Resilience. Connection. Transformation.
Hope Cooperative (aka TLCS) has been providing mental health and supportive housing services for people with mental health challenges for nearly 40 years in Sacramento County. As a client-driven organization, we are dedicated to the independence and empowerment of individuals with psychiatric disabilities and co-occuring substance use disorders including those experiencing homelessness. Our services include intensive case management, supportive housing, life skills education, psychiatric services, therapy, co-occurring substance use treatment, residential support services, opportunities for social connectedness and meaningful activities, and crisis intervention, which we provide to more than 8,000 people in our community each year. Many of our clients are homeless when they begin their Hope Cooperative journey and are now successfully living in a “forever” home. Our 250 dedicated and compassionate staff members are committed to culturally sensitive services that support clients on their path to self-sufficiency.
Hope Cooperative was humbled to receive the 2020 JVance Stewart Community Service Award from the Downtown Partnership and in 2019 was selected as Bank of America’s “Neighborhood Builder”. In 2015 Hope Cooperative was recognized as the 2015 Sacramento Housing Alliance Social Justice award winner.
History
Hope Cooperative (aka TLCS, Inc.) is a private, non-profit psychosocial rehabilitation agency located in Sacramento, California. Founded in 1981, Hope Cooperative began its journey when three determined community members joined together to pursue one common goal: to provide housing, living skills training, community support, entitlement advocacy, and outreach for people struggling with mental health challenges. They brought the first HUD grant to the region nearly four decades ago, and since that time, Hope Cooperative has grown to become a leader in providing new and innovative housing and supportive services to Sacramento’s mental health community. Today, we have 250 dedicated employees who work to build stronger communities by offering support, treatment, and opportunities to individuals, the majority of whom are affected by mental and emotional illnesses.

We provide a full array of mental health services as well as permanent supportive housing for people with psychiatric disabilities. Our supportive services, such as case management, entitlement advocacy, and life skills development are tailored individually to the needs of the clients we serve. Our clients are educated on how to lead responsible, productive, and self-directed lives by focusing on their strengths. At Hope Cooperative, we believe that individuals with psychiatric disabilities can and do recover through our effective and culturally sensitive services. We also provide innovative crisis intervention services such as our 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Respite Center, offering a non-medical alternative to emergency room care for people experiencing a mental health crisis. Mental Health Triage Navigation Services locates our staff at a variety of access points throughout the community, such as hospital emergency departments, the Sacramento County Main Jail, and the Loaves & Fishes campus, to help individuals struggling with mental health issues to find appropriate services.
We rely on generosity from corporations, foundations and individuals in the community to help us provide support services for over 6,000 clients annually. The work we do is challenging, but incredibly rewarding. We believe that change is not only possible for our clients, but at times, miraculous. Hope Cooperative strives to create hope for our clients and community, so after recovery they can actively contribute to society.
All donations are graciously accepted and go directly towards funding our client-support programs.

Our Mission
To transform the lives of those living with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and homelessness by supporting their independence, promoting their housing stability, and empowering them to make positive changes in their lives.

Our Vision

Our Values
Integrity and Ethics
We lead with honesty and equity in all that we do.
Innovation
We take innovative approaches to solving the homeless crisis in our community by offering a wide range of housing-first options for people experiencing homelessness to find stable housing, and combine that with the most innovative and up-to-date methods for mental health recovery to ensure housing stability for the long-term.
Respect
We have respect for our valued clients, community partners, and our incredible staff who change lives every day.
Get Involved
Volunteering at Hope Cooperative provides you with an opportunity to meet new friends while giving back to the community. Every year people of all ages and walks of life contribute their time and talent to making a difference in the lives of our clients.
Our Team
Leadership Team

Erin Johansen
CEO
Erin became the CEO of Hope Cooperative in 2016 after serving as the agency’s first Development Director for a period of three years. Prior to leading Hope Cooperative, Erin spent over 25 years in the food business as a sales and marketing professional. In 2008 she co-founded and served as Executive Director for a non-profit substance abuse treatment program for teens in Placer County. After successfully merging that program into a larger non-profit, Erin found her niche in the non -profit world. Serving as the first Development Director for Hope Cooperative was an incredibly rewarding and energizing experience. She looks forward to building the resources to offer expanded services to enhance the lives of the people we serve. Erin holds a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from San Jose State University and Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from San Diego State University.

