The Force is Female: Archer Leadership Speaker Series
Our mission is to support and challenge young women to discover their passions and realize their true potential. The Archer Leadership Speaker Series provides the opportunity to connect with and learn from current industry leaders making an impact in the world around them, in a panel setting moderated by students, for students.The need for exemplary female leadership is critical. The U.S. ranks 99th in the world for the number of women in national government with women accounting for only 12% of our state governors and a mere 22% of the mayors of the 100 largest cities in our country. And females represent only 6% of Fortune 500 CEOs. The Archer School for Girls has created a platform that both educates and inspires.
Fall Panels 2023
On Monday, October 16, the Archer Alumni Board hosted a Health and Well-Being Panel for Upper School students comprised of Loren Castle, founder of Sweet Loren’s, Debbie Saroufim, a body acceptance coach, and Olivia Tiffany ’09, a doctor of Clinical Psychology. Panelists shared the different paths that led them to their careers, spoke on issues that young girls are facing, and talked about growing from experiences.
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Loren Castle
Loren Castle is an entrepreneur with a mission to make clean food delicious and more accessible. Ms. Castle overcame cancer in college, and changed her diet. When she couldn’t find anything to satisfy her sweet tooth, she founded Sweet Loren's, a clean packaged foods company that is convenient, tasty, and sustainable. Ms. Castle is a graduate of the Annenberg School of Communication and the University of Southern California. She completed the master class in cooking at The New School. Ms. Castle loves good food, female entrepreneurship, and turning negatives into positives.
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Debbie Saroufim
Debbie Saroufim is a Body Acceptance Coach. After struggling with eating issues and the belief that there were “good” and “bad” bodies, she worked hard to cultivate a healthier mindset. Ms. Saroufim now works with women and teens to help them make peace with their bodies, and build up their immunity to toxic diet culture.
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Olivia Tiffany
Olivia Tiffany graduated from Archer in 2009 and is a Doctor of Clinical Psychology, Therapist, and Certified Life Coach for Girls.. She specializes in working with and supporting teenage girls and is passionate about empowering their well-being, development, and self-actualization. She is an expert on providing tools to face friendship difficulties, stress with family members, and exploration of true self and identity. Olivia is deeply inspired by her time as a student at Archer and believes that this was the beginning of her passion for supporting and empowering girls and women.
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Amber Buck Hamilton '04
Amber Buck Hamilton ’04 is the founder of Fig Leaf Development, a firm that partners with senior leaders, social impact organizations, and the foundations that support them, to build their capacity to fundraise effectively. Amber was the founding Chief External Officer at Beyond100K where she led the organization’s rebrand in addition to a multi-year giving campaign aligned to the launch of their new 10-year strategic plan. Amber has fifteen years of experience leading development, strategy, and communications at education and equity-focused organizations including, OneGoal and Teach For America. Amber is a Los Angeles native, daughter of educators, and a mom to three girls who she shares with her husband. She holds a bachelor's degree from The George Washington University. She is also a member of the Los Angeles Education Partnership Board.
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Janet McKillop
Janet McKillop served as Chief Development Officer of the J. Paul Getty Trust from 2015 to 2023, leading all fundraising and advancement for the Getty and its programs, including the Getty Museum, Research Institute, and Conservation Institute. Before joining the Getty, she worked in fundraising for Stanford University, Harvard University, and St. Matthew’s Parish School. Janet began her career as an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan. In December 2023, she will return to JPM as a managing director in the firm’s private bank. Janet serves as a trustee for St. Matthew's Parish School and The Archer School for Girls; she is a member of the National Charity League, Founder's Chapter and serves on the campaign committee for the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. She holds both an MBA and an undergraduate degree in Art History from Stanford University.
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Chaitali Gala Mehta
Chaitali Gala Mehta is the Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) where she manages internal operations resulting in seamless programming impacting thousands of children and families. Before joining LADF, Chaitali was the Director of Cause Marketing for the nonprofit After-School All-Stars and served as Director of Corporate Partnerships and Special Events for LA's Promise. A breast cancer survivor, Chaitali is honored to be a founding member of the Associate Advisory Board of Simms/Mann – UCLA Center for Integrative Oncology. Chaitali also serves on the Los Angeles Dodgers Employee Business Resource Group Diversity Committee and is the representative on the Diversity Committee assisting the organization in strengthening our culture of inclusion. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Akshay, and their daughter, Layla.
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Kiesha Nix
Kiesha Nix is the Vice President of Charitable Affairs & Executive Director of the Lakers Youth Foundation. She is responsible for implementing the mission of the Foundation which is to assist underserved youth in our communities to develop and recognize their full potential by providing positive experiences and resources in education, health & wellness and sports. Kiesha is also very active in the Lakers civic engagement, social justice and diversity & inclusion efforts. In 2021 Kiesha was named in the Top 100 Influential Black Women in Sports by Sports Illustrated and in 2022 made Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 List in the category of Community Crusaders. On the Philanthropic side Kiesha currently sits on various Boards, including the Advisory Board for the Los Angeles Dodgers, USC Black Alumni – Corporate Advisory Board and Habitat for Humanity Greater LA Boards respectively – and serves as an Ambassador for the LA Opera and the Pan African Film Festival. Kiesha holds a B.A. in English from the University of Nevada – Reno. Kiesha is the proud Mom of one son, Kyler.
