Lisa Angstreich will again be serving on the Grants Committee in her second year on the MBEF board.  Lisa’s background is in urban redevelopment where she focused on helping low-income communities across the country develop strategies to improve education, health, and economic development outcomes.  She currently works as a consultant providing strategic planning and  grant writing services for private and public institutions.  Lisa received a Bachelor of Arts in History from Washington University and a Master of Social Work from the George Warren Brown School of Social Work.  Lisa and her two daughters moved to Manhattan Beach in 1999; her daughter Madeline is a eighth grader at MBMS and her daughter Emily is a sixth grader at Robinson.

J. Peter Barbara is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Advisor at Wells Fargo Private Bank.  In this role, Peter advises a select number of wealthy individuals and families in all aspects of their financial picture.  Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Peter was with Citigroup for 19 years, most recently with their Private Bank in Los Angeles.  Peter was born and raised in New York City and moved to Manhattan Beach in 2000.  Peter and his wife, Tiffany, have three sons; an 8 year old at Robinson Elementary and a 5 and 4  year old at the Montessori School of Manhattan Beach Peck campus.  Peter has a Bachelor in Business Administration degree from Pace University in New York City.  Peter is also a Member of the Investment Management Consultants Association and the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.  Peter recently joined the Advisory Board for the Skechers Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk.

Michelle Cormack, Treasurer:  Michelle has over 14 years of experience as a financial and accounting professional in the public and private sector including financial and SEC reporting, consolidations, external audits, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, company reorganizations and system implementations. Michelle began her career at Arthur Andersen, LLP and subsequently served as Senior Manager of Corporate Accounting and Reporting at Tenet Healthcare, Assistant Corporate Controller of Dole Food Company, Vice President and Corporate Controller of LTC Properties, Inc. and Corporate Controller and Senior Director of Finance at ExcrypTix, Inc.  A member of the MBEF board since 2009, Michelle currently serves as Vice Treasurer.  Michelle and her husband, Dave, have four children: Andrew (Grand View), Catherine (Grand View), Peter (Grand View) and Michael (Manhattan Beach Preschool).

Christine Cronin retired from the Capital Group in 2009, where she was a Senior Vice President and bond portfolio manager.  While at Capital for 12 years, she was an analyst covering various industries and most recently worked with large institutional clients and foreign governments.  After retiring, Christine joined Grand View’s PTA Executive Council as  MBEF site rep.  She joined the board in 2010 and is a member of the Business Sponsorship Committee and the Endowment Committee.  She also is the Grand View Legislative Rep for 2010 and is involved with the Catholic Education Foundation of the LA Diocese, the American Red Cross and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach.  Christine and her husband Mark (also retired) have a 4th grade son at Grand View and a 3 year old daughter at the Manhattan Beach Pre School.

Christine graduated from Columbia College with an undergraduate degree in economics, and after working for Morgan Stanley for two years in New York City, continued to get an MBA in Finance and Marketing from The Wharton School and the University of Pennsylvania.  She is a Chartered Financial Analyst and passed the CPA exam.

Marcie Cullen is a new member of the MBEF board this year, serving on our Communications committee. She is happy to be extending her professional skills by helping MBEF in the areas of integrated interactive marketing and social media. Marcie, and her husband Brian, are both UCLA graduates and have two children: A 2nd grader at Pacific and a preschooler.

Brian Currey is Counsel to the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles.  Previously, he was a partner at the downtown Los Angeles office of O’Melveny & Myers, LLP, with a practice focusing on complex litigation.  He founded and chaired Safe and Sound Schools!, leading the successful campaigns to pass the 1995 and 2000 school bond measures, which funded the construction of MBMS, renovation of the elementary schools, and various projects at Mira Costa.  Brian also played an active role in the most recent successful bond campaign.  He has served on various district committees, many of which have dealt with facilities planning and finance, and represented the district on the Parks and Recreation Commission.  He also is a director of the Manhattan Beach Athletic Foundation.  A member of the MBEF board since 2004, Brian currently serves on the Investment Committee and works on special projects.  Brian and his wife, Gail (a college counselor at Mira Costa), have three sons: Kevin, Sean, and Brady.  Kevin and Sean are Costa grads.  Kevin is a graduate student at Yale, while Sean attends Dartmouth College.  Brady is a sophomore at Costa.  All three boys attended Pennekamp and MBMS.