Latika Alqarwani, LMFT
Director of Program Services

Marlyn Sepulveda, LCSW
Director of Operations & TCORE Program Director

Kim Gilbert
Administrative Director
Kim’s passion is to be of service to others, and although she doesn’t work directly with the clients, she loves supporting the staff who work hard to improve our clients’ quality of life.

Karen Brockopp, LCSW
Director of Training
Karen has provided administrative oversight, support and leadership for TLCS programs since 1988. In that time she has created and overseen many different housing and case management programs and has been actively involved in the community to ensure quality services for adults with a psychiatric disability. She holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from Concordia University, Chicago, Illinois and a Master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento. She is also a highly regarded trainer in Motivational Interviewing. Her guiding belief and principle is that when the individuals we serve are treated with dignity and respect amazing life changes will happen. It is also critical to provide staff with a supportive and positive environment to further ensure quality services.

Paul Powell
Director for Special Projects
Paul Powell has worked in the field of Mental Health and Rehabilitation for thirty-five years. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and a post-graduate degree in counselor education from the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. Paul maintains his credential as a nationally Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (C.R.C.). Paul has worked in several leadership roles on staff at TLCS since coming on board with the Agency in 1985, which included serving as the Associate Director for Administrative Services and Associate Director for Property Development and Operations and currently serves as Director for Special projects. Paul has also served in leadership roles with the Sacramento County Association of Mental Health Contractors. Paul was recognized as the 2003 Mental Health Worker of the Year.

Karina Riley
External Affairs Manager
Karina started with Hope Cooperative in 2019 as Executive Coordinator and quickly worked her way up to External Affairs Manager in just a few short months. For eight years she enjoyed a successful career in event production in the Bay Area and Sacramento, and in her free time, served on the non-profit board of Stockton Lambs in San Joaquin County. As her commitment with Lambs was coming to an end, she decided she wanted to follow her passion and transition full time into the non-profit sector. Karina enjoys building relationships, being active in the community and is an active member of Junior League Sacramento.

Fatima Hessabi
Chief Financial Officer
Fatima earned her Bachelor’s from U.C. Davis with a dual major in Managerial Economics and Sociology-Organizational Studies. After graduation she began her finance and accounting career at the California Institute for Mental Health, the State’s largest sole source provider of mental health training and education. While leading the Finance & Accounting group there for six years, Fatima attended U.C. Davis’ Graduate School of Management where she earned her MBA. She then went on to pass the CPA exam and has been successfully running her own consulting practice specializing in providing finance and accounting services to nonprofit agencies in the Sacramento area for over eight years.
Fatima came to Hope Cooperative as a consultant in 2019 to carry out the implementation of a new accounting system for the agency. This role lead to her stepping in to temporarily manage the day-to-day activities of the Fiscal Department, including the completion of our consolidated audit covering our merger with Human Resources Consultants. After a few months of working at Hope Cooperative, Fatima fell in love our agency, the work that we do and the impact we make on our community, and decided to join us in the capacity of CFO.

Charlene Wright
Program Director, Triage Navigator Program
Charlene’s journey began with Hope Cooperative while working as an BSW intern from California State University, Sacramento. During her time as an intern, Charlene took on the role as Resident Services Coordinator at one of our housing sites. Soon after, Charlene graduated with her Bachelor’s in Social Work and went on complete her Master’s in Social Work. Over the course of ten years with our agency Charlene has taken on a number of roles while supporting our clients and staff.
As the program director of our Triage Navigator Program, she oversees client care which consists of relinking clients to mental and or AOD services while providing case management. She works with her team and local community partners as an effort increase collaboration between providers and reduce clients’ unnecessary inpatient hospitalizations and police involvement.

