Mark Hood

CEO

Previously overseeing large scale operations at PPG Aerospace, Mark is poised to keep Union Rescue Mission moving forward onward and upward!

Mark brings a clear understanding of the central role of evangelism and innovative business experience needed to lead the Mission's strategic development, and a deep commitment to sharing the gospel. He also brings a wealth of experience leading and building high performance teams and expertise in change of risk management and re-engineering – as well as a drive for continuous improvements and growth here to URM. Each of these skills will be critical as we expand our footprint across L.A. county to address hunger, homelessness, trauma and substance abuse issues that force people onto our streets.

As CEO at URM, Mark will establish key partnerships, strengthen existing relationships, drive growth, and share stories of transformation and the value of URM's work in the community – made possible through the generosity of our donors.

Richard Baker

President

Richard is the President of Union Rescue Mission (URM). He joined URM in 2022 as COO and quickly expanded his influence across all four locations.

Richard brings an extensive understanding of Skid Row and a profound knowledge of URM's Christ Centered mission. He is responsible for all programs, such as recovery ministries, emergency services, retail operations and the strategic planning and execution for all facilities and operations, as well as all decisions related to the management of real estate and sourcing new opportunities. Richard knows every corner of URM and has become deeply immersed in the day-to-day issues affecting both guests and staff. His ability to connect with people is unparalleled, and he is deeply committed to transforming the lives of URM's guests.

Richard has deep ties to Los Angeles, having moved to the city as a student at Biola University many years ago. Before joining URM, Richard was an executive in the hospitality industry with decades of global leadership. He is thrilled to be back in the US with his wife Stephanie, four children, and two grandchildren.

Dan Roleder

Interim CFO

Dan Roleder has served in non-profit, church and para-church organizations for 34 years. He has been at Union Rescue Mission for the past 12-1/2 years, serving in the Accounting Department as well as being a Chaplain to our senior men. Dan's heart for ministry is what drives him to excellence in all that he does. His commitment to maintaining the financial integrity of URM has earned him the respect of his colleagues, especially during challenging times. Whether working on budgets or leading the Men's Bible Study and Scripture reading every weekday morning starting at 6:30am, Dan believes that everything he does is set apart for the work that the Lord is doing at Union Rescue Mission. Dan holds two bachelor's degrees, one in accounting and one in economics as well as an MBA and a Master of Theology.

The joy of his life is sharing and discussing God's Word with those around him, especially his wife Carol, who also serves at Union Rescue Mission. Dan and Carol have been married for 40 years with four daughters and five grandchildren, who they love to visit every chance they get.

Richard Newcomb

Vice President, Philanthropy

Richard had a successful 30+ year career as an executive in the fashion industry. He felt called to do something more with his life, so joined the URM Board of Directors in 2013, and then jumped in with both feet by joining the Senior Leadership team at the mission in 2018.

Richard has a decades-long record of supporting social justice, fighting homelessness, and working to reduce poverty in Los Angeles, with multiple nonprofit organizations. Since joining URM in 2018, Richard has collaborated with CEO, Andy Bales, and the URM Board, to help the organization grow significantly over the past six years. Richard and team reinvented the URM annual gala and turned it into an Emmy nominated TV Special on CBS Television. The celebrity ladened event was just named the Most Impactful Fundraising Event for Los Angeles for 2024 by the LA Business Journal. In addition, he added URM Over the Edge to their annual events in 2019. It now attracts hundreds of brave souls who are willing to rappel off the roof of the 25-story Universal Hilton Hotel to raise awareness about homelessness and helped raise over $5 million for the mission.

He has recruited many significant players in Los Angeles to join the fight against homelessness and help support the effective and efficient work of the Union Rescue Mission. Richard's leadership has had a significant impact in helping URM receive a perfect 100 rating from Charity Navigator, with 85% of every dollar going to life transforming programs and services. An accomplished speaker, Richard has been invited to appear in front of major groups at The Jonathan Club, Beverly Hills Rotary Club, and others as well as numerous TV and radio interviews on LA's major stations.

