Board of Directors
2019-2020
Our Leadership
President
Cathy Gies, LLBI ’08
MemorialCare Medical Foundation
President-Elect
Drew Schneider, LLBI ’17
Port of Long Beach
Immediate Past President
Ryan Rayburn, LLBI ’13
Centennial Advisers
Treasurer
Derek Wratchford, LLBI ’19
Mutual of America
Secretary
Hallie Jane Culpepper, LLBI ’14
Aerial Butterflies
VP, Administration
Alison Bruesehoff, ELS ’17
Rancho Los Cerritos
VP, Alumni Relations
Nima Novin, LLBI ’17
Ernst & Young
VP, Fund Development
Lindsay Mais, LLBI ’18
UBS Financial Services
Executive Member-At-Large
Jennifer Allen, LLBI ’19
Long Beach Day Nursery
Executive Member-At-Large
Shawna Wright, LLBI ’17
KRA Workforce Development
Executive Member-At-Large
Cait Yoshioka, LLBI ’15
The Willowfield
Board Member
Kenny Allen, LLBI ’17
KDA Consulting
Board Member
Sheryl Bender, ELS ’19
City of Long Beach,
Parks, Recreation and Marine Department
Board Member
Danita Humphrey, LLBI ’16
Junior League of Long Beach
Board Member
Connor Lock, LLBI ’18
City of Costa Mesa
Board Member
Brian McPhail, LLBI ’19
Long Beach Police Department
Board Member
Andrea Sulsona, LLBI ’15
YMCA of Greater Long Beach
Board Member
Debbie Thorpe, LLBI ’99
Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance
Board Member
Oscar Vasquez, LLBI ’18
The Studio O
Board Member
April Walker, ELS ’18/LLBI ’19
City of Long Beach
Public Works Department
Ex-Officio
Kerri Cissna
Executive Director
Leadership Long Beach
LB Leadership – 25th Anniversary
Gov. George Deukmejian
And Mayor Beverly O’Neill
Governor Deukmejian and Mayor O’Neill serve on the Honorary Board of Governors for Leadership Long Beach. As distinguished leaders, role models and long time residents of the city, we asked them to share their thoughts on leadership.
Honorary Board of Governors
Rich Archbold (LLBI ’96)
Community Editor
Press-Telegram
Colleen Bentley (LLBI ’93)
Retired, Director of Special Projects
CSU Office of the Chancellor
Jean Bixby Smith
Former Chair
Bixby Land Company
Lou Anne Bynum (LLBI ’93)
Board of Harbor Commissioners
Port of Long Beach
Wendy Chang (LLBI ’98)
Program Director
Dwight Stuart Youth Foundation
Gayle Clock (LLBI ’90)
Retired
Community Hospital of Long Beach
Rolando Cruz (LLBI ’10)
Chief Operations Officer
City of Culver City – Transit Systems
Veronica Dávalos (LLBI ’09)
Executive Director
American Red Cross – Long Beach
Gloria Deukmejian
Community Volunteer
The Honorable Laura Doud
City Auditor
City of Long Beach
Dr. Minnie Douglas (LLBI ’94)
Professor
Long Beach City College
Anne (LLBI ’01) and
Bob (LLBI ’03) Emigh
Community Volunteer and Dentist
Marcelle Epley (LLBI ’05)
President & CEO
Long Beach Community Foundation
Nancy Gaines
Trustee
Evalyn Bauer Foundation
The Honorable Robert Garcia (LLBI ’03)
Mayor
City of Long Beach
John Glaza
Principal
Glaza Consulting
Randy Gordon (LLBI ’95)
President & CEO
Long Beach Chamber of Commerce
Jim Gray
Financial Consultant
First Choice Bank
John Hancock
President
Bancap Investment Group
CJ Harmatz (LLBI ’01)
Director, Senior Health Services
Long Beach Memorial Medical Center
Reggie Harrison (LLBI ’97)
Director, Department of Disaster Preparedness & Emergency Communications
City of Long Beach
The Honorable Doug Haubert (ELS ’19)
City Prosecutor
City of Long Beach
Randy Hausauer (LLBI ’02)
Retired
Long Beach Police Department
Skip Keesal
Principal
Keesal, Young & Logan
Wayne Kistner (LLBI ’93)
Attorney / Mediator
James Kruger (LLBI ’08)
General Manager
WT Durant, Inc.
Julie Larkins (LLBI ’12)
President
CDR Financial Services, LLC
Gina Rushing Maguire
President
St. Anthony Catholic Schools
Olivia Maiser (LLBI ’09/ELS ’18)
Retired
City of Long Beach
Dennis Moore (LLBI ’06)
Retired, Commercial Real Estate Investment Advisor
George Murchison
Trustee
Bess J. Hodges Foundation
Dave Neary (LLBI ’95)
Executive Director
DuPage (Illinois) Habitat for Humanity
The Honorable Beverly O’Neill
Former Mayor
City of Long Beach
Wilma Powell
Retired, Director of Trade & Maritime Services
Port of Long Beach
Peter Ridder
Retired, Chairman/Publisher
Press-Telegram
Jill Rosenberg (LLBI ’92)
Realtor
Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance
Judy Ross (LLBI ’90)
Retired, Executive Director
Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership
Woody Sides (LLBI ’02)
Vice President
EnvisionRx
Darick Simpson (LLBI ’92)
President
The Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation
Dennis Smith (LLBI ’99)
Co-Owner/Broker
Stratis Financial
Pam Spoo (LLBI ’96)
Realtor
Coldwell Banker Coastal Alliance
Henry Taboada
Former City Manager
City of Long Beach
Donita Van Horik (LLBI ’06)
Community Volunteer
Dr. Mike Walter
Assistant to the President
California State University, Long Beach
The Honorable Dr. Felton Williams (LLBI ’98)
Board Member
LBUSD Board of Education
Christina Winting (LLBI ’94)
Executive Director, Civil Service
City of Long Beach
IN MEMORIAM
James H. Ackerman, Esq.
(Deceased, 1917-2004)
Maritime Lawyer, Philanthropist
Dr. June Cooper
(Deceased, 1933-2012)
Educator
Governor George Deukmejian
(Deceased, 1928-2018)
35th Governor of California
Tom Farrand (LLBI ’08)
(Deceased, 1949-2013)
President
Farrand Research Corporation
Rear Admiral John Higginson
(Deceased, 1932-2010)
Retired President/CEO
American Gold Star Manor
Gene Lentzner
(Deceased, 1922 – 2020)
Community Philanthropist
Carolyn Smith Watts (LLBI ’01)
(Deceased, 1963-2019)
Consultant, Founder & CEO
Bolph’s Specialty
Don Westerland
(Deceased, 1935-2010)
Former President and CEO
Community Hospital of LB Foundation