Belle Sweeney has worked with people with psychiatric, developmental and physical disabilities for over 15 years.  She has developed and directed several vocational service programs.  Clients have included people with disabilities and those who are homeless, at risk for homelessness, re-entering the community after incarceration or  stabilizing their lives after homelessness. Her expertise is in Customized Employment and she firmly believes that with the right supports, everyone can find a way to participate fully in life and in the employment world. After five years of resource counseling for the homeless with St Vincent's in Marin County, Belle relocated to Sonoma County and became engaged in issues related to affordable housing and homelessness. Belle joined the Task Force Board in 2008. She currently works as a private vocational consultant for job seekers with barriers to employment. Her consultancy also serves non-profits who wish to further develop their supported employment programs. Belle is a regular lecturer at the University of San Francisco in "Communication, Disability and Social Justice", and is a long time volunteer with Sonoma County's syringe exchange program.  Belle studies American Sign Language and is active in the local Deaf community. She considers herself a thoughtful activist and gets her kicks from inspiring others to pay attention to those in need, and to take action. 

Georgia Berland, a Task Force founder who consults as the part-time Executive Officer of the Task Force as well as serving on the Board, is an international consultant in community development. She was formerly Executive Director of the Sonoma County Human Services Commission (13 years) and the Association for Humanistic Psychology (7 years), and taught Community Psychology at Sonoma State University (8 years). She teaches her own "Cooperative Action" approach to positive community change, and serves on the Board of the California Community Economic Development Association, and the Executive Committee of Senator John Vasconcellos' Politics of Trust Project.

I have been working with the homeless community for many years. For the past 12 years I have worked for the Redwood Gospel Mission first for many years as a volunteer and then for the last 8 years as a staff member. My position with the Mission is Shelter Manager of "The Rose Women and Children's Emergency Shelter". Two years ago I joined the Task Force Board of Directors.

Originally from the east coast, since 1984 I chose this area to live the rest of my life, the way I intended it to be. Drawing upon my life's rich experiences and a professional advertising career I selected to work in real estate as an agent and investor while here. Happily married and living in Santa Rosa, I have a son and grandson that live in our community as well. My interests are broad and include (but are not limited to) living a healthy life, enjoying my family and people, traveling around, reading books of insight, climbing a mountain here or there and driving my car. My personal philosophy is that I believe this area is a special place to be, not because of the natural beauty but because we are an eclectic group of individuals that gives this community a balanced perspective on life's importance with the will to act on it.