Janet Tillman — President

Janet has a deep commitment to L.I.F.E. (love, integrity, freedom and ease) and has been expressing this commitment through the field of education for over 18 years. Her career as an educator began at a non-profit organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan that educated at-risk teens placed in a court-ordered day treatment program and those expelled from public schools. The population was primarily black students who were more focused on surviving their current circumstances than they were appreciating the value of education. Janet embraced this challenge and strove to equip her students with tools that would benefit them. It became clear that her role was larger than teaching academic skills, but more as a Life coach creating learning opportunities where the students won academically and personally. Creating resilient adults who were survivors of their circumstances and not victims of them was the primary goal. This work inspired her to create her own coaching business that expresses her diverse background in education and her commitment to supporting others in obtaining their life goals. Whether she is an academic coach to youth or supporting adults in pursuing their personal goals, it is her desire for everyone to experience freedom from the self imposed constraints in their lives so that they can live from their fullest potential. Connecting with Challenge Day in 2004 was beautifully synchronistic. Challenge Day's mission, "Creating a world where every child feels safe, loved and celebrated" has been a perfect fit.

This is Janet’s 2nd year as President of the Board. Under her leadership, she has instituted CEO and board evaluations; clarified board roles and commitments; expanded our reach through prominent media channels and supported the organization to operate consistently and thoroughly with integrity in accordance with our principles.

If you really knew Janet, you would know that she feels blessed to be of service and to be able to honor the spirit of her mother through her partnership with Challenge Day.

Larry Boxer — Treasurer

Larry is an attorney who spent his first 10 years as a criminal lawyer and then spent 20+ years in civil litigation specializing in catastrophic injury, medical negligence, crime-related torts, and elder law. He resides in Oakland, California, is married to Susan Marie Davis, and has three grown children and a dog named Obi. Larry's varied background includes working as a longshoreman, warehouseman, toymaker, aerial cropsprayer (England), teacher, and other jobs prior to law school. He is also a Professor of Trial Advocacy, University of California, Hastings College of the Law (S.F.), and a Hospice Volunteer for the Zen Hospice Project at Laguna Honda Hospital, S.F.

Katie Greenman — Secretary

Katie Greenman has been involved with Challenge Day since she was ten years old. She is a firm believer in the movement and is determined to help Challenge Day impact other lives the way it has her own.

Born and raised in the Florida Keys, Katie began her activism with her two sisters by founding a non-profit organization called Hands On Hands that supported underprivileged Kenyan children through education and needed resources for seven years. Throughout high school, Katie also dedicated her time on the National State Farm Youth Advisory Board and working with other groups to promote personal empowerment and social activism.

Now a junior at Tufts University, Katie studies with the Peace & Justice Studies and Child Development departments. She combines her studies with activism there by training and coordinating PeaceGames volunteers, who teach elementary students skills of conflict resolution and civic engagement. The focuses of her academics include the importance of social and emotional learning and the use of our educational systems as a means of cultivating a world where every child feels empowered and celebrated.

Rich Dutra St. John — Challenge Day Founder and Leader

A former high school teacher and championship wrestling coach, Rich has worked with teens and families since 1978. As a licensed family therapist and drug intervention specialist, he was recruited to open and direct two different adolescent treatment facilities in Northern California, most notably the Thunder Road Adolescent Recovery Center in Oakland, where he served as the founding clinical director.

A gifted facilitator and counselor, Rich is viewed as an expert in working with youth and families. With a shared vision that every child could someday live in a world where they feel safe, loved, and celebrated, Rich and his wife Yvonne combined their collective passion and experience to co-found the Challenge Day program in 1987. Their work with has now positively affected the lives of hundreds of thousands of youth and adults in 39 different states and six Canadian Provinces. Rich now serves as a Challenge Day trainer/facilitator and Chairman of the Board.

Yvonne St. John Dutra — Challenge Day Founder and LEADER

Working for over 24 years with teens and adults in a variety of settings, Yvonne has been instrumental in designing and implementing over 17 different nationally recognized prevention and intervention programs for teenagers.

Yvonne's earliest experiences varied from facilitating classroom presentations and school assemblies, to conducting media programs on gender roles and eating disorders. She later focused her attention on working with at risk youth, addiction, and social oppression issues.

A gifted speaker, program designer, trainer, and educator, Yvonne has received many honors and won numerous awards for her work with teens and families. In 2003, Yvonne was selected to receive the Contra Costa County Woman of The Year Award.