Kitty Davis-Walker

Vice President, Public Relations

Attended the College of St. Paul's & St. Mary's in Cheltenham England, graduated from the University of La Verne in La Verne California. Received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations with an emphasis in Broadcast Journalism.

VP Of Public Relations/Union Rescue Mission: 8/2006 to present. Duties include: Bringing Positive Media Attention to URM's Activities, Programs and Services through all forms of Media including but not limited to Coordinating Public Relations opportunities to help generate URM name recognition on the web, www.urm.org in print, on radio, TV, Podcasts, Social media and spokesperson opportunities. Also coordinates all media relations information and logistics for events/special stories. KKLA 99.5 FM Radio Co-Host of "Amazing Stories From Skid Row": 2013 to 2023/ Host January 2024 to Present

Hobbies & Other Interest: I love helping people, Skiing, golfing, reading and traveling. I have lived in Germany, Turkey and England. I am a member of West Angeles Church of God In Christ. I am active in the hospitality and Media ministry of West Angeles Church, providing Video Announcements & Voice-Overs for Sunday service and special events. Well versed on all issues dealing with Homelessness. Moderator for Conferences and Special events.

Latonja Lindsey

Vice President, Emergency Services

LaTonja Lindsey has a passion to serve the unforgotten ones. Her passion in life is to empower others through the love of Christ.

LaTonja has worked in non-profit Christian organizations for over 18 years. She has a background in administration, volunteer services, working with people who have disabilities, and community outreach. LaTonja has a BA in journalism. LaTonja joined URM in 2007. She has worked in various position at the mission, which has allowed her to understand the needs of the people. She now oversees all aspects of men, women, and family emergency services. LaTonja is a strong advocate for helping women achieve their full potential. She believes in sisterhood and strives to bring peace amongst all women she meets.

LaTonja loves to travel and meet new people from all walks of life. LaTonja considers herself a foodie at heart and is always open to help broaden a person's pallet. LaTonja loves Jesus, her family, friends, and the unknown.

Yeilen Willis

Vice President, Human Resources

Yeilen Hernandez is a turnaround leader who helps bring out the best in others. She is passionate about life-long learning and tapping into the potential of her teammates. Her life mission statement is: To help people relate responsibly to God's grace.

For 15 years, she has successfully led human resources initiatives that have helped transform workplace cultures. Yeilen serves as Union Rescue Mission's Vice President of Human Resources, responsible for providing strategic leadership in planning, organizing, directing, implementing, and evaluating the Human Resources functions of the organization. Working at Union Rescue Mission, she is able to align her passion for social justice with her calling for Christian ministry. She earned a bachelor's degree in organizational management with a concentration in human resources from the University of La Verne and a master's degree in leadership and organizational studies from Azusa Pacific University.

She is married to her amazing husband, Jose, and they live in the San Gabriel valley with their children Matthew and Joseph. She enjoys dancing, laughing, and spending meaningful time with family and friends.

Rev. Albert Kae

Vice President, Men's Ministries

Albert is an ordained pastor within the Christian Reformed Church (CRCNA), and he joined the Union Rescue Mission as a chaplain intern after earning his M.Div. in 2015.

Prior to going into chaplain ministry, he graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. After working in Silicon Valley as a consultant and project manager, he received God's call to go into ministry. Albert is passionate about thinking through the theological implications of encountering Jesus Christ "outside the camp" (Heb 13:13)—whether on Skid Row or in the LA County jails.

His better half, Cici, calls him Al Pastor (like the taco). Together they have two wild boys, Nathan and Joshua—who take after their mom and love to create and use their imagination!

