Akilah Templeton

CoC Board Chair

Terra Lawson-Remer

1st Vice Chair

As a third-generation San Diegan, Terra Lawson-Remer is proud to represent District 3 on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer is an economist, attorney, and public policy expert who has dedicated her life to working for social, environmental and economic justice.

Terra has served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration, written award-winning research books, taught graduate students as a professor of public policy, and worked with the United Nations, World Bank, Amnesty International, and governments worldwide to advance sustainable development and economic inclusion.

Growing up in San Diego, Terra’s first job in public service was nearly 25 years ago, as a San Diego City Council staffer. After graduating from Yale and earning her law degree and PhD on a full scholarship to NYU, she worked around the world as an economist to create jobs, restart businesses, and generate economic activity after a crisis.

A passionate environmentalist, Terra helped the World Bank create its Climate Finance program, which funds billions of dollars of clean energy projects around the world, and worked to develop policies to cut pollution from oil drilling and mining as a Senior Advisor in the US Treasury Department under the Obama Administration.

Terra was elected by a wave of grassroots support in November of 2020, and was sworn in to office on January 4, 2021, becoming the only LGBTQ+ member of the Board. As Supervisor, Terra Lawson-Remer is taking bold action and forging strong and effective working relationships with her fellow Supervisorial Board members and community partners.

Terra understands that the issues of transportation and traffic, affordable housing, and environmental sustainability in our County are inextricably interconnected, and must be addressed with a bold plan. That is why she was proud to author and pass a proposal for a Regional Sustainability Plan with the goal of achieving zero carbon by 2035. This made San Diego County the largest region in the Country to commit to the ambitious target. She is also advancing innovative solutions to address our affordable housing crisis.

Since joining the Board, Terra has been appointed to represent the County on SANDAG, the regional transportation authority, where she will fight for investments in the green economy to tackle the climate crisis, and prioritize environmental justice and equity.

Supervisor Lawson-Remer has also brought forward significant policy proposals to reform the region’s incarceration system to reflect Smart Justice best practices, including free phone calls for incarcerated individuals, and the expansion of Mobile Crisis Response Teams instead of armed law enforcement. She has spearheaded the launch of San Diego County’s new Immigrant Legal Defense program to protect due process of law.  She has fought for Small Business Relief Grants, rental and eviction protections for tenants, and a Youth Jobs Corps to tackle youth underemployment and provide good jobs in the green economy.

Terra lives in Encinitas with her young daughter, EevaKai. She is also a certified emergency medical responder (EMT), and in her free time, she takes kids on backpacking trips to teach teamwork, personal resilience, and respect for nature.

Jeffrey Najarian

Jeffrey Najarian is Wakeland’s Senior Wellness Coordinator, part of a specialized division of Wakeland’s Resident Services division that focuses on providing provide peer support and connections to healthcare and wellness services for residents in Wakeland’s supportive housing. Wakeland’s Wellness Coordinators work closely with residents who have experienced homelessness and have complex needs, with the goal of improving behavioral health stability and whole person wellness. As Senior Wellness Coordinator, Najarian helps support the Wellness Coordinators in their day-to-day work; provides training to the Wellness Coordinators and Resident Service Coordinators; identifies and links staff to outside training and educational opportunities including certifications; assists with de-escalation and crisis intervention; and identifies and leverages community services, including wellness services to assist residents in their wellness and recovery goals.

Najarian has spent more than a decade of his professional life working to bring resources for recovery and wellness to people in the behavioral health system. Prior to joining Wakeland, he helped to support the creation and implementation of the San Diego County Peer Liaison at RI International, which conducted outreach to over 88,000 people in its ten years of operation. While working at RI International, Najarian personally conducted 5,500 community meetings, speaking to over 32,000 people.

He holds a number of professional certifications, including Peer Employment Training, Transformational Advocacy and Advanced Peer Recovery Practices. He is also a certified Wellness Recovery Action Plan Facilitator.

Najarian is deeply involved in San Diego’s County’s behavioral health system, serving on the County of San Diego’s Behavioral Health Services Housing Council since 2009 and co-chairing the Adult Behavioral Health Council since 2011. He serves on the Board of Directors for Housing Innovation Partners, one of the first San Diego nonprofits to develop permanent housing for people who’ve experienced homelessness.

He has received several community acknowledgments for his advocacy work including the Independent Living Association’s “Advocate of the Year” (2015), the Behavioral Health Recognition Dinner “Dan Resse Award” 2018, and the San Diego Housing Federation’s Ruby Award  ”Outstanding Service For Residents” (2021).

Najarian studied Psychology at Indiana University, graduated from the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, and spent 20 years teaching and practicing in the holistic healing arts with a specialization in recovery from shock and trauma.

