Probation

Johanna Rasmussen has been advocating for youth and families in San Mateo County for over thirty years. Her advocacy work in the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice System began when her own daughter entered the system at the age of 13.
Johanna has worked both locally and on the state level to increase funding for community based mental health, substance abuse, and dual diagnosis programs and services for youth and adults. In addition to her criminal justice reform work, Johanna advocates for underserved community members and families on issues relating to housing, special education, disability and employment, and seeks to increase equity and improve transparency at all government levels. Johanna is Chairwoman of the Farm Hill Neighborhood Association in Redwood City and Coordinates the Confirmation Program at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish.

Karin Huber-Levy brings a wealth of experience in corporate law, having worked in both in-house and private practice roles across Canada, the UK, the US, and Germany. Her international background has cultivated a deep respect for diverse cultures and perspectives. As a Commissioner, Karin is a passionate advocate for transformative juvenile justice reforms, focusing on alternatives to youth incarceration, equitable access to diversion programs, and protecting the voting rights of incarcerated youth. Karin also serves on the Executive Board of the Pacific Juvenile Defender Center.

Shakeel Ali is a lifelong resident of San Mateo County. He grew up in Midway Village and has lived in Daly City for over 45 years. He currently serves as the Governing Board President of the Jefferson Elementary School District and has been a Trustee for more than 15 years. Shakeel holds a master’s degree in special education from San Francisco State University. With a career spanning over 30, years, he is currently teaching at El Camino High School in South San Francisco. Shakeel is a founding advisor for YEEE (Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurship, and Employment), a trainer for Ripple Effects, and a Community Health Advisor at the Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council. Additionally, he serves on the Community Fund Review Panel for the Chan Zuckerberg Foundation in Redwood City. As a survivor of gun violence, Shakeel is committed to addressing the root causes of violence in underserved communities. He has worked in the San Francisco Bayview neighborhood, as well as the Youth Guidance Center and Log Cabin Ranch juvenile detention facilities. Shakeel has also worked extensively with transitional age youth aging out of the Foster Care system.

Jennifer Blanco, a first-generation individual of Cuban and Salvadorian descent, has dedicated nearly three decades to serving the San Bruno community. As a Trustee of the San Bruno Park Elementary School District for 17 years, Jennifer has had a lasting impact on children and families. Jennifer was instrumental in bringing the national Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros annual celebration to San Bruno back in 2009, emphasizing the importance of literacy for children from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Jennifer’s unwavering dedication to providing essential support to all students has earned her the title of an equity warrior.

Paul Bocanegra is the cofounder of Reevolution Group, a human rights watch officer for the Children's Division of Human Rights Watch, and a certified drug and alcohol counselor. Paul was sentenced to life without parole when he was 16 years old and served more than 25 years in adult prison. He describes himself as a survivor of Juvenile LWOP and the California prison system. Today Paul works to reform the juvenile criminal justice system by sharing his experiences and struggles within the juvenile and adult systems and institutions.

Whitney Genevro is a native of San Mateo County and resides in the Belle Haven neighborhood of Menlo Park. She graduated with a BA from California State University East Bay and a JD from Golden Gate University School of Law. Whitney currently works as a conflicts attorney for Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto. Prior to attending law school, she worked as a program manager and grant writer for Second Harvest of Silicon Valley for 10 years. A core value of Whitney’s is to be supportive of her community – she grew up with a strong volunteer ethic and became a youth leader at 17. She currently volunteers her time as a youth leader at her church, with Project WeHOPE, Bayshore Christian Ministries, is working on a community garden project at Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School and continues to support Second Harvest as a food sort volunteer. She is also a Law Program facilitator with Fresh Lifelines for Youth in Santa Clara County. Whitney has made it a priority to learn about the juvenile justice system; her goal is to bring more attention to the needs of the system and be a part of positive changes for youth in our county. She has already begun her work as a volunteer with the JJDPC, joining a project team to understand what restorative justice practices are in place in high schools in San Mateo County.

Niklas Klemmer, a Menlo Park resident and student at Menlo-Atherton High School, is deeply committed to law, political advocacy, and public service. He currently interns with Senator Josh Becker and Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab, where he contributes to research on policymaking and deliberative processes.

An active member of the National Honor Society, Niklas also participates in debate and Model United Nations. He has attended Yale’s prestigious Young Global Scholars program, further honing his understanding of global issues and leadership.

Beyond academics, Niklas dedicates his time to community service. He volunteers with the Ecumenical Hunger Program in East Palo Alto and serves as Director of Outreach for Justice Bound, a youth-led nonprofit in San Mateo County focused on public policy and criminal justice reform.

Niklas is excited to bring his passion for criminal justice reform and public service to the San Mateo County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Commission. He aims to promote meaningful change and contribute to a more equitable society.

Ruchi Mangtani is a student at Menlo School. She is the founder of JusticeBound, a non-profit that seeks to increase youth involvement in prison and juvenile justice reform. JusticeBound has sent 800+ books to prisons across the United States and has a book exchange program with the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends. JusticeBound is additionally partnered with Red Cross Norway, which Ruchi visited on a grant funded by the HAND Foundation. Her experiences visiting Norwegian prisons and speaking to individuals involved in their criminal justice system inform her work on JJDPC. 

Ruchi is also an avid writer; her writing has been recognized by The Stanford Daily, the LA Times HS Insider, the Mercury News, the Library of Congress, and others. Her essay about strip and body cavity searching in United States prisons was awarded a Gold Key by the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. She writes and researches policies for Congresswoman Anna Eshoo as well as a member of her Student Advisory Board. Ruchi hopes to use these skills to give every young person the resources and support they require to achieve their desired life. 

Ameya Nori is a student at Menlo-Atherton High School. He serves as a San Mateo County Youth Commissioner and the Chair of the Restorative Justice Subcommittee. As a commissioner, he hopes to continue to advocate for community intervention programs that support youth development and divert them from the school-to-prison pipeline.

Kenneth Williams, a lifelong resident of San Mateo County, has been a key figure in the East Palo Alto community for the past 40 years. He has devoted his life to guiding and supporting some of the San Mateo County’s most vulnerable and historically underserved youth.

Kenneth is a tireless advocate for youth and families. For the past decade, he has volunteered with Live in Peace, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering youth to reclaim their vision for the future. At Live in Peace, Kenneth oversees the Boys to Men program, which targets at-risk middle and high school students. Kenneth strives to provide a positive atmosphere that supports young people as they develop
life skills such as problem-solving, effective communication, active listening, critical thinking, and decision making. Kenneth also serves as a mentor, life coach, and advocate for justice-involved youth in both our juvenile hall and community. Additionally, he works with the Youth Leadership Team and acts as a youth and family liaison with our local schools and other community-based organizations and programs.

Kenneth is dedicated to helping all youth achieve their full potential so they can lead purposeful, productive, and prosperous lives.