All of Community Partners' current staff are listed on this page.
Please note that emails are provided, but with spaces on either side of the @ symbol. This is to reduce the amount of spam we receive. To email a Community Partners staffperson, copy the emails listed below, paste into your email software and remove the spaces.
Paul Vandeventer
President and CEO
213.346.3201
paulv @ CommunityPartners.org
Paul has spent the last 24 years working in the fields of management, planning, communications, training, and organizational development for businesses, public agencies, foundations, and public interest groups. He has advised on the management of corporate and foundation giving programs and facilitated strategy planning with executive teams and directors of business, grantmaking and community organizations. For eight years he served on the staff of the California Community Foundation, a major Southern California regional grant making institution. He left the role of executive vice president in 1990 to join the Newport Beach-based Wilson Consulting Group as a senior consultant chiefly working with management teams of small to medium-sized businesses in the home-building and commercial development fields. In 1992, the founding board of Community Partners asked Paul to lead the start-up effort that resulted in the establishment of Community Partners as a springboard for social and civic entrepreneurs, emerging groups, and community initiatives in Southern California. He taught aspects of planning in the voluntary nonprofit sector to graduate-level master’s degree candidates at the University of Southern California from 1996 to 2004. As a community volunteer, Paul chairs the board of directors of Pasadena-based Furious Theatre Company, serves on the executive committee of Coro Southern California’s board of directors, and advises the multi-disciplinary performing arts organization known as About Productions.
Sapna provides a wide array of support to the finance department three days a week. In her "free" time, she is pursuing a master's in public administration at Cal Poly Pomona. Prior to Community Partners, Sapna was a print journalist for a local, English, daily paper in her hometown in India. Through her studies and her time here, she is excited to learn more about program management and planning as it relates to nonprofits.
Teaa Bradley
Receptionist and Administrative Assistant
213.346.3200
tbradley @ CommunityPartners.org
In addition to answering calls and greeting guests, Teaa provides administrative support to both the program staff and financial staff at Community Partners. Teaa began her nonprofit career a few years ago providing office management to an AIDS research organization. She has also participated in many charity events over the past several years, including the annual L.A. AIDS Walk and Food on Foot. When Teaa is not in the office she can often be found roaming the globe with her husband, or enjoying a good book.
Amanda Charles
Senior Program Associate
213.346.3220
acharles @ CommunityPartners.org
Amanda provides logistical oversight for several of Community Partners’ strategic initiatives in addition to providing graphic design support for Community Partners’ communication efforts. Her background includes catering and event management experience in the public and nonprofit sectors, as well as work as a freelance graphic designer. Prior to joining Community Partners’ core staff, Amanda worked for incubator project WriteGirl, coordinating a variety of events including monthly workshops and fundraisers. She holds a B.F.A. in communication design from Carnegie Mellon University.
Dan Clement
Senior Resource Fellow
213.346.3281
dclement @ CommunityPartners.org
Dan assists leaders of emerging projects and initiatives, as well as existing nonprofit organizations, in recruiting volunteers and placing them into service in positions that are commensurate with their skill sets and educational backgrounds. Prior to Community Partners, Dan worked for 21 years as a litigation attorney in the Sempra Energy Law Department, where he handled a wide variety of civil lawsuits involving issues of environmental, business, insurance coverage, and personal injury law. Prior to that, Dan was a litigation associate in the Los Angeles office of Sidley & Austin, and an assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California. Dan is currently a board member at the ColburnSchool in Los Angeles, and has served as a volunteer at several nonprofit organizations, including the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Los Angeles Women's Foundation, PS #1 Elementary School, SouthwesternUniversityLawSchool, and the Exeter Alumni Association. Dan received law degrees from University of Pennsylvania Law School and Georgetown University Law Center, and a B.A. from Stanford University.
