ACV STAFF
Priscilla Kubas
Programs Director
Priscilla started at ACV as its first employee back in the Fall of 2019. Building on her experience as an Elementary School Computer Teacher and Administrative Support, she took over management of ACV’s day-to-day operations, which had previously been 100% volunteer-driven. You can usually find her on the phone or at her computer, but what she really loves is spending time with our members, giving hugs, and singing karaoke!
Sasha Acuna, B.S., MPA
Community and Social Service Coordinator
With over 20 years of dedicated service to Riverside County, Sasha has cultivated a wealth of experience that spans various public service sectors. For 11 years, she worked with Public Health, focusing on community wellness and disease prevention. This foundation allowed her to transition seamlessly into her role in Adult Protective Services, where she spent the last ten years as a social worker. Throughout her career, she developed a deep understanding of the unique needs of seniors, older adults, and individuals with disabilities, enriching her commitment to advocating for and supporting these vulnerable populations.
Her extensive experience has equipped her with the skills and compassion necessary to impact their lives positively. At ACV, she actively engages with the Eastern Valley community, sharing information about the various services available to them. She also works at ACV’s screening center, where she supports individuals who are worried about their memory and helps them begin the process of understanding what might be affecting it.
Working at ACV has truly enriched her life and the connections she has made with the members bring her genuine joy and a sense of fulfillment. She has formed strong relationships with many of them and is always there to address any concerns that come up during their journey with memory impairment.
Her extensive experience has equipped her with the skills and compassion necessary to impact their lives positively. At ACV, she actively engages with the Eastern Valley community, sharing information about the various services available to them. She also works at ACV’s screening center, where she supports individuals who are worried about their memory and helps them begin the process of understanding what might be affecting it.
Working at ACV has truly enriched her life and the connections she has made with the members bring her genuine joy and a sense of fulfillment. She has formed strong relationships with many of them and is always there to address any concerns that come up during their journey with memory impairment.
Kathleen Lubanski
MN, RN, FNP, AGPCNP-BC (Retired)
Kathleen Lubanski, MN, RN, FNP, AGPCNP-BC, is a master’s prepared nurse practitioner with thirty-five years of experience. Over twenty years have been devoted to geriatrics.
In 1990, she joined Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles to initiate the role of a geriatric nurse practitioner in long-term care facilities. In addition, she participated in the comprehensive outpatient geriatric clinic with Dr. Robert Shaw. In 2002, she joined Desert Medical Group to initiate the ‘Frail Elderly program’. The program included visits to the home, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and memory care. As Desert Medical Group expanded into Desert Oasis, she participated in the outpatient geriatric clinic under the direction of Dr. Michael Griffis.
In her retirement, she is a hospice volunteer, end-of-life doula, and an educator of stress reduction strategies that include breath work, meditation, and guided imagery. In 2021, she received a call from Pat Kaplan about interest in being the geriatric nurse practitioner for the ACV Screening Clinic and, without hesitation, said, ’yes’.
In 1990, she joined Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles to initiate the role of a geriatric nurse practitioner in long-term care facilities. In addition, she participated in the comprehensive outpatient geriatric clinic with Dr. Robert Shaw. In 2002, she joined Desert Medical Group to initiate the ‘Frail Elderly program’. The program included visits to the home, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and memory care. As Desert Medical Group expanded into Desert Oasis, she participated in the outpatient geriatric clinic under the direction of Dr. Michael Griffis.
In her retirement, she is a hospice volunteer, end-of-life doula, and an educator of stress reduction strategies that include breath work, meditation, and guided imagery. In 2021, she received a call from Pat Kaplan about interest in being the geriatric nurse practitioner for the ACV Screening Clinic and, without hesitation, said, ’yes’.
Anne (Nan) Scholhamer
BSW, MS, MSW
"My career has spanned from a Nursing Home setting, to an Emergency Room, finally to The Dorothy Adler Geriatric Center at Yale New Haven Hospital, affiliated with The Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut."
As a Geriatric Social worker in the Emergency Room at Yale New Haven Hospital, Ms. Scholhamer noted that demented persons were increasingly being brought to the ER by well-meaning family members who were no longer able to care for them. Many of these persons were admitted to the hospital as “social admissions” as the family refused to take them home.
She and a resident in Internal Medicine, Dr. Andrea Schaffer, came together to propose an alternative to hospitalization. They approached Dr Leo Cooney, the Humana Professor of Geriatric Medicine, with the idea of creating an outpatient tertiary center dedicated to the care of demented people and their families. This led to the establishment of the Dorothy Adler Geriatric Assessment Center. She practiced there as a case manager for over thirty years until retirement, when she relocated to the Desert as a full-time resident. In her retirement, she is a Volunteer for Alzheimers Coachella Valley, where she has spearheaded the Creation of the Alzheimers Coachella Valley Screening Center for those concerned about cognitive impairment.
As a Geriatric Social worker in the Emergency Room at Yale New Haven Hospital, Ms. Scholhamer noted that demented persons were increasingly being brought to the ER by well-meaning family members who were no longer able to care for them. Many of these persons were admitted to the hospital as “social admissions” as the family refused to take them home.
She and a resident in Internal Medicine, Dr. Andrea Schaffer, came together to propose an alternative to hospitalization. They approached Dr Leo Cooney, the Humana Professor of Geriatric Medicine, with the idea of creating an outpatient tertiary center dedicated to the care of demented people and their families. This led to the establishment of the Dorothy Adler Geriatric Assessment Center. She practiced there as a case manager for over thirty years until retirement, when she relocated to the Desert as a full-time resident. In her retirement, she is a Volunteer for Alzheimers Coachella Valley, where she has spearheaded the Creation of the Alzheimers Coachella Valley Screening Center for those concerned about cognitive impairment.