Lindsay Gervacio, Board President
With 15 years of experience in the non-profit and public health sectors, Lindsay Gervacio is dedicated to uplifting the health and well being of communities residing in Long Beach and surrounding areas. She has developed and managed culturally responsive community health programs utilizing stakeholder engagement and coalition building approaches. Her work is centered on the delivery of quality care for underserved and under-resourced populations, further deepening her interest in addressing health disparities amongst communities of color. Lindsay received her master’s degrees in Asian American Studies and Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Richard Feinberg, Secretary
I am currently the Vice President of Real Estate for Club Pilates Franchise LLC. My involvement with New Hope dates back over 20 years when I joined the board. After practicing law and owning my own business, I took over the responsibility for the day-to-day running of a nonprofit and teaching at a local Community College. My wide variety of skills were recruited for the board and applied to the writing of the Bylaws and Board Development, two areas where I continue to focus. After various Board positions, I served 2 years as President of the Board and currently serve on the Board as immediate Past President. My commitment to New Hope stems from a personal loss 20 years ago and the fact that an organization like New Hope did not exist when it was needed.
Cheryl Jones-Dix
Cheryl Jones-Dix is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her B.A. from Fisk University and her MSW from Smith College School for Social Work. She has worked in an administrative capacity as the Director of Dimock St. Pre-School in Boston, Massachusetts and the Lead Clinician managing out-patient mental health services at 3 sites for FHP, an HMO in Long Beach, Ca. After 16 years with the Los Angeles School District, she retired. She also was an Instructor at the USC Suzanne Dvorak-Peck School of Social Work. Currently, she continues her clinical work in her private practice of over 30 years.
Her interest in New Hope Grief Support began with her friendship with the founder Sue Beeney. Sue’s love and care for the hurting sparked Cheryl’s interest and desire to be supportive of New Hope’s work and programs since its inception. She looks forward to expanding that support as a member of the board to assist with the healing work being done.
Sarah Kirk
Sarah is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and maintains a private practice in Long Beach, California. She graduated from San Jose State University in 1998 with a Master’s degree in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. Since that time, she has had the pleasure of working with many adults, couples, children, adolescents and families in a variety of clinical settings. In 2016, she opened a private practice, where she provides counseling services to individuals and couples and specializes in grief and loss, maternal mental health and couples therapy.
Sarah has resided in Long Beach for over 25 years, where she raised her family and has been an active member of the community. She was personally touched by New Hope after the loss of her son in 2019. She has felt drawn to the mission New Hope holds in offering hope and healing to grieving individuals and families and feels honored to extend her support as a member of the board.
Katie Larson
Born in Long Beach and a graduate of UCLA, I am a full-time Realtor with Keller Williams Pacific Estates, a graduate of Leadership Long Beach, and currently serve as a Commission on the Long Beach Airport Advisory Commission. The community of Long Beach has so many excellent non-profit opportunities, and I have been fortunate to have served on the boards of Long Beach Basket Brigade and Young Horizons Child Development Centers. 5 years ago a colleague introduced me to David Leonard, and the mission of New Hope Grief Support, and we partnered on a citywide grief-focused event with Leadership Long Beach in 2017. The mission of New Hope moves me as everyone has, or will, experience grief, and it’s too seldom talked about. I benefitted from a grief support group in 2018, not long after my father passed away unexpectedly. This is a necessary organization, and I am honored to serve on the board to help spread the message and resources of hope and healing.
Claudia Ontiveros
Claudia is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in California. She received her Bachelors Degree from California State University, Long Beach with a double major in Chicano/Latino Studies and Spanish Linguistics. She obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago and a Masters in Education from City College of New York.
She has worked as a Special Education teacher in the Bronx, NY, a community mental health therapist in Los Angeles County and currently as a Psychicatric Social Worker in the department of School Mental Health for the Los Angeles School District. Claudia began as a volunteer with New Hope in 2017, facilitating school-based groups and leading healing circles in family camp. With her participation in the board, she hopes to help New Hope continue to grow and expand their services for grieving families in spanish-speaking communities.
Diane Spiegel
I was born in Massachusetts and transplanted to Southern California in 1970. Since arriving, my passion has always been serving with organizations whose mission is to help people with an illness or those requiring recovery of any kind. Over the years my time and resources have touched many charities in Long Beach including Ronald McDonald House, Miller Children’s Hospital, and now New Hope Grief Support Community. I experienced the death of my mom, dad, and brother. All humans will be touched by grief and I aspire to make a difference as a Board Member with New Hope ensuring that grieving people receive the care, hope, and healing they need.