Board of Directors

Lupita Sanchez Cornejo serves as Regional Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs for AT&T California, where she develops the overall strategic direction of the company’s corporate initiatives throughout the Greater Los Angeles region. Lupita is responsible for leading AT&T’s policy and stakeholder engagement strategy.

Lupita brings extensive strategic planning, business development, technology deployment and governance experience that leads to corporate performance in the region; the ability to implement transformational change to address stakeholder needs; a high degree of transparency and accountability, excelling under pressure and in the face of adversity; perseverance, passion, and a commitment to core values, and executing through a social responsibility lens. Lupita leads Believe Los Angeles, part of AT&T Believes, AT&T’s initiative pairing the company’s resources with local organizations to address the communities’ needs, leveraging AT&T’s assets to support workforce development, career readiness
programs, and bridging the digital divide.

Prior to joining AT&T, Lupita served as a senior legislative strategist in the Riordan administration serving as Assistant Deputy Mayor for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, where she was a member
of the Mayor’s executive team. In her role as Assistant Deputy Mayor, she was responsible for oversight of the Mayor’s local legislative agenda, city council relations, community affairs as well as key liaison to the Latino community. Lupita’s public service career began while she was in high school beginning with an internship for then-Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California, with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Public Policy; Women’s Executive Leadership Program, in partnership with the USC Marshall School of Business; and Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business Corporate Executive Development Program. Lupita lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Jose, and their two competitive-swimming kids, Esteban (14) and Alexis (12).

After Jennifer received her degree in marketing at the University
of Texas at Austin, she continued her postgraduate earning a degree in education. Her career began teaching elementary school along with specialized work home-schooling children who were undergoing stem cell transplants. Philanthropy and community service have always been mainstays in her life. Jennifer has served on the boards of The College of Education at The University of Texas, The Covenant House, and Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times.

For five years she chaired fundraising events at the major entertainment studios in Los Angeles and raising awareness, support, and positive impact for children with cancer. Jennifer created Fox Studio’s Day of Giving, engaging talent, and staff with outlets to make meaningful impacts to the community. Jennifer was the cofounder of the weeklong Giffoni Hollywood Film Festival along with Will Smith, Jon Voight and her husband, Larry. Underserved students from more than a dozen countries and from school districts in Los Angeles interacted with film makers and studios executives critiquing films but more importantly learned impactful life lessons and fostering relationships with each other. Along with serving on the board of Visionary Women, Jennifer also serves on the board of Taps4Africa, a non-profit designed to help parentless children in Zimbabwe. Jennifer currently lives with her husband and three children.

Donna brings experience, passion, and creativity to her projects in media and politics. An Emmy-nominated television producer, Ms. Guillaume began her television career in the Channel 2 newsroom, then moved to the CBS News Los Angeles Bureau, becoming a top-notch researcher and interviewer. She went on to produce an Emmy-winning show for five years at KCBS, and later co-created and executive produced a groundbreaking, award-winning series for HBO. Donna left television in the early 2000’s and worked for several nonprofit organizations: Director of External Affairs for LA’s Best (an afterschool program for elementary schools in Los Angeles) and Program Director for NFYI (National Foster Youth Institute).

Most recently Donna was consulting producer on the Disney Jr. series, Eureka!, which was nominated in 2023 for an NAACP Award, and she is also in development on a documentary film about the Congressional Black Caucus. A graduate of Harvard University, Donna’s work has garnered a Cable Ace Award, a Christopher Award, an IFF (International Family Film Festival) Award, and multiple Emmy nominations. She is a member of the Directors’ Guild of America, NABJ (National Association of Black Journalists) and BADWest (Black American Documentary Filmmakers). She is a supporter of Big Sisters of Los Angeles, the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI), and Girls Inc.

Kristin joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2021 and currently serves as the Senior Director of Government and Community Affairs where she spearheads the Dodgers’ Government and Community Affairs efforts ensuring that the organization remains focused on strengthening the Dodgers’ ties to the local
community.

