Purple Heart Fund - Helping Injured Marines

Our Board
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Few families are prepared to deal with the personal and financial disruption associated with leaving their home,their family, and their job to be with their loved one through long months of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and recuperation.

The Purple Heart Fund provides immediate financial assistance to Marines injured in combat and in training and other service members injured while in direct support of Marine Corps units.

Elias Alawi
CHAIRMAN
Elias Alawi is the President and CEO of Alpha Team Insurance. Elias arrived at this promised land from Jordan in January, 1977. In May 14, 1982, a day Elias considers "The best day of my life." took his oath as an American Citizen. "Every time I recall that great day I still feel goose bumps throughout my body". Special quotes from Elias; "I was not born in this great nation, but I know I will die as a proud American.", "Every Marine is a friend, every Marine is my family.", "I achieved many plateaus in life, forming the Purple Heart Fund is my greatest achievement of all."

Stewart Navarre
CO-CHAIRMAN
Stewart Navarre is the Managing Director for Project Management for the Government sector on the West Coast for CB Richard Ellis. He is responsible for all facets of project management and business development. Mr. Navarre joined CB Richard Ellis in 2007 from the United States Marine Corps where he served for over thirty years as an infantry officer and unit commander culminating in command of an infantry regiment of 4300 Marines and sailors deploying to Iraq. During 2004/2005 he supervised the build of hardened police stations, rehabbed Iraqi Army installations to house two new Iraqi Army Infantry Divisions, and recruited, trained, and coordinated the deployment of Iraqi police and army units to the Anbar Province in the heart of the Sunni Triangle. He is married to Yana Lahanis of Evansville, Indiana. They have two children, Alexandra and Zachary, and reside in Long Beach, California. Alexandra recently graduated from Vanguard University with a major in psychology and will commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in May 2009. Zachary is a corporal in the Marine reconnaissance community and is stationed at Camp Pendleton, California."

Erin O'Brien
DIRECTOR
Erin O'Brien serves as Director of Public Relations for the Purple Heart Fund. She brings an extensive background in advertising, marketing, and public relations at a national level for a broad array of clients that include; Arco, MGM/Mirage, Budweiser, Don King Productions, Guinness, Fox Sports, MLB, Lucasfilm ltd., and the NFL. Trained in economics, Erin ensures strict accountability for every dollar donated to the Fund through disbursement in support of America's wounded warriors. Her mission: "Doing everything I can to support our injured Marines and their families."

Yana Navarre
DIRECTOR
Yana Navarre is a licensed California real estate agent and an experienced sales professional. In addition to being a homemaker for 24 years, she has been the prime mover in a continuing series of charitable activities focused on support of the families of deployed Marines. She has been the mainstay in a military family which has executed fifteen moves in and out of the U.S. Concurrently, she and her husband, Stewart, have raised two children, Alexandra and Zachary. Alexandra recently graduated from Vanguard University with a major in psychology and will commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in May 2009. Zachary is a corporal in the Marine reconnaissance community and is stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.

Craig Hammer
DIRECTOR
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Karin O'Brien
DIRECTOR
Karin O'Brien is a licensed California Title Marketing Representative and Account Manager employed by the San Diego Division of American Coast Title Company. Throughout her 20 year career in the Title Insurance Industry, she has worked with lenders, real estate agents, developers and attorneys in all facets of the real estate industry, in both commercial and residential arenas. Previously, she spent many years as a Senior Management Executive in charge of Branch Operations and Compliance with a savings and loan in New Jersey and was also employed as a Branch Manager for both Beverly Hills Savings and World Savings in La Costa, California. She has a daughter, Erin who serves on the Board of the Purple Heart Fund as Treasurer. Karin has actively supported other local charities over the years and says her time and efforts with this fund in the past two years have been an overwhelmingly satisfying and humbling experience.

Vic Rodriguez
DIRECTOR
Vic implements all aspects of web design, graphic design, and information assurance that broadens our ability to present the fund's mission to corporate clients and donors. His knowledge, insight and dedication continuously helps the individuals served by our organization. A former Marine SSgt, Vic served in the 5th Marines and 1st ANGLICO.