
Carolyn is the mother of Marisa, who has Down syndrome. Carolyn works to organize community resources and legislative advocacy for the Down syndrome and disability communities in Tulare and Fresno counties . She helped launch the Wayfinders Program at Fresno State and has 23 years of experience as a clinical social worker, including at Valley Children’s Hospital working with transition-age youth. Carolyn serves on the board of Disability Voices United and the Central Valley Regional Center’s Local Advisory Committee. Her daughter Marisa has lived in her own home with two roommates since 2015, fully participating in the Self-Determination Program and community life.
Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola, MD, PhD
Director, UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities, Parent
As a clinical professor of internal medicine and founding director of the Center for Reducing Health Disparities (CRHD) at UC Davis Health, Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola has spent nearly three decades promoting equitable and culturally competent health care for underserved populations. He has led initiatives to collect and analyze racial, ethnic, and language data from patients and integrate them into electronic health records, improving both the quality and accessibility of care.
Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola also directs the Community Engagement Program at the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center (CTSC), where he fosters partnerships between academic and community stakeholders to address local and regional health needs. He has held leadership roles in the NIH’s Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program and is a member of the National Advisory Councils for NCATS and SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services.
A leading expert in mental health and population health outcomes, Dr. Aguilar-Gaxiola has authored over 200 publications, earned numerous awards, and is actively involved in the World Health Organization’s World Mental Health Surveys Consortium.

