Board of Directors
Antonio Perez Jr.
CEO
Antonio Perez Jr. is currently the CEO of Warrior RESCUE, a 501c3 nonprofit committed to assisting veterans in housing, mental health and workforce development. Mr. Perez is the CEO for Blue Ribbon Mortgage. Antonio Perez Jr was the Senior Vice President for Community Development and Mergers & Acquisitions for Crossline Capital. Mr. Perez was a managing partner in a commercial equity firm Alternative Capital Lending. Mr. Perez was Senior Vice President of Finance for Building Optimizing Technologies and principal which is a high technology company for energy conservation for large commercial buildings. Mr. Perez Jr. was the National Ambassador for NAHREP and sat on the foundation of the National Board for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Mr. Perez sits on the board for the Aspire and FSA. Mr. Perez sat on the OC California Association of Mortgage Brokers as a Vice President.
SSG Perez served as an Operations & Intelligence NCO (11F40) in Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star in combat. A Perez attended University of Washington. Mr. Perez is an LUTCF. Mr. Perez is a DE Underwriter.
Charles Armijo
Vice President of Special Events
Charles Armijo epitomizes integrity, hard work and creative service in every detail of your real estate transaction. His real estate career began in 1999 and has since built a successful career in the title insurance industry for over 18 years in Orange County. Charles has extensive knowledge in Marketing and Sales and has a passion for Real Estate. His goal is to maximize his client’s performance by providing exceptional products and services that facilitate and expedite the closing process. From first contact, to the closing of your transaction, his mission is to provide a fully responsive, problem-solving environment that ultimately ensures successful closings.
Dr. Stephen Berger
Vice President of Mental Health
Stephen J. Berger, PsyD has worked in the mental health field for over 40 years. Since completing his Psychology Doctorate as a Clinical Psychologist in 1984, he has worked in numerous settings requiring specific expertise. These areas include Developmental Psychology, Neuro-Psychology, Rehabilitation Psychology, Forensic Psychology, and Clinical Psychology. Dr. Berger’s work experience includes maintaining a private practice throughout most of his work history, and working at California Developmental Hospitals, Private Rehabilitation Hospitals, and most recently at Patton State Mental Health Forensic Hospital which he recently retired from in 2018.
Dr. Berger completed his undergraduate education at Houghton College in Houghton, New York. He also attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois for 3 years doing graduate study in Theology and Psychology. He then earned his Masters and Doctorate at Biola University at the Rosemead School of Psychology in La Mirada, California.
Now being officially retired, I hope to spend more time learning the skills of furniture making, and writing several books I have been planning. I enjoy reading, the outdoors, hiking, and many other activities. My first love in Clinical Psychology is to help others better understand and mange their feelings of worry and sadness. Usually identified as Anxiety and Depression. I have been blessed with excellent training and wonderful opportunities that have over the past 40 plus years helped me to better understand, develop skills, and provide help to those veterans and their families needing support and mental health care.
Michael Choo
Vice President of Mental Health
MICHAEL O. CHOO, Previous Market President & Chief Executive Officer for Los Angeles For Healthcare Corporation based in Florida. Mr. Choo, Seasoned Healthcare C-Suite Executive with over 38 years of experience, primarily in senior executive roles. The breadth of my experience and expertise includes Operational Executive Management, Hospital Turnarounds, Hospital Acquisitions, and Ground Floor Start-Ups. He previously served as Principal, Managing Partner & President & Chief Executive Officer of Integra Healthcare, Inc., Principal, Managing Partner, & Chairman of The Board of Directors of Doctors’ Hospital of Shreveport, and Principal, Managing Partner & Senior Vice President of Operations for Ethicus Healthcare Management, LLC. Mr. Choo was also previously the Senior Vice President of Promise Healthcare, Inc. and Chief Executive Officer of Promise Specialty Hospital of Shreveport, a 146 bed JCAHO long-term acute care, acute rehabilitation, gerontologic and adult psych turnaround hospital located in Shreveport, Louisiana.
