Meet Our Team
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Who We Are
• Meet Our Team
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Diversity Equity & Inclusion
• Strategic Plan 2023
• Disability Inclusion
Team
It takes a whole team of people to make affordable housing happen. Meet our team below.
Kristin Martin
Executive Director
“I am motivated to passionately pursue HOPE’s mission because, at its core, we are in the business of creating opportunity. Knowing that I am a part of creating a home that enriches and empowers someone’s life in this way is what keeps me energized.”
— Kristin
Kristin Martin has led this organization in its mission to create stable, affordable housing for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 2012. He has 20+ years of experience in the I/DD service system and the affordable housing industry. He served as the Director of the Southern California Health and Living Project working on moving people into community housing settings and held leadership roles at Harbor Regional Center where he was involved in housing development, finance, and rehabilitation. Kristin has a B.A. from Cornell University and a Master's from The Claremont School of Theology.
Charles DeCuir
Chief Financial Officer
“I feel personally connected with HOPE’s values of learning and growth. I approach both the obstacles and successes life offers as a chance to learn and to grow. This knowledge allows me to be optimistic in my approach to HOPE’s work.”
— Charles
Charles DeCuir joined HOPE in January 2016. He has a broad knowledge base of the nonprofit sector, city government, HUD and grant writing. With over 20 years of experience in management and finance, Charles has worked as a Financial Consultant & Account Manager at Fohrman & Fohrman Inc and Grant Director & Financial Management Director in former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office. Charles studied at USC's Marshall School of Business and CSULA where he obtained a B.S. in Business Administration, and he has completed a post-graduate study in Leadership at USC’s Marshall School of Business.
Alice Vincent
Financial Compliance Consultant
“The meaning of equality is respect. To say you believe in equality, you must respect all people as your equal. At HOPE, our homes allow people with developmental disabilities to live with dignity as the valuable community members that they are.”
— Alice
Alice has been with HOPE since 2012. Her duties include supporting bookkeeping and annual audit activities. She received her accounting certificate from UCLA extensions. Prior to HOPE she worked for 20 years at the insurance brokerage M Advisory Group in Torrance and served as Vice President at Cogent Financial Group in Long Beach. Alice enjoys spending time with her grandchildren and is a local traveler who loves taking trips to Palm Springs and Las Vegas.
Lauren Quijano-Gin
Development and Communications Manager
“As a health advocate, I understand that having safe and affordable housing is crucial for our communities to thrive. I am proud to be a part of HOPE in advancing our mission. We work to ensure that the people we serve can live happily and healthily.”
— Lauren
Lauren Quijano-Gin joined HOPE in September of 2019. Her role as Development and Communications Manager includes creating compelling communications content for the organization and assisting with fundraising campaigns and events. Lauren previously worked as a health justice community organizer with a public interest law firm in New York City and brings extensive experience serving nonprofits and city agencies in the areas of public health and housing. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Public Health Policy and International Studies from UC Irvine.
Chelsea Gary
Senior Accountant
“I am a firm believer that a secure and comforting home will aide so much in a person’s success. I am very proud to be a part of a company that is making it their mission to create a safe and secure environment for our residents.”
— Chelsea
Chelsea joined HOPE in February 2023. She manages the Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, banking and payroll with HOPE’s Finance and Accounting Department. Before joining HOPE, Chelsea worked as a Senior Staff Accountant and Marketer for food product companies including Veggie Noodle Co., and has previous experience working for nonprofit organizations where she worked as a caregiver for people with developmental disabilities. She attended McNeese State University. In her free time, Chelsea loves hiking, taking her dog to the park, playing sports and spending time with family.
Mike Vincent
Operations Specialist
“Working directly with our residents gives me the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives on a daily basis. HOPE allows me to be of service to the community, and to help those who need it most.”
— Mike
Mike Vincent officially joined HOPE’s Asset Management department in June 2023, coordinating maintenance and support needs for our properties and our residents. He is now HOPE’s Operations specialist, working behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly. He is a self proclaimed jack of all trades, and has worked as an ASE Certified Master Automotive Technician. He has a BA in Graphic Design, and he makes sterling silver jewelry. Mike has been known to repair just about anything and loves the outdoors, is an aspiring musician and collector of musical instruments, and has had his artwork shown in professional galleries.
Irene Estrada
Compliance Consultant
Irene Estrada joined HOPE in Winter 2025, serving as our Compliance Consultant to support the needs of maintaining our compliance for rents and HUD buildings. Irene also ensures the fiscal health of all HOPE homes by ensuring residents have the support they need to continue their affordable housing, and maintains the recurring annual reporting and supports with inspections so HOPE homes are in the best shape possible. Irene brings extensive experience and expertise in compliance from her previous work with property management companies serving the South Bay. Irene loves to spend her free time with her family and setting up her mountainside cabin.
OUR PARTNERS
Burnham Benefits Insurance Services
HOPE is proud to work with Stephanie Nguyen-Yu, Senior Account Executive, and Shannon Corcoran, Account Manager of Burnham Benefits Insurance Services. Stephanie and Shannon service HOPE’s health plans and additional benefits for staff members, so we can better take care of our residents and clients. Burham benefits offer unique solutions to support HOPE in engaging with our clients, employees, and partners. For more information, contact Stephanie Nguyen-Yu at nguyen-yu@burnhambenefits.com.
Pacific Accounting & Business Services
Since July 2021, HOPE has been proud to partner with Pacific Accounting and Business Services (PABS) for our accounting needs. From start to end, PABS empowers our community by assisting with HOPE’s financial framework. PABS's work includes managing accounting services, supporting audits, tracking funds, preparing reports, and providing year-end financials. PABS provides an affordable reporting system that holistically covers factors like – insightful reporting, document retention, and crystal-clear transparency. For more information, visit www.pacificabs.com.
Deaka McClain
Deaka McClain is a lifelong social justice advocate, public speaker, and mentor who, having been born with cerebral palsy, knows firsthand the power of positive change and the value of using one’s voice. No one title fits Deaka. She is a motivational speaker, self-advocacy coach, mentor, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion trainer, and servant leader. Recently Deaka is the Vice Chair of the Self-Determination Advisory Committee for Harbor Regional Center, where she’s served since 2021. She is the former Board Secretary and former Vice Chair of Disability Rights California, where she’s served since 2015, and she continues in her role as Commissioner for the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities, where she’s held a seat since 2021. After earning an A.A. Degree in Liberal Arts from Harbor College, Deaka received her B.A. Degree in Journalism and then her Masters in Public Administration in Urban Affairs at California State University, Long Beach.
Sally Jue, MSW
Sally Jue is nationally known for creating engaging and thought-provoking learning experiences that foster reflection, meaningful dialogue, and practical tools for sustainable individual, team, and organizational change. As an experienced facilitator, coach and consultant, she has worked with leadership and staff from a variety of nonprofit, government and for-profit organizations to optimize their effectiveness in creating more inclusive and equitable work environments. Sally is particularly passionate about developing the self-awareness of one’s implicit biases and the cross-cultural agility of individuals and teams so that they can more effectively navigate the cultural nuances of their organizations and communities.
Lisa Sueki
Lisa is an organizational development consultant working with clients in both public and private sectors, to develop their leadership, organizational culture, and teams. Her expertise spans from strategic planning, diversity, change management, and social justice. She is an adjunct faculty member at Cal State LA, teaching various undergrad and graduate courses: Diversity, Cultural Humility and Social Justice, Diversity and Intersectionality, Social Work Administration.