Board of Directors
Mercedes Young, Board Member & Executive Director
A life-long community advocate, Mercedes' work entails ecumenical collaborations, environmental sustainability, housing justice, racial justice and ability empowerment. Recent work includes: DEI taskforce; Pasadena Measure H for Rent Control and Just Cause Evictions; and preservation of 150 affordable apartment units in Pasadena, CA. In her spare time, she enjoys the simple things with her two small children.
A life-long community advocate, Mercedes' work entails ecumenical collaborations, environmental sustainability, housing justice, racial justice and ability empowerment. Recent work includes: DEI taskforce; Pasadena Measure H for Rent Control and Just Cause Evictions; and preservation of 150 affordable apartment units in Pasadena, CA. In her spare time, she enjoys the simple things with her two small children.
Kindred Gottlieb, Board Member & ASNTB Representative
Kindred Gottlieb is an early member of the Echo Park Time Bank and served on its first steering committee. After growing up in Los Angeles, she spent time in Amherst, Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, Mexico, and Berlin. Her experiences around the world have informed her passion to see Los Angeles become more socialized. The diversity of the city is the main draw for her and she feels strongly that public transportation, rent stabilization, and shared community space are the keys to maintaining and celebrating this diversity. Kindred is a sculptor and lighting designer and currently teaches art to children in Pasadena. She lives in Echo Park with her husband and daughter.
Kindred Gottlieb is an early member of the Echo Park Time Bank and served on its first steering committee. After growing up in Los Angeles, she spent time in Amherst, Seattle, New York City, San Francisco, Mexico, and Berlin. Her experiences around the world have informed her passion to see Los Angeles become more socialized. The diversity of the city is the main draw for her and she feels strongly that public transportation, rent stabilization, and shared community space are the keys to maintaining and celebrating this diversity. Kindred is a sculptor and lighting designer and currently teaches art to children in Pasadena. She lives in Echo Park with her husband and daughter.
Board Emeritus
Alicia Sterling Beach, Board Emeritus
Nancy Berlin, Board Emeritus
Nancy Berlin is the Policy Director for the California Association of Nonprofits, the former director of the California Partnership and a project coordinator of the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness. Nancy is the Loan Coach for the ASECO Community Revolving Loan Fund and brings decades of non profit management experience in the form of wise counsel and problem-solving in all of our efforts. Nancy is a well known to the California nonprofit and advocacy community and has been recognized with numerous awards including Outstanding Public Citizen of the Year Award from the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the Community Building and Justice Award from Alexandria House. She is co-editor of How to Get Food and Money: The People's Guide to Welfare and Other Services.
Nancy Berlin is the Policy Director for the California Association of Nonprofits, the former director of the California Partnership and a project coordinator of the Los Angeles Coalition to End Hunger & Homelessness. Nancy is the Loan Coach for the ASECO Community Revolving Loan Fund and brings decades of non profit management experience in the form of wise counsel and problem-solving in all of our efforts. Nancy is a well known to the California nonprofit and advocacy community and has been recognized with numerous awards including Outstanding Public Citizen of the Year Award from the California Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the Community Building and Justice Award from Alexandria House. She is co-editor of How to Get Food and Money: The People's Guide to Welfare and Other Services.
Janine Christiano, Co-founder, Board Emeritus
Janine Christiano is co-director of the Arroyo Seco Network of Time Banks and founded the Arroyo Time Bank based in the neighborhoods of Pasadena, Altadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and Northeast Los Angeles. She is also co-founder of the California Federation of Time Banks, a regional information hub and network for Time Banks in California. She helped launch the Altadena Urban Farmer’s Market to promote a local and sustainable food economy that also incorporated time credits. Janine is Program Coordinator at the Armory Center for the Arts and a proud resident of Pasadena.
Janine Christiano is co-director of the Arroyo Seco Network of Time Banks and founded the Arroyo Time Bank based in the neighborhoods of Pasadena, Altadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park and Northeast Los Angeles. She is also co-founder of the California Federation of Time Banks, a regional information hub and network for Time Banks in California. She helped launch the Altadena Urban Farmer’s Market to promote a local and sustainable food economy that also incorporated time credits. Janine is Program Coordinator at the Armory Center for the Arts and a proud resident of Pasadena.
David Cutter, Board Emeritus
Sarah McGowan Dear, Co-Founder, Board Emeritus
Sarah McGowan Dear has a degree in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a background in juvenile, social and restorative justice as well as non profit management. She helped create a national best-practices youth court in San Diego, founded a public art program for teens, and co-authored Teen Truth: Why Youth Have Something to Hide (2012). Her work for Arroyo SECO includes non profit development, grants, funding and programming. She developed, capitalized and manages the Community Revolving Loan Fund and its companion vehicle, the Local Economy Incubator. She is a Business Development Specialist with Women's Economic Ventures, the owner of Business Therapy, and the former Board President of the Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce (2011-2012). She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and daughter where she is a writer, business consultant, brand strategist, and incurable community-builder.