Desirae Stermer, LMFT
Program Director, New Direction
Desirae has worked in community mental health for the last 7 years and is passionate about providing trauma informed and strength-based services to people she works with. She has experience working with adults and families who experience homelessness, youth and families in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems, and people who are dually diagnosed. Desirae has a B.A. in Psychology, a M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy, and is certified in TF-CBT (Trauma Focused- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Desirae is the program director for New Direction where she is involved in and oversees client care including therapy, rehabilitative services, case management services, housing and psychiatric care. She works to help her team meet the clients where they are at and do what it takes to encourage recovery.

Janelle Surrey-Miller, AMFT
Program Director, TCORE
Janelle is a proud HBCU grad, where she received her Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Howard University in Washington, DC. She joined Hope Cooperative in July 2020 as Program Director for the TCORE Program working with a dynamic team of staff and leaders who make it their goal to create positive impacts in the lives of the clients served. She worked in children’s mental health for 19 years, most recently within leadership in the Wraparound program providing community-based services to foster youth who have experienced significant trauma. These values translate well to Hope Cooperative and TCORE in that strength-based whole person care, inclusive of client voice are what drive program and client success. She is looking forward to continued growth and learning from all that Hope Cooperative has to offer.

Maria Pruett, MFT
Program Director, RST
Maria Pruett, MFT has worked in the mental health field for the past fourteen years. Maria has experience working with at risk youth and their families, who struggled with mental health, the child welfare system, juvenile system, and family courts. Maria spent the last four years working with adults with dual diagnosis, homelessness, medical health concerns, psychiatric needs, and the court systems. Maria has her B. A. in Psychology, from CSUS, a MA in Marriage and Family Therapy. Maria is the program director for the Regional Support Team where she oversees client care for psychiatric treatment, rehabilitation, individual therapy, group therapy advocacy and self-help. Maria works with a team using a recovery oriented approach to ensure the clients receive mental health services that meet their individual and cultural needs.
Board Members

Charles Cochran
Board President
Charles Cochran joined TLCS as a board member August 2016. Charles is a Senior Vice President and Business Banking Sales Manager serving the Sacramento area with Banner Bank. Charles holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands and has worked in finance, banking, and related occupations for more than 10 years. Charles is passionate about the growth of small and medium businesses in Northern California and TLCS is excite he has joined our team.

Lizbeth V. West
Board Vice President
“Homelessness is one of the most pressing challenges our region faces. Hope Cooperative has been making a difference for more than 40 years, and I am honored to join the Board and help the organization continue to do the important work it does every day.”

Michele Adams
Board Past President
Michele Adams has been a State Farm Insurance Agent in Sacramento since 1993. She received her undergraduate degree from Illinois State University and a Masters in Management from the University of Illinois. As a business owner, Michele has become increasingly aware of the challenges facing people experiencing homeless while also struggling with mental health disabilities in the Sacramento area. She is eager to partner with others in the business community to increase awareness and support for the valuable services offered through TLCS, Inc.

Greg Brown
Board Treasurer
Greg Brown, Senior Vice President, Home Loans, Golden 1 Credit Union
Greg Brown brings more than 30 years’ experience in consumer lending to his job as Senior Vice President/Chief Lending Officer at Golden 1 Credit Union. He was promoted to the role in 2015 from his previous position as Golden 1’s Vice President – Consumer Lending. He is responsible for developing the credit union’s strategies for home, auto, and personal loan programs. Prior to joining Golden 1, Brown held positions as Vice President – Senior Product Manager and Vice President – Consumer Lending at BMO Financial Group/Harris Bank. “I have personally experienced the impact of family members over many years who received support from groups like Hope Cooperative. This support transformed their lives, even if for only periods of time, into independence through feeling empowered to actively live their lives and take some level of control of their destiny. That feeling led to gaining respect from family and friends, but most importantly, helped build their own self-respect. Then they could move forward, one step at a time, with strength and a chin held high.”