Kristin previously worked in various roles in government and politics and was the Mayor Pro Tempore of the City of Santa Monica from 2020-2022. Prior to joining the Dodgers, she served as Executive Director of the Getty House Foundation, and served the Garcetti Administration as Chief of Protocol and Director of International Relations.

Kristin also held positions in President Barack Obama’s administration, including serving as the Director of Presidential Transition and Senior Advisor to the Director of the Office of Administration. She worked on various campaigns throughout the country in election protection, field, operations, and fundraising roles, and served for nearly five years in the United States House of Representatives, culminating her time on the hill as the Chief Legislative Clerk for the Committee on House Administration.

Kristin, a native of Santa Monica, earned her B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Northridge, and her Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She currently lives in Santa Monica with her husband and their two young children.

Vicki Ariyasu is Senior Vice President, Content, Education and Inclusion, Disney Branded Television — a provider of original content — scripted and unscripted, live-action and animated — for Disney+, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior, with a primary focus on imaginative, aspirational stories geared towards kids, tweens, teens, and families. She leads teams responsible for educational content, diversity, equity, inclusion, and prosocial engagement for Disney Branded Television.

Vicki’s role has a strong focus on ensuring the seamless integration of age-appropriate early childhood learning across content and brand extensions. Her team creates learning guidelines used across all stages of writing and production. She works closely with development, production, casting, marketing, franchise management, and Disney parks and resorts teams.

She joined Disney in 2013 and in 2015, was promoted to vice president, Educational Resource Group. In 2019, she added responsibilities for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Disney Channels. In 2020, she was promoted to senior vice president. Vicki led the formation of the Disney Junior Educational Resource Group to ensure all content incorporates the best practices in early childhood education and development. She also helped establish the Disney Junior Advisory Board, a council of prominent academics that further guides Disney Junior’s curriculum.

With a vision to overcome barriers for more inclusive content and culture, Vicki leads the Disney Branded Television’s Creative Inclusion Council and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Team. This commitment has led to initiatives that span The Walt Disney Company.

Vicki’s prosocial work on behalf of Disney Branded Television includes facilitating and managing outreach and partnerships with organizations such as UNICEF, World Health Organization, Girls Scouts, Google, NASA, children’s museums, science discovery centers, and children’s hospitals.

She has a B.A. in East Asian and Asian American Studies from UCLA and an Ed.M. in Technology, Innovation and Education from Harvard.

Lupe De La Cruz is the Vice President of Government Affairs and Corporate Citizenship at PepsiCo. Lupe represents PepsiCo’s diverse convenient food and beverages portfolio with policy makers and community leaders across 23 states and territories in the western United States, directing PepsiCo’s community engagement. With a cross divisional team, Lupe manages PepsiCo’s national Corporate Citizenship initiatives and leads the team’s Latino community engagement strategy. He joined PepsiCo in 2005 and is most proud of his role in fostering relationships with the communities he works in.

His passion for public policy issues was cemented while working in the office of Congressman Esteban E. Torres and later as Advocacy Director of the AARP. Born in Fresno, California, he grew up in the Greater Los Angeles area. Lupe graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science. As an undergraduate, he served as a reserve deputy with the County of Los Angeles Juvenile Probation Department. In addition to the Getty House Foundation, Lupe currently serves on the Board of Trustees of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the Dream.US, the California Business Roundtable, and the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce. He serves on the Advisory Boards of UnidosUS and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. In 2022, he was elected to the Board of Trustees for the University of La Verne.

Dana Debel is the Manager Director – Government Affairs at Delta Air Lines. She is responsible for building and maintaining Delta’s government relations with state and local officials in California and Washington and oversees the team responsible for Michigan and Utah along with the rest of the central and western US. Dana has led similar efforts out of Delta’s Detroit hub. In her 16 years with Delta Dana’s strong influence and communication skills have helped her lead numerous cross-functional initiatives to enhance the presence of Delta within its hub communities and improve the economic and operating climate for Delta’s customers and employees.

