The REAC Board is 100% volunteer, here to serve YOU!
Alicia went to work for Alameda County for the first time in 1977. She started as an Eligibility Worker in the Social Services Agency and then promoted to Social Worker in Adult Services where she remained until 1988. At that time, she left Alameda County to pursue other dreams.
In 2006, Alicia returned to Alameda County as a Human Resources Technician in Human Resource Services. She promoted to Human Resources Analyst and in 2009 transferred to the General Services Agency as a Departmental Personnel Officer. Alicia retired from the Office of the District Attorney in 2017.
Alicia answered the call for volunteers to join the REAC Board in April of 2021 and a year later, in April 2022, was elected to the position of President of the Board. Alicia’s goal for the REAC Board is to report accurate and timely information to its members and to support ACERA in its job of providing defined retirement benefits to retirees.
Dawn Stevenson was appointed to the REAC Board in 2022 after attending two Board meetings. She joined after receiving a postcard from REAC indicating Board vacancies. Currently, she is a director on the Board.
Dawn retired from Alameda Health System in 2011 after over 22+ years with Alameda County.
Her last position at Alameda Health System was as a Systems Analyst in the Information Technology department, supporting various hospital applications.
She joined the REAC Board because of the promise of the REAC Mission Statement.
Paul Reeves was appointed to the REAC Board in 2006 after an interview with Barbara Hallisey, who was then the Board President, and Steve Scheinman, who was then the Board Secretary. Paul became the Board Secretary when Steve became the Board President and Paul has continued to serve as the Board Secretary since that time.
Paul was born and raised in Oakland, California. He spent 4 years in the US Army from March 1966 through March 1970. He was hired by the Social Services Agency in October 1970. He began his career as a clerk I in the mailroom at 401 Broadway, which was the main office at that time. He held numerous positions as he moved up in the Social Services Agency, retiring after 35 years, as the Director of the Workforce and Benefits Department and as an Assistant Agency Director for the Alameda County Social Services Agency.
During his time with the Social Services Agency Paul also had a passion for community service, and he volunteered to serve on the Board of Directors for the South East Asian Community Center (SEAC). He was the SEAC Board secretary. He also enjoyed teaching, and he taught ESL classes to the Monks at the Nagara Dhamma Temple in San Francisco.
Paul originally joined the REAC Board because he was concerned with how long the retirement benefits would last, given the many attacks on Defined Benefit pension plans. He was quite pleased to learn that Alameda County’s retirement benefits were the best of the 37 Act Counties. (“37 Act” refers to the County Employees Retirement Law which was passed in 1937.)
Suman Sharma began working for the County of Alameda in February 1992.
His first assignment was working as a medical clerk for Highland Hospital. From there he proceeded to John George where he was in charge of the transmittal of medical records to various hospital and law enforcement agencies.
Suman spent three years as Payroll Records clerk with the Probation Department and Fairmont Hospital followed by the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Medical Child and Adolescent Health Division of the Public Health Department. Before retiring in 2010 he worked six years as Account Technician for H.R’s Employee Benefits Center.
Suman joined the Board in 2019 and shortly after was elected as Treasurer. His task is to make sure the books are balanced and vendors get paid in a timely manner in addition to preparing monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports.
In his spare time he enjoys nature walks, yoga, Pilates and reading history books.
Liz Koppenhaver has been a director on the REAC Board since 2008. During that time she also served as the Retiree Representative on ACERA, Alameda County Employee Retirement Association. In fact, Liz served on ACERA for 24 years, representing Active and Retired members.
Liz worked for Alameda County as a Deputy Sheriff and Sergeant for nearly 18 years and then transferred to the District Attorney’s Office, spending another 10 years there. She retired in 2005.
Liz is looking forward to continuing to serve on the REAC board and support retirees in every way possible.
Connie Land was appointed to the REAC Board in 2018 to complete an unexpired term. While completing the unexpired term, she volunteered to perform the duties of Membership Chair. She was elected in 2019 and re-elected in 2023 with a current term ending in March 2026.
Connie worked as Assistant Controller for the Auditor-Controller Agency where she was a member of the Agency’s Executive Team. She retired in April, 2012. Immediately following retirement, she returned to work on a special project until March 2015 at such time she fully retired from the County.
Connie is committed to helping her community prosper and thrive by helping those who are less fortunate and marginalized. Volunteer service includes Salvation Army, Alameda County Community Food Bank, City Team Ministries, her church and numerous social/civic organizations. Connie enjoys sporting events, supporting financially and attending community theatres and traveling in the US and abroad.
Connie joined the Board to be an advocate and collective voice for all retirees to ensure that the benefits enjoyed as an active member of service are also protected, safe and secure in retirement and to assist members in navigating the systems as needed
Linda Slater was appointed to the REAC Board in 2020 upon the recommendation of a fellow retiree. She currently supports the REAC website reconfiguration committee.
Linda retired in 2016 after working 27+ years for the Alameda County Workforce Development Board (ACWDB) a federally funded 27- member employer-led body that provides administrative, fiscal, and policy oversight of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs and services. She served, her last three years, as the Assistant Director of the agency but spent the majority of her career managing the Information technology system that ensured accurate tracking and reporting of funding, enrollments, services, and outcomes of clients.
Linda serves on the REAC board for three reasons: (1) to understand the investment strategies for managing the retirement funds we all depend upon; (2) to support retention and expansion of retiree benefits that keep us fit and well; and (3) to ensure this oversight remains in place, which only happens if people volunteer to serve.
Cynthia Baron was appointed to the Board in June, 2023. In January 2023, Cynthia also began her role as a Trustee on the ACERA Board of Retirement as the Retired Members Alternate. Cynthia joined the REAC Board to provide accurate and timely information to members, to be an advocate for retiree’s concerns and assist retirees in navigating the retirement system.
Cynthia was raised in Upstate New York and moved to California in 1978. She began her career with the Alameda County Social Services Agency. She worked for 19 years in the Social Services Agency in many different departments; Employment, Children Service and Economic Benefits as a Social Worker, Child Welfare Worker, Child Welfare Supervisor and Program Manager. Cynthia also worked for 14 years in the Human Resources field as a Labor Relations Analyst and the Human Resources Director for the Probation Department. Cynthia retired as the Labor Relations Manager for the County.
Kathy retired from her position as Assistant CEO of ACERA in October 2022 after 21 years. Her 39 years of public service employment also includes prior employment with Contra Costa County’s pension plan.
In her role at ACERA, she was responsible for administering the pension, disability, death and health benefits for members of the system. She was also the liaison to the Retirees Committee of the Board of Retirement, providing information and recommendations to the trustees assisting them in the decision-making process to ensure benefits were paid accurately and timely. Kathy was also responsible for medical, vision and dental plan renewals and providing the trustees with data needed to approve contracts and set annual subsidies for retirees.
Kathy served on the State Association of County Retirement Systems (SACRS) Education and Program Committee for many years and participated in the California Association of Public Retirement Systems (CALAPRS) providing training to all new system employees.
As a newly appointed Director to the REAC Board in 2023, Kathy is excited to continue providing information regarding retiree benefits to the Board in an effort to assist REAC’s support to our members.