Meet our Board of Directors

Charity Gilbreth's practice focuses on providing outside general counsel services and representing plaintiffs and defendants in mediation, arbitration, and litigation.  For almost 20 years, she has advised prominent individuals, public and private corporations, and non-profit organizations on a wide variety of matters involving business litigation, employment, insurance, real estate, and shareholder and partner disputes. Prior to joining Schilling Law Group, she practiced at Latham & Watkins LLP in the Litigation and Environmental departments.  Charity received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Chapman University and a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. Charity is passionate about providing pro bono legal services through organizations such as the Public Law Center and Human Options. She is an active member of the Orange County Bar Association, serving as Co-Chair of the Education Committee and on the Mandatory Fee Arbitration Committee. Throughout her career, she has participated in a number of mentoring programs to assist young lawyers.  Charity grew up in La Palma, and she continues to live in the community.  Charity is a proud mom of three, with twin daughters and a son.  She enjoys being involved in their school communities, especially chairing their school’s annual trunk-or-treat event.

Michael DeLuca is a practicing Certified Public Accountant who specializes in nonprofit entities and is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, the AICPA Tax Section and Not-for-Profit Section. Outside of work, Michael promotes amateur youth sports through various youth basketball organizations. He is also active in various high school booster clubs promoting youth sports.

Carlos Hernández is the son of migrant parents from Jalisco, Mexico. He was born in Detroit, Michigan and moved to San Fernando Valley, California and then to Anaheim, California, where he had an impactful educational experience as a student in the Anaheim Union High School District. So much so that he was determined to return back to his community in order to help build further progress. In 1999, he returned to the Anaheim Union High School District after graduating from UCLA with a degree in Mathematics and was hired as a math teacher. From 1999 through 2005 he taught Math, facilitated the Mathematical Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA), and took on leadership roles such as the Title I Program Specialist at Sycamore Junior High School. He also coached baseball and football at Anaheim High School during those same years. Carlos was hired as an assistant principal at Savanna High School in November of 2005. Within the capacity as an assistant principal, he grew as an instructional leader and fostered his understanding of the critical role that relationships play with staff, students, parents and community members in order to improve student achievement. In May of 2011, Carlos was given the opportunity to become the principal at South Junior High School, where he served until June, 2015. He then continued serving his community as the principal of Savanna High School until December 2017. He was appointed as the Director of Guidance and Student Services which has since blended into his current position, Director of Curriculum and Instruction in the Anaheim Union High School District.

Mirvais “Mir” Aminy is a dedicated student affairs professional with a robust background in supporting diverse student populations. He currently serves as the Program Director for Cal State Fullerton's Project Rebound, where he oversees daily operations, supervises staff, and collaborates with campus and community organizations to enhance student support services. Mir's commitment to education is evident through his ongoing pursuit of a Ph.D. in Education with a concentration in Disability Studies at Chapman University, anticipated in December 2026. He holds a Master of Science in Counseling with an emphasis in Student Development in Higher Education from California State University, Long Beach, earned in May 2022. His academic journey also includes a bachelor’s degree in Sociology of Deviance & Crime from California State University, Fullerton, completed in May 2019. Mir’s connection to Higher Ground Youth & Family Services began during his time as a student at Cal State Fullerton, where he interned with the organization. He quickly fell in love with the impactful work being done within the community Higher Ground serves. After his internship, Mir continued to volunteer, further strengthening his passion for empowering youth from underserved communities. In recognition of his contributions, Mir was honored with the Stewards of Place Award in 2019 by the Center for Internships and Community Engagement for his work with Higher Ground. Throughout his career, Mir has demonstrated a passion for empowering underserved groups, including formerly and currently incarcerated individuals, those experiencing housing insecurity, college students, people with disabilities, and elderly populations. His professional experience includes roles such as Housing/Transitions Coordinator at the Dayle McIntosh Center in Anaheim and Workforce Program Instructor at The Illumination Foundation in Stanton, CA. In addition to his professional endeavors, Mir has been actively involved in community service in the past. He has worked to assist newly arrived immigrant families from Afghanistan in finding housing and adapting to life in a new country. Mir has also mentored graduate students and supported system-impacted individuals at the community college level in pursuing their educational and personal goals, demonstrating his commitment to fostering growth and resilience in underserved communities. Mir's dedication to social justice and equity in education has been recognized through various awards and fellowships, including the Justice Fellows Policy Program by The Education Trust in February 2024 and the Health Policy Research Fellowship by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in September 2023. He currently resides in Orange County with his wife and children.

Dr. Payne has built a dynamic career in education and business, leveraging his diverse expertise across several key roles to make a practical and tangible impact on students, educators, educational institutions, businesses, and corporations alike. In education, he has experience in play therapy, social-emotional group instruction, classroom teaching, online teaching, curriculum/program development, public school administration, International Baccalaureate World School leadership, university professorship, DEI, and university administration. In business, Dr. Payne has experience in operations, advancement/development, budget management, recruiting, professional growth, leadership coaching/mentoring, consulting, DEI development and implantation, and Human Resources. A key focus for Dr. Payne is in the study, teaching, and enhancement of the brain. He has authored and developed several books and programs focused on applying practical strategies to enhance brain health, including Change Your Brain, Change Your Life (Before 25), Making a Good Brain Great: High School Course, and the Brain Thrive programs/courses with Amen Clinics. He is the CEO of Higher Ground Youth & Family Services, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing wraparound care and services to under-resourced and underserved communities in Southern California. He also partners with the Special Forces Charitable Trust to provide training and resources to those serving in our special forces military communities. Dr. Payne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and a Master’s Degree in Education from Vanguard University. He has a Doctorate Degree in Education Leadership from the University of Southern California. He has an active teaching license and principal license in public education in the state of Oregon, as well as the Senior Certified Professional certification from the Society of Human Resources Management. He is also certified in DISC instruction.