David Wood

Chairman of the Board

Board Member Since 2019

David Wood is a retired Executive Director and Senior Client Executive of JP Morgan Chase in the Real Estate Banking Group. In that roll, he cultivated and managed relationships with top tier institutional and private real estate developers/investors and provided comprehensive solutions for their debt, capital markets and commercial banking needs. David’s career in commercial real estate finance and banking began in 1979 at Chase Manhattan Bank in New York. In 1980, he was asked to relocate to Los Angeles to help establish the bank’s first real estate loan production office outside of New York City. During his long tenure with the firm, David served in a variety of senior positions including Director of Commercial Property Lending, Regional Executive for the Pacific Coast, and National Head of Underwriting for Real Estate Banking. He is a former member of a number of local and national real estate organizations and has served on the Board of Directors of the Urban Land Institute-Inland Empire Chapter; Free-N-One, a national substance abuse prevention program; and the Board of Trustees at West Angeles Church of God In Christ. Currently, David is an author, mentor and advisor with a commitment to promote faith-based financial literacy and is active in the pursuit of solutions to end homelessness. He is a native Bostonian and a graduate of Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree in finance. He loves to cook, earned a degree in culinary arts, and ran his own catering company for a short period of time. David and his wife Lorene have been married since 1980. They have two adult sons, Christopher and Jordan, and two grandchildren.

Steve McKenzie

Vice Chairman of the Board

2021 - Present

Steve McKenzie is the founder and managing partner of Channel West Group, a boutique real estate investment and advisory firm based in Malibu, California. Channel West makes investments in hotel & resort, residential, and industrial properties via direct property acquisitions, debt vehicles, and ownership of operating platforms. Primary focus markets are the Western U.S. and Hawaii. Prior to founding Channel West Steve was a Partner and Managing Director of the commercial real estate investment banking firm Eastdil Secured. He has been active in commercial real estate finance and investments since 1986 and has invested in or arranged over $10 billion of property over the course of his career. In addition to the Union Rescue Mission Board, he is also on the board of directors of the Children’s Tumor Foundation. He received his B.A. in Economics from Wheaton College. Steve and his wife Alyson are the parents of three children and reside in Malibu.

Caryn Ryan

Programs Chair

2008 - Present

Caryn Ryan is the Founder and Managing Member of Missionwell LLC, a virtual business office encompassing accounting, finance and human resources and strategy services for non-profits and religious organizations in Southern California and, increasingly, nation-wide. She was previously the Chief Financial Officer for World Vision International, responsible for their microfinance operations, global field financial operations, governance, compliance, an emerging shared services unit for accounting/reporting and establishing a world class global Treasury center. Prior to that, she spent 20 years with Amoco Corporation and BP plc (which merged in 1998). Key positions included CFO of the Oil Trading International business based in London, England, VP Finance for Amoco’s retail and commercial marketing operations based in Chicago, IL and business development roles in both Houston, TX and Moscow, Russia. Caryn has an MBA from Northwestern University and an undergraduate degree from Albion College, from which she received an Albion College 2021 Distinguished Alumni Award. She sits on the board of directors of Union Rescue Mission, dedicated to eliminating homelessness in Los Angeles County, and chairs the Programs Committee and serves on the Executive Committee. She is also a director of a southern California credit union, where she chairs the Business Development and Board Risk Management Committees, serves as Secretary of the corporation, and assists with strategy and governance best practices. She is a past President/Finance Committee Chair of La Canada Presbyterian Church, and past board member of Oasis USA, which focused on poverty alleviation in India and human trafficking. Caryn enjoys being a resource to the non-profit community, teaching courses at the Center for Non-Profit Management and Christian Leadership Alliance on financial sustainability and governance. She has two wonderful adult children living and working in Seattle, spends time hanging out with her rescue dog, Russell, and enjoys traveling the world to visit dear friends and see new places.