Bridget Hogan Cole
Senior Program Director, BCCQ and SCI
213.346.3238
bcole @ CommunityPartners.org
Bridget has a unique combination of education and experience in healthcare technology and public health administration. She comes to the Building Clinic Capacity for Quality (BCCQ) and Specialty Care Initiative (SCI) programs with more than 18 years of program leadership, project development, and technology planning and implementation experience. She has held operations, consulting, and administrative positions with community health centers, Blue Cross of California, healthcare engineering firms, Kaiser Permanente Foundation Hospitals, national independent service agencies, and divisions of the Hospital Council of Southern California. Most recently Bridget led a Los Angeles area community health center's strategic planning and health information technology effort which resulted in implementation of several technology-enabled quality improvement projects. Bridget received a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Vermont. Her focus was on hospital instrumentation, biomedical and clinical engineering. She received a Master’s of Public Health with a concentration in health services administration from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Anna Diaz
Communications Associate
213.346.3210
adiaz @ CommunityPartners.org
Anna supports the strategic initiatives team in their projects targeting underserved communities and technology in addition to supporting the communications efforts of Community Partners. She is also assistant to the Executive Vice President. Anna’s background is primarily in youth development, with years of experience ranging from internships to managerial positions in after-school programs for at-risk youth throughout the Los Angeles area. In 2006, her passion for youth and education led her to take an internship teaching English in northern Tanzania for a semester. This experience only reinforced her interest in supporting grassroots development efforts around the world. She holds a B.A. in global studies from Azusa Pacific University.
Linda Fowells
Executive Vice President
213.346.3211
lfowells @ CommunityPartners.org
Linda oversees Community Partners’ programs, which provide assistance and support to nonprofit organizations, networks, and collaboratives. Linda also manages Community Partners’ technology-related program activities and speaks publicly about issues related to nonprofits and technology. Linda has many years of nonprofit management experience, including program development and planning, leadership development, financial oversight, fund development, and training. Much of her focus has been in the areas of technology, education, children’s issues, and building individual and organizational capacity. She has served as a consultant to many nonprofit and for-profit organizations, working with them on programmatic and administrative challenges and at various stages in their organization life cycles. Linda also worked in the banking industry specializing in real estate and corporate lending. She received an M.B.A. from the Anderson School of Management at University of California, Los Angeles and a B.A. from Pomona College. Her volunteer activities include serving on several boards and advisory groups.
Cynthia Freeman
Senior Program Director
213.346.3223
cfreeman @ CommunityPartners.org
Cynthia oversees a portfolio of incubator projects and strategic initiatives and leads Community Partners’ communications efforts. Prior to joining Community Partners in 2006, she worked as a policy director for a trade association of community-based human service agencies. Previously, Cynthia spent seven years in the field of philanthropy, most recently at the New York Foundation, making grants to community organizing, advocacy, and start-up projects in New York City’s low-income neighborhoods. She also planned new grantmaking and technical assistance initiatives and ran a summer internship program in philanthropy. Cynthia has served as a consultant to nonprofit organizations and to the New York City Department of Homeless Services, and started her career as a community organizer and fundraiser for ACORN. She has served on the boards of Interfaith Funders and Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy and is on the board of Jumpstart. Cynthia is a graduate of Brown University and received an M.P.A in public and nonprofit management from the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University.
Kai Griffith
Human Resources Associate
213.346.3204
kgriffith @ CommunityPartners.org
Kai is responsible for benefits administration and payroll, and provides support on empoyee relations and compliance matters. She brings over six years of payroll, benefits, and accounting experience to this position, as well as a positive, approachable personality. Kai holds a BA in psychology and a minor in business from Hampton University. Outside of the office, Kai keeps busy perfecting her salsa and belly-dancing skills, playing tennis, and traveling.
Judy Harper
Senior Program Director
213.346.3215
jharper @ CommunityPartners.org
Judy is responsible for managing a portfolio of nonprofit incubator projects and identifying, developing, and leading new projects and strategic initiatives. Judy brings nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, providing organizational development support, designing programs, and developing resources for a wide range of nonprofit initiatives. Judy previously served as associate director for the Border Philanthropy Partnership at the Synergos Institute, directed community development programs at MAAC Project’s affordable housing communities, was program officer for San Diego Dialogue’s cross-border and regional collaborative projects, and served as associate director for development at the San Diego Repertory Theatre. Judy was also an adult instructor at the Cesar Chávez Continuing Education Center. Judy is a founding board member of the Media Arts Center San Diego. She holds a B.A. in political science from OccidentalCollege and an M.A. in Latin American studies and regional planning from University of California, Los Angeles. A former Fulbright Fellow in Mexico and a San Diego Rotary Club Ambassadorial Scholar in Brazil, Judy speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese.
