Jeanette Barrack is a physical therapist with experience in management and development of comprehensive outpatient rehabilitative services (speech, occupational therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and psychological services). Jeanette specializes in pain management and has practiced in the San Diego Area for approximately 18 years. She is a graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s College in Los Angeles. She holds a degree in science, physical therapy, and gerontology. Jeanette is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the orthopedic section of the American Physical Therapy Association and the San Diego Speaker’s Bureau. She is a guest lecturer at San Diego State University.

“I have been in the therapy and healing field for over 20 years. I currently have my own practice in La Mesa, California.In the past, while I was developing multidisciplinary outpatient services, I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Kathi Anderson. When Kathi approached me in November of 2000 to ask if I would help SURVIVORS develop their multidisciplinary medical component, I said yes. I felt strongly that anything Kathi was involved in was of good quality and would challenge me to give back to the community. I became a board member and have learned much through this role. I have seen the healing and compassion of others and the challenges that these strong individuals (survivors) face. If we as individuals respond to their needs they eventually become productive, healthy members of our community.”

David W. Engstrom graduated from Wesleyan University with honors in history in 1980. He received his M.A. in 1983 and Ph.D. in 1992 from the School of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. From 1988 to 2000 he taught at the School of Social Work at New Mexico Highlands University in Bangkok, Thailand. Presently, he is an associate professor of Social Work at San Diego State University. Dr. Engstrom has published two books, Presidential Decision Making Adrift, which examines the Carter Administration’s reaction to the Mariel Boatlift, and Hispanics in the United States, an edited volume with Pastora San Juan Cafferty. Prior to coming to San Diego, Dr. Engstrom served on the board of directors of the Albuquerque Border City Project, a non-profit agency serving immigrants in Albuquerque.

“The devastating effects of torture first became known to me over twenty years ago when I worked with Lao, Hmong, Vietnamese, and Cambodian refugees in Thailand. At the time, refugee workers such as myself could see the pain and suffering those refugees had experienced but we had little knowledge of how to help them, especially how to deal with their emotional trauma. When I moved to San Diego years later, I was surprised and very pleased to learn that specialized treatment centers such as SURVIVORS existed to provide healing resources to torture survivors. I was even more pleased to join SURVIVORS’ Board of Directors. The work of SURVIVORS is crucial to rebuilding lives of torture survivors and to increasing public awareness that torture is still an all too common part of too many people’s lives. As Sarte noted, it is the plague of our time. Please join us in ending torture.”

Denise M. Francis, is a Certified Public Accountant, with over 20 years’ experience. She graduated from California Lutheran College in 1982 and immediately started work at Peat, Marwick, and Mitchell in Los Angeles. Denise has lived in Los Angeles, CA, Modesto, CA, Maui, HI, and currently resides in San Diego, CA. In the course of raising her three children, she has worked as a Girl Scout leader, Sunday school teacher, soccer coach, football mom, and PTA chairperson. She currently works at Intuit.

“During the spring of 2001, I was working full time as a CPA, and, along with my husband, was busy raising three children. Kathi Anderson approached me one day at church and asked if I would consider working with SURVIVORS. She explained SURVIVORS' mission and invited me to become more familiar with the organization. I have a strong financial background and SURVIVORS was in need of someone with my experience. I joined the board shortly after and have been the financial officer since 2002. I have been able to contribute my knowledge to SURVIVORS, and I have learned much about the torture atrocities that occur throughout the world. An unexpected benefit of my service on SURVIVORS' board is that my children now know that the world is not as rosy as the community in which they have been raised.”

Jorge Cabrera is the director of the San Diego field office of Casey Family Programs, a foundation based in Seattle that provides direct services to foster youth and engages in collaborative and systems improvement efforts with the public child welfare system and other community organizations. Jorge has a Masters in Social Work from Arizona State University. Jorge has a strong interest in building partnerships that impact the well-being of children and families of color. For almost 15 years, Jorge was active in working with refugee populations and providing clinical services to survivors of torture and their families in Tucson, AZ.

“My experience with refugees and survivors of torture dates back to 1990. I was privileged to become acquainted with a group of caring individuals who were assisting refugees coming from Central America because of the devastating civil wars and who were fleeing political persecution. As a social worker with clinical training, I became involved in providing clinical services on a volunteer basis for many years. This work has been life changing for me. The opportunity to serve individuals who had suffered nameless acts and social, familial and cultural dislocation has been a humbling and highly enriching experience. Furthermore, I have been able to build relationships with the most committed group of selfless individuals who I now consider my friends and mentors. After re-locating to San Diego in 2004, I was pleased to find out about SURVIVORS and the opportunity to help with this work again.”

Ann is the director of the Regional Health Occupations Resource Center at Grossmont College. As a registered nurse and family nurse practitioner, Ann understands the physical needs that many of our clients have, and she is aware of the sensitivity required in treating their needs. Adding to her experience in healthcare, Ann obtained her law degree from Thomas Jefferson Law School. Ann has contributed to SURVIVORS’ work in many ways, from volunteering at mailing parties to educating the Office of Congressman Duncan Hunter about torture survivors.

“I first learned about Survivors of Torture, International through Kathi Anderson in 1999. I have been a supporter since that time because I admire and respect the work that is done to help torture victims rebuild their lives. I'm incredibly impressed with the array of services that are provided to those in need. As a nurse attorney, a mother, and a member of the community, the mission of SURVIVORS and the spirit and dedication of the Board, staff, and volunteers touches me deeply. I am honored to serve on the Board with this group of outstanding individuals.”

Carol first was introduced to the work of SURVIVORS when she was an intern in the office of California State Senator Dede Alpert. Carol has her master’s degree in social work administration with a concentration in mental health from San Diego State University. Carol chairs the board’s advocacy committee.

“I have been fascinated by and impressed with the work that SURVIVORS does for several years. When this opportunity came up, I realized that this would be the best possible way to contribute to both the cause and the organization.”

Bill is a pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Reverend Radatz has served as the coordinator of the Third Avenue Charitable Organization (TACO) in San Diego and has worked as the director of San Diego’s Presbyterian Crisis Center. His passion for immigration and refugee issues stems from his time as a missionary in Peru, where he worked with the Quechua-speaking people of the Andes Mountains. Reverend Radatz is one of SURVIVORS’ cofounders.

“My family and I lived in Peru, South America, for several years in the late 80’s, a time when the country was experiencing much political turmoil. I learned there how violence, including the use of torture, and social unrest make persons unwilling refugees from a country and culture that they have loved and cherished. Justice and compassion for immigrants and refugees has become a high priority for me as a result of that experience and has led me to a new appreciation of our roots as an immigrant nation. Torture represents for me the very worst of what we are capable of as the human family. The healing and elimination of torture deserve our best efforts. SURVIVORS’ mission has thus become an important focus in my life.”

Diana comes with nonprofit management experience as well as expertise in working with diverse populations. She works for the Center for Community Solutions, an organization that strives to end relationship and sexual violence by being a catalyst for caring communities and social justice. Diana says she has always had an interest in civil and human rights because of her early life experiences.

“I am saddened by the tactics used by many countries (including our own) to exercise power and control over others. More so I am compelled to act by how complicit we can be as a society in allowing leaders the right to violate the physical and psychological well-being of people. It is important to support the direct work that is making a tangible impact through action, advocacy, and volunteerism.”