Board of Directors

As Healings in Motion reaches its two-decade milestone, we reflect on the triumphs we have achieved and ask the honest questions: Did we accomplish our mission? Did our advocacy make a difference? We can proudly say that we have achieved what we set out to do — and yet there is still much more to accomplish. One of the driving forces behind our work is the sobering truth that 80% of strokes can be prevented. If that is the case, what more can we do to move that number? How do we reach more people, earlier, with better information? StrokeWoke is the next chapter — a renewed commitment to boost our efforts, strengthen stroke response, and deepen our understanding of stroke care in every community we serve. We hope you will join us as we strive, together, to save lives and reduce long-term disability. We believe we are making a difference. We hope you do too. Be Stroke Woke.

Daniel Kim, MPH, MCHES, CPPH, serves as Vice-President of Healings in Motion and as Health Education Programs Manager for San Joaquin County Public Health Services. Daniel joined the Healings in Motion Board of Directors more than eleven years ago and has been a steadfast advocate for community education ever since. He regularly brings educators and public health professionals to speak at Healings in Motion events, expanding the organization's reach and deepening its impact. Stroke has touched Daniel's own family, and that personal connection is what drives his passionate commitment to prevention and recovery. His dedication to ensuring that communities have the knowledge and resources to recognize and respond to stroke is both professional and deeply personal.

Ellen Powell is the founder of The Twin Valley Pact, an AI-matched grant discovery and full-service grant writing agency serving farmers, young entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Her company combines a live grant database, AI matching, and hands-on writing expertise to turn confusing funding opportunities into clear, submitted applications — efficiently and effectively. Ellen is a certified Grant Readiness Coach whose services include grant review and editing, budget development, post-award reporting and compliance, grant research and prospecting, and full proposal writing. With more than five years working alongside Central Valley farmers, small business owners, and youth advocates, Ellen understands the unique funding landscape of Fresno and San Joaquin counties. She works closely with young entrepreneurs through the African American Chamber and with Urban Farmers in Fresno, CA. Her professional background also includes service as a Congressional District Manager. Ellen's path to Healings in Motion began when her mother suffered a stroke. That experience gave her a firsthand understanding of how vital it is to recognize stroke symptoms — and how much it matters to have an organization like this one standing ready to educate and support the community.

Cliff DeBaugh is the President of Ready4Rescue, an organization focused on emergency awareness, preparedness, and best practices in crisis prevention. He is a Healthcare Provider and Education Taxonomist with a National Provider Identifier, bringing broad expertise in emergency and crisis response. Cliff is a brain injury survivor who continues to seek out new resources to support himself and others on the road to recovery. His lived experience gives him a powerful and authentic perspective on the challenges survivors face every day. An author and public speaker, Cliff brings his voice and advocacy to audiences across the community. He has served as a valued member of the Healings in Motion board for two years.

Manny Alfonso is an Educator Extraordinaire — a title he has more than earned through decades of passionate, community-centered work. He is deeply committed to partnering with Healings in Motion to educate the community on a wide range of health and wellness topics. Manny retired from St. Joseph's Medical Center after a distinguished career, yet his dedication to community education never slowed. He continued sharing his knowledge and expertise enthusiastically in retirement — and that commitment ultimately brought him back. Manny recently rejoined St. Joseph's Medical Center as Education Manager, where he continues to make a meaningful impact every day.

Brenda Richardson is the CEO of Centered Care Wellness, where she leads a team of medical professionals delivering compassionate, whole-person care. The practice is advanced in healthcare technology, integrating modern telehealth solutions, remote monitoring, and digital tools to meet patients where they are. Brenda is a passionate advocate for improved patient access and equitable healthcare delivery. She is a certified telehealth coordinator with expertise spanning Emergency Medicine, Medical-Surgical Care, Quality Assurance, Utilization Management, Nursing Leadership, and Patient Care Coordination. The Centered Care Wellness team includes Erisha Richardson, COO, MD, specializing in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics; Karen Glover, MD, Family Medicine; Pamela Hanseth, MS, RN, FNP-C; and Fiera Foreman, MSN, PMNP-BC, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Chaplain Dr. Eugene Ferrell has been a community leader in ministry and civic life since the age of 15, and he continues to serve with the same energy and dedication that has defined a lifetime of purpose-driven work. His organizational commitments are wide-ranging and deeply rooted in both faith and community service. He serves as Executive Secretary of the St. Luke's Society — a unique partnership bridging ministers and medical professionals in Oakland — and as Chaplain for the Oakland Police Department. He is also actively involved with the San Joaquin County Ministers Alliance, the African American Chamber of Commerce, Faith in the Valley, and numerous other organizations throughout the region. Chaplain Ferrell believes strongly that lifestyle plays a vital role in stress management and the prevention of chronic illness. He deeply values the work Healings in Motion does in stroke prevention and caregiver support, recognizing that the intersection of faith, community, and health is essential to whole-person wellness.

Monica Hoyos Thomas, MSW, LCSW, brings more than twenty years of experience as a Medical Social Worker, Mental Health Therapist, Acute Care and Clinical Case Manager, and Crisis Intervention specialist. Her career has been defined by a deep commitment to meeting patients and families at their most vulnerable moments with skill, compassion, and clarity. Monica is bilingual in Spanish, allowing her to serve and advocate for a broader cross-section of the community. She is widely recognized for being flexible, adaptable, and an effective communicator — qualities that make her an invaluable presence in both clinical and community settings. Monica joined Healings in Motion two years ago and has brought a uniquely enriching perspective to the organization's work in hospital care and community health education.

