Kara Ahmanson (Vice Chair), a Los Angeles native, has just recently finished her Masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management at the University of Southern California. In the past, Kara has worked for the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation, Los Angeles Kings Care Foundation, Children’s Bureau, and Roots & Wings. Her passions lie in creating a better Los Angeles through her nonprofit work, POPS fits perfectly within that category. Kara empathizes with the POPS community, mission, and vision which developed a want to be more involved with the group.
Darryl Cyphers (Chair) is the Director of Legal Compliance at Klaviyo a Boston-based private tech company. Prior to that, he worked In Risk Management at Google. Darryl also helped build an FCPA-focused compliance program at Snap Inc, better known as Snapchat, positioning the company to go public. A Bay Area native now living in Los Angeles, Darryl’s worked in management positions at a variety of other Fortune 500 Tech companies. He attended Arizona State University, where he studied interdisciplinary studies and is a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics. Darryl has a passion for helping and encouraging others through volunteer work, particularly those in underserved communities, and is a big advocate for social justice.
Vanessa Domenichelli (Secretary), is a civil litigation and trial attorney based in Los Angeles, California. Vanessa received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Riverside majoring in Sociology / Law and Society. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School, with a focus in public interest law. Prior to, and during law school Vanessa worked in New York City with children providing additional support for their educational needs. Through her studies and work with City Year Los Angeles, the NYC Children’s Aid Society, NYC Legal Aid Society and countless other programs, Vanessa has seen first hand the struggles and complexities that many youth face on a daily basis. As an attorney, she is very aware of the impact that the criminal justice system has on families. Vanessa is a firm believer in creating a safe space to empower community, understanding, and connectedness for all young people, especially those facing increased adversity. Community and educational support increases young people’s potential for success and helps destroy the school to prison pipeline. Vanessa looks forward to helping POPS grow and provide community to young people all over the country.
Hannah Lewis (Interim Treasurer) is a CPA at SpaceX, where she is currently working on Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite-internet company. Prior to SpaceX, Hannah worked as an auditor at PwC. An Illinois native, Hannah graduated from UCLA with a BA in Economics and a minor in Music History. For the past few years, Hannah has volunteered with POPS at Lawndale High School, meeting with students each week to share food, learn mindfulness techniques, and practice creative writing. She is excited to contribute even more to POPS with her involvement on the Board.
Austin Lindsey (Treasurer), is an Associate at Pacific Growth Investors, LLC (PGI) where he is a dedicated member of the investment team, focusing on the due diligence and evaluation of new investments and in the monitoring of portfolio companies. Before joining PGI, Austin was a Manager at Ernst and Young in the Strategy & Transactions practice and was an Associate in the Business Operations group at National Veterinary Associates, Inc., an owner and operator of animal hospitals and pet resorts. Austin is passionate about reducing the pain and stigma associated with the prison system, which drew him to POPS. Austin holds a BS in Finance from the University of Colorado..
George Soneff is an attorney with Manatt, Phelps & Phillips in Los Angeles and leads the firm’s real estate litigation practice. He attended public schools in the Los Angeles area, before graduating from law school at the University of Southern California in 1984. Best Lawyers has named George one of the “Best Lawyers in America” in each of the past 10 years.
When George was growing up in Compton and Bellflower his family was impacted by incarceration, which gave him an understanding of the stigma, pain, and hardships the prison system inflicts on the entire family. He believes strongly that many people can and do grow, change, and redeem themselves after having served time, and that society should not turn its back on people sincerely trying to do so. He looks forward to seeing POPS expand its reach to help more young people as they cope with problems no child should have to face alone.
Arlin Villa-Howells brings just over two decades of experience as an accomplished healthcare business professional with an expertise in operations, leadership, and talent management. Her journey into healthcare began as a receptionist in a medical office specializing in geriatrics and HIV treatment. This led her to gain insight and passion to serve under-represented populations – including a 2-year term on the Board of Directors for the Santa Cruz AIDS Project. She currently leads Talent Development for a large outpatient mental health organization focused on expanding access in all communities, Arlin holds a BA in Theater Arts (Dance) from the University of California, Santa Cruz and an MPH from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Melissa Westphal is a long time San Francisco Bay Area resident originally hailing from Miami, Fla. She has broken through many of the barriers facing children of incarcerated parents to become a successful Vice President at Jack Nadel International, a top promotional marketing firm. Her passions include marketing, sales, business development, corporate identity and culture, martial arts, literature, music, social justice, and the arts. Having struggled with her own father’s lifelong incarceration she understands the legacy of stigma, shame, and adversity that these children face, too often becoming the unseen collateral damage of the prison industrial complex. She is committed to expanding POPs into the Northern California region, raising awareness of the POPs Clubs, and supporting the personal growth of the youth they serve.