Meet the President

Charles Humphrey ‘86

President, CSUN Alumni Association

Charles Humphrey, Jr., is passionate about connecting people to their purpose - vocationally, spiritually, and relationally. As the pastor of a local congregation, he thrives on collecting “origin stories” of those who relocate from other places to Southern California and CSUN to pursue their dreams. However, his connection to the CSUN campus community began long before ever enrolling as a student. In the early 1970’s, his mother, Moss Humphrey worked as a librarian at San Fernando Valley State College under Norman Tanis. Years later he was admitted to CSUN through the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and the the school of engineering through the landmark Minority Engineering Program (MEP) under the late Dr. Ray Landis. Upon graduation in 1986, his career path bent away from mechanical engineering towards the environment arena through positions as a Hazardous Waste Engineer (State of California), Air Quality Engineer (South Coast AQMD) and a 27-year career as Environmental Team Lead at Southern California Gas Company where he most recently oversaw critical greenhouse gas and methane reduction programs. He currently works as an Environmental Engineer at Pharmavite in San Fernando.

Concurrent with his graduation and the development of his professional career, he developed a passion to give back to the CSUN student population through his participation in a campus Bible Study. This passion became amplified when he and his wife, Andrea (Business ‘88) moved to Los Angeles after getting married and commuted back to Northridge twice a week to teach and mentor students for 5 years. They eventually moved back to Granada Hills in late 1993, just in time to experience the Northridge earthquake after which they provided temporary housing for many students displaced by the event. They continued to feed, mentor, house, tutor and become a listening ear for many students in their transition to college life. In 2001, they established the HOPE Fellowship Bible Study at CSUN to minister to students in a more comprehensive way. Both Charles and Andrea were also ordained as ministers in 2001. In the spring of 2003, and at the urging of many students, they conducted a “trial” church service in their Granada Hills home. Unbeknownst to them, this was the seed planted that grew to be H.O.P.E.’s House Christian Ministries (hopeshouse.com) in September 2003 with a core group of 13 people (mostly CSUN students) and is now a thriving family congregation of nearly 500 people. A non-profit, HOPE Community Development Center (HCDC) was later established to support the community through conducting Town Hall meetings on racial injustice, conducting youth camps, an award-winning youth dance program, providing college scholarships for local students, supporting the LAUSD Homeless Education Program, holding Holiday toy giveaways and more. In his pastoral role he has focused on developing content for men and men’s programs through intensives and leading worship at men’s conferences. In 2017 he launched the Men’s Vision2Life Connection, aimed at challenging men to “stir up, release and bring to life” their dormant passions and dreams.  In August 2024 he hosted the first “Real-Raw-Relatable” Men’s Conference designed to provide a safe space for men to develop and embrace greater emotional and relational vulnerability while also pursuing their vocational aspirations. His self-proclaimed agenda is to inspire great men to inspire other men to greatness … and make it contagious! For the past 3 years he has also traveled to Tororo, Uganda to conduct vital missions work with Reach Up Reach Out Ministries to serve orphans and widows who reside in local slums. The rigorous and rewarding work reinforces his aspiration to provide relational, authentic and accessible ministry to different people groups at home and abroad.

Since 2015, HOPE House has been selected to host CSUN President Emeritus, Dr. Dianne Harrison, and current president Erika Beck, for the annual CSU Super Sunday event during Black History Month. During the event, CSU presidents speak to predominantly African American churches about the importance and impact of preparing for college as well as the affordability of attending a CSU. In 2016, Charles (aka Pastor Chuck) was invited to serve on the Presidents Council for Diversity and Inclusion. He was later invited to serve on the CSUN Alumni Association Community Partnerships Task Force in 2020, volunteered on the scholarship review committee, and later became a CSUN Alumni Association Board Member.

Outside of ministry, Pastor Charles also rekindled his CSUN connection by supporting CSUN athletics, fueled in part by relationships with former men’s basketball coach Bob Braswell, and Athletic Director Brandon Martin.  In 2018 he released his first self-published book, "Hold Onto Your RAFT” which expressed his passion to help men of all ages stay grounded in their God-given purpose to pursue their dreams. His second self-published book “The Four C’s of a Brilliant Marriage” was released in 2024 and encourages couples to discover the brilliance and purpose in their marriage relationship as a means to enhance and build community.

Charles and his wife of 37 years reside in Granada Hills and have two daughters, Lauryn (Howard University, Psychology ‘24) and Sydney a 2025 graduate of CLI Dance Conservatory in Southampton MA. 

As incoming president of the CSUN Alumni Association, he looks forward to connecting people with extraordinary careers, cultural experiences, and callings in community for a great cause!

Connect with Charles: alumnipresident@csun.edu