Tim Parker
Board Secretary
Tim was vice president and general manager of the Perceptual Computing Marketing & Enabling Group at Intel Corporation. He led the company’s sales and market enabling for the development and deployment of advanced computing solutions based on natural sensing and interactions, branded as Intel® RealSense Technology. His responsibilities included creating and growing new businesses and driving sales and marketing in the areas of interactive computing systems, immersive virtual reality devices, and autonomous robots. He joined the board in 2018 because he’s passionate about creating housing for those in our community who are in need.

John C. Orcutt
Board Member
John Orcutt was admitted to the California State Bar in December of 2008, and began his own practice shortly thereafter. Originally from the East Coast, John and his family moved from the D.C. area in June of 2009, and he started practice in Sacramento. John’s legal background includes working for a nonprofit organization, to being in house in a large management consulting firm during law school, before opening his own firm in Sacramento. John is active in the Sacramento County Bar Association, as a board member of the SCBA, a board member of the SCBA’s Small and Solo Practice Division, and Chair of the Business Section’s executive committee. John has also volunteered for the Sacramento Superior Court, helping with the Law Day legal clinics, One-Day Divorce clinics, and the Domestic Violence Restraining Order clinics the Family Court sponsors. In 2015, John was listed as one of the top attorneys in Sacramento by Sacramento Magazine, a peer-nominated award. John’s legal practice revolves around advising businesses, especially in business ownership disputes. John moved to Oak Park in June of 2014, and started seeking ways to help his new homeless neighbors in a meaningful way. He learned about TLCS and its mission as a part of that search, and joined the board to fulfill that goal.

Michael Korpiel
Board Member
Michael is an accomplished strategist who understands trends and adapts to market shifts to position organizations for sustained growth in the ever changing health care industry. He is a highly skilled communicator who engages physicians in leadership roles to drive quality and patient satisfaction. And he creates a learning culture to achieve higher levels of motivation, commitment and morality.
Currently, Michael is the President at Dignity Health Mercy San Juan Medical Center, where over the past three years he has significantly reduced length of stay by collaborating with care management and physician staff; improved patient experience scores to the highest levels in years; and with his team, is driving increased volumes and top tier quality and safety.
Prior to joining Dignity Health, Michael served as president/chief operating officer for three hospitals, St. Vincent’s East, St. Vincent’s Blount and St. Vincent’s St. Claire in Alabama. Michael started his career at Parkland Memorial Hospital, the Primary teaching hospital for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
Michael holds a doctorate of health administration from the University of Mississippi. He received his master of science degree in health care administration from Texas Woman’s University in Dallas and his Bachelor of Science degree in health education from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania.
Michael is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He serves as a board member for HOPE Cooperative (Transforming Lives, Cultivating success) in Sacramento, as well as a board member for the Roseville Chamber of Commerce.

James Bennett
Board Member

George Hamilton
Board Member

Bob Herne
Board Member & National Project Director, AdoptUSKids

Dr. Christina Y. Bilyeu
Chief of Mental Health Services, Kaiser Permanente, Acute Care Services-North Valley

Ruth Yang
Board Member
Ruth Yang has been an attorney for the State of California since 2014. She moved from the East Coast to the West to pursue her law degree, and now she is a proud Californian who is motivated to give back to her community. Ruth joined TLCS because she believes in TLCS’s mission and supports TLCS’s multi-faceted approach to preventing homelessness.
HOPE COOPERATIVE PARTNERS
Hope Cooperative is SO GRATEFUL for all our sponsors, partners and individual donors that generously support our work all year!
We cannot do what we do without what YOU do.
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