Board of Directors

HOPE's policies and major financial decisions are made by a volunteer Board of Directors whose members are people from the community and include individuals with developmental disabilities, family members of those we serve, business owners and local leaders. Board meetings are held on the 4th Thursday in January, April, July and October; committee meetings are held monthly or as needed. If you are interested in volunteering on HOPE’s Board of Directors please review the Board Members Expectations and Commitment and complete our Board Application.

HOPE's Board Members come with an amazing range of experience and expertise.  Each of them gives generously of their time and financial resources in the support of our programs.  Learn more about this wonderful group of individuals below.    

Barbara Robinson
Board President

Barbara has a long history with HOPE and the developmental disabilities services system, and she currently serves as HOPE's Board Vice President. Barbara has been with the Board for over 10 years, during which time she has served in a variety of executive and committee capacities.  Barbara is very familiar with our resident population, having worked in a developmental center, various regional centers, and as a consultant to regional centers in a variety of capacities--from client fiscal management to the creation of various training modules. She has also provided consulting services to other housing organizations. Barbara lives with her husband in Huntington Beach and enjoys retirement by volunteering for a variety of community and international nonprofit organizations. 

Mead Duley
Board Vice President

Mead has been with the HOPE Board for more than 3 years and is a resident of Torrance.  Currently Mead is employed at American Honda Motor Company where he has worked as a shipping and receiving clerk for several years. Mead has a love for sports, including bowling, basketball, baseball, and track among others, and he participates as an athlete in Special Olympics events on a regular basis.

Bob Irlen, Esq.
Board Secretary

Bob has been with HOPE for more than 10 years and currently serves the Board as its Secretary.  He is a member of the Executive Committee and also participates in the Tournament Committees. Bob has also worked extensively with the Harbor Regional Center (HRC) Board, also having served as its President, and currently serves as a HRC Board Advisor. Bob lives in Long Beach with his family, including his wife Helen and son David, and he works as the CFO and corporate counsel for the Irlen Institute which treats a visual perceptual dysfunction for people with learning disabilities, light sensitivity, and migraines among other conditions. More information about the Irlen institute can be found at www.irlen.com.   

Jim Haney
Board Treasurer

HOPE was honored in 2019 to have such an accomplished community member join our Board of Directors. Jim Haney has been a long-time supporter of HOPE and our mission. Mr. Haney is a 33 year veteran of the banking industry. He began his banking career in 1985 at Bank of America. He is an alumnus of the University of Utah and lives today in Manhattan Beach. Currently Mr. Haney also sits on the Board of the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges. 

Nori Dempsey

Board Member

Nori has been with the HOPE Board for more than 3 years and currently serves the Board as its Vice President. She is an active participant and volunteer for the HOPE Tournament. A graduate of Cornell University, Nori lives with husband and three children in Rolling Hills Estates. Nori is very active with the South Bay Down Syndrome Association and hosts fundraising events on a regular basis at their business: Pelican Parts. Nori enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her busy family.  To learn more about the South Bay Down Syndrome Association visit www.SBDSA.org and to learn more about Pelican Parts visit www.PelicanParts.com.  

Sandra "Rita" Teodoro
Board Member

Rita is a long-time Board Member and HOPE resident, who lives with her housemate in HOPE's Bellflower triplex.  Rita has been living in her current HOPE residence since 2011.  Rita is self-described as a very social person. She has been working with the same Life Steps SLS (supportive living service) provider for nearly 20 years now, and she is very proud of her independence. Rita has two adult daughters and one grandson with whom she enjoys spending time. Rita also enjoys time with her long-time boyfriend engaged in activities like eating out, shopping, and sightseeing. 

Robert E. Wasserman
Board Member

Robert has been with the HOPE Board for more than 3 years and is active in both the Finance and Tournament Committees. Robert brings incredible real estate expertise to HOPE as the President and CEO of Wasserman Commercial Real Estate which specializes in commercial real estate services, office, and industrial consulting services, investment sales, and investment sales consulting services. More information about Wasserman Commercial Real Estate can be found at http://www.wassermancre.com/. 

Brandon Osborne

Board Member

Brandon joined the HOPE Board in 2023 and has been a HOPE resident for the past 8 years in his Independent Living home in Long Beach. He has been actively supporting HOPE during our fundraising events including being a spokesperson for HOPE’s 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic in 2019, and our campaign spokesperson for our End-of-Year Giving Campaign in 2020. He has been a custodian at Harbor Regional Center for over 10 years. He grew up in Carson and enjoys hanging out in the park or playing basketball with his friends. He strives to empower his fellow HOPE residents to achieve independence and follow their dreams.

ADVISORY BOARD

James Frawley
Advisory Board Member

James brings a range of experience including having served as an HOA Board Member, a member of his children's school finance committee, and he is also a devoted Rotarian. James was instrumental in shaping HOPE's investment policy, helping to ensure the long term success of HOPE and its mission. James lives in Westchester with his wife and three children. His pastimes include spending time with family, fishing, and golf. James is a Partner and Co-founder of Westside Investment Management, LLC and heads the Santa Monica office. They deliver customized services that address their clients' unique, comprehensive financial needs, incorporating a total wealth management approach that features everything from financial and retirement planning to legacy planning and charitable giving. More information about Westside Investment Management can be found at www.westsideim.com. 

Janie Honeycutt
Advisory Board Member

Janie previously served as Principal at Honeycutt Training and Consulting, where she specialized in developing programs for organizations, with an emphasis on effective communication, and she has played an integral role in the bottom-line success for organizations that she served. Janie has over 18 years experience in the training and communication field and specializes in facilitating training and development programs using multiple adult learning principles and instructional methods. Currently she works with American Honda Finance Corp. in Business Transition Management where she focuses on developing internal communication and change implementation plans that include development of company videos and other curriculum for processes, procedures, and system changes. More information about Janie can be found on LinkedIn.   

Jim Artiano, Esq.
Advisory Board Member

Jim is Principal at Artiano and Associates in Torrance where he works alongside his wife Linda. Artiano and Associates is one of the South Bay's largest firms and since 1984 they have provided a range of law services including business, real estate, general litigation, estate planning, and family law. More information about Artiano and Associates can be found at www.artianolaw.com.   

Richard Schwartz, Esq.
Advisory Board Member

The Law Office of Richard O. Schwartz, in Huntington Beach, works with families affiliated with Regional Centers on a variety of conservatorship and special needs trust matters, and Richard provides regular consultation through Harbor Regional Center to families in the areas of conservatorship and estate planning. Richard also works on behalf of regional centers and their clients living in State Developmental Centers in the efforts to help transition people with developmental disabilities into a less restrictive community setting, like the homes provided by HOPE. Richard lives in Huntington Beach with his wife.