Where Compassion Meets Action: UC Irvine and Illumination Health + Home

Each November, Homelessness Awareness Month shines a light on the human side of housing insecurity and reminds us that lasting solutions require collaboration. It’s also a moment to celebrate collaborations that make real progress possible. Few partnerships illustrate this better than the one between the UC Irvine and Illumination Health + Home (Illumination) — a partnership rooted in compassion, innovation and a shared belief that everyone deserves home, health and dignity.

A Shared Beginning

Illumination’s story began in 2007 at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business, where MBA students Paul Leon and Paul Cho created a class project to address homelessness through an integrated model of housing, healthcare and case management. That project became Illumination Foundation (now Illumination Health + Home), a leader in recuperative care and supportive housing across Southern California.

The relationship between Illumination and UC Irvine has only deepened over time. Dean Ian O. Williamson of the Merage School of Business serves on Illumination’s Board of Directors, joined by several other UC Irvine alumni and faculty leaders, including Rob Warren, MD, Lawrence Haynes, MD, Ripu Arora, MD, Greg Buchert, MD, and Howard Mirowitz. Each brings their own expertise in medicine, business and community health — continuing a relationship that embodies UC Irvine’s commitment to social innovation and community impact, while providing invaluable guidance in support of Illumination’s mission to disrupt the cycle of homelessness.

School of Medicine Connections

The UC Irvine connection extends well beyond business education. Many Illumination volunteers and advisors trace their roots to the UC Irvine School of Medicine. Among them is Illumination board member Geeta Grover, MD, a clinical professor of pediatrics at UC Irvine and a developmental and behavioral pediatrician with UC Irvine's Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Inspired by her UC Irvine mentor Dennis Mull, MD, who chaired the Department of Family Medicine, Grover has volunteered with Illumination since 2017 and helped build what is now the organization’s comprehensive Children and Families Program, which serves hundreds of children and parents each year.

Clarke Lew, MD, another longtime UC Irvine physician volunteer, received his medical degree from UC Irvine and serves as an associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Lew first volunteered at Illumination’s recuperative care sites and then founded the Illumination Foundation Medical Group, now the Clarke Lew Medical Corp., headquartered at Illumination’s Fullerton Navigation Center. His ongoing dedication and leadership have strengthened clinical continuity for clients transitioning from hospitals to recuperative care to a brighter future.

Expanding Impact

Other UC Irvine partners have advanced Illumination’s growth and innovation. Gregory Kennedy, MD, who volunteered during his UC Irvine/CHOC residency, continues to lead virtual literacy groups and mini medical school sessions for children. School of Medicine faculty members Phyllis Agran, MD, and Coleen Cunningham, MD, have supported Illumination’s pediatric programming, while Cindy Haq, MD, has linked family medicine residents with hands-on community health training. Rimal Bera, MD, and Paramjit Joshi, MD, have also ensured faster psychiatric access for youth in crisis.

Robert M. McCarron, DO, director of education at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and associate dean for Continuing Medical Education at the School of Medicine, has provided mentoring to Illumination’s clinical staff, supporting trauma-informed practices and integrative care models.

In March 2025, Illumination participated in the first annual Social Drivers of Health Conference at the UC Irvine Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, which was hosted by AAP-OC, CalOptima Health, and the UC Irvine/CHOC Department of Pediatrics. The event explored how housing, health and education intersect — an embodiment of the shared values among all participants. As Illumination builds momentum, there are ongoing discussions with heads of other schools, including Dean Jon Gould of the UC Irvine School of Social Ecology, whose faculty and students would provide valuable support to Illumination.

Gratitude and a Call to Action

The partnership goes both ways, and Pooja Bhalla, DNP, RN, CEO of Illumination Health + Home, also serves on the Community Advisory Council for the UC Irvine Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health, helping ensure that UC Irvine’s academic priorities remain connected to the realities of frontline community care.

Bhalla emphasizes that while Illumination's mission drives its success, partnerships such as the one with UC Irvine make that mission sustainable and scalable. "UCI's collaboration has enriched our programs and inspired new generations of healthcare and business leaders,” says Bhalla. "We're deeply grateful for their continued engagement — and for the many ways their faculty, residents and students extend compassion into our community."

As Homelessness Awareness Month reminds us, ending homelessness is a collective effort. Illumination welcomes volunteers — students, professionals and community members alike — to join in mentoring, clinical service or simply lending a hand.

Together, we can continue to illuminate the path from street to home.

Contributed by Erika L. Silver, Ph.D., Illumination Health + Home