Meet The Candidates

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I am, Desiree Alvarado, the licensee and certified administrator of Bonnie’s Guest House in Pasadena, an Adult Residential Facility for Mentally Ill adults since 2008. I have over 25 year of professional
management experience in the fields of managing and supervising non-profit programs at CSULA TRIO and LAC+USC Maternal Child Adolescent
Medicine. Graduated from UCLA, Applied Mathematics, and a Master of Education from CSULA.

I am on the board of Pasadena Rotary, a community organization that raises funds to help non-profits in the Pasadena Community. I would like to become part of the LARCA Board to raise awareness and
advocate for our facilities that are in the verge of closing. Create a resource network where operators can reach out for support when issues arise or just for camaraderie. Please vote for me and I will make
sure our voices and the voices of the vulnerable populations we serve are heard.

My name is Sikandar "Andy" Bangash. Analytical and results-driven professional with substantial experience leading various projects development and conducting research across multiple industries. Currently the Associate Director at Devonshire Elderly Care where I help manage field operations for community engagement, real estate acquisition, project planning, and business opportunity assessments. My ultimate purpose for taking up the title as the Associate Director is because I fell in love with the idea to help our communities by giving back. Working for an RCFE has allowed me to fight back the increase in homelessnes crisis we are all experiencing in our communities and also help provide my service to the people in need. 

My name is Dr. Farah Bangash. I am a female Founder & CEO of Devonshire Elderly Care. My work right now aligns with my capabilities as a young professional M.D. which is to help people live better lives. I use my education to give back to our communities and owning my own RCFE I was able to expand my reach to help the people in desperate need. I have many years of experience successfully running an RCFE, managing both big and small businesses, and my ability to convince people to join a great cause is my passion. 

Hello all! My name is Lupe Harvey. I’m currently a Licensed Administrator operating 2 RCFEs one in LA County and one in Orange County. I have a previous background as a neighborhood organizer for Maricopa County serving underdeveloped, low-income families. I love what I do and love serving those that need it most. I’m young and feel that I can bring a fresh new perspective to this new role if given the opportunity. I look forward to meeting and getting to know you all. Thank you.

Dr. Jay Plotzker has been Administrator and/or Licensee of Villa Stanley ARF for the past 21 years. During that time he has come to understand the inner workings of the industry. By accepting his nomination to LARCA he is committed to alleviating the problems that the industry faces.

Prior to Villa Stanley, Dr. Jay was Business Manager and then Acting Head of High School for the Newbridge School in West Los Angeles. Having earned a Ph.D. in Politics from NYU he began his career as an Associate Professor at Fordham University in NY.  He has taught at a number of colleges including NYU, Brooklyn College and Touro. He is married to Esther Macner Esq. Together they have 5 children and 18 grandchildren.

My name is Michelle Pullum, and I am currently an Adult Residential Home Administrator/Owner. I am a native of Los Angeles and my home services SPA 6. I am an advocate for our community and help our homeless and target population by providing shelter, food and stability. I enjoy helping others and I am excited to serve the community.

AHMED SAAFIR is the Owner/Administrator of Orange Community Care (OCC), a Long

Beach-based mental health residential facility for adults. Saafir founded OCC in 1985 with the
mission of providing an ideal psycho-social environment for the care and development of its
residents, of whom around 10,000 have been served over the years. He is also the owner of two
All Tune and Lube franchises in Long Beach and is a partner in the businesses Energy Smoothie Bar.

Saafir has an extensive background of involvement in the Long Beach community and currently
serves as the Chair of the Long Beach Community Improvement League. He is the current Chair
of Masjid Al-Shareef of Long Beach and is Vice President and former President of the Hundred
Black Men of Long Beach. He formerly served as President of the Long Beach Branch NAACP,
President of the Atlantic Economic Development Corporation, a Long Beach Civil Service
Commissioner, Board Member for the Conservation Corps of Long Beach, and Treasurer of the
Long Beach Central Area Association.

Saafir is also a founding member of the local African American Cultural Heritage Center Committee. His extensive community work has earned him certificates of recognition from Congressmember Alan Lowenthal, Long Beach Vice  Mayor Rex Richardson, former Mayor Bob Foster, former State Senator Ricardo Lara, former 9th District Councilmember Steven Neal, former Vice Mayor and Harbor Commissioner Doris Topsy-Elvord, the NAACP, and the African American History and Cultural Club of Long Beach.
Saafir attended California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College. He has been
a Long Beach resident since he completed his tenure as a Petty Officer, Second Class in the United
States Navy in 1966. He and his wife Bernice have been married for 54 years and are blessed with
seven children, 39 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren.

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My name is Rebecca Sanchez I’m 45 years and have been the Administrator at Topanga West Guest Home in Service Area 2 for 13 years and have been running ARF's for over 20 years advocating for mental illness and dispelling the stigma related to this population. I have provided case management, medication management, and pride myself on creating a healthy and happy environment for all of my residents. I am honored to be nominated for the Board of Directors for LARCA and look forward to working hard to acquire the increase in rates that facility operators have deserved for a very long time.

California Licensed Psychologist, Fellow and Past President of the Los Angeles Society of Clinical Psychologists / Executive Director of The Manor - 1980-present - a 151 bed ARF facility / Owner and Director of multiple licensed residential facilities for the Developmentally Disabled, and Federal facilities for NIMH and Community Corrections / Past Chairperson of the Alternatives to Hospitalization Committee and Task Force on Residential Care, for the Countywide Interagency on Mental Health in Los Angeles / Member of the Committee on Mental Health Residential Care Providers and others / Numerous awards and recognition for residential services, including from Edmund D. Edelman, Supervisor, Los Angeles County.

A California native, Ms. Williams, earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Public
Administration. For over 30 years she has served in management positions in the public sector
responsible for writing and implementing policy, providing training, development and coaching of new managers.  Ms. Williams also served as an adjunct professor at California State University, Los Angeles, teaching Public Sector Contracting in the graduate program, as well as serving on the advisory board of the master’s Program, to decide on the curriculum and necessary skills for future graduate students to have upon graduating from their program.

Ms. Williams passion is evident by her public sector service in helping the community and to be their
voice. She took this strong passion and her compassion and extended to one of the most vulnerable populations, the intellectually and development delayed. Ms. Williams is the owner of Heart to Home Residential Facility, a 4I home in Pasadena providing excellent care and supports to her residents. She has the tenacity and passion to be an advocate for our Adult Residential Facility (ARF) and Residential Care for the Elderly (RCFE) communities and those individuals we serve. 

Ms. Williams is action oriented, and results driven and not afraid to take on a tough fight, as she has taken on some of the regulatory agencies that govern our facilities and have prevailed. Ms. Williams says, “When I hear my clients say, I love it here, I don’t want to leave” it puts steam in my boat to continue being an advocate on behalf of them and our communities, and to fight for the resources necessary. Ms. Williams attributes any win to her passion and commitment she has for the  ARF/RCFE community, along with her mastery in
negotiation skills that she has effectively demonstrated in many instances.

Ms. Williams most important job has been a mother to her 3 adult children. In her spare time, Ms.
Williams is traveling the world or spending time with her three adult children and her two dogs.