Byron Jones
Finance Assistant
213.346.3278
bjones @ CommunityPartners.org
Byron assists the finance team in accounts payable and is responsible for the weekly check run for all incubator and strategic initiative projects. He is a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University where he received a B.A. in business administration with an emphasis in finance and business law. While there, Byron worked as a peer mentor for Ethnic and Intercultural Services, assisting freshmen students in their transition from high school to college. In addition, he served as head coach for the boys’ varsity flag football and basketball teams at St. Anastasia Catholic School.
Janny Kum
Manager of Finance and Administration
213.346.3203
jkum @ CommunityPartners.org
Janny works with the finance and administration staff and assists the Vice President of Finance and Administration in matters relating to finance, human resources, technology, and office administration. Her career started in the for-profit sector with Wilshire Associates and The Walt Disney Company. Janny has since progressed to focus in the non-profit sector and has accumulated over nine years of experience in finance and administration for conflict resolution services organizations. She has a MBA from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate School, and a Bachelor of Science degree from University of California, San Diego.
Christina Lee
Senior Finance Assistant
213.346.3233
clee @ CommunityPartners.org
Christina supports the finance team by logging revenue, preparing bank deposits, and handling mail. She also assists with journal entries, contracts, and other administrative tasks. Prior to joining Community Partners, Christina interned at the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness and at the Door of Hope, a shelter for homeless families. She has also worked with Pomona Valley Low Income Services, a student-run job and housing referral service. Christina graduated from Pomona College with a dual B.A. in public policy analysis and sociology.
Angela Loera
Senior Program Assistant
213.346.3205
aloera @ CommunityPartners.org
Angela provides programmatic and administrative support for the BCCQ program. Angela’s interest in the nonprofit sector was sparked by an internship with El Centro de Accion Social, a local nonprofit organization in Pasadena. It was there that she gained firsthand experience in community outreach and grant research to better the community. Angela is committed to youth and education and has worked as a teacher’s assistant and tutor. Angela is an active volunteer with A.P.P.L.E/IDEPSCA, another Pasadena nonprofit organization. There she teaches an ESL class and works diligently to raise awareness about social injustices, particularly in the Latino community. Angela holds a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Riverside.
Karen provides support to the finance and administration team, and is responsible for accounts payable for all incubator and strategic initiatives projects. Her experience spans a variety of educational nonprofits, including programmatic work and development and maintenance of budgets of various sizes for several programs. Prior to joining Community Partners’ core staff, Karen volunteered with an incubator project. There she developed a budget, tracked expenses, and assisted with grant proposals. Karen worked at University of California, Los Angeles assisting in the administration of a system-wide outreach effort to increase the presence of underrepresented students at the university. Karen’s verve for education is further demonstrated by her passion for literacy, which she has cultivated by coordinating a family involvement early literacy program and tutoring adult ESL students. Karen holds a B.A. in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Eric Medina
Senior Program Associate
213.346.3212
emedina @ CommunityPartners.org
Eric conducts workshops on program and advisory board development, fundraising, and proposal development for prospective Community Partners project leaders. Eric also provides individualized technical assistant to project leaders on specific program planning and development issues. Prior to joining Community Partners, Eric worked at ExED, a nonprofit organization that provides business services to developing and operating public charter schools in underserved neighborhoods. Eric assisted teachers, parents, and community groups interested in developing charter schools. He has also worked at Public Counsel Law Center on their community development project, and with the school management program at University of California, Los Angeles. Eric holds a B.A. in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Luisa Miranda
Senior Program Associate, Specialty Care Initiative (SCI)
213.346.3209
lmiranda @ CommunityPartners.org
Luisa comes to Community Partners with over twenty years experience managing and developing diverse programs in both the profit and non-profit sector in Northern and Southern California, in the areas of project & program management, organization development, community outreach, volunteer recruitment and management, training and facilitation. Prior to joining Community Partners, Luisa was the National Health Education Project Coordinator for the National Association for Hispanic Elderly, where she managed a federal grant-based program and the organization’s community outreach programs. In 2005, Luisa received a “Woman of Distinction Award” from former Congresswoman Hilda Solis. Luisa is bilingual and holds a B.S. in Social Sciences from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Sachiko Murakami
Senior Program Assistant
213.346.3209
smurakami @ CommunityPartners.org
Sachiko supports the incubator team in all activities pertaining to the management, support, and training of Community Partners projects. She is also assistant to the President and CEO. Sachiko is a recent graduate from the University of Southern California, where she received a dual B.A. in comparative literature and international relations focusing on the East Asian region. It was there that she became interested in how nongovernmental organizations shape pubic policy and their importance in maintaining a consolidated democracy. Prior to Community Partners, Sachiko interned with the Pacific Council on International Policy, Assembly Member Chu and Congresswoman Hilda Solis.
