Moving out of her family home as a matter of necessity and renting a room from a high school friend (while holding down two jobs) was a crash course in fierce independence for 16-year-old Dolores. Her acute awareness of how hard and rough the streets can be for young minds stems from personal experience. It closely aligns her heart with the Youth Assistance Coalition’s mission to break the pattern of youth homelessness and provide transformative opportunities. Stacked with almost eight years in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, Dolores also served as a Senior Project Administrator at Hensel Phelps for four years prior to joining the DPR family.

Today, Dolores is a Field Office Coordinator and Regional Master Subcontract Administrator for the Southwest region at DPR Construction, a top technical builder and #1 ranked general contractor in San Diego County (San Diego Business Journal 2022). Dolores’ philanthropic work includes her role as DPR San Diego’s Foundation Grant Liaison and her active involvement with the Community Initiatives Taskforce. Growing up three blocks from the Youth Assistance Coalition in San Diego, Dolores remains an empowered advocate around making a positive impact in the neighborhood where her family still resides and paying it forward to help give today’s youth a chance at a better life.

Mary Lou is a native Californian and recent returnee to San Diego. An HR professional, her career ranged from the United Nations to most recently SAIC in San Diego and McLean, VA. Her passion for empowering women and youth led her to long-term Board memberships of both the American Near East Refugee Association (ANERA) in Washington DC, and Second Story, an at-risk and homeless youth program in Virginia. In addition, her affiliation with The Friends of Guest House, a transitional living program for formerly incarcerated women, led her to establish a pre-release mentoring program for women at two county jails in Virginia. Through ANERA, Mary Lou sponsors a playground for the children of Nahr El-Bared, a refugee camp in Lebanon.

Mary Lou was a Tribute to Women in Industry Award Winner, and is a former member of the SD Commission on the Status of Women. She received her B.A. from Vassar College and M.A. from Columbia University. She has travelled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, and enjoys painting, motorcycle cross country travel, and building her barn home in Michigan with her sidekick, Rick, and monster cat, Zimba. She is honored to be a member of the Board of YAC, as she believes strongly in the mission and need to provide support to vulnerable youth.

In addition to being passionate about ending youth homelessness, Deborah is a professional interior designer. She graduated from Design Institute of San Diego with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design. She also has an accreditation with the Council of Interior Design, and she is a member of the American Society of Interior Designers. She has created a vision for YAC’s future building which encompasses modern and appealing design with efficient function.

Karen graduated from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and was admitted to the California Bar in 1981. In 1992 she was appointed to the San Diego South Bay Municipal Court, then she became a San Diego Superior Court commissioner where she served on the bench for over 25 years. Commissioner Riley retired from the Superior Court in 2015 and still returns to assist when needed. Outside of court Commissioner Riley served for nearly 25 years on the board of directors of The Turning Point Home of San Diego, Inc., a social model alcohol recovery home serving alcoholic women in achieving long term sobriety and reintegration into the community. Ms. Riley now welcomes the opportunity to join the other members of the board of Youth Assistance Coalition in serving the vulnerable youth of our community.

30 plus years of operation’s management experience in the multiple arenas: International, Acquisitions & Operations, Protective Coatings, Franchising, and Automotive. Currently Executive Vice President of IXS Coatings (LINE-X and Ultimate Linings) overseeing all of North and Central American. I travel extensively to oversee critical operations and to build/maintain relationships with many of our largest customers. I reside in San Diego California with my amazing wife and enjoy my grandkids whenever I am not traveling for business. Sit on the board of directors of the Youth Assistance Coalition as President, a non-profit whose sole purpose is to rid the city of San Diego of youth homelessness. Enjoy international travel (business and pleasure), music, photography, the beach, and all water sports.

Michael W. Early brings to our organization an expertise in construction, project management and contract negotiation. He comes to us with a Bachelor’s degree in construction technology from San Diego State University, 30+ years of construction experience, and a California State General Contractors License. He has worked in the U.S. and in Mexico as Project Manager for one of the world’s largest international construction firms. Michael is V.P. of Construction at Event Network LLC., the nation’s leading operator of cultural attraction retail. During his tenure he has completed over 500 projects touching virtually every partnership throughout the organization. Michael’s ability to successfully manage projects, budgets and teams of all sizes, coupled with his enthusiasm for service and for philanthropy, makes him a valuable asset to Youth Alliance Coalition.