Commissioners

Stephen Groce

Chair

As a 10-year resident of Clairemont, Stephen Groce, his wife Angela, and three children Dario, Giuliana and Alida have decided to plant roots in the community, despite career opportunities that offered relocation packages out of state. This decision is why Stephen joined the Clairemont Town Council. As a fulltime husband and father, passionate entrepreneur, and career business and Financial Asset Protection Professional, he has gained a wide range of experience that has allowed him to maintain a sense of balance during multi-tasked and unpredictable times.

Faye Detsky-Weil

Vice Chair

Faye Detsky-Weil is a registered volunteer Medicare Counselor for Elder Law & Advocacy’s Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy (HICAP) Program. Ms. Detsky-Weil served for five years as City of San Diego Ethics Commissioner. She has been active in numerous organizations, including 10 years on the Torrey Pines Community Planning Board serving as Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary; volunteer Paralegal for Nursing Home Rights Enforcement Program at Elder Law & Advocacy; a member of the Torrey Pines High School Foundation Board; co-chair of Torrey Pines High School Student Success Services; and a member of Del Mar Heights Elementary School’s Site Council. Ms. Detsky-Weil received the 2001 City of San Diego Community Service Award. She is formerly an Instructional Systems Designer with L-3 Communications and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), designing and developing training for the Department of Defense on aircraft, health care, and computer systems. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northeastern University in Boston, holds a Massachusetts Teaching Certificate in Secondary Education, and earned a Paralegal certificate from the University of California, San Diego.

Dolores Canizales

Dolores Canizales holds a bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in Public Relations. She is a graduate of the US Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management, and holds a certificate from Harvard-MIT public disputes program. She is a member of the Union Tribune Latino Advisory Board, Poway Unified School District Partners in Excellence program, and a member of the Poway Road Corridor Study ad-hoc committee. Ms. Canizales was appointed president & CEO of the Poway Chamber of Commerce in August 2012, and formerly served as District Director for Councilwoman Janice Hahn and as Community Affairs Manager for former Mayor Richard Riordan in Los Angeles. She also worked as Director of Community and Government Relations at Loyola Marymount University.

Tinesia Conwright

Tinesia Conwright is a San Diego native passionate about encouraging positive development in youth and within her community. After completing her bachelor’s degree in Public Administration at San Diego State University, she entered the nonprofit field through launching Depositing Empowerment Through Outreach & Urban Redevelopment (DETOUR). DETOUR’s youth development programs: The Focused And Naturally Confident Youth (FANCY) Teen Girls Expo, Leadership Academy, and Scholarship Program have empowered over 500 girls since inception. Tinesia is a LEAD San Diego graduate, a licensed Professional Development Board Certified Coach (BCC), and received her master’s degree in Nonprofit Management & Leadership Program from the University of San Diego.

Tammy Gillies

A native New Yorker, Tammy moved to San Diego in 2000 and began her career with ADL in 2007. In 2010, she assumed her current role as Regional Director.

Tammy takes great pride in the ADL staff in San Diego, their focus on hate crimes, anti-bias and diversity education, civil rights, and building bridges with the many diverse groups that make up our great San Diego community.

Shana Hazan

Shana Hazan is a community leader, educator, and proud parent. She serves as Senior Director of Resource Development at Jewish Family Service of San Diego, where she oversees the agency’s institutional and individual fund development, government relations, and public policy work. She recently designed and secured funding for the Linda Vista Kindergarten Readiness Network, which utilizes a collective impact model to address barriers to kindergarten readiness. She also designed and supervises the Hunger Advocacy Network, an innovative initiative comprised of social service agencies, anti-hunger organizations, and nutrition advocacy organizations that collaborate to support policies that increase food security. Shana serves on the California Children and Families (First 5) Commission, the City of San Diego’s Human Relations Commission, and on the boards of CORE Educational Services, the Foothold Foundation, and Stanley Foster School of Engineering, Innovation, and Design. Previously, she developed JFS’s nationally-recognized Youth Leadership Program model, and launched Emerging Leaders at JFS, which engages young professionals in leadership, philanthropy, and service. She also worked for ABC News in London, taught elementary school in Chicago’s inner city, and served as Safe Routes to School Director for Active Transportation Alliance. She has also served on the executive committee of Run Women Run, chaired Women Give San Diego’s Advocacy Committee, and served on the board of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. Shana holds a Master’s degree in Education and Social Policy fromNorthwestern University. In 2016, she was recognized by Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins as a 78th Assembly District Woman of the Year.

