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Board of Directors
SURVIVORS' Board of Directors is a dedicated group of individuals who donate their time, knowledge, and professional expertise to serving the needs of torture survivors. Below, each board member has written about his or her reasons for joining SURVIVORS' board. Click on each name to read more.
Officers
Jeanette Barrack, R.P.T., Chair
David W. Engstrom, Ph.D., Vice Chairperson
Denise M. Francis, C.P.A., Treasurer
Members
Jorge Cabrera, M.S.W.
Ann Crane Durham, M.S.N., F.N.P., Esq.
Carol Morabito, M.S.W.
The Rev. Bill Radatz
Alisa Shorago, J.D.
Gigi Srajer, M.S.W.
Member Ex-Officio
Kathi Anderson, M.A.
Board Emeritus
Dee Aker, Ph.D.
Cheri Attix, Esq.
Mark Berger
Reverend George Falk
Elizabeth Michel, M.D.
Darryl Solberg, Esq.
JEANETTE BARRACK, Chair
I have been in the therapy and healing field for over 20 years. I currently have my own practice in La Mesa, California. In the past, while I was developing multidisciplinary outpatient services, I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Kathi Anderson. When Kathi approached me in November of 2000 to ask if I would help SURVIVORS develop their multidisciplinary medical component, I said yes. I felt strongly that anything Kathi was involved in was of good quality and would challenge me to give back to the community. I became a board member and have learned much through this role. I have seen the healing and compassion of others and the challenges that these strong individuals (survivors) face. If we as individuals respond to their needs they eventually become productive, healthy members of our community.
DAVID ENGSTROM, Ph.D., Vice Chairperson
The devastating effects of torture first became known to me over twenty years ago when I worked with Lao, Hmong, Vietnamese, and Cambodian refugees in Thailand. At the time, refugee workers such as myself could see the pain and suffering those refugees had experienced but we had little knowledge of how to help them, especially how to deal with their emotional trauma. When I moved to San Diego years later, I was surprised and very pleased to learn that specialized treatment centers such as SURVIVORS existed to provide healing resources to torture survivors. I was even more pleased to join SURVIVORS’ Board of Directors. The work of SURVIVORS is crucial to rebuilding lives of torture survivors and to increasing public awareness that torture is still an all too common part of too many people’s lives. As Sarte noted, it is the plague of our time. Please join us in ending torture.
DENISE FRANCIS, C.P.A., Financial Officer
During the spring of 2001, I was working full time as a CPA,
and, along with my husband, was busy raising three children. Kathi Anderson
approached me one day at church and asked if I would consider working with SURVIVORS. She explained SURVIVORS' mission and invited me to become more familiar with the organization. I have a strong financial
background and SURVIVORS was in need of someone with my experience. I joined
the board shortly after and have been the financial officer since 2002.
I have been able to contribute my knowledge to SURVIVORS, and I
have learned much about the torture atrocities that occur throughout
the world. An unexpected benefit of my service on SURVIVORS' board is that my children now know that the world
is not as rosy as the community in which they have been raised.
JORGE CABRERA, M.S.W.
My experience with refugees and survivors of torture dates back to 1990. I was privileged to become acquainted with a group of caring individuals who were assisting refugees coming from Central America because of the devastating civil wars and who were fleeing political persecution. As a social worker with clinical training, I became involved in providing clinical services on a volunteer basis for many years. This work has been life changing for me. The opportunity to serve individuals who had suffered nameless acts and social, familial and cultural dislocation has been a humbling and highly enriching experience. Furthermore, I have been able to build relationships with the most committed group of selfless individuals who I now consider my friends and mentors. After re-locating to San Diego in 2004, I was pleased to find out about SURVIVORS and the opportunity to help with this work again.
ANN CRANE DURHAM, M.S.N., F.N.P., Esq.
I first learned about Survivors of Torture, International through Kathi Anderson in 1999. I have been a supporter since that time because I admire and respect the work that is done to help torture victims rebuild their lives. I'm incredibly impressed with the array of services that are provided to those in need. As a nurse attorney, a mother, and a member of the community, the mission of SURVIVORS and the spirit and dedication of the Board, staff, and volunteers touches me deeply. I am honored to serve on the Board with this group of outstanding individuals.
CAROL MORABITO, M.S.W.
I have been fascinated by and impressed with the work that SURVIVORS does for several years. When this opportunity came up, I realized that this would be the best possible way to contribute to both the cause and the organization.
BILL RADATZ
My family and I lived in Peru, South America, for several years in the late 80’s, a time when the country was experiencing much political turmoil. I learned there how violence, including the use of torture, and social unrest make persons unwilling refugees from a country and culture that they have loved and cherished. Justice and compassion for immigrants and refugees has become a high priority for me as a result of that experience and has led me to a new appreciation of our roots as an immigrant nation. Torture represents for me the very worst of what we are capable of as the human family. The healing and elimination of torture deserve our best efforts. SURVIVORS’ mission has thus become an important focus in my life.
ALISA J. SHORAGO, J.D.
My exposure to international human rights began in 1989, the summer before law school began. At that time I worked as a human rights intern for the co-founder of the Congressional Human Rights. Then, during law school, I co-chaired my law school’s Amnesty International chapter. After graduating, my law practice took me in other directions, including the defense of civil liberties. Later, in 2006, a colleague who had worked with SURVIVORS was speaking to me about the organization. Knowing of my experience on the boards of Lawyers Club and California Women Lawyers, she suggested that I apply for SURVIVORS' board. I immediately contacted Kathi Anderson and am proud to be able to help in supporting torture survivors and working to end torture.
GIGI SRAJER, M.S.W.
Growing up, I didn't experience much outside of my small Kansas town. In the 8th grade, my family moved from a town of 30,000 to Wichita, where I began learning about culture and looking at the world with a new lens. Never really feeling that I had a good understanding of other cultures, I took classes, learned about the world through books, and decided I wanted to travel. However, there was something missing and the Peace Corps tent was up at an event. Two weeks after college graduation, I moved to Mali. Although I had no understanding of torture survivors and Mali was a peaceful country, the international community became my home and I wanted to maintain a connection. After years of moving around the U.S., I found SURVIVORS: a small organization with a big dream and the essence of international brotherhood and partnership. Now as a board member, I am excited to be a part of the mission to educate, advocate, and facilitate assistance for torture survivors.
KATHI ANDERSON, M.A.
After considerable reflection, I approached George Falk and Bill Radatz about the idea of starting Survivors of Torture, International. I knew that such an organization was needed in San Diego because no other agency was deliberately serving torture survivors even though San Diego is home to the busiest border crossing in the world and has a large number of immigrants. I also knew that others had tried to start a similar organization but had been unsuccessful. Fortunately, many others believed in this dream and mentored and partnered with us. The dream became a reality. I began as SURVIVORS’ first board chair and after three years became the first executive director. Every day, I am reminded that it is not only an honor to work with dedicated professionals in this field but it is also rewarding to know we are all making a difference in the lives of our clients and in our greater community.
