Greg Ochoa

Vice President

Gregory Ochoa is a finance professional and community leader with extensive experience in mortgage lending and capital markets. He currently serves at Altura Federal Credit Union, where he works within Capital Markets supporting mortgage operations, secondary market strategy, and the development of lending programs designed to expand responsible access to homeownership.

 A United States military veteran, Gregory brings a strong foundation of service, discipline, and leadership to both his professional and community work. Beyond his career in finance, he is deeply committed to community engagement and youth development. Gregory actively participates in initiatives with the Moreno Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, supporting efforts that promote leadership, economic growth, and collaboration within the business community.

 Gregory also dedicates time to mentoring young athletes as a coach in local junior high and high school flag football programs, where he emphasizes teamwork, accountability, and personal growth.

 He currently serves as Vice President of Kids Opportunity to Succeed, where he works closely with the organization’s President to support its mission of empowering youth through mentorship and opportunity. Gregory is passionate about helping young people develop confidence, leadership skills, and pathways toward long term success.

Jakimah Dye

Board Treasurer

Jakimah R. Dye serves as Treasurer for Kids Opportunities to Succeed (KOPPS), bringing more than 14 years of senior public sector leadership experience and a long-standing commitment to youth development and community service.

Jakimah previously served as Assistant Director of Public Safety & Operations for a major metropolitan city, where she oversaw cross-divisional operations, managed a workforce of more than 1,400 personnel, and administered multi-million-dollar budgets. Her leadership experience spans operational strategy, fiscal oversight, compliance management, and organizational systems development. She now leverages this experience through nonprofit governance and her work as co-founder of GreenBridge Consulting.

Throughout her career, Jakimah has remained deeply committed to supporting young people and strengthening the communities in which they grow. She has devoted years of volunteer service to youth mentorship, nonprofit leadership, and community-based initiatives focused on opportunity, guidance, and personal development.

As Treasurer for KOPPS, Jakimah provides financial oversight and governance leadership as the organization builds sustainable programs that support children through mentorship, discipline, and life skills development.

In addition to her nonprofit work, Jakimah is co-founder of GreenBridge Consulting, where she advises organizations on operational systems, strategic alignment, and accountability-driven leadership.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Jakimah remains committed to creating pathways for the next generation of leaders.

Lawrence Owens

Board Secretary

Lawrence Owens is a bright shining light who brings authenticity, transparency, and collaboration to each of his conversations, actions, and deeds. Born and raised in Northern California, his career has taken him to various regions of California including Los Angeles, Riverside County, and currently San Bernardino.
“As soon as I turned 18 and registered to vote, Military Recruiters were lining up at my front door. I chose to serve in the U.S. Army for 3 years and was stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and in Hawaii.”

In 2001, Lawrence began working at Folsom State Prison as a Television Production Assistant. A highlight of his 14 year career was filming actor Joaquin Phoenix portraying Johnny Cash performing for inmates during the filming of Walk the Line. While working at Folsom State Prison, Lawrence continued his education at Coastline Community College, earning an Associate of Arts in American Studies and Social and Behavioral Science, along with an Associate of Science in Business Administration. He has his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Business Administration.

Since 2015, Lawrence has worked in the nonprofit sector at Ella’s Foundation, Emmanuel House, and currently KEYS (Knowledge and Education for Your Success). He is passionate about serving people with respect and dignity, especially individuals facing challenges such as parole, mental health struggles, substance abuse, or homelessness. One of his most meaningful moments came when a former inmate wrote to him, saying, “You taught me what it is like to be a responsible young man.”

When Dominique Easter, Founder and Executive Director of KOPPS, invited Lawrence to serve as Board Secretary in late 2025, he gladly accepted. His experience in program management, staff supervision, and human resources helps strengthen the organization’s structure and mission.

Lawrence Owens encourages everyone he meets and believes in the potential of every person. He starts each day with a simple reminder: “Today is going to be a good day.”

Kenneth White

Board Chair

Kenneth White, Board Chair of Kids Opportunities to Succeed (KOPPS), leads with collaboration, empathy, and humility while making a strong community impact. Born in Los Angeles, California, Ken attended Cal State University Los Angeles, where he studied Computer Science before choosing to serve his country in the U.S. Army. He completed 3 years of active duty at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by 3 years in the Army National Guard. After returning to California, he earned his Bachelor of Public Administration from the University of La Verne and a Master’s in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati.

From 2000 to 2025, Ken built a distinguished career in law enforcement with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, retiring as a Lieutenant. Throughout his career, he contributed to background investigations, supervised 70–80 officers, and found his greatest fulfillment as a School Resource Officer. In that role, he worked closely with teachers and students across 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school, making a lasting impact on youth.

Ken’s passion for mentoring youth led him to join KOPPS in 2025 after reconnecting with Founder Dominique Easter, whom he previously worked with at the Sheriff’s Department. Inspired by the vision to serve low-income youth through sports, Ken recognized the importance of keeping kids active and engaged. He believes participation in sports builds confidence, improves social skills and academic performance, and helps keep youth on the right path.

KOPPS serves youth ages 5–14 through basketball, flag football, soccer, and baseball, while also providing mentorship, emotional support, and encouragement. Prior to relocating to Nevada in June 2025, Ken actively coached basketball and flag football and supported youth camps. He now continues to serve on the Board remotely and is committed to helping expand KOPPS into Nevada.

Throughout his life, Ken has supported youth boxing clubs and Explorer programs, consistently investing his time and resources into causes that uplift young people. He values transparency and purpose in nonprofit work, especially when it directly benefits underserved communities. Guided by perspective gained through his career, Ken lives intentionally, focused on staying positive, serving others, and making a meaningful difference every day.