Cindy Ellenberg has been on the MBEF board of directors since 2006. Since retiring from Sun Microsystems, after over 20 years in the technology industry, Cindy has worked as a classroom assistant and reading remediation teacher and has been involved with the PTAs and school site councils at her sons’ schools (Pennekamp, MBMS, and Mira Costa).  Currently she serves as President of the Manhattan Beach Council of PTAs.  Cindy and her husband, Abe, have two sons – Jason a junior at USC and Michael a junior at Mira Costa.

Eric Gist is the Chief Operating Officer at The Next Level Sales Consulting headquartered in El Segundo.  Prior to working at The Next Level, Eric was a partner at Accenture, a global management consulting firm working with Fortune 500 companies to improve their sales and marketing capabilities.  Eric led Accenture’s Customer Relationship Management practice focused on sales and marketing strategy, operations, technology enablement, incentive compensation, and training.  Eric joined the MBEF board in 2010 and looks forward to working on the Business Sponsorship Program to increase our donations for large corporate sponsors.  Eric and his wife, Lori have a daughter, Allison, and a son Alex, attending MBMS.

Adam Goldston, Vice President of Events:  Adam is Managing Director and Global Head of the Healthcare Investment Banking Group of B. Riley & Co. in Los Angeles. Adam has spent over 12 years as an investment banker, primarily serving health care companies. During his tenure on Wall Street, Adam has executed virtually all types of debt and equity financings and completed numerous mergers and acquisitions and other advisory services. Adam enjoys California Cabernets almost as much as he enjoys healthcare banking. Adam has served on the MBEF Board since 2009 and has chaired the MBEF Manhattan Wine Auction fundraisers in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Adam and his wife Rita have two children, Joshua and Lauren. Adam has a BA from Claremont McKenna College, an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Nancy Hersman joined the MBEF board in 2003, but resigned when she was elected to the MBUSD Board of Trustees from 2005-2009.  In 2009, Nancy decided to return to the practice of law, and she and her business partner founded Chase Hersman, LLP, a business law firm in Manhattan Beach.  Always an active volunteer in the schools and community, Nancy returned to the MBEF board and was also appointed to a three-year term with the City’s Parks and Recreation Commission.  Nancy also serves as first vice president of the Manhattan Beach Coordinating Council, which recognizes outstanding students from American Martyrs, MBMS and Mira Costa High School.  Prior to joining the MBEF Board, Nancy served as MBMS PTA president and started the highly successful Scholar Quiz and Green & Gold Day at the middle school.  She has also served on the PTAs of Pacific and Mira Costa; the Site Council at MBMS; has coordinated and attended many of the annual trips to Sacramento to discuss the key educational issues facing our District and the State with our legislators; and has served on numerous committees at the schools and the District.   Nancy earned her B.S. in economics from UCLA and her law degree from Loyola Law School.  Nancy and her husband, Mike, a program manager at Boeing, have three lovely daughters, all proud graduates of Mira Costa.  Sarah graduated from Brown University in 2010 and is now a PhD candidate at UCLA in neuroscience; Katie is a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder, a drum major for the Marching Buffs, and studying sociology; and Megan is a sophomore at Loyola Marymount in the School of Film studying animation.  Nancy is thrilled to be back with MBEF and is looking forward to working on the new legal committee and with the audit committee.

Kamala Horwitz, Co-Vice President, Stewardship: Kamala is excited to serve as a new MBEF board member, working with Leslie Whittet in the role of Stewardship. Kamala worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 15 years and is now a High School Speaker for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles and a Zumba Fitness Instructor. During the last 10 years, she has been active volunteer at Grand View Elementary and at MBMS in addition to leading two Girl Scout troops. Kamala and her husband, Gary, have two daughters, Julia, 9th grade and Jessica, 6th grade.