As parents of four daughters, Yvonne and her husband Rich co-founded the awarding winning Challenge Day program in 1987.

Spalding Ashley

Spalding was born in Atlanta, GA and graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Speech Communication. It was there that she met her husband and love of her life.

She has led Bible studies and women's retreats, and she currently sings with the praise band at her church.

She has two boys - one in college and one in high school. She is involved in Campus Beautification and is a coordinator for Challenge Day at her son's high school. She and her co-coordinator have created a successful Be the Change Club with 20-30 kids that meet each week to continue the work begun at Challenge Day.

She has created a bonded neighborhood community, bringing together neighbors who have lived together for years but never knew each other. The neighbors now get together to socialize and to band together regarding projects affecting the neighborhood.

Because of her husband's job as a news anchor, they attend many fundraisers, auctions, etc., but Challenge Day is the first organization that tugged at her heartstrings enough to motivate her to get involved with raising funds.

Through attending the Next Step to Being the Change and Living the Change workshops, she was reminded that she has been very, very blessed in her life. Because of this, she wants to share and give back to others and to make a difference. She can think of no better way to do that than to support the efforts of Challenge Day.

TRACEY BRUMMETT

Tracey first discovered the power of Challenge Day to reach and inspire youth in 1999 in the aftermath of the Columbine shootings. From that tragic day forward Tracey was determined to get to the root of the pain young people were experiencing that would lead to such a tragedy; her path lead her to Challenge Day. For over 11 years through coordinating and attending Challenge Days and experiencing Next Steps and Leader Trainings the work and messages of Challenge Day have become an integral part of Tracey’s personal and professional life. Her efforts and passion for the program brought Challenge Day to Colorado for the first time in 2002. Due to her initial efforts over 10,000 kids, parent, teachers and community members have benefited from Challenge Day in Colorado. Creating an organization that will support Challenge Day and follow-up programs has been a dream and goal of Tracey’s since 1999.

Tracey ‘s career for the past 20 years has been a combination non-profit management, event planning and youth leadership and facilitation skills. Tracey received Master’s in Educational Counseling in 2004 and has worked with several school districts and nonprofit agencies in the Denver area creating youth empowerment, advocacy and leadership teams. For the past 3 years as Program Director of Challenge Denver, Tracey has designed, developed and implemented Be the Change toolkits and programs that support and keep the messages and energy of Challenge Day alive. As a co-founder of Challenge Denver she has helped to support over 60 Challenge Days and has supported the ongoing efforts of over 12 ongoing Be the Change Teams.

Tracey lives with her husband and twin daughters in Denver, Colorado.

KEVIN CHINN

I work hard to get good grades. I practice to excel in sports. I am proud of my achievements in the fields of academics and athletics, but when I think of my greatest accomplishment, I think of an oration I gave earlier this year. I spoke on the topic I value above all else unity and amiability in the world.

After previous involvement with the program I was invited to address an audience on the importance of togetherness at a “Challenge Day” fundraiser. I gladly accepted thinking my speech would be a nice addition to those of other speakers. I did a little bit of preparation but I didn’t actually write a speech because I didn’t want to repeat anything anyone else had already said. Unfortunately, or fortunately as it turned out, I learned three appalling things upon my arrival. Firstly, over three hundred people were attending this fundraiser. Secondly, I was one of perhaps six attendees under the age of eighteen. Finally, the woman hosting the fundraiser sauntered over and informed me that I would be the only one speaking. Uh-oh.

Needless to say I was nervous and my nerves were not alleviated when I tripped on my way up to the podium. I was introduced as the “guest student speaker” as I looked in horror at the uncountable number of eyes fixed on me. I breathed deeply and felt the warmth of what I wanted to say enter my lungs, then exhaled an address straight from my heart. Something released within me that allowed me to deliver a speech that I didn’t even know was inside me. I talked about how I truly felt and the audience accepted what I had to say. I felt incredible.

This speech was the accomplishment, contribution, and all around experience that makes me proudest. Speaking to that many people was no easy feat in and of itself, especially considering ninety percent of it came straight off the top of my head. Also, I was speaking on unity which is important to me and one I believe to be important to the entire world. While I was delivering my speech I felt more alive than I have since cliff jumping this summer. I was excited by the adrenaline rushing through me, at the same time scared by the hordes of eyes on me, at the same time determined to convey my message of peace. For those brief moments everything felt right.

