Jon Glaser

Jonathan M. Glaser is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of JMG Capital Partners, L.P.  JMG has been investing in various capital markets and financing strategies since 1992.  Prior to founding JMG, Jon was a member floor trader on both the American Stock Exchange and Pacific Stock Exchange.  

Jon received a Juris Doctor degree from the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley.  He currently serves as a Trustee of the Max Factor Family Foundation, a Trustee of The L.A. ’84 Foundation, and a Trustee of the UC Berkeley Foundation.  Jon also sits on the Board of Directors of Hudson Pacific Properties, a New York stock exchange listed real estate investment trust and is also a member of the World Presidents Organization’s Los Angeles chapter.

Jon is married to Dr. Nancy Motzkin Glaser, whom he met as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley. Nancy currently serves on the Advisory Board of UCLA’s Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital.  She also has her own part-time private practice specializing in adult psychiatry and psychoanalysis.  Nancy is a member of The Windward School Board of Trustees.

Lisa Richter

Lisa Richter is a co-founder and managing partner of Avivar Capital, a Los Angeles-based, national consultancy and SEC-registered investment advisor focused exclusively on the design and execution of impact investing strategies. Lisa brings three decades of fund management and impact investing experience spanning asset classes, return expectations, geographies and issue areas, and frequently incorporating place-based or sector focus to increase equitable access to opportunity. Clients range from small to the nation’s largest independent and community foundations, banks, institutional investors and families, with interests ranging from place-based or thematic impact investing outcomes to values alignment for traditional portfolios targeting market-rate expected returns. Lisa authored the Grantmakers In Health Guide Impact Investing and co-authored several guides to community foundation and donor impact investing. She co-designed the Mission Investors Exchange Impact Investing Institute and continues as a lead impact investing trainer with partner organizations nationwide.  Lisa is a Senior Fellow with The Philanthropic Initiative, and serves or has served as a director or advisor to the Center for Community Development Investments of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Bank of America National Community Advisory Council, Dignity Health’s Community Economic Initiatives Subcommittee, Well Being Trust, UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities, American Journal of Preventative Medicine, Women Leading the Way in Impact Investing, CDFI Coalition, US Social Investment Forum, and New Markets Tax Credit Coalition. Lisa holds a BA and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Joline Godfrey

Joline Godfrey has been an innovator in financial education for children and parents for over two decades. Godfrey is the author of Our Wildest Dreams: Women Making Money, Having Fun, Doing Good; No More Frogs To Kiss: 99 Ways to Give Economic Power to Girls; Twenty $ecrets to Money and Independence: The DollarDiva’s Guide to Life; and Raising Financially Fit Kids.

The founder of Independent Means, she created a unique developmental approach to financial education, giving new families tools for raising children growing up in the midst of abundance. That company was acquired in 2015. Godfrey is now building a new platform, The Unexpected Table, to offer products and services for nurturing financially mindful children and thriving families. 

Godfrey was a Kellogg Leadership Fellow and the recipient of the Leavey Award for Excellence, as well as the Beta Gamma Sigma Entrepreneurship Award. Recognized in features for The Today Show, Oprah, Fortune, Business Week, The New York Times, and more, Ms. Godfrey is a frequent speaker and consultant worldwide. She lives in Ojai, Ca. and Tenants Harbor, Maine.

Rudy Espinoza

Rudy Espinoza is the Executive Director of Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN), a community development organization designing innovations to responsibly revitalize low-income, urban areas. At LURN, he leads their advocacy efforts in support of the working poor and their micro-finance programs that support micro-entrepreneurs. Rudy specializes in designing economic development initiatives in low-income communities, researching the informal economy, building private/nonprofit partnerships, and training the working poor to participate in the socio-economic revitalization of their neighborhoods. He serves on Board of Transportation Commissioners for the City of Los Angeles as well as the Commission on Revenue Generation, the Advisory Boards of the LA Development Fund, Investing in Place and the LA Food Policy Council, and the Board of Directors for Esperanza Community Housing Corporation. Rudy holds degrees in Business Administration and Urban Planning. 

Jamie Hackleman

Jamie Hackleman, Executive Director, serves as a Senior Philanthropy Advisor at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, and is based in Los Angeles, California. The Philanthropy Centre provides clients with insights and services to help meet their financial and philanthropic goals through innovative advice, thought leadership, and learning opportunities.

