Devereux CA is excited to announce two new advisory board members: Sandra DePaola-Vallejo of Cottage Health System and Pat Kistler, secretary for the board and volunteer member of the County of Santa Barbara Library Commission.
DePaola-Vallejo has worked at Cottage Health System for over 24 years and is currently the access manager and oversees all aspects of the admitting, registration, cashiers and eligibility services. In 2009, she added the in-house eligibility services, which assist all self-pay patients by helping them find health care coverage.
One of her biggest passions is helping people, and she wants to give back to her community. She hopes to make a difference in someone’s life, especially someone with special needs.
She will have an excellent opportunity to do that at Devereux CA.
DePaola-Vallejo lives in Goleta with her husband, Tony Vallejo, City of Goleta Councilmember and Mayor Pro-Tem, and two children, Clara and Thomas.
Her interests include spending time with her family, listening to music, baking and enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
Kistler earned an M.P.A. degree from Cal State Northridge and a B.A. in Communications from Cal State Fullerton.
She worked as a volunteer for the Santa Barbara Area Special Olympics for several years and has served as the former president of the Santa Barbara and Ventura County Chambers of Commerce Alliance board, the president of the Rotary Club of Carpinteria, the chair of the Carpinteria First committee and as the government relations director for the Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce for eight years.
Devereux CA is pleased to welcome both women on the Devereux CA advisory board. The organization feels they both will bring depth, experience and new vitality to this growing and active group.
Devereux CA provides behavioral services to adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities, emotional or behavioral disorders and mental health issues.
It offers residential services, adult day and life enrichment programs and supported or independent living programs to individuals in their own homes within all areas of Santa Barbara County.
Headquartered in Pennsylvania, Devereux is the largest, nonprofit provider of behavioral healthcare in the country, operating 15 centers in 11 states.
This year Devereux CA celebrates 71 years of service.
— Cassi Noel is the manager of external affairs at Devereux CA.