Joanna is a life resident of Mendocino County and has served in leadership roles for grassroots community-based organizations for over thirty years. In 2021 she retired from the Mendocino County Youth Project, having served as the Executive Director. Within months she joined the MCAVHN team.

“The MCAVHN agency history, the ethos of Harm Reduction, the passion, motivation and commitment of staff, the actively engaged board members, volunteers and the people we serve have collectively embraced my advocate soul. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

Joanna completed her BA in Social Work and Corrections at CSUC. She continues to volunteer and currently serves on the boards of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and the Alex Rorabaugh Recreation Center (ARRC).

Although at that time the primary focus of MCAVHN was helping persons with HIV/AIDS, it was always clear that MCAVHN is caring and accepting no matter who you are or where you have been. The clientele now is people who want to be cured of Hepatitis C and use of opioids, to avoid unsafe needle sharing, and in many cases, work to change their lives. Working here is a perfect opportunity for someone as fortunate as I’ve been in life to give back.

I was born in Chicago right after the start of WW2. Shortly after, my parents moved to a small 40 acre dairy farm in northern Wisconsin. I learned reading, writing, and arithmetic, grades 1-8 in a one room country schoolhouse. Graduated from high school as one of fifty. Joined the National Guard during my senior year, did six months training, came home, and went to college focusing on math and physics.Had to leave college, my National Guard Unit was activated because of Russia messing around with Berlin, Germany. Spent 10 months tramping through the terrain of Fort Lewis Washington and surrounding territory playing war games and how to survive in constant rain. Berlin crisis ended, returned home and went back to college.

In my senior year, I took a course in computer programing which set my carrier agenda for the next 36 years. Spent the rest of my working carrier programing, doing system analysis, designing systems and managing software development. During this time I met and married my wife Judy. Things came and went, eventually we moved to Ukiah, California. Judy became involved with MCAVHN. Soon I was asked to be a board member, and did so.

Life has been very good to me, leaving me with a sense that I should give back something in return. Being retired, I have time and some treasure. I could sit around and watch TV or mow the grass (we don’t have any) or do something that has more significance for my fellow beings. At MCAHVN I managed the facilities of a homeless shelter for two years. I have problem solving and IT skills that can be used in fund procurement and in planning fund raising events. If because of some of my efforts we help someone feel better, possibly save a life, change their lives for the better, then, it is part of my saying thanks for what life has given me.

I retired in 2019 after having practiced law in Ukiah for over 40 years. My wife, Jeanne, and I have 5 children between us. They are all wonderful people. Ace Barash introduced me to MCAVHN after I retired. The notion of simply reducing harm in people’s lives instantly caught my imagination. Simply being there to help without a sense of superiority is what practical spirituality is all about.

Leah is a bay area native with a lifelong ambition of working in addiction recovery. She completed medical school in Las Vegas at UNLV and currently works as a Resident Physician through the Adventist Health Family Medicine Residency. Under the tutelage of Dr. Barash and with the warm embrace of the MCAVHN community, Leah hopes to continue expanding services through MCAVHN including street medicine and primary care for the unhoused; addiction recovery and harm reduction; as well as hepatitis and HIV screening and treatment.

Joanna is a life resident of Mendocino County and has served in leadership roles for grassroots community-based organizations for over thirty years. In 2021 she retired from the Mendocino County Youth Project, having served as the Executive Director. Within months she joined the MCAVHN team.

“The MCAVHN agency history, the ethos of Harm Reduction, the passion, motivation and commitment of staff, the actively engaged board members, volunteers and the people we serve have collectively embraced my advocate soul. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve.”

Joanna completed her BA in Social Work and Corrections at CSUC. She continues to volunteer and currently serves on the boards of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and the Alex Rorabaugh Recreation Center (ARRC).

I was born in Chicago right after the start of WW2. Shortly after, my parents moved to a small 40 acre dairy farm in northern Wisconsin. I learned reading, writing, and arithmetic, grades 1-8 in a one room country schoolhouse. Graduated from high school as one of fifty. Joined the National Guard during my senior year, did six months training, came home, and went to college focusing on math and physics.Had to leave college, my National Guard Unit was activated because of Russia messing around with Berlin, Germany. Spent 10 months tramping through the terrain of Fort Lewis Washington and surrounding territory playing war games and how to survive in constant rain. Berlin crisis ended, returned home and went back to college.

In my senior year, I took a course in computer programing which set my carrier agenda for the next 36 years. Spent the rest of my working carrier programing, doing system analysis, designing systems and managing software development. During this time I met and married my wife Judy. Things came and went, eventually we moved to Ukiah, California. Judy became involved with MCAVHN. Soon I was asked to be a board member, and did so.

Life has been very good to me, leaving me with a sense that I should give back something in return. Being retired, I have time and some treasure. I could sit around and watch TV or mow the grass (we don’t have any) or do something that has more significance for my fellow beings. At MCAHVN I managed the facilities of a homeless shelter for two years. I have problem solving and IT skills that can be used in fund procurement and in planning fund raising events. If because of some of my efforts we help someone feel better, possibly save a life, change their lives for the better, then, it is part of my saying thanks for what life has given me.

My name is Carol Roseborough, aka Flake Brady. I am a Board member at MCAVHN.

I was born and raised in San Diego, CA. during the 60’s and 70’s. I was introduced to the drug scene as a teenager. Being a border town, there were a lot of drugs readily available.

I moved to Redwood Valley in 1978, trying to get away from the toxic environment I found myself in. I found myself much more acclimated to the slower pace of small town life. I worked at the Redwood Valley and Ukiah Post Offices for 32 years as a Rural Letter Carrier. I was able to buy a house in Redwood Valley and raise my daughter and son. I also sat on the Board of The Waldorf School of Mendocino Co.

Upon retiring, I found myself with more spare time and decided to get involved with something to give back to the community. I had become very much aware of the explosion of fentynal overdoses and deaths in the county. I had several friends who had lost their children to this; some of which might have been avoided had their friends not left them to die. I felt this was definitely due to a lack of education in the schools about drugs.

So I joined the board at MCAVHN with the hope of promoting this avenue in the schools and to try and open this conversation with local tribes.

I must say my eyes have been made wide open to the many ways our employees try to meet the needs of the less fortunate, and to do it in a respectful humanizing way. For a small non-profit their work is making an impact one person at a time.

I retired in 2019 after having practiced law in Ukiah for over 40 years. My wife, Jeanne, and I have 5 children between us. They are all wonderful people. Ace Barash introduced me to MCAVHN after I retired. The notion of simply reducing harm in people’s lives instantly caught my imagination. Simply being there to help without a sense of superiority is what practical spirituality is all about.

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Leah is a bay area native with a lifelong ambition of working in addiction recovery. She completed medical school in Las Vegas at UNLV and currently works as a Resident Physician through the Adventist Health Family Medicine Residency. Under the tutelage of Dr. Barash and with the warm embrace of the MCAVHN community, Leah hopes to continue expanding services through MCAVHN including street medicine and primary care for the unhoused; addiction recovery and harm reduction; as well as hepatitis and HIV screening and treatment.

Aurelie has seventeen years experience in the prevention and early intervention education field. For seven years she coordinated and provided professional development trainings and continues to support networking among community partners around the county.

She graduated with her Masters in Social Work from Cal-Poly Humboldt State University in 2024. Aurelie is working on her hours to become a Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW). She is called to the work that MCAVHN provides due to her own lived experience and being of support to her mother who is severely mentally ill and has a problematic relationship to alcohol and other drugs.