Board of Directors

Kim McManus is the Executive Director of Awaken Humanity, a non-profit organization founded on the belief that the world is changed by dreamers and visionaries.  Awaken Humanity serves the purpose of history by maximizing the divine potential in every human being.  Kim is an international speaker, ministering to women of all ages and walks of life from New Zealand to Germany and everywhere in between.  Her faith has given her a passion for people and she is committed to the value that everyone has a critical need for a safe, secure and stable home.  Her husband Erwin McManus is an author, lecturer and the lead pastor for Mosaic LA, one of the largest Christian Communities in Los Angeles with a global outreach to 60,000 people weekly.

David Mead, SVP, Transmission and Distribution, Southern California Edison

David Mead is the Senior Vice President of Transmission and Distribution for Southern California Edison (SCE), responsible for the operation and maintenance of SCE’s electrical grid across a 50,000 square-mile service area.  Prior to his current role, he was the Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services at SCE.  David has held a variety of executive leadership positions in his field and was responsible for planning, engineering and designing SCE’s transmission and distribution systems spanning the company’s service area.  David earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University, Long Beach and a master’s degree in management from the University of Southern California.

Arnold Ng, President, Apex Commercial Real Estate Inc.

Arnold Ng brings a unique combination of commercial real estate, financial analysis, marketing and corporate business experience matched with a high degree of ethics and professionalism.  He first started his commercial/industrial real estate career in the early 1990′s working for a local boutique firm completing sales and lease transactions representing owners and buyers.  In November 2007, he was recognized as one of the top 8 commercial agents in the State of California.  Arnold has been awarded the CCIM designation and is a Magna Cum Laude MBA graduate of Pepperdine University and former Adjunct Professor of Marketing a the Graziadio School of Business.  He also has a BS from USC and is a former Board member of the Asian Business Association.

Matt Petersen, Chief Sustainability Officer, City of Los Angeles

Matt Petersen is the Chief Sustainability Officer for the City of Los Angeles.  Matt is a board member and former President & CEO for Global Green USA since 1994.  He designed and led Global Green USA, the only national environmental organization headquartered in Greater Los Angeles, with a social entrepreneurial approach. Matt helped to develop and guide the organization’s growing programs of eliminating weapons of mass destruction; fighting climate change; promoting green building and renewable energy; and ensuring access to clean water for all of humanity.  He is a representative to the Council of Green Cross International, and has chaired the GCI Energy and Resource Efficiency Program.  He is an advisor to the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and serves on the City of Santa Monica Environmental Task Force, the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Advisory Board, as well as the Automotive X Prize Advisory Board.  Matt holds a BA in Political Science from California State University at Chico and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.

Lori Raya, President, Vons, a Safeway Company

Lori Raya is President of the Vons Division of Safeway, where she has ultimate responsibility for 278 Vons and Pavilions stores and more than 25,000 employees in Southern California and Southern Nevada.  Raya, who is the first woman President in the 106 year history of Vons and only the second woman to lead a Safeway division in all of North America, began her career with the grocery giant in 1987, as a Courtesy Clerk.  Over her 25 years with Safeway, her duties and responsibilities have steadily expanded and she has served as a District Manager at Vons, Vice President of Retail Operations, Group Vice President of Deli/Food Service and Senior Vice President of Main Meals, Beverages/Snacks.  Raya has been named  to Progressive Grocer’s “Top Women in Grocery” listing for three consecutive years.

Craig Russell, Chief Design & Project Delivery Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering

Craig Russell serves as the co-executive leader of Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI), the creative delivery arm of Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. In his role as Chief Design and Project Delivery executive, he is responsible for the design, engineering, production, installation and project management functions for Imagineering Theme Park & Resort projects around the world. In addition, Craig is responsible for WDI’s legal, contracts, facilities and operations teams. During his 27 year tenure with WDI, he has led the design—from concept through opening—of some of Imagineering’s biggest, most complex and highly successful projects, and worked on the preliminary design of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris.  He is an active leader and participant in Disney’s volunteer program, and served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA) for three years.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering Systems from UCLA.

Linda Russell, Regional President/SVP, Wells Fargo

Linda Russell is the Regional President for the Wells Fargo South Coast Community Bank. She is responsible for more than 670 team members at 33 banking stores with deposits totaling nearly $3.8 billion. The South Coast Community Bank includes the South Bay communities of Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Lawndale, El Segundo and the Palos Verdes Peninsula, as well as the communities of Westchester, Inglewood, and Culver City. A 27-year veteran of the financial services industry, she previously served as senior vice president and retail banking director responsible for the development and oversight of Wachovia’s Greater Los Angeles market and leadership team following the acquisition of Golden West. Linda was a Liberal Studies major at California State University, Long Beach and holds Series 6 and 63 licenses.

Jay Stark, Principal, JH Stark Companies

The JH Stark Companies is a diversified real estate development, investment and advisory firm that focuses primarily on socially responsible, urban infill residential and commercial real estate opportunities as well as sustainable and energy efficient developments in the Western United States. Prior to launching JH Stark Companies, Jay served as managing director and co-founder of Urban Private Equity Funds for Phoenix Realty Group and oversaw the development of over $2 billion of joint-venture developments throughout the United States.  While there, he created the first socially responsible workforce housing fund backed by institutional investors. He serves on the State of California’s principal Affordable Housing Committee, the Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Local Assistance Loan and Grant Committee, where he oversees more than 20 state-wide affordable housing and infrastructure programs.  Jay holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a master’s degree from the University of Southern California in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development.

Troy Thrower, Partner, The Woodward Group

Troy Thrower is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Woodward Group, a premier boutique executive search firm specializing in the placement of finance and accounting professionals in the Southern California area.  After starting his career in public accounting and obtaining his CPA, Troy joined a national executive search firm and quickly became a top producer.  He went  on to start his own company in 1997 and has successfully serviced leading Southern California companies since that time.  The Woodward Group’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, major motion picture studios, private equity firms and numerous other small to mid-size businesses in a wide range of industries.  Troy received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University Northridge.

Ken Walker, Partner, Ernst & Young

Ken Walker is a Partner with Ernst & Young LLP with more than 25 years of experience serving clients in the entertainment, media and technology industries.  Ken is a Certified Public Accountant and was promoted to Partner in 1997. He serves large multinational companies as well as entrepreneurial enterprises in both advisory and audit related capacities.  He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University Northridge.