The Dayle McIntosh Center (DMC) is governed by a volunteer board of directors composed of community leaders with expertise in business, finance, education, advocacy, and programming as well as experience working or volunteering with DMC. A majority of the directors are individuals with disabilities. The board sets policy, conducts strategic planning, monitors and evaluates service delivery, plans and oversees budget implementation, and engages in resource development.
Dayle McIntosh Center, Current Board of Directors
Helia Daigeau, President
Helia Daigeau (she/her) was born and raised in Southern California and formerly served as the Systems Change Advocate at the Dale McIntosh Center. She currently serves as the CA Disability and Elder Justice Organizer at Hand in Hand: the Domestic Employers Network, a national nonprofit that organizes people to demand dignity and fairness for domestic workers, and to win public investment in care for families, people with disabilities and older adults. As a Black, queer, and mentally/emotionally disabled woman, Helia has always been called to fight for the rights and full inclusion of all with the understanding that liberation is collective and that our struggles are intimately connected. Helia now lives in Long Beach, CA and is raising her daughter there with her partner and they all enjoy being members of their local community. Helia has a Bachelor’s in Organizational Leadership and a Master’s in Business Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Leadership.
LouAnne Boyd, Ph.D., Secretary
Dr. Boyd is a Professor of Computer Science at Chapman University. She joined the Fowler of School of Engineering in 2018 and teaches courses in human-computer interaction. Her research explores sensory and social issues related to assistive technology for neurodiversity. She aims to promote equity by making technology that is inclusive and accessible.
Leanne Libas, Co-Vice-President
Leanne Libas is a disability rights advocate born and raised in Orange County, California. She got involved with the movement after attending the California Youth Leadership Forum for Students with Disabilities (CA YLF) in 2014. She learned how she can use her voice by sharing her story and experiences. Leanne has been an advocate for 8 years. She has been associated with various organizations such as the California Foundation for Independent Living Centers (CFILC), Art of Autism, Women’s eNews – Teen Voices, Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAN), and Cal State Fullerton’s Pilipinx American Student Association (CSUF PASA). Leanne has been featured in the Orange County Register, the Mighty, Bustle, and Learn from Autistics. She’s currently an In Our Voice and Ending the Silence speaker for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) under the Greater Los Angeles County affiliate. She’s pursuing a career in social work and disability studies. Her goals are to support marginalized communities and educate others about disability representation.
Rodney Hume-Dawson, Ph.D., Co-Vice-President
Dr. Rodney Hume-Dawson is an expert in Inclusive Practices, Resilience in Polio Survivors and people with Physical disabilities, Education, and Disability Studies. He was born and raised in Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa where he was diagnosed with poliomyelitis at the age of eighteen months old, leaving him paralyzed from his waist down. His disability did not stop him from moving forward beyond obstacles and adversity, rather he was intentional about choosing how to be of service with his disability as an educator. In his foundation of gratitude, enduring strength, unshakable faith, supportive loving family and optimistic spirit he found the fuel of determination to believe and achieve in what is infinitely possible.
Rodney is a certified English Educator in Los Angeles, California. He is currently a faculty member in the Liberal Studies Department in the College of Education at California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Philosophy, a Master’s in Teaching and Curriculum. He completed his Ph.D. in Education with emphasis on Disability Studies at Chapman University. His dissertation was a phenomenological inquiry on the resilience of people with poliomyelitis. As an accomplished author, Rodney has written several book chapters including A Spiritual and Transformative Perspective on Disability that was published in a book edited by Wappett and Arndt, entitled: Emerging Perspectives on Disability Studies. His forthcoming book will capture the meaning of resilience from a polio survivor’s/person with a physical disability’s perspective and what families and society can do to foster coping skills and a strong sense of self in individuals with obvious impairments.
Rodney’s intention, research and teaching are mainly to educate people about disability and to help the world realize that disability is a human experience. His research focus encompasses resilience, spirituality, radical love, polio, inclusiveness, equity, infusing disability studies into all traditional curriculums, and ways to make education accessible to individuals who learn differently. He preaches, presents lectures, and offers workshops to Schools, Universities, and Churches that are interested in changing the status quo.
Jose Pena, Treasurer
Jose Pena (he/him) was raised in Southern California and worked as the Director of Independent Living Services for the Dayle McIntosh Center. He currently works as the Reasonable Accommodation Specialist for Disability Rights California, the agency designated under federal law to protect and advocate for the rights of Californians with disabilities.
Jose identifies as a person with a physical disability. Since a young age, he knew he wanted to work with numbers and he understood his physical limitations. Accounting was a subject he enjoyed and understood. Prior to graduating from Cal State Fullerton, he met Paula Margeson who encouraged him to apply for a job at the Dayle McIntosh Center and the rest is history. Jose joined DMC in 2014 and found his purpose in life, advocating for people with disabilities. He started as Systems Change Advocate were he learned about the injustices and inequalities that people with disabilities were facing and he wanted to help his community. He then transitioned to the Assistive Technology Coordinator role where two of his interests aligned, technology and helping people. In this role, he taught himself to use assistive technology software to help people who were falling through the cracks. After several years working with assistive technology and becoming certified as an assistive technology professional, he transitioned into his Director role where he led several programs. In 2023, he left DMC and joined DRC.
Back as a board member, he wants to contribute to DMC’s future by providing his expertise and ensure that the DMC is one of the lead independent living organizations leading the charge for disability rights. He wants to DMC to continue advocating and furthering the rights of people with disabilities. He believes that if we as people with disabilities are not at the table, then we are on the menu.
The Dayle McIntosh Center (DMC) recruits for board members all year-long. Term commitments are two years and we’re always looking to expand committees. If you’d like to JOIN OUR BOARD – we invite you to apply. Please fill out the application paperwork and apply: https://daylemc.org/board/
