Fil-Am named to board of top California health grant-maker

Joe Lumarda

WOODLAND HILLS, California – Filipino-American investment executive Joe Lumarda has been appointed to the board of directors of The California Wellness Foundation (Cal Wellness), the foundation recently announced.

Lumarda, senior vice president and investment counselor of Capital Group Private Client Services — a leading investment management firm in Los Angeles — was appointed to the board along with Debra Nakatomi, president of Nakatomi & Associates in Santa Monica.

Nakatomi and Lumarda were elected at the foundation’s September 2014 board meeting; they will commence their service on January 1, 2015.

“We are thrilled to expand our Board by welcoming Joe and Debra,” said Barbara C. Staggers, M.D., M.P.H., Cal Wellness’ Board chair. “They will both bring a wealth of knowledge from their vast experiences in the nonprofit, philanthropic and corporate sectors.”

Lumarda is a seasoned philanthropic business leader; he spent 16 years at the California Community Foundation in the roles of vice president for development, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

He is the board chair of the Center for Nonprofit Management, and a board member of Saint Joseph Healthcare Foundation, Pasadena Child Health Foundation and Southern California Grantmakers. (Lumarda’s full biography here.)

Lumarda said joining Cal Wellness’ Board feels like a natural fit.

“What I love about Wellness is its holistic focus,” Lumarda said. “I was raised to believe that wellness is not just about health care in terms of hospitals and clinics. It’s also about the health and safety of the community as a whole. With the Foundation’s new leadership, renewed strategies and a focus built upon its legacy, it’s an excellent time to be joining the Board.”

Nakatomi is president of Nakatomi & Associates, a Santa Monica-based communications firm dedicated to advancing social change, promoting equity and designing awareness initiatives for nonprofit, public and private organizations committed to social good.

Debra Nakatomi

She has served regional, national and global organizations committed to expanding philanthropy for women and girls, promoting health equity and advancing wellness for underserved communities.

Nakatomi is former board secretary and international commissioner for Girl Scouts of the USA and chair-elect of the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation. (Nakatomi’s full biography here.)

Nakatomi says she has admired the Foundation’s steadfast commitment to funding key health issues.

“Over the years, I’ve been a partner and an observer of the Foundation and have witnessed the impact of its sustained attention on such issues as violence prevention and increasing diversity in the health professions,” Nakatomi said. “I believe the role of a funder is to support community voices through policy advocacy, public education and being responsive to the needs of all communities.”

“I am so pleased to welcome Joe and Debra to our distinguished group of trustees,” said Judy Belk, Cal Wellness’ president and CEO. “They are both passionate about addressing disparities in our state and using expertise in their respective fields to advance health and wellness in California.”

To view videos of Lumarda and Nakatomi commenting on their appointments, please visit the Sound Bites page on CalWellness.org.

The California Wellness Foundation is a private independent foundation created in 1992 with a mission to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention.

Since its founding in 1992, Cal Wellness has awarded 7,523 grants totaling more than $899 million.