I have a specialized expertise in Hospital Turn-arounds and have shown a track record for demonstrating measurable and dramatic improvements to organizations. With a driven leadership focus, the teams I have provided leadership to have executed strategies to positively impact an organization’s financial status, operational efficiency, employee & physician engagement, quality, patient satisfaction and reputation.
He has vast experience in the clinical setting as well as the operational and organizational development & structure of hospitals and healthcare organizations to comply with State & Federal Regulatory agency guidelines. He held a previous position as the Chief Executive Officer of HealthSouth in Reno a 63 Acute Rehabilitation Freestanding Hospital in Reno, NV acting as Team Leader for the HealthSouth Surgical center, and HealthSouth Sports Clinic in Carson City, NV. He also has been the Vice President of NPSI with responsibility for 4 major hospitals in the Los Angeles and San Diego area, and Regional Chief Operations Officer of ARMS with responsibilities for 5 hospital turnarounds and 2 ground floor start-ups. In addition to his hospital management insights, Mr. Choo brings experience from the Acute Short Care, LTAC, Behavioral Health, and Acute Rehabilitation industries to the organization. Mr. Choo has completed his Masters degree in Business Administration from California Coast University.
Wesley Terry Esq.
Vice President of Legal Affairs
Mr. Wesley E. Terry is a practicing attorney and businessman in South Florida, focusing on government contract law, business law, and business relationships in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties. As head of Law Offices of Wesley E. Terry P.A. and CEO of Las Olas International Business Transactions, he has spent the past ten years supporting the growth of businesses from startup to financing and investments, contracting and compliance, expansion, mergers and franchising. He also handles all forms of business disputes and commercial litigation. His major accomplishments include franchising a fast food chain throughout the United Arab Emirates and Dubai, negotiating the funding for the construction of a domed soccer stadium in Belarus, and helping to establish many of the private security firm policies and procedures in Afghanistan.
Wesley was born in Atlanta, Georgia, joined the United States Marine Corps at 18, and went on to graduate from Florida State University in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Affairs with a concentrated study in Latin America. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and continued to serve as an Infantry Officer, Communications Officer, and Intelligence Officer. In 2001 he transitioned from active duty to the ready reserve force in order to attend the University of Miami School of Law, where he graduated with his law degree in 2005. His proclaimed biggest challenge in life was starting law school with a wife and two children, and completing law school with his family – plus additions – in tact. His most rewarding career experience was being assigned the Deputy Director Congressional Liaison for the Marine Corps from 2008-2009. His time spent on Capital Hill engaging with our nation’s lawmakers was “special.”
Wesley is looking forward to his upcoming retirement as a Major in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in May 2018, after a rewarding career as an enlisted man and officer. His combat tours include Desert Storm/Gulf War (1990), Somalia (1990), and Iraqi Freedom (2003). He also supported the war in Afghanistan as a private contractor from 2009 through 2012. It was government contracting that spawned his business career in 2009 when he took a fledgling startup private security firm in Afghanistan and built it into a $46 million company in 18 months, doing it the hard way as both an operator and executive. In 2011 he took that experience and purchased a small private security firm in Corpus Christi, Texas, then created a joint venture in Afghanistan – AMTEX Global Services – that took on 33 Department of Defense private security contracts in just 2 years. His company’s work also included security for the Port of Corpus Christi, numerous federal buildings and military installations across the United States, as well as armed security work for the DEA in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
In 2016 Wesley sold all of his shares in AMTEX to focus on the practice of law and the growth of Las Olas International Business Transactions, which focuses on acquiring contracts and operational funding for other government contractors. His most recent successes in support of small businesses were contracts for the supply of Russian aircraft parts to the U.S. government, and a NATO contract to provide aerial firefighting in Greece.
Wesley is a husband and father of four. A former college football player, he still maintains that baseball is the greatest game ever played and is enthusiastic about every minute of a 3-hour game. He also enjoys golf, soccer, horses, and jazz.
Wilfredo Trivino-Perez Esq.
