My Friend's Place
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Our Impact
  • What We Do
    • Overview
    • Safe Haven
    • Transformative Education
    • Housing & Wellness
  • Get Involved
    • Overview
    • Volunteer
  • Give Today
  • For Young People
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Our Team
    • Contact Us
  • Our Impact
  • What We Do
    • Overview
    • Safe Haven
    • Transformative Education
    • Housing & Wellness
  • Get Involved
    • Overview
    • Volunteer
  • Give Today
  • For Young People
My Friend's Place
© 2025 My Friend’s Place
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
    • Our Impact
    • What We Do
    • For Young People
    • Get Involved
    • Insights
    • Financials
    • Give Today
  • Contact Us
    • (323) 908-0011
    • 1-888-YOUTH-50
    • info@myfriendsplace.org
About Us

Our Team

We are a dedicated team of compassionate supporters, experienced professionals, caring volunteers, and creative community builders — many with lived experience — united by a shared passion for supporting young people on their journeys toward stability, wellness, and a permanent exit from homelessness.

Team photo in front of the headquarters

Our Culture

Holding stop youth homeless signs

A Youth-Centered,
Community-Based
Approach

Community is at the heart of our work. When young people walk through our doors, they’re welcomed into a caring community that accepts them for who they are. It’s a space where they can connect with peers, look beyond the moment-to-moment challenges of homelessness, and take steps to pursue their goals and dreams.

Our ultimate goal is to end youth homelessness, one young person at a time — and in the process — create a Los Angeles community that effectively ensures the physical, mental, social, and economic well-being of all young people.

Group working on crafts
Stay Connected

Subscribe to our e-newsletter for updates on how we're supporting young people facing homelessness and how you can be part of the impact.

Sign Up
Team transparent

Our Commitment

We recognize homelessness as a complex social and economic issue. Through this lens, we are committed to uplifting all young people impacted by housing instability, while ensuring our programs and services are guided by principles of dignity, inclusion, and compassion.

Respect & Affirmation: We value every young person for who they are and strive to provide services that are safe, supportive, and welcoming.

Address Barriers: We acknowledge that many young people face systemic challenges and work to reduce barriers that prevent them from thriving.

Equitable Opportunities: We continually adapt and strengthen our programs so that all youth can access the tools, resources, and care they deserve.

Accountability: We commit to ongoing reflection and improvement, making sure our organization lives up to the values we hold in service of the young people we serve.

Hugging in a barbers chair

Our Values

We create community and change through our core values:

  • My Friend's Place is a community that centers young people impacted by homelessness. 
  • My Friend's Place honors shared humanity to foster a sense of safety and belonging.
  • My Friend's Place is a space for connection and transformation. 
  • My Friend's Place commits to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Working behind the desk

OUR SERVICE PRINCIPLES

We build trust with young people based on seven principles central to our service model:

  1. Judgment Free: We believe in creating a haven for young people where they can be themselves and choose the services most important to them at the moment.
  2. Human Worth: We see the young people that we serve as people who have inherent value to society.
  3. Trust: We build trust over time between our staff and the people we serve.
  4. Individualized Response: We welcome each person who walks through our doors as an individual with specific needs and goals.
  5. Safety First Response: We follow a set of strategies and approaches aimed at minimizing the harm and negative consequences of high-risk behaviors and activities.
  6. Strength-based: We focus on the inherent strengths, abilities, assets, capabilities, and potential of the young people we serve.
  7. Low-barrier: We minimize obstacles for young people to access our facility and services. Everyone is welcome, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or background.

Directors

Heather carmichael
Heather Carmichael, LCSWExecutive Director
Erin casey
Erin Casey, LCSWDirector of Programs
Susan zeren dutra
Susan Zeren Dutra, MPADirector of Development
Katie power
Katie Power, LCSWAssociate Director of Programs
Erin parker
Erin ParkerAssociate Director of Community Engagement and Corporate Relations
Mariah 200x200 V3
Mariah AdedejiAssociate Director of Communications

Administration & Operations

Frank babich
Frank BabichOperations and Program Support Manager
Gerry de la rosa
Gerry De La RosaAdministration Manager
Mike west
MikeAdministration Associate
Chase
ChaseSafety & Belonging Coordinator

Data & Impact

Laura 200x200
Laura Onasch-Vera, MSWData and Impact Manager
Danielle
DanielleData and Impact Associate

Development & Community
Engagement

Larry irvin
Larry IrvinInstitutional Giving Manager
Daniel
DanielDevelopment Database Administrator
Charlie
CharlieDevelopment Associate
Serilla
Serilla ChavezCommunity Engagement and Volunteer Manager

Housing & Wellness Program

Toni 200x200
Toni CooperHousing & Wellness Manager
Monica
MonicaClinical Social Worker
Kayla 200x200
KaylaClinical Social Worker
CrystalTriage Case Manager
Darrin 200x200
DarrinTriage Case Manager
Cindy 200x200
CindyTriage Case Manager
De An Jilo 200x200
De’AnJiloTriage Case Manager

Safe Haven Program

Tahisha
Tai GrierSafe Haven Manager
Jocelyn 200x200
JocelynSafe Haven Coordinator
Roxie
RoxieSafe Haven Counselor
Mat
MatSafe Haven Counselor
Amina
AminaSafe Haven Counselor
Ryan
RyanSafe Haven Counselor
Darlene
DarleneSafe Haven Counselor
Tony 200x200
TonySafe Haven Counselor

Transformative Eduction Program

Camilla brannstrom
Camilla Brännström, MFA, MSWTransformative Education Manager
Roger
RogerTransformative Education Counselor
Cynthia
CynthiaEmployment and Education Case Manager
Andrew
AndrewEmployment and Education Case Manager
Molly 200x200
MollyTransformative Education Counselor

Board of Directors

David JarrettCo-President, CEO, Rootstrap
David StoneCo-President, AIA, NCARB, Principal | Director of Operation, Tim Barber Architects
Cordell WilliamsTreasurer, Product Manager, Capital Group
Ivan TetherSecretary, Attorney, Tether Law
Rod BarrWriter
Joanie BerkleyDesigner, Berkley Design
Lylle BreierEVP, Global Marketing Partnerships, Promotions, Synergy, and Special Events, The Walt Disney Company
James HeckmanVice President, Contact Management Strategic Services, Kaiser Permanente
Mary KincaidCommunity Member/Volunteer
Tom LloydResearch Director, Capital Group
Rob LongWriter/Producer
Toni MorganRetired
Ryan MurdenPartnerships and Strategy Advisor
Michael Oates PalmerWriter/Producer
Sheryl RecinosMD, Physician/Alumni
Samuel RotterQuantitative Analyst, Capital Group Companies
Mike ShortMNM, Senior Consultant, Advocates for Human Potential, Inc.
Nicole SimonianAttorney
Scott WalkerWriter & Entrepreneur
N. Dexter WilliamsCapital Group - Retired
Erin and young person smiling
Join Our Team

Join a team dedicated to supporting young people as they take steps toward exiting homelessness and pursuing their dreams.

Heather holding up end youth homeless signs
  • Associate Director of Institutional Giving

    Under the supervision of the Director of Development, the Associate Director of Institutional Giving is responsible for the creation, implementation and oversight of the organization’s institutional giving strategy (private and corporate foundation), leading stewardship efforts to strengthen existing relationships with foundation and corporate foundation partners and driving efforts to identify, establish and grow new corporate and foundation partnerships to meet the organization’s revenue goals.

    Learn More