Staff

Filiberto Gonzalez

Chief Executive Officer

Filiberto Gonzalez was appointed by the Pacific Community Fund Board of Directors to serve as its chief executive officer, and began his role on September 5, 2023. Filiberto is vested with supervisorial responsibility over all staff and has full authority to oversee day-to-day business.

Born and raised in Salinas, California, where he would witness family members and neighbors organize with the United Farm Workers union, Filiberto moved to Los Angeles after high school to attend California State University, Northridge (CSUN). At CSUN, Filiberto was a student leader during tumultuous protests against ballot propositions to ban affirmative action, bilingual education, and the anti-immigrant Prop. 187. Filiberto graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chicano Studies, becoming the first in his extended family to earn a college degree. Filiberto would go on to earn a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California with a concentration in community organizations, planning, and administration.

Filiberto began his career in nonprofit management, which included roles such as director of a school-based health clinic, initiative manager at United Way, and chief development officer at Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. In 2011, Filiberto founded Social Impact Consulting to provide professional services in fundraising and community outreach to nonprofits and local government agencies. In 2017, Filiberto closed his business to join real estate development firm Grapevine Development as vice president of development and strategic initiatives. In 2018, Filiberto became the founding executive director of Grapevine Economic Development Fund, which was founded to develop affordable housing and help solve California’s housing crisis.

In addition, Filiberto has served the community in multiple capacities. From 2005 to 2016, Filiberto served on the New Market Tax Credit Advisory Board at Genesis LA. In 2013, Filiberto was appointed to the Los Angeles North Vally Area Planning Commission by Mayor Garcetti.

Mel Dimacali

CDFI Director at Pacific Community Fund | Innovator in Blended Financing and Fintech Solutions for Underserved Communities

With over a decade of experience in community development finance, corporate philanthropy consulting, and employee engagement, Mel Dimacali specializes in expanding access to working capital for California’s underserved, unserved, and hard-to-reach small businesses, particularly in low-to-moderate-income communities. As CDFI Director at Pacific Community Fund, he focuses on leveraging financial resources and business expertise to help these businesses navigate financial challenges, ensuring they achieve profitability while mitigating risks.

Mel has led the development of Every1Lending, a proprietary fintech platform that streamlines loan origination and servicing for CDFIs, enhancing borrower communication and operational efficiency. He has also resolved complex challenges related to capital layering, successfully integrating multiple compliant funding sources—including SBA, CDFI Fund ERP, and RRP—into cohesive financial solutions that fuel small business expansions and post-COVID recovery efforts.

In addition, Mel specializes in technical assistance sourcing, working with community-based organizations and other small businesses to implement comprehensive pre-loan, mid-loan, and post-loan support programs. These initiatives help borrowers not only secure financing but also gain the business and financial skills necessary for long-term success. He also provides portfolio performance reporting, highlighting the community engagement of small business borrowers.
Mel is one of the few directors to take on small dollar lending, recognizing its potential not only for repayment but as a powerful community harbinger. This approach has allowed him to develop financing programs for individuals experiencing re-entry, accessing vocational education, and avoiding predatory personal loans and other harmful lending practices.

At the heart of Mel’s work is a personal mission. As the son of immigrants, his family was separated because his parents, while having an entrepreneurial spirit, lacked access to critical technical assistance. Mel has dedicated his career to helping families stay together through financial education and business support, empowering small business owners and individuals to thrive in their communities and contribute as positive, united members of society.