Board of Directors

Kathi Lentzsch

Board Member since 2024. Board Chair.From the time Kathi was 5, when she befriended a young girl from Ethiopia, she knew she wanted to be part of the global community and foster connections between cultures. To that end, with a passion for international business and cultural transformation, Kathi has worked globally for over thirty years in more than thirty countries. In 2020, with world travel on hold,shevolunteered to work at RAI on product and marketing and, in 2024, enthusiastically joined the board. Currently, she serves as the RAI Board Chair and the CEO of Rad Power Bikes.Kathibrings deep experience in board governance and senior leadership with an extensive background in innovative retail, B2B, and non-profit organizations. She is passionate about the impactful work that RAI does to serve and integrate the brave and resilient refugeesinto our local community.

Heather Bridges

Board Member since 2022. Vice Chair, Board Treasurer, Governance Committee Chair, Finance Committee Chair, Executive Committee, Compensation Committee.Heather is Managing Director at Unify Consulting and is a veteran leader in the management consulting industry, bringing over 30 years of experience helping for-profit and non-profit organizations establish more effective operations, systems, and teams. She brings her extensive Finance experience to her role as Board Treasurer. Heather's journey is deeply rooted in her personal experience. As a former foster child, she understands the importance of community support and it is this understanding that fuels her commitment to the women that RAI serves. Their strength, resilience, and hopeful spirit embody the very best of humanity and inspire us all.

Cleo Escarez

Board Member since 2023. Secretary, Governance Committee.Cleo Escarez is a results-oriented retail executive with over 15 years of experience leading and growing successful retail businesses. Throughout her career, she has consistently delivered impressive results by developing and executing innovative retail strategies, fostering a customer-centric culture, and leveraging data-driven insights to optimize operations. She is a champion of sustainability and a recognized expert in integrating circular economy principles into retail operations. A passionate advocate for women, refugees, and immigrants. Cleo leverages her expertise in business to create impactful programs that empower marginalized communities.

Elta Ratliff

Board Member since 2022. Development Committee Chair.Elta is the daughter of immigrants who were fortunate to make it to United States after escaping civil war, and she is grateful for the opportunity to support RAI’s artisans. Elta is fascinated by the creativity of RAI’s team, and she is excited that such meaningful work repurposes textiles that would otherwise go to waste. In addition to running her property management company, Elta has also devoted her time to volunteer leadership for a variety of environmental and educational institutions. Earlier in her career, Elta worked as supply chain consultant and as a process engineer, and she holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT.

Yumiko Damashek

Board Member since 2020. Immediate Past President - Former Board Chair.Yumiko came to the US from Japan as a graduate student and eventually settled in CA. After a fair share of struggles as a new immigrant in a new country, she landed a position in the semiconductor industry and successfully climbed up the corporate ladder all the way to executive leadership, breaking glass ceilings along the way. She is a purpose-driven leader with her passion in racial, gender and social justice, and has led women’s career development, leadership development and DEI and ESG sustainability programs in a variety of settings. She understands the difficulties refugees and immigrants face, particularly women, and is grateful for the opportunity to help transform their lives through the work she gets to do at RAI.

Elizabeth Lyons

Board Member since 2025.

Tanya Woo

Board Member since 2025.

Ziba Kaboli-Gerbrands

Board Member since 2024.Ziba Kaboli-Gerbrands is an Iranian immigrant. Her family was exiled to Europe for several years after the Iran revolution in 1979 and eventually settled in Washington, DC. as a political refugee. Ziba is passionate about supporting female immigrant refugees, having first-hand knowledge of their struggles - learning a new language in a foreign land, her family working several jobs to make ends meet, and constant uncertainty over visa and immigration status. Ziba joined the board after completing a philanthropic fellowship program at Amazon, where her team was paired with RAI. Inspired by RAI’s mission, she wrote a strategic plan that secured funding for program expansion from Amazon. Ziba has been a product and business development leader at Amazon Devices since Jan 2019, leading new product initiatives across Alexa devices - Fire TV, and Echoshow. She recently took a role as Technical Principal Product Manager supporting Alexa AI experiences and new products. Prior to Amazon, Ziba was a business development leader in media and technology, working with companies like Roku, and Time Warner in both content acquisition and distribution roles. Ziba has served on several non-profit boards including President of Women in Cable Technology, and founding member of C-Positive, a Los-Angeles based AIDs organization. She is a graduate of George Washington University with a degree in International Business.