Children’s Beach House recruits three skilled trustees

Children’s Beach House recently announced the appointments of Jeff Fried, Ernie Lopez and Jaideep Mulchandani to its board of trustees.

Each brings an expansive set of skills, connections and knowledge at a pivotal time in the organization’s 89 years of service to Delaware’s under-resourced children with disabilities.

Fried comes to CBH following a 40-year career in healthcare administration, beginning in his hometown of Kansas City, Mo., and continuing in Baltimore and Lancaster, Pa. In 1995, he moved to Lewes and served as CEO of Beebe Medical Center until his retirement in 2019. His drive to make a difference in vulnerable people’s lives is what guided his career and motivated him to join the CBH board of trustees. “I’ve always had a lot of admiration for Children’s Beach House,” said Fried. “It’s one of the most prominent organizations in Delaware when it comes to taking care of kids.” He looks forward to using his deep knowledge of the community to help CBH secure resources and deliver services.

Mulchandani, of Milton and Bergen County, N.J., said he feels an urgent passion to invest in the next generation. “Children are the most susceptible members of society, and they are our future. We need to educate them, and give them opportunities and care. Before long, they’ll be the ones carrying the rest of us,” he said. After retiring from a career in finance and technology, Mulchandani began looking for places to invest his time and expertise where he could make the most impact. Among the many worthy nonprofits serving Delaware, Children’s Beach House stood out. As a member of the board’s finance committee, he has already begun helping the organization develop robust risk management strategies with pro bono consultation from PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Lopez served for 11 years in the Delaware Senate, where he worked across political differences to ensure safety and prosperity for Delawareans. Among his accomplishments was the protection of Delaware’s coastline from offshore drilling and seismic testing. “When I retired in 2023, I was approached by a lot of great organizations about joining their boards. But I’ve always said that Children’s Beach House would be the first,” said Lopez. With a doctorate in education, Lopez will provide valuable insight as a member of the board’s program committee. He also looks forward to helping CBH deepen its relationship with state government.

“As the board of trustees builds a strategy to navigate the changing federal funding landscape, Jeff, Jaideep and Ernie each bring a skill set that is critical to these vital conversations. They understand the importance of our mission and the hope that it provides to our children and families,” said Rich Garrett, CBH executive director. 

CBH services include free residential summer and weekend camps for children ages 7-18 across the state, early childhood education at its campus in Lewes, and after-school and summer day camp programming at Milton Elementary and H.O. Brittingham Elementary schools. To learn more, go to cbhinc.org.