Deacon Jim F. Vargas

Deacon Jim F. Vargas, OFS, as President and CEO, oversees all facets of Father Joe’s Villages, the largest homeless services provider in Southern California. This includes the comprehensive housing and supportive services offered through St. Vincent de Paul Village, the Village Health Clinic, Therapeutic Childcare Center, Employment and Education Center, and the agency’s portfolio of affordable housing.

Since 2010 when Deacon Jim joined Father Joe’s Villages, the organization has doubled the services and programs, through innovative solutions, impacting those experiencing homelessness, including the first of its kind Street Health in San Diego addressing primary care and behavioral healthcare. He’s added recuperative beds, as well as 500 affordable and permanent supportive housing units, including the largest and most comprehensive housing development in the County of San Diego, through it’s Turning the Key initiative.

To address the lack of substance use programs, Deacon Jim has opened a facility of 300 beds, including inpatient detox center and recovery and sober living.

Prior to Father Joe’s Villages, Deacon Jim oversaw Human Resources operations for 5,000 employees across a chain of newspapers of The Copley Press, Inc., with news bureaus in multiple U.S. locations and Mexico. He also served in various director and vice president positions of Human Resources at Citicorp/Citibank.

He is a deacon of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego serving the community of Mary, Star of the Sea in La Jolla, previously having served the community of Our Lady of Angels in downtown San Diego.

Deacon Jim holds degrees from New York University. He serves on the Continuum of Care Board of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness in San Diego, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. He is the past Chair of the Board of the Rady Children’s Hospital of San Diego Foundation, founding chair of Epiphany Prep Charter School of San Diego, and past chair of Casa Cornelia Law Center.

Deacon Jim lives in La Jolla with his wife and has three adult children and five grandchildren.

Jessica Chamberlain

David Estrella

David Estrella, JD, is the Director of Housing and Community Development Services (HCDS) in the Health and Human Services Agency. David oversees funding for the development of permanent affordable housing, community improvement projects and the Housing Choice Voucher program, which provides rental subsidies for approximately 11,000 families. Under his direction, HCDS has invested $327M and made eleven (11) County excess sites available for development, which will result in the creation of 5,970 affordable housing units in 72 developments across the region. These investments leveraged approximately $2.9B in federal, state, local and private sources. The newly developed units will be home to over 60,000 low-income residents over the course of the properties’ lifetimes.

Most recently, County’s Office of Homeless Solutions is now under his leadership as part of HCDS.  The Office of Homeless of Solutions connects individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness to essential services and also administers contracted homelessness programs.

Prior to joining HHSA, David was the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO) for the County of San Diego’s Community Services Group. In this Role, David led a team of 1,000 employees, managed a budget of $334M, and was one of the five general managers reporting directly to the County’s Chief Administrative Officer. Additionally, David ensured fiscal responsibility and provided management direction for six high-visibility County departments: Registrar of Voters, Animal Services, County Library, Housing and Community Development, General Services, and Purchasing and Contracting.

Jon Walters

Jon Walters graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in social work, cum laude, and received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Reserve. While in Michigan, Jon began his career with the American Red Cross in the Emergency Services Department before relocating to San Diego in 1999. Jon and began working at St. Madeleine Sophie Center for Developmentally Disabled Adults administering the Garden Therapy Program.

Jon’s career in permanent, supportive housing began at Community Interface Services in 2001 working as an Independent Living Resource Counselor for Developmentally Disabled Adults. Jon then began work at the Telecare/REACH Program in 2003 working to provide supportive services in housing to adults with mental illness and a history of homelessness. In January 2005 Jon was hired as Manager of Resident Services for The Association For Community Housing Solutions (TACHS) and began to develop and implement the Resident Services Department for all TACHS sites, overseeing the expansion of this program to all 5 housing locations. In 2009, Jon became the Manager of Operations for all TACHS sites and programs and advanced to the position of Associate Director for the agency, which re-branded its name to Housing Innovation Partners in 2017.

Jon brings extensive experience in supportive services, property and facilities management, asset management, and affordable housing development. Housing Innovation Partners has lead the region in the operation of service-enriched housing for the community’s most vulnerable members using Housing First and Harm Reduction principles. Jon has served in various capacities with the San Diego Continuum of Care, the San Diego County Behavioral Health Housing Council and currently facilitates the Permanent Housing Learning Collaborative.

Jon continues his work in the permanent, supportive housing in San Diego while pursuing his other passions of raising a family and performing jazz guitar across venues in Southern California.

