Palacio Podcast
Darick Simpson: New Goals. New Directions
Darick Simpson is a man comfortable in his goals and his direction in life. During much of the time that I’ve known Simpson, he served for sixteen years as the executive director of the Long Beach Community Action Partnership (LBCAP). He is one of the most incisive, committed, and the chilliest people I’ve ever met. Last November, Simpson moved on from LBCAP to become the fifth president of the Long Beach-based Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation. The move sent ripple effects across the nonprofit community. Leaving an organization such as LBCAP that one spent sixteen years building into the powerhouse that it is today is not easy.
Then, 2020 arrived and so did COVID-19 and social unrest. In a Zoom interview with Darick Simpson, he offers his vision for the future of the Miller Foundation. Simpson talks about the role of foundations and nonprofits in these challenging times as well as what we can all do to meet those challenges.
More on Darick Simpson
From the Foundation’s News Release dated October 14, 2019
“The Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation is a non-profit grantmaking organization dedicated to treating the concept of the “whole child.” After a 6-month executive search, the Miller Foundation’s Board of Trustees is excited to announce its selection of Darick J. Simpson as its fifth president. Simpson succeeds long-term president, Walter M. Florie, Jr., who is retiring after serving 28 years at the Miller Foundation.
A resident of Long Beach, Darick Simpson is a recognized leader in the community. Mr. Simpson joins the Miller Foundation after serving as the executive director of the Long Beach Community Action Partnership (LBCAP) for the past 13 years. Under his leadership, LBCAP grew from a staff of 24 people and a $1.3 million budget to a staff of 80 and a $10 million budget. Today, LBCAP is a leading non-profit in assisting individuals and families to strive for self-sustainability. Additionally, Mr. Simpson serves on various national, state, and regional boards including the PBS SoCal Advisory Board and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Commission.
“It’s been a long road, but after a lot of hard work and an extensive search the board of trustees has unanimously approved the appointment of Darick Simpson as our next President. Darick brings an outstanding skillset and years of experience working in the City of Long Beach. His experience in working with our low income and under-resourced communities makes him well suited for this position,” said Ron Arias, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
“I am honored and very excited to become the next President of the Miller Foundation! This is truly an excellent opportunity to leverage my strengths and passion in service of a greater good in our community,” says Mr. Simpson. “I look forward to collaborating with community leaders at every level of the public, private and non-profit sectors as we work to address the vital conditions of health and well-being of children in need!”
Darick Simpson holds a B.A. degree in Communications from the University of Alabama and an M.A. degree in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.”
You can find out more information about The Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation HERE