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Spring Panels 2023
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Erinn Cawthon '07
Erinn Cawthon graduated from Archer in 2007 and is now an entertainment attorney and former CNN journalist. She currently works at RadicalMedia as counsel in Business & Legal Affairs. In this role, she advises on television shows, documentaries, and commercials. Ms. Cawthon is passionate about helping diverse stories come to life. During law school, she worked with the Innocence Project to investigate a case of a man who served two decades in prison for a crime he did not commit--her efforts helped support his release in 2019. Ms. Cawthon continues to volunteer her time and talent in California’s Innocence Project to support equity and justice for all.
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Josie Craven '12
Josie Craven graduated from Archer in 2012 and is now a Senior Director of Development in the Film and Television at Hello Sunshine. In this role, she is working on fifteen of the company's projects including adaptations of The New York Times bestsellers and Reese’s Book Club picks Daisy Jones and the Six starring Riley Keough and Sam Claflin (Amazon), The Last Thing He Told Me starring Jennifer Garner (Apple TV+),From Scratch starring Zoe Saldana (Netflix) and the holiday romance Something From Tiffany’s starring Zoey Deutch (Amazon). Before she joined Hello Sunshine, Ms. Craven was an assistant in the motion picture talent department at CAA.
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Sabrina Jaglom '10
Sabrina Jaglom graduated from Archer in 2010 and is now an LA-based writer and director. Most recently, she directed the feature film, Jane, which she co-wrote with Rishi Rajani. Additionally, she wrote and directed two popular podcasts: Listening In starring Rachel Brosnahan and Wheel Woman for iHeartRadio. Both are currently in development as television shows. Ms. Jaglom served as associate producer on the film Home Again and directed multiple award-winning music videos, short films and stage productions. After investing her creative energies at Archer, she went on to graduate from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Film & Television.
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Chelsea Thomas '05
Chelsea Thomas graduated from Archer in 2005. After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Marketing Communications and Psychology, she began working as an assistant for the head of the talent department at 42 West. She rose through the ranks and ultimately joined The Lede Company as a Senior Talent Publicist, where she works with a range of clients in film, television, music and sports. Some of her clients include Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, Reese Witherspoon, Gabrielle Union, Lily Collins, Justin Timberlake, #MeToo founder and activist Tarana Burke and NBA players Russell Westbrook and Paolo Banchero.
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Dr. Christina Harris
Dr. Christina Harris is the Vice President and Chief Health Equity Officer for Cedars-Sinai. In reflection, Dr. Harris has shared that her bicultural upbringing has taught her to “appreciate both the magic of diversity and the commonality that ties us all together.” This belief has inspired her focus on equity, diversity and inclusion throughout her career in medicine. In her new role, she is working to overcome disparities in healthcare for different community members. She attended the University of Southern California and completed her medical degree at Harvard Medical School. Outside the hospital, she enjoys playing basketball, fixing things around the house and playing games with her daughters.
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Dr. Rachel Mandelbaum '08
Dr. Rachel Mandelbaum is a proud member of the Archer Class of '08 and a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist at LAC+USC Medical Center. Dr. Mandelbaum is also a fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. Dr. Mandelbaum completed her undergraduate degree at Washington University in St. Louis followed by her medical training at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. She then completed OB/GYN internship and residency at USC. In addition to clinical practice, she is an active researcher, with particular interest in pre- and post-implantation embryonic development and ways to make fertility treatments more accessible and patient-friendly. She is also a mom to her 14-month son Aaron and juggles parenthood and life with her husband who is also a physician.
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Dr. Linda Mirdamadi
Dr. Linda Marie Mirdamadi is an Internist with over 20 years of leadership experience in medicine. She is the former Chief Wellness Officer and Medical Director for the Center for Healthy Living and Weight Management at Kaiser Permanente. She also served as the co-chair for former California Governor Jerry Brown's task force, "Let's Get Healthy California." Currently, Dr. Mirdamadi is an adjunct instructor and board member for the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Mirdamadi volunteers her time with the USC Latino Alumni Association and serves on the board of directors for the non-profit A Thousand Joys. She believes that improved access, education, and public policy can create a healthier nation for all. Dr. Mirdamadi is a graduate from the University of California, Irvine and earned her MD at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Dr. Mirdamadi’s daughter Leila graduated from Archer in 2020.
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Dr. Vicki Rapaport
Dr. Vicki Rapaport grew up in Los Angeles attending Westlake School for Girls, an all girls school like Archer. She attended UCLA, double majoring in Pre Med and Art History. She completed medical school and dermatology residency at Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia, one of the oldest medical schools in America. She has been in private practice in Beverly Hills for the past 20 years and has recently expanded to bustling Culver City. She is loved by her patients for her expert, down to earth, and kind delivery of medicine, something that she hopes to be able to teach future dermatologists. She has a senior at Archer, Olivia ’23 and a son who could not attend Archer so he went to Harvard-Westlake.
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Fall Panels 2022
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Una Fox
Una Fox is a global business technology leader. She has managed and motivated successful business and technology teams at companies such as The Walt Disney Company and Yahoo, and has been a consultant with Microsoft, Cisco, Google, and AT&T. In 2016, Ms. Fox was named as one of Ireland's Top 25 Female Business Leaders. Ms. Fox is currently Chief Data and Analytics Officer at Aristocrat Technologies, a global gaming company. She is also a passionate supporter and believer in STEM education for young women. In 2012, Ms. Fox founded the Los Angeles chapter of CoderDojo, an organization dedicated to teaching coding and technology to young children in diverse communities across Los Angeles.
