Sydney joined Community Interface Services as a Coordinator for Community Building in June of 2024 and has developed a passion for being an overall wellness professional. She has a diverse background spanning memory care leadership, behavioral health, and fitness training. Her time spent as a director for memory care led her back to working with individuals with disabilities. This is truly where her heart is for supporting the community. Her passion for helping others, coupled with her enthusiasm for health and wellness, continues to drive her personal and professional success.

Ana joined Community Interface Services in January 2024 as a Day Your Way Resource Counselor. Although she was new to the field, Ana was eager to learn and quickly discovered that CIS's mission closely aligned with her passion for helping people reach their full potential. After only a few months with CIS, she knew she wanted to expand her impact through a leadership role that would allow her to support staff development while helping coordinate services for individuals served by the agency. Prior to CIS, Ana developed her skills in mentorship and leadership roles for over 10 years at various corporations. In August 2024, Ana was promoted to Coordinator in our Supported Living program. Ana is passionate about empowering individuals with developmental disabilities to achieve their goals and reach their highest potential, and she looks forward to continuing to grow alongside the CIS community.

Shortly before receiving her master’s degree in human resource management from Colorado State University, Breana knew that helping individuals with developmental disabilities was her true passion and began the search of finding an organization that reflected her beliefs. After applying with Community Interface Services in 2019, she quickly found that she enjoyed working for all departments offered at CIS, including DYW, IL, ILT, and SE. After working in the field for a year and a half, Breana was promoted to CCE coordinator where she has the pleasure of working with each member of her team to continue to foster growth in each participant they serve through community-based activities and fostering meaningful relationships with their natural supports. Breana is excited about her future with Community Interface Services and hopes to continue to make a difference every day!

Danielle graduated from California State University of San Marcos with a Bachelor’s degree in Indigenous Anthropology with an emphasis in Ethnobotany and Spanish. She has collaborated with indigenous communities in Southern California, Baja California, and in Quito, Ecuador in creating collaborative medical practices to address health disparities, as well as identifying ways to enhance the lives of individuals living with developmental disabilities within their community. Danielle joined the Community Interface Services team in 2017 as a resource counselor and was promoted to a coordinator position in 2019. Danielle hopes to be able to put into practice the skills, experience, and guidance she gained from the members of the communities to better serve individuals who choose Community Interface Services to be part of their team.

Emma graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2019 with a bachelor’s in Business Management Economics. During her undergrad, Emma was a teacher’s assistant in Mandarin and sustainable engineering courses. Emma was drawn to CIS because of the unique nature of the work, and the CIS culture. Emma began her career at Community Interface Services in 2020 after having a diverse background in the fields of engineering, music, and digital marketing. She utilized these skills in her position as an Independent Living resource counselor, and was promoted to a Coordinator position in Day Your Way in 2021.

After many years in Restaurant Management and Accounts Payable, Erika decided to switch roles and explore a new career. She joined Community Interface Services in November 2017, working in the Day Program, then moved to Supported Living, then MySSA Payee, and now oversees many of the organization’s FMS programs.

As a coordinator, Erika enjoys being part of a team dedicated to enriching lives, fostering independence, and encouraging self-advocacy among the members CIS serves. For her, there’s nothing more rewarding than having a career where the positive impact on an individual can be seen firsthand.

Having earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Cal State San Marcos, Jennie knew that helping individuals with developmental disabilities was the career path she wanted to pursue. After joining Community Interface Services in 2016, she has been fortunate to work alongside numerous individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and other community agencies. Jennie began as a Resource Counselor in the Day Your Way program and was most recently promoted to Coordinator in Independent Living and Supported Employment. “Helping enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities by promoting and encouraging self-advocacy, independence, and community inclusion is what I strive for every day”. Jennie is excited to continue being a part of the CIS family and making a positive impact in other peoples lives.

Jessica joined Community Interface Services as a Coordinator for the Day Your Program in August of 2022. She has a Bachelor's degree in English from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and a Master's degree in Counseling from California Lutheran University. While the majority of her previous work experience has been in the realm of education, especially for low-income, first-generation students, her years of providing educational counseling and teaching Personal Development courses in community colleges has provided her a unique set of skills that applies to the various needs of the individuals CIS serves. Working for a non-profit organization has always been a goal for Jessica, and she is happy to take part in helping individuals with disabilities reach their fullest potential and truly become integrated in their communities.