Dana leads the government relations for the major terminal reconstruction programs including the $2.3 Billion SkyWay at LAX and the $1 Billion IAF in SEA, helping secure approval and support for the programs. In addition, she helps set the messaging and engagement strategy for Delta in the Western US. Dana brings 25 years of experience in government and politics to her current responsibilities. Prior to joining Delta, Dana served as Policy Director for the Michigan Governor and ran an environmental NGO. Dana lives in Los Angeles with her husband, guitar-playing middle-schooler, and crazy-but-loveable dog. When she isn’t running Game Changer at her son’s baseball games, she serves on the volunteer boards for the YMCA LA, the LA Chamber, the LA Kings.

Joshua Englander serves as President and Founder of JE Strategies, a public affairs and communications firm in Los Angeles. Joshua works with external stakeholders including private clients, government officials, civic and community organizations to create a better Los Angeles. Prior to starting his firm, Joshua served as the West Coast leader for several corporations invested in the future success of Southern California. Joshua led the government affairs practice for 13 states, growing the company’s brand and presence in the West.

Joshua previously served as the Federal Affairs Representative for LA Metro, based in Washington, D.C. In this role, he secured three Capital Investment Grants, and the first-of-its-kind TIFIA loan for a transit project for Los Angeles (alongside Congressmember Bass). He worked with Congress and the administration on long-term projects and worked with Los Angeles County’s congressional delegation on issues impacting transportation projects within their districts. Joshua also serves on the Foundation Board of the Eisner Family Health, a FQHC based in the heart of Downtown; and he previously served as a board member for the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Central City Association. Joshua resides in the San Fernando Valley with his wife Whitney, their two sons, and their dog.

Samie Falvey is the President of Imagine TV. She is a well-liked veteran TV executive, most recently served as Chief Content Officer of M4, the planned premium short-form mobile content service of Verizon and Awesomeness TV. Appointed in August 2016, she assembled an executive team and had started
building a programming slate for the new platform when Verizon and Awesomeness TV.

David A. Ford currently serves as a Government Relations Manager with Southern California Edison: As an energy industry executive with extensive utility experience in transmission and distribution operations systems, he is an innovative and resourceful leader with a proven track record of identifying and seizing opportunities to exceed business objectives in highly competitive markets.

David orchestrates comprehensive strategies to leverage engagement with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles City Council, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to ensure that SCE safely delivers affordable, reliable, and functional electric service. David is a graduate of Ohio University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

Julie Gutman Dickinson is
a managing partner at the union-side labor law firm Bush Gottlieb, bringing extensive experience in advocating on behalf of workers and private and public sector unions. Julie is a tenacious advocate for justice with over 25 years of labor law experience, including representing international and local unions in collective-bargaining negotiations, political and legislative advocacy, arbitrations, and administrative, state, and federal court litigation.

She is a nationally renowned expert in NLRB proceedings, wage theft and misclassification litigation, and strategic organizing and contract campaigns. She has won multi-million-dollar victories against wage theft for workers and their families. Julie has advised elected officials on labor issues and advocated vigorously for fair labor practices as a member of governmental agencies. She served as Board of Public Works Commissioner and Senior Labor Advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, providing labor advice to the Mayor, and representing the Mayor in bringing unions and private sector employers together to avert major strikes in Los Angeles, and to negotiate mutually beneficial collective bargaining agreements, particularly in industries with workers living on the margin.

Latasha Gillespie is the Head of Global Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) for Amazon MGM Studios, Prime Video, and Freevee. In her role, Latasha is responsible for the development and management of all content related and customer facing DEIA work for the organization. Under her leadership, Amazon MGM Studios created the entertainment industry’s first Inclusion Policy and Playbook, and standardized DEIA into its Greenlight Process. Latasha also created the Howard Entertainment Program, the first of its kind partnership between a major studio and an HBCU. Prior to her current role, Latasha led the Global Diversity and Inclusion organization across Amazon, where she worked with Jeff Bezos and regularly briefed both the Board of Directors, and Congressional members on Amazon’s DEIA Strategies and progress. In addition, Latasha is credited for Amazon joining the HBCU Partnership Challenge and founding Amazon’s Conversations on Race and Ethnicity (CORE) annual conference and curriculum. 

