Meet Our Board of Directors

Craig S. Lyman Vice President

Craig is currently a financial professional with over 30 years of experience evaluating insurance needs and has experience building and maintaining close client relationships. Mr. Lyman has been involved with Nuevo Amanecer for over 16+ years. Mr. Lyman has supported Nuevo Amanecer, with fundraising and donating his time during all children events. Mr. Lyman enjoys interacting with employees and foster parents as well. Mr. Lyman enjoys spending time with family, friends and community events whenever possible.Mr. Lyman participates in community events on his free-time, and helps out whenever needed.

Julie Hefner Vice President

Julie Hefner joined the board of directors of NALCS in 2014. She enjoys volunteering at the children’s and family events as well as participating in events with the team at NALCS. Julie has been an active licensed REALTOR since 2001. She is dedicated to making the dream of home-ownership a reality and does so by providing her clients excellent real estate services with attention to detail. “The most rewarding aspect of real estate is witnessing the happiness of my clients with their family and friends in their new homes. Everyone deserves a home of their very own.”

Mrs. Hefner has been a resident of San Dimas since 1999 where she lives with her husband.When she is not working , Julie enjoys spending time with her husband and family includingher three beautiful grandchildren. Growing up Julie spent most of her time in a small town inMissouri. She was very close with her grandparents and spent much time with them on their small farm learning the value of hard work and family. Before Julie was born her mother and grandparents had callings in their hearts to be foster parents. Three siblings whom her grandparents fostered became forever family members and Julie has always known them as her aunt and uncles.

Diego Perez Vice President

Diego is originally from Quito, Ecuador, and immigrated to the United States at a young age. His formative years were spent in Manhattan Beach, where he built lasting memories as a young adult. In the early 1990s, he relocated to the San Fernando Valley to pursue professional opportunities and fulfill his passion for architecture.

With a career spanning more than 35 years, Diego is a seasoned architect who has made a significant impact on architectural design and construction across Los Angeles. His work encompasses a wide range of industry sectors, with a strong emphasis on the design and construction management of educational facilities, including schools and universities, a focus he has maintained for over two decades.

Diego places great importance on family values and cherishes time spent with his two grown children. He regularly visits family in Scottsdale, Arizona, reflecting his deep commitment to maintaining close family connections. An avid sports enthusiast, Diego is especially passionate about soccer and is a devoted supporter of FC Barcelona. In his leisure time, he enjoys architectural photography, particularly capturing historically significant landmarks, with a special appreciation for the simplicity and elegance of Mid-Century architecture.

Nani Thanawala Treasurer

Ms. Thanawala is currently retired after a distinguished career in finance, banking, and compliance. From January 2009 to June 2014, she served as a Director at ICS Consulting Partners, where she specialized in audit and compliance regulations.

Prior to that role, Ms. Thanawala spent 43 years working with numerous international banks, gaining extensive experience in financial and strategic planning, accounting, regulatory reporting, budgeting, compliance, financial policy development, operations, internal controls, and human resources. Throughout her career, she held several senior leadership positions, including Financial Controller, Vice President/Manager, and Senior Vice President for Corporate Services.

Ms. Thanawala holds a certification in Financial Management of Banking from the Wharton School and is also certified in Computer Information Systems. She completed coursework in finance, accounting, management, taxation, and information systems at Pace University in New York. Additionally, she earned a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) degree in Sociology and Political Science.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ms. Thanawala is deeply committed to community service and remains actively involved in several community-focused programs and activities.

Nancy Zarate Secretary

Nancy is a dedicated educator, community leader, and advocate with over a decade of experience in social services, education, and ministry. She currently serves as a high school teacher, where she is deeply committed to building meaningful relationships with her students and creating an engaging, supportive environment that promotes both academic success and personal growth. Before her work in education, Nancy spent more than ten years with Nuevo Amanecer Latino Children’s Services, where she held a leadership role supervising staff, developing training programs, and collaborating with county agencies to support foster and adoptive families. Her work played a key role in helping children find safe, stable homes, an experience that continues to shape her passion for service and advocacy.

Nancy brings strong skills in strategic thinking, team leadership, and community engagement, with experience contributing to organizational initiatives, compliance efforts, and stakeholder relationships. She values integrity, accountability, and collaboration, and is driven by a desire to make a lasting impact through thoughtful leadership and service. Grounded in her faith, Nancy is passionate about uplifting others and building connections that strengthen communities. As a devoted wife and mother, she considers raising her son with strong values one of her greatest accomplishments. In her personal time, she enjoys reading and sharing a good cup of coffee, finding joy in both reflection and meaningful connection.