Board of Directors & Staff

Board of Directors

Faris Al Abed

Faris Al Abed is a product leader at On The Go, a nonprofit tackling the transportation gap for seniors and people with disabilities by making rides more accessible and affordable. Driven by a deep belief in the power of innovation, Faris has dedicated his career to bridging technology and healthcare to improve outcomes for underserved populations—particularly aging adults. A hands-on gardener in his spare time, he recently planted four fruit trees in his backyard and is growing what he hopes will become a thriving home orchard. Faris shares, “Joining Senior Gleaners lets me give back in a way that aligns with my values—community, impact, and dignity for all.”

Margaret Burton

Margaret Burton has volunteered as a gleaner since 2015 and serves as leader and delivery driver of the Clairemont picking crew. She joined the board in 2020 and became board president in 2022, serving until mid-2024. She represents Senior Gleaners at outreach events and coordinates the manufacturing of Senior Gleaner shirts, hats, and jackets as a fundraiser initiative. Margaret has provided five-figure matching challenge funds during annual fund-raisers and has requested donations to Senior Gleaners rather than birthday gifts. She said collecting fruit for people who need it “keeps me motivated.” She also sews memory bears for Vitas Hospice.

Daryush Bastani

Daryush Bastani started gleaning in 2017, soon after retiring from Verizon Wireless as an area manager, and currently serves as vice-president. He grew up on a farm and has always been active in growing food both on the farm and now, in his home garden. Gleaning extends that involvement with fresh food. “All my life, I have wanted to make an impact on other people’s lives,” he said. Consequently, he also volunteers for San Diego County Canyon Land and many Jewish Family Services programs including providing rides to the elderly, delivering food to the home-bound, and providing translation services to refugees. “I find Senior Gleaners a worthy organization not only by providing much-needed service to the community but also preventing waste of perfectly good food,” he said.

Doug Cooper

Doug Cooper, a long time resident of the Kensington neighborhood of San Diego, has joined the Board of Directors of Senior Gleaners.

Doug Cooper co-founded a software company called Contigo Software in the 1990’s and also co-founded a high technology PR firm called Cooper/Iverson Marketing. During his retirement, he has been teaching English to immigrants in Tijuana and online, and has worked for a variety of non-profit and community organizations. He also served on the Board of Directors for Voices of Our City Choir, San Diego’s homeless choir. Doug holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations & Marketing and a master’s degree in International Business. He states: “I’m active and engaged in a lot of great organizations and I welcome the opportunity to help build and support the important work of Senior Gleaners!”

Arlene Hasegawa

Arlene Hasegawa joined Senior Gleaners in 2023 soon after retiring. Later in the year she said she agreed to join the board as “a way of giving back to the community where I’ve lived all my life.” Her parents and husband grew up on family farms and she welcomed the chance to work with produce other than in her own garden. “We live in one of the most productive farming regions in the county, but sadly have tons of food going to landfills annually while 25 per cent of the residents remain food insecure,” she added. After receiving a degree in physics from San Diego State University, Arlene filled program management positions that drove technology products and systems from concept to global markets with firms such as Dexcom, Qualcomm and Cymer. She is conversant in Japanese.

Pradip Mistry

Pradip Mistry volunteers as a gleaner on the North County harvest crew and has served on the board since 2022. He filled the position of board treasurer until mid-2024 when he assumed the position of acting board president. He retired from a 30-year career in transportation and currently works as a board advisor and mentor to startups and small businesses.

Mimi Nguyen Mora

Mimi Nguyen Mora joined the board as treasurer after less than a year as a Gleaners volunteer with the North County crew. She has focused on mentoring and volunteer work since retiring in 2022 as co-president of L&T Precision, a contract manufacturing company in Poway. She held top management positions for nearly 30 years. She also volunteers with Make-A-Wish and as a mentor with the Executive Women’s Summit. She has bachelor’s degrees in mathematics/computer science and economics from UCSD. She said she is happy to support the SG mission because it is a worthy cause to help reduce waste and is a rewarding way to stay active and give back.

Joe Strasser

Josef Strasser joined the Senior Gleaners in 2022 after retiring as a Senior Director in Regulatory Toxicology for the pharmaceutical industry. He and his wife, Shawna, returned to California in 2022 after 20 years in North Carolina. He enjoys working with young people. As a boy scout leader and council member in North Carolina he enjoyed many 50-mile treks on the Appalachian Trail, over 15 two-week canoe trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Eagle scout mentor and instructor for CPR/First Aid and Wilderness First Aid. Earlier in life he was a high school/junior college teacher in Biology, Anatomy/Physiology and Religious Studies. He holds a master’s degree in biology and a bachelor’s degree in theology. In North Carolina he served 6 years on the Board of Education for the Charlotte Diocese. He also volunteers for the Senior Volunteer Patrol for the Fallbrook Sheriff and Docent for the San Luis Rey Mission in Oceanside.

Staff

Lisa Lindgren

Lisa Lindgren was hired in June of 2024 as the organization’s first part-time general manager. She came to San Diego in 1990 with the idea to volunteer and get involved in the community. Lindgren has spent decades volunteering and supporting herself as a high-tech marketing consultant, followed by several years in nonprofit management. Prior to the SG position, Lisa served as executive director of HandsOn San Diego for three years. In that position, she managed communication, marketing, media outreach, volunteer coordination and fundraising efforts. Lindgren and her husband live in the Bay Park Community. She volunteers with Soroptimist International and enjoys reading and horseback riding.

Trixxie Land

Trixxie Land has filled the part-time position since May 2020. Prior to this position, she worked mostly in the medical field for 15 years as a unit clerk coordinating many aspects of all functions of a floor in a hospital. She also worked as a patient services representative in a clinic and a doctor’s office. Then she spent five years managing the Old Globe Theater’s costume and prop rentals. She said she enjoys working with the residents, volunteers, and agencies to best assist them with their needs.