A Day in Her Shoes

Debby Cherney is the Chief Executive Officer of the San Bernardino County Employees’ Retirement Association (SBCERA), where she oversees day-to-day administrative operations in accordance with the policies established by the SBCERA Board of Retirement (Board). She advises and assists the Board in long range planning and development, ensuring SBCERA is providing the best service to our Members and secure retirements today and well into the future.

Prior to joining SBCERA in August 2018, Debby served as the Deputy General Manager at the Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD). During her time at EMWD, she was actively engaged on California water issues regarding infrastructure, ratepayer affordability and addressing the issue of failing water systems throughout the state. Prior to EMWD, Debby was the Executive Director of Finance and Administrative Services at Irvine Ranch Water District in Irvine, California and spent the first 15 years of her career in management consulting, working with public agencies and private companies.

Debby formerly served on the Executive Board of Directors of the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada, was the Chair of their advisory Committee on Retirement and Benefits Administration and was the Chair of the Women’s Public Finance Network. She also formerly served as a member of the Board of Public Utilities for the City of Riverside.

Debby is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the State of California, and is an Accredited Fiduciary. She has a Bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from the University of California, Irvine.

Jocelyn A. Tan is the CEO and Founder of Sisu VR Inc. For over fifteen years, she has worked as a technologist for a number of Silicon Valley companies and startups, including Google, Texas Instruments, Gavano, and Zenful. At these positions she has overseen multi-billion dollars in hardware and software products. In 2018, Jocelyn founded Sisu VR, a company revolutionizing corporate training using virtual reality. Jocelyn is a published journal author and co-inventor of a multitude of patents. Additionally she serves on the board of the Markkula Center of Technology Ethics and is a key strategic advisor of the XR Safety Initiative (XRSI).

Vivian Welsh leads with clarity and encouragement. As the CEO of Vivians.io, she guides businesses through the complexities of AI and CRM systems.

After arriving in the U.S. at age six, Vivian discovered that curiosity opens doors. With a degree in Biology and a foundation in teaching, she brings a unique perspective to client partnerships.

Her mission is clear: leverage technology to empower people, not replace them. Whether implementing CRMs, automating workflows with AI, or training teams, Vivian ensures that people remain at the heart of every solution.

Madison Redford is a Sr. Cybersecurity Consultant with a background in developing robust security frameworks and implementing cutting-edge protective measures. With a strategic approach to IT governance with hands-on technical acumen as a Sr. Consultant, she brings a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical expertise to the forefront of cybersecurity challenges. Her technical prowess extends to evaluating and securing environments, working with critical infrastructure, participating in red, blue, and purple teams, facilitating Tabletop (TTX) exercises, and creating robust Identity Access Management (IAM) solutions. As she continues to contribute to the field of cybersecurity, she remains committed to expanding her knowledge and skill set, ensuring that she is at the cutting edge of cybersecurity defenses and strategies.

Billie L. Gengler, LCSW, serves as Executive Director of Oak Grove Center, overseeing organizational operations across clinical, residential, educational, and community-based programs. She brings more than 25 years of progressive leadership experience in behavioral health, with deep expertise in trauma-informed and evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents. Prior to her current role, Billie served as Oak Grove’s Clinical Director, leading clinical operations, compliance, and accreditation efforts. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1988, Billie is committed to program excellence, regulatory compliance, and advancing Oak Grove Center’s mission to rebuild the lives of at-risk children and their families through education, healing, restoring relationships, building character, and instilling hope.

Ashley Hutchinson, BS, MSW, LCSW

Ashley is a licensed psychotherapist with a clinical focus on trauma recovery, military life culture, and supporting individuals impacted by the complications of trauma. She specializes in trauma-informed modalities, including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Psychoanalysis, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Clinical Hypnosis. Ashley's personal clinical practice centers on treating PTSD, addiction, generational trauma, suicidality, and personality disorders, with particular expertise in working with veterans, first responders, cult and religious abuse survivors, and individuals impacted by non-paternal events discovered through DNA testing. Additionally, Ashley is an adjunct professor for Arizona State University and teaches graduate students how to assess patients and make psychological diagnoses.
Ashley leads initiatives to enhance access to mental health care in underserved communities. She is also an experienced psychoeducator and lecturer, presenting regularly to organizations such as Give An Hour, CASA, NAMI, leading universities, school districts, the California Teachers Association, and various government agencies. Her presentations focus on evidence-based approaches to mental health education and intervention, delivered with wit, humor, and directness about topics many Americans struggle to talk about related to mental health care.
Ashley holds an MSW from the Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health. She is a recipient of the National Infantry Association’s Shield of Sparta and the Yellow Rose of Texas Award for her work supporting military families. Ashley resides in Murrieta with her family and remains actively involved in community service and mental health advocacy.