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Nadia Ghassemi
Nadia Ghassemi is the Head of Audio Partnerships in Google's Global Ads division. In this role she leads a team of Googlers specializing in deal negotiations, partner management, and product innovation in music partners like Spotify and Pandora. Ms. Ghassemi has been at Google for over 11 years, working in 4 different Google offices in 2 different countries. She is a native of Southern California, earning her BS in Computer Science from UC Irvine and her MBA from UCLA.
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Dominique Greene ’01
Dominique Greene is a Consulting Partner Account Manager at Amazon Web Services. Throughout her 15-year career, Ms. Greene has built strategic partnerships with different industries, including retail, travel, media, financial services, and the public sector. Originally from Los Angeles, Dominique earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College and her Master of Business Administration degree from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Ms. Greene is a founding member of The Archer School for Girls, graduating in Archer’s first class in 2001. As an Archer Alumna, she is passionate about mentoring young women to realize their full potential and advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. She currently lives here in Los Angeles with her husband, Ryan, her 5 year old daughter (and future Archer girl,) Colette, and her 2 year old son, Charlie.
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Saira Rahman
Saira Rahman is currently the VP of New Investor Initiatives at Fundrise, where she is building new products. Prior to this role, she was the VP of Finance at HMBradley, a consumer-focused digital bank. Beyond her work in finance, Ms. Rahman is dedicated to empowering young women with the tools and knowledge to build their own financial wellness. She co-hosts a podcast Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, where she discusses different investing angles and tips. In her spare time, Saira loves to spend time with her two dogs and taking art classes.
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Maddi Stein
Maddi Stein is an Aeronautical Engineer at the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, specializing in Aerodynamics, Vehicle Performance, and Stability and Controls. Maddi just received the Future Technology Leader Award from the Engineer's Council for her successful work. Maddi also serves on the Board of the Skunk Works Innovation Garage, a space dedicated to teaching employees how to use tools such as laser cutters or 3d printers to unlock their creativity in the workplace. Maddi graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2019 with a Bachelor's in Aerospace Engineering. On the weekends you can find her baking, dancing or hiking.
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Jenny Blumenfield '06
Jenny Blumenfield graduated from Archer in 2006 and is an artist, designer and curator. As a child, she spent many formative years visiting close family in Japan and exploring its rich history, and her work is heavily influenced by traditional craft methods from Japan. After graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, she began her professional career working in the Post-War and Contemporary Art department at Christie’s auction house in New York. From there, she has worked at various art galleries, non-profit art institutions, and with artists such as Simone Leigh. Having spent nearly 14 years on the east coast, she has returned to Los Angeles and established her own artist studio and gallery space. She is also currently launching a collectible design brand called Studio Jblu.
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Allie Davis '07
Allie Davis graduated from Archer in 2007. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Redlands and her Masters of Science degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences from California State University, Northridge. Allie is now a licensed speech-language pathologist serving children of all ages. She is dedicated to empowering children with the skills to communicate effectively and confidently. Allie is especially passionate about working with young children in early intervention. She has been practicing for 9 years and specializes in creating individualized assessment and intervention plans for each child to support their abilities and possibilities.
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Aisha Mainwaring '17
Aisha Mainwaring graduated from Archer in 2017. In 2019, Aisha launched Main Design to communicate a brand’s impact on social media and win the engagement, trust and advocacy of the growing youth market. In a world where brands and social media have the power to both influence and impact almost every aspect of society, Aisha believes that young people have a responsibility to use this power in ways that make the world a better place. Aisha works with social media clients in Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia. She has served as the Social Media Director for Planet Blue and KSUBI denim. Through her company Main Design, Aisha educates younger generations on how to support conscious living, while building out brands through social storytelling, content curation, and brand management.
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Sofi Newmeyer '06
Sofi Newmeyer graduated from Archer in 2006 and is the Founder and Designer of Ma'am Shoes. Launched in September 2020, Ma'am Shoes is known for making elevated, everyday shoes for women on-the-go. Made exclusively in Los Angeles, Ma'am Shoes are designed to be comfortable and stylish for women on their feet all day long. Prior to starting her own company, Sofi spent 10 years at TOMS, serving as Chief of Staff and Director of Partnerships + Experiential Marketing. Over her experience at TOMS, she oversaw partnerships with Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, Teen Vogue, Rock the Vote, Yara Shahidi’s Eighteenx18 and TOMS’ End Gun Violence Together initiative. Sofi has also served on the Board of Directors at Communities in Schools Los Angeles, The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Initiative and Young Professional Committee of Seeds of Peace. She graduated from Wesleyan University and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.
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Spring Panels 2022
The Archer Alumni Board also presented three panels in the spring featuring female leaders and alumni. Through these events, students had the opportunity to hear from professionals about their career paths and learn more about different fields in which women and people of color remain underrepresented. Panelists also shared on how they got to where they are today and what advice they’d give to their younger selves.