Amy Denhart

Amy Denhart is the Director of Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego (FTEHSD) at San Diego Grantmakers, where she supports FTEHSD’s strategic grantmaking and advocacy in systems change and permanent housing opportunities to reduce homelessness. For the past 22 years, Amy held positions in fundraising, public policy, and community engagement. During more than a decade as Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood, she worked with donors and the Board of Directors to advance public policy in support of reproductive health care. Prior to that, she was Area Director for US Senator Barbara Boxer, serving as the Senator’s liaison to the San Diego community, connecting constituents to the Senate and other government bodies. Just prior to joining FTEHSD, Amy worked closely with the City of San Diego and County governments as the lead finance and contract management staff for a local community engagement and design firm. She has served on the City of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation committee and is currently a board member on the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.

Curtis Howard

Curtis Howard, a San Diego native, is the founder of LivEX, a lived experience consultant specializing in homelessness, gang involvement, substance use, and justice-impacted policy. Having personally experienced homelessness and incarceration, Curtis draws from his own journey to inform his work. During his incarceration, he self-published Cellmates & Cellouts (A Book of Consequences) and Who’s Left, an autobiographical account of his struggles.

In 2012, Curtis marched to the San Diego federal courthouse in pursuit of justice for Trayvon Martin. Two years later, he joined All of Us or None, a national advocacy group supporting formerly incarcerated individuals and their families, and became president of the San Diego chapter in 2019. He stepped down from the role in December 2024 after more than a decade of service to make space for youth leadership. He has turned his focus to his work with the San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH) to more broadly advocate for people experiencing homelessness to drive meaningful change.

Greg Anglea

Greg Anglea’s career has been devoted to helping others. After graduating with a B.A. in political science from University of California, San Diego in 2003, he worked at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice at the University of San Diego. In 2006, he joined Interfaith Community Services as the Volunteer Coordinator and Faith Liaison, and went on to serve as the Director of Development for five years. In 2011, he moved to California State University San Marcos as the Director of Major Gifts, building community support for a regional guaranteed-admission program that provides a path to college for low-income, under-served youth.

Greg returned as Interfaith’s Chief Executive Officer in May 2014, leading an inclusive Strategic Visioning process that returned ownership of Interfaith Community Services to its many stakeholders and produced a clear vision for the future of the organization. That vision supported the creation of the Hawthorne Veteran and Family Resource Center, a recuperative care program for homeless exiting hospitals; the launch of a new regional system of care for all persons experiencing homelessness, bringing together more than 30 community agencies in partnership; the opening of the Haven House Year-Round Emergency Shelter, North County’s first year-round emergency homeless shelter for both men and women; and the launch of Recovery & Wellness programs to address addiction and mental health issues.

Greg is currently the Board President of the Alliance for Regional Solutions, Board Member of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, Co-Chair of the North County Live Well Leadership Team, and Immediate Past President of the North County Philanthropy Council. He received his M.A. degree in Leadership and Non-Profit Management from University of San Diego in 2009. He lives in Escondido with his wife and two daughters, and when not at Interfaith, he can usually be found playing in a park with his kids or trying not to burn food in his kitchen.

Josh Coyne

Sean Spear

Sean Spear is the President & CEO of Community HousingWorks. Sean has served as a top local and state government leader in successive community development roles in the cities of New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and in Sacramento for the State of California.

Prior to joining Community HousingWorks in 2020, Sean was the Assistant General Manager at the Los Angeles Housing and Community Investment Department where he was responsible for leading its housing production efforts and directing the operations of its Housing Development Bureau. The Bureau facilitates the financing of housing development projects with its business and community partners, leveraging its resources to the maximum benefit of the City’s residents and neighborhoods.

Sean was formerly the Managing Director with Hunt Mortgage Group where he consulted on the acquisition, development, financing and execution of affordable housing development transactions, and originated new debt and equity executions. He also most notably served as the Executive Director of the California Debt Allocation Committee (CDLAC) from 2009-2015, administering the $3.8 Billion private activity bond program for California. Sean brings additional private sector experience from his time with Fannie Mae; then providing housing development and public financing resources across the Western United States. Throughout his career he has developed both new project financing structures (especially for affordable housing preservation), as well as designed and implemented billion dollar governmental programs with the goal of building better communities for those in greatest need. Sean holds both graduate and undergraduate degrees from Cornell University, and is a member of the invitation-only Lambda Alpha International Society for Land Economics.

Leilani Hines

Leilani Hines has served in multiple roles in her 35+ years with the cities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista and currently in Oceanside. With seasoned knowledge and experience in development processes, planning, grants management, financing and asset management, Ms. Hines is dedicated to providing opportunities for quality and affordable housing to those most economically challenged and making measurable differences in their quality of life. Highlights in her 35+ years of experience include: the creation and oversight of a $30 million loan portfolio and 2,500+ affordable housing units, development and launch of a $17 million emergency rent and utility assistance program in response to COVID-19, development of Oceanside’s first 24/7 navigation center for the unsheltered and an award of $6 million in federal and County funding, development, update and implementation of inclusionary housing and density bonus policies with the cities of Carlsbad, Chula Vista and Oceanside, and development and implementation of strategic planning documents including HUD Consolidated Plan, Housing Elements (since 1991), PHLA Plan, and homeless strategies. Ms. Hines graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies and Planning. She received her Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona in 1992.