Vice President of Legal Affairs
Wilfredo Trivino-Perez is the founding member of Trivino Perez & Associates, a West Los Angeles Boutique Litigation law firm. In addition to counseling his clients across a broad spectrum of law and litigation avoidance topics; he possesses over 16-years of litigation experience in matters relating to real estate, labor & employment and business litigation, as well as criminal defense. With such mastery of skill and experience acquired through his years in practice; it is no surprise that he is recognized as a leader in the legal community by peers, colleagues and judges.
Among other honors and accomplishments, he has been recognized by organizations such as the High Desert Bar Association, Legal Resource Group for his pro-bono community services, among others, and has been the recipient of AVVO's Client Choice Award where he has been ranked with a prestigious "Superb" Attorney rating. He has been awarded by The National Trial Lawyers with a “Top-100” Trial Lawyers designation. In addition to his active trial and litigation practice, he also serves as an active and certified Temporary Judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court, where he presides over small claims trials, civil harassment trials, unlawful detainer trials and traffic arraignment and trials.
Mr. Trivino-Perez was conferred a Juris Doctor from Whittier College School of Law in 2000, and a Degree in Gerontology from the University of Southern California (“USC”) in 1997. He is admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the all state courts of the state of California.
Maria Giuriato
Vice President of Government Affairs
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Ron J.Gapp
Vice President of Ministry
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James Lewis Perdue Jackson II
Director
Mr. Jackson, the founder and CEO of the X FACTOR GROUP, LLC, a film financing entity and TOJA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP a production company located in Beverly Hills, CA. has over forty years of experience in the entertainment industry. His expertise includes high fashion design, music, film financing and production. Additionally, he was the Development Director USA at Renegade Motion Pictures Corporation out of Toronto, Canada.
During the course of his career, Mr. Jackson has also worked for several prestigious law firms, prominent advertising and public relations companies, financial and entertainment corporations including Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Finley, Kumble & Wagner, Emmet & Chandler, Wickes Corp., Morgan, Warner, Leeds & Rhodes, Gray Advertising, Pacific Bell/PAC Telephones, and 20th Century Fox/ Spelling & Goldberg. At Platinum Gold Productions, Steve Cohen & Associates and LEG Records, he headed the Artists and Image Development Divisions.
As the owner of Jai et'Cie Haute Couture, Mr. Jackson's designs have been featured on national and international television award shows including Motown 25, the Emmy's, Grammy's and Image Awards, as well as in feature films. His designs have been published in the following magazines; People, Ebony Male, Essence, In Style and Life. He was costume designer for the feature films "Rendezvous" and "Pit Stop." At Platinum Gold Productions he was lighting director and costume designer for the Atlantic Records R & B group TROOP.
As founder and CEO of the X Factor Group, LLC he was the Executive Producer of the independent feature films "From the Outside Looking In" (2003) and "Michael's Method" he is also an established photographer and a successful concert promoter. In New York City, he was the Director of Entertainment/Food & Beverage at the World Famous Gershwin Hotel, where he was known for his fabulous theme parties. While in NYC he founded the X Factor Group, LLC and later returned to Beverly Hills, CA. to expand his business ventures, where for a short term, he was the Editor-at-Large for Celebrity Society Magazine. He is currently the Chairman of the Board for the Ava’s Heart Foundation, 1st Vice President/Secretary of the Beverly Hills Lions Club & Foundation. Co-founder of Vega and Perdue Enterprises Zimbabwe Ltd. Vega and Perdue Enterprises USA Inc
His philanthropic work includes Youth Net Africa USA. The organization provides food, clothing and scholarships to at risk children Internationally and in East Africa, for which he has received Congressional Recognition from Senator Diane Watson.
He also founded the Motown Alumni Cultural Society which promotes Black Culture through it‘s music. He is on the Board of Directors of The Msingi Foundation with Countess Marianne von Zastrow, which built and administers the Agricultural Secondary School in the village of Mtakuja, near Moshi, Tanzania, East Africa. Mr. Jackson is researching areas of Kenya to implement his plan to build a school.
