Our Board, Officers and Staff
Anne R. Thorward, BA, Teacher & Financial Advisor, Retired
President
Anne grew up in central Los Angeles. Her first career was teaching elementary school in LA. She lived in Mexico and taught two years in Europe. Upon returning to USA, Anne prepared income taxes, worked in real estate management followed by a long career as a Financial Advisor with Mass Mutual in DC area & CA. Soon after moving to Claremont, a neighbor mentioned that a ninth-grade Syrian refugee student needed tutoring. Anne answered the call. Through this connection she met the student’s family, other refugees, members of a local mosque, more volunteers, neighbors, faith groups, politicians and more. In early 2017, a dear friend suggested that she start an ACCESS organization in LA County; thus, the Newcomers Access Center idea was born. NAC was incorporated the following spring. Anne sold her business and now has more time for her passion: doing social justice work. Anne says that “Life is good when I see a new baby arrive, a refugee gets a new job or refugee students start college. I serve with joy and delight.” Anne and her husband Tom, a computer expert, enjoy gardening, reading, entertaining and travel. They have four daughters and eight grandchildren.
Ed Chang, MD, Urologic Oncologist
Vice President
Ed’s parents immigrated from South Korea to the US shortly after he was born. He grew up in Southern California and ultimately went to UCLA for both college and medical school. He completed his urologic residency at University of Washington in Seattle where he met his amazing wife Gina and where they got married. After residency, they moved to Southern California for Ed’s fellowship in urologic oncology and robotics at City of Hope. After his fellowship, Ed started a job at Southern California Permanente Medical Group as a urologic oncologist at the Kaiser hospitals in the Inland Valley. Although his job can be emotionally draining, Ed sees his urologic oncologist career as a calling, and he is thankful to be doing something that he is very passionate about. Ed and his wife, Gina, enjoy walking around their neighborhood, playing pickleball, and watching Korean dramas. They also attend and serve at Solid Rock Church in Claremont.
Andy Winnick, Emeritus Professor of Economics and Statistics
Treasurer
Originally from Brooklyn NY, Andy is now a Professor Emeritus of Economics and Statistics at Cal State University, Los Angeles, and served as Associate VP for Academic Affairs / Dean of Faculty. He is a community activist nationally and locally in a myriad of issue areas. Andy calls himself a Political Economist. Andy has worked in the areas of macroeconomics at the interface of economics, political science, sociology and history. He has served as professor at several universities including as a faculty trainer at Bethlehem University in the Palestinian Occupied Territories; and is the author of two books: The Changing Distributions of Income and Wealth in the U.S. and The Impact of Israel’s Founding Myths on the Prospects for a Two-State Solution. He has worked extensively on foreign policy, focusing on the Middle East. Andy’s many faceted experiences will bring unique perspectives to NAC. Andy and his wife. Martina Ebert, have four grown children.
Sergio Mora, EdD – Educational Leadership & Math Teacher, Retired
Secretary
As a native of Mexico, I immigrated with my parents as an infant. Early in my life, my family were migrant farm workers throughout California. My parents eventually settled in the Chino and Ontario area where my father began his strawberry farm business. These early experiences formed my perspective of the importance and value that immigrants bring to this nation. This also formed my conviction in the liberating force that is education. I went on to graduate with a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Subsequently I served as an Air Defense Officer with the US Army. My service included overseas assignments to Honduras, Panama, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. After my military service, I spent a year in Oaxaca, Mexico where I volunteered at a center for street children and at an organization for Indigenous rights; thus began my path to becoming a high school mathematics teacher in the United States for 25 years. In between teaching, I also served as a lay missioner with a Catholic organization. I was assigned to Tanzania, Africa where I again worked with street children as well as collaborated as a teacher trainer. I earned a Masters in Mathematics Education from Claremont Graduate University as well as a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University. Besides happily volunteering at NAC, I volunteer as a Child Advocate for Unaccompanied Immigrant Minors with an immigrant children’s rights organization. My wife, Janette, and I enjoy travelling, learning about other cultures, watching movies, and going for long walks.
