Our Board

Chairperson

Jennifer A. Rudnicki joined the IVRS Board of Directors in 2020. She is unique to this position having experienced going thru the program herself over 23 years ago. The program helped propel her into many successful business endeavors. As a mortgage loan professional for almost 20 years, she prides herself in the fact that she can provide help and guidance to those who most need it. She is passionate about workplace diversification and equality. Jennifer leads the Hospitality Ministry at her home parish of St. Anthony in Upland.

Vice Chair 

Chris Cox joined the IVRS board in 2023, and he is excited to serve in this capacity. Chris serves as an Assistant Chief of the Fire and Rescue Branch, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and he worked 32 years at the Corona Fire Department, with his last position as the Deputy Fire Chief. Chris was an active participant in numerous programs within
the department throughout his career. While working for Corona, Chris served as the Safety Officer on a Cal Fire Incident Management Team for 12 years, and he responded to and helped
manage the largest incidents all over California. Chris is a past president of the Riverside County Training Officers Association, the Riverside County Operations Chiefs Section, and the Inland Empire Fire Explorer Association. Chris earned a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Administration from Cal State Los Angeles and was awarded the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) Designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing; Center for Public Safety Excellence in 2018. Chris and his wife Heidi live in Rancho Cucamonga and enjoy activities with their grown children and their families, as well as cooking, traveling, fishing, and restoring and operating antique fire
engines.

Tresurer 

Richard E. Simpson, Ph.D. has been a member of the IVRS Board of Directors since November 2011. He has held all the board officer positions at least once and has been a longtime member of the board’s finance, audit, and development and recruitment committees.

Richard has an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, three master’s degrees in business and management, and a doctorate in executive management from Claremont Graduate University.

Richard had a successful career with the U.S. Government in Washington, D.C. as well as in industry in Southern California. In early 1997 he began teaching at the University of La Verne as an adjunct and then at California State University, Fullerton as well. On January 1, 2000, he became a full-time member of the faculty at the University of La Verne. While there, he held several important leadership roles and was recognized for his teaching as well as his service to the university community and the larger community. He has been recognized by the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardino as well for his service to the community. His area of expertise is strategy, but he also has taught extensively courses in ethics, leadership, and entrepreneurship. He retired from the university on June 30, 2017 and was honored as Emeritus Professor of Strategic Management. He still occasionally teaches in special programs for the university. He also teaches in several programs for the Diocese of San Bernardino, including church history, introduction to moral theology, and preparing liturgical readers for their ministry.

Richard has ordained a permanent deacon in August 2017. He teaches several religious education courses at his home parish of St. Anthony in Upland.

Director

Stephani Sutherland has served on the IVRS board since 2018, and is a member of the Program Committee and chair of the Fund Development Committee. She was proud to serve on the ad-hoc committee to re-write IVRS's mission statement in 2019. She brings scientific expertise in pain and addiction and extensive communication skills to her position at IVRS.

 Stephani recently returned to her native Claremont after 20 years spent living in the Pacific Northwest and Long Beach, CA. A graduate of Claremont High School and Cal State University, Fullerton, Stephani earned her PhD in Neuroscience at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland in 2001. Since then, she has worked as a science communicator for newspaper, magazine, television, radio, and online formats for all audiences, as well as teaching at the university level. As a freelance journalist, Stephani now focuses on covering the field of chronic pain and pain research. Her work appears regularly in Scientific American and RELIEF.news. Stephani practices yoga, and she enjoys cooking, hiking and camping with her husband and two tween-age kids. @SutherlandPhD

Director

John T. Chapman is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at San Antonio Regional Hospital (SARH) in Upland, California. Mr. Chapman joined the hospital in 2018 and is currently serving as the seventh President and CEO in the history of the hospital. SARH has 363 beds, a staff of over 500 physicians, 2,000 employees and 300 volunteers. The hospital offers advanced patient care throughout the Inland Empire. John is LEAN certified and represents in the Inland Empire as its Board member for the Hospital Association of Southern California.

