Executive Management Team
St. Joseph Center’s work is overseen by a dedicated Executive Management Team that consists of President & CEO, Dr. Ryan J. Smith; Chief Financial Officer, Camille Gonzales; Chief Programs Officer, Laurie Craft, MPA; Chief People Services Officer, Mikelle Willis, MBA; VP of Compliance and Systems Implementation, Daniel Braun; VP of Administration, Keith Anyon; Chief Development Officer, Sharyn Church; and VP of External Affairs and Communications, Joi Richardson.
St. Joseph Center additional Leadership Team that consits of Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Operations, Ginneh Horsford; Assistant Vice President of Programs, Maia Eaglin; Assistant Vice President of Programs, Senait Johnson and Assistant Vice President of Programs, Mandy Sommers.
President & CEO,
Dr. Ryan J. Smith
President & CEO,Dr. Ryan J. Smith serves as the President and CEO of the St. Joseph Center in Los Angeles, CA. For almost fifty years, St. Joseph Center has been at the forefront of supporting working poor families, as well as unhoused men, women and youth across Los Angeles County. One of LA County’s largest service providers, St. Joseph Center’s mission is to provide working class families, as well as homeless men, women, and children of all ages with the inner resources and tools to become productive, stable and self-supporting members of the community.
Prior to joining St. Joseph Center, he served as the Chief Strategy Officer for Community Coalition—an organization founded by Mayor Karen Bass with the mission of transforming the social and economic conditions of residents in South Los Angeles and beyond. In this capacity, Dr. Smith spearheaded the organization’s strategy and power-building efforts. Notably, he managed the successful Make LA Whole anti-poverty campaign, securing over $200 million in city funds for high-need communities. Additionally, he acted as the executive lead for Community Coalition’s South Central Youth Empowered Through Action (SCYEA) program.
Before his tenure at Community Coalition, Dr. Smith served as Interim CEO and Chief External Officer for LA Unified’s Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, an organization supporting 15,000 students and their families in Watts, Boyle Heights, and South LA. In this role, Dr. Smith provided instrumental support in the development, communications, policy and advocacy, and family and community engagement programs. Notably, he founded the award-winning Parent College program, benefiting over 10,000 youth and families in marginalized communities by empowering them with knowledge of their rights, roles, and responsibilities. Before to these roles, Dr. Smith served as the Executive Director of The Education Trust-West and Vice President of Strategic Advocacy for the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization committed to closing opportunity gaps. During his tenure, he pioneered a community program providing financial and other resources to support community-driven advocacy efforts.
Dr. Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Doctorate of Education from UCLA. He is a recipient of the National Annie E. Casey Children and Family Fellowship and the Coro Fellowship in Public Affairs. A native Angeleno, Dr. Smith is the founder of the Love Letter LA Project, dedicated to uplifting and embracing the assets of marginalized communities across Los Angeles. His commitment to civic engagement is underscored by his recent receipt of UCLA’s first-ever Excellence in Civic Engagement Award.
Chief Financial Officer,
Camille Gonzalez
Chief Financial Officer,Camille Gonzalez joins St. Joseph Center as Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 30 years of expertise in accounting. For eight years as CFO at Para Los Niños, Camille oversaw remarkable organizational growth, doubling the group’s annual revenue from $26 million to over $52 million. She has extensive experience with city, state, and federal contracts, including those with LAHSA, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department of Children and Family Services.
Camille’s career is marked by her dedication to supporting Los Angeles nonprofits and public good organizations. During her eight-year tenure as CFO for KCET, she successfully navigated complex financial transitions, such as KCET’s departure from PBS and KCAL Channel 9 to Viacom. Her passion for community service was ignited during this time, inspired by a segment highlighting the pressing need for leadership in underserved communities.
Chief Programs Officer,
Laurie Craft, MPA
Chief Programs Officer,Laurie Craft joins St. Joseph Center as the new Chief Programs Officer. Laurie Craft is a passionate human services leader who has spent the past 15 years dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness in Los Angeles. Laurie previously served as the Chief Programs Officer at Hope the Mission, where she grew the agency’s program department from a handful of volunteers to over 450 employees and managed an operational budget of $52 million. She was responsible for 30 programs, including access centers, interim housing for individuals, families, and transitional-age youth, multidisciplinary outreach teams, housing services, and mental health and drug and alcohol recovery programs.
