Board Membership
Board of Directors
Frank Reddick - bio
Board Chair
Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Joe Cilic - bio
Board Secretary
Vice President, Sotheby’s International Realty
Marcia Aaron - bio
Ex-Officio Member
Executive Director, KIPP LA
Loren Bendele - bio
CEO, Savings.com
Randy Bishop - bio
CEO, Verengo Solar
Marc Castellani - bio
Executive Director, JP Morgan Private Bank
Zac Guevara - bio
Retired; Executive Vice President, Capital International Research, Inc.
Daniel Michaels - bio
Founder & Managing Partner, Mission Asset Management, LP
Alex Rubalcava - bio
President, Rubalcava Capital Management
Jeffrey Strnad - bio
Founder & Principal, Beach House Design & Development
Rebecca Wolf DiBiase - bio
Managing Director of Programs, The Broad Foundation
Advisory Board
Martha Karsh - bioAdvisory Board Chair
Attorney; Co-Founder, Clark & Karsh
Marcus Allen - bio
NFL Hall-of-Famer
Beth Friedman - bio
Philanthropist
Erika Glazer
- bio
Activist Philanthropist
Cassandra H. Grey - bio
Brand Consultant and Entrepreneur
Lynn Jacobson - (bio coming soon)
Former Chair of the Board, Brentwood School
Richard Lovett - bio
President, Creative Artists Agency
Nancy Marks - (bio coming soon)
Portrait Artist and Author
Don McCammack - bio
Retired; Former President, Avis Rent a Car
Palmer Murray - bio
President and Co-Managing Partner, Lourd Capital Management
Senior Counsel, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP
Chet Pipkin
- (bio coming soon)
Chairman of the Board, Belkin International, Inc.
Moira Shourie
- bio
Former Board Member, Marquez Charter School
Blair H. Taylor
- bio
Chief Community Officer, Starbucks Coffee Company
About Our Board Members
Frank Reddick is a partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and has more than 25 years of experience in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and public company representations. Mr. Reddick is a Practice Manager of the firm’s corporate practice and serves on its Policy and Planning Committee and Management Committee. He is principally engaged in the practice of corporate and securities law, with a concentration on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and other strategic alliances. He advises clients in a wide range of industries, including the media, entertainment, and gaming industries. Mr. Reddick received his BA with high honors and great distinction from California State University at San Jose in 1977 and his JD in 1980 from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, where he was a member of Order of the Coif. He is a member of the California Bar.
Joe Cilic currently serves as a Vice President and Branch Manager for the Beverly Hills office of Sotheby's International Realty, a prominent residential real estate company. Mr. Cilic’s duties include recruiting, hiring, budgeting, training, and supervising nearly 100 agents and employees. Prior to joining Sotheby’s, Mr. Cilic worked as an attorney with the law firm of Ervin, Cohen & Jessup, LLP. During his legal career, he specialized in business litigation, real estate disputes, and employment law. Active in the community, Mr. Cilic currently serves as Financial Secretary for the Slovenian Benevolent Society, is on the Board of Directors for the Mount Olympus Property Owner’s Association, and is a member of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce and Board of Realtors. Mr. Cilic holds a Juris Doctorate from UCLA School of Law and did his undergraduate work at St. Edward’s University, in Austin, Texas, where he served as Student Body President and graduated summa cum laude.
Prior to being named Executive Director of KIPP LA, Marcia Aaron was the founding Board Chair of KIPP LA and the Board Chair of KIPP Academy of Opportunity in LA. Previously, she worked as a Senior Analyst at Pacific Growth Equities, and as a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank and Montgomery Securities. She is currently a member of the University of Oregon Alumni Center Campaign Committee and the All Stars Helping Kids’ Board of Directors. She previously served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Oregon Foundation and the University of Oregon Journalism Advancement Council. Ms. Aaron holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Oregon.
Loren Bendele joined Savings.com in January 2007 as the company’s CEO. Previously, he ran Teleflora’s Partner Marketing business and served as a strategy/management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. He has also served as an independent consultant focusing on strategy, business development, fund raising, product management, and M&A for companies ranging in size from emerging ventures to established companies. He started his career at Dow Chemical, initially serving as a chemical engineer in Dow’s Strategic Services group. Mr. Bendele graduated with honors in chemical engineering from The University of Texas A&M.