Sarah McGowan Dear has a degree in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz and a background in juvenile, social and restorative justice as well as non profit management. She helped create a national best-practices youth court in San Diego, founded a public art program for teens, and co-authored Teen Truth: Why Youth Have Something to Hide (2012). Her work for Arroyo SECO includes non profit development, grants, funding and programming. She developed, capitalized and manages the Community Revolving Loan Fund and its companion vehicle, the Local Economy Incubator. She is a Business Development Specialist with Women's Economic Ventures, the owner of Business Therapy, and the former Board President of the Silver Lake Chamber of Commerce (2011-2012). She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband and daughter where she is a writer, business consultant, brand strategist, and incurable community-builder.
Hector Gutierrez, Board Emeritus
Hector grew up in Bakersfield in the Central Valley of California, the state's agricultural heartland. Hector works on policies to increase participation in CalFresh and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. His work also focuses on supporting research and initiatives to increase water access in schools. Prior to joining California Food Policy Advocates in 2015, Hector worked as a food systems policy analyst supporting policies aimed at promoting better food environments and food access for underserved communities in LA. He received his Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and BA in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley.
Hector grew up in Bakersfield in the Central Valley of California, the state's agricultural heartland. Hector works on policies to increase participation in CalFresh and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. His work also focuses on supporting research and initiatives to increase water access in schools. Prior to joining California Food Policy Advocates in 2015, Hector worked as a food systems policy analyst supporting policies aimed at promoting better food environments and food access for underserved communities in LA. He received his Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA and BA in Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley.
Gilda Haas, Board Emeritus
Gilda Haas is an educator, organizer, and urban planner whose work is all about building a more fair and democratic economy. She taught in UCLA’s Urban Planning program for many years where she started their Community Scholars Program and in Antioch’s Urban Sustainability M.A Program. She is the founding director of Strategic Actions for A Just Economy (SAJE), and a co-founder of the Right to the City Alliance. Gilda is a member of the L.A. Coop Lab, a team that is dedicated to building capacity for worker coops in LA. Through her alter ego, Dr. Pop, she manages a popular education website (Dr. Pop), creates learning games about planning and economics, and consults with and coaches the next generation of leaders for a new economy. Look for her mobile coop lab truck in a neighborhood near you! Gilda lives in Los Angeles with her mystery writer husband, Gary Phillips; two adult children, Miles and Chelsea; and grandson, Silas-the-baby.
Gilda Haas is an educator, organizer, and urban planner whose work is all about building a more fair and democratic economy. She taught in UCLA’s Urban Planning program for many years where she started their Community Scholars Program and in Antioch’s Urban Sustainability M.A Program. She is the founding director of Strategic Actions for A Just Economy (SAJE), and a co-founder of the Right to the City Alliance. Gilda is a member of the L.A. Coop Lab, a team that is dedicated to building capacity for worker coops in LA. Through her alter ego, Dr. Pop, she manages a popular education website (Dr. Pop), creates learning games about planning and economics, and consults with and coaches the next generation of leaders for a new economy. Look for her mobile coop lab truck in a neighborhood near you! Gilda lives in Los Angeles with her mystery writer husband, Gary Phillips; two adult children, Miles and Chelsea; and grandson, Silas-the-baby.
Priscilla Hsu, Board Emeritus
Autumn Rooney, Co-Founder, Board Emeritus
Autumn Rooney is a Los Angeles based organizer and community builder. She is co-director of the Arroyo S.E.C.O Network of Time Banks operating within 21 Los Angeles neighborhoods. Autumn is also co-founder of the California Federation of Time Banks, a regional information hub and network for Time Banks in California. In 2013 she curated an educational video series on Time Banking and the sharing economy with speakers from Sustainable Economies Law Center, Time for the World and Ithaca Hours. Autumn’s background includes coordinating a recurring community-funded micro-grant for emerging artists called, “Artist Bailout,” a grassroots model for funding small creative projects through public meals. She has also organized several Time Bank projects including classes on conflict resolution, emergency preparedness and food swaps. Autumn is dedicated to developing community assets in order to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable city and state.
Autumn Rooney is a Los Angeles based organizer and community builder. She is co-director of the Arroyo S.E.C.O Network of Time Banks operating within 21 Los Angeles neighborhoods. Autumn is also co-founder of the California Federation of Time Banks, a regional information hub and network for Time Banks in California. In 2013 she curated an educational video series on Time Banking and the sharing economy with speakers from Sustainable Economies Law Center, Time for the World and Ithaca Hours. Autumn’s background includes coordinating a recurring community-funded micro-grant for emerging artists called, “Artist Bailout,” a grassroots model for funding small creative projects through public meals. She has also organized several Time Bank projects including classes on conflict resolution, emergency preparedness and food swaps. Autumn is dedicated to developing community assets in order to build a healthier, safer and more sustainable city and state.
