DCDC

“Seeking to raise the economic, educational, and social levels of the community with dignity”


Board of Directors

DCDC Board Members

September 2010

Dr. Ruth Love, Chair

Ruth Love began her career in education as a classroom teacher in the Oakland Public Schools.  In conjunction with her duties, Love immersed herself in numerous educational projects, taking her across the globe to Ghana and England as a Fulbright Exchange scholar.  Dr. Love has worked at all levels of education: local, state and federal.  She has worked internationally in England, Africa and the Caribbean. While directing the National Right to Read Program for the U.S. Department of Education, Dr. Love assisted in drafting important education legislation.  She served as superintendent of schools in the Oakland Unified School District.  Love was then the first woman recruited to head up Chicago's public school system.  In both school districts, student achievement increased to national norms.

 

Love is the founder and president of RBL Enterprises, an educational consulting company.  She has also authored several articles and books.  Currently, she manages her company and is a Professor in a Doctorate Program at U.C. Berkeley.  She continues to lecture at conferences nationally and internationally.  Dr. Love works on behalf of children and women in Africa and coordinates the collection and shipping of books, supplies, medical equipment/supplies, computers and other materials to West Africa.  She and a group travel to Africa at least annually to provide assistance.

 

In her hometown, a county library is named in her honor.  She has received numerous awards, citations and honors, among them a number of honorary doctorate degrees. Dr. Love has served during five U.S. Presidencies as a Presidential Advisor and Commissioner.

 

Inman Rouce, Treasurer

Inman Rouce serves as the Internal Real Estate Development and Management Consultant for NeighborWorks® America in the far West Region. He is responsible for directing the investment of more than $50 million in federally-funded equity grants into affordable housing projects and providing technical assistance in real estate development and management to 30 community-based development corporations in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii, all members of the national NeighborWorks® Network. 

 

Mr. Rouce’s professional experience spans four decades.  He is currently a Principal of Design/Analysis, a real estate development and consulting firm specializing in developing urban infill projects and provides technical assistance to Bay Area faith-based nonprofits and community-based real estate developers.  Previously he was Executive Director of the Center for Environmental Change of the University of California at Berkeley; Executive Director of the South Berkeley Neighborhood Development Corporation; a Principal of the architectural firm Urban Design Consultants; Senior Real Estate Analyst for Safeway Stores, Inc.; and on the Boards of the South Berkeley Housing Development Corporation and the Oakland Urban Corporation.

 

His interdisciplinary education includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture and a Masters of City Planning from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Masters of Business Administration from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.  He also completed the National Internship in Community Economic Development of the Development Training Institute in Baltimore and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

 

Xushie Brue, Secretary

Brue’s former employers include Mason Tillman Associates, City and County of San Francisco, Alameda County Medical Center, and the Dental Health Foundation.  Currently, in her position as Grants Management Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security – FEMA, she assists with the implementation of the Disaster, Non-Disaster, Mitigation, Fire Services and Management Grants Programs.  She is also a Business Development Consultant for Autism Answers.  In addition, she actively volunteers as Board Treasurer for the United Methodist Federal Credit Union and Secretary to the Board of Directors for Downs Community Development Corporation.

 

Mrs. Brue earned a BS in Political Science and Sociology from University of California at Santa Barbara.  She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Special Education at California State University, Sacramento.

 

Rev. Lorraine McNeal                   

Rev. McNeal is an ordained Elder in the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.  She was educated in Oakland public schools and graduated from Castlemont High School.  Lorraine continued her education at the University of California, Berkeley and the California State University, San Francisco.

 

Rev. McNeal has worked as a driver for AC Transit, as a Child Protection Social Worker for the State of Alaska, and as a Children’s Placement Worker for Alameda County.  She graduated from the Pacific School of Religion and has served the following churches:  Round Valley, UMC in Covelo, California; Boulder Creek U.M.C. in Boulder Creek, California; St. Paul’s U.M.C. in San Jose, California; Taylor Memorial U.M.C. in Oakland California; Minister of Discipleship at Los Altos U.M.C. and is currently serving as pastor of Downs Memorial U.M.C. in Oakland, California.