Randy Bishop has been the CEO of Verengo Solar since 2008. Previously, he worked at Intuit, where he grew the Basic Payroll business by nearly 30% annually while improving margins for several years. At Intuit, he also headed Project Management from Quicken.com and QuickenLoans. Additionally, he was a principal at BearTree Partners and Remy Investors, VP and General Manager at SMC, and has served on the boards of several public companies and non-profits. He is a member of the Los Angeles chapter of the Young Presidents Organization. Mr. Bishop received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where he was a Baker Scholar, and his undergraduate degree from Stanford University. In 2008, Mr. Bishop - along with partner Ken Button - created Verengo Solar and rapidly seized a leadership position in California ís market for residential solar installations. With the skills, foresight, and know-how to capitalize on the growth trends in solar, he catapulted a faltering home-improvement company into a market leader for California residential PV installations.
Marc Castellani is an Executive Director in the Los Angeles office of J.P. Morgan's Private Bank. Originally from Western New York, Mr. Castellani worked in New York City for a number of years as a senior banker in the Mergers and Acquisitions departments of J.P. Morgan and Banc of America Securities. Relocating to Los Angeles in 2009, he joined U.S. Trust as a Senior Vice President before returning to J.P. Morgan in 2012. In addition to his work with KIPP LA, Mr. Castellani is a member of the Rotary Club of Manhattan Beach, as well as a volunteer and parishioner at American Martyrs Church in Manhattan Beach. Mr. Castellani earned his undergraduate degree at Cornell University and his graduate degree in finance at the University of Rochester.
Zac Guevara is a Chartered Financial Analyst who retired in 2009 after serving as an investment analyst, research director, board member, and executive vice president with Capital International Research, Inc. He joined Capital in 1992 as a participant in “The Associates Program” after graduating from Harvard University with an AB in government. As an investment analyst, his research coverage included the transportation, newspaper, Internet media, education, home building, and defense industries. Guevara also currently serves on the boards of I Have a Dream Foundation - Los Angeles, Self Help Graphics & Art, the Mexican American Legal and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the California Endowment, and Communities in Schools of Los Angeles. A resident of San Marino, Guevara currently focuses his attention on working with non-pro?t organizations, personal investing, and traveling.
Daniel Michaels is the founder and Managing Partner of Mission Asset Management, LP a family office-backed investment fund focused on a wide range of alternative investment opportunities. Prior to Mission, Daniel was a Vice President at Octavian Advisors, a $2 billion investment advisory firm focused on global credit and equity opportunities where he spent a significant amount of time investing into the European and Asian markets. Prior to Octavian, Daniel worked at various well-respected institutions including The Carlyle Group, Highbridge Capital and Morgan Stanley after graduating with a double major in Finance and Accounting from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
Alex Rubalcava is the President and Founder of Rubalcava Capital Management. Mr. Rubalcava began his career at Anthem Venture Partners, a venture capital firm in Santa Monica, focused on making investments across the technology sector. As an analyst, he researched investments, studied industries, and participated in the early stage financing of over a dozen startups. Outside of work, Mr. Rubalcava devotes time and energy to community projects. From 2003 to 2005, he served as a commissioner on the board of Los Angeles Animal Services, at the appointment of Mayor James Hahn. As Commissioner, Mr. Rubalcava led the implementation of new policies concerning spay and neuter, animal adoption, the handling of wildlife, and the issue of feral cats – policies that have led to dramatic reductions in the department’s euthanasia rate and improvements in the adoption rate. In 2007, Mr. Rubalcava was appointed to the Board of Directors of the South Central Gifted Scholar Fund, a rapidly expanding nonprofit that provides financial, job placement, and mentoring help to college students from South Central Los Angeles.
Jeffrey Strnad is the founder and principal of Beach House Design & Development, a residential design and development company. Mr. Strnad has worked in corporate real estate and residential development for over 20 years. He previously worked for Credit Suisse First Boston Realty Corp. as a Managing Director and Co-Manager of the Los Angeles regional office, as well as National Director of Advisory Services. He also was a Senior Vice President at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; Regional Leasing Director for Jones Lang LaSalle; and a Senior Management Consultant with KPMG Peat Marwick. Mr. Strnad is a Licensed Public Accountant in Ohio, a licensed General Building Contractor in California, a Licensed Real Estate Broker in California, and a certified Financial Analyst (AMA). He was named a Southern California Commercial Broker All-Star by Real Estate Forum magazine. Mr. Strnad received his BS in Accounting from Bowling Green State University, and has a post-graduate degree from the UCLA Extension in Arts, Architecture, and Interior Design.
