Meet the Board of CPW

Imari S. Nuyen‑Kariotis

Imari S. Nuyen‑Kariotis is a lifelong disability and mental health rights advocate whose work is rooted in both professional expertise and lived experience. A multiply disabled woman with Autism and Bipolar Disorder, she has dedicated her career to advancing the rights, safety, and self‑determination of people with disabilities and mental health conditions.

She served on the Board of Directors of Disability Rights California for 6 years and Co‑Chaired the PAIMI Advisory Council, where she helped guide statewide advocacy for individuals with mental health disabilities. Imari also led the Imperial County Political Council, championing policies that protected disabled people, seniors, and caregivers across the region.

As a disability policy researcher, her work spanned housing, transportation, public access, and emergency management. For nearly two decades, she was recognized as a subject‑matter expert in disability‑led disaster response, ensuring that emergency systems included and protected disabled and mentally ill community members.

Imari’s advocacy is deeply personal. As the primary caregiver to her daughter Caurel—who is autistic, epileptic, apraxic, and bipolar—she has fought for community‑based living and services for nearly 30 years. Her activism centered multiply marginalized communities and embodied the disability rights movement’s core principle: Nothing About Us Without Us.

Carol Patterson

Carol Patterson, MSW is a long time mental health consumer activist combatting the expansion of involuntary treatment. She is a co-founder of the San Francisco Network of Mental Health Clients, the Pool of Consumer Champions ( now Peer Organizing Community Change), the National Empowerment Center on the West Coast, California Peer Watch and a Board member in the early California Network of Mental Health Clients. She developed the BUILD Peer Counseling training and Berkeley Mental Health’s Wellness Recovery Program.

Paul Simmons

Paul grew up on the East Coast and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education there. He taught music in Delaware before moving to Las Vegas to perform music for a band touring lounges. After living there and in Tucson, AZ, he moved back to New Jersey where he worked in computers, food service management, and became a father. He returned to the West in 1986, and has lived within 50 miles of Sacramento, CA ever since.

Paul has worked in the nonprofit sector since 1991, first with the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, and then with a number of health care related groups, working for Radiologist, Pathologists, Nurse Practitioners, Massage Therapists, Bail Bondsmen, and finally for a number of mental health associations, working for Rusty Selix, the preeminent mental health advocate in California, and co-author of Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act, which has brought many billions of dollars to the mental health services field. It was through Rusty that Paul became involved with the DBSA.

Upon Rusty’s retirement, Paul came on board part-time with DBSA and acted as community engagement specialist through December 2019. During that time Paul also worked with key DBSA leaders in California to revitalize the California State DBSA and assisting them in the expansion of DBSA in California as well as the development of the Selix Soft Skills Suite, a series of events and workshops to provide education and support for Californians with mood disorders, and their friends and families.

Paul was a primary member of the campaign against Governor Newsom’s Proposition 1 which reduced billions in funding from Mental Health Services; he now serves on the Board of Directors of California Peer Watch, an advocacy organization representing the interests of the mental health community.

Paul lives in beautiful Lotus, California, where he lives with his wife Jacqui, a retired educator. His oldest daughter lives in Pennsylvania and has two children, and his younger daughter received an engineering degree from Harvey Mudd College and works in the tech field in Denver, Colorado.

John Kariotis Jr.

John Kariotis Jr. serves as a key leader with California Peer Watch, where he brings a steadfast commitment to equity, transparency, and peer-driven advocacy. With a background in community organizing and systems accountability, John has dedicated his career to ensuring that marginalized voices are not only heard but actively shape the policies and practices that affect their lives.

At California Peer Watch, John focuses on operational oversight, governance structures, and the cultivation of peer-led networks across the state. He is recognized for his ability to translate complex accountability frameworks into clear, actionable strategies that empower councils, organizers, and community members alike. His work emphasizes trauma-informed approaches, legal protections, and sustainable infrastructures that safeguard both institutional memory and individual dignity.

John’s leadership style is collaborative and pragmatic. He builds bridges between grassroots advocates, service providers, and policymakers, fostering cultures of care and accountability. Whether refining council procedures, supporting disaster preparedness initiatives, or mentoring emerging leaders, John’s contributions strengthen the foundation of California Peer Watch and expand its reach across diverse communities.

Guided by a vision of collective empowerment, John continues to advance California Peer Watch’s mission: to create a statewide network where peer voices drive systemic change, accountability is shared, and advocacy becomes a tool for lasting equity.

Pynkz Bright

Pynkz Bright is a passionate advocate and community leader with California Peer Watch, where they bring creativity, resilience, and lived experience to the organization’s mission of equity and peer-driven accountability. Known for their ability to connect with diverse communities, Pynkz works to elevate voices often left out of decision-making spaces and ensure that systems reflect compassion, transparency, and justice.

At California Peer Watch, Pynkz contributes to outreach, peer mentorship, and the development of inclusive advocacy strategies. Their work emphasizes trauma-informed care, community empowerment, and systemic reform, with a focus on strengthening peer networks and expanding access to behavioral health resources. Pynkz is recognized for blending practical leadership with creative communication, helping transform advocacy into a tool that resonates across cultural and social boundaries.

Guided by a commitment to equity and collective empowerment, Pynkz continues to advance California Peer Watch’s vision of building sustainable infrastructures where peer voices drive meaningful change and accountability is shared across communities.

Oliva Keiner, Member-at-Large

Oliva Keiner is a dedicated mental health professional and advocate, bringing over five years of direct experience working with acute populations. As a Member-at-Large for California Peer Watch, she leverages her lived experience to strengthen peer-driven networks and advance equitable, person-centered care across the state.

Oliva is skilled in crisis intervention, peer-to-peer mentorship, and community-based behavioral health support. Her professional background includes managing teams, providing clinical oversight, and implementing programs that foster recovery and resilience. She is actively engaged in advocacy and legislative efforts to improve mental health rights and access to care, with a focus on Medi-Cal, grievance and complaint processes, and systemic reform.

Committed to elevating the voices of individuals with lived experience, Oliva works to ensure that mental health systems reflect compassion, accountability, and inclusivity. Her leadership continues to shape California Peer Watch’s mission of advancing equity and empowering communities through peer-led advocacy.

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