STAFF & BOARD
The staff at CALICO work hard and deal with horrific stories, but they still remain generous, warm, and welcoming people.
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—Calvin C. James, Assistant County Counsel (retired)
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Office of the County Counsel, Alameda County
CALICO is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
CALICO CENTER & CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS OF CALIFORNIA STAFF
Nadia Bueno
Executive Director
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Nadia joined CALICO in August 2018 as a Child Interview Specialist. As a native Spanish speaker, she was able to conduct interviews in Spanish when needed. She added to her duties in 2021 by becoming CALICO's Victim Services Coordinator. In December 2024, Nadia became CALICO's Executive Director. Prior to joining CALICO, Nadia worked at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as a Victim/Witness Advocate. Nadia has a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.
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Favorite Childhood Book: The Secret of Nimh - Robert C. O’Brien
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Playing Operation
Current Hobby: Landscape photography
Mara Brainerd
Office Manager/Intake Coordinator
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Mara joined CALICO in September 2024. Prior to that, she worked as an office manager at a nonprofit foster family agency, where she facilitated a support group for teen girls. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from California State University, East Bay. In her role at CALICO, Mara helps maintain a warm and welcoming environment for clients, partners, and staff.
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Favorite Childhood Book: The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Swimming
Current Hobby: Cooking, travelling, being outdoors
Kristy Brodeur Dermody
Senior Forensic Interviewer/Training Director
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Kristy joined CALICO in 1997 and works as a Forensic Interviewer and CALICO’s Training Coordinator. Since 2015, Kristy has also been the statewide training coordinator for the Children’s Advocacy Center of California (CACC) program. Kristy has conducted trainings throughout California and the US. Before CALICO, she was part of an MDT that went to Zambia to train their national police force and Zambian prosecutors on child forensic interviewing. Kristy is a tenured faculty member at John F Kennedy University. In 2012, Kristy received the National Children’s Advocacy Center’s award for Outstanding Service Award.
Favorite Childhood Book: The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Andersen
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Horseback riding on my giant, Billy
Current Hobby: Avid bike rider, but hates hills!
Bertha Nevárez
Senior Forensic Interviewer/Program Manager
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Bertha started working at CALICO in January 1999. Since her start, Bertha has conducted almost 6,500 forensic interviews! Bertha works closely with all of our partner agencies and answers all of CALICO’s after-hours and weekend pages. In addition, Bertha facilitates Spanish peer reviews for Spanish-speaking forensic interviewers throughout the state. Before CALICO, Bertha worked for Alameda Alliance providing psycho-social case management to HIV+ clients. She also was the HIV Testing Coordinator for two hospitals and five clinics and an HIV Outreach Coordinator.
Favorite Childhood Book: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Riding my bike around the neighborhood for hours
Current hobby: Traveling around the world and her current favorite place is anywhere!
Stephanie Marroquin
Forensic Interviewer
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Stephanie joined CALICO in September 2024. She previously worked as a Victim Advocate with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Victim Services Division. Stephanie holds a degree in Sociology and Criminology from San Jose State University and earned her Paralegal Certificate from San Francisco State University.
Favorite Childhood Book: Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
Favorite Childhood Activity: Riding my bike in the neighborhood with my sisters and friends
Current Hobby: Running
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Alexis Taper
Family Advocate
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Alexis joined CALICO in January 2022. Before becoming Family Advocate, Alexis was an ABA therapist in an autism program for NHUSD for 15 years and worked as a Registered Behavior Technician for Kadiant LLC for 7 years. She has a B.S. in Psychology.
Favorite Childhood Book: Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters - John Steptoe
Favorite Childhood Activity: Reading and playing
Current Hobbies: Reading and cooking
Bianca Peralta
Family Advocate
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Bianca joined CALICO in September 2024. Prior to joining the team, she worked in customer service and volunteered with Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), supporting system-involved youth through mentorship and resource navigation. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, East Bay.
Favorite Childhood Book: Sideways Stories from Wayside School - Louis Sachar
Favorite Childhood Activity: Pool days with my siblings and playing the Wii
Current Hobbies: Going to the GYM!
Holly Fleming
CACC Program Director
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Holly Fleming is the Program Director for CALICO’s Children’s Advocacy Centers of California (CACC) program. She joined CALICO in 2014 as a Forensic Interviewer. Before that, Holly worked in a community clinic as an MFT trainee providing counseling to adults, children, and families. Holly holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Some of her recent accomplishments include completing a Trauma Justice Fellowship with the Women’s Policy Institute and sitting on the Equity Advisory Group for the All Children Thrive – California Initiative.
