STAFF

Benjamin Nguyen, LCSW, CPH - Managing Director, Programs and Operations

Benjamin Nguyen, LCSW, CPH - Managing Director, Programs and Operations

Benjamin H. Nguyễn, MSW, LCSW, CPH is a public health social worker with 15 years of experience in health and human services. Over the past 5 years, Ben has been involved with Westside Pacific Villages as a volunteer, geriatric social worker, strategy consultant for program design and external affairs, and secretary on the board of directors. His most recent work includes serving as a clinical specialist at the UCLA Semel Institute; overseeing regional training and technical assistance for various public health and community-based organizations on SAMHSA's national Opioid Response Network. Aside from this he holds leadership roles with the Southern California Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC), and the NASW Aging Specialty Practice Section--supporting community age-friendliness, aging-in-place, and geriatric community care management. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Social Work for Western New Mexico University (WNMU); and provides clinical social work and psychotherapy in private practice with special focuses on sexuality, gender, identity, culture, aging and adult development.

Elvy Crane - Manager, Office and Member Services

Elvy Crane - Manager, Office and Member Services

Elvy learned about WPV through a neighbor and started out as a volunteer.  She has loved being involved with WPV ever since and joined the staff in 2014.  As the primary contact for our members, Elvy enjoys talking with them to coordinate their transportation needs, friendly visits, errands and other service requests.  Elvy works closely with our volunteers to match their schedules and interests with client requests.  She also enjoys planning WPV social events.  Elvy and her family have been residents of Westchester for 20 years.  She enjoys entertaining, cooking, music, and movies.

Kathy Kyger - Coordinator, Programs and Administration

Kathy Kyger - Coordinator, Programs and Administration

Kathy has 20 years of Project Management experience and Finance and Sociology degrees from the University of Missouri.  She has been a resident of Westchester for 20 years and fell in love with WPV’s mission and began volunteering in February 2020.  She enjoys working with volunteer and client members to discover their own unique personalities and building caring relationships.  As a child her mother took her along on rides while doing Meals on Wheels, and this instilled in her the values to care for others, particularly older adults. She coordinates WPV’s special monthly deliveries, CAN (Call A Neighbor) Program and supports a variety of other WPV programs and operational duties.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carin Mavrosakis - Chair

Carin Mavrosakis - Chair

Carin Mavrosakis is a Director of Compensation, Talent Development and Training and Learning at Toyota North America with 20 years of corporate business experience as a Human Resources Professional. Carin has a passion for volunteering and helping those in need.  She volunteers often through Toyota in her local community, mentoring underprivileged youth and has a passion for the caring of seniors in her family and community.  Carin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management from Cal State Long Beach; she is a Texas/California native with her husband and two sons.
Ed Rodriquez - Treasurer

Ed Rodriquez - Treasurer

Ed is a Certified Public Accountant, whom has been practicing in Playa Del Rey for over 25 years. He is currently a principal in the CPA firm of Stump Davis Greenberg. He has been a past board member of the Southwest Explorer Scouts, Westchester YMCA, and LAX-Westchester Chamber of Commerce. He is a past officer and current member of the Westchester Rotary Club.

Carol Kitabayashi - Secretary

Carol Kitabayashi - Secretary

Carol served as WPV’s Executive Director for 10+ year from 2011 to 2021.  During that time, she was instrumental in helping the organization establish roots, grow, expand, and flourish. She developed the WPV CARES (COVID-19 Action Response for Elder Support) Program that ran for nearly 2 years during the pandemic.  Over 200 WPV clients received much needed support and assistance from over 300 volunteers through this free program.  Carol has also helped other villages get started in the L.A. County area and has been a strong advocate for the village model nationally.  She serves on the Board of Directors for Village Movement California, a statewide coalition of villages dedicated to bringing visibility to the benefits and value of villages.  Carol and her husband are long-time residents of both the Westchester and Culver City area.

Marcia Findley - Member

Marcia Findley - Member

Marcia is a retired librarian from Loyola Marymount University who received her MLS from Florida State University, and her BA from the University of Oklahoma. Other positions in her career were at the University of Notre Dame, Auburn University, Spring Hill College, and two U.S. Army post libraries in Mainz, Germany.  She is a 31 year resident of Westchester and one of the founding WPV Board Members.

Attellia (Tia) Otten  - Member

Attellia (Tia) Otten - Member

Tia is a long time resident of Playa Del Rey, having moved there after graduating from Oregon State University. She is a retiree from a major defense contractor where she was a Senior Manager in Engineering. She has strong program and project management experience and her expertise has been instrumental in helping to grow our organization. Tia is a former member of Westchester Rotary Club and the Westchester Family YMCA Board of Managers, and is a member of the Woman’s Club of Playa del Rey and P.E.O., a philanthropic educational organization.

Jody Onorato- Member

Jody Onorato- Member

Jody joined WPV as a vetted service provider nearly ten years ago and shortly afterwards became an enthusiastic volunteer as well. This was the same year she became involved in navigating and providing care for her ailing mother and became acutely aware of the challenges of findingthe support that was needed to assure safety and pece of mind. Born and raised in the Los Angeles area, she earned her BA in English Literature at CSUN, while working full-time managing a medical practice. She has been a docent at local nature centers, enjoys, gardening, traveling, visiting museums, cooking and never turns down an offer to try out the offerings at a new ethnic restaurant. 

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8939 S Sepulveda Blvd Suite 326
Los Angeles, CA 90045-3647

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info@thewpv.org

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