Supporting Living. Improving Lives.
Supporting Living.
Improving Lives.
Consumer-Focused from the Start
We Do the Right Thing, Always
At DABS, we’re proud of our reputation for taking the most intense and challenging situations head on. We’ve helped consumers who were refused residence after residence find a place live. We’ve worked with consumers that were refused services from every available agency. We’ve taught consumers deemed unable to behave appropriately how to manage their behavior in an adaptive manner. Our track record of 95% success over 16 years and constant positive feedback on our services proves our dedication to meeting the needs of the consumer no matter how difficult it may seem.
A history of making a difference
Your Team of Dedicated Experts
Educated, experienced, and above all, tireless advocates for individuals with intellectual disabilities. We are here for you.
Juve Vela, Psy.D.
CEO/PRESIDENT
Dr. Juve Vela has been working with individuals diagnosed with intellectual disabilities and mental illness for 30 years. Dr. Vela is formally educated in mental health and applied behavior analysis. He is a noted expert in the field of community-based consultation of both behavior and systems theory, and he has been invited to lecture on behavior consultation locally, nationally and internationally.
Lora Nicol
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
Lora Nicol, has over 10 years of experience working in the behavioral health field. Her former roles varied from direct services; participated in a grant proposal development focusing on advancing self-advocacy campaigns; and secured nearly 50 job placements for Bay Area adults with disabilities. Additionally, Ms. Nicol managed teams of providers and managers administering ABA services to children with Autism nationwide.
Ms. Nicol’s role is now responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations at DABS, ensuring policies and procedures are carried out smoothly and efficiently.
Having grown up in a non-traditional family and with a sister with Down syndrome, she possesses a genuine enthusiasm for community, inclusivity, and growth.
Christine Ponce
Vice President, Human Resources
Christine Ponce has over 20 years of experience providing guidance and leadership to senior managers, including in her previous role as Assistant Vice President at a Fortune 500 company in the Bay Area. She is responsible for overseeing Human Resources at DABS, including recruiting, employee relations, benefits administration and organizational development.
Margaret Becerra
Regional Director
Loralie P. Ocliazo
Regional Director
Thomas Slatton
Regional Director
Tom Slatton is the CITP Program Manager at our Golden Gate Regional Center. He started as a Personal Attendant and has worked with individuals with intellectual disabilities and behavioral challenges for over 18 years, including as direct care staff in Supported Living Services.
Cristian Galdamez
DIRECTOR OF TALENT ACQUISITION
Cristian Galdamez’s passion for working with persons with disabilities started when he was a freshman in college where he worked at an Adaptive Technology lab managing the daily operations and providing training on adaptive technology software to individuals with learning and developmental disabilities.
Cristian’s previous experience includes serving as a People Operations Manager, Senior and Lead Recruiting Specialist for an Applied Behavioral Analytics firm as well as the largest Dental practice in California. In addition to managing the Recruiting team, Cristian handles talent acquisition projects across all divisions and functional areas and is involved in setting recruiting strategies for DABS Inc. Cristian earned his degree in Business Administration Management from San Francisco State University.
As Director of Talent Acquisition, Cristian leads the team responsible for identifying top talent and matching them with great opportunities. Cristian takes great pride in building strong relationships with SLS, ILS, Community Integration, Behavior Analytics and Corporate talent to find meaningful and impactful opportunities to develop a career that meets their full potential and aspirations!
Katey Gallegos
FINANCE & CONTRACTS MANAGER
Katey Gallegos brings a strong spirit of collaboration and teamwork to her role as Finance and Contracts Manager. Katey joined DABS Inc. in 2013, and her passion for working with individuals with developmental disabilities has grown over the years. Katey is the central “hub” of DABS, maintaining confidential documentation and reporting. Her training in CPR, First Aid, CPI, and certification in Medical Administration are beneficial in her many roles at DABS. Katey is happily married and has three daughters.
Neil Nogaliza
RECRUITING & ONBOARDING COORDINATOR
Neil Nogaliza brings a variety of experiences from teaching middle school and high school; developing accelerated learning programs in California, Washington, Massachusetts, Texas and overseas; to dabbling in the tech-world in Seattle, and managed a retirement department at Bank of America.
As the Recruiting and Onboarding Coordinator, Neil uses his logistics skills to support the Recruiting Department with the goal of making smooth the drawn out onboarding process.