Latasha is a celebrated speaker, host, and moderator who has appeared on stages around the world, including CES, Essence Festival, Cannes, AFRIFF, the Recording Academy, the Television Academy, Rio2C, AdColor, Sundance and more. She is also a sought-after interviewer, who has spoken with Simone Biles, Ryan Coogler, Daniel Dae Kim, Eric Kripke, Edward James Olmos, Karen Bass, Geena Davis, Keke Palmer, Jemele Hill, Gloria Calderon Kellett, and Common to name a few.

She has been featured on Variety’s 2021 Women’s Impact Report and 2022 Inclusion Impact Report, was honored as a 2022 Multichannel News Wonder Woman, and received the Black Women Film Network 2023 Beacon Award. In 2021, the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce named Latasha Executive of the Year and that same year she graced the cover of Inclusion magazine for her leadership in implementing organizational inclusive and equitable practices. Black Enterprise named her one of the 2019 Most Powerful Women in Corporate Diversity, and she is a 2018 Ebony Power 100 Honoree.

Prior to Amazon, Latasha spent 20 years in Finance and Human Resources with Caterpillar Inc., holding various positions including Six Sigma Black Belt, Compensation and Benefits Director, and Employee and Labor Relations Director for the organization’s facilities in both U.S. and Mexico. During her tenure with Caterpillar, Latasha is credited for launching the first diversity recruiting team and the company’s Employee Resource Groups. She also held the position of Chief Diversity Officer for three years prior to relocating overseas to Singapore to serve as the organization’s Head of Human Resources for Africa, Middle East, CIS/ Russia, and Asia Pacific.

Latasha grew up in the Chicago area and received her degree in Finance from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She currently resides in Los Angeles.

Charles Floyd Johnson is a three-time Emmy Award winner (and seven-time nominee) and currently serves as an Executive Producer for the CBS Television Studios’ one-hour dramatic television NCIS. Among his many credits, as an Executive Producer are JAG, FIRST MONDAY, MANGNUM P.I., QUANTUM LEAP, B.L. STRYKER, and the award-winning series THE ROCKFORD FILES.

Mr. Johnson’s diverse career has also comprised notable work in both features and documentary films. In 2016, served as Executive Producer of the Kathleen Dowdey documentary, “GET IN THE WAY- The Journey of John Lewis.” He is also very proud of his work with George Lucas on the World War II feature film Red Tails, which was named best Film of 2012 by the NAACP Image Awards.

A native of Middletown, Delaware, Johnson received both his Bachelor of Arts and his Juris Doctorate Degrees from Howard University. Early in his career, he served in the United States Army as a Courts and Boards Defense Counsel at Fort Dix, New Jersey, defending some 300 special and summary court-martial cases. During his service, he received an Army Commendation Medal for his work. Thereafter, he became a member of the District of Columbia Bar and ana Attorney-Advisor for the United States Copyright Office. Before exchanging a career International Copyright Law for one Hollywood, Johnson first worked in Stockholm with the Swedish Ministry of Justice and briefly served in Paris as a U.S. Representative to UNESCO Copyright Conference.

Among his other celebrated projects is the highly praised “Voices of Our People – In Celebration of Black Poetry,” from which he received a Los Angeles area Emmy Award for Producing and followed that honor by winning Emmy, as one of its Outstanding Performers.

He is the recipient of many other awards and commendations and is listed as an Outstanding member of “Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Black America, Who’s Who in Entertainment and is among the many renowned HISTORY MARKERS.” Other recent honors include awards from the Caucus for Producers, Writers and Directors, where he serves on both the organization’s Steering Committee and its Foundation Board. He is also the recipient of a Diversity Award from the Producers’ Guild of America as well as The Ron Brown Leadership Award from Minorities in Broadcasting.