This experience also speaks for my character. I proved that I am an outspoken person when speaking on a subject I am interested in and passionate about. I revealed this subject to be friendliness among humans. I displayed my willingness to help the world in any way possible. Naturally, this speech showed the audience who I am and what I care about. However, it also showed these things to me. Because of this, that speech is more important to me than any other event.

Debbie Dimery

Debbie Dimery hails from Northern California where she lives with her husband, teenage son and practically teenage daughter. She was first introduced to Challenge day through their work at her son's high school. Debbie is particularly excited to be part of the Challenge Day Board of Directors because they weave together her interests in education, youth and social justice in a unique and dynamic way.

In her professional life, Debbie is a certified public accountant and a partner at the firm of Lindquist LLP. All of Debbie's clients are not-for-profit entities and she has over twenty years of providing service and advice to the not-for-profit industry. Professional memberships include the California Society of Certified Public Accountants, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Debbie is excited to bring her unique professional acumen to Challenge Day.

In her private life, Debbie loves to read, cook, route for Cal football, attend her children's sporting events, and play bocce. Her favorite activity is traveling with her family.

Steven Echtman

Steven Echtman is Founder and CEO of HearPlanet, a company that delivers audible information about all the places on earth to mobile devices, literally bringing "the world to your ears." In addition, Steven has over 20 years experience producing interactive media and marketing projects for clients such as Motorola, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Disney, AIG, K-Swiss, AOL and many more. A Challenge Day Board Member since 2006, Steven has always been passionate about leveraging media's potential to help bring people together for deeper relating and fulfillment.

Originally from New York, Steven moved to San Francisco (by way of Los Angeles) in 2002. The day he arrived in the Bay Area he attended a Challenge Day event. Needless to say, that day he was moved in more ways than one. Steven found an instant affinity for Challenge Day and made it a priority to support the organization.

Integrating Challenge Day's principals and tools, Steven felt first-hand the difference it made to continually 'drop the waterline.' He realized that if he could use his talents to reach more people, especially at an early age, they could enjoy life feeling more connected.

If you really knew me you would know that no matter how much I give to Challenge Day the return is somehow always greater.

CHERYL HALEY

Cheryl has always been motivated by the relationship between our individual potential and the larger social dynamics we see exemplified in our world. In the service of that interest, she has had a series of diverse yet related life paths.

She had a private practice as a certified psychoanalyst in New York City for 12 years. Esalen Institute drew her to Big Sur in California where she worked with Stanislav and Christina Grof setting up the Spiritual Emergence Network (an alternative to mental institutions and drugs for people undergoing spontaneous altered states of consciousness labeled "psychotic").

She then embarked on a 2-year odyssey around the world with a healer from New Zealand. They visited healers, shamans, and medicine men from many different countries and cultures, observing and comparing their different philosophies, world views, and intervention techniques with diseased and distressed people. Upon returning to California, she worked with the Monterey Hospice leading groups with people undergoing terminal illnesses and bereavement.

The mission of Challenge Day was immediately recognized as a powerful organization to address the source of our collective conditioning. She is now honored to serve on its Board and live in Tiburon with her beloved George.

J. MANUEL HERRERA

J. Manuel Herrera, an elected official in San Jose/Silicon Valley, envisions the transformation of the public square in our communities and an emerging 21st Century politics that is whole, generative, and personally transformative (www.JManuelHerrera.net).

Manuel is a Trustee for the East Side Union High School District in San Jose, California, first elected to the Board in 1990. For 14 years he was an Adjunct Professor with San Jose State University, teaching for the Professional Certification Program, Nonprofit Management. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, based in Palo Alto, California.

Manuel’s career is in public policy and administration, working with city managers, elected officials, and nonprofit agencies. He is a public sector consultant most recently affiliated with the National Conference for Community & Justice, a national human relations organization.

Over the years, Manuel has served as Director of Planning for United Way of the Bay Area, Ombudsman for the City of San Jose, and legislative aide on Capitol Hill and in the California State Legislature. He has been a Democratic Party official in Silicon Valley, and has served on the Executive Board of the California State Democratic Party.

Manuel is writing a book about integrating principles of the spiritual quest with public leadership, politics, and the public process, titled “The Reconciliation of Love & Power.” Manuel’s book unveils conflict, power, and compromise as alchemical pathways for spiritual evolution and social change. He integrates these political elements into an emerging 21st Century consciousness based on a new and higher rationality that expresses as love and power in our personal and public lives.

John Robbins, author of “Diet for a New America”, and Ocean Robbins, founder of YES!, have said that “Manuel is a visionary who brings spirit and politics together in a unique and utterly profound way.”