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Tracey Briscoe Monroe
Tracey Briscoe Monroe is a Managing Director at RBC Global Asset Management. In this role, she is responsible for developing relationships and presenting investment strategies and solutions to pension plans, corporations, endowments and foundations. Tracey joined RBC in 2021 from a leading investment banking company, where she was the Head of the Public Funds Channel. Tracey has worked for leading investment firms such as JPMorgan, TCW and Merrill Lynch. Tracey began her career in the investment industry in 1992 and holds FINRA Series 7 and 63 licenses. Tracey graduated cum laude from Amherst College. In addition to being a mom of two boys, Tracey serves as a Trustee for the Archer School for Girls where she is Board Treasurer and Head of the Finance Committee. Tracey is a Trustee for The Educators’ Institute for Human Rights and is a founding Board Member for College Track Los Angeles.
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Ceci Kurzman
Ceci Kurzman is an accomplished business leader, board director, and private investor helping organizations build brands, advance operations, and thrive in today’s increasingly competitive landscape. She is the Founder and CEO of Nexus Management Group, a private investment company dedicated to growth-stage businesses in the consumer, media, and technology sectors. She has served on public, private, and nonprofit boards since 2012. Known for foresight and innovation, with deep expertise in branding and consumer behavior, Ceci helps brands maintain relevance, achieve differentiation, and connect with increasingly sophisticated consumers in a complex digital world. Ceci is a Member of the Board of Directors for Revlon, Inc (NYSE: REV) where she has served on the Audit and Compensation Committees since 2013. She is also a Member of the Board of Directors for Man Group (LSE: EMG), and Warner Music Group Group (NASDAQ: WMG). Ceci brings a wealth of experience to the boardroom, providing insight on emerging technologies and how to identify and execute on innovative ideas. She has direct experience overseeing operations, financial reporting, and corporate governance, as well as managing risk.
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Elizabeth Rahn
Liz is a client advisor with JP Morgan’s Private Bank in Los Angeles. She has 20 years of experience in wealth management and is responsible for advising individuals, families, endowments and foundations on a range of wealth matters including: investment management, portfolio construction, asset allocation and investment policy statement advice, liquidity management, credit solutions, multi-generational wealth transfer and charitable giving. Liz received her MBA with a concentration in Finance from The UCLA Anderson School of Management. She received her Bachelors degree in French Literature from Columbia College, Columbia University. A native Angeleno, philanthropy plays an important role in Liz’s life. She is a trustee of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) where she serves on the Foundation Board and is actively involved with St. Matthew’s Parish School.
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Gregg Renfrew
Gregg Renfrew is the Founder and CEO of Beautycounter, and the true pioneer of the clean beauty movement for more than a decade. Since founding Beautycounter in 2011, she's charted an innovative path for clean beauty and created a seismic shift in the industry. Gregg continues to set the highest standards for safety as she pushes the industry forward, testifying in front of Congress to advance legislative reform so that everyone has access to safer products. She's also inspiring a community of thousands of women to demand more for themselves by championing women’s entrepreneurship. And she's led Beautycounter's growth as it's launched more than 100 safer award-winning products, ultimately building an omnichannel business that's proven that clean beauty isn't a trend, it's here to stay. Gregg serves on the Board of Directors for Supernova Partners and The Nantucket Project, and has spoken at top business schools, as well as at Vanity Fair’s Founders Fair, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, and Fast Company’s Innovation Festival. Gregg lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.
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Michelle Bohan
Partner of WME’s Motion Picture and TV Talent Department, Ms. Bohan graduated from USC and went on to work in politics in Washington D.C. before she pivoted and moved to working in entertainment. Ms. Bohan became an agent in 1991 while at Triad Artists Agency and transitioned with the company when it was acquired by the William Morris Agency. In May 2005 Ms. Bohan joined Endeavor, becoming a partner prior to the formation of WME and the first female board member. Ms. Bohan has been featured on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment: Power 100” list for the past eight years, acknowledging her accomplishments in television and film. Ms. Bohan represents leading talent such as Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Amanda Gorman, Olivia Rodrigo, Emma Stone, and more.
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Kiesha Nix
As the Vice President of Charitable Affairs & Executive Director of the Lakers Youth Foundation, Ms. Nix oversees and directs programming and funding priorities for the charitable arm of the Los Angeles Lakers. She is responsible for implementing the mission of the Foundation which is to assist underserved youth in our communities to develop and recognize their full potential by providing positive experiences and resources in education, health & wellness and sports. Ms. Nix oversees the funding which supports over 100,000 youth in 20+ Southern California Boys & Girls Clubs through basketball and health & fitness clinics and the Jr. Lakers Youth Basketball Program; has helped to build 40+ basketball courts throughout Los Angeles and surrounding counties, 15+ Reading Rooms and currently has completed 2 STEM Lab projects at local middle and high schools in Los Angeles. Ms. Nix serves on several boards, works with various non-profit organizations, and mentors youth throughout her Community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nevada, and is the proud Mom of one son, Kyler.
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Marlene Tsuchii-Dalston
At the leading entertainment and sports agency, Creative Artists Agency, Ms. Tsuchii is the Co-Head of International Touring & Music Agent. Ms. Tsuchii works with many of today’s top artists, such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, H.E.R., and Britney Spears, among many others. She also serves as Co-Head of International Touring, contributing to CAA’s success in remaining a leader in the space – helping artists and others in the industry navigate the challenging times. Ms. Tsuchii is passionate about using her work to further the influence, reach, and impact of Asian artists throughout the industry. Over the past year, she focused many of her efforts on signing clients that bolster CAA’s roster of talent, and support the agency’s goal of amplifying Asian voices across various facets of the industry. Ms. Tsuchii graduated from UCLA with a degree in music performance. Her daughter Aislinn (pronounced “Ash-lynn”) graduated from Archer in 2020.
