. I love helping others and making more people aware of the services and resources they can be provided with, especially Arab people because I come from the same background as them and want to guide them in the right direction by providing them with useful resources.

I’m a proud graduate of UC Berkeley, where I majored in Data Science. As the eldest of five siblings, I help my mom take care of our family, particularly my youngest brother who has Autism. Some of my favorite things to indulge in are books and coffee—nothing beats relaxing with a good read and a warm cup of coffee. I’m really excited to be a part of Family Resource Navigators and look forward to contributing my skills and passion to help others.

I joined FRN after being a parent leader. The other staff tease me and say that they always know when I am working because they smell coffee and popcorn – but I like coffee and popcorn.

I am a mom of two children and first came to FRN as a parent. I am very happy to work in the FRN organization. I have received a lot of training at work and have increased my knowledge of special education, which enables me to better support my children. I also very much hope to help more families who have similar experiences and needs, and to help people in the Alameda County community.

I’ve been part of the FRN team for 12 years, starting as a volunteer seeking support for my son with special needs. That experience sparked my passion for helping others. Today, I’m dedicated to providing guidance and support to families, connecting them to essential services. I’m proud to be part of an agency making a meaningful difference.
Outside of work, I enjoy creating memories with my husband, our two children, and my extended family, whether exploring new restaurants, embarking on road trips, or vacationing.

I have been working with FRN for over 20 years, and I stay because it is so rewarding to work with families. And I get to see lots of babies, and I do love seeing the babies.

I am a parent to two children. The journey of raising my son—who was born prematurely and later diagnosed with autism—has shaped my passion for supporting Black families. His challenges with learning and development opened my eyes to the importance of early intervention and the need for cultural acceptance. I’m committed to empowering parents to embrace the unexpected, turning fear into confidence. By sharing knowledge and resources, I aim to help families navigate support systems and break down barriers within our Black community.

Before becoming a mom, I felt uncertain about my life’s direction. Now, my son and daughter have given me a newfound sense of purpose. FRN allows me to keep learning while supporting other families on their journeys. When I’m not working, I enjoy cleaning, reading, and discovering new coffee shops.

I have been working with the Latinix community since 2002, and I am still so excited to come to work every day. Personally, I love to shop, especially for beautiful shoes.

I am an Executive Assistant at Family Resource Navigators in San Leandro, with over 15 years of experience in administrative support. My expertise in office management, client relations, and organization allows me to effectively contribute to the team and support our mission of empowering families and strengthening the community.

I started working at FRN as an Administrative Assistant in 2014. In my free time, I like hiking and traveling the world to see different places by exploring and understanding other cultures and customs.

James’ greatest passion is devoted to raising his son, Kwame, who was born prematurely and is developmentally challenged. James commitment to serving families began with the recognition that “Kwame’s birth was my rebirth.”

Sujatha Ranganathan has been a driving force for change in education and community advocacy, most recently at the Santa Clara County Office of Education. With a deep understanding of California’s educational landscape and a personal journey as a parent of a child on the autism spectrum, she is passionate about creating meaningful impact. She serves as Board Chair for Family Resource Navigators and a Board Member at Healthier Kids Foundation, championing healthcare access for Silicon Valley youth and support for families with special needs children. Through her leadership, Sujatha bridges data, education, and advocacy to drive lasting community change.

As a senior vice president and a senior banking advisor, Mary works with you, your family and your team to help deliver insightful banking solutions. Whether complex lending solutions or day to day banking needs, she provides a differentiated experience and executes services seamlessly to assist in delivering financial peace of mind. Mary has the knowledge, experience and desire to help bring about successful outcomes as your trusted advisor. Mary has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years. Prior to joining PNC Bank, she worked in a similar role as a Senior Banking Advisor at Wells Fargo Private Bank in San Jose CA as well as PNC Private Bank, NJ and Wachovia Bank, NJ (now Wells Fargo). Mary graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Delhi University, India, with a Master of Science in economics from Purdue University, and with a Master of Business Administration in finance from Rutgers University.

Steve has over 25 years experience in Technology, and has been living in the Silicon Valley area since 2011 with his wife and two sons. As a parent of a child that has been battling B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since 2016, he and his wife have become advocates for childhood healthcare. Seeing firsthand the lack of services, especially for teenage youth, Steve is extremely passionate about having an impact on the broader healthcare services landscape, and ensuring the continuation of the best possible community for children and families with complex medical needs.

Dr. Sumita Kalra is a Physician at a satellite clinic within Alameda Health System, serving the needs of the underserved community of Alameda County. When she is not a practicing physician, she spends her time training other medical professionals in Relationship Centered Communication. She currently spends time in her wellness and communication coaching practice: WellcomRx. Dr. Kalra also sits on the
board of Family Resource Network. As a mother of a son whom is quadriplegic and uses a wheelchair for mobility needs, she is passionate about advocating for differently abled community and supporting families in their mental health needs. She and her partner have 3 children, 15, 14 and 10.