A founding member and former Vice President of the Media Forum, he has consistently worked combat negative media images of minorities. Additionally, he also served as Vice President of Communications Bridge, a Los Angeles training program for minority students in the fields of film and television. He is a long-standing member of the Writers Guild of America, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild of America, where he founded and produced the Oscar Micheaux Awards, a forerunner of PGA’s Celebration of Diversity Awards.

Mr. Johnson is an outstanding alumnus of both Stony Brook College and Preparatory in Stony Brook, New York and Howard University in Washington D.C. He lives in Los Angeles with wife, Anne Burford Johnson and are the very proud parents of Kristin Suzanne Carter, an Attorney in Santa Cruz, California.

Barbara Jordan is a Louisiana native, who has lived in Los Angeles for many years. She attended George Washington High School and Los Angeles Metropolitan Business School. A married mother of two, she worked in health care for nearly 30 years, and though now retired, has stayed very involved as a neighborhood and citywide activist. Barbara has knocked on doors, registered voters, campaigned for numerous candidates, raised money, and takes a strong role in her community’s activities.

Because of her health care background, she is always concerned with the well-being of the individuals in the larger Los Angeles community, including the unhoused and people with health problems. A devoted grandmother, she is particularly interested in the services provided for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens – the children. Always ready to pitch in and lend a hand, Barbara is a strong addition to our Board.

Deborah Kallick, Vice President of Government, and Industry Relations at Cedars-Sinai Health System. For the past 23 years at Cedars, Deborah has been responsible for coordinating the institution’s efforts to assure that the public policy issues at the Local, State and Federal levels of government
which affect the organization are being monitored, addressed, and implemented.

Issues such as new regulations, regulatory interpretations and legislative matters that affect physicians, hospitals, research, graduate medical education, and land use are within her portfolio. Deborah is a registered lobbyist at the State and Federal levels of government.

Charles (Chuck) Ortner is the Chair of Ortner Ventures and former partner at Proskauer Rose, LLP. Chuck has been described as a “legendary music expert [and] one of the premier lawyers in the copyright world.” His client list includes a “Who’s Who” of popular music: Among them have been Shania Twain, U2, Sting, Meat Loaf, the Eagles, Bon Jovi, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Lady Gaga and renowned record producers.

But the road from his Long Island hometown of Great Neck, N.Y., to music industry prominence took some interesting and fascinating turns, says Ortner. “It was not a linear process.” While attending law school at night Chuck served as an Aide for New York Mayor John Lindsay, running the City Hall Research Operation. Upon graduation he served as Legal Assistant to the United States Attorney, Southern District of New York (the equivalent of a law clerk to a federal judge). He then followed on a path that took him to several prominent law firms, focusing primarily on the computers, technology, and
music industries. Chuck became the Chair of the American Bar Association’s Computer Law Division and served on numerous other bar committees that dealt with the entertainment industry. As a litigator he handled a wide variety of cutting-edge cases involving supersonic aircraft display processors, anti-submarine warfare avionics, and (in the music industry) copyright, trademark and unfair competition disputes, breach of contract claims, enforcement of personal services contracts, securities law violations, class actions and more. His clients included every major record and music publishing company, many superstar recording artists, and iconic songwriters, senior level industry executives, managers, and record producers. He served as National Legal Counsel to the Recording Academy (the Grammy Awards organization). Chuck conceived of and became an executive producer of the documentary “To Be of Service” (about wounded veterans and their service dogs) and am helping to develop a made-for-TV political drama series and a romantic comedy involving a superstar rock group.

Chuck currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, Board of Trustees for Carnegie Hall, and on the Board of Directors of Born This Way Foundation. He received the President’s Merit Award from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2019 and the Grammy Foundation Entertainment Lawyer Service Award in 2013.

