The Villa de Vida, Inc. Team
In addition to our Board of Directors, the following individuals are part of the Villa de Vida, Inc. team.
Jessica Farber
Jessica Farber is a Native San Diegan. She graduated from California State University San Marcos with bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Spanish. While in college, she worked as a Job Coach for adults with developmental disabilities and has since worked in various capacities for other nonprofits. One of these positions was as the Director of Services for a company that co-owned low-income apartments throughout San Diego. While there, she supervised resident service coordinators who provided services to the residents, such as English as a Second Language, computer literacy classes and after school tutoring. She is excited about being able to utilize her previous work experience, along with her relationship and community building skills, to help create a dynamic and engaging program for the residents of Villa de Vida, Poway, and the greater San Diego community.
Zach Hill
Zach is a Native San Diegan. He is a firm believer in assisting his peers through advocacy and a love for healthy lifestyle and sports. He is the current Vice President of San Diego People First, an organization promoting advocacy for people with developmental disabilities. He also helps as an assistant coach for the 2nd Recess youth running club in San Diego. Zach hopes to share new ideas, approaches, and positive energy with the residents, programs, and activities at Villa de Vida, Inc.
Elizabeth Cushman
Elizabeth is a San Diego native that has worked with the IDD community for many years. She has been a Poway resident since 1979 and attended Poway High School. Elizabeth continued her education in Psychology and Special Education and is also CPR/BLS certified. Prior to working with the IDD community, Elizabeth worked as a CNA for Palomar Health providing in-home care to individuals in the San Diego area. In her spare time she enjoys activities with her family and friends and attending live music events. Elizabeth is very excited to be part of the Villa de Vida, Inc. team!
Spenser Bryant
Spenser is a San Diego local. He graduated from California State University San Marcos with a bachelor’s degree in Psychological Science. He has extensive experience navigating the CSU Disabled Students Services. Spenser prioritizes building relationships with clients to create a better environment to help them succeed and enjoys encouraging his peers to be the best version of themselves. Spenser is overjoyed with the opportunity to be a part of the Villa De Vida, Inc. team and assist in following the organization’s mission of empowering adults with developmental challenges to live life fully.
Alysha Jean Cabarrubias
Alysha was born and raised in San Diego. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2019 with a bachelors in Sociology and a minor in Asian and American Studies. She is currently continuing her education at San Diego State University to obtain her Masters in Social Work with a concentration in administration and community development. She previously worked with children on the spectrum as a Behavior Interventionist and with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities as a Case Manager. Alysha is looking forward to working with the Villa de Vida, Inc. team and with residents/participants. She hopes to use her previous experiences to assist individuals in achieving their goals and provide various resources.
Rosalie Regina-Torres
Rosalie has lived in San Diego for a majority of her life. She attended college in New York at St. John’s University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Prior to working at Villa de Vida, Inc., Rosalie worked as an ABA therapist for a year and a half. While attending St. John’s, she earned her mandated reporter certification while completing a research project on how to best assist developmentally disabled victims of abuse. She hopes to utilize her interpersonal skills, as well as the skills she’s learned through ABA, to continue to work with people of all ages with disabilities. Rosalie loves working with this population and she’s excited to continue learning and growing with the Villa de Vida, Inc. team!
Emily Kipp
Emily is a native Powegian and recently graduated from Cal State Northridge where she earned her bachelors in Kinesiology Dance. She first worked with Villa de Vida as a volunteer, leading art classes, self-care, and meditations. Last year she joined the team as an activities coordinator and is back from school to continue her work with Villa de Vida. She enjoys engaging with the residents to plan events that encourage creativity and wellness. Emily cherishes every moment she gets to spend with the residents and staff and is eager to continue growing at Villa de Vida, Inc.
Elizabeth Wood
Elizabeth is a proud San Diegan who has lived in this wonderful city for most of her life. In high school, she volunteered as an activity helper in an elderly care home, working with patients one on one and in groups to help create community and an active lifestyle. She went on to graduate from Sonoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Education. She then went on to complete her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential program at Sonoma State University. Elizabeth is proud to be an elementary school teacher for over 3 years, with experience teaching students with learning and intellectual disabilities. She enjoys using her skills to help this population feel confident in themselves. She is grateful to be part of the Villa de Vida team!