Evan Freund, Health Services Executive, Consultant
Evan Freund is an accomplished health services executive and consultant. He served as Executive Director and COO of ambulatory medical care and HMO delivery systems in Chicago for over twenty-five years. His career orientation in health care was the development of services for underserved populations, urban and rural. He is conversant with the governance of non-profit organizations and the professional self-governance structures common to hospitals. Evan has participated in a number of strategic planning and board development projects as a consultant with Executive Service Corps of Chicago. He holds an MA from the University of Minnesota in Political Science/Public Administration, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business. He is a Life Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. Evan served as member of the Board of Directors of Ancona School in Chicago for fifteen years and as President for four years. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Community Counseling Centers of Chicago for 15 years, serving as Treasurer and Board Chair. He is a board member at Citizens for Global Solutions, a Washington based advocacy organization and has served as Treasurer for 10 years. He currently serves as an elected member of the Pilgrim Place Board of Directors and as a mentor for Defy Ventures’ entrepreneurship training programs for prisoners in California prison.
Rehana Mowjood, College Guidance Counselor, Retired
Board Member
Rehana Mowjood is an American Muslim who is active in various service religious, educational and interfaith organizations throughout California. Rehana was instrumental in setting up the college-counseling program at the City of Knowledge School in Pomona, and she served as that school’s College Guidance Counselor till she retired. She is a long-time member of the Upland Interfaith Council and the Claremont Interfaith Council for Peace in the Middle East. In these organizations she has helped organize various interfaith activities throughout the Inland Empire including the annual Walk for Peace, Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, Interfaith Seder and Walk for the Hungry to name a few. She has served two terms on the board of the Islamic Center of the Inland Empire. She is also on the Advisory Council of the Umma Free Clinic in South Central Los Angeles and a founding member of IMPACT So Cal, an organization that provides housing and rental assistance to the needy. Rehana received her BA in Finance from Cal State San Bernardino and College Guidance Counseling Certification from the University of California, Riverside. She currently lives in Upland California.
Margaret Wilcox, PhD, Psychologist, Retired
Board Member
Margaret is a native Californian from the Bay Area east of Berkeley, where she and her husband raised their family. Margaret’s degrees are all from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a career as a psychologist working with children, as a university lecturer and administrator. After retiring she became active with several nonprofits in the Tahoe foothills area including CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), and SCLAR (large animal rescue organization). During the pandemic, she moved to Redlands to be near her daughter’s family and looked for an organization to connect with that shares her values of social justice. Margaret values time spent with her daughter, daughter-in-law and two little ones in Redlands and also regularly travels to CT to visit her son’s family including two granddaughters. She is active in Redlands community groups and enjoys hiking in the mountains surrounding Redlands and riding her Icelandic horse.
Juju Lelliott, Executive Director
Dr. Juju Lelliott brings over 15 years of experience in health and human services. At Clínica Romero and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, she advanced healthcare access and community engagement, while her academic research at USC Rossier focused on equitable perinatal care for LGBTQ+ families. Appointed by the LA County Board of Supervisors in March 2025, Juju serves as an at-large commissioner, recommended by the LGBTQ+ Commission. Dr. Lelliott was appointed to the City of Pasadena Northwest Commission by Vice Mayor Jess Rivas in May, 2025. She serves on the board of directors for Pathways Early College Academy, Artists at Play, and as elected cochair for LGBTQ+ Victory Fund.
Kim Peasley, Office Administrator, Webmaster
NAC‘s administrator and webmaster Kim Peasley earned a Bachelor’s in political science and a Master’s in Journalism, both from UC Berkeley. Her experience includes working as a legislative aide for a state senator and as a director of public relations at Pitzer College in Claremont and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona. In addition to working for NAC, Kim is a freelance creative professional at creativezazz.com, providing writing, graphic design, web design and other services for education, nonprofits and businesses. Kim lives in Claremont.
Ghezal Akbarzad, Office Assistant
Originally from Afghanistan, Ghezal Akbarzad came to the US as preschooler and now has a BS in Computer Engineering from Santa Clara University. Her experience as part of an immigrant family brings considerable understanding of other newcomers. Her many talents, knowledge of a nonprofit and organizational skills are treasured by NAC volunteers, staff, donors and families. Her daughter, Ella, also volunteers at NAC by organizing the children’s games and books and working with kids.