Our Team

Union Rescue Mission provides meals, safe shelter, recovery programs, and life-changing services to thousands of people experiencing homelessness each year. In order to help these precious souls, we rely on a team of godly, dedicated men and women who work in various levels of service.

If you are a dedicated Christian, with a desire to impact others through your job and feel good about your contribution, we hope you will view our current job openings and consider applying.

URM Leadership

Union Rescue Mission’s Senior Leadership consists of a dedicated team of professionals who are led by CEO Rev. Andy Bales and responsible for the oversight of URM’s five core divisions. Our senior leadership team inspires excellence, professionalism, and fellowship while fully embracing people who are experiencing homelessness with the love of Christ.

Andy Bales

President & Chief Executive Officer

Leading URM into a new era of unique and innovative services for the L.A. Skid Row community. As CEO of Union Rescue Mission, his present focus is organizing and working with community partners to address the epidemic of homelessness in Los Angeles.

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Richard Baker

COO (Chief Operating Officer)

Responsible for overseeing maintenance, custodial services, security, food service, transportation, distribution, Gift In Kind, real estate, etc. Exceptional understanding of service standards, operations, and guest experiences.

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Chris Sue

Vice President, Finance CFO

Overseeing URM's financial activities, while being responsible for the finance and accounting professionals who perform URM's operational functions. Strategic advisory role for URM's CEO. Known as a visionary.

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Richard D. Newcomb

Vice President, Philanthropy

Richard has a decades-long record of supporting social justice, fighting homelessness, and working to reduce poverty in Los Angeles and worldwide. He has helped recruit, expand, and transform the organization’s Philanthropy Department.

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Dan Roleder

VP of Men’s Ministries

In 2012, Dan joined Union Rescue Mission as Controller and is currently serving as VP of Men’s Ministries. Leading men into a deeper relationship with Christ, and greater spiritual effectiveness in the community.

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Kitty Davis-Walker

Vice President, Public Relations

Coordinating Media/Public Relations opportunities to help generate URM name recognition and to bring positive media attention to URM’s activities & services through all forms of media: print, radio, TV, Social media, News letters and spokesperson opportunities

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Yeilen Willis

Vice President, Human Resources

Provides executive leadership, guidance and responsible for the effective operations of URM's human resources department. Implements long-range strategic talent management goals while overseeing those within the department.

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LaTonja Lindsey

Vice President, Emergency Services

With over 18 years of ministry experience, Joy has cultivated her desire to see every man women and child not only treated with respect and dignity, but also to tangibly reflect the love of Jesus Christ to a world filled with so much brokenness and pain.

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Board of Directors

URM’s executive committee plays a critical role in URM’s success while also being responsible for setting our mission, vision, values and strategic direction. Our directors are listed below.

If you are a dedicated Christian, with a desire to impact others through your job and feel good about your contribution, we hope you will view our current job openings and consider applying.

If you are a dedicated Christian, with a desire to impact others through your job and feel good about your contribution, we hope you will view our current job openings and consider applying.

David Wood

Chairman of the Board

David Wood is a retired Executive Director and Senior Client Executive of JP Morgan Chase in the Real Estate Banking Group. He cultivated and managed relationships with top tier institutional and private real estate developers/investors and provided comprehensive solutions for their debt, capital markets and commercial banking needs.

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Steve McKenzie

Vice Chairman of the Board

Steve McKenzie is the founder and managing partner of Channel West Group, a boutique real estate investment and advisory firm based in Malibu, California. Channel West makes investments in hotel & resort, residential, and industrial properties via direct property acquisitions, debt vehicles, and ownership of operating platforms.

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Jonathan M. Lee

Audit and Finance Chair

Jonathan is an Audit Manager with KPMG. Focusing on the development, execution, and methodology of Data Analytics tools and initiatives for the national audit practice. He has experience in accounting and auditing services for public and private entities in various industries including life sciences, energy and natural resources, and technology.

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Caryn Ryan

Programs Chair

Caryn Ryan is the Founder and Managing Member of Missionwell LLC, a virtual business office encompassing accounting, finance and human resources and strategy services for non-profits and religious organizations in Southern California and, increasingly, nation-wide.

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Evan Taranta

Philanthropy Chair

Evan Taranta has had a long career in public policy and government affairs. She currently leads public affairs and partnerships at Better Place Forests, a conservation start-up in the end-of-life space. She has previously worked as an in-house lobbyist for Fortune 500 companies like Target in Minneapolis, MN and Apache Corporation in Houston, TX.

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Eugene Tsai

Board Member since 2020

Eugene Tsai is an orthopedic hand surgeon. He received his undergraduate and medical doctor degrees at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He spent an additional year of training in hand and microvascular surgery at the Indiana Hand Center. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2006 and serves as the Assistant Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center.

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Francisco J. Leon

Board Member since 2019

Francisco J. Leon is Executive Vice President, Corporate Development & Strategic Planning at California Resources Corporation, the largest oil and natural gas producer in California. Francisco is responsible for the company’s capital allocation process and business development initiatives including mergers and acquisitions.

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Karen Preston

Board Member since 2016

She serves on the Program Committee and maintains an active role as a volunteer teacher and mentor at Hope Gardens Family Center. Her background includes the American Women’s Auxiliary of the Royal Children’s Hospital, San Marino Unified School District Board of Education, Two Hearts Foundation, Spiritual Care Guild for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Young Life, and Lake Avenue Church.

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Uleses C. Henderson, Jr.

Board Member since 2020

Los Angeles attorney from One LLP. Uleses’ diverse practice provides a broad range of intellectual property counseling and litigation services in all aspects of patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade dress, trade secrets, entertainment and new media, sports, and rights of publicity. Uleses’ litigation experience spans a wide array of technologies and industries.

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Scott Watt

Board Member since 2020

Currently Executive Chairman of the Board of Watt Companies. Scott joined Watt in 1976 as Senior Vice President of Forward Planning. Prior to joining, Scott founded and led Scottfield Building Corporation, a company that built more than 1,000 residential units and a shopping center during its six-year history. Watt Companies has grown from revenues of $117,000,000 in 2009 to $174,000,000 in 2014.

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Helen Easterling

Board Member since 2019

Helen Easterling Williams, EdD, is the former dean of Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP). A lifelong educator, she served three decades in higher education leadership. Williams previously held the deanship at the School of Education at Azusa Pacific University. She established the Emerging Technology Center and developed an international visiting scholar program.

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D. Michael Van Konynenburg

Board member since 2023

D. Michael Van Konynenburg is the President of the global real estate investment banking firm Eastdil Secured. He is responsible for overseeing numerous large, real estate transactions including financings, joint ventures, sales, and M&A transactions for institutional real estate owners and lenders. Eastdil Secured arranges over $200 billion of capital market transactions globally each year.

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