Lead Me Home Summit Monterey/ San Benito Counties, CA 2025- Elevating Lived Experience

ELEVATING LIVED EXPERIENCE: EMBEDDING AUTHENTIC VOICES IN HOMELESS SERVICES AND POLICY Moderator: Abrena Ganaden Panelists: Jocelyn Curran, Jesse Shaw, Julius Mills-Denti and Tim Heavin People with lived experience of homelessness bring invaluable insights that can shape more effective, compassionate, and sustainable solutions. Yet, too often, their voices are tokenized rather than meaningfully integrated into program design, policy development, and service delivery. This session will explore strategies for authentically embedding lived experience into homeless response systems. Speakers will discuss best practices for advisory boards, leadership roles, co-designing programs, and compensating individuals for their expertise. Attendees will gain practical tools to shift from symbolic engagement to true partnership, ensuring that those most affected by homelessness are not just heard but are active decision-makers in shaping the future of homeless services. ABRENA GANADEN CoC Programs Manager- Coalition of Homeless Services Providers Abrena was born and raised in Monterey County and has been dedicated to addressing homelessness in the community since joining CHSP in 2023. She has a passion for supporting those with lived experience, she advocates for integrating their voices into homelessness response systems through meaningful collaboration and is committed to fostering a system where those most affected by homelessness play a central role in program design, policy development, and service delivery, ensuring their insights lead to more effective and compassionate solutions. Abrena serves as the CoC Program Manager for CHSP and manages local, state, and federal funding in both Monterey and San Benito counties, ensuring that resources are distributed in ways that align with the community’s needs and priorities. JOCELYN CURRAN Senior Director - Downtown Streets Team Jocelyn Curran is a seasoned philanthropy professional with expertise in social entrepreneurship, project management, and grantee-centric philanthropy. She currently serves as the Senior Director for the Bay Area and Central Coast for Downtown Streets Team working with individuals experiencing homelessness. Previously, she worked for the Peery Foundation for seven years providing capacity building support to their 96 grantees. Jocelyn started her career with The Pew Charitable Trusts, in Washington, D.C. working on their International Ocean Conservation Team. She holds a BA in Political Science and History with a minor in Women’s Studies from Denison University, an MA in International Policy Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and a certificate in International Conflict Management from Johns Hopkins SAIS. She currently serves as Vice President on the Board for the Coalition of Homeless Service Providers in Monterey County. Jocelyn is a proud Washington, DC native and currently lives in Monterey, CA with her son. JESSE SHAW Peer Advocacy Coordinator - Interim, Inc. Jesse Shaw is a Wellness Navigator and Peer Advocacy Coordinator for Interim, Inc. Through his lived experience with mental health diagnosis and substance use disorders, Jesse has been an effective advocate and mentor for homeless clients seeking services and helping them navigate which resources work best for them. JULIUS MILLS-DENTI Program Director Central California / Step Up on Second Julius Mills-Denti is the Director of Central California Programs for Step Up on Second, a nationally recognized leader in providing homeless services to adults and families with mental health and co-occurring challenges. Julius has over 12 years of experience working in the social services sector. Prior to working at Step Up, Julius worked for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Hollister's Youth Alliance, and Encompass Community Services, where he provided field-based social work services to adults, families and children with a confluence of social and emotional needs. He holds a BA in Human Communication from California State University of Monterey Bay and Master's of Science from the International Institute for Restorative Practices in Bethlehem, Pennyslvania. During his master's program, Julius became a licensed Restorative Practices Trainer for the institute. TIMOTHY HEAVIN Chair - Lived Experience Advisory Directive (L.E.A.D.) Timothy Heavin grew up in the Salinas Valley. Through his struggles, Mr. Heavin has become a real pillar and leader in our community. He has battled through many years of homelessness, addiction, and incarcerations. Grateful for his affliction and highly motivated and determined to give back, Mr. Heavin is accomplishing his mission and goals in many ways. Mr. Heavin has proudly been serving on the Continuum of Care Leadership Council for close to 3 years as Co-Chair of the Lived Experience Advisory Directive (L.E.A.D.). National Steinbeck Center, Salinas Room Salinas, CA April 17, 2025