 

Steve Mitchell 

Steve most recently was Regional Vice President of Engineering for ABM Industry’s Engineering Division.  Prior to that worked as Vice President of Human Resources for the company’s Janitorial Division.  At QRS Corporation he was Vice President of Human Resources, overseeing employee relations, compensation, benefits, staffing and employee development.  He was President, CEO and Vice President for Human Resources for Geoworks Corporation and served on its Board of Directors.  In addition, he was Chief Operating Officer for Aureal, Inc and held various management positions at Nextel Communications.  Steve is a board member of Matches That Matter.

 

LaFrancine Tate

Ms. Tate was appointed to the Board of Registered Nursing by the Senate Rules Committee in 1999 and served until 2010.  During her tenure she served as Board President and Chair of the Legislative Committee.  She retired after 20 years at San Francisco General Hospital where she served as Special Assistant to the Executive Administrator.  LaFrancine also served on the Board of Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay and was a founding member of Bay Area Consortium of Quality Health Care.  She has served on the Board of the California Black Health Network since its inception.  Ms. Tate also taught in Maryland.

 

Julian Taylor

Julian Taylor is currently a learning resource coordinator at Heald College in San Francisco.  Prior to Heald, he worked at the University of Phoenix in the enrollment department.  Julian has also held various sales and service positions.  In addition to his professional work, Julian has volunteered in a variety of youth summer camps.  He currently serves at Downs Memorial UMC as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries and as the Chair of the Administrative Council.  Julian has a BA from the University of California at Berkeley in American Studies and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

 

Norman Thompson, Ed.D

Norman L. Thompson has been an educator for 39 years with the Berkeley and Oakland Unified School Districts.  He is currently on the Advisory Board for the McClymonds Youth Family Center.  Dr. Thompson has served as adjunct professor for NOVA University. He serves as Treasurer of Downs Memorial UMC and as Treasurer for the United Methodist Men.  Norman is also the Budget Chairperson for the Council on Finance Administration for the California Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church.  Norman has been active as a consultant with the College Board and committee chair for the (WASC) Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Dr. Thompson is a member of the Berkeley Alumni Chapter of  Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

 

Edwin J. Wilson, Esq.

Mr. Wilson is a partner in the firm Wendel Rosen Black & Dean LLP.  He graduated with a B.A. in Rhetoric from the University of California at Berkeley. Ed went on to earn his J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law. 

 

He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), a former attorney representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation.  He has been on the faculties of the Hastings College of Trial Advocacy, the Practicing Law Institute (Civil Rights Litigation and Product Design Liability), and a panelist for the California Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB).  He has served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and the Alameda County Superior Court, as well as acting as an Early Neutral Evaluator for the United States District Court-Northern District of California’s Alternative Dispute Resolution program.  Ed served as a commissioner for the Alameda County Superior Court’s Early Disposition and Settlement Programs.  He is a member of the Alameda County, American, and Charles Houston Bar Associations.

 

Mary Lee Widener, Ex-Officio Board Member

Mary Lee Widener is Founding President and Chief Executive Officer, Retired, of Neighborhood Housing Services of America (NHSA).  She co-founded NHSA leading its growth from a $250,000 pilot in 1974 to a social investment conduit of more than $1.7 billion dollars, including grant support from NeighborWorks America.  NHSA purchased nonstandard loans from NeighborWorks® organizations and sold notes backed by the loans and credit enhancements to socially responsible institutional investors. 

Ms. Widener is currently a community investment consultant and is on the public company boards of directors of The PMI Group and CoreLogic, plus the nonprofit boards of Social Compact and Operation HOPE, Inc.  She is a Trustee Emeritus of both The San Francisco Foundation and Partners for Livable Communities. Past professional activities include serving as Chairman and Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; Chairman of the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco; service on Fannie Mae’s Advisory Council; participation in the U.S. Senate’s National Housing Task Force; and in the International Exchange of Housing Professionals sponsored by the Ford Foundation.  Ms. Widener holds an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from John F. Kennedy University, was named the 2000 Housing Person of the Year by the National Housing Conference; and was honored by the National Interagency Community Investment Conference with presentation of the 2008 Community Investment Award.   

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