The inspiration for our charity came in spring of 2018. In fall of 2018, Elizabeth and Lisa met after a presentation on human trafficking by Elizabeth for a class at the Santa Rosa Junior College where Lisa sat in the front row. Lisa was very affected by Liz’s recounting of her experiences of addiction, arrests, incarceration and her emergence from the life of trafficking. They bonded over their shared experiences and struggles and formed Redemption House of the Bay Area which was the first group in Sonoma County devoted to helping women escape human trafficking.
In addition to bi-monthly support meetings for women in need, street outreach programs and a 24/7 staffed phone line, Lisa, Liz and their volunteers are working toward the establishment of a women’s safe house in Sonoma County where women can find shelter and services in their quest to leave a life of trafficking.
Elizabeth Quiroz and Lisa Diaz-McQuaid
Elizabeth Quiroz is a human trafficking survivor and former foster youth who overcame addiction and incarceration to become a graduate student, and now serves as a Social Worker that supports adults and juveniles through the child welfare system. She founded Sonoma Counties' first Human Trafficking support group, and co-facilitates with Lisa Diaz McQuaid. She is also a published author
Lisa Diaz was born and raised in Santa Rosa, California and is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. She understands the effects of trauma and addiction and is active in recovery from substances, mentoring women in their recovery journey. She is employed as a human trafficking case worker for a non-profit orginization in Sonoma County.
Elizabeth Baker is a Senior Finance Manager for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California. She has an undergraduate degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and MBA with a concentration in business development. Elizabeth has served a 6-year term as President of the BOD of New Vintage Church in Santa Rosa and an active board member of Growing Healthy Churches in Stockton, California.
Dianna Badalament was born and raised on Long Island, New York and resides in California since 1999. Dianna has 13 years of International NGO work under her belt, compassionately creating and operating novel economic and therapeutic empowerment programs for survivors of human trafficking, severe gender-based violence, and, at-risk women and children, in red-light areas, shelter homes and resource centers across India, Thailand and Nepal. She is a member of the Sonoma County Human Trafficking Task Force for the last 8 years and is a California State Certified Sexual Assault Victims Counselor working on Verity’s Rape Crisis Hotline. Dianna is also classically trained goldsmith and uses her skills to teach and empower trafficking survivors.
Megan Berger is former foster youth, adoptee, and a survivor of human trafficking. Megan is bilingual, a former first responder, and currently employed in the non profit field as a community education coordinator to address disparities in the child welfare system. Megan has degree in Criminal Justice and Behavioral Sciences, and Megan assists Redemption House of the Bay Area in connecting with the community through organizing and attending promotional events, speaking publicly, and providing social media coverage.
Kathryn Lombera is a born and raised resident of occupied Pomo Territory - aka - Sonoma County. Professionally, she brings 15 years of experience in retail bank operations and project management. Purposefully, she serves local expectant mothers as a traditional Indigenous birthworker of Huasteca Nahua descent, offering traditional Indigenous labor and postpartum support. She is a lifelong student of birth and her ancestral traditional medicines. She also provides advocacy support for Indigenous survivors of spiritual trauma and sexual assault, making her a well-aligned asset to the Board of Directors for Redemption House
Linda Hernandez is a first generation American and native of the Sacramento region. Her immigrant parents instilled in her a strong work ethic, which has been pivotal in her role as a Strategic Business Professional. Adept in organizational development, leadership, project management, and business administration, Linda has earned certifications in Human Resources from San Diego State University and Construction Management from UC Davis. Her professional accomplishments are a testament to her commitment to excellence and continuous learning.
Anna Reyes was born and raised in Santa Rosa, California, with nine siblings. She survived domestic violence and has been clean and sober for 32
years, and happily married for 34 years. Annie has five beautiful adult
children, 12 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. She is passionate about serving her community, and
she recently retired as an Eligibility Specialist Supervisor from the County of Sonoma/Economic Assistance,
where she worked to improve the health, safety, and well-being of individuals, families, and the community
through programs such as medical coverage, CalFresh/EBT, and others. She has previously volunteered for
several non-profit organizations dedicated to community service. Annie is deeply committed to assisting women
in finding healing and purpose, and she mentors them on how to use their past experiences for a greater
purpose.
Carolyn Spencer was born and raised in Sonoma County, and is active in her community. She currently works for Monahan Tucker Law, P.C. as a Paralegal. In her free time, she enjoys traveling to new places and learning about different cultures, hiking, and spending quality time with those who matter the most. Carolyn takes pride in her community involvement and helping those in need. Her work with Community Action Partnership focuses on expanding existing programs such as financial literacy and housing assistance and other resources to low income and at-risk populations. By joining the Board of Directors, Carolyn aims to support the survivors of sex trafficking and domestic violence.
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