Jean Ngo
Finance Assistant
213.346.3227
jngo @ CommunityPartners.org
Jean provides support to the finance team. He grew up in France, where he studied finance and banking at The University of Sorbonne in Paris. While in college, he interned as an operations officer for the trading room at Bred Banque Populaire. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, where he has volunteered at The Boys & Girls Club in Venice, and The Child and Youth Family Collaborative in Downtown Los Angeles. Before coming to Community Partners, Jean worked for a French tea company in Beverly Hills.
Robbin Randolph
Program Director
213.346.3226
rrandolph @ CommunityPartners.org
Robbin works on Community Partners’ strategic initiatives, special projects, and trainings. Her background includes over 30 years of administrative and management experience in local government and nonprofit social service agencies. Before joining Community Partners, Robbin was the program director for Family Preservation Services at Westside Children’s Center. Previously, she worked at El Nido Family Centers as the division director for Teen Family and Pregnancy Prevention and managing a collaborative of 10 subcontracting agencies providing services to at-risk youth between the ages of 10 and 14 in South Los Angeles. As a parenting instructor for the past 15 years, Robbin has provided workshops and classes for agencies, school districts, and community organizations serving African-American and Latino parents. Her local government experience includes serving as assistant director for the Department of General Services for the City of Sacramento, executive director of the Human Rights/Fair Housing Commission of the City and County of Sacramento, and seven years with the City of Compton working in criminal justice planning, community crime prevention, the city manager’s office, and as purchasing manager. Robbin was a seminar leader for Landmark Education and a senior facilitator and member of the coordinating committee of the International Black Summit, a volunteer organization committed to an empowered vision for the Black community. Robbin holds a MA in Urban Studies from Occidental College and a BA in Sociology from Pomona College, and was a CORO Fellow in San Francisco.
Donna Roberts
Vice President of Finance and Administration
213.346.3202
droberts @ CommunityPartners.org
Donna oversees and directs all of Community Partners’ finance and administrative operations, drawing on her 20+ years of experience in finance and program management both in the corporate and nonprofit sectors. Starting out in the film industry, Donna served in a number of positions for Paramount Pictures, managing their theatrical exhibition and international finance divisions, with consolidated revenues of $200 million. She also established the presence of the Paramount Picture/Universal Studios joint venture in Italy, managing all aspects of developing the business. Making a jump into the nonprofit sector, Donna then became the chief financial officer for Para Los Niños, where she was instrumental in determining growth opportunities that led to a jump from $7.4 million to $21 million in revenues during her 6.5-year tenure. Following that, Donna worked as a consultant to both local and statewide nonprofits.
Lupe Solorio
Program Manager
213.346.3208
lsolorio @ CommunityPartners.org
Lupe coordinates Community Partners’ incubator services. She also provides project leaders with individualized technical assistance and facilitates internal and external trainings in program planning, board development, proposal writing, and evaluation. In addition to her work at Community Partners, Lupe has served as a reader for the Proposition 10 Commission, as a selection panelist for Public Allies LA, and on the steering committee for the Asian Pacific Islander American Heritage Month for the City of Los Angeles. Lupe continues to be active in the community, serving on the board of the Asian Business League. She received a dual B.A. in international relations and Spanish from the University of Southern California.
Grace Weltman
Program Director
213.346.3296
gweltman @ CommunityPartners.org
Grace works on Community Partners' strategic initiatives, most specifically our work with networks. A native of Los Angeles, Grace previously served as the founding executive director of the Child Care Alliance of Los Angeles, a partnership of 13 community-based organizations that serve over 60,000 children throughout Los Angeles County. Grace has helped establish several organizations and nonprofits, and has over 18 years of experience working with communities in Los Angeles to better address issues that impact their quality of life. Grace holds a B.A. in public policy and management and a Master's of public policy from USC's School of Policy, Planning, and Development.
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