Development of the Guam CEDDERS Advisory Council (CAC)
When CEDDERS was first established, two advisory groups were formed: one comprised of consumers, individuals with disabilities and/or family members, and one comprised of representatives from the UOG community. In 1995, the groups voted to combine into one group, with By-Laws setting the required membership of the majority members being individuals with disabilities and/or family members and the requirement that the Chair and Vice Chair of the CAC must also be individuals with disabilities or parent/family members. This combined group serves as the CAC. Certain agencies, such as the AIDD sister agencies, Guam Developmental Disabilities Council (GDDC) and Guam Legal Services Corporation – Disability Law Center (GLSC-DLC), which serves as the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Agency for the island, are also required members on the CAC. The CAC, comprised of majority representation of individuals with developmental disabilities, parents and family members of individuals with developmental disabilities, and self-advocates from self-advocacy organizations, was the key group in the review of a wide range of stakeholder input.
With input and guidance from the CAC, CEDDERS has provided significant community supports in the areas of education, transportation, health, quality assurance, assistive technology, early intervention, child care, independent living, quality assurance, and employment creating pathways to address the unserved and underserved needs of individuals with disabilities and their families.
2022 – 2023 CEDDERS Advisory Council Membership List
NAME | ROLE |
Erlinda Tydingco | Chairperson, Self-Advocate, person with a visual disability |
Lovelyn Ecijan Espiritu | Vice Chairperson, parent of a child with a hearing impairment |
Darren Gutierrez | Self-Advocate, person with a learning disability |
Maria Bontogon | Self-Advocate, person who is blind, UOG graduate student majoring in Psychology |
Josephine Blas | Parent of a child on the autism spectrum, President of Autism Community Together (ACT) |
Ann Marie Cruz | Parent of an adult with multiple disabilities, President of Guam’s Positive Parents Together (GPPT) |
Karlyn Borja | Parent of children on the autism spectrum |
Monica Limtiaco | Parent of a child on the autism spectrum |
Marcelene Santos, JD | Guam Public Guardian |
Joseph Gumataotao, JD | Equal employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities act Coordinator, UOG |
Arthur San Agustin | Director, Department of Public Health & Social Services (DPHSS) |
Tom Babauta | Assistant Superintendent, Division of Special Education , GDOE |
Phyliss Leon Guerrero | Director, Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities (DISID) |
Dan Somerfleck, JD | Executive Director, GLSC-DLC |
Jermaine Alerta | Executive Director, GDDC |