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Nichol Whiteman
Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Ms. Whiteman, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation tackles the most pressing problems facing Los Angeles with a mission to improve education, health care, homelessness and social justice for all Angelenos. During Ms. Whiteman’s tenure, LADF launched incredibly impactful programming including Dodgers RBI, a youth development initiative serving more than 10,000 youth today. With a degree in Economics from Spelman College, Ms. Whiteman was the first in her family to graduate from college and has a passion for education, equity, and diversity. As a Black woman in Major League Baseball, Ms. Whiteman understands the importance of access. She uses her resources to open doors and opportunities for youth from all backgrounds. In addition to her professional achievements, she mentors countless men and women, and serves on several boards. Ms. Whiteman resides in Los Angeles with her husband Timothy and two sons, Timothy Jr. and Nicholas.
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Maia Barnett '14
Maia Barnett graduated from Archer in 2014 and went on to study at Western Washington University on a basketball scholarship. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. She is currently the CEO and founder of maiorganization, a professional organizing company that specializes in in-home organization. Concurrently, she serves Debra Lee as her Power Executive Assistant and Coordinator for Ms. Lee's Leading Women Defined Foundation. Maia is in her third year as a member of the Archer Alumni Board.
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Lydia DeCoud '11
Lydia DeCoud graduated from Archer in 2011. Lydia is currently a Digital Media Agent at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Based in the Los Angeles office, Lydia represents many of the world’s leading content creators, actors, and musicians, including Mark Tuan, Chris Olsen, Melinda Berry, and KevOnStage. Lydia began her career at Kerry Gordy Enterprises, before working at a creative marketing agency. She joined CAA in 2019. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in Communications.
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Daisy Dennerline '10
Daisy Dennerline graduated from Archer in 2010 and is currently developing and producing film, television, and new media projects. Working as a documentary and scripted television producer, and archivist for Pulse Films, Daisy provides research and development for their project slate. Her most recent credits include HBO Max, Disney+, Bravo, Showtime, and NBCUniversal. Prior to her career as a producer, Dennerline began as a pianist, and received grants and award recognitions for her critical analyses of film and literature at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. Dennerline serves on the Board of Trustees for nonprofit organization, Vets Whole in One, where she dedicates a passion for activism to the Veteran community in Los Angeles.
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Mercedes Elkoff ’07
Mercedes “Sadie” Elkoff graduated from Archer in 2007. During her time at Archer, spanning middle and high school, Mercedes learned many invaluable lessons about life, important foundational subject matters, and most importantly, the power of deep, long-lasting friendship. After graduating, Mercedes attended Vassar College in upstate New York to pursue a Creative Writing major and an Art History minor. She felt passionate about storytelling and decided to become a TV writer, working in many writers’ rooms as a writer’s assistant and showrunner’s assistant. In a career change, Mercedes pursued her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy at USC, graduating in 2021. She first worked as a training therapist at a rehabilitation center, helping clients reconnect with themselves, work through complex emotions, find new meaning in their experiences, and tell their own stories. Now, Mercedes works as an Associate therapist at two private practices in Los Angeles.
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Lucie Freeman ’15
Lucie Freeman graduated from Archer in 2015 and currently works as a senior financial analyst at NBCUniversal. After graduating from The George Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics, she completed Comcast NBCUniversal’s CORE Finance program. The CORE finance program is a two-year finance leadership development program that consists of three unique rotations that span across both Comcast and NBCUniversal. Lucie’s rotations included roles at Comcast Business, Dreamworks Animation, and Universal Pictures. Since starting her current role within Universal Studios Group in August 2021, Lucie works with her team to assess the financial viability of potential new television shows and manage the finances for existing shows.
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Alyssa Lanz '08
Alyssa Lanz graduated from Archer in 2008 and currently works at United Talent Agency as an agent in their Television Literary department. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Alyssa joined the agency’s mailroom immediately following graduating with High Honors majoring in African American Studies and Art History from Wesleyan University in 2012. Alyssa is recognized for her dedication to fostering diverse voices and prides herself on building multi-faceted careers for her clients across all mediums and genres. She represents a host of influential actors, writers and production companies including Blackish’s Tracee Ellis Ross, Dear White People’s Executive Producer Stephanie Allain and HBO’s BLACK LADIES SKETCH SHOW Head writer Lauren Ashley Smith. She additionally represents a stable of writers on successful series including Netflix’s BRIDGERTON, Freeform’s GROWNISH and TNT’s CLAWS. Since becoming an agent,Alyssa has made a name for herself at the agency by spearheading several external diversity and inclusion initiatives, including a series of showrunner panels to encourage writers of all backgrounds to pursue careers in entertainment, and co-chairing UTA’s Multicultural group. In her spare time, Alyssa is on the board of HRTS Associates and nonprofit Ready to Succeed while also volunteering with the Lynwood’s Women’s Jail, and she is also in her third year as a member of the Archer Alumni Board.