Lori Keenan has been a very active school volunteer with children at the same time in Elementary, Middle  & High school.  She has been on the Robinson Elementary PTSA Board for the last 8 years serving as fundraising chair, special projects chair, auction chair and finally PTSA President for 2 years.  She served on School Site Council at the High School for 4 years and is currently co-chairing the MBEF site rep position. Lori graduated from UCLA and is now back in the workplace as Director of Client Services for inAssist, an insurance brokerage company that specializes in medical benefits and employee health advocacy. She and her husband have resided in Manhattan Beach for 25 years. Currently their oldest daughter Amanda attends the University of Santa Barbara, daughter Ali is a senior at Mira Costa and son Nicolas is in 5th grade at Robinson.

Sheri Lietzow, Chair Endowment Fund: Sheri has been an MBEF Board member since 2004.  Sheri’s current “job” is proud mother of third grade twin-boys Steve & Derick who attend Peninsula Heritage School.  Prior to her job as mom, Sheri was the Deputy Director of Scheduling and Advance and the Government Liaison for President Ronald Reagan from 1988 until his death in 2004.  In this role, she was responsible for coordination and planning of the Presidents schedule and travel, including his trips to Japan, Europe and the Soviet Union.  Sheri worked directly with the Development Director coordinating the fundraising activities of President and Mrs. Reagan for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.  She also coordinated President Reagan’s funeral and internment on June 6, 2004 at the Presidential Library in Simi Valley.  She has also worked in Advance for Lady Margaret Thatcher.  Sheri was born and raised in Torrance;  attending Hickory Elementary and graduating from Torrance High School.  Sheri earned a B.S., Business from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Babson College in Massachusetts.  She is a member of the investment committee for The Alpha Phi Fraternity Foundation Endowment, is a member of the Junior League of Los Angeles and loves travel and photography…

Mitch Ozawa, Secretary: Mitch is a Senior Vice President and Senior Client Manager for Bank of America Merrill Lynch.  In this role, he serves as the bank’s primary relationship manager for a number of privately-held and publicly-held companies located in the South Bay.  Mitch has served on the MBEF Board since 2009.  Mitch and his wife Ann have three children, Hayden (MCHS), Camryn (RHP) and Chasen (Meadows Elem).  Mitch has a BS in Business Administration (Finance) from Cal. State University Long Beach and an MBA from USC.  Mitch also serves on the Board of Trustees for Rolling Hills Prep, has served on the Meadows PTA for the past 7 years, served on School Site Council for Meadows from 2007-2009 and is serving one last year for the 2010-2011 school year, and is on the Advisory Board for the Skechers Pier-to-Pier Friendship Walk.

Nina Patel, Co-PresidentNina is serving her first year as Co-President. She was the PTA Operations Chair for two years at Pennekamp,  MBEF’s site representative at Pennekamp Elementary for one year, followed by two years as Vice President Fundraising for MBEF. She has been a Manhattan Beach resident for 19 years. She graduated with a degree in chemistry from Cal. State Northridge. She worked as a pharmacy technician and owned and operated a specialty card and stationery business for three years. She sold the business to raise a family and now has three sons, Arjun, Jayin and Bhavin. The boys attend Pennekamp and MBMS. Nina has been a Young at Art docent for the past nine years.

Kimberly Robinson: A board member since 2006, Kim currently serves on the grants committee. She has also been an active volunteer in the schools and community.  Her involvement in schools include  volunteering in the classroom and as PTA program coordinator at Meadows Elementary.  For the Manhattan Beach Youth Basketball, Kim has served as commissioner from 2002 to 2009 and is currently an executive board member treasurer.  Kim also is a member of MCHS Master Plan Steering Committee, serving on the Measure BB Citizens Bond Oversight Committee.
Kim has a BA in Business Communications and Psychology from UNC Greensboro, and AS in Architecture from El Camino College.
Professionally, Kim is co-founder and COO of The Green Hive, a permanent exhibition, library, multi vendor marketplace and event center providing education, programming, and access to sustainable technology, products and services. Kim also founded The Rupertus Foundation to Cure ALS, committed to providing funds for vital patient services and edge research in the fight against ALS, also known as Lou Gherig’s disease.
Kim and her husband, Randy Kowata, have a blended crew of three children, attending (or attended) Meadows, MBMS and Mira Costa:  Gunner Robinson, Quentyn Kowata, and Devin Kowata.