Peter Idem is an Optimization Analyst at The Walt Disney Company, where he focuses on data-driven marketing strategies to enhance visitor and customer experiences across Disney's digital platforms. Since joining Disney in 2014, Peter has worked to improve the usability and performance of Parks & Resorts' digital properties, managing A/B testing campaigns across websites, mobile web, and native apps. His background spans digital marketing, app development, brand management, and online and offline marketing. He also owned an entertainment business, giving him a well-rounded perspective on how brands connect with their audiences. Peter's connection to Healings in Motion runs deep and goes back to the very beginning. In college, he sought the advice and mentorship of Mary Nicholson, who had a distinguished career in broadcasting. When Mary suffered her brain aneurysm, Peter stepped up — helping to develop the Healings in Motion brand and believing wholeheartedly in the organization's mission. He has never stopped volunteering his talents since. Over more than fifteen years as a board member, Peter has been the driving creative and digital force behind the organization's identity. He developed the Healings in Motion branding, maintained the website, and managed social media and communications — faithfully keeping the organization's image present, polished, and above the norm from the very start.

James J. Burton — known to all as Jim — is a U.S. Army veteran who served with distinction in Media Operations and as a martial arts instructor. The discipline, precision, and sense of service he developed in the military have shaped every chapter of his life since. Professionally, Jim serves as Vice-President of Operations at Westman Import Export. He is also an ordained Baptist Minister — a calling that reflects his deep commitment to community, faith, and service to others. Those who know him describe him as precise, thoughtful, and analytical, with a strong attention to detail and an unwavering sense of purpose. Jim and his wife, Sandy, have been affiliated with Healings in Motion for over ten years, serving as tireless advocates and problem-solvers on behalf of the organization. Together, they have faced strokes, a heart attack, and other serious medical challenges — and their recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. They credit the workshops, advocacy tools, and resources shared through Healings in Motion as essential to their survival and healing. Having served as caregivers to one another through their individual recoveries, Jim and Sandy bring a lived understanding of stroke, resilience, and the power of community that is rare and deeply valued on the board.

Kimberlina Phillips serves as Director of Marketing and Business Development at Stockton Regional Rehabilitation Hospital, LLC — part of Ernest Health, a national network of rehabilitation and long-term acute care hospitals specializing in recovery from injuries, illnesses, and chronic conditions. Kimberlina recognized the natural alignment between her hospital's mission and the patient-centered work of Healings in Motion, and the partnership between the two organizations holds meaningful potential in the areas of post-hospital care and recovery. Beyond her hospital role, Kimberlina is deeply committed to California Bully Rescue, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the rescue, education, and advocacy for bully breed dogs. As Co-Chief Executive Officer, she leads a volunteer-driven mission to reform the dog adoption landscape, provide educational resources, and support structural change in the community to give each dog a fighting chance. This work encompasses strategic leadership, fundraising, and community advocacy well beyond her day-to-day hospital duties. Kimberlina's commitment to service — whether for patients recovering from stroke and disability, or for animals in need of a second chance — reflects a consistent and deeply held dedication to advocacy, education, and community impact.

Mary Nicholson grew up in South Los Angeles — most formatively in the Watts housing projects — where she spent her nights dreaming of a different story for her community. She prayed for wisdom and asked God to use her as a servant. That prayer became the compass for everything that followed. Every evening, Mary's mother had the CBS 6 o'clock news on, anchored by the same familiar face: Jerry Dunphy, with his bleached-white wavy hair. One night, eight-year-old Mary looked at the screen and said simply, "I can do that." It was the spark that set her life's direction. Mary's path led her to UCLA, where she worked at the campus radio station delivering news on-air. A pivotal conversation with a visiting executive from a local ABC Radio station changed her strategy: if she truly wanted to shape who told the stories and how, she needed to pursue management — and that meant starting in sales. Timid and shy by nature, Mary made the shift anyway. Over the years she held roles across Public Affairs, Office Management, Sales, Station Management, and ultimately radio station ownership — earning recognition along the way as both a community leader and a media executive. The full-circle moment came years later at KHJ-TV. Mary was walking up the stairs. Jerry Dunphy was walking down. She seized the moment to tell him exactly how he had changed her life. Then, without warning, everything changed. On February 10, 2003 — while still grieving the recent loss of her husband Ernest, who had died of pancreatic cancer — Mary suffered a subarachnoid brain aneurysm, an ischemic stroke on the operating table, and a grand mal seizure. She woke up in the ICU, alone in a city where she knew almost no one. In that moment, she heard a deep, unforgettable voice that presented her with one choice, and very little time to make it. She believed Ernest had been the conduit that brought her to San Joaquin County — and to what would become her greatest purpose. Mary committed fully to her new journey. With extraordinary tenacity, she relearned how to talk, walk, and think. As she healed — and continues to heal — her hard-won experience became the foundation for educational programs designed to prevent strokes, raise awareness, and support the caregivers who so often go unseen. She has been honored across every chapter of her life. Her story holds love, adventure, and a long line of remarkable people she has gathered along the way. Today, as a grandmother, Mary finds deep joy in family, friendship, and what she calls being in "good trouble" — continuing to push for change. "I check in with God and ask, 'Am I done?' Something always happens to let me know there is still more to do. I am so pleased that a great team of board members and angels are gaining momentum to carry our mission forward."