Advocacy Committee

As a reporter/columnist I covered the news and events of the growing communities of Southwest County for more than 25 years. This is a very special area, a place where we have chosen to raise our children and, through community involvement, have tried to improve the lives of all our neighbors.

Beginning first at a tiny radio station in Temecula in 1990 and extending into my decades as reporter and columnist for The Californian and the Riverside Press-Enterprise, my focus was on what the media can do to keep the community informed, entertained and enlightened about the events that impact their lives.

In 2014 I was recruited to join the staff of a California State Senator as a Communications Director. In that position I was responsible for informing and communicating with the nearly 1 million residents of Riverside County.

After retiring from the Senate in 2020 I served for two years on the Riverside County Civil Grand Jury including one year as Jury Foreperson.

Griffen Stapp is the Executive Director of Ability Central, where he leads efforts to advance communication access and inclusion for people who are Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent. With an MBA and a background as a former CPA and Big Four partner, Griffen brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience, having served as a CEO and CFO/COO across diverse industries. His expertise spans public and private accounting, corporate strategy, treasury, fundraising, cost accounting, consolidated financial reporting, and operational management, including more than a decade working with multinational, publicly traded companies. At Ability Central, Griffen applies his financial and strategic leadership to strengthen the organization’s mission as a resource, convener, and educator—working collaboratively to ensure equitable access to communication and information for all.