About ARRC
ARRC’s Focus
Crew assesses fire damage amid debris and burned-out trees
ARRC has two purposes:
1. Drive the efficient and effective collaboration between private enterprise, philanthropy, government (Local / State / Federal), and the Altadena Community, allowing for the successful planning, resourcing, and execution to rebuild Altadena and its immediate surrounding community;
2. Focus on the immediate and long-term sustainable rebuilding of Altadena.
Leadership and Board of Directors
The ARRC Leadership and Board of Directors includes people with considerable expertise in fields essential for disaster recovery. These Directors are dedicated community leaders, professionals, and experts committed to rebuilding Altadena with resilience and vision.
Anders Corey, Chief Executive Officer
Anders Corey serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Altadena Recovery and Rebuild Corporation (ARRC). Prior to this, Anders served as an advisor to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger focusing on housing, land-use, economic development, legislation and development. Also in his career, he oversaw the County healthcare portfolio, covering the County hospital system, primary care services, public health and mental health services. In this capacity, Anders led the County’s COVID-19 emergency response, as well as overseeing major County capital projects including housing development and the expansion of the County’s public healthcare system.
He has served as a commissioner on the Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission and on the Board of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA).
Anders graduated from Biola University with a degree in Humanities before he went on to receive his Master’s in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Andrew McDonald, Board Chair
Global President and Chief Operating Officer, Cushman & Wakefield
Andrew McDonald is the Global President and Chief Operating Officer of Cushman & Wakefield. In addition to overseeing all commercial service lines and geographic regions of the firm, he is responsible for the firm’s Global Marketing, Communications & Research functions. Andrew serves on the company’s Global Executive Committee. Andrew has held several senior leadership roles at Cushman & Wakefield after a 15-year career as a top brokerage professional.
Prior to his current role as Global President and COO, Andrew served as President, leading the firm’s largest business lines in the Americas and Asia Pacific regions. Previously, Andrew served as Chief Executive for the Americas region, leading all service lines and strategy for the firm’s largest revenue-producing region. He also served as President of the Americas West Region and Regional Managing Principal of Southern California for Cushman & Wakefield. Andrew began his career at ASIMCO, a Beijing-based private equity firm acquired by Bain Capital. In 1999, he returned to the U.S. to work with Cushman Realty Corporation, which merged with Cushman & Wakefield in 2001. Andrew currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Cushman & Wakefield and Greystone joint venture, California Hospital Medical Center, The Los Angeles Coalition and The Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.
He is a member of The Real Estate Roundtable and the Policy Advisory Board at the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics at University of California, Berkeley.
Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Director
Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Kathryn Barger serves as the Los Angeles County Supervisor for the Fifth District, the county’s largest district, covering 2,800 square miles. A lifelong resident, she began her public service career as an intern and later became Chief Deputy to Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich. Elected in 2016, she focuses on public safety, mental health, homelessness, and services for vulnerable populations, including foster youth, seniors, and veterans. Kathryn also serves on key transportation boards, including Metrolink and the LA Metro Board, advocating for improved infrastructure and transit. Known for her fiscal responsibility and bipartisan leadership, she prioritizes economic growth, effective governance, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Residing in the San Gabriel Valley with her husband, a retired sheriff’s deputy, Kathryn remains committed to enhancing the quality of life for the diverse communities of Los Angeles County.
Manny Abascal, Director
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP
Manuel “Manny” A. Abascal is a partner in the Litigation & Trial Practice at Latham & Watkins LLP in Los Angeles. With over two decades at the firm, he specializes in high-stakes litigation, government investigations, and regulatory matters across industries like healthcare, finance, and technology.
Before joining Latham, Manny served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles, prosecuting complex fraud cases. He has led multiple criminal and civil jury trials, including the successful defense of a Tenet Healthcare subsidiary.
Beyond his legal practice, Manny is committed to community service, serving as the founding chairman of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital. Recognized in Chambers USA for his strategic approach, he is known for his diligence and strong advocacy. His experience in both private practice and public service underscores his dedication to legal excellence and community impact.
Manny and his family have lived in Altadena for many years.
John Barger, Director
Managing Director, NorthernCross
John M. Barger has lived in the Pasadena/Altadena area his entire life, hiking Echo Mountain, Eaton Canyon, and Mount Wilson trails and attending Lake Avenue Church. He is presently the Managing Director of NorthernCross Partners, LLC, a privately held merchant bank he founded in 2007. He also serves on multiple private company boards, including as board chair to Nanolumens, Inc.
John grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and had his first job after college as a roofer, then trading in his hammer in 1980 to work for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as a Deputy County Supervisor. After attending graduate school in law and finance, he worked for decades in the financial services and banking industry (including Citibank and Bankers Trust), before starting multiple companies on his own.
He served as a trustee and Investment Board Chair of the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA) from 2008-2016 and most recently served as a Governor of the United States Postal Service (2019-2023), for which he was nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. He has also been an advisor to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger for many years.
John lives in San Marino with his wife, Shauna, and is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University (BA History/Philosophy), the University of California Law School, San Francisco, and the London School of Economics (MSc. Finance & Accounting).
James G. Ellis, Director
Former Dean, USC Marshall School of Business
Jim Ellis served as the Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, from April 2007 until June 2019. He retired as a Professor of Marketing, a position he held for twenty- five years, in July 2021.
Holding an MBA degree from the Harvard University and a BBA degree from the University of New Mexico, Mr. Ellis served as President/CEO of Porsche Design, and was CEO of Port O’Call Pasadena.
Ellis sits on numerous corporate boards of directors, of both public and private companies, continuing direct involvement in the business arena. He also serves on the Board of the Rose Hills Foundation, a charitable organization, and of the University of New Mexico Foundation board.
Jim and his wife Gail have five adult children–four of whom are married–and twelve grandchildren.
Akila Gibbs, Director
Executive Director, Pasadena Senior Center
Akila Gibbs has devoted herself to the issues associated with our aging population. She began her career in television news as an award-winning jounalist for 16 years. She transitioned to the nonprofit sector working as Director of Public Relations for the Alzheimer's Association.
In 2008, Akila joined the Pasadena Senior Center as Executive Director where she continues to lead the organization to help meet the growing needs of older adults in their community. She is an active member of Pasadena Rotary, and serves on the boards of Huntington Hospital, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, and Westridge School for Girls.
Akila was one of California Senator Carol Lui's 25th Senate District 2015 Women of the Year and was also presented with the Junior League of Pasadena's 2016 Community Impact Award. Akila and her husband, Albert, have two adult children.
Cathy Goonetilleke, Director
Partner, Ernst & Young
Cathy Goonetilleke is a senior partner at Ernst & Young, where she brings decades of experience in business consulting, strategic advisory, and corporate governance. Over her 25+ year career, she has led risk-based business reviews, advised clients on the impact of globally evolving regulations, and steered people- and technology-driven transformation initiatives. A longtime Altadena resident, Cathy lost her home in the Eaton Fire and is now navigating the rebuilding process. She remains deeply engaged in the community, active in local nonprofits, and dedicated to mentoring early-career professionals.
David Hadley, Director
Former CEO and Former California Assemblyman
David is a Senior Advisor to NorthernCross Partners, advising NorthernCross on its private equity and replacement manager activities. He began his career at Bankers Trust/BT Alex. Brown, where key assignments included co-founding of BT's high yield capital markets group and being the managing director responsible for delivering investment banking services to communications service providers worldwide. After Deutsche Bank acquired BT Alex. Brown, David founded and led Hadley Partners, a boutique investment banking firm delivering M&A and capital raising/advisory services to entrepreneur owned companies. David is currently the vice chairman of Module X Solutions (MXS), a manufacturing & engineering business, having founded and led a company that MXS acquired. Serving as a California Assemblyman for the 66th Assembly District, David has experience in community involvement, public-private partnerships and policymaking.
David received his BA from Dartmouth College and his MSc. in Economic History from the London School of Economics.
Ursula Hyman, Director
Partner, Latham & Watkins LLP (ret.)
Ursula was a partner at the international law firm of Latham & Watkins from which she retired after 30 years of practicing law. At Latham she was the chair of the Municipal and Tax-Exempt Finance Group. Ursula represented many local distinguished non-profit institutions and specialized in public-private partnerships creating major developments and infrastructure projects.
Ursula served as the president of the Eaton Canyon Recovery Alliance (the “ECRA”) which was formed in 1993 in response to the Eaton Canyon fire. ECRA was one of the first successful collaborations among federal, state, and local governments with a community non-profit formed leading to Altadena’s expeditious recovery.
Ursula has served on over 20 nonprofit boards, including most recently as a president of the Assistance League of Pasadena, a member of the board of Friends In Deed and on the finance committee of Planned Parenthood of San Gabriel Valley. She lost two properties in the Eaton Fire, including her daughter’s home and Ursula‘s future home.