She also played a vital role in establishing a learning and development department that supported staff through ongoing training and coaching. Laurie is a former co-chair of the SPA 2 Homeless Coalition. She has received multiple honors, including Woman of the Year for the 18th Senatorial District for her commitment to professional and civic leadership and dedication to communities impacted by homelessness and income inequality.
Laurie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Chapman University and a Master of Public Administration from Grand Canyon University. She is thrilled to be a part of the incredible team at St. Joseph Center and is eager to contribute to the agency’s efforts to meet the needs of our most vulnerable and underserved neighbors.
Chief People Services Officer,
Mikelle Willis, MBA
Chief People Services Officer,Mikelle has over 20 years in nonprofit leadership, covering a variety of roles. Most recently, she was the Chief People Officer with Leading Educators, where she was responsible for driving the organization’s vision and strategy for the talent function as the organization grew to over 70 staff members. She also served as Chief Strategy and Operating Officer at the Partnership for LA Schools, where she was responsible for driving the organization’s long-term growth strategy while also overseeing the delivery of and capacity building around school and home office operations. In this role, she oversaw five functional areas: talent, finance, operations, technology, and legal strategy.
Mikelle earned her BS in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach in Long Beach, CA; her MA in Education from National Louis University in Chicago, IL; and her MBA from Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. She holds her Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Manhattan Beach, CA.
Chief Development Officer,
Sharyn Church
Chief Development Officer,Sharyn Church joins us as the Chief Development Officer, bringing over 20 years of invaluable experience in nonprofit, development, and business management. Most recently, Sharyn served as the Managing Director of Arabella Advisors Southern California, a renowned national philanthropic consulting firm. There, she guided high-impact nonprofits and individuals in strategy, advocacy, and impact investing, particularly focusing on cultivating networks of women and racial justice donors across Southern California.
Sharyn has been pivotal in fundraising and growing several prominent Los Angeles-based nonprofits, including the acclaimed Inner-City Arts. Under her leadership, the renowned arts center underwent significant transformation, earning the prestigious Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence. She has managed development teams and held leadership positions. A Los Angeles native, Sharyn holds a master’s degree in art history and museum studies and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern California, alongside completing the Executive Education Program at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. Her passion for racial and gender equity is evident in her volunteer and board work focused on economic mobility.
VP of Compliance and Systems Implementation,
Daniel Braun
VP of Compliance and Systems Implementation,Daniel Braun brings over 30 years of non-profit experience to the St. Joseph Center. He has spent most of his career working in the field of children’s services, developing a deep understanding of mental health services, supportive housing, and government contracts. Before moving into the non-profit sector Dan worked as a forensic economist developing economic-financial models for personal injuries and testifying in court. As St. Joseph Center’s VP of Finance & Chief Financial Officer Dan oversees the agency’s finance, budgeting, and mental health revenue teams.
Dan was born and raised in Missoula, Montana. He arrived in Southern California as a college student and made it his home. He earned an undergraduate degree from Azusa Pacific University and has an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management at Claremont Graduate University.
VP of Administration,
Keith Anyon
VP of Administration,Keith Anyon has served in leadership and Executive roles in the nonprofit sector for over 17 years. Prior to joining St. Joseph Center, he served as Director of Administration at Didi Hirsch Community Mental Health for several years.
Since joining St. Joseph Center in 2016, he has led efforts to diversify the agency’s workforce significantly, opening opportunities by receiving degree qualifications from certain positions; partnering with community-based organizations to seek candidates with lived experience with homelessness, mental health, substance use and/or justice involvement; participating in workforce development programs to widen pools of qualified candidates to enter the homeless services sector; and expanding the agency’s portfolio of internship programs, with multiple disciplines and with an emphasis on engaging colleges and universities with a significant population of first-generation college students.
VP of External Affairs and Communications,
Joi Richardson
VP of External Affairs and Communications,Joi Richardson joins St. Joseph Center as the new Vice President of External Affairs and Communications. Joi brings a wealth of experience in government and external affairs. She has recently served as District Director for Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager Dove (at the time State Senator) in one of California’s most diverse regions, encompassing Culver City, Mar Vista, Century City, and South Los Angeles. Joi’s leadership was instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 679, establishing the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency.
