Peer Voices of Orange County

MANAGEMENT

CEO/Executive Director

Orlando Vera, Co-Founder

CEO/Executive Director Experience

Orlando Vera is a founder of Peer Voices of Orange County (PVOC), which was established in 2020. PVOC is an entirely peer run organization empowering those with lived experience to serve the community by volunteering or working. He managed a staff of 23 peers in recovery in the behavioral health system and has personally seen the benefits to the peers and community. Orlando recognizes the need for empowering peers and providing them opportunities to express their opinions, beliefs, feedback, and ideas to enact change. Orlando recognizes that change is difficult and that the concerns and opinions of peers are not being heard. Orlando sees opportunities to implement positive, powerful change within the behavioral health community through peer advocacy. He has served as Vice President of DBSA (Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance) of Orange County and as a board member since 2017. He is an Ambassador for Cal Voices serving the justice intervention initiative throughout California. He is looking to advance the “Wellness at Work," program supporting, and educating both peers and employers to support those that struggle with behavioral health issues in the workplace and collecting tangible data to prove the benefits to everyone involved. We are a living testimony that it is possible to contribute to society and live a productive life while having a mental health condition.

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