
Tina has been a participant in the Self-Determination Program since 2001 in the pilot project and practices informal supported decision-making daily. She conducts outreach and trainings for DVU on the SDP and SDM and co-leads SDP Connect and Think Outside the Box meetings. Tina is a strong self-advocate and the human member of a service dog team; her service dog’s name is Buddy. Tina is a member of the Department of Developmental Services Lived Experience Advisory Group and the Applied Self-Direction Participants Council.
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.