Anne Unmacht has lived in the area for over 38 years, raising her 2 children in the city of Murrieta. She has had a front row seat in the economic booms and downturn that our region has faced and the impact it has had on the issue of homelessness.

Anne has a servant’s heart and a strong desire to help those in need. In 2003, she gave up her career as a successful real estate agent when she felt called to address the needs of those facing eminent homelessness. With a vision, Anne founded God’s Fan Club (Unity in Christ to help the homeless and hurting), DBA Project T.O.U.C.H., a non-profit organization uniting the faith-based community in partnership with business and civic organizations.

Today she oversees P.T. which has grown to currently provide 265 year-round transitional and emergency beds. She has been contracted with the City of Murrieta to operate an Emergency Shelter for the past three years.

Officer Ruzek is a sworn law enforcement officer with the Murrieta Police Department, bringing five years of service in patrol operations and community-based policing. Prior to joining the Community Behavioral Assessment Team (CBAT), Officer Ruzek gained experience responding to mental health related calls and crisis stabilization efforts across a variety of community settings. Currently assigned to CBAT, Officer Ruzek works in close collaboration with mental health clinicians, community partners, and emergency services to support individuals experiencing behavioral health crises This role emphasizes de-escalation, trauma-informed response, and connection to appropriate treatment and social services while maintaining public safety. Officer Ruzek values collaboration across disciplines and is dedicated to building trust through thoughtful, compassionate interactions with the community.

I’m Jennifer Aguirre, the Superintendent at Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District in Lake Elsinore, California. I oversee the day-to-day operations of our three wastewater treatment facilities. Our largest plant, the Regional Water Reclamation Facility, is currently undergoing a major $240-million expansion, increasing capacity from 8 MGD to 12 MGD.
Even though the district maintains a 415-mile sewer collection system, my work focuses on the treatment plants and on managing the projects that keep them running safely and efficiently. I lead a team of 12 operators, and I hold a SWRCB Grade V certification.
I entered the industry at 27, starting as a volunteer operator-in-training. That opportunity completely changed my career path, or lack thereof, and introduced me to work that’s hands-on, meaningful, and full of room to grow.

As a woman in a field that’s still predominantly male, I’m passionate about encouraging other women to consider careers in water and wastewater. I love sharing what this work is really like and hope to inspire more women to step into this critical and rewarding industry.

Sandi Salas was born and raised in Riverside County. She went to school and college in the City of Riverside. While earning her bachelor’s degree in biology attending college at University California Riverside (UCR) Sandi worked at two different jobs, one being at a restaurant. Serving customers and interacting with the public were skills that she knew she would like to incorporate into her career. Once she learned about the Environmental Health Specialist career, she realized this was the perfect opportunity to incorporate her degree as well as a way to interact and give back to her community. Sandi started her career in Environmental Health just after graduating from UCR in 2006. She started working in District Environmental Services conducting food, pool and retail tobacco inspections. Sandi enjoyed educating the public as well as facility operators on health and safety. As she became a seasoned inspector her desire to educate and mentor grew to not only wanting to educate the public, but also fellow inspectors. Sandi accepted a new position in the Special Projects training program for the Department of Environmental Health and focused on mentoring new staff and working on department wide publications and training implementation tools. After 6 years a new opportunity presented itself and Sandi took on a new challenge and promoted into a lead position for the Local Enforcement Agency (LEA) program within the department, where she led the team overseeing inspections for solid waste, liquid waste, medical waste and body art inspections. Interacting with a team and incorporating past and present knowledge of the department, Sandi was able to bridge gaps within the team as well as the program. After two short years, Sandi was promoted to Supervisor of the LEA program. In this time, she found it very rewarding to work with a team as well as leaders in the solid waste industry, which included additional county programs as well as outside agencies and state officials. Sandi takes pride in her work and everyone she interacts with. After serving as the LEA supervisor for 8 years, she was recently promoted to her current role as Program Chief overseeing Vector Control, Tobacco Retail, Organized Camps and Mobilehome Parks, Trash and sewage complaints, Administrative Citation programs as well as serving as the County Public Information Officer. This new role incorporates, working and overseeing multiple teams, as well as multiple programs, and having the opportunity to be the voice of the Department to ensure public health and safety. Having the opportunity to serve the department in this capacity is a great honor and accomplishment. Sandi is very honored to be in a position where she can mentor and assist other women in the department giving them an inspiration just as other women did for her.
Sandi has been married for 15 years and has two brilliant little boys who are very active in school and baseball. Beyond the accomplishments in her career, her greatest joy and blessing is to be with her family. She is a very proud baseball mama!
Ashley is a licensed psychotherapist with a clinical focus on trauma recovery, military life culture, and supporting individuals impacted by the complications of trauma. She specializes in trauma-informed modalities, including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, Psychoanalysis, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Trauma-Informed Clinical Hypnosis. Ashley's personal clinical practice centers on treating PTSD, addiction, generational trauma, suicidality, and personality disorders, with particular expertise in working with veterans, first responders, cult and religious abuse survivors, and individuals impacted by non-paternal events discovered through DNA testing. Additionally, Ashley is an adjunct professor for Arizona State University and teaches graduate students how to assess patients and make psychological diagnoses.
Ashley leads initiatives to enhance access to mental health care in underserved communities. She is also an experienced psychoeducator and lecturer, presenting regularly to organizations such as Give An Hour, CASA, NAMI, leading universities, school districts, the California Teachers Association, and various government agencies. Her presentations focus on evidence-based approaches to mental health education and intervention, delivered with wit, humor, and directness about topics many Americans struggle to talk about related to mental health care.
Ashley holds an MSW from the Loma Linda University School of Behavioral Health. She is a recipient of the National Infantry Association’s Shield of Sparta and the Yellow Rose of Texas Award for her work supporting military families. Ashley resides in Murrieta with her family and remains actively involved in community service and mental health advocacy.

