In addition to a growing community of volunteers and financial supporters, Pomona Hope is led by a Governing Board of Directors and an Executive Director. Our programs are currently run by a staff team, interns, and a growing community of dedicated volunteers who give their time, energy, and expertise to complete important organizational responsibilities.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
COCO GEORGE
Board President, Chair of Personnel and Board Affairs Committee
A resident of Pomona since 1993, Coco George is a member of First Presbyterian Church of Pomona, where she has served in both youth ministry and Christian education. Coco holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Pomona College and a doctorate in physical therapy from Western University of Health Sciences. Coco has worked for Pomona Valley Hospital for 20 years. Coco is excited and grateful to be a part of the great work God is doing through Pomona Hope to empower youth and families in our community.
ADAM DONNER
Ex Oficio Member
Adam Donner, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Pomona joined the board in 2012. He graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Mechanical Engineering but pursued a call to serve youth through a church internship. This eventually led to seminary and ordination. Adam has pastored since 2003 in various urban and suburban areas. Adam is passionate about equipping the church to discern God’s work in the neighborhood and developing partners to see transformation happen in our community.
PAULA LANTZ
Board Member
Paula has been involved with Pomona Hope for several years and joined the Board in 2021. She was born and raised in Pomona, graduated from Pomona College, and received her M.A. in Education from Claremont Graduate School, with an emphasis on teaching Educationally Disadvantaged children. She taught for PUSD, was Foster Care Coordinator for a Christian out-of-home Placement Facility in Chino, as well as a Foster Parent, and served the families of Developmentally Delayed infants as an in-home Infant Stimulation Specialist. For more than 25 years she served as a Council Member for the City of Pomona and was greatly involved with the issues of Affordable Housing, Homelessness, and Mental Health. She currently serves on the LA County Continuum of Care Board for Homelessness, and the Tri-City Mental Health Governing Board. Paula and her husband Fred continue to live in Pomona and had 4 grown children. She is an active member of Purpose Church in Pomona.
KIEVA KAAK
Personnel and Board Affairs Committee
Kieva has resided in Pomona for nearly 30 years and has been a volunteer for community initiatives
and urban greening projects in and around the city. Having an undergraduate degree in Health
Science, she has a passion for promoting holistic health for people and communities.
Currently, she is a graduate student at Azusa Pacific University, pursuing her master’s degree in
Social Work where she completed a community mental health internship focused on youth
while developing training for nature-based interventions. Recently, she designed and led the
installation of the APU Community Garden bringing together her passions for sustainability and
promoting student resilience and wellbeing through service, education, and outreach while
involving students in caring for the environment. Having great respect for all that Pomona Hope
has done for Pomona’s youth over the years, Kieva is grateful to now be serving on the board.
LUDMILA DRAKE
Finance Committee
Ludmila Drake is a speech-language pathologist and one of the original members of Pomona Hope. Formerly an elementary school teacher in Pomona, Ludmila is passionate about empowering the members of the Pomona community and seeing the city transformed. Ludmila has lived in Pomona her entire adult life and is currently a member of First Presbyterian Church of Pomona where she helps lead the children’s ministry.
JACKSON ZELL
Board Member
Jackson works in campus ministry through Cru at Cal Poly Pomona, with the goal of sharing about Jesus with college students, building them up in their faith, and equipping them to share their faith with others. He has always had a heart for students and previously served as a youth leader at First Presbyterian Church of Pomona. Jackson’s goal is to become a high school teacher, and continue to share his passion and excitement for learning with students in a public school setting.
MONSERRAT GONZALEZ
Board Member
Monserrat was raised in Pomona for over 20 years. She was part of Pomona Hope as a student and a volunteer. After high school, she was given the opportunity to be a summer coordinator in 2018 and a youth leader for First Presbyterian church in 2022. For years Monse’s passion has been to help families and will continue to do with the guidance of God.
BRIDGETTE RAMIREZ
Board Member
Bridgette Ramirez is a communications writer & copy editor at Pitzer College and an alumna of Scripps College. While doing a college internship at Pomona Hope, Bridgette fell in love with the community and mission. She briefly worked as the fund development coordinator at Pomona Hope and stayed in touch when she moved on to other ventures. She is excited to return in a new capacity as a board member. Bridgette is also a member of First Presbyterian Church of Pomona.
STEVE SEWELL
Board Member
From the small beginnings of being appointed as a youth ministry intern to being a leader in the community, Steve has made it his mission to come alongside others as they encounter loss, change, and adversity. His motivating, positive, and encouraging mentor have made a difference in the lives of individuals, groups, churches, organizations, and businesses- helping them grow to appreciate seasons of change and loss and learn to move forward to reach their goals.
Steve is enthusiastic about life purpose, caring about people, and passionate about values. His heartfelt approach to others is always engaging, never pushy, and always full of open-handed welcome and never fist-pounding demands. He speaks with a wealth of experience from years of his work as a hospice chaplain, bereavement counselor, community/corporate chaplain, pastor, youth worker, author, speaker at conferences and consultant.