Tamera Kohler

Tamera Kohler, Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH), has 19 years of senior leadership roles in state and local government specializing in poverty and homelessness, nonprofit, and mortgage lending experience, including spending more than eight years helping lead nationally-noted homelessness reduction programs in the State of Utah. Since assuming the role of CEO in November 2018, Ms. Kohler has led the RTFH in its growth as a trusted leader and expert for the San Diego County region.

Her strategic planning expertise and deep knowledge of the issues and proven solutions have framed the organization’s growth, strengthened connections to the community, and fostered trusted relationships with government, civic leaders, and service providers alike.  She has attracted top talent to her executive team and has increased funding for the San Diego Region to address homelessness by $40 million annually, which she and her team administer to programs throughout the region.

At RTFH she has created a unique two-board structure to help ensure that homelessness is a rare, brief and nonrecurring issue for people. One, a 31-member advisory board that brings together a deep array of lived experience, government, civic and nonprofit leaders to enact policy and best practices to address and end homelessness. The other, a smaller non-profit board formed of executives focused on fiscal oversight and philanthropy.

Ms. Kohler joined the RTFH after having served in Seattle’s Human Services Department as Division Director of Homeless Strategy and Investment where she oversaw 45 employees, a $58 million budget, and the implementation of a new homeless strategy. Before Seattle, she served eight years at the State of Utah as the Assistant Division Director of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for the Utah Department of Workforce Services. There she oversaw federal and state funding and strategic planning for CSBG, CDBG, HOPWA, HOME, LIHEP, WAP, EITC, FEMA, TANF, the State housing loan fund, State homeless trust fund, and the Emergency Food Network.  She staffed and facilitated the Utah Lt. Governor’s Homeless committee with all department heads on the board and oversaw the Community Impact Board fund, including the state mineral rights resources.

Ms. Kohler has served on national committees and panels and as the Vice President of the National Association for State Community Services Programs board. She has a strong track record in community engagement, strategic planning, contracting, and the data-driven system improvements critical today to achieve measurable results and ensure resources are allocated wisely. She is well known and a trusted, effective change agent with indispensable big picture, system-level planning expertise and brings a unique connection and network to the highest level of national and state leaders in homelessness.

Melinda Forstey

Melinda Forstey is the President & CEO of Serving Seniors, where she is responsible for the oversight and
overall management of all programs, services, housing operations, and human resources.

Founded in 1970, Serving Seniors is a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to serving low
income adults aged 60 and over. Serving Seniors has created an innovative model of
comprehensive services, including nutritious meals, housing, and health and social services to
over 12,000 seniors annually.

Over the past 15 years at Serving Seniors, Forstey has led multiple affordable housing projects throughout
San Diego County, as well as the expansion of Serving Seniors’ nutrition program, which grew from
650,000 meals to over 1.5 million since 2020.

She works closely with the Board of Directors and senior management team to direct Serving Seniors’
growth and strategic response to an ever-increasing demand for services.

Forstey played a key role in the creation of the 2021 Serving Seniors Needs Assessment report, a
groundbreaking study focusing on older adult homelessness in San Diego. Its findings and proposed
solutions are driving public policy with a new recognition of the realities of aging and poverty and was a
key driver of the creation of shallow subsidy rental assistance programs with both the City and County of
San Diego.

Forstey provides strategic leadership, direction, and structure to the organization, and promotes a culture
of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality.
Forstey has played a key role in Serving Seniors achieving recognition as one of San Diego’s Top
Workplaces for the past six years by the San Diego Union-Tribune, including as a spotlighted workplace in
2024.

Forstey’s current community leadership roles include:

• Chair, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Program (NANASP)
• Co-Chair, San Diego Elder Protection Council
• Co-Chair Aging and Health Ad hoc Committee for the Continuum of Care
• Member of the Implementing the Master Plan for Aging in CA Together (IMPACT) Stakeholder
• Committee in partnership with the California Department of Aging

Forstey is also an active member of the San Diego Housing Federation, LeadingAge, and Meals on Wheels
California. She holds an MBA in Information Systems from San Diego State University. She received her
bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Kathryn Lembo

Since 1971, South Bay Community Services (SBCS) has been transforming San Diego County communities supporting  the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families. More than 400 SBCS staff are stationed throughout the  county providing targeted programs and prevention initiatives to respond to community need. SBCS President and CEO  Kathryn Lembo has been leading the agency since 1982 working collaboratively with a broad cross-section of individuals  including schools, nonprofit partners, health, and business leaders as well as policymakers and residents to build true  measurable solutions that respond to our community’s challenges.