Rebecca Wolf DiBiase is the Managing Director of Programs at The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, a national venture philanthropy dedicated to dramatically improving K-12 urban public education. She is an expert in school district accountability, performance management, and charter schools. She manages the foundation’s investments in the strategic redesign of urban school districts through the implementation of performance accountability systems and the improvement of human resources operations. She also oversees the foundation’s investments in the expansion of charter schools nationwide, most notably in Los Angeles, New York City, and New Orleans. She currently sits on the boards of two other high-performing charter school management organizations: Aspire Public Schools and the Alliance for College Ready Schools. Previously, Ms. DiBiase was director of accountability for the Charter School Office of the Massachusetts Department of Education. She also worked for the Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research, where she focused on policy reforms in K-12 education and urban entrepreneurship. Earlier in her career, Ms. DiBiase taught middle school in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She has a bachelor's degree in international relations and Spanish from the University of Virginia, and a master's in public administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government.
Martha Karsh, Martha L. Karsh, an attorney, has practiced law, formed an architecture/design/development firm and done extensive non-profit work.
In 1998, Ms. Karsh founded the Karsh Family Foundation with Bruce Karsh, President of Oaktree Capital Management and her spouse of 32 years, focusing primarily on supporting education. To date, the Karshes and their Foundation have made gifts and pledges of over $150 million, supporting scholarship and education at all
levels. Their largest gifts have been for financial aid at Duke, Penn, Brown and Virginia Law School, as well as for KIPP and Teach for America. Currently, Ms. Karsh serves on the Boards of the KIPP Foundation, the University of Virginia Law School Foundation, Common Sense Media and the Los Angeles Parks Foundation; she also chairs the Advisory Board of KIPP LA.
Ms. Karsh graduated from Virginia Law School (J.D. 1981) and the University of Virginia (B.A. 1978), and has three children – Katie, an Education Associate with Common Sense Media; Jeffrey, an Analyst with Canyon Capital Realty Advisors; and Michael, a junior at Brown University.
Marcus Allen, a University of Southern California standout and Heisman Trophy winner, was the tenth player selected in the 1982 National Football League Draft, playing 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs. Considered one of the game’s best goal line and short-yardage runners, Mr. Allen began his pro career as the NFL Rookie of the Year and ended as the game’s all-time rushing touchdown leader. During his 11 seasons with the Raiders, he was named to the Pro Bowl six times, and earned Superbowl XVIII MVP honors when the Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38-9. In 1995, Mr. Allen made NFL history when he became the first player in league history to rush for over 10,000 yards and catch passes for 5,000 more. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. A dedicated supporter of disadvantaged children, Mr. Allen has worked with All Stars Helping Kids to raise nearly $500,000 over the last three years in support of educational programs in Los Angeles.
Beth C. Friedman completed a career in corporate banking at Bank of America and currently focuses her time on philanthropic activities, devoted specifically to improving education and advancing medicine. Mrs. Friedman is a member of the Board of Trustees for the following institutions: The Archer School for Girls where she is also Co-Chair of the Development Committee; the Independent School Alliance for Minority Affairs; and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital where she also serves as Co-Chair of the Today and Tomorrow Children’s Fund (TTCF). Mrs. Friedman is a member of the Advisory Board for KIPP:LA Schools. She has served as a Co-Chair of the Wellesley College Southern California Leadership Gift Committee and is the former President of the Zimmer Children’s Museum. Mrs. Friedman actively supports the Sinai Temple Israel Center, Harvard University, and the Madeline Korbel Albright Center at Wellesley College. Mrs. Friedman received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Wellesley College and holds a Masters of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management. She and her husband Josh reside in Los Angeles and have three sons.
Erika Glazer is a passionate activist philanthropst. Ms. Glazer has served on numerous boards of directors including the Israel Museum, United Jewish Federation, several private schools in the Los Angeles area, and the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces. Her experiences living and traveling throughout Peru, Latin America, Western Europe, Africa, and Asia have provided her with a special appreciation for her life and a dedication to help others less fortunate. Among the many projects to which Ms. Glazer has dedicated herself are helping build several low-income homeless shelters throughout Los Angeles, establishing college scholarships to enable disadvantaged students in Los Angeles to attend California State University Los Angeles, underwriting capital projects, and funding scholarships for former Israeli combat soldiers who otherwise would be unable to attend college.
Cassandra H. Grey is the founder and creative director of the Los Angeles-based boutique-creative agency, StudioCHG, which specializes in developing non-traditional marketing and advertising strategies for fashion and beauty brands. Ms. Grey and her husband, Mr. Brad Grey, CEO of Paramount Pictures, are passionate supporters of KIPP and have visited numerous schools within KIPP’s Los Angeles network. They are fervently dedicated to increasing awareness for the program within their own community and beyond.
