Working Groups & Liaisons
Working Groups And Committees
Women Veterans Working Group
Our mission is to empower women veterans in Orange County through cultural transformation, peer mentorship, knowledge enhancement, and equitable access to programs and resources.
Jessica Foat - ocwomenvetsworkinggroup@gmail.com
Children And Families Working Group
Our mission is to increase identification, support, and awareness of the unique needs of military-connected children and their families.
Lori Pack - lpack@cgcinc.org
Faith Based Working Group
Our mission is to bridge the gap between houses of worship, veterans, their families, and veteran services in Orange County by connecting veterans with local places of worship and fostering community connections through family and social networks.
Sean Chavarria - ccdsean@gmail.com
Health & Wellness Working Group
Our mission is to comprehensively support Orange County veterans and military families by creating a supportive environment for mental health connections, facilitating access to medical resources for physical health, and maximizing benefits through evidence-based alternatives.
Juan Garcia - jgarcia@usvets.org
Housing Working Group
Our mission is to address homelessness within the Orange County veteran and military family community by providing essential services to veterans, reducing homelessness, preventing crises, and supporting those facing chronic homelessness, unsheltered conditions, and disabling mental health conditions.
Eric Richardson - erichardson@voala.org
Legal & Reentry Working Group
Our mission is to empower veterans, their families, and service providers in Orange County by providing education and support related to legal services, ensuring access to legal aid through regular legal clinics, collaborating with the Orange County Superior Court to implement Family Code 211.5, and proactively addressing legal issues to prevent homelessness and support our heroes.
Katie Binkley - kbinkley@vetslegal.com
Employment Entrepreneurship Working Group
Our mission is to foster a stronger community by empowering veterans and their families through sustainable employment connections and encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, resulting in a robust workforce and creative resilience.
Paul Peng - paul@sentriinstitute.com
Older Adult Veteran Services Working Group
Our mission is to enhance direct service support for older adult veterans and their families in Orange County, particularly those who are isolated or shut-in. We achieve this by providing comprehensive assistance in navigating benefits processes and offering tailored support, resources, events, and companionship to improve their quality of life.
Kathy Carchidi - kathy.carchidi@alzoc.org
Government Relations Committee
Our role is to ensure real-time knowledge exchange between the needs of veterans and their families in Orange County and our elected officials who create and vote on legislation affecting them at the county, state, and federal levels.
Tim Petit - tim_petit@verizon.net
Education Laision Working Group
As an Education Liaison, our mission is to support transitioning veterans pursuing college by collaborating with the Region VIII Veterans Program Directors Consortium of Schools in Orange County, addressing education benefits awareness, preventing vulnerability, providing on-campus support, and offering holistic assistance beyond benefits.
Tom Boscamp - tboscamp@coastline.edu
Resources Working Group
The Resource Committee supports the OCVMFC in fiscal management, promotes collaborative membership to ensure all necessary services for veterans and their families are available, and identifies and shares potential funding sources for collaborative members. Effective operations of the Collaborative rely on proper resourcing, including tools for coordinated case management and funding to support a broad range of service providers, which are essential for creating a resilient Veteran community.
Amy Arambulo - aarambulo@211oc.org