He is an alumni of Yale University where he majored in Business Communications and he also attended the American Business Institute for computer sciences, graduating on the Dean's List.
Mr. Jackson is listed in the Marquis Who's Who in America, 2000 Millennium, 2001 - 2014 Editions, under Who's Who in the Entertainment Industry Executives Section. He is also listed in the Marquis Who’s Who in the World 2006 edition.
Javier Jimenez
Vice President of RE Acquisitions & Sales
Javier F. Jimenez has over 20 years of real estate investment banking experience and has completed over $2.5 Billion in sales, debt and equity transactions on behalf of foreign and domestic corporations, financial institutions and private real estate companies. Mr. Jimenez is founder and owner of Capital Investment Advisors a full service commercial and residential brokerage company. Capital’s mission is to provide the most comprehensive and specialized real estate solutions available in today’s market. Mr. Jimenez holds a Finance degree with honors from the USC Marshal School of Business. Prior to creating the Capital Companies, Mr. Jimenez served as a Vice President for Jones Lang LaSalle, a highly respected real estate investment bank on Wall Street.
Maria Kish-Filler
Vice President of Membership
Maria Alena Kish holds a Master of Public Health in epidemiology and has over 25 years’ experience working in public health and healthcare systems. While serving as executive director for the Cancer Detection Program at Scripps Cancer Center, she procured over $5.5M in grant revenue from the California Department of Health Care Services to oversee and coordinate a breast and cervical cancer screening program for San Diego and Imperial Counties. In addition to state-funded grants, Maria worked with community-based organizations such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the American Cancer Society to secure other grant funding revenue to implement community outreach and education to underserved communities. During her tenure with Scripps Cancer Center, Maria helped lead a California statewide initiative known as Assembly Bill 430 to secure breast and cervical cancer treatment services for low-income, uninsured women and men in California.
In January 2002, the state legislature approved the funding of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment through Medicare and remains the only program of its kind to serve all individuals regardless of their immigration status. While working on statewide cancer control initiatives, Maria was part of the lead team at Scripps Health that worked with the American College of Surgeons, Commission on Cancer to obtain Network Accreditation for Scripps Health Cancer Center. The first accreditation of its kind at the time in the region. Through that initiative, Maria received special commendation from the Commission on Cancer for exceeding system-wide standards for 5 all hospitals.
Before joining Scripps Cancer Center, Maria worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Department of Health Services through a San Diego State University Foundation grant to develop a statewide continuing medical education (CME) platform for medical providers working in immunization in California. From that original concept, the California Distance Learning Health Network was born and is now serving physicians and other healthcare workers throughout California to obtain required continuing medical education hours for their medical licensing.
In addition to working under grant contracts, Maria was a teaching associate at San Diego State University for 3 years, where she developed curriculum and exams and taught undergraduate level courses in human sexuality, health 101, and international health. Maria is also a published writer in the Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. At the beginning of her career, Maria worked for the AIDS Foundation San Diego, and San Diego State University student health services as a peer health educator.
Professional affiliations include: American Cancer Society; American College of Healthcare Executives; Rady Children’s Hospital; Susan G Komen for the Cure; and The Beach and County Guild, benefiting United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego.
Karl Kooser
Vice President of Chapter Development
Karl Kooser is the President of the Inland Empire Chapter in the Riverside/San Bernardino CA . The goal of RESCUE's chapter is to educate the veteran in their benefits, be a source for job placement, a referral place for mental health, to provide housing for veterans and to encourage leadership skills for veterans in their families, career positions and community.
Rachel Kozy
Vice President of Veteran Benefits
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Gerardo Martinez
Vice President of Legislation
Gerardo believes in the potential of every human being to change the world. With the right opportunity, training and passion any person can have a great impact. As a Chicago Native, Gerardo went on to study Engineering at the United States Naval Academy. After graduating, Gerardo served in the Marine Corps and then went on to lead in the corporate world. From leading staff sections in the Marine Corps, building divisions of a construction company, and assisting to create non-profits, Gerardo has a wide range of experiences to assist in building great relationships. While starting Triple Direct Leadership he noticed a gap in experiential learning where he saw a fit with his skills. He feels the greatest learning occurs with emotional responses to experience.