Kevin Pickett is an experienced real estate executive and has been a successful entrepreneur since the early-1990’s. Recognizing the growing need for a more humanitarian approach to addressing the rising homelessness and drug addiction he took on a more “community serving” approach to improving the lives of Los Angeles’ citizens. In July 1997, Kevin became the founder and executive director of Palms Residential Care, a 25-bed, state licensed residential facility for people with HIV/AIDS. The Palms Residential Care Facility for the Chronically ill (RCFCI) was reopened as a humanitarian venture with funding from government and private contributions.

In early 2002, he purchased the Mt. Carmel H.S. Rectory and converted it into a substance abuse treatment center – the Mt. Carmel Residential Treatment Center, a licensed and certified, 30-bed drug treatment facility where he serves as Executive Director.

Kevin has over 30 years’ expertise in providing strategic management consultation to various investors and real estate developers, including analyzing needs and current business obstacles, identifying projects, setting up business structures, scoping potential business solutions, and facilitating mergers and acquisitions. He owns and manages several properties in Los Angeles, including the Summit Motel in Windsor Hills. In 2018, Kevin provided strategic management consultation for the development of residential housing in the Crenshaw / West Adams area of Los Angeles. Currently, he is developing long-term housing for the chronically homeless population of Los Angeles, and most recently he has ventured into testing facilities for the cannabis industry. Kevin has two daughters. He and his family are long-time residents of Manhattan Beach.

Naomi K. Rodriguez is the founder and managing partner of 3Gens Consulting, a marketing communications, public affairs, and brand management firm. 3Gens is dedicated to creating a better world by actively engaging audiences to address social and environmental issues, one community at a time.

Naomi’s primary purpose is to drive positive social change through human connection. With over 25 years of experience in corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors, she has a unique ability to align and execute strategies that take organizational goals and growth to new levels of success.

Throughout her career, Naomi has earned multiple awards and honors for her work. Most recently, she served on the executive leadership team and was among the highest-ranking Latinas at the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2020 Naomi received one of the sports industry’s highest honors, the Sports Business Journal Game Changers Award. She works with professional and collegiate athletes helping them define their purpose and success off the field, court, and arena. She has worked with global brands such as DIRECTV, USC, Santa Monica College, the City of Los Angeles, the State of California, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles, Boys and Girls Clubs throughout Greater Los Angeles, and the First Responders Children’s Foundation.

Beyond her achievements, Naomi is deeply committed to empowering and mentoring women, inspired by the trailblazers who have paved the way through their sacrifice, struggles, triumphs, and the path they created for future generations.

She received her BA in Communications from California State University, Long Beach, and is a graduate of Harvard’s National Hispana Leadership Institute Executive Program. 

Glen Dake is a landscape architect at Dake Landscape and a leader in building Southern California community-designed landscapes. His design work includes the Keck Ocean Atmosphere Science Center at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, a number of stormwater collection facilities in the San Fernando Valley parks and a commemoration for the historic Sleepy Lagoon. He helped to found the LA Community Garden Council in 1998, and he led a team to acquire land for and build a series of community gardens in Echo Park, East Hollywood, East LA, Vermont Square and Watts.

He has been a leader in the campaigns for the City of LA’s Proposition O, for the Renewable Portfolio Standard, and for LA County’s Measure A to support new parks development. He completed a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture 1987 from Cornell University, Ithaca NY. He serves on the boards of the California Environmental Voters and the Miguel Contreras Foundation. Between 2014 and 2019 he served on the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and chaired the Finance and Insurance Committee.

Mark Verge is the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of The Verge Company. Mark is changing the landscape of neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, creating many of the most popular and successful destinations and businesses today. Mark founded Westside Rentals in 1996, building it into the dominant player in the rental apartments space in California.

His ability to hire strong leaders, anticipate the changing marketplace, adopt new technologies at the right time, and manage a large diverse workforce played an important role in Westside Rentals’ success — and is a signature of all of the businesses Mark touches. Thirty-one businesses span his diverse portfolio; comprised of restaurants and bars, hotels, environmental companies, real estate acquisitions and fashion companies.