Joi’s career also includes significant roles with State Senators Steve Bradford and Lola Smallwood Cuevas, where she managed constituent services and communications. A native of Los Angeles and a Leimert Park resident, Joi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Prairie View A&M University and a Master of Arts degree in Kinesiology from San Jose State University.
Leadership Team
Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Operations,
Ginneh Horsford
Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Operations,Ginneh Horsford, originally from Trinidad and Tobago and a military child, brings over 14 years of experience as an integral Operations and Human Services leader. She attended medical school at West LA College and obtained a nursing degree while working in nursing homes with the elderly. Ginneh’s extensive overseas travels gave her a unique perspective on seeing and serving diverse communities.
Since joining St. Joseph Center in 2017, Ginneh has played a vital role within the agency, serving as a Program Manager in Operations and Executive Administrative Assistant for Finance and Human Resources. Now serving as Director of Operations and Deputy Chief of Staff, her compelling compassion and sharp intuition stem from over seven years of experience working in the medical field. Ginneh’s diverse background, including her nursing degree and experiences traveling the world, make her a valuable asset to St. Joseph Center to help underserved and vulnerable communities who need it most.
Assistant Vice President of Programs,
Maia Eaglin
Assistant Vice President of Programs,Maia Eaglin has served in several leadership roles at St. Joseph Center for over a decade. Maia Eaglin came to St Joseph Center in 2013 with a background in child and family well being and a focus on the over representation of marginalized youth in the child welfare system. Over the past 11 years with St. Joseph Center, Maia helped to build what is now known as the Coordinated Entry System for Families, and established best practices for interventions across the continuum of care for all populations. Maia has fostered and supported stable teams by employing positive rapport and encouraging horizontal leadership.
Assistant Vice President of Programs,
Senait Johnson
Assistant Vice President of Programs,Senait Johnson has served in various leadership roles at St. Joseph Center for nearly a decade. Senait Johnson is a dedicated leader who is passionate about empowering people to invest in their personal development, self-care, and independence for long term stability. Senait’s commitment to homeless services and her ability to adapt to evolving changes has allowed her to consistently deliver impactful results for programs and funders. Her hands-on experience and strategic mindset have enabled her to contribute positively while fostering a collaborative and high-performance work environment. She has worked with Integrated Management Health Team (FSP),SPA 5 Access Center, Housing Navigation SPA 5,6 &7, Monetary Advisory Program (MAP), Countywide Benefits Entitlement Service Team (CBEST), Coordinated Entry System (CES) , SPA 5 Problem Solving for Individuals, Heath Liaison, PSH Matching , IH-HN-TLS Matching and TLS Employment Services.
Senait holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Minor in Psychology from Cal State Dominguez Hills: Go Toros! Her skill set includes Strategic Planning, Change Management, Leadership, Contract Management, Critical Thinking, Conflict Resolution and Effective Communication.
Assistant Vice President of Programs,
Mandy Sommers
Assistant Vice President of Programs,Mandy Sommers has served in various leadership roles at St. Joseph Center for nearly a decade. Mandy Sommers is a licensed Marriage Family Therapist whose career has been focused in nonprofit agencies for over 17 years. Prior to coming to St. Joseph Center, she worked at The Help Group and Didi Hirsch. Mandy has served in different roles: Therapist, School-Based Coordinator, Training Coordinator, Intake Coordinator, Adult Program Manager for Department of Mental Health, and Clinical Supervisor.
Since joining St. Joseph Center in 2016, Mandy has held numerous roles leading to her current position including Director of Full Service Partnership (FSP), Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Director of Quality Assurance and Clinical Services and Sr. Director of Mental Health. Mandy is dedicated to bringing a clinical lens to all programs across St. Joseph Center and in helping bring a trauma informed care approach when supporting our clients.
Not only is Mandy dedicated to the best clinical care for our clients, but she is also committed to serving the St. Joseph Center staff. She has helped lead the Social Committee the past 8 years and has been focused on building and maintaining staff morale. She sees staff satisfaction just as important as client satisfaction.