Stephen Whitburn

Elected to the San Diego City Council in 2020, Councilmember Stephen Whitburn represents San Diego City Council District 3. He is Chair of the City of San Diego’s Active Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a member of the Land Use and Housing Committee, Public Safety Committee, and Audit Committee. He also serves as Chair of the Metropolitan Transit System Board of Directors, Chair of the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission, a member of the Board of Directors for San Diego Housing Commission Affiliate – Housing Development Partners, a member of the San Diego County Water Authority, and serves on the Regional Task Force on the Homeless Continuum of Care Board.

Addressing the City’s homelessness and affordable housing crises are top priorities for the Councilmember, along with ensuring a just and equitable recovery from the pandemic, and a more sustainable future for San Diegans.

Councilmember Whitburn has lived and been involved in the communities of District 3 for two decades. An award-winning nonprofit leader, he has helped sick and injured San Diegans at the American Red Cross, worked to advance equality for the LGBTQ community, and led a staff of twenty at the American Cancer Society which coordinated charitable efforts for cancer patients and their families across Southern California.

Matthew Wechter

Matt Wechter is a Deputy Public Defender with the San Diego Office of the Public Defender. As a lead of the Public Defender Homeless Court Team, Matt acts as a liaison between the County, Superior Court, District Attorney, City Attorney, and regional Homeless Court Providers (HCPs). In his capacity through Homeless Court, he represents San Diego’s homeless population during monthly Homeless Court sessions, the Homeless Court Pop-up Resource Fairs, and orchestrates and executes the annual Homeless Court @ Stand Down, San Diego’s annual multi-day unhoused veteran event.  Matt is also an active member of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, which provides policy guidance and technical assistance to replicate the ABA/San Diego HCP model in jurisdictions across the state and the country. At heart, Matt is a technology junkie – leveraging high-tech solutions where possible  – to support efficiencies with tight resources, and to serve as many clients as possible.

Dana Toppel

As Chief Executive Officer, Dana Toppel provides overall leadership for the impact-driven, multi-service organization with the bold vision of building a stronger, healthier, more resilient San Diego. Dana joined JFS in 2009 as director of older adult services, served as the divisional director of clinical services in addition to the chief program officer prior to assuming the role of chief operating officer in 2015 and CEO in 2025.

With almost two decades of experience working with a variety of populations in both direct service and management capacities, Dana has a proven track record of program development, revenue generation, change management and leading strategic, innovative, high-impact organizations. Prior to joining the JFS team, Dana worked as a director, consultant, and therapist for the San Diego LGBT Community Center, University of California at San Diego, and San Diego Youth & Community Services.

Dana is dedicated to advancing equity and participates in local, regional, and national conversations to advance efforts related to inclusive leadership, professional training, and ensuring access to opportunity for all. Currently she also serves as Chair of San Diego for Every Child, as a Commissioner on the California Commission of Aging and is the Founder of Make Work Work For Moms.

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Toppel holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in business administration from San Diego State University. She is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of California.

Jonathan Castillo

Jonathan Castillo serves as PATH’s Chief Regional Officer. As the CRO he is responsible for the operations of PATH in San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Jose, and Sacramento. His tenure in homeless and human services give him invaluable and diverse expertise from his time working in homeless services, healthcare services, and child welfare. Jonathan’s drive and passion are fueled by a need to serve those who are marginalized and unable to advocate for themselves. He strives to identify and fill gaps within communities by expanding programs that respond to the needs that exist. Prior to being appointed CRO, he served as PATH San Diego’s Regional Director for three years. As Regional Director, he more than quadrupled operations from being primarily Downtown to a County-wide provider and expanded the permanent supportive housing portfolio. Jonathan previously served as PATH’s Director of Veteran Services which served 1800 Veterans annually through the Supportive Services for Veteran Families and the HUD VASH contract with the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center. PATH’s HUD-VASH program was responsible for supporting 1300 Veterans throughout Los Angeles, Kern County, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Orange County. Prior to joining PATH, Jonathan began his career in homeless services working at the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center as a case manager in Project 60 (comparable to San Diego’s Project 25 pilot) before being promoted to the Associate Coordinator/Social Work Supervisor overseeing HUD-VASH operations and managed partnerships with 7 public housing authorities. Jonathan’s inspiration to serve Veterans and the homeless services industry was influenced by his experience as a case manager at LA County’s Department of Children & Family Services, where he witnessed the educational, racial, socioeconomic disparities that perpetuate the homeless challenges in our communities.