Veronica Funaro Miller has nearly 25 years of extensive banking experience at community-based Farmers and Merchants Bank. She brings her sense of commitment and bright positive attitude to everything she does. She truly cares about the community and has a strong desire to do whatever she can to help make it a better place.

Cecilia Román is the Director of School, Family, and Community Engagement (SFACE) within the Anaheim Elementary School District. She has dedicated 34 years to public education as a teacher, school principal, and now district leader. She leads districtwide efforts to strengthen partnerships with families through parent engagement initiatives, Community Schools, and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP). Under her leadership, the SFACE team supports the district’s Parent Leadership Institute (PLI), launched 10 years ago to help parents grow as leaders and advocates for their children and school communities. This work has moved family involvement beyond participation toward meaningful engagement and empowerment, with parents now serving on district committees and leadership groups where their voices help shape shared decision-making. Ms. Román also oversees the district’s Anaheim Elementary Succeeds! (AES!) extended learning program, which serves more than 8,000 students through enriching before school, after school, summer, and intersession opportunities designed to help students learn, grow, explore their interests, and build future pathways. Through her leadership of Community Schools efforts, she continues to strengthen partnerships and connect families with resources and supports that help students thrive both in and out of the classroom. Ms. Román is passionate about elevating family voice and creating opportunities that support the success of every student.

Brett Schurter has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. He is employed by the Auto Club of Southern California, as Vice President of Integration. Throughout his career he has focused on delivering quality service that will have a positive impact on the consumer, as well as his fellow employees. Brett’s career has enabled him to work in various parts of the United States, which has broadened his perspective on the social needs of people. Throughout his life, Brett has been passionate about youth and family services and has actively engaged in youth and marriage ministries. He believes that family is the foundation of society and that we have a responsibility to help families and children succeed in life. He is actively involved in ministries and serves as a Deacon, at Santa Clara de Asis Catholic Church, in Yorba Linda.

Robert Pierce is an expatriate of the U.K., born in Sheffield, England. Community engagement has been part of his life since he joined the Scout Movement at 4 years old. Progressing through the entire Scouting experience to assistant leader at age 20, he spent countless hours in community service settings – from serving the elderly to clearing debris from rivers. Those early experiences taught him the value of community and the effort needed to be a contributing member of society. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Manchester in Media and Business and spent his twenties pursuing a career in the music business. After nearly a decade pursuing individual fulfillment he found himself seeking a more magnanimous direction. His role at California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Internships & Community Engagement includes training faculty through CSUF Faculty Development Center seminars and workshops to integrate service-learning into their curriculum. He also works to develop partnerships with myriad organizations serving diverse populations and addressing issues across the social spectrum facilitating meaningful service-projects for students.

Tara Campbell is the Mayor of Yorba Linda, California, where she has served since her first election to the City Council in November 2016. In her professional career, Tara works for the County of Orange, focusing on critical issues such as public safety, public health, transportation, infrastructure, and homelessness. Before joining the County, she served in the California State Assembly, where she coordinated key community events, including Child Safety Fairs, Small Business Boost Seminars, and Senior Health Fairs. Tara holds a Master of Public Administration, a Certificate of Public Policy, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Broadcast & Digital Journalism from the University of Southern California.

Dmitry Tsukerman, Ph.D., brings over a decade of experience working at the intersection of education, mental health, and community engagement. He currently serves as the Director of Career Services and Field Study at UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology, where he oversees an experiential learning program that places more than 1,200 undergraduate students each year at over 250 community-based internship sites. He earned his B.A. in Psychology and M.S in Clinical Psychology at Cal State Fullerton, and his Ph.D. in Psychological Science from UC Irvine, where his research focused on stress, health, and emotional well-being. With a professional background spanning youth services, higher education, and psychological research, Dmitry has long been committed to helping young people thrive. He began his career supporting at-risk youth in residential treatment before moving into teaching and mentorship roles in colleges and universities. He has developed and led career readiness programming, taught psychology at multiple institutions, and secured grant funding for initiatives serving underserved communities. He is honored to join the Board of Directors at Higher Ground Youth and Family Services after many years of partnership through UC Irvine’s School of Social Ecology Field Study Program, and is deeply aligned with the organization’s mission to empower youth and families through transformative programs and opportunities.

After a successful career in corporate communications, Joe Baldo has spent the last 15 years advocating for underserved youth and their families. In 2012 he founded HGYFS as a mentoring program. Over the last several years, Higher Ground has grown into a prominent community resource and learning center for hundreds of youth every day. Currently, Higher Ground offers a wide variety of programs and services that positively impact the entire community. As an organization, the focus is on providing a strong and reliable foundation upon which youth and their families can explore purpose and possibility for their future. Joe currently serves on the CSEC Steering Committee (Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children), the Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Child Abuse Prevention Council of OC.