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Hillary O’Connor ’15
Hillary graduated from Archer in 2015. While at the School she was a member of several sports teams, as well as the varsity soccer captain her junior and senior year. Soccer was a major part of her life, and she continued her education at Western Washington University where she was a member of the 2016 women's national championship team. After graduating with a B.A. in Public Relations and a minor in Political Science, Hillary moved to Seattle to start her career. After several months in the corporate world, she realized this was not her path, and started a small business making charcuterie boards for friends and family that quickly grew and expanded into Orange County and L.A. She fell in love with all things food and entertaining but was unhappy with all the waste she saw, so exploring better alternatives to wasteful practices became her new goal. Hillary currently works at an award winning restaurant in West Hollywood, while still making charcuterie boards and will be moving to Ireland for 5 months to study and work on sustainable farms. She is working toward owning a restaurant and inn that focuses on seasonal, farm to table dining and to create new industry standards to reduce waste. "I often share my goals with people who find them wild and find me crazy for thinking of them but if there is one thing Archer has taught me, it's that it doesn't matter how young or old you are, your thoughts and actions are powerful even when others don't believe them."-Hillary
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Andrea Stern ’10
Andrea Stern graduated from Archer in 2010. Andrea is currently a Social Media Manager at Crexi, a commercial real estate tech company, where she oversees their digital content strategy, partnerships, and engagement. Previously she worked in retail marketing at Westfield, advertising sales at Condé Nast, and television production at E! Entertainment. Andrea graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brandeis University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Journalism and Women’s and Gender Studies. At Archer Andrea played on the varsity tennis team and served on the boards of The Eastern Star Gallery and Community Service Board. Andrea’s Archer education and experience has provided her with the confidence to take on leadership roles (both in college where she ran an online magazine and post-college where she served on the young leadership board of a non-profit), a strong professional network (she leans into the Archer community when looking for job advice and mentorship), writing and critical thinking skills she employs daily, and an incredible group of friends who she is still in touch with today.
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Spring Panel 2020
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Anni Baghdasarian
Anni Baghdasarian is Chief Operating Officer of Edlio, a leading K-12 communications provider that works with more than 15,000 schools worldwide.
In her 11 years with the company, Anni has held accounting, product management, and HR roles. She was appointed as COO in 2016. Her hands-on approach has played a pivotal role in Edlio’s growing product line and expansion into new markets, focusing on building a healthy, thriving work environment for more than 150 employees in three countries.
Edlio was named one of the Tech Tribune’s 2020 Best Tech Startups in Los Angeles and one of Built In LA’s Best Places to Work in 2019.
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Frances Green
Frances Green is an employment, labor, and workforce management lawyer at the national law firm Epstein Becker Green's New York City office – but her achievements span across many industries and countries. In Japan, she studied and worked as a nun fluent in Japanese. She has litigated on behalf of multinational corporations in state and federal courts and lectures frequently to corporate executives in the U.S. and abroad. In 2010, Frances joined Michelle Obama, J.K. Rowling, Barbara Walters, Maya Angelou, Suze Orman, and other women leaders as a contributor to The Goddess Shift: Women Leading for a Change, which USA Book News named of the best books of 2010. The award-winning equestrian also holds U.S. and World Championships in indoor rowing and serves within the New York City boroughs as an Auxiliary Mounted New York Parks Officer.
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Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon
Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon is a Managing Partner at Avante Capital Partners, where she is responsible for identifying, pursuing, and managing investment opportunities. She previously worked at Palladium Equity Partners, Reliant Equity Partners and various investment banks. She is also a longtime advocate and champion of women, minorities, and the underserved and underrepresented. Ivelisse and her sisters launched We Will, a philanthropic organization that supports and empowers underserved women and minorities in areas of healthcare, education, and financial literacy. She holds leadership roles at local and national non-profit organizations, including The Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, Westside Family Health Center in L.A., and The Robert Toigo Foundation, which honored her with their prestigious Leadership Award to recognize her leadership in advancing diversity and inclusion in the financial industry.
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Adrienne Wilson '07
Adrienne Wilson '07 has dedicated her life to serving her community through food justice and advocacy. In 2016, she founded Feed Our Soul. The non-profit fights food insecurity in Black-American neighborhoods and shares the power of locally sourced food by installing hydroponic gardens and teaching community members how to cook their homegrown produce. Through community activism, Food Foundations Coaching, and Community Health Impact Programs (CHIP), Feed Our Soul continues the mission of raising nutritional awareness in Adrienne's hometown of South Central Los Angeles. Adrienne leads by example, leaning on the organization's mission every day to build a strong community of health-conscious people who will break the cycle of food insecurity and develop a foundation of healthy habits for future generations.
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Fall Panel 2019
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Vanessa Anderson '03
Vanessa Anderson ’03 is the Owner and Senior Account Executive at AM PR Group. Before launching the company in 2010, she worked in fashion and lifestyle PR. She has propelled a wide range of clients to the national and international stage. Her current and previous client roster includes Golden Globe and Emmy-nominated actress Issa Rae from HBO's Insecure, Hollywood’s youngest Executive Producer and actress Marsai Martin, Grammy Award-winning artists Mustard and Ella Mai, entertainment news platform The Shade Room, the City of Los Angeles via the Destination Crenshaw Project, Amazon Studios, and Warner Bros. Studios where she and her staff ran publicity on various TV programs including The Real and TMZ. Her tenacity, vivacious personality, and creative thinking have landed her clients in coveted outlets such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour, VOGUE, Forbes, The New York Times, Fader, People, Essence, EBONY, Us Weekly, GQ, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, Fast Company. She and her company are committed to uplifting the stories and profiles of people of color, both in front of and behind the scenes.