Donald Maxwell
Vice President of Asset Management
Currently, Don serves as Managing Partner at M.A.T. Consultant Group, which is a minority-owned consultant firm, which provides residential real estate disposition, technology, and other services nationally. With over 30 years in the real estate space, Don and his team have been uniquely positioned and qualified to assist Urban Markets with developing, implementing, managing and monitoring a comprehensive plan for the liquidation of residential properties and infill lots, and the stabilization of residential property values in Urban Markets.
Prior to forming M.A.T. Consulting Group, Donald was a Principal at Melco, Inc, a Minority Woman Owned 8a firm and Genesis Auction, a national real estate auction firm, where he was responsible for increasing the both company’s footprint within the corporate diversity sector, business development platform, strategic planning, and improving execution tactics and program within the Sales, Operations, and Marketing arenas. He was also responsible for developing and implementing business strategies to include Profit and Loss management that significantly impacted ROI.
President of a consultant company called Asset Serve Management where he led efforts to increase the minority lending practices of several mortgage companies by building start up multicultural lending divisions, introducing sales and operational disciplines throughout the organizations, developing strategic plans for partnerships with various participants. His clients included, Washtenaw Mortgage Company, Allied Mortgage Group, Maverick Residential Mortgage, First Guaranty Mortgage, Net Bank, SMI Mortgage and Prime Lending just to name a few.
Donald worked for Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) for over 12 years in a number of positions. As Director of Marketing, Single Family Mortgage Business, he was responsible for developing and leading the company’s sales and marketing efforts with the underserved lenders. His efforts included attending and sponsoring ten national and regional conferences with local and national trade groups. He also increased business opportunities for trusted advisors and lenders by delivering an estimated of $4.5 billion in loan production (27,000 loans).
Donald as Director of partnership office, he was responsible for developing long-term investment plan estimated value of 7 billion over five years to expand Fannie Mae capacity to deliver products and services supporting the housing priorities in the communities we served. He also leveraged private and public funds, identified and created low to moderate income mortgage products. Establishing and maintaining relationships with non-profit organizations, lenders, and public officials that addressed the housing needs of their underserved communities. Evaluated and recruited non-traditional partners to expand the volume and customer base.
When Donald was at Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae dealing with their REO dispositions. Initially as a Team Leader, Sales Manager and later as a National Director, he managed a staff of asset managers, Supervisors, and Managers responsible for asset sales on a national basis. Under his supervision his team achieved the following, successfully disposed of over 21,000 reo properties with an estimate in value of over 1 Billion, reduced credit losses to $70 million exceeding goal of below $130 million and reducing aged inventory from 10% to less that 5% of listed inventories.
Donald is a former National Football League and Canadian Football League Player. He is an active member of the National Football League Alumni. He is actively involved in community service, with the NFL Alumni. He is also active with various trade groups such as NAACP, NAREB, AAREP, NHREA, NREBA, NAR, and National Urban League. He a well known public speaker who is always asked to be a key note speaker at many conferences.
Don holds a BBA from Northwood University, with a major in Business Administration, Management. He has also completed the Northlake Colleges and Commercial College- Texas Association of Realtors.
Don spends much of his time on various committees and church-related activities, and serves as Teacher in the church marriage class at Friendship Baptist Church.
Jesse A. Medina
Vice President of Workforce Development
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Maykel Morales
Vice President of Technology Development
Maykel Morales has a very strong real estate and sales experience that includes; over 9 years of real estate experience with 2 years as a Franchisee/Broker, 7 years of real estate technology and over 16 years of sales. His team at Broker to Agent has successfully designed over 4,700+ websites, custom software, CRM systems, Online training centers and graphic designs for many leading real estate companies, teams and agents.
As the founder and CEO of Broker to Agent, Maykel believes in building strong business relationships by providing superior customer service, outstanding products, great training and support.
