OCFDA MEMBERS

ASMS, BSFS, CSFP, Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer

Yvonne became a board member in 2020. She has been Secretary and Vice President for OCFDA. She works as a Funeral Director and Arranger for McAulay and Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton. She graduated from Cypress College of Mortuary Science with her Associate Science in Mortuary Science degree in 2017 and went back to school to obtain her Bachelor Science in Funeral Service degree in 2020. She has been in the funeral industry for 8-years.

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director, and Embalmer

Kimberly became a board member in 2018. She comes to us with 17-years of experience in the funeral industry. She currently supports Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster Memorial Park Mortuary and Peek Mortuary as Office Manager. She graduated with her ASMS from the Cypress College Mortuary Science Program in 2017, and then completed the Bachelor of Science in Funeral Service program in 2022. Kim was awarded the Student of the Year Award, Rosalind R. Ragsdale Award and Elizabeth “Ma” Green Award. She currently holds seat as Immediate Past President for OCFDA and Board Member for CFDA. She previously served OCFDA as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President and President.

ASMS, BFA, Licensed Funeral Director

Liz became a board member in 2019. She is the Location Manager of McAulay & Wallace Mortuary in Fullerton and Yorba Linda. She was the recipient of the 2020 and 2019 SCI ACES award. Liz graduated with her ASMS from the Cypress College Mortuary Science Program in 2018 and was awarded the Elizabeth “Ma” Green award and Robert A. Baughman Award.

Donna became a board member in 2022. She and her husband, Captain Doug, own Prince Charters, LLC and have provided ash scattering at sea services for families since 2010. Prince Charters was originally founded in 1965 by Captain Doug’s grandfather, Reverend Gilbert Prince, who was a pioneer in the ash scattering at sea industry. Donna has her RN license and previously spent over 20 years in the insurance industry.

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director and Licensed Embalmer

Ashley became a board member in 2020. She is a graduate from Cypress College's Mortuary Science program, shortly following graduation she began and then completed her embalming apprenticeship in Anaheim, CA. In 2020 she made a new career decision and became self-employed as a trade embalmer.

When she is not working, Ashley enjoys spending time with her friends, family and her cat. She spends a lot of her free time hiking and backpacking, collecting houseplants and riding her motorcycle - she loves traveling and always looks forward to visiting cemeteries in her travels.

Board Member since 2024

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director, Licensed Embalmer and Crematory Operator

I am currently serving as a Crematory Operator at Pacific View Memorial Park & Mortuary; I have been here about a year, but started with SCI at Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary in Santa Ana. I performed several duties there, but was trained as a Crematory Operator to perform the Attended Cremations. My Funeral Service career began following my graduation from the Mortuary Science program at Cypress College in 2014. I did my Embalming apprenticeship at Forest Lawn, Cypress and am currently licensed as a Funeral Director and Embalmer. I served as a Service Director at O' Connor Mortuary prior to coming to Fairhaven. I was a Fingerprint Technician ( examining fingerprints for the Coroner and other agencies as well as maintaining the AFIS database) for the Orange County Sheriff's Department before entering the Funeral industry. My focus shifted from Forensic interests due to the wonderful care I received in memorializing my parents following their deaths

Board Member since 2025

Elizabeth (“Lizzy”) Wu began exploring her interest in the funeral service profession when she joined OCFDA as a student member in 2022. Having graduated from Los Alamitos High School in 2021, she knew she desired a career that allowed her to explore her passion for anatomy and biology while helping others. Lizzy re-enrolled as a student at Cypress College, where she had taken Dual Enrollment courses as a high school student during the COVID-19 pandemic, and discovered the opportunity to earn a Mortuary Science degree. Following three semesters in the Cypress College Mortuary Science program, she graduated with honors and was issued the Rosalind R. Ragsdale Award. She is also a recipient of the OCFDA Student Scholarship (2023) and was named Young Funeral Director of the Year by the California Funeral Directors Association (2024).

Lizzy is proud to serve families from Westminster Memorial Park as an administrative assistant. She has also worked for Dimond & Shannon Mortuary and Dignity Memorial’s Orange County Personal Care Center at Westminster Memorial Park. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and preparing for her Cemetery Manager’s examination.

Board Member since 2025

Shelley Armenta has been a dedicated professional in the funeral industry for three years, serving as a Funeral Arranger at Fairhaven Memorial Park and Mortuary. With a strong background and training in the field of mental health and Peer Support, Shelley is passionate about providing compassionate support to families during their most challenging times. Now a board member of the Orange County Funeral Directors Association, Shelley is committed to advancing the mission of the organization and supporting excellence within the funeral profession.

Board Member since 2010

Joe is the owner of Southand Motor Escort Co.

Board Member since 2025

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director and Licensed Embalmer

Karina is a licensed funeral professional dedicated to providing attentive and personalized care to the families she serves. She is a graduate of the Mortuary Science program and has over 8 years of experience in the funeral industry. She is also currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Funeral Service at Cypress College.

She wears many hats at Hilgenfeld Mortuary but one of Karina's favorite tasks is restoring damaged photos that families bring in to use for their printed tributes. She understands the power of repairing these images and finds great satisfaction in helping families preserve and share their loved ones' legacies. It's small details like this and their impact that keeps her energized and passionate about the funeral service industry.

Off the clock Karina is an avid traveler having been to Europe, Asia, and many locations in North America. When she's not globetrotting, you can find her spending time with her family or in the kitchen experimenting with new cooking gadgets. She also enjoys attending concerts and is a dedicated podcast listener, frequently landing in the top 1% of listeners for the podcast "National Parks After Dark" on Spotify. For a touch of whimsy to her life, Karina also enjoys collecting adorable miniatures and tea sets

Board Member since 2025

Born and raised in Whittier, California, Angel is a dedicated funeral professional with eight years of experience serving families across Southern California, including Orange County and Los Angeles.