Barbara Marx Hubbard, author and futurist, stated (December 7, 2005): "Every now and then someone appears who embodies the next step of potential in a critical field. That field now is politics. And that man is J. Manuel Herrera. He holds the pattern of how to transcend the current polarities, how to bring people together to cooperate, and even more important, he expresses by his very being a sense of what is emergent, what is creative and innovative. His capacity for evolutionary vision is the seed of a new Evolutionary Politics.”

Manuel says "If you really knew me, you would know that I have been taking breathtaking risks and going through one initiation after another.  This is a time of breaking and healing and breaking-through for which I am deeply grateful."

Manuel has a BA Degree in Social Sciences and an MA Degree in Urban Studies, from the University of the Pacific and Occidental College. He was awarded a National Urban Fellowship that included study at Yale University and assignment as Special Assistant to the Mayor of Seattle. On scholarships, Manuel studied in India and Mexico and traveled worldwide, visiting Tokyo, Hong Kong, Bangkok, New Delhi, Bombay, Athens, Rome, Geneve, Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, New York, Mexico City, and more.

COREY KATZ

My name is Corey Katz and I grew up in Walnut Creek CA. Many people always ask me, why are you so out going? I usually reply, simple, I was in Special ED, (what is now referred to as Special Day Classes) pretty much all of my education. I was one of those kids in the little yellow bus that everyone talks about in their comedy routines. Throughout my education I was always told in school, I probably wouldn’t make it on my own without a special needs program that the state offers. Throughout my life have I proved so many wrong. I have not used one of the state programs to date. Because of my past with being in special day classes and going through what Challenge Day is there to educate and prevent, I was one of those kids. I have had to work harder then most to get where I am today, but I have made a name for my self and have become very successful.

Ten years ago I convinced my self that I would never meet anyone special, and never be able to afford a home. However recently I set a goal for my self last year in the beginning of 2009 to accomplish these things. As it turns out I have met my goal and now I am on my way towards higher peaks in my life. I have met someone so special and wonderful, and I was able to purchase my own home within the same year.

When people ask me why are you so positive and so outgoing? Again I reply simple that I have learned that you need to treat people the way you want to be treated. You can not love others until you can love one self.

I was recently thinking of why it would be important for me to be apart of your organization. The answer is something that you see everyday. I used to be one of those kids, and I would love to be apart of a program so that kids of today would not have to go through what I went through. I did not have a program like Challenge Day when I was in school. I had to go through all the torment by myself. If I can be apart of making a difference for kids then I have made a mark in this life believe this will allow me to accomplish more for others that either are too scared to have a voice or just do not know where to turn. All that I have gone through in my younger years has given me strength to succeed in life and make others around me feel loved. Am I a better person because of it? YES I sure am.

Kenny Lauer

Kenny Lauer is Executive Director, Digital Experience at George P. Johnson Experience Marketing, where he leads GPJ's worldwide Digital practice. He brings to Challenge Day's Board over 20 years of customer strategy experience. He is a specialist in the use and integration of experience marketing, Web 2.0 and Virtual Events into customer engagement and relationship strategies. Kenny is a former technology evangelist with Apple Computer, served in key client engagements for KPMG as an IT integrator, and worked with the Peppers and Rogers Group as a CRM strategist. He is 1 of only 24 honorees worldwide awarded the "Certified Experience Economy Expert" designation from Strategic Horizons' founder Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore, authors of the best-selling business book The Experience Economy. Lauer also was a contributing author to the recently published Age of Conversation 2: Why They Don't Get It?

Originally from San Diego (which he loves), he now lives with his wife and two kids –who are steeped in the Challenge Day philosophies-- in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has always been in awe of children's potential. His wife grabbed him to watch the Challenge Day Program on Oprah; the following day, he was on the phone finding the next Challenge Day school program he could support. Obviously, he couldn't get enough, and wanted to get involved even more to help spread the word about Challenge Day's work.

His desire as a Challenge Day Board member is to be a part of something much bigger than himself and to leave this world a better place.

Betsy Leighton

Betsy Leighton has been involved with social service work ever since she can remember. She was a teen counselor in high school and an intern/caseworker at St. Luke's Hospital in New York for three years while attending Barnard. After college, she tried acting (and lasted approximately three weeks!) before becoming a page at NBC. Since then, it's been back and forth between film and television and mental health/social service work.