Barbara Jimenez is the Senior Sustainability Manager at CR&R Environmental Services. She has been with the company for almost five years, and in the solid waste and recycling industry for 15 years. Barbara is active in the communities she serves by completing various presentations at a number of different businesses, clubs, Town Halls and city council meetings. She enjoys updating the communities on State of California mandates, service updates and various State regulations. Barbara also conducts tours for a number of organizations in Riverside County at CR&R’s Anaerobic Digester (AD) located in Perris. The AD plant was built in an effort to provide local communities with a safe, efficient and environmentally sustainable end market for organics. Barbara oversees regulatory compliance for all cities in the Inland Empire serviced by CR&R and provides vital assistance with each communities’ compliance. She also works with the commercial sector to make sure they are subscribed to the necessary services regulated by Senate Bill 1383. Barbara is the liaison between CR&R and the cities they serve in Western Riverside County as well as San Bernardino County. She manages seventeen jurisdictional contracts assisting these jurisdictions with not only compliance, but also all other city requests and events. She oversees a team of seven people consisting of Sustainability Coordinators, Sustainability Auditors and Sustainability Specialists.

Barbara is a mother of three and enjoys sports, taking her dogs for walks throughout the county, and vacationing throughout the country.

Barbara loves being a “trash talker” in the Waste Industry and keeping up with all regulations to provide the necessary changes, services, and outreach to her customers and jurisdictions.

I am a clinical therapist and Associate Marriage and Family Therapist with over seven years of experience in the mental health field. My professional background spans a range of intensive and community-based settings, beginning in a residential treatment facility working with adolescents. I later served in Riverside County’s children’s clinic, where I expanded my clinical experience before transitioning to the Youth Intervention Hospitalization Program. I was subsequently selected to join the Community Behavioral Assessment Team (CBAT), providing crisis-focused assessment and intervention services.
I am trained and certified in crisis intervention and management and have experience working with individuals across the lifespan, as well as with couples and families. I am a strong advocate for animal-assisted therapy and actively participate in Riverside County’s P.A.I.R. program alongside my therapy support animal, Topper. Topper has experience working with children and has provided consistent support within a children’s clinic setting. My clinical approach emphasizes safety, compassion, and collaboration, with a commitment to supporting clients through both crisis and long-term healing.

Jordan Kingsbury is the Manager of the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Sun Valley, where she leads operations dedicated to sustainability and resource recovery. With more than eight years of experience in the waste management industry, Jordan has held key roles in environmental compliance, public sector engagement, and operations management. She is passionate about driving innovation and fostering collaboration to meet regulatory standards while advancing environmental goals.
Jordan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with a minor in Mathematics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and is currently pursuing her MBA at Johnson & Wales University. She is an active member in WM’s Women’s Impact Group in order to foster inclusion, equity and diversity. Jordan has also completed the WM Disposal Operations Management Training program and the WM Human-Centered Leadership course, further strengthening her expertise in operational excellence and leadership development.
Her commitment to continuous learning and leadership in sustainable practices positions her as a trusted advocate for environmental stewardship and organizational growth.