Evan Taranta

Philanthropy Chair

2021 - Present

Evan Taranta has had a long career in public policy and government affairs. She currently leads public affairs and partnerships at Better Place Forests, a conservation start-up in the end-of-life space. She has previously worked as an in-house lobbyist for Fortune 500 companies like Target in Minneapolis, MN and Apache Corporation in Houston, TX. Prior to that she was the Legislative and Policy Director for Consumer Energy Alliance. She started her career in Washington, DC as a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill. Evan graduated from Duke University where she was a member of the women’s varsity volleyball team. She earned a double major in Political Science and Public Policy Studies with a minor in Spanish. She is passionate about homeless policy and finding real solutions that help the most vulnerable in our community. Evan and her husband Ethan are raising four young children in Los Angeles. They are active in the St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Community in Westwood. Evan also volunteers at their parish school and as youth sports coach and referee. Her hobbies include driving her kids to their hobbies, skiing, and playing beach volleyball. She also enjoys competing in sprint triathlons.

Eugene Tsai

Board Member

Since 2021

Eugene Tsai is an orthopedic hand surgeon. He received his undergraduate and medical doctor degrees at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After also completing his orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Michigan, he spent an additional year of training in hand and microvascular surgery at the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2006 and currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center. He has been actively involved in Cub Scouts, San Marino Community Church, various youth sporting and musical groups as well as Special Olympic events including the World Games in 2015. Eugene and his wife, Julie, have resided in the San Gabriel Valley since 2000. They have two children, Danielle and Zachary.

Sheryl Kataoka Endo

Board Member

Since 2023

Sheryl Kataoka Endo is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Population Behavioral Health, at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior. As a child psychiatrist and health services researcher who has provided mental health care in school-based health centers to students and families, she has focused her research on improving the access to mental health care in schools for ethnic minority youth and their families living in under-resourced communities. For over two decades, she has partnered with school systems to develop interventions for youth who have been exposed to trauma and has worked to provide early identification and treatment to those in need. She has also served as Training Director for the UCLA Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, a two-year training program for those physicians subspecializing in child psychiatry. Sheryl has also served in leadership positions for the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, and as a committee member for the National Academy of Sciences. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles and her Medical Degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C. She completed her Residency in General Psychiatry at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the UCLA Semel Institute. Sheryl and her husband Richard Endo live in Cheviot Hills in Los Angeles and have two adult daughters, Elizabeth and Emily. Sheryl is actively involved in her church, St. John’s Presbyterian Church, having served as an elder and deacon and currently serving as Board Chair of the St. John’s Presbyterian Nursery School.

Jackie Lacey

Board Member

Since 2023

Jackie grew up in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles in a working-class family. Her father was a laborer for the city of Los Angeles and her mother was a cook for the LA Unified School District. She has one younger sister, Carol. After graduating from Dorsey High School, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UC Irvine and a law degree from USC. She was the first in her family to go to college. With her infant daughter in her arms and her 2-year-old son and her husband by her side she was sworn in as a licensed California lawyer in 1983. In1986, she started as a prosecutor in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. During her tenure, she was a prolific trial lawyer who made history in 1998, when she obtained a murder conviction against white supremacists who killed a man in Lancaster because he was Black. It was the first conviction under a newly enacted California hate crime statute. After spending years working in the courtroom, she decided to run for office. In November 2012 she was the first woman and the first Black to be elected District Attorney in its 160-year history. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office is the largest county prosecutor’s office in the nation with 1,000 lawyers. She was re-elected again in 2016 without opposition. While District Attorney, she created the Criminal Justice Mental Health Taskforce. She published the “Mental Health: Blueprint for Change.” She received an award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for establishing an academy to train law enforcement on de-escalation techniques. She created the first Human Trafficking Unit. She established the first Complex Child Abuse Unit. She served as a mentor to several girls and women who later went on to pursue careers in the legal field. She retired from public service in December 2020, after losing her re-election bid. She was raised in the church. At 11 years old she was baptized at Trinity Baptist Church in Los Angeles. She is a member of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch. At Shepherd, she and her husband were Life Group Leaders for 10 years. They were supporters of the Union Rescue Mission. She and her husband, David were married for nearly 42 years. He passed away in 2022. They have two adult children. She enjoys walking, reading, and spending time with her family.