Godwin Higa

Godwin Higa received his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, Masters of Administration from Azusa Pacific University, and his Administrative Credential from the University of San Diego. He has been a principal, with San Diego Unified School District for 15 years. His passion is his students. He demands that all students are treated with the utmost respect and academically succeeding in their studies. He is an active member of the Mid-City community, and a member of the Citizens Review Board of San Diego. He is actively involved in the improvements of the Mid-City area of San Diego, focusing on safe schools, safe neighborhoods, and community improvements involving improved bike lanes, transportation, and safe walks to school and skate parks in the area. He is an active member of policy changes on student discipline, focusing on Trauma Informed Schools and Community, Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices in schools and the community. He is also an ongoing member of the Compassion Project of San Diego, International Day of Peace, and most importantly believes in human rights for all.

Samantha Hurst

Samantha Hurst PhD works as an Associate Project Scientist in the UCSD Department of Family Medicine and Public Health. As a medical anthropologist, her academic research in the health sciences is balanced outside of the university by her commitment to social activism on issues that oppose bigotry, racism, and discrimination. Dr. Hurst is a vocal advocate for women’s full reproductive rights, affordable education, stable solutions for helping our homeless, and universal healthcare. She has also recently taken up the charge with others throughout San Diego to expose and end human trafficking and child sexual exploitation. As a native Californian and San Diegan, she feels strongly about changing and uplifting the political discourse, building bridges and not walls, and giving back to the community she has loved for a lifetime.

Gagandeep Kaur Sahni

Gagandeep Kaur Sahni, a resident of San Diego since 1998, has been a Financial Advisor for the over 20 years. She develops and manages financial strategies for individuals, small businesses, large corporations and nonprofit organizations to help protect them and grow. Ms. Kaur’s community activities include serving on the Board of Directors for the Interreligious Council of San Diego, Board of Directors for The Sikh Foundation San Diego, the oldest Sikh Temple in San Diego, and as an Advisor for the San Diego District Attorney’s Interfaith Advisory Board. Ms. Kaur had the honor of being the first Sikh woman to chair a national Sikh civil liberties organization based out of Washington DC. She believes that equality is a fundamental right of every human being on this earth. As such, Ms. Kaur believes the fight for equality for all will be a lifelong endeavor until it is a norm, not the exception.

Kathie Moehlig

Kathie Moehlig is the Executive Director of San Diego-based TransFamily Support Services, and a leading authority on supporting transgender and non-binary youth and their families. A tireless advocate for the LGBTQ community, she was named “Woman of the Year” by California Assemblyperson Todd Gloria, and one of the “Best People of San Diego” by CityBeat Magazine. A certified life coach, parenting instructor and motivational speaker, Kathie’s work has been featured in the New York Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune and on the NBC News. She has lived in San Diego for 25 years, raising her children here and regularly crisscrossing the county to work with families, school, healthcare and the organizations to promote understanding, inclusion, and equality.

Nicole Murray Ramirez

Nicole Murray Ramirez is a 68-year native Californian who has dedicated over 45 years of his life to the Latino community, LGBT community, public service and social justice for all people. A charity and nonprofit fundraiser and leader in raising funds and awareness for those in need for over 40 years as the Chairman of International Court Council of USA, Mexico and Canada.

Maya Tipton

Maya Tipton is the Youth Commissioner to the Human Relations Commission. She is a student of San Diego High School in the class of 2019, where she participates in the International Baccalaureate Program. As as student leader who has initiated and organized many school service projects, she is co-president to her school’s UNICEF Club and Science Olympiad. Maya has also represented her school through the Rotary Model United Nations Program and Academic League. Her window into diversity is opened given her triliteracy in English, Spanish, and Japanese. Maya joined the Human Relations Commission hoping to extend her advocacy for students to succeed and pursue her dedication to fundamental human rights.

Joel Trambley, MD, PhD

Joel Trambley, MD, PhD began his diversity work in San Diego as volunteer for the No on Prop 8 campaign and a charter member and eventual Co-Chair of the local Human Rights Campaign Steering Committee. He has served on the Human Relations Commission since 2011 and is in his second full term as Chair. In addition to his work on the Commission, Dr. Trambley serves on the boards of the San Diego LGBT Center, the San Diego Continuing Education Foundation and America’s Finest City Softball League and on the Fund Development Committee of the Environmental Health Coalition. After eight years as a hospitalist at the UCSD Medical Center, he joined Family Health Centers in 2016 with a focus on Hepatitis C. He remains active in many causes and campaigns, and writes the “Politically Aware” column in San Diego LGBT Weekly.