Community Network for Appropriate Technologies

Overview

The Community Network for Appropriate Technologies was incorporated in 1978 as a federally recognized nonprofit, tax-exempt educational and charitable organization. Susan Keller, Executive Director and Principal Planner, founded the Community Network based on principles which she developed and employed in the Midwest while facilitating creation of a nationally prominent library council.

The general focus of our work is the development of cooperative working relationships within individual organizations, and across organizational and political boundaries. Our overall goal is the development of programs, services, and organizations that are socially, economically, and ecologically sound.

Together with clients, we work to structure change, helping existing organizations adapt and creating new organizations as necessary. We routinely explore a multititude of new possibilities, uncover and overcome barriers, and develop strategies for achieving desired goals and objectives. A partial listing of clients includes:

• Palm Drive Hospital
• Partnership HealthPlan of California
• Kasier Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center
• Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program
• Sonoma County In Home Supportive Services Public Authority
• Senior Residential Care Council of Sonoma County
• Wisconsin Hospice Organization & Palliative Experts (HOPE)
• Sonoma County Conservation Council & Environmental Center
• County of Sonoma Department of Health Services (DHS)
• County of Sonoma DHS Behavioral Health Division

Board of Directors and Staff

Executive Director

Susan Keller. M.A. Library and Information Science; M.A. Management. Executive Director/Principal Planner, Community Network for Appropriate Technologies, 1978 to present; Author, Journey to Life’s End: A Traveler’s Guide; Steering Committee Member, Sonoma Health Access Coalition 2006-2008; Member, CA Coalition for Compassionate Care 2000-present; Consumer Representative, California statewide POLST Task Force 2008 – present; Board Chair, Sonoma County Conservation Council/Environmental Center of Sonoma County, 2005 – present; Member, Bioethics Committee, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa Medical Center 2004 – 2011; Member, Sonoma County Health Action Primary Care Work Group 2009 – 2011; UCSF Clinical Instructor, Santa Rosa Family Medicine Residency Program 2010 – 2015. Steering Committee Member, My Care My Plan Speak Up Sonoma County 2015 – 2017. Individual Award Recipient, 2017 Compassionate Care Leadership Award, 10th Annual California Palliative Care Summit, recognizing Susan’s work as “a leader in end of life and palliative care in California.”

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Board of Directors

Nina Arbour. Community Relations and Volunteer Services Manager for Hospice of Petaluma, Memorial Hospice and North County Hospice. Thirty+ years’ experience working in the hospice field. Degrees in Psychology and Spanish and career experience working with developmentally challenged adults and children. Nina has trained thousands of people from the community to serve as hospice caregiver and bereavement volunteers. Annually she speaks to hundreds of groups and individuals about hospice philosophy, volunteerism and hospice services. Nina serves on the Steering Committee for My Care My Plan – Speak Up Sonoma County.

Pam Campbell, MPA, Treasurer Strong advocate for the sustainability movement, palliative care and the elderly. Chief Executive Officer, Inquiring Systems, Inc. Long-standing member of Journey Project Coalition in its varied forms. Extensive experience working with skilled nursing facilities as a social worker and as administrator.

Sara Katra, Secretary, was born in Panama and has extensive background as a family caregiver caring for parents now deceased. Sara joined the Board in Winter, 2010 and helped with translation work for the Latino Caregiver Training completed in April. She has Masters Degree in Bilingual Education-English and Spanish-and a background in teaching English as Second Language.

Susan Keller, M.A., M.L.I.S, was a founding member of the Community Network and has served as Executive Director/Principal Planner since its founding.

Kathy Rueve, Past-President Forty year career as full charge bookkeeper/controller and tax preparer; novelist and short story writer; facilitator for the Oakmont Writers Group through 2015.

Robin Trimble, President. Associated with the Community Network since Network inception serving as staff in the formative years and as long-standing supporter. Small scale land use developer with emphasis on resource conservation and sustainability. Network Board representative to the Sonoma County Conservation Council.

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Latino Caregiver Training Program Development Team

Sara Katra, Susan Keller (see bio’s above)

Website Consultants:

Suzanne Doyle Lily Web Design
In 2018 Suzanne began assisting the Network as webmaster helping to upgrade website software, make the site readable on varied devices and update content.

Erika Jones-Clary MsJones Design
In 2012 Erika Jones joined the Community Network team as webmaster to assist with transition of this website onto a new server including update of operating software all badly needed to help sustain our website, modernize features and expand capabilities given the explosion of Internet usage these past few years. We aim to do this in a seamless manner so that visitors to our website experience no disruption of service as we transition from old to new over the next several months. This work is made possible by a grant from an anonymous donor who greatly values the importance of the Community Network Journey Project to all we serve. Erika comes with an impressive work history as MsJones Design and serves on the Board of Directors for the Community Technology Network among other things.

Bo Laurent Mathias Technology
Bo combines 30 years experience in software development with an equally impressive career working in the nonprofit sector. As a leader in a nationally prominent healthcare reform organization, Bo received numerous awards for her humanitarian work and recently was recognized by resolution of the CA State legislature. In 2004, Bo built our website and provided ongoing oversight and consultation as needed to help adapt the site as our programs evolve. Bo Laurent remains active with the Community Network as she travels the world.

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What People are Saying About Us

The principles employed by Community Network revolutionized inter-institutional cooperation in the greater metropolitan Milwaukee region, and that sharing of resources has continued with vigor for nearly two decades. William C. Roselle, Former Director University of Pittsburgh Library System

In this complex society we need to shape change rather than have change shape us. Community Network has the talent and skill to assist us in analyzing the issues that come before us and assist us with resolutions that use our skills, enhance our education, and appreciate our values. Helen Rudee, Member (1976-88) Sonoma County Board of Supervisors

The Community Network has worked ably and creatively—as a catalyst and active focus—assisting our Council with efforts to encourage quality residential care and supportive services for low income elderly. Pat Eliot, Past President, Senior Residential Care Council of Sonoma County

As a business executive and community organizer, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Community Network. Their ability to effectively structure and manage change, create new directions, and build consensus within the strategic planning process is most impressive and of value to all types of organizations public and private. Drake Sadler, President, Traditional Medicinals, Inc.

Awards

2017 Compassionate Care Leadership Award for An Individual Awarded to Susan Keller by the Coalition for Compassionate Care of CA at the 9th Annual Palliative Care Summit, Sacramento, CA March, 2017.

CA Senate Resolution authored by all elected Assembly and Senate members acknowledging consumer advocacy and planning accomplishments of Susan Keller (2001)

Sonoma County Community Foundation Shining Star Award for creation of Journey Project and _Journey to Life’s End: A Traveler’s Guide (1997)

Distinguished Service Award from the Sonoma County Council for Community Services (1994)

Award for Energy Innovation, U.S. Department of Energy, Secretary of Energy (1986)

Award for Energy Innovation, State of California, George Deukmejian, Governor (1986)

Fees

Community Network’s fees for services are negotiable and assessed on a sliding scale depending on client need and ability to pay. Pro bono work is done as time and resources allow. Fees generated from professional contracts help sustain Network services.

Contact Us

Community Network for Appropriate Technologies
PO Box 2331
Santa Rosa CA 95405

Telephone: (707) 539-2364

Write to Us