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Favorite Childhood Book: Stellaluna - Janell Cannon
Favorite Childhood Activity: Playing with Barbies
Current Hobbies: Reading, surfing, skiing, and seeing live music
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jamshed Rahman, Lead Software Engineer, Apple Cloud Servies, Apple Inc
President
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Jamshed is passionate about helping children live amazing lives that are full of potential. He joined CALICO in 2019, inspired by its mission to bring justice and healing to the children of Alameda county. As a father himself, Jamshed understands the need for every child to grow up in a safe and just community. And that is why he has made it his mission to support CALICO’s awesome staff to excel at their roles, and foster a supportive environment for our communities’ children. He works in fundraising, event organization, financials, marketing, and technical sections of the CALICO board. When he’s not volunteering at CALICO, Jamshed works as a Software Lead at Apple, and enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the San Francisco Bay Area with his children.
Favorite Childhood Book: The Hardy Boys
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Playing basketball
Current Hobbies: Bicycling, hiking, traveling, wine tasting, and enjoying life :-)
Susan Torrence, Retired, Alameda County District Attorney's Office
Vice President
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Susan Torrence served as a Deputy, then Senior, District Attorney in Alameda County for almost 35 years. She specialized in the investigation and prosecution of sex crimes against adults and children for more than half of her career. The other half she prosecuted murders, serious felonies and environmental enforcement actions. She headed the Sexual Assault Team for the DA's Office, started the Sex Crimes Investigator's Task Force, and led trainings for District Attorney's throughout California via the California District Attorney's Association. She served seven years on the Children's Justice Act Advisory Committee for Cal EMA, recommending funding for innovative and replicable programs assisting and advocating for children in the court system.
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Favorite Childhood Book: Winnie-the-Poo
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Climbing trees
Current Hobby: Gardening
Kelsi Perttula, Assistant Professor at California State University East Bay
Treasurer
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Kelsi Perttula grew up in Sacramento, came to Berkeley for college, and has lived in the Bay Area ever since. Kelsi worked for ten years as a forensic scientist, primarily for San Mateo County Sheriff's Office. In 2012, she left that career and went to earn her doctorate at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. Recently she began work as an assistant professor at nearby CSU East Bay in the Department of Public Health. With her spouse Drew, they have four young children. She loves supporting CALICO and believes its mission is critical to getting children through some of the most difficult times in their young lives.
Favorite Childhood Book: Can't pick one. The Babysitter's Club series and Harriet the Spy.
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Playing Super Mario Brothers and Legend of Zelda
Current Hobbies: Yoga and tricking my kids into eating vegetables
Nicholas Homer, Alameda County District Attorney's Office
Secretary
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I grew up in Oakland and attended Bishop O'Dowd High School. I graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Criminal Justice and I graduated from the University of California Hastings Law School. I have been a licensed and practicing attorney for over 10 years.
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Favorite Childhood Book: Harry Potter Series
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Hide-and-go-seek
Current Hobbies: Cooking, working in the garden, reading and riding my bicycle
Dominique Moore, Senior Product Adviser, Apple
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Dominique is deeply committed to supporting children and adolescents who are healing from
traumatic experiences. She holds a strong respect and appreciation for CALICO’s trauma-
informed, developmentally appropriate, and multi-disciplinary approach to supporting child
survivors.
For the past six years, Dominique has been a User Experience Researcher and Product Adviser
at Apple. She graduated from Brown University with a degree in Computer Science and has
furthered her knowledge with coursework in Developmental Psychology, combining her
technical knowledge with her passion for child welfare.
Favorite Childhood Book: Ender’s Game
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Neopets and Pokémon
Current Hobbies: Rowing, playing board games, and singing
Teresa Ortega, Alameda County District Attorney's Office
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Alameda County Deputy District Attorney since 1993.
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Favorite Childhood Book: Nancy Drew Series
Favorite Childhood Game or Activity: Playing softball
Current Hobby: Watching college sports
Edward Vieira-Ducey, Attorney, Castillo, Moriarty, Tran and Robinson
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Edward Vieira-Ducey grew up in San Leandro, attending Assumption School and then Bishop O’Dowd High School. He earned his BA from Georgetown University and his law degree from King Hall at UC Davis. He served as a deputy district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office for 16 years and now currently works at the law firm of Castillo, Moriarty, Tran and Robinson. As a Deputy DA, Eddie spent four years on the child sexual assault unit, working in close partnership with the amazing staff at CALICO. Having witnessed first hand the incredible work of CALICO and its partners, Eddie leapt at the chance to join its board.
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Childhood Book: The Giving Tree
Childhood Game/Activity: Anything with the neighborhood kids
Current Hobbies: Relaxing when not dealing with three boys and an ill-behaved golden retriever.​