Our Commission
First 5 Amador, formerly Amador County Children & Families First Commission was formed in December, 1998 by the Amador County Board of Supervisors in accordance with the California Children and Families First Act (Proposition 10). The Commission includes five members and an Executive Director helps to coordinate Commission activities.
Find out more about our current Commissioners below:
Joni Drake (Commission Chair)
Joni Drake is the Site Manager for California Tribal TANF Partnership -Amador County, located in Jackson, a social service agency serving low-income Native American families. Prior to transferring to Amador County 3 years ago, she served as the Site Manager at the San Joaquin County site for 7 years. Joni is an enrolled tribal member of the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians. Joni has been married to her husband Thomas 29 years; they have one daughter Shyatesa and two grandchildren, Logan and Olivia.
Supervisor Richard Forster
Richard Forster has resided in Amador County since 1975 and is a fifth generation Californian. He graduated from the University of California, Davis in 1982 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics. He is a commercial cattle rancher and is employed with the California Youth Authority. Supervisor Forster has served as an active member on the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors, the Ione Planning Commission, and numerous community organizations. Richard and his wife, Laurie, have two daughters, Lindsey and Tyler.
Arleen Garland
Arleen Garland has worked in the field of child abuse prevention and family support services for over 25 years. She graduated from California State University Hayward (now East Bay) with a Bachelor of Science in Education and Math. She taught for some years in the Bay Area before moving up to the Sierra Nevada region in 1981. Arleen has worked in nonprofit organizations in all 3 counties: Calaveras, Amador and Tuolumne. She currently works part time for the Grandparent Project in Calaveras and is the proud grandma of “almost” 15 grandchildren of her own.
Angel LeSage
Angel LeSage has been the Amador County Public Health Nursing Director since 1983. She holds a Bachelors Degree in nursing and is a pediatric nurse practitioner. She has devoted the last twenty years to the improvement of health for women and children. Angel has been a serving member of both the Child Abuse and the Domestic Violence Prevention councils. She is also an active volunteer in the 4-H program.
Aditra Miller
Aditra Miller has more than twenty years of experience in the health and human services field working with children, families, aging and dependent adults. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Aditra is a Program Manager for the Amador County Department of Social Services, providing management and oversight to the Child Welfare Services, Adult Protective Services, and In Home Supportive Services programs. She is an active member of the Amador Child Abuse Prevention Council, Resilient Amador, Community Advisory Committee for Special Education, and Amador County Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Commission. She enjoys spending time with her family, outdoors, boating, camping and fishing.