She received a Masters in Social Work in 1991 at Hunter College and was at AHRC for 4 years where she started the country's first alcohol and drug program for mentally challenged adults. In 1992 she produced and directed a feature documentary on the homeless entitled A Six Voice Home for PBS. After moving to Denver 12 years ago, Betsy became a freelance television producer, with clients including Ovation, Starz, and Animal Planet, for whom she produced long-running series Emergency Vets. She also wrote a young adult novelization of Emergency Vets which was published in 2001 by Penguin Putnam. Betsy was awarded a grant for fiction writing from Colorado Council on the Arts and is now finishing up her first adult novel, My Life on the Stage: Memoirs of a Non-actress . Betsy also serves on the board of the Denver Film Society.

Betsy was inspired to action when her oldest daughter began high school at Denver School of the Arts in 2006 and she saw first-hand some of the profound barriers and pain faced by many of the kids in the community. Betsy brought Challenge Day to her daughter's school in May 2007 and since then has raised money for over 25 Challenge Days throughout the school district. She has formed a chapter non-profit called Challenge Denver which is working toward making it possible for every child in Denver Public Schools to experience Challenge Day and has designed and is providing follow-up programs to measure, encourage and strengthen its benefits.

Betsy lives in Denver with her husband Bob, a long-time cable tv industry executive, and their three children.

Jeff Malone

The father of two teenage children, Jeff knows all too well what the world of teenagers is like today and what it can do to even the strongest of individuals. Jeff joined the Board because he attended one Challenge Day and saw the potential for lasting change that is not always possible with older adults. He sees that the future is in schools right now, where the leaders who can change the world are being trained. He believes that if we want a new and better world, then we should train new leaders who operate with new paradigms--those who look from love and trust; those who want connection, not separation.

Jeff made a commitment to himself in 1990 to make a difference with his life and his choices, and has been making a difference in the world ever since. He is currently working with Debbie Ford on delivering Debbie's world famous Shadow workshops, lectures, and Integrative Coaching to the world. Additionally, Jeff is a professor at JFK University, teaching Integrative Coaching and relationship transformation. Finally, Jeff is a Master Integrative Coach and spiritual mentor. He is known as the coach's coach. He specializes in people and leaders whose vision is very big and important. With an MBA from Stanford and a successful career in business, Jeff has been at the forefront of real world entrepreneurial effort aimed at bringing new leadership style and mentality to businesses of all kinds today.

Mike Matt

Mike Mike Matt lives his mission of creating an interactive, peaceful world by supporting the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of himself and others. He is an active member of a twelve-step group and supports numerous causes including Challenge Day, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, ManKind Project, Test Positive Aware Network, Campus Pride, Smile Train and The Human Rights Campaign.

Mike attained a BS in Management Systems from Kettering University while working as a cooperative intern with UPS of Indiana. After 15 years in the supply chain industry, he changed careers to work with youth. He is currently the National Motivational Programs Manager for Herff Jones, Inc. His responsibilities include development, management and implementation of the Herff Jones IMPACT program which provides resources to help schools in creating climates of achievement.

Mike currently resides in Indianapolis, IN.

If you really knew me, you would know…

• My animal spirit guide is a Great Dane, which, like me, is goofy and fiercely loyal.
• I lost both of my parents way too soon and I continually search for ways to carry on their legacy of integrity and generosity.
• It’s difficult for me to meet new people and I aspire to have social skills more like those of my brother.
• I can spend an entire day in bed watching a season’s marathon of America’s Next Top Model.
• The best lesson a teacher taught me is: “Things Are Never as Good as They Seem and Things Are Never as Bad as They Appear.” (Thanks Mr. Pelley!)
• My fear is usually expressed through sarcasm and the people I respect most are those who will bring it to my attention and call me out on it.
• I love, love, love Gayle King because she makes me laugh out loud every time I listen to her and her communication skills are authentic and effective.
• Helping others is what sustains me, but I find it difficult to ask others for help.
• I am grateful to be living a life beyond my wildest dreams.

RICK SEIGER

Raised in New Jersey and now a long-term resident of Michigan, Dr. Seiger is celebrating his 20th year in practice as a Dermatologist and Cosmetic Surgeon. Although he is passionate about his work, Dr. Seiger is ever-so-passionate about making a positive difference in the lives of everyone he encounters.

In collaboration with the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Dr. Seiger founded “Freedom Ink” to offer free laser tattoo removal to ex-gang members committed to turning around their lives. “It is an amazingly moving and gratifying experience to be with these tough men and women - to see their eyes swell with tears as we remove their gang-related tattoos, which for them is “a freeing;” a release to move forward in life” says Dr. Seiger.

