Leadership - Veterans Village of San Diego

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Veterans Village of San Diego Leadership Team

LEADERSHIP

Akilah Templeton

President & Chief Executive Officer

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Akilah Templeton

President & Chief Executive Officer

Akilah Templeton is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD), a nationally recognized non-profit dedicated to ending veteran homelessness. Since 2020, she has led VVSD’s continuum of services, including transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, VA Grant & Per Diem programs, mental health and substance use recovery, employment support, and prevention initiatives that reach more than 3,000 veterans annually. She oversees a multi-million-dollar budget and a staff of more than 200 while building strong partnerships with federal, state, and local agencies, philanthropic partners and community leaders. Akilah has over two decades of nonprofit leadership experience and is a trusted voice in housing, behavioral health, and veteran services. In June 2021, she testified before the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on “Veteran Homelessness in the Wake of COVID-19,” where she called for urgency, flexibility, and sustained investment to meet the rising challenges facing veterans during the pandemic. She is a respected regional and statewide leader, serving as Vice President of the California Association of Veteran Service Agencies (CAVSA); Chair of the San Diego Continuum of Care Advisory Board; and a member of the RTFH Board of Directors, where she also serves on the Executive and Audit Committees. She also serves on the California Association of Food Banks Community Advisory Board and the One VA Community Advisory Board (CAB). Akilah’s leadership emphasizes equity, innovation, and collaboration. She has been a driving force in reducing disparities in veteran homelessness, particularly among Black veterans, and in advancing trauma-informed, low-barrier models of care. She is committed to strengthening partnerships across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to achieve “functional zero” for veteran homelessness in San Diego and beyond. She has been recognized five times by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the region’s most influential leaders and is a sought-after speaker on topics including veteran policy, equity in homelessness systems, nonprofit governance, and transformational leadership.

Kena Liggins-Tompkins

Chief Financial Officer

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Kena Liggins-Tompkins

Chief Financial Officer

As the Chief Financial Officer, Kena leverages a wealth of expertise to drive VVSD’s strategic financial initiatives. With a keen eye for detail and a strong analytical mindset, she advises the CEO and senior management on crucial matters of financial planning, budgeting, and cash flow. A skilled communicator, Kena effectively bridges the gap between management and the board and audit committee, ensuring that critical financial insights are clearly articulated at board meetings. Committed to fostering a culture of fiscal responsibility, Kena tirelessly collaborates with leadership to shape VVSD’s goals and maximize organizational impact. 20+ years Senior & Executive Level Management in the areas of fiscal, operational and project management, financial strategic planning, leadership, and development, change management, and over $85 million in multi-revenue stream management within for-profit and non-profit industries. Kena thrives on driving fiscal excellence and organizational growth. In her previous role as Regional Financial Controller, Kena skillfully navigated the financial complexities of twelve sports and event venues, optimizing resource allocation and maximizing revenue streams. Also, her extensive experience with diverse grants aimed at bolstering Veteran Services Programs highlights her passion for dynamic nonprofit management. Committed to operational efficiency and precise accounting practices, Kena embrace challenges and exceed expectations on every frontier. Kena has experience with creating and managing multi-million-dollar budgets, developing efficient workflow streams utilizing lean manufacturing methodologies and Key Performance Indicators. Experience with contract and grant compliance related to the Management of Business Oversight Principles and Policies with the Federal Government. As well as leadership oversight for small and large Finance/Accounting departments in for-profit and non-profit industries. Kena is a seasoned project team leader with a passion for operational efficiency, adept at implementing cost-effective processes that elevates organizations operating income. Leveraging her expertise in lean manufacturing and meticulous analysis of time studies, Kena have successfully streamlined operations by identifying waste and enhancing productivity. Kena develops actionable insights that drive improvements across organizations. Kena’s commitment extends to efficiently training staff and managers on fiscal management, ensuring a nimble approach to resource management by establishing clear measurement baselines, she enables organizations to assess advancements and make informed decisions for continuous growth.

Shuna Ball

Regional Clinic Director, CVN

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Shuna Ball

Regional Clinic Director, CVN

As Regional Clinic Director, Shuna Ball provides executive leadership and strategic oversight of all clinical operations across the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics at VVSD in San Diego, Oceanside, and Los Angeles. In this role, she ensures the delivery of high-quality care to active-duty service members, Post-9/11 veterans, and military families. Shuna brings over two decades of experience supporting the military community through a range of clinical, operational, leadership, and volunteer roles across diverse settings. A Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Shuna holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Southern California Seminary’s School of Behavioral Sciences and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from Averett University. She also holds a professional teaching certification from the University of West Florida, reflecting her commitment to continuous learning and professional development. Shuna began her counseling and leadership journey by facilitating support groups for military spouses in San Diego, where her passion for service and advocacy took root. Clinically, she specializes in working with individuals, couples, families, military populations, and older adults. Her areas of expertise include depression, anxiety, trauma, stress management, marital conflict, career transition and development, and severe and persistent mental illness. She is trained in evidence-based practices and is dedicated to delivering high-impact, person-centered care. Her leadership portfolio includes utilization management, clinical consultation, professional development, and systems-level consultation. She is skilled in building and sustaining collaborative community partnerships and cultivating clinical teams through mentorship, training, and operational excellence. A proud Navy veteran, Shuna served honorably as a Hospital Corpsman at both Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and Marine Corps Base Quantico. She is also the spouse of a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer who served honorably for 23 years. Her deep, personal connection to military service is grounded in a family legacy of proud and honorable military tradition. Outside of her professional role, Shuna enjoys spending quality time with her family, exploring new destinations, and appreciating good food. She is also committed to lifelong learning and continuously seeks opportunities to strengthen her leadership and clinical expertise.

Sabrina Paul

Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

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Sabrina Paul

Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

Sabrina Paul serves as Executive Assistant at Veterans Village of San Diego, where she supports executive leadership and the Board of Directors with high-level administrative and organizational management. She brings more than two decades of experience spanning nonprofit, healthcare, and the pharmacy benefit management (PBM) industry, where she specialized in client management, fraud, waste, and abuse (FWA) auditing and compliance. Known for her resourcefulness, attention to detail, and strong communication skills, Sabrina helps keep everything (and everyone) running smoothly. Outside of work, Sabrina is a proud grandma to two beautiful grandbabies, who keep her laughing and on her toes. She’s also a big fan of old school hip hop, and the San Diego Padres!

DIRECTORS

Rosemarie Ortiz

Program Director, Veteran Housing Solutions

Bio Coming Soon .

Bruce Rojas

Campus Director

Coming Soon .

Coming Soon

Senior Operations and Compliance Manager

Coming Soon .

Location

4141 Pacific Highway
San Diego, CA 92110

Hours: M-F from 7am – 4pm

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©2024 Veterans Village of San Diego
Veterans Village of San Diego is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Our tax identification number is 95-3649525.