To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Report Title: IN THE MATTER OF RECOGNIZING DEBBIE TOTH AS AN HONOREE OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2026
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
IN THE MATTER OF RECOGNIZING DEBBIE TOTH AS AN HONOREE OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2026
FISCAL IMPACT:
None
BACKGROUND:
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CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
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The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County, California
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IN THE MATTER OF RECOGNIZING DEBBIE TOTH AS AN HONOREE OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS INAUGURAL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2026
WHEREAS, the Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis is honored to recognize Debbie Toth, President and CEO of Choice in Aging, as the Board of Supervisors’ inaugural International Women’s Day Honoree for her decades of dedication to improving the lives of older adults, people with disabilities, and underserved residents in Contra Costa County and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Debbie Toth first discovered her passion for serving older adults while working during high school at the Motion Picture and Television Fund’s independent senior housing community, The Country House, where she developed a deep appreciation for the wisdom, dignity, and needs of the aging population. While attending the University of California, Irvine, Debbie commuted on weekends to work with seniors at The Country House, demonstrating an early and enduring commitment to service. After graduating from college and spending several years living in Hungary while pursuing a career in financial services, Debbie realized her true calling remained with serving older adults and returned to the field she loved; and
WHEREAS, Debbie joined Choice in Aging in 2002 and served in several leadership roles before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2012. She was later elected to the organization’s Board of Directors and served as President in 2017. Under Debbie’s dedicated leadership, Choice in Aging has strengthened and expanded vital services including two adult day health care programs at Mt. Diablo Center in Pleasant Hill and The Bedford Center in Antioch, while growing the organization’s regional impact through programs such as the Multipurpose Senior Services Program (MSSP) serving Contra Costa, Napa, and Solano Counties; the California Community Transitions (CCT) project in Contra Costa, Solano, and Sacramento Counties; and the Prevention and Early Access Program for Seniors (PEAS) in Solano County; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 Debbie fulfilled a long-held vision of bringing generations together through the integration of the Choice in Learning Montessori preschool at the Pleasant Hill campus, creating a unique intergenerational learning environment that benefits both young children and older adults. She has long been a tireless advocate for seniors’ rights and services at the federal, state, and local level, ensuring that the voices and needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities are represented in public policy; and
WHEREAS, Debbie has been widely recognized for her exceptional leadership and advocacy on behalf of older adults, caregivers, and community health services, earning numerous honors including the Voice for Dignity Award from Caregiver OneCall in 2026; the Paul Nathanson Distinguished Advocate Award from Justice in Aging in 2023; induction into the Women Improving Health Care Hall of Fame by the Contra Costa Commission for Women and Girls in 2020; designation as Contra Costa Woman of the Year by Senator Bill Dodd in 2019; the Chair of the Board Award from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors presented by Karen Mitchoff in 2018; recognition as Excellent Task Force Chair by the East Bay Leadership Council in 2017; the Woman of Distinction award from Soroptimist International of Diablo Vista in 2016; the Assembly District 14 Woman of the Year honor from Assemblymember Susan Bonilla in 2015; a Certificate of Recognition from Disability Rights California in 2011 for her role in saving Adult Day Health Care services; and the Above & Beyond - Grassroots Advocacy Award from the California Association for Adult Day Services in 2008, reflecting a sustained and impactful career dedicated to advancing dignity, access to care, and community support for vulnerable populations;
WHEREAS, Debbie has been recognized through numerous leadership and advisory appointments that reflect a sustained commitment to advancing accessibility, health policy, and community leadership across California; and whereas these honors include service as an Accessibility Advisory Committee Member with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (2026), Board Member and Audit Committee Chair of Disability Rights California (2022-Present), Founder and Chair of the DACLAC Accessible Transportation Subcommittee for the California Health & Human Services Secretary (2022-2025), and Member of the Measure X Community Advisory Board for the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors (2021-2024); and whereas Debbie Toth has further been recognized through appointments to the Disability and Aging Community Living Advisory Committee (2021-Present), the Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee (2019-2021), and the Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders Advisory Committee (2013-2021) under the California Health & Human Services Secretary; and whereas additional honors include leadership roles as Health Care Task Force Co-Chair and Board Member of the East Bay Leadership Council (2017-Present), Policy Chair of the Multipurpose Senior Services Site Association (2011-2013), Board Member of the California Association for Adult Day Services (2007-2012), and long-standing service on the Paratransit Coordinating Council of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (2003-2026).
WHEREAS, as noted above, through these roles Debbie has demonstrated significant achievements in advancing policy, improving transportation accessibility, and strengthening systems of care for older adults and people with disabilities; and whereas her leadership has contributed to the establishment and direction of initiatives such as the DACLAC Accessible Transportation Subcommittee, while shaping statewide conversations on aging and disability through the Disability and Aging Community Living Advisory Committee and the Master Plan for Aging process; and whereas her service across organizations including Disability Rights California, the East Bay Leadership Council, the California Association for Adult Day Services, and the Multipurpose Senior Services Site Association reflects decades of impactful collaboration with government, community leaders, and advocates; and whereas her more than two decades of involvement with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s Paratransit Coordinating Council and related accessibility initiatives has strengthened transportation equity and improved community mobility for residents throughout Contra Costa County.
WHEREAS, beyond her professional achievements, Debbie is a devoted mother of three children, a proud grandmother to two cats and three chickens, and a loyal deckhand to two fishermen at home, bringing the same warmth and dedication to her family and community that she demonstrates in her work; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the Contra Costa County Supervisor Diane Burgis, hereby honors Debbie Toth as the Board of Supervisors’ Inaugural International Women’s Day Honoree and thanks her for her extraordinary leadership, advocacy, and compassion on behalf of seniors, people with disabilities, and the underserved throughout Contra Costa County and far beyond. The Board of Supervisors expresses its deep appreciation for Debbie’s continued service and commitment to building a more inclusive, caring, and supportive community for all residents.
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