
Michelle es madre de tres hijos que participan en el Programa de Autodeterminación y es fisioterapeuta pediátrica. Desde 2017 se desempeña como facilitadora independiente, para lo cual aprendió las políticas y los procesos para apoyar a sus hijos y extendió ese conocimiento para ayudar a otros a ingresar con éxito en el programa. En 2014, Michelle y una colega recibieron una subvención SAE para crear capacitación y apoyo para padres y autodefensores en Central Valley, con el foco puesto en llegar a las comunidades desatendidas.
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.