Lisa Jones

As the President & CEO of the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), Lisa Jones leads an agency with 390 employees and an annual budget of $595 million.

In her more than 20 years of service in the areas of affordable housing and homelessness, she has developed and implemented housing assistance approaches that focus on the unique needs of the people being served. She has adhered to the additional values of building relationships, collaborating with community organizations, promoting transparency in government, and fostering equity, diversity and inclusion.

She previously served as SDHC’s Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. In that position, she oversaw key strategic and policy initiatives across agency divisions, including SDHC’s Strategic Plan, SDHC’s Moving to Work designation, and homelessness initiatives.

Before joining SDHC in 2017, Ms. Jones worked for seven years for the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino in the positions of Operations Manager, Director of Housing Administration, and Vice President of Housing Services. Concurrently, for several years, she also acted as Executive Director of Knowledge and Education for Your Success, a nonprofit affiliate of the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino.

SDHC is an award-winning public housing agency in the City of San Diego that provides innovative housing assistance programs for households with low income or experiencing homelessness. The San Diego City Council, in its role as the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego, oversees SDHC. SDHC helps pay rent for more than 17,000 households with low income annually; is a leader in collaborative efforts to address homelessness, such as the Community Action Plan on Homelessness for the City of San Diego and SDHC’s homelessness initiative, HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, which has created more than 11,000 housing solutions since November 2014 for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness; and creates and preserves affordable rental housing, with more than 23,000 affordable units in service in the City today with SDHC’s participation, of which SDHC owns or manages more than 4,100 affordable rental housing units.

Ms. Jones holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Institute of Leadership and Management with the University of West Anglia, England. She also is an alumnus of the Impact Center’s Women’s Executive Leadership Program.

Claudia Velasquez

Claudia is a native San Diegan with a background in Social Work and 20 years of experience in working with our community’s most vulnerable populations. She has worked across various sectors of the healthcare and social service industry with a focus on vulnerable older adults, those experiencing homelessness, serious mental illness and more.

Today, Claudia is the Community Supports Manager at Molina Healthcare. Claudia attributes CalAIM’s success to the network of dedicated, boots on the ground providers willing to meet members where they’re at.  She is grateful to all invested community stakeholders and partners committed to these much-needed services, acknowledging that it takes a village to make change happen. This invaluable work would be impossible without San Diego’s collaborative and passionate spirit.

Sarah Jarman

Annalee Trujillo

Annalee Trujillo has over 30 years of experience in Indian Housing working with the Tribes. The Pala Housing Resource Center was created to assist Tribes with housing resources and training and she’s been their Executive Director for over a decade. She has advocated to improve State programs to reflect tribal practices and to respect tribal sovereignty.

Jessica Delaney

Jessica Delaney, PMP® is a CalAIM Program Manager for Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plan working to implement housing solutions for Medi-Cal members that have lost their homes in San Diego and Los Angeles. Jessica spent the first decade of her career directly housing homeless families with children, individuals with Severe Mental Illness (SMI), individuals post-incarceration and people living with HIV/AIDS. She later went on to coordinate the City of Redding/Shasta County Continuum of Care (CoC) developing and implementing evidence-based policy solutions to end homelessness for people with complex needs. Jessica expanded her CoC footprint by federally registering new CoC geographies for California’s Tehama, Siskiyou, Trinity, Modoc, Del Norte, Plumas, Lassen and Sierra counties. She has written and established housing programs for victims of domestic violence, low-income seniors, individuals living with SMI and post-release felony defendants under CA AB109 – all of which remain successfully in operation to this day.

Over the past decade Jessica has devoted herself to performance improvement initiatives within California Managed Care Plans. She prioritizes housing in the Medi-Cal space communicating that “homelessness and housing instability is a known cause of toxic stress that leads to chronic illness. The only cure for this medical crisis is housing.”

She is currently supporting the integration of housing systems within Blue Shield that provide evidence-based linkage to improved health outcomes, cost savings and decreased hospital utilization.

Zee King

Zee King is a passionate advocate for community well-being and support, bringing a wealth of lived experience to their work. As a native of San Diego, they currently serve as the Lead Care Manager at Rooted Life Recuperative Care, where they play a key role in delivering vital services such as Enhanced Care Management, Community Supports, and Housing Transition Navigation through Medi-Cal’s CalAIM program. Zee’s personal experiences with foster care, homelessness, parenting, and transitional age youth (TAY) services fuel their dedication to fostering meaningful discussions and driving change at both the state and community levels.

In addition to their professional work, Zee contributes to the development of TAY-specific services as a Peer Support Specialist board member on the Transitional Age Youth Behavioral Health Services Council.