Jonathan Schleyer is an Associate Planning Director at Avrett Free Ginsberg, an advertising agency.  He has over 10 years of advertising experience in multiple agencies including TBWA\Chiat\Day.  Originally from France, Jonathan has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the London School of Economics and a Masters in War Studies from King’s College London.
Jonathan has been involved in improving education for several years.  He has been part of PTAs during his son’s early elementary years in the Wiseburn School District.  He contributed to the founding of the project based learning Da Vinci Schools in Hawthorne where he led the development of the school’s strategy, naming and logo.  Today, he is excited to join the MBEF.
Another way Jonathan has been improving quality of life in South Bay is by teaching Meditation, Qi-Gong and Yoga every Saturday morning at Harmony Yoga in partnership with Dr John Kim – acupuncturist.  He also helps conduct regular retreats to Sedona, Az.
Jonathan, and his wife Laine Sutten, have a son, Leo, who is attending Grand View Elementary as a 3rd grade student.

Lan Shirazi – Co-VP of Operations: Lan is in her first year serving as  Co-VP of Operations for MBEF.  She has served on the MBEF board since 2005, Treasurer from 2009-2011, Chairing the Compliance and Audit Committee from 2007-2009.  Lan, a graduate of UCLA, became a CPA in 1992 worked in banking and public accounting for 12 years before dedicating her time volunteering in her community.  She was on the executive boards of Grand View Elementary PTA, serving as treasurer from 2007 to 2009, and as a vice president 2009-2010. She and her husband Desmund have two sons, a 9th grader at MCHS and a 6th grader at MBMS.

Tina Stout, Vice President Communications: Tina is serving in her third year as the VP of Communications for MBEF.  Previously she served on the Pacific PTA board, where she led Pacific’s efforts to increase electronic forms of communication.  Tina has also served as part time faculty at Loyola Marymount University teaching Management and Organizational Psychology.  Prior to having children, Tina was a manager with Andersen Consulting, now known as Accenture.  Her work in consulting focused on change management, assessment, communication and leadership development.  She holds an MA in Organizational Psychology from Cal State Long Beach, and a BA in both English and Psychology from Loyola Marymount University.  She and her husband Jeff have a 7th grader at MBMS and a 4th grader at Pacific.

Margo Thole, Director of Business Development: Margo oversees the newly launched Business Sponsorship Program and all MBEF fundraising events, including the Manhattan Wine Auction.  Margo has worked for MBEF since 2003, first as a volunteer, and since 2007 as part of the Executive Team.  Prior to joining MBEF Margo worked as a federal criminal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and practiced law at O’Melveny & Myers.  She is a graduate of NYU Law School and NYU College.  Her daughter Suzanne is a senior at Mira Costa and active in Model UN, and her twins Frances and Camille are seventh graders at MBMS.  In addition to her work and family, Margo is an avid runner and race enthusiast.

Jean Van Zanten, co-Chair Endowment Fund: Jean has been on the board of MBEF since 2005, and is in her first year as Co-Chair Endowment Fund following three years as the Vice President of Operations.  She is the co-owner and managing officer of e-escrows, inc. an independent licensed real estate escrow company in Manhattan Beach.  Prior to the opening of e-escrows in 1999, Jean spent almost 20 years in the aerospace workplace holding positions in pricing, contract administration and business management at AlliedSignal Aerospace (now Honeywell).  Jean completed business undergraduate studies at UCLA and Long Beach State and her MBA from Loyola Marymount University.  Jean has been active in the local PTAs serving as treasurer and president at Meadows, recording secretary and president at MBMS, and continues to serve as co-vice president membership at Mira Costa.  She has served on the Manhattan Beach Council of PTAs, School Site Council at Meadows and MBMS, District Advisory Council and as a parent volunteer on the WASC accreditation committee at MCHS.  Jean and her husband Jim have one son Eric who is a senior at Mira Costa.  Jim is serving his third year as MCHS Band Booster president.

