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“Happy Holidays from me and Sissy! We are wishing everybody lots of love this holiday season. We wouldn’t have made it this far without your support. We are looking forward to our first Christmas in our own home – we even got a tree!”
– Sharon & Sissy
Suzanne Edwards-Acton joined The People Concern in November 2022. She holds a Master of Pastoral Ministry and a Master of Education Leadership. She has an extensive background in education, leadership, and equity-focused initiatives. Before joining The People Concern, she worked as a Middle School Principal, the Director of Jubilee Year Los Angeles, the Field Director for the Los Angeles Urban Teacher Residency, and the Director of Equity Initiatives for Community Partnerships for Teacher Pipeline at the Center for Collaborative Education. Suzanne is committed to fostering inclusive environments and ensuring equitable opportunities for all.
Patricia Lopez has dedicated 28 years to social services including 25 years at The People Concern. She oversees the Finance, Facilities Operations, Procurement, Information Technology, and Administrative departments. Patricia also oversees Member Services, which includes Money Management, Arts, Public Facilities, Food Services, and K-9 Programs. Her leadership philosophy is inspired by Mother Teresa’s words: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
Kait Peters began volunteering with The People Concern before joining the staff in 2010. She holds an MBA and is a contributor to Forbes.com. She is also a participant in the California Anti-Racism Alliance. She leads Programs and Compliance, ensuring that services remain high-quality, client-centered, and effective.
Julie DeRose, ATR, LMFT, has been with The People Concern for nine years. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a registered art therapist with extensive experience in mental health, trauma-informed care, homelessness, and supportive housing. Julie leads the Coordinated Entry System, Outreach, and Permanent Housing teams, ensuring that people experiencing homelessness receive comprehensive services that lead to long-term stability. Julie is dedicated to creating innovative and person-centered solutions that empower individuals on their path to housing and healing.
Jonathon Harris has 20 years of experience in human resources, operations, safety, payroll, benefits, and recruiting, with 14 years in senior leadership roles across nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Jonathon has been with The People Concern since early 2022 and oversees Employee Relations, Recruiting, Benefits, Safety, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Engagement, Learning, and Administrative operations. Jonathon is passionate about fostering a positive and inclusive workplace. His leadership is guided by the words of Mohandas Gandhi: “I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”
Brooke Slusser, LCSW, has been with The People Concern since 2018. She oversees Access, Interim Housing, Mental Health and Harm Reduction services, Domestic Violence programming, and the agency’s clinical internship program. Before stepping into this role, Brooke served as Director of Mental Health Programs and has worked in the fields of substance use disorders and children’s mental health. Brooke first discovered her passion for social work while teaching High School English in New York City, where she started a poetry club that became a student support group. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in Education from The City College of New York, and a Bachelor of Arts from the College of William and Mary.
Angie Loch, LCSW, has been with The People Concern since 2017. She started as Director of Clinical Administration and Training before taking on the role of Chief Compliance Officer. Angie leads Client Relations, Clinical Quality Assurance, Compliance and Evaluation. She began her career as a mental health clinician in Metro and South Los Angeles before stepping into leadership roles focused on compliance and professional development. Angie holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Loyola Marymount University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. Angie is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of care and accountability in the organization’s programs. In her free time, she volunteers as an AYSO referee.
John Maceri has been with The People Concern for 25 years. A graduate of Western Washington University, John spent ten years in the for-profit sector before transitioning to nonprofit leadership. Before joining The People Concern, John served as the Executive Director of an AIDS service organization for twelve years, providing housing and support to people living with HIV and AIDS. John leads the Executive Leadership Team, as well as Development, Public Policy and Advocacy, Communications, and Housing Development. He believes in the power of perseverance, reflected in his favorite quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald: “One should be able to see that things are hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise.”
Since 1977, Sojourn has been meeting the emergency and long-term needs of thousands of domestic violence survivors each year. From our early beginnings as Sojourn Services for Battered Women and Their Children, we served the families of West LA as part of the Ocean Park Community Center team. When OPCC merged with Lamp Community in 2016 to create The People Concern, we became Sojourn Domestic Violence Services, a program of The People Concern. Sojourn continues evolving to this day, adapting to the needs of our clients and survivors everywhere.
A donation of appreciated stock, mutual funds, bonds or other appreciated assets can be an effective way to maximize charitable giving. Donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are actually giving 20% MORE than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation simply by avoiding capital gains taxes.
Please contact Josh Hertz at jhertz@thepeopleconcern.org or 323-334-9000 for more information about giving stocks. All inquiries are confidential.
Donating real estate to The People Concern can help us continue our work for years to come. Like with gifts of appreciated stock, making a contribution of property that you have held longer than a year can eliminate capital gains tax – in addition to alleviating the burden of maintenance costs, property taxes, insurance or selling the real estate.
Please contact Josh Hertz at jhertz@thepeopleconcern.org or 323-334-9000 for more information about property gifts. All inquiries are confidential.
Starting at the age of 71, you can direct disbursements from your IRA straight to The People Concern through a Qualified Charitable Distribution. IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions are excluded from gross income for federal income tax purposes on your IRS Form 1040, and the gift counts towards your required minimum distribution for the year in which you made the gift.
Please contact Josh Hertz at jhertz@thepeopleconcern.org or 323-334-9000 for more information about making a gift through your IRA. All inquiries are confidential.
The People Concern would be honored to be a beneficiary of your will or trust. Gifts can be a percentage of the balance remaining in your estate or can be a specified amount that is factored in. By making a bequest, you can plan a gift to us that will take effect only after your other obligations are fulfilled.
Please contact Josh Hertz at jhertz@thepeopleconcern.org or 323-334-9000 for more information about bequests. All inquiries are confidential.