John has served as an experienced hospital executive for over two decades. Prior to arriving at San Antonio, he served as Chief Operations Officer at Highland Hospital in Oakland, California. John was not only in charge of operations at this 169-bed general acute care hospital, but also led the clinical and support services for the Alameda Health System. Some of his accomplishments included Alameda’s accreditation as a Level 1 Trauma Center, a Baby Friendly designation and the construction of a 9-story patient tower.

John is a clinical microbiologist by training. Prior to joining the Alameda Health System; John served as Executive Director of Clinical Services, Director of Laboratory Services, and held other leadership positions at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. In these roles, among other things, he served as the director of the medical center’s service lines including its Orthopedic Institute and Heart and Vascular Institute.  He also led a variety of strategic planning processes and UC system-wide operational initiatives.

John earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of California – Berkeley and a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix. John, his wife Arnin, and daughter Nicole are avid dog lovers and enjoy whitewater rafting. John’s hobbies include traveling, basketball, and renovating homes. In fact, he has built his own home in Northern California.

Director

Andy began his career with Edward Jones in 2017.   He works with families and businesses to help plan, prepare for, and live in retirement.  He also has enjoyed mentoring many of the new advisors that have come to the    firm.  He became a partner in 2023.  In the community, Andy is a board member with the Upland Chamber of Commerce, Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce, and the Estate Planning Council of Pomona Valley.

 He is honored to serve on the IVRS board, as the organization’s mission and commitment to meaningful, lasting community impact align closely with his own beliefs in service, stewardship, and strengthening our communities both now and for the future.

 Andy and his wife Heather have been married since 2002, and have three teenage children.   He loves to travel, hike with his son, and is involved with their homeschool group.

Director

Chief Marcelo Blanco was born in Mendoza, Argentina. At age 5, his family moved to Madrid, Spain, where he lived for two years before immigrating to Los Angeles, California. He grew up in the L.A. area, and during his junior year in high school, his family moved to Upland, eventually graduating from Upland High in 1991. During his senior year in High School, he took an ROP (Regional Occupational Program) class where he was assigned to work at the Upland Police Department in the Crime Prevention Unit. He used to ride his bike from Upland High to the Upland Police Department. Upon graduating high school, he was hired as a Police Cadet working in evidence. After two and a half years as a cadet, he was hired as a full-time CSO (community service officer). He spent six months as a dispatcher and eventually became the first civilian Crime Prevention Officer. Chief Blanco attended the extended police academy and was hired as a police officer upon graduation in May 1996. As a police officer, he worked patrol, DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Instructor, and as SRO (School Resource Officer) servicing all of Upland’s elementary schools. Shortly after 9/11, he was assigned to the California Department of Justice Terrorism Task Force and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. While at the FBI JTTF, he obtained his security clearance. Some collateral duties he held as a police officer were first aid and CPR instructor, crisis and hostage negotiator, Explorer advisor, and president of the Police Officers’ Association.

In October of 2005, he was promoted to Detective, where he worked on various investigative assignments, including commercial/metal theft, missing persons, auto theft, child/elder abuse, and sex crimes. As a detective, his collateral duties included being the terrorism liaison officer, explorer post advisor, and mobile field force member. He was promoted to Sergeant, where he was a field supervisor and community resource unit/homeless outreach program supervisor. His collateral duties as a sergeant included: mobile field force team leader, explorer post coordinator, and terrorism liaison. On September 11, 2016, he was promoted to Lieutenant, where he worked as a patrol watch commander. Shortly thereafter, he advanced to Captain, where he has been the administrative service commander overseeing investigations, special teams, homeless outreach, records, code enforcement, animal control, police facilities, and budget.

Marcelo was a career technical education instructor for over 15 years and currently possesses a vocational teaching credential through California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. In addition, Marcelo served on the executive board as the treasurer of the Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) and other chapter boards and committees for over 10 years. In this capacity, he assisted in furthering legislation to assist police officers statewide by participating in lobbying activities at the State capital and Washington D.C.

His formal education consists of an associate degree in liberal studies from Chaffey College. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management from Ashford University and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from California Baptist University. In addition, Marcelo is fluent in Spanish.

His professional certificates include Sherman Block’s Supervisory Leadership Institute – Class 332, Peace Officer Standards and Training Management Certificate, and California Police Chiefs Executive Leadership Institute at Drucker Certificate – Class 3.

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Secretary