 With deep roots in his Mexican heritage and a passion for helping others, Angel sees his career as more than just a profession-it's a calling. 

Guiding grieving families through the challenging process of saying their final goodbyes, Angel specializes in creating meaningful and compassionate arrangements. His empathetic approach and attention to detail ensure that every family feels supported during their most difficult moments. 

Outside of his work, Angel enjoys connecting with others in the funeral community, always eager to share insights and learn from colleagues. In his free time, he can often be found playing bass guitar, exploring new restaurants, embarking on road trips across the United States, or dominating on the pickleball court. Angel takes pride in making a difference in the lives of those he serves and considers it an honor to provide comfort and care when it's needed most.

Board Member since 2025

Rikki Fine is a licensed funeral director at Green Family Cremation and Burial in Fontana and soon-to-be graduate of the mortuary science program at Cypress College in Spring 2025. She aspires to be a dual licensed and multi-faceted funeral service professional and a pillar in the communities she works within. Rikki is most passionate about connecting students to associations and providing pathways to careers for those completing a mortuary program or seeking information on the many different ways to get involved in funeral service. She is a former OCFDA scholarship winner and an avid participant in all things funeral related. She is also the first Cypress student to be selected as a Funeral Service Foundation '45 Scholar (Spring 2023). She enjoys networking across counties and all areas of the funeral profession, so you will often run into her at events. Rikki is devoted to a life of service and translates that through her work with families and colleagues. She hopes to one day return to Cypress where she can teach future generations of funeral service providers. In her free time, she loves going home to visit beloved family at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery in Oklahoma City, spending time with friends, and taking her daughter to concerts with her partner of 19 years. 

Board Member since 2024

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director and Licensed Embalmer

Soraya began her journey into funeral service in the summer of 2016 when she was 18 years old.  She began her career as a service attendant at Saddleback Chapel Mortuary located in her hometown of Tustin. It was during that time she discovered her passion for funeral service. She graduated from the Cypress College Mortuary Science program in 2022.  This paved the way for her to become a licensed funeral director at Hildengfeld Mortuary in Anaheim, to now being a licensed embalmer at The Mortuary at Green Hills in Ranchos Palos Verdes. During her time in college, she continued to gain hands-on experience working and going to school in the funeral service industry.  

In January 2024, Soraya suffered a debilitating accident causing her to put a pause on her career, however, this has not hindered her ambition or her desire to continue working in the industry. To keep herself busy during recovery, she is teaching herself how to walk again through lots of physical therapy. To keep herself involved, she serves on the board of OCFDA and FPIE. Soraya believes that funeral service is her calling and the motivation for her recovery.  She looks forward to when she can return to the prep room she loves so much.  

CA Cremation Liaison

Board Member from 2014-2024

John is the VP/Owner of American Crematory Equipment Co in Southern CA where he manufactures, services, supplies and repairs both Human and Animal cremators throughout the USA and beyond. He holds a Crematory manager License and has trained Crematory operators with ACC and CANA for years. He is am a member of the OCFDA, LACFDA, CFDA, OBFDA, CANA, NFDA, ICCFA and many other state associations throughout the US. Reach him 24-7 for a your cremations needs at 562-755-1244

LACFDA Liaison

Board Member in 2024

ASMS, Licensed Funeral Director and Licensed Embalmer

Raymundo Perez-Plascencia is a compassionate and dedicated Funeral director and Embalmer with six years of invaluable professional experience. From a young age, Raymundo possessed a deep sense of empathy and an unwavering desire to help others during grief, which led him to pursue a career in funeral Profession.

After completing his formal education and acquiring an associate in Mortuary Science in 2019, Raymundo embarked on his professional journey, quickly proving himself to be a proficient and empathetic funeral director and an accomplished Embalmer at Rose Hills. Currently, he is the Mortuary office supervisor at Rose Hills.

Throughout his six years in the industry, Raymundo has demonstrated exceptional skill in all aspects of funeral services, including embalming, funeral arrangements, and grief counseling. Other accolades include being a member of the California Funeral Directors Association, Los Angeles County Funeral Directors Associates board member, and Orange County Funeral Directors Associates board member and being named Young Funeral Director of the Year for 2021

San Diego County Liaison

Board Member from 2022-2024

Board Member since 2019

Don is a visionary and the owner of Steri-Clean SoCal, a full crisis, trauma, and extreme cleaning company dedicated to helping clients get beyond the trauma of their worst day ever. Don’s passion is based on his own family suffering of two life-altering personal tragedies; experiences that changed his perspective forever. Above all else, Don recognized the fragility and vulnerability that he and his family experienced during these tragic times. It is those first-hand experiences that propelled Don to build an empathetic team of industry professionals to professionalize the industry and tie it to funeral service. As a director on funeral and first responder agency boards at both regional and state levels, Don combines his unique background to clear the path to biohazard repair and the effects of hoarding on property so that families can begin to heal. Don and the team at Steri-Clean SoCal are dedicated to keeping dignity and empathy at the foremost ethos in the company to prove clients with the utmost in care during their most critical time of need.

Currently the OCFDA OC Coroner Liaison, Lesley has previously served the Board as Secretary and Vice President.

After obtaining her BA in Biological Sciences from CSUF and Mortuary Science Program Certificate from Cypress College, Lesley has been with the OC Coroner’s Office for 30+ years, serving as the Supervisor of Forensic Operations since 2010. Additionally, she works every weekend at O’Connor Mortuary, has been a long time member of the Cypress College Mortuary Science Advisory Committee, and provides Coroner site visits and trainings for the Cypress College embalming lab students, Fullerton College students, OneLegacy and OCSD personnel, and the general public.