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Aaron Gensler '04
Aaron Gensler '04 is a licensed architect, award-winning designer, educator, and thought leader working in Los Angeles. Recently she formed GenslerClipp, an architecture, design, and research practice based in California. Prior to GenslerClipp, she held design positions at a variety of firms around the world – from Los Angeles to Rwanda. She is adjunct faculty at Woodbury University in Burbank and Santa Monica College. After Archer, Aaron earned a Bachelor of Arts from Middlebury College in Vermont, where she received several accolades from the Middlebury Museum of Art, Chellis House, and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival for her work. She earned a Master of Architecture from Cornell University, where she was honored with the Alpha Rho Chi Medal for her leadership and service. She also recently completed research on typologies of the Californian High Desert as part of the Eidlitz Travel Fellowship through Cornell.
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Jenna Landi '05
Jenna Landi '05 is Head of Insights at Pinterest, where she uses the Taste Graph and other proprietary data to understand Pinner inspiration, discovery, and intentions. Having first started her research career at Nielsen, Jenna went on to become Research Manager in both London and New York, where she focused on global digital analytics. Following her time at Nielsen, Jenna was a founding member of the Google Human Truths team, using big and small data to better understand the way that different people use the Internet on behalf of Google's largest global brand partners. Jenna has a master's degree in Behavioral Science from the London School of Economics, where her dissertation focused on the quantification of a brand bias through Implicit Association Tests and well as explicit preferences and their impact on brand action behavior. She also has a bachelor's degree from Brandeis University in American Studies, Business, and Film. The bi-coastal researcher and ambitious traveler now resides in L.A. with her husband Patrick, daughter Natalie, and pup Bridget.
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Spring Panel 2018
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Dr. Sabrina Kay
Entrepreneur, Philanthropist and Chancellor of Fremont College
Dr. Kay is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist who started seven diverse ventures including Art Institute of Hollywood, Premier Business Bank, Fashion Umbrella, and Fremont Private Investments. Her most passionate and current project is as Chancellor of Fremont College. As a philanthropist, she founded The Sabrina Kay Charitable Foundation. She has chaired After-School All-Stars since 2004 and served on over 30 different charitable and civic boards. Dr. Kay has been recognized with numerous notable awards including Woman of the Year by the California Legislature, Finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame by California Association of Postsecondary Schools.
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Lori McCreary
CEO of Revelations Entertainment
Ms. McCreary is the CEO of Revelations Entertainment, a film and television production company she and actor Morgan Freeman founded in 1996. The duo first worked together on the critically acclaimed film "Bopha!"in 1992. As Revelation Entertainment’s CEO, Ms. McCreary serves as the executive producer of “The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman,” currently on air on National Geographic. She was also the executive producer of Revelations’ highly acclaimed event series, “The Story of God with Morgan Freeman.” Ms. McCreary is also a UCLA-trained computer scientist and remains a trusted advisor to leading technology manufacturers as Hollywood completes its transition into the digital arena.
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Janice Min
Strategist, Eldridge Industries
Ms. Min is a media strategist at Eldridge Industries LLC, the holding company for The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Dick Clark Productions and A24. She previously served as co-president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group and remains a part-owner of THR. An Emmy winner, Ms. Min led THR as it garnered two National Magazine Awards for General Excellence in the Special Interest category in 2015 and 2016, and two nominations for Magazine of the Year. Ms. Min rose to prominence as editor in chief of Us Weekly, which she remade into a consumer and advertising juggernaut. She took the helm of THR in 2010 to lead one of the most celebrated media turnarounds in recent history.
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Jackie Park
Co-Managing Partner, DLA Piper
Ms. Park focuses her practice on commercial leasing transactions and has handled extensive leasing transactions for landlords as well as for tenants in office, retail and industrial settings. Her representation includes The Ratkovich Company, Maguire Partners, The Prudential Insurance Company, Rising Realty Partners and PacShore Partners, Capitol Records, and AECOM Technology Corporation. Ms. Park is extremely active within DLA Piper, where she is the Co-Managing Partner of the Los Angeles offices, a member of the firm’s Executive and Policy Committees, Co-Vice Chair of the National Real Estate Practice Group, and serves on the firm’s Partnership Nomination Committee. She is also a representative to DLA Piper’s Leadership Alliance for Women (LAW).
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Lauren Selig
Co-Founder and Producer, Shake and Bake Productions
Ms. Selig is an entrepreneur and executive with 20 years of strategic and management experience in the media, real estate, and start-up communities. She founded Shake and Bake Productions and V.A.L.I.S. Studios to finance and produce independent studio movies, including “Hacksaw Ridge,” “American Made,” “Roman Israel,” and :Lone Survivor.” Formerly, Ms. Selig has been an executive at Microsoft and a board member of the X-Prize, Planetary Resources, Waxtoken, OTOY, 8i, and the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences.
