Our Staff – Family Voices of CA

Tamica Foots-Rachal: Project Director

Tamica Foots-Rachal is the Project Director for Family Voices of California (FVCA). She has over 20 years’ experience in working with community organizations and in public service on inclusion and systemic issues impacting people with disabilities throughout California. She has extensive experience working with families on leadership advocacy, systems navigation and change making in their communities. Tamica has also worked in California on various healthcare expansion efforts, to include working as the statewide Project Manager at the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, which supported expanding disability network education and access during the pandemic.

In 2018, Tamica completed both the basic and advanced academy instructor certificate program with the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) program and has been an instructor educating first responders on interactions with people with disabilities, application of culturally responsible community policing principles, and reducing stigma. She is a certified Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator, certified sexuality trainer specific to addressing the needs of people with developmental disabilities, functional assessment service team member (FAST) to support people with disabilities in disaster response, citizens emergency response team (CERT) member, certified domestic violence advocate, batterers intervention facilitator, certified human trafficking advocate and access and functional needs (AFN) trainer and consultant. She is an active member of several emergency service boards and serves as a subject matter expert and trainer on disability awareness. Tamica’s work in the field of disability education, access and functional needs and emergency services resulted in her being awarded the California Emergency Services Association “Gold Award” in 2017.Tamica is a mother of two children, and her 18-year-old daughter has complex medical needs.

trachal@familyvoicesofca.org

Nick Lutton: Family Engagement Program Manager

Nick got involved in advocacy nine years ago when his firstborn was diagnosed with Autism and an Intellectual Disability. He also has a three-year-old with Autism and special health care needs. After changing careers from hotel management in Las Vegas , Nick started rigorously searching for resources and information for the betterment of his family and the community.

After serving thousands of families with children who have complex medical needs, and intellectual disabilities he became the lead trainer for EPU Children’s Center‘s Parent Training and Information Center grant servicing 12 counties (the largest in the state of California). This allowed him to speak publicly and put on informational and educational trainings including symposium‘s for parents and professionals on a variety of important topics related to children with special health care needs.

This passion has led to him serving on multiple local, county, state, and federal advisory committees as well as being the Chair of the Fresno County Behavioral Health Board. His dedication to diligently providing information to families in the state comes from a deep understanding of the personal difficulties and hardships that one faces when a family needs to support and advocate for a child with special health care needs.

nlutton@familyvoicesofca.org

Elaine Linn: Project Leadership Manager

Elaine has spent nearly 25 years uniting national, statewide, and local nonprofit, community, public, and corporate partners in public health policy efforts. In her work helping nonprofit organizations achieve their advocacy goals, Elaine has collaborated with health care providers, academic institutions, patient advocacy organizations, patients and consumers, hospitals, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, in the areas of pharmacy, psychiatry, ophthalmology, and genetics, as well as diabetes, sepsis, social work, disability, and women’s and children’s health to engage communities, promote awareness, reduce stigma, and increase access to care.

Elaine is a public affairs consultant and the parent of two sons, including one who has Down syndrome and multiple related health conditions. She has worked with the California Children’s Hospital Association, conducting grassroots advocacy outreach and education related to the California Children’s Services program redesign and the ongoing federal health reform proposal. She serves as a member of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities Sacramento Regional Area Council, and as a member of the California and National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalitions. Elaine previously served as Chair of the American Diabetes Association Sacramento Mission Delivery Committee, and as a member of the UC Davis Health System Community Advisory Board. Elaine also co-founded the Down Syndrome Information Alliance in Sacramento and served on its Board of Directors for several years. She lives in Folsom with her husband and two sons.

elinn@familyvoicesofca.org

Want to join our team?

Check the Support for Families of Children with Disabilities Website for job openings.