Susan Warshaw, Executive Director: Susan has been the Executive Director of MBEF since July 2007.  Previously she served on MBEF’s executive board as vice president of communications from 2006-2007 and prior to that she held a seat on the general board as president of Pennekamp Elementary’s PTA from 2004-2005.  Susan’s background is in community relations and public relations which she has practiced in various capacities for over 20 years.   Originally from the Washington, DC-area, Susan and her husband Chris, a Manhattan Beach native, have two daughters, Katie, MCHS Class of 2012 and Johanna, MCHS Class of 2010.

Rich Weiss, Chief Investment Officer:  Other than currently serving as the Chief Investment Officer, Rich has been an active member of the Education Foundation and the wine auction committee for over ten years. Rich is a senior portfolio manager and manager of asset allocation for American Century Investments, a $100 Billion investment management organization.  Rich has been in the investment field for over 27 years, holding senior positions at City National Bank, Sanwa Bank California, PaineWebber and Mellon Bank. He is a magna cum laude graduate of the Wharton Business School and the University of Chicago. Rich and his wife of twenty years, Virginia, have three girls: Chloe (MCHS), Caroline (MBMS), and Carmen (Meadows).

This isLeslie Whittet’s second year on the MBEF Executive Board. She is responsible for a new program within MBEF, Stewardship, which will highlight to parents and the community what MBEF provides for the students in Manhattan Beach. This program will reach out to thank parents and the community for their support. Leslie has been active in the Manhattan Beach schools for the past 9 years. She was VP of Student Services for 2 years and the PTA President this past year at Pennekamp Elementary School. She has also enjoyed being the leader of two Girl Scout troops, been involved in the Young At Art program and helping out at the schools. This year she is the VP Operations at Pennekamp, Historian for the PTA Council and responsible for Stewardship at MBEF. She is a graduate from UCLA with a Mathematics/Economics degree. She has a daughter in fourth grade at Pennekamp and daughters in sixth and eighth grade at MBMS this year.

Jennifer Williams, Vice President of Operations: Jennifer has been on the MBEF Board of Directors since 2006.  This is her second year serving on the MBEF Executive Board.  She was PTA Co-President at Pacific School 2008-2010 and managed the MBEF Annual Appeal as Pacific’s MBEF Liaison the two years prior.  Through her work with the Manhattan Beach PTA Council and MBEF, she has participated in education advocacy efforts directed towards the California legislature and the local Manhattan Beach community.  With a background in advertising, she now owns Simple Transitions, a moving, organizing and remodeling service.  She holds a bachelors degree from the University of Missouri – School of Journalism and has two children, Ethan and Audrey, who attend MBMS.

Laurel Wright: A member of the MBEF board since 2005, Laurel currently serves on our grants committee and is spearheading the MBEF Alumni Outreach program. She is also a chair on the MBMS 8th Grade Promotion Committee. Laurel and her husband, George, have three children: Megan, Connor, and Declan.  Megan, a Costa grad is currently a junior at Connecticut College.  Connor is a senior at Costa and Declan is in 8th grade at MBMS.

Marla Zaslansky, Co-President:  Marla has been the Co-President of Pacific PTA for the last two-years. Previously, she worked as a General Manager in the Direct Marketing and Television industries. She has 5 children: 3 step, one grown and one that is in 4th grade at Pacific Elementary. She has a BA from the University of Northridge, a Professional Designation in Certified Financial Planning from UCLA and an Executive Education Degree in Management from UCLA. Marla and her husband are passionate advocates for education.