MEET THE STAFF

CATHIE PHELPS ELZE

I have been with Easter Seals ACE IT I since 2006.  After graduating from USIU School of Performing Arts, I enjoyed a career in musical theatre and television where I performed with Anthony Geary, John Travolta and Ben Affleck.  All of this was before I came to Easter Seals ACE IT I where I was finally able to fulfill my vision of teaching performing arts to adults with disabilities.  There is an enormous reward in helping our consumers discover their talents.  As director of the ACE IT I “Splish Splash Theater”, I am living my dream, and my enthusiasm continues to be fueled by the eagerness and flair of our talented consumers.

MICHELLE MILTON-MONROE

I have lived in the beautiful City of Trees (Sacramento) all my life where I am raising my adorable daughter Alanna. I absolutely love music. I play the drums and I’m self-taught on the bass guitar. I really enjoy my job at ACE IT I. It is inspirational to watch the consumers learn, grow and blossom. I especially enjoy our “drumming days” when we gather in a circle, and with a variety of different drums, we beat rhythms which spontaneously come together as a beating heart.

DANETTE GREEN

I am from Vallejo, California and attend Le Cordon Bleu for Culinary Arts. I also love to sing.  Being the oldest of nine siblings, it comes naturally for me to teach and help.  I started at ACE IT I in 2011 and am happy to share my cooking skills and love for music.  I enjoy being a mentor and helping others become more independent.

SALAMA KITHINJI

I am called Salama which means PEACE in Swahili.  As a “people person” I have customer service experience which I have practiced for many years in both Kenya and the U.S.  I have worked for Easter Seals ACE IT I since 2007, and I give my best with a smile on my face.  I love working at ACE IT I because every day the consumers and staff give me a reason to come back the next day with an even bigger smile on my face.

KEN EMBREE

I’ve been working at Easter Seals since 2004.  In the past I was a professional actor (including one gig as a singing, dancing fried egg!), a studio potter, a cartoonist, an estate administrator and a standardized assessment test scorer.  I enjoy writing poetry, and I play tennis and exercise my dog to keep in shape.  I love working at Easter Seals ACE IT I because I find it so inspiring.  Each day brings a new challenge and a fresh reason to appreciate the many little joys in life that most of us take for granted.

 

JACQUELINE BUTLER

I was raised in the lovely City of San Francisco and received my B.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences from Sacramento State University in 2006. I am currently pursuing my certification as an occupational therapist assistant at Sacramento City College. I have designed a clothing line called "Malaya" which is geared for consumers with physical limitations. I find joy in helping others gain more independence and love my wonderful job at Easter Seals where I can contribute to broadening the horizons of others.

NICOLE WASHBURN

My hobbies include dancing, rollerblading, rafting, watching Anime, hockey and playing video games. I have been at ACE IT I since September 2010 and this is by far the most wonderful job I have ever had.  I love helping the consumers enjoy their lives to the fullest and I especially enjoy helping the consumers unfold the world of music, current events and academics on the internet.  I look forward to many more years at Easter Seals ACE IT I.

FAITH NDEGWA

I am from Kenya and have been studying the medical field since 1999.  I started working for Easter Seals ACE IT I in 2007 and in 2010 I started prerequisites at American River College to become a nurse.  I like my job at ACE IT I because I love helping others to become more independent.  I look forward to work every morning knowing I will learn something new from the consumers.

JUNIE LUSK

I was raised on the beautiful island of Maui in Hawaii. I moved to Sacramento after I graduated from high school to pursue my B.A in Biological Sciences which I completed in the summer of 2011.  I am also a cadet in the Air Force ROTC program at Sacramento State University. I hope to someday be a nurse in the Air Force. Working at ACE IT I has given me the opportunity to gain experience working with adults with disabilities. It has been the most fun and rewarding job I’ve ever had. I enjoy smiling and laughing with the consumers. They always brighten my day!

ARTHIA ADAMS

I was born in the great State of Louisiana and moved to California in 1945 where I went to school in Merced.  I moved to Sacramento in 1980 and worked for Kaiser Permanente Hospital as a nutritional aide until my retirement in 1999.  Retirement wasn’t my cup of tea, so I applied for work through the Senior Companion Program which led me to the wonderful opportunity at Easter Seals working with adults with developmental disabilities.  I was very sad when I had to leave my position and move to Muskogee, Oklahoma to fulfill a family obligation, but I didn’t like that part of the country and I missed my work with Easter Seals.  I am now back on the job doing what makes me happy; being with the consumers at ACE IT I and enjoying every moment of every day!

USMAN

My name is Usman and I was born in Freetown Sierra Leone, West Africa. I started working for Easter Seals in 2007. Working with people with special needs is a thing I love to do. I am very happy each day to step in the door and see my clients. We have a lot of activities we do each day. We are doing our best to make our clients independent, use good judgment and have fun. I enjoy the consumers and appreciate all my co-workers. We work as a team.