Kate joined Community Interface Services (CIS) in 2019 after her sister, a CIS participant, encouraged her to apply—and it quickly became clear she had found the right fit. Before joining CIS, Kate spent nearly a decade working in Special Education across several school districts, but she had always hoped to build a career in the nonprofit sector; she found her professional home at CIS. She began her CIS career as a CCE Resource Counselor before being promoted to CCE Coordinator, a role she held for four years. During that time, she supported participants in building meaningful relationships and achieving their personal goals. In 2025, Kate transitioned to Financial Management Services (FMS), bringing her experience and knowledge of the Self-Determination Program to the team. Today, she oversees the FMS SDP Team, helping participants and families navigate the Self-Determination Program with confidence, choice, and a greater sense of empowerment.

In 2013, shortly after earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development from Cal State San Marcos, Yvette Scarcella joined the Community Interface Services team as a Resource Counselor in the Community Integration Training (CIT) department. During this time, she learned how much she enjoys building relationships, making a positive impact, and helping those to meet their personal goals. Yvette was promoted to CIT Coordinator in 2016. As Coordinator she is able to tackle new challenges all while still working with the individuals she loves. Yvette thoroughly believes in the mission of CIS and aims to apply it to her daily interactions.

Ann Gutierrez is a dedicated professional with a strong background in social services and community engagement. With a degree in Spanish Literature and special education credits from UCSD, Ann has a solid foundation in both the humanities and social sciences.

Ann brings over a decade of experience working with the County of San Diego, where she served as a Training Supervisor for various programs, including CalFresh, Medi-Cal, General Relief, and CalWORKs. This experience has equipped her with a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals and families in need.

Ann is passionate about helping others and is excited to utilize her skills and experience to support individuals on her journey to independence. 

Autumn joined the CIS team as a Community Building Coordinator in the fall of 2025 and quickly transitioned to the Supported Living Coordinator role the following year.  Before coming to CIS, Autumn earned her Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC.  Autumn has a management background in eating disorder and behavioral health treatment centers at both the residential and outpatient levels of care. She has also volunteered extensively with substance use harm reduction efforts in her community. Autumn had a dream of joining a nonprofit that was aligned with her own personal values and found that home at Community Interface Services, where she is now thriving in an environment that allows her to actively make a difference in her local community through hands on work and human connection.

Liliana joined Community Interface Services in 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Business from CETYS Universidad and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Universidad Xochicalco.

After 17 years of experience in the insurance industry, Liliana decided to pursue a new career path focused on financial management within a nonprofit environment, allowing her to dedicate herself to one of the things she enjoys most: helping people.

At CIS, she has supported several Financial Management Services programs, including MySSA Representative Payee, Transportation Voucher, Rental Assistance, Equipment Loaner Program, Paid Internship Program, and Social Recreation. She uses her financial expertise and customer service skills to enhance the experience of participants and their families.

Liliana is confident that CIS will continue to grow and empower people to achieve their goals.

Yesenia graduated from California State University San Marcos in 2013 with a bachelor's degree in human development. In 2014, she began working at Community Interface Services as a Program Assistant for the Rental Assistance and Voucher Transportation program. Over the years, Yesenia had the opportunity to support several FMS programs, including Payee Services, the Self Determination Program, and Bill Payer Services. She especially enjoyed the billing and accounting side of these programs. Her experience across multiple programs and strong understanding of financial processes helped her earn the role of Accounting Coordinator.

Mahmoud is a dedicated social services professional and Coordinator at Community Interface Services. He graduated from Carleton University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and also earned a Social Service Worker diploma from Algonquin College. Throughout his career, Mahmoud has worked closely with refugees, individuals experiencing homelessness, and survivors of domestic violence, building a strong passion for advocacy, inclusion, and community support. Since joining CIS in 2026, he has enjoyed collaborating with his team, sharing knowledge, and continuing to learn from the communities he serves. He is committed to fostering meaningful connections and creating supportive environments that empower individuals to thrive.