Our Team

Tom Barrett

I joined San Mateo Age- Friendly Task Force in 2023 following two years on Daly City Task Force. Approaching 15 years as a volunteer Long Term Care Ombudsman and 20 years as a Neighborhood Watch captain. Former shopper for SASH and director of FreeWheelers at Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco.

I have degrees in Theology, Economics, Social Work and Gerontology. Moved to Louisville, Kentucky and Washington DC. to work as an educator, chaplain, and not-for profit administrator . Returned to Bay Area , first as a pastoral minister and then 40 years as a geriatric social worker . Managed to work in five Bay Area Counties , but primarily in the SF Tenderloin.

I was born and raised in San Francisco's Outer Mission and Portola districts. Married Barbara and moved to San Mateo 38 years ago.

Joyce Burns

I have volunteered since Girl Scout days, assisted in our children’s schools, Girl Scout troop leader, tutor Project Read, peer counselor with Peninsula Family Service, volunteer/member of Villages of San Mateo County

I taught elementary school, had a home day care for school age kids, was an orthodontic office manager

I was born in San Francisco, moved to San Mateo as a child and still here, graduated from Hillsdale High School, College of San Mateo and San Francisco State. Married to Leo for 61 years, raised two children in San Mateo

Monika Lee

Founding member of the San Mateo Age Friendly Task Force and continuous engagement in the efforts to make San Mateo a more age friendly community. Current chair of the San Mateo County Commission on Aging, member of the boards of Ombudsman Services of San Mateo County and Villages of San Mateo County. Former member of the San Mateo Senior Citizen Commission.

Economist (Ph.D. 1980) and attorney (J.D. 1984) practicing commercial litigation in San Francisco and San Mateo until retirement in 2022.

I was born and raised in Germany; lived in the same house in San Mateo since 1986 with husband Mark; two daughters and two grandchildren.

Diane Marcus

Diane F. Marcus, age 84 years, resident of San Mateo, 63 years. Widowed, 3 children, 6 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild

Executive Director of PROJECT SIT [Safety-In-Transit] CA State Child Passenger Safety Program; Realtor; Free Lance, Program Writer, Interior Designer

PTA President; volunteer in public schools; President of her house of worship; member of Mission Hospice Advisory Board; served on local, national & international Boards of Trustees.

Jerry Nugent

Retired, formerly served as president of a major not-for-profit housing and social services company; extensive experience developing new programs and services in senior care, housing, community redevelopment and other programs focused on meeting the needs of diverse populations.

Written and taught courses in strategic planning, development, and operations for various organizations; served on multiple boards for organizations providing senior learning and housing.

Lives with his wife Nancy in San Mateo in an accessory dwelling unit next to his son, daughter-in-law and grandson as a way to be in an intergenerational family setting.

Peace Corps teacher in India; BHNA - membership & hospitality; Bayfront clean-up regular; San Mateo Garden Center since 2006; Age Friendly Coalition since 2019 focus group - helped build the database for the distribution of monthly Age Friendly news articles; proposed the Age Friendly trifold brochure for information about city services.

B.S. (Business), M.A.T. (Special Ed.). Worked in accounting, taught in pre-school, elementary and high school, and community college; co-owner of a small business supplying enzymes to university researchers; retired in 2006.

Born in New Jersey; lived in CA 40+ years; also lived in PA, NY, IL, KS, HI, and India; married, 2 children, 2 grandchildren; like gardening, train-rides, and sci-fi.

Kaye Sharma

Vince Siminitus

Original 2019 Age-Friendly Task Force Member. Led Safe Pedestrian Walkways for Seniors – and Everyone and Age Friendly Business Certification projects. Chaired Peninsula Family YMCA Board and is President of his mostly senior HOA, providing first hand insight in to senior needs in our community

Chemist/MBA with career in pharmaceutical/Biotech management. Retired as Sr. Director, Global Quality at Genentech in 2006. Core Team member for implementing enterprise software systems.

Philadelphia area native, 33-year San Mateo resident. Married to Jackie 51 years, Raised two children here.

Ellen Wang

Joined Age-Friendly Task Force in 2020 editing application to AARP and later writing the Age-Friendly Action Plan, commission member and chair, City of San Mateo Senior Citizens Commission volunteer, Kids Closet of Samaritan House, docent, Lane Education Center at Edgewood County Park board member and treasurer, Beresford Hillsdale Neighborhood Association board member and chair, City of San Mateo Personnel Board

After short careers in banking and public accounting, Ellen enjoyed a successful and satisfying career as Controller/Finance Director at The Carey School and then Charles Armstrong School.

Ellen grew up in Rochester, New York. As an MBA/CPA she moved to the Bay Area for better opportunities. Married to Jeffrey and resident of San Mateo for 39 years. They raised one son here.