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President & Executive Director
Angie RoweAngie Rowe possesses over 20 years of experience championing successful initiatives to spur revenue and donor growth, community participation, and programmatic and operational excellence.
Since joining the BCLC in July 2019, Angie has overseen significant strategic development, guided the agency trough the COVID-19 crisis resulting in an increase in families served, and now leads the organization into the future with an ambitious plan to rewrite the paradigm of care for those served by BCLC. She joins the team having most recently served as Interim Executive Director at Global Genes, a leading rare disease advocacy organization. Prior to stepping in as Interim Executive Director, she served in various other roles, such as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Angie has a Masters of Science in Public Policy and a Certificate in Industrial Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and a Bachelors of Science in Environmental Resource Management from Penn State University. Angie has worked extensively on the boards of community and non-profit agencies in Orange County. Her passion is training and mentoring young women and she is still actively involved as Sustaining Program Chair in the Junior League and is also currently volunteering as Chapter Advisor for Alpha Chi Omega’s Delta Psi Chapter at UC Santa Barbara. Angie resides in Aliso Viejo with her husband Bob, their dog Urbi, and has two adult sons, Colin and Brady, both attending the University of Arizona in Tucson. Angie loves yoga, the beach, traveling the globe and spending time with her amazing family and friends. |
Board Chair
Jeff HipshmanMr. Jeff Hipshman is a Partner at EideBailly, where he specializes in family wealth planning for high net worth individuals, as well as business and tax planning for closely held businesses and their owners. His expertise includes estate planning and retirement planning.
Jeff has served on the Board of Directors at Blind Children's Learning Center since 2009. His service in the non-profit sector is extensive, having served as Treasurer of Beckstand Cancer Foundation and aiding endowment efforts at Orangewood Foundation. Additionally, he served on the boards of St. Anne School and J Serra Catholic High School. |
Director of Strategy and Innovation
Meredith CagleIn her role, Meredith Cagle helps identify, analyze, evaluate, and champion strategies and initiatives that will deliver significant innovation and growth for the organization. Meredith has over twenty-five years of management and program development experience. She previously served as the Senior Director of Patient Engagement at Global Genes where she managed and led the expansion and growth of education and community programs, created the Rare Global Advocacy Leadership Council including representation from more than 13 countries, and oversaw the growth of the Rare Foundation Alliance from 300 to more than 600 member organizations. Meredith previously or currently serves as a board member for numerous charitable organizations including the Junior League of Orange County California and National Charity League of Newport Beach. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in biological sciences from the University of California, Irvine and a Master of Public Health degree with an emphasis in community health education and promotion from the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Director of Development
Kevin FuhrmannKevin joined Blind Children's Learning Center shortly after graduating from University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. He has served in various capacities since 2014 and quickly developed a passion for the families, programs, and community surrounding the Center. He advances the sustainability and strategic growth of BCLC programming by connecting members of the community to a wide spectrum of philanthropic activity. As an active member of the service-oriented community, he is a member of the Roosters Foundation of Orange County and Lions International.
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Director of Early Intervention Services
Irene TakahashiIrene has worked in the early intervention field for over 25 years, starting at Blind Children’s Learning Center in 1990 as an intern. Upon earning her Bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Irvine, Irene joined the center as Lead Infant Teacher while obtaining her Child Care Permit. She then moved to the Infant Family Focus Program as an Infant Development Specialist before eventually directing the Infant Family Focus Program. Six years later, Irene was named Director at Bright Visions.
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Director of Human Resources
Mindy WeinheimerMindy has been with Blind Children's Learning Center since 1996. She holds a degree in Business Management with emphasis in Human Resources from University of Phoenix. Drawn to the Center due to several family members having visual impairments, she knew she had a home here after participating in a Blindfold Luncheon early in her tenure. She has notably been awarded the CFO Community Service Award through Orange County Business Journal.
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BARBARA ALVARADO
GOVERNANCE CHAIR Community Volunteer CATHERINE HEYMAN, O.D., F.A.A.O. Associate Professor Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, SCCO Marshall B. Ketchum University RAYMOND KONG Chief Commercial Officer New World Medical, Inc ASHISH M. MEHTA, M.D. Chief of Ophthalmology Southern California Permanente Medical Group JARED MORIARTY Managing Director McDermott + Bull Executive Search |
MICHELLE DEAN
TREASURY CHAIR Community Volunteer DANIELLE KING Vice President, Mardek Enterprises Inc Parent of Child with a Visual Impairment JERI KONOPISOS IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Community Volunteer KAPIL MALHOTRA VP, Sr. Business Systems Analyst PIMCO CAROL TRAPANI VICE CHAIR, VISION BEYOND SIGHT CHAIR SVP, Advisory & Transaction Services, CBRE |