Denise Navarro
Vice President of Fundraising
With an academic and professional career in technology and management that spans over three decades, Denise Navarro has established herself as a respected business leader within the national federal government sector, and within area communities.
After earning an associated in applied science (AAS) in computer data processing, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in computer information systems and a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Denise dedicated herself to a career that began in 1984 supporting the federal government and commercial industries, before launching Logical Innovations, Inc. in November, 2006. Logical Innovations has provided technical, business, and administrative services for the federal government since 2006. Logical Innovations is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with operations in California, Florida, New Mexico, and Washington, D.C. Founded and 100% owned by President/CEO Denise Navarro, Logical Innovations specializes in financial and acquisition services, event/exhibits management, strategic communications/outreach, training/education, information technology, administrative services, and logistical support.
Logical Innovations was honored with the University of Houston – Clear Lake 2017 Community Partnership Award, named Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year in 2016 and 2017 by NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, and named Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year in 2015 by NASA Johnson Space Center. Logical Innovations has been recognized as One of Houston’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For from 2012 through 2019, with a National Award in 2019. For 2019, Logical Innovations is the SBA 8(a) Graduate of the Year for Houston District and Region 6 (Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma). Logical Innovations also received the 2019 Philanthropic Award from UH-Clear Lake.
As a testimony to her efforts, Denise was honored as Distinguished Alumna in 2017 by UHCL, with an Entrepreneurial Lifetime Achievement Award by the Houston Technology Center in 2017, named Small Business Person of the Year in 2016 by the U.S. Small Business Administration - Houston District, and Distinguished Alumna in 2016 by College of the Mainland.
Henry Park
Vice President of RE Financing
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Jorge Raziel
Vice President of Business Consulting
Jorge’s passion in life is to help business owners and the entrepreneurially minded create and live out their best life & business, and does so by consulting businesses, coaching business owners and speaking on stages around the world.
After working as an engineer for several years, Jorge decided to pursue his strong entrepreneurially interests and passions. Jorge launched a coaching, consulting and corporate training company, in 2011. He travelled extensively throughout major markets in the Western U.S., training hundreds of corporate employees and entrepreneurs in the areas of project management, emotional intelligence, communication, strategic planning, leadership, and the psychology of success. A sampling of his clients included: the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Department of the Navy, Department of Homeland Security, Youth Policy Institute, AIDS Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Hilcorp Energy, Hormel Foods; among others.
His entrepreneurial passion and abilities were the key reasons Jorge was invited to join the founding executive team of an e-commerce and merchant services startup in 2013, as a founding executive. He helped the company go from less than $1M to over $28M in gross sales in twelve months.
Recognizing the capacity for growth and power by combining e-commerce and online marketing, in 2015, Jorge started Leizar Media, a digital agency & consulting company dedicated to helping small businesses and startups establish an effective sustainable online strategy to generate more business by leveraging the power of social media.
In 2018, Jorge combined his 10 years of corporate training, entrepreneurial coaching and consulting experience into Apexx Machines, LLC. The Apexx Business Method was born out of that transition and provides a proprietary strategy consulting process to businesses and startups. Jorge is also the founder of the Quarterly Mastermind – Los Angeles – a one-day intensive that helps professionals and entrepreneurs alike create a powerful personal strategy to create a successful life in 90-day increments.
Jorge is an international speaker and speaks on the topics of the entrepreneur journey and the success mindset; he is the host of the “Designing Your Best Life” podcast found on Spotify, Stitcher, Google and iTunes. He sits on the board of Warrior Rescue, a nonprofit, committed to directly assist veterans with housing, mental health and work force development. Jorge holds a B.Sc. degree in Structural Engineering from UC San Diego; and is a graduate of an ICF certified coaching program, and Dale Carnegie Training. You can learn more about Jorge Raziel at www.jorgeraziel.com. You can learn about The Apexx Business Method at www.theapexxmethod.com. You can reach him at me@jorgeraziel.com.
JT Thompson
Vice President of Marketing
Rosana Trivino-Perez
Vice President of Clinical Health
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Dr. Lisa Vaughn
Vice President of Mental Health Protocols
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