10 Things About Norma Ramos & San Diego Regional Center

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”

The mission of San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) is to serve and empower persons with developmental disabilities and their families to achieve their goals with community partners. Norma Ramos’ 18-year-old son has been helped by the San Diego Regional Center since he was 18 months old. Norma is currently serving her second term as SDRC’s Board Chair. Norma uses her lived experiences and conversations with community members to relay the needs of these wonderful families directly to SDRC’s Executive Director, Mark Klaus, and his staff. Norma has a front-row view of the initiatives coming to SDRC to help improve the lives of the individuals that they serve and their families.

#1 I grew up in National City.

#2 I love playing pool. I won the women’s dorm pool championship my freshman year in college.

#3 I loved traveling to Fiji with my husband many years ago. We stayed on a beautiful private island. It was a dream come true!

#4 On my bucket list – getting in shape and doing a triathlon (ok, a mini-triathlon).

#5 Some of my favorite books include: “The Midnight Library” by Matt Haig, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and “The Paris Library” by Janet Skeslien Charles. I do not particularly enjoy a scary read but, “How to Sell a Haunted House” by Grady Hendrix was fun.

#6 We have an 8-month-old goldendoodle named Scotty that we presented to my son with autism for his 18th birthday. Scotty will be trained as a service dog.

#7 After navigating the developmental services system for over 17 years, I felt it was my responsibility to share my lived experience and try to make the road smoother for other families who struggle in accessing services for their loved ones with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and Autism.

#8 My 18-year-old son with I/DD and Autism is the light that shines brightest in my life. He inspires me every day with his strength and determination, and he makes me want to be the best version of myself EVERY SINGLE DAY.

#9 As a parent, it can be frustrating at times to access services for our loved ones. As a board member, I see the hard work Mark Klaus and his team put in every single day to support our families.

#10 The SDRC collaborates with the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities (FDD) which offers grants to nonprofit organizations for programs serving individuals with IDDs, scholarships to students pursuing the IDDs field, and emergency funds to clients of the San Diego Regional Center who are experiencing emergencies such as homelessness or require assistance with utilities.

San Diego Regional Center
Day at the Races
August 31, 2023
12:00 pm
DEL MAR THOROUGHBRED CLUB
http://dayattheraces2023.causevox.com