Board of Directors

Frank Newell, Chair

Frank Newell is the former principal and President of the law firm Newell, Curtis, Nelson & Burnight, now known as Curtis & Burnight. He specialized in estate planning, business, and real estate law. Frank has been involved with LBCF since its inception, previously serving as Legal Counsel to LBCF. Frank is currently active in Long Beach Rotary, is on the Long Beach Rotary Scholarship Foundation Board, and is a trustee at the Aquarium of the Pacific. In the past, he has served as President or Chair of several organizations, including Long Beach Rotary, Long Beach Rotary Scholarship Foundation, Long Beach Economic Development Commission, and the Long Beach Bar Foundation. Newell joined the LBCF Board in 2016.

Suzanne Nosworthy, Vice Chair

Suzanne is a long-time volunteer and has served in many capacities as a volunteer in the community. She currently serves on the Boards of the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House, Community Hospital Foundation, and the Long Beach City College Board of Governors. She is also a voting member of Assistance League® of Long Beach and has served as chapter President and National Assistance League President.

Gary DeLong – CFO

Gary DeLong has been an active community leader in Long Beach for over 30 years by serving on the City’s Economic Development Commission, the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Council, and the Boards of the Aquarium of the Pacific, the Long Beach City College Foundation, the Long Beach Public Library, the California Conference for Equality and Justice, ChildNet Youth & Family Services, Goodwill Industries of Southern California, and now the Long Beach Community Foundation. He was previously a member of the Long Beach City Council representing the 3rd District of Long Beach. He is currently the President of The RTP Group, Inc., a successful telecommunications management company. Gary joined the LBCF Board in 2013.

Annette Kashiwabara, Secretary

Annette Kashiwabara is active in the Long Beach community through her affiliation with many nonprofit organizations. She is currently the Executive Director of the Assistance League of Long Beach. She joined the LBCF Board in 2015 and is also a Board Member of California State University, Long Beach’s 49er Foundation, and a community volunteer with the Long Beach Police Department.

Bryce Cullinane

Bryce Cullinane is a partner at the law firm of Keesal, Young & Logan. He practices corporate litigation, with an emphasis in employment, maritime, securities, and corporate disputes. He has been a resident of Long Beach since 2015 and is active with the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Long Beach Yacht Club.

Michele Dobson

Michele Dobson is a native of Long Beach and an attorney whose practice is diverse and full-service. She joined the LBCF Board in 2015. She is also a Board Member of several notable nonprofits including Long Beach Day Nursery, the YMCA Metro Board, Tichenor Clinic for Children, Long Beach City College Foundation Board of Trustees, and the California State University, Long Beach Board of Governors.

Bob Foster

Bob Foster, former Mayor of Long Beach, is a widely respected business and community leader. Prior to serving as Mayor, he served as president of Southern California Edison before his retirement in 2006 after more than 20 years with the company. Mayor Foster is a graduate of San Jose State University in public administration. He remains active in a number of community and public policy organizations including Long Beach Rotary, Long Beach Jewish Federal Foundation, and YMCA of Greater Long Beach. He is currently a director on several corporate boards of directors and is President of his own company Prometheus Advisors.

Mark Guillen

Mark Guillen is the West Regional Manager of Public Affairs at  Crown Castle, Int. He is currently a Board Member of The Rumba Foundation of Long Beach, the Ukleja Center for Ethical Studies at CSULB, a Finance Committee Member for the Downtown Long Beach Alliance, and on the Advisory Committee for Long Beach Community Action Partnership. Mark joined the LBCF Board in 2017.

Yair Katz

Yair Katz is the chief executive for MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach, and senior vice president of pediatrics for MemorialCare. He is leading the development and execution of the vision of Miller Children’s & Women’s and related medical center services, as well as pediatrics services within the health system.

Steve Keesal

Steve Keesal is a financial advisor for Oppenheimer & Co. He is a graduate of Cal State Long Beach and served as an Airborne Ranger in the United States Army Special Operations Command. He is very involved in Long Beach as an active member of the Long Beach Rotary, the Fisher House Southern California, and the American Gold Star Manor. Steve joined the LBCF Board in 2016.

Kevin Peterson

Kevin Peterson is the CEO and a founder of P2S Inc. headquartered in Long Beach. He currently serves as Chairman of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach board of directors, member of the board at the Memorial Medical Center Foundation, member of the board of trustees of the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House, and through many other charitable activities. He is the past chair of both the Community Hospital of Long Beach and MemorialCare Community Hospital Long Beach Advisory Board.

Judy Ross

Judy Ross is the former Executive Director of the Long Beach Nonprofit Partnership where she worked for more than 15 years. Judy joined the LBCF Board in 2015 and brings a wealth of knowledge about local nonprofits to the table.

Susan Wise

Susan has been a resident of Long Beach since 1974. She and her husband, Erich, have two daughters, who attended Long Beach public schools, and four grandchildren.

After practicing commercial litigation for several decades with small firms in Long Beach, she now practices law parttime and most recently has focused her practice on corporate governance and employment issues. In addition to her practice, she has a mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court and a hearing officer for the Long Beach Civil Service Commission.

Marcelle Epley, President & CEO

Marcelle Epley is the President & CEO of the Long Beach Community Foundation. She has both an undergraduate degree and a Master of Business Administration degree from California State University, Long Beach. Her small and large business experience and leadership positions served at local organizations including Long Beach Transit and the Press-Telegram bring a wealth of knowledge and valuable background to the Community Foundation. She is actively involved in the Long Beach community through a broad range of charitable organizations including Long Beach Rotary, the Long Beach City College Foundation, and Leadership Long Beach.

Jon Alban, Professional Advisor Committee

Tony Gales, Accounting Committee

Laura Hartigan, Asset Development Committee

Amanda Johnson, Grants Committee

Scott Magee, Professional Advisor Committee

Jane Netherton, Asset Development Committee

Sumer Temple, Marketing Committee

In compliance with National Standards, all LBCF Board members, staff, and committee members are required to read and sign a confidentiality policy.