Zee is committed to furthering their education and is currently attending Palomar College pursuing degrees in Psychology and Social Work as well as Human Services. They are on track to graduate in May 2025 and have plans to transfer to California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) to continue their education and obtain their bachelor’s degree.

Rachel Bereza

Rachel Bereza is an intrepid nonprofit leader with over 15 years of experience advancing workforce development, financial capability, and systems change across diverse communities. She currently serves as President and CEO of the San Diego Workforce Partnership, where she leads a nationally recognized workforce development agency with a $36.5M budget, 150 team members, and the mission to ensure every job seeker has access to meaningful employment and every business to a skilled workforce.

Throughout her career, Rachel has held key leadership roles across California’s nonprofit landscape, including Deputy CEO of Sacramento Steps Forward, Chief Mission Officer at Goodwill Industries of Sacramento Valley & Northern Nevada, and Executive Director of Next Move. She has designed and scaled integrated service delivery models like Jobs(+), secured over $100M in grant funding, and spearheaded workforce innovation, vocational training, and equity-centered programming. Her work has been recognized by the California State Legislature for her contributions to public health access and community impact.

Rachel brings a multicultural lens and a human-centered approach to social change, with multi-cultural and linguistic agility in Spanish and Russian. She holds a Master of Science in Applied Psychology from the University of Southern California, and a B.A. in Global Studies, Chicano Studies, and Slavic Studies from UC Santa Barbara. A systems thinker, storyteller, and strategic operator, Rachel is driven by a deep commitment to economic mobility, justice, and belonging.

Dijana Beck

Dijana Beck, MSW has over 24 years of experience with the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services Agency. Dijana’s career with the County began in 2001 with Child Welfare Services and she served in many Child Welfare Services roles from the front line social worker all the way to program manager. Since 2017, Dijana has served in executive leadership roles, first as Chief of Agency Operations for HHSA Central and South Regions overseeing Self-Sufficiency, Fiscal, Business Planning, Contracts, Homeless Services, and various Special Projects. In 2021, Dijana became Deputy Director for County’s newly established Office of Homeless Solutions and in 2022 became Director for Office of Homeless Solutions.  In 2024, Office of Homeless Solutions joined County’s Housing and Community Development Services to align homelessness and housing services under the same umbrella. Dijana has a Master’s Degree in Social Work from San Diego State University and Bachelor’s in Psychology from University of Arkansas.

Hanan Scrapper

Hanan Scrapper serves as the Regional Director of PATH San Diego, leading the organization’s mission to provide equitable housing solutions for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In this role, she oversees a wide array of comprehensive programs aimed at guiding people from homelessness to stable housing, all while advancing the organization’s vision of a world where everyone has a home. 

Hanan is deeply committed to serving marginalized communities and brings extensive experience working with individuals facing some of society’s most challenging adversities, including homelessness, domestic violence, political torture, and human trafficking. Her leadership is rooted in compassion, resilience, and the drive to create meaningful change. 

With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, Hanan manages a team of more than 200 dedicated employees, fostering collaboration and innovation to tackle San Diego’s homelessness crisis. She is known for her strategic vision, operational excellence, and ability to empower her team to deliver impactful, client-centered services. 

Hanan joined PATH San Diego in 2018 and initially served as the Director of Programs, where she was instrumental in managing day-to-day operations across several critical initiatives. These included interim housing, rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, CalAIM, and Coordinated Street Outreach. Her leadership during this time played a pivotal role in expanding PATH San Diego’s impact and service capacity. 

Hanan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from George Mason University. Her academic foundation complements her professional expertise, providing her with a deep understanding of the societal factors that contribute to homelessness and the holistic approaches needed to address them. 

Under Hanan’s leadership, PATH San Diego continues to make strides in creating sustainable housing solutions, building community partnerships, and advocating for systemic change to ensure housing equity for all. 

Ben Montoya

Ben Montoya is the founder and President of the Downtown Fellowship (DF), a network of churches, ministries, and individuals with a vision to see downtown San Diego thriving in true community—where everyone contributes their gifts and the most vulnerable are uplifted. For over 12 years, DF has spearheaded impactful initiatives to serve the homeless and those in poverty. Highlights include funding the initial 72 Move-In Kits for PATH Connections Housing, partnering with Think Dignity to provide mobile showers and restrooms, helping launch Walk With Me at the San Diego Rescue Mission, and currently facilitating Circles San Diego, a program that builds lasting relationships and economic stability for families in poverty. DF also leads Life As It Should Be—a transformative community group at both the East County Transitional Living Center and PATH Connections Housing.

Ben also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Institute of Reproductive Grief Care, a national leader in education, research, and healing support for those who’ve experienced reproductive loss. His community leadership extends to his role as Elder at First Presbyterian Church San Diego, President of the City Tree Christian School Board, and Board Member at Westminster Manor, a senior living community in downtown San Diego. A lifelong advocate for practical service, Ben has also led over 40 house-building trips to Mexico through Amor Ministries.