Scott Watt

Board Member

2000 - 2018, 2020 - Present

J Scott Watt became a member of the Union Rescue Mission Board of Directors on February 28, 2000. He is currently Executive Chairman of the Board of Watt Companies. Scott joined Watt in 1976 as Senior Vice President of Forward Planning. Prior to joining, Scott founded and led Scottfield Building Corporation, a company that built more than 1,000 residential units and a shopping center during its six year history. During his time as SVP of Forward Planning, Scott completed $50 million in office buildings, shopping centers and industrial building development. In 1986, he became President of W & B Builders, parent to several Watt subsidiaries. Under his leadership, the division completed over a million square feet of commercial and industrial properties during a three year span. Scott took over as Chairman of Watt Companies in 2009 and has successfully engineered the transition from Founder to 2nd generation. Watt Companies has grown from revenues of $117,000,000 in 2009 to $174,000,000 in 2014. Scott is a graduate of the University of Southern California and holds a Master’s Degree in Education, with an emphasis in counseling, from the University of Miami. Scott is, or has served as, a Board Member for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, Chairman for Christian Associates Los Angeles, and the Board of Brentwood School. He was a chapter chairman of the Santa Monica Bay Chapter of the Y.P.O. He is currently a member of the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work Board of Directors, the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate Executive Committee, the USC School of Business Advisory Board and a past member of the USC Alumni Executive Board of Governors. Scott is also an Elder at Beverly Hills Presbyterian Church. Scott has four boys; James, Donny, Kanaga, and Dax, with his wife Obaida.

Helen E. Williams, EDD

Board Member

Since 2022

Helen Easterling Williams has spent over 30 years building effective educational communities. Helen is a transformational and disruptive innovator that uses technology, emotional intelligence, and external partnerships to effectively lead diverse populations to thrive in their purpose while being culturally and financially healthy. A collaborative leader, she is known for making data-driven decisions that focus on market, margin, and mission to insure productivity enhanced with social responsibility. She has held several leadership roles at the intersection of teaching, social responsibility, and corporate management.

D. Michael Van Konynenburg

Board Member

Since 2023

D. Michael Van Konynenburg (“Mike VK”) is President of the global real estate investment banking firm Eastdil Secured. At Eastdil Secured, he is responsible for overseeing numerous large, real estate transactions including financings, joint ventures, sales, and M&A transactions for institutional real estate owners and lenders. Eastdil Secured arranges over $200 billion of capital market transactions globally each year. Eastdil Secured has offices in the US, Europe, and Asia. Mr. Van Konynenburg was formerly the President and Chief Executive Officer of Secured Capital Corp (“SCC”), a real estate investment banking firm that he co-founded in 1990. SCC merged with Eastdil Realty in early 2006 to form Eastdil Secured. In 1997, Mr. Van Konynenburg also co- founded and served as the CEO of Secured Capital Japan (“SCJ”), an Asia based, real estate private equity platform which subsequently went public in 2003. Prior to co-founding Secured Capital Corp, Mr. Van Konynenburg was a Senior Vice President in Drexel Burnham Lambert’s CMBS and High Yield Bond divisions in Beverly Hills, where he was responsible for trading and structuring various CMBS securities and real estate financings for non- investment grade corporates, as well as trading distressed mortgages. Mr. Van Konynenburg graduated with highest honors from the University of California at Davis with a bachelor’s degree in Managerial Economics. He is a founding board member of the Ziman Center for Real Estate at UCLA Anderson School of Management and a member of Real Estate Capital Policy Advisory Committee (RECPAC). He is a governing trustee of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), and actively involved with the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles.

Josh Hamilton

Board Member

Since 2023

As Senior Vice President of Lending, Josh Hamilton oversees Century’s affordable and workforce housing lending platform. He is a seasoned professional with more than 15 years of experience in affordable housing finance. Mr. Hamilton graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a degree in Political Science. Upon graduation, he served in state government as a California State Senate Fellow, and a legislative analyst, with a focus on affordable housing and local government policy. Additionally, Mr. Hamilton earned a Masters in Real Estate Development through the School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. He currently serves on the Housing Commission for the City of Santa Monica.