Madelynn Hirneise, Chief Executive Officer

Erica Berrios, Chief Finance Officer

Nishtha Mohendra, Chief Program Officer

Michele Silva, Chief Advancement Officer

Rosalinda Bermudez, Director of Data & Compliance

Kathy Lopez, Director of Programs

Lauren Hahn, Director of Housing Development

Marissa Hall, Director of Operations

Katie Szymczak, Director of Development & Community Engagement

In 2024, 100% of our Board of Directors made financial contributions to support the work of Families Forward. THANK YOU for the advocacy and commitment you have shown to families throughout Orange County!

Officers

Victor Cao, President of the Board, California Apartment Association

Dennis Deslatte, Board Treasurer & Chairperson – Finance Committee, AECOM Technology Corporation (Retired)

Debbie Chamkasem, Board Secretary & Co-Chairperson – Program Committee, Experian

Danyell Alders, Chairperson – HR Committee, AvalonBay Communities (Retired)

Kate Starr, Chairperson – Fund Development Committee, Golden State Foods

Nancy Chase, Co-Chairperson – Program Committee, Community Leader

Michael Kaufman, Member at Large, AT&T (Retired)

Susan McClintic, Member at Large, Early Childhood Educator (Retired) 

Christy Mokrohisky, Member at Large, Alignment Health

Jacqueline Erickson Russell, Chairperson – Governance Committee, Social Impact Advising Group

Directors

Mark Abbasi, Becton Dickinson 

Carissa Bechtloff, City of Hope Orange County

Bill Brooks, Capital Group

Tristen Cali, Pacific Premier Bank

Mayra Cerda, Escrow 321

Judy Cooper, Community Leader

Mark Engstrom, Chapman University; Deloitte (Retired)

Nickeya Hannah, Hygiene First LLC

Peter Hering, Rutan and Tucker, LLP

James Kim, Lewis Group

Bhavna Mantha, Apisero Inc.

Nicholas Meraz, NextClick, LLC

Kimberly Pollard, Seabreeze Property Management

Joseph Rasuli, U.S. Bank

Brad Romano, AvalonBay Communities

Katherine Shen, Community Leader

Danni Remington Smithson, Bank of Southern California

Dr. Vinita Speir, Pacific Women’s Healthcare Associates