Before fully devoting himself to ministry and community work, Ben spent over three decades as an engineer with San Diego Gas & Electric, where he began in 1986. He is a 1981 graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a B.S. in Engineering and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy for five years. He earned his Professional Engineer license in Mechanical Engineering in 1989 and completed his MBA at the University of San Diego in 2009. In recognition of his leadership and service, he was appointed to the California Veterans Board by Governor Pete Wilson in 1993 and served as chair in 1996.

Camey Christenson

Camey Christenson is the Chief Business and Partnership Development Officer at 2-1-1 San Diego / Community Information Exchange. She has dedicated her career to driving systems of care to a proactive, holistic and person-centered model through meaningful collaboration, data sharing, and bridging diverse sectors. Ms. Christenson, a lifelong social worker and advocate who has worked in the nonprofit field for more than 30 years, believes in the power of collaboration and is steadfast in her commitment to improving services to our community and shaping the person-centered movement across the nation. She is an effective leader complemented by a clinical social work background. She holds a Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota.

Camey leads the Community Information Exchange in San Diego and works with more than 12 different communities across the country to replicate the CIE model facilitating cross sector collaboration and data integration. She also leads national CIE Membership bringing together technology companies, healthcare and social service companies from across the country collaborating and sharing best practices to improve communitywide care collaborations.  In order to effectively address poverty and homelessness in San Diego, an ‘all hands on deck approach’ is needed requiring a multidisciplinary approach to direct services, information sharing and community planning. The CIE Partner Network of 141 (and growing) community based organizations and the CIE Advisory Board reflects that multidisciplinary approach and CIE’s history is rooted in addressing homelessness. The first in the nation CIE and HMIS integration is a recognized best practice and great step in maximizing opportunities for San Diegans who are unhoused and those that serve them.

Prior to 2-1-1 Camey consulted with nonprofit organizations throughout Southern California offering project management, grant writing, funding research, strategic planning, program development, marketing and outreach planning, government relations, best practices research, programmatic evaluation and outcome measurement, contract compliance reporting, quality control, collaboration building, and technical assistance. Camey sits on several collaborations and nonprofit Boards including chairing the Data Standardization Workgroup, serving as Board Officer for 211 California, and an Advisory Board member for the National Quality Improvement Center for Helplines and Hotlines.

Amelia Broadnax

Amelia Broadnax is the Founder and Executive Director of GLM House Inc., a
San Diego–based nonprofit organization committed to providing affordable
shared housing and supportive services for individuals facing homelessness and
housing instability. With over a decade of experience in direct service, reentry
support, and systems navigation, Amelia brings both professional expertise and
lived experience to her leadership. Under her guidance, GLM House has grown
to nine properties and launched the Twilight Outreach initiative in Lemon Grove,
which delivers housing navigation, resource linkage, and person-centered care to
underserved communities throughout the region.

Amelia’s work is rooted in evidence-based practices including Critical Time
Intervention, the Transtheoretical Model, Harm Reduction, and Trauma-Informed
Care. She holds academic credentials in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies
(AODS), Psychology, and Human Services, which inform her holistic, peer-driven
approach. Amelia has successfully partnered with organizations such as Uptown
Community Service Center, Vehicles for Change, San Diego Workforce
Partnership, Family Health Centers of San Diego and Peer Professional of
California. As a co-researcher with UCSD Heart Fellows and the Homelessness
Hub, she contributes to research on justice involvement and housing access. A
strong advocate for grassroots providers and peer professionals, Amelia brings a
strategic, equity-focused perspective to the RTFH Continuum of Care Board.

Amanda Sanchez

Kelcie Parra

Kelcie Parra brings nearly two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, strategic program development, and community engagement. She currently serves as Executive Director at Crisis House, where she leads efforts to provide housing, safety, and critical services to individuals experiencing domestic violence and homelessness. Previously, Kelcie held leadership roles at San Diego Pride, The Arc of San Diego, and Special Olympics Southern California, where she launched inclusive programming, strengthened community partnerships, and advanced organizational growth. She has also directed arts and culture initiatives, including her time managing the Poway Center for the Performing Arts.   At The Arc, she oversaw a $16 million budget and 300 staff members, guiding the department through the pandemic with a focus on equity, adaptability, and servant leadership.

Kelcie earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees magna cum laude from Texas Tech University and holds certifications in SHRM‑CP, Fundraising Management, and Lean Six Sigma. Passionate about systems change and sustainable impact, Kelcie is known for building collaborative networks, increasing access to life-changing resources, and championing person-centered approaches across all her work.