Leadership
BKRHC is led by a six-member Executive Board with fiduciary and legal responsibility for the operations of the organization and managed by a full-time professional staff. The work of the Continuum of Care (CoC) is maintained and conducted by a sixteen-member Governing Board, authorized by the Voting Members of the CoC to conduct the work and structure defined in the CoC Governance Charter. The Executive Board and Governing Board fulfill unique and important roles in managing BKRHC and meeting different corporate and policy requirements.
Executive Board
The Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative (BKRHC) Executive Board is responsible for appointing and overseeing the Executive Director, BKRHC finances, contracts and media relations, with the goal of ending homelessness in Kern County’s communities. The Executive Board was established in 2019. The nine-member Executive Board includes two representatives each from the County of Kern and City of Bakersfield, four subject matter experts and one at-large member appointed by the Governing Board.
Regular Meetings of the Executive Board are held on the first Monday of the month at 2:00 P.M. They are open to the public to attend.
Executive Board Meeting Agendas, Minutes and Materials are available here
Stephen Pelz
Chairman
Executive DirectorHousing Authority of the County of Kern
Carlos Baldovinos
Vice Chairman
Executive DirectorThe Mission at Kern County
Ryan Alsop
Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer
County Administrative OfficerCounty of Kern
Jacqui Kitchen
Secretary
Assistant City ManagerCity of Bakersfield
Carol Beecroft
Women's Center High Desert
Christian Clegg
City of Bakersfield
Louis Gill
Bakersfield Homeless Center
Russell Judd
Kern Medical
Jim Wheeler
Flood Bakersfield Ministries
Governing Board
The work of the Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative is maintained and conducted by a sixteen-member Governing Board, authorized by the Voting Members of the collaborative to conduct the work and structure defined in BKRHC’s Governance Charter. The Governing Board directs the work of BKRHC, conducts hands-on work and facilitates committees and task groups necessary for the proper and efficient functioning of BKRHC, the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Continuum of Care (CoC) program (Bakersfield/Kern County CA-604) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program support.
The Governing Board meetings monthly (except December) on the last Wednesday of the month at 9:00 AM. Meetings are open to the public.
A full list of Governing Board committees and working groups is available here.
More information regarding Governing Board Meeting Agendas, Minutes and Materials are available here.
Deborah Johnson
Chair
President/CEOCalifornia Veterans Assistance Foundation
Steve Peterson
CO-Chair
Director of ProgramsThe Mission at Kern County
Barbara Paulson
Secretary
Basic Needs ManagerBakersfield Homeless Center
Rhonda Barnhard
HMIS Lead Agency
Special Projects ManagerKern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Joshua Dhanens
Veteran Representative
County Veterans Services OfficerKern County Veterans Services Department
Juan Manuel Gutierrez
Homeless Consumer Representative
Jennifer Quinton
Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) Funding
Shelter DirectorWomen’s Center–High Desert
Curt Williams
Education Representative
DirectorKern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS)
Mari Perez-Dowling
United Way of Kern County
Heather Kimmel
Housing Authority of the County of Kern
Margarita Rosson
Clinica Sierra Vista
Diane Contreras
Flood Bakersfield Ministries
Kyler Dake
Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance
Barbara Vadnais
Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault
Mark McAlister
Kern County Department of Human Services
Amanda Ruiz
County of Kern Administrative Office
Staff
Bakersfield Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative is managed by a full-time professional staff, led by an Executive Director who reports to the Executive Board.
Anna Laven, Ed.D.
Anna.Laven@bkrhc.org
Rick Ramos
Rick.Ramos@bkrhc.org
Omar Malik
Omar.Malik@bkrhc.org
Stephanie Guillen
Stephanie.Guillen@bkrhc.org
Career Opportunities
At this time, there are not any career opportunities.