Richard Lovett is President of Creative Artists Agency (CAA), an entertainment and sports agency based in Los Angeles. His clients are among the world’s most successful actors, directors, and producers. Since his appointment to President in 1995, Mr. Lovett has directed the company’s growth throughout the entertainment, sports, and corporate sectors. In 1996, Mr. Lovett and his partners created the CAA Foundation. The Foundation harnesses the power and reach of the entertainment industry to create positive social change through forging strategic partnerships, encouraging volunteerism, granting financial contributions, stimulating public awareness, and providing in-kind donations. Mr. Lovett has received numerous awards for his activism and serves on several national boards focusing on education and the arts. Among his honors, Mr. Lovett has received the Shoah Foundation’s Ambassador for Humanity Award from Steven Spielberg. A Milwaukee, Wisconsin native, Mr. Lovett attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he majored in English. Named “the most powerful agent in Hollywood” by the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Lovett has been called one of the most influential people in entertainment by media outlets such as Vanity Fair and Entertainment Weekly.
Palmer Murray is an Executive Director of Morgan Stanley's Private Wealth Management Division in Los Angeles. A native of Houston, Texas, Mr. Murray attended the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut and graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Economics. Previously, Mr. Murray worked for Vice President George H. W. Bush in Washington, D.C. and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Relocating to Los Angeles in 1990, Mr. Murray earned his M.B.A. from the University of Southern California. He then joined Trust Company of the West in the Private Client Services Division where he remained for five years as a Senior Vice President before joining Morgan Stanley. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees at Marlborough School and is Vice President and Treasurer of the Otis Booth Foundation.
Don McCammack, now retired, was President of Avis Rent a Car in Southern California from 1983 to 1997. He began his career at Arthur Young and Company, then joined Avis in Southern California, serving as its Controller and Vice President of Finance before being promoted to President. Mr. McCammack is a longtime KIPP LA volunteer and supporter: he runs the Career Guest Speaker Program at KIPP Academy of Opportunity. In addition to his work with KIPP LA, he currently is a Friend of St. Raphael Elementary School. In the past, he served as a Board member of the Pacific Outward Bound School and as Chairman of the St. Michael’s Elementary School Development Council. A longtime Los Angeles resident, Mr. McCammack received his undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California.
Judge William A. Norris is a senior counsel at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. He served as a business litigator for 25 years and a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit for 17 years. During his career on the bench, Judge Norris wrote landmark opinions in many areas, including securities, tax, class action litigation, election law, and the First Amendment. Judge Norris is the founding president of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles. His career highlights also include serving as president of the Los Angeles Police Commission on appointment by Mayor Tom Bradley, and as a member of the California State Board of Education and the Board of Trustees of California State University on appointment by Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown. In 2002 he was inducted as a fellow of the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers. Judge Norris received his B.A. from Princeton University and his J.D. from Stanford Law School, where he was a member of Order of the Coif and executive editor of the Stanford Law Review. He clerked for Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
Moira Shourie developed an interest in education causes while experiencing the ups and downs of public school with her elementary school aged children. Moira recently joined the board of Zocalo, the public square, and she just concluded an elected stint on the governing board of Marquez Charter Elementary in Pacific Palisades, where she is currently is co-chair of fundraising. Prior to this, Moira was Director of International Programming at MTV Networks International where she was part of the group that launched MTV and VH1 channels in India, Japan, Canada, South Africa and Russia focusing on content and programming strategy. Moira is an enthusiastic choral singer and has performed with the choirs of St. Patrick's Cathedral, NY, and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, LA. She is an avid golfer and will only divulge her handicap under duress.
Blair Hamilton Taylor is Chief Community Officer for Starbucks Coffee Company. Previously, Mr. Taylor was the President and CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, a position he held from 2005-12. The League is an affiliate of one of the nation's leading civil rights organizations with offices in more than 100 cities. With a staff of over 300 and a budget in excess of $25 million, the 88-year-old Los Angeles Urban League is one of America's largest civil rights entities. Mr. Taylor is a visionary leader, community servant and coalition builder with nearly twenty five years of public and private sector business experience. A Los Angeles resident for more than two decades, Mr. Taylor was born in New York as the third of five children. He learned the value of higher education at a young age. His father earned his bachelor's degree from Yale University and his law degree from NYU; his mother earned her bachelor's degree cum laude from Smith College and her masters from Yale University. These were significant achievements for African Americans of their era. More importantly, both parents were tireless community servants and instilled in their five sons a passion for advancing causes of the less fortunate. Prior to joining the LA Urban League, Mr. Taylor served as Executive Vice President of College Summit, a national college access initiative with a track record of nearly doubling the college enrollment rates of low income students. During his tenure, College Summit achieved the fastest growth in the organization's history, quadrupling its student outreach to more than 6,000 students in 2005.
