Kern CountyNews

Kern Regional Center Executive Director Michi Gates Appointed as Chief Deputy Director of Department of Developmental Services

kern regional center

Kern Regional Center Executive Director Michi Gates Appointed as Chief Deputy Director of Department of Developmental Services 

kern regional center

BAKERSFIELD – Governor Gavin Newsom and Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Director Nancy Bargmann announced this week the appointment of Dr. Michi Gates as Chief Deputy Director of Program Services. In this role, Dr. Gates will be responsible for oversight and management of program operations for the Department. She will be assuming the role previously held by Brian Winfield who will be partially retiring in September.

Dr. Gates comes to this position with over 27 years of experience in the regional center system providing services and supports to Californians with developmental disabilities. For the past six years, she has served as Executive Director at Kern Regional Center (KRC) headquartered in Bakersfield. Prior to her time at KRC, Dr. Gates served in various executive and management positions at North Bay Regional Center (NBRC) including Associate Executive Director and Director of Client Services engaging with parents, families, people with developmental disabilities, service providers and the community at large.

She has also been actively involved in many statewide initiatives such as DDS workgroups and committees, including the Developmental Services Task Force, DDS Regional Center Performance Measures Work Group, and with the Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA).

“It has been my honor to work with the boards, staff, family and persons served at both KRC and NBRC,said Gates on Wednesday evening. “I have learned so much from them over the years and look forward to taking this knowledge and experience with me to DDS for the benefit of California’s 450,000 persons with developmental disabilities and their families. We have work to do as we continue to improve access to and services for all people served by the state’s 21 regional centers. I am eager to continue growing the partnership between DDS and our communities.”

Dr. Gates earned a Doctorate in Psychology from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and a Master’s and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Chico State University.

Enrique Roman, Director of Community Services, has been named to serve as KRC’s Interim Executive Director while the Board of Directors begins their search and selection process.

“We want to thank Dr. Gates for her years of service here to Kern Regional Center and our community,said KRC Board President Tracey Mensch. “The Board has been grateful for her advocacy, commitment and dedication to the work of our regional center and to the lives of the people we serve. We wish her the very best in her new assignment at DDS and know that we’ll have someone who understands our unique needs at the Department. We also want to thank Enrique for stepping up to serve as Interim Executive Director during this transition period.”

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Kern Regional Center is a private, nonprofit agency under contract with the State of California through the Department of Developmental Services to provide services and support to over 14,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities in Inyo, Kern, and Mono Counties. These services include intake, assessment, diagnosis, service coordination (including health care, employment, housing), family counseling and supportand more. www.kernrc.org 

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