Dr. Seiger found Challenge Day through friends and ever since his first Challenge Day experience he is fully committed to the “Be the Change” cause. Organizing Challenge Day events in Michigan, personally sponsoring attendees from all walks of life; he has a standing, open invitation to his sixty employees and their families to sponsor their participation in any Challenge Day event. Generously, Dr. Seiger recently created and produced a “Challenge Day Desk Calendar” as well as an Apple “App” version. These products will hopefully enhance our ongoing fundraising efforts. The electronic version brings “Challenge Day” into the exciting world of mobile technology. As Dr. Seiger sees it; “it will serve as a most powerful tool in encouraging members daily to “stay the course” and to “Be the Change!”

A world-traveler and seeker of enlightenment wherever it can be found, Dr. Seiger brings to the Challenge Day Board his tremendous enthusiasm, creativity, business experience and a wonderfully, infectious laugh.

Jody Turin

Jody Turin is presently President, Gallina USA LLC, based in Janesville,Wisconsin. Gallina USA is the North American subsidiary of Dott Gallina, Torino, Italy, and the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of translucent daylighting systems. Turin is an accomplished executive with a career marked with significant achievements.

For a decade, Turin held senior executive roles at Owens Corning in general management, supply chain and marketing. As general manager for OC Automotive and other business segments, she ran a $100 million global enterprise. She led the turnaround from negative profit margin to positive through asset consolidation, higher utilization, product rationalization, improved pricing strategy and growth for a separate segment. In the same period, she reduced safety incidents across the business segment by 80%. Elevating the team's engagement was a priority and significantly improved during uncertain economic times in the automotive industry as measured by independently by Gallup.

From senior roles in general management, marketing and operations, Turin developed business strategy, facilitating the process, and creating strategic and operating plans for businesses in automotive, thermoplastics, residential services, building & construction and energy industries. She has created presentations for Board-level and external shareholder reviews; and venture capital funding.

Launching her career in the energy industry, Turin was promoted through a series of engineering and operations management positions with BP, formerly Amoco Oil Company, at the Whiting Refinery in Northwest Indiana.

Turin earned her M.B.A. with Highest Distinction from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Her areas of concentration were Corporate Strategy and Global Marketing. Prior to that, she earned a Masters in Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago and B.S. Cum Laude, University of Michigan Honors College.

Presently, Turin serves on the Board of Directors, Northwest Ohio Circle of Change. In the past, Turin has served as an officer or member to the Junior League of Toledo, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Society of Women Engineers, Southwest Suburban Chicago Chapter of Delta Delta Delta, and various local community-based committees. "Creating the world we wish to see" is her passion in volunteerism.

MIKKI WILLIS

Art and entertainment have always been the heartbeat of Mikki Willis’ life. At the age of 25 he founded his first business endeavor, The New York/Los Angeles Theater of the Arts. “NYLA” became home to many Southern California artists who, like Mikki, were driven to push the envelope. As Theater Director, Mikki wrote, produced and directed countless experimental productions. This is where he learned the rules, and how to skillfully break them.

In 1996 Mikki made his directorial debut with the independent feature film Shoe Shine Boys. Academy Award winning actor Martin Landau signed on as Executive Producer, traveling with the film as it toured the festival circuit, winning numerous awards and praise from top critics. But it was radio personality Howard Stern’s continued on-air support that made Shoe Shine Boys an underground hit. The films innovative visual style attracted the attention of major record labels and launched Mikki’s career as a music video director. His first video was nominated for a Premio lo Nuestro, the Latin equivalent of an MTV Music Award. From there, Mikki went on to direct more than 45 breakthrough Spanish language music videos.

September 11th, 2001 marked the turning point in Mikki’s life and career. Having been inside the twin towers just hours before they fell he helped to organize and lead a group of civilians who risked their lives to aid rescue workers. Mikki was one of a handful of people allowed to remain at ground zero to aid in search and rescue efforts. It was on the ruble of the World Trade Center that his life was forever changed. On his return to Los Angeles he began laying the foundation for his life’s mission by founding Elevate Films, Elevate Foundation, and Elevate Film Festival, which challenges the international film community to create works of social and global importance. For this, Mikki Willis received the 2008 Conscious Life Humanitarian Award.

ADDITIONAL BOARD MEMBERS:

KEVA DEAN

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