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Naomi Seligman
Co-Founder, Tower26.agency
Ms. Seligman transforms talented people and organizations into powerhouses of influence. Her hard-hitting strategies have put clients on the map for over 20 years, in a career spanning both coasts and the very different worlds of Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. She has led hugely successful local, state, and national campaigns for advocacy organizations, elected officials, writers, tech innovators and entertainment industry luminaries. Ms. Seligman is the co-founder of Tower26, a strategic communications and public affairs agency. She is the former Director of Communications for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. She has worked extensively on Capitol Hill and has fought for those who needed a voice throughout her career.
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Winter Panel 2018
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Diane Golden
Ms. Golden is an entertainment lawyer representing prominent actors, writers, showrunners, authors, directors, playwrights, producers, executives, and magicians in film, TV, publishing, and stage. After receiving a B.A. in English and Drama from Tufts University and, later, a J.D. from NYU School of Law, Ms. Golden began her legal career at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. In 1996, she co-founded and became the Managing Partner of the entertainment law firm Katz Golden Rosenman LLP, where she continues to practice. In 2006, Women In Film honored her with the first Business Leadership Award for her support of women in the entertainment industry.
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Lisa McKnight
Ms. McKnight serves as Senior Vice President and Global General Manager for Mattel's Barbie brand, a role she has held since 2016. In this role, Lisa leads a global team focused on brand strategy, product development and marketing execution for Barbie. She has been instrumental in evolving the brand to make it more relevant and compelling to girls and parents around the world, leading to consistently improved retail sales and deeper consumer engagement. In 2016, she was recognized as AdWeek's Brand Genius Award, and serves on the Boards of MAKERS Women and the Toy Industry Association Foundation.
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Janice Hahn
Ms. Hahn was elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in November 2016. She represents the 4th district which stretches from Marina del Rey through the beach cities, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, the Harbor Area, Long Beach, through the Gateway Cities and east to Diamond Bar. In her short time on the Board, Supervisor Hahn has already established herself as a leader in the struggle to end the current homelessness crisis, a champion for communities plagued by pollution and health problems, and a dynamic new voice on the Metro Board of Directors.
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Amity Millhiser
Ms. Millhiser is PwC’s Chief Clients Officer. In this role, she delivers the full power of PwC across geographies and industries to add value, drive growth, and expand market opportunities for the firm's clients. Ms. Millhiser has more than 30 years of experience with PwC, both in the US and abroad. Until 2015, she served as the Silicon Valley Market Managing Partner, where she led a team providing consulting, tax, and accounting services. Ms. Millhiser is an advocate for women in leadership and was named one of the California Diversity Council's Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Technology in 2015 and one of Silicon Valley's Women of Influence in 2012.
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Cindy Holland
Ms. Holland is the VP for Original Content at Netflix where she is responsible for acquiring and launching original series for the over 100 million Netflix global members. Under Ms. Holland’s purview, her team have launched award-winning and critically acclaimed projects that span drama, comedy, family/YA, documentaries, stand-up specials. and docu-series. Previously, Ms. Holland oversaw domestic TV licensing for Netflix after starting her career at the company in DVD acquisition. Before Netflix, she held various business and creative development roles at e-commerce startup Kozmo.com and for film production companies.
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Lauryn Morris
Ms. Morris is Head of Design for the Spectacles team at Snap Inc. where she oversees a team focused on industrial design, user experience, concept development, graphics and art direction. Last year, she was featured as one of Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Design and has spent her career designing consumer products including several years focused on eyewear design and wearable objects. Ms. Morris is thrilled by the opportunity to influence how the objects around us will look and behave in the future, and strives to create products that facilitate beautiful, meaningful, uncomplicated experiences.
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Fall Panel 2017
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Tiffany Smith-Anoa'i
Ms. Smith-Anoa’i is the Executive Vice President, Entertainment Diversity, Inclusion & Communications at CBS Entertainment where she expands upon the division’s current diversity initiatives and develops new programs that recruit, nurture, and hire diverse talent to work in front of and behind the camera. In 2009, Ms. Smith-Anoa'i created and launched "CBS On Tour," a community outreach program in which executives visit schools to educate and encourage students interested in entertainment careers.
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Meridith Baer
Ms. Baer is the founder of Meridith Baer Home, the premiere home staging company in the nation. Since 1998, she and her team work with homeowners and realtors to turn on-the-market houses into alluring homes that feel luxurious and desirable. Meridith Baer Home has one of the largest inventories of furniture and home decor and also offers luxury furniture leasing and private interior design, throughout Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Hamptons, and Miami.
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Vanessa Delgado
Ms. Delgado is a founding partner of Azure Development. Azure creates, designs and builds exceptional housing communities and commercial projects throughout the Southwest. She has been an economic development professional for over 17 years and has created 3.3 million square feet of retail, office, and housing projects. In 2015, Ms. Delgado was elected to the City Council of the City of Montebello and was recognized by Real Estate Forum as one of California’s Women of Influence.
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Ellyn Garofalo
Ms. Garofalo is a partner at DLA Piper and has extensive trial and litigation experience, defending and prosecuting complex civil matters involving healthcare, professional negligence, real estate, and shareholder and partnership disputes. She represents a roster of celebrities and is adept at resolving sensitive matters both in and out of the courtroom. She has significant experience handling Fifth Amendment issues implicated in parallel civil, criminal and regulatory proceedings.
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