Jamie has over a decade of experience in non-profits and foundations, working on issues ranging from international development and global health, to the environment, arts and culture, and poverty alleviation. Prior to J.P. Morgan, Jamie worked with Paul G. Allen’s philanthropy team at Vulcan where she focused on identifying, building, and managing high impact partnerships. Before Vulcan, Jamie was at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation where she served in multiple roles, including managing partnerships with philanthropists who co-funded projects with the foundation, and as a special assistant to the president of the Global Policy & Advocacy division. She has also worked at PATH, Save the Children UK, and was a Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia.

Jamie received a MSC in International Health Policy from the London School of Economics and a BA in Political Science from Pacific Lutheran University.

Mike Harman

Michael Harman is the Wealth Advisor for  J.P. Morgan’s Private Banking business in Orange County and San Diego.

Mike joined J.P. Morgan as a wealth advisor after 12 years of practicing law and recently relocated to Southern California from the Seattle area.  As a wealth  advisor,  Mike  works  with  clients  and  their professional  advisors  on  tax-efficient  strategies  to  hold  and  manage  wealth, and when the time is right, transfer wealth across generations and to charitable organizations.   He is a member of both the Washington and Oregon State Bar and most recently was a partner at the Seattle law firm of Helsell Fetterman LLP. He  served  as  a  member  of the  Executive  Committee  and  headed  the estate planning practice group. Over the course of his career, Mike has helped high  net  worth  families  with  a  wide  array  of  estate planning and tax issues. His expertise includes lifetime gifting programs to transfer wealth and   reduce   taxes,   succession   planning   for   family   owned   businesses,   and planning for education, retirement and charitable giving.

Mike received a B.A. in law and society from University California Santa Barbara; a J.D. (cum laude) from Gonzaga University School of Law and a Masters in Tax Law from the University of Washington School of Law. During his career, Mike has  been  recognized  as  a  “Super  Lawyer” by  Washington  Law  and  Politics Magazine  and  a  “Five  Star  Wealth  Manager”  in  Seattle  Magazine. 

Robin Kramer

Robin Kramer is managing director of the Smidt Foundation, whose flagship philanthropic initiative, Harbor Freight Tools for Schools, she led over the past three years. Established by the Harbor Freight Tools CEO Eric Smidt, the initiative is borne out of the belief that access to quality education in the skilled trades gives high school students pathways to graduation, opportunity, good jobs, and a workforce our country needs. 

She brings to this work a varied background in public, private, and nonprofit leadership. Previously, she was commissioner for the Port of Los Angeles and served as chief of staff to two Los Angeles mayors, Antonio Villaraigosa and Richard Riordan— the first woman in the city’s history to serve in this post. She has held senior positions at the Broad Foundation, the California Community Foundation, and the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands; she also worked extensively as an independent consultant for a variety of entities focused on advancing access, equity, and engagement in civic life, public education, and the arts. Earlier in her career, she was chief deputy for Los Angeles city council members Richard Alatorre and Bob Ronka, director of the Democratic Party of Southern California, and executive director of two nonprofits (Coro and Reboot). She helped lead several local ballot measure campaigns, including securing broad reforms in the Los Angeles Police Department. A volunteer board member for many community-serving nonprofits over the years, she completed two terms as chair of the Pitzer College board of trustees, and she is currently a member of the board of the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation. A 1976 Coro Fellow in the “paleoterrific era,” she holds an MA in urban studies from Occidental College and a BA in political studies and journalism from Pitzer College.

Leah M. Bishop

Leah Bishop focuses her practice on tax planning for high net worth individuals and closely held businesses and in the administration of estates and trusts. Her areas of focus cover a wide range of industries, including real estate, manufacturing, entertainment and professional services. Passionate about philanthropy, Leah also has extensive experience in the areas of charitable giving and tax-exempt organizations.

Leah’s estate planning experience includes all matters pertaining to high net worth individuals, including probate court procedures, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and sophisticated transfer tax techniques. She also represents many leading private foundations and public charities. Her work on behalf of these organizations involves all aspects of tax and corporate nonprofit law. She also represents donors in complex charitable gift agreements. Clients appreciate her practical and hands-on approach to matters.

Bob Graziano

Bob Graziano is responsible for corporate strategy and development for J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank in the Western Region. Previous to his current role, Bob was the Southern California Market Manager for J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Bob was Managing Partner of the Family Advisory Services Group at Northern Trust. Prior to joining Northern, Bob spent 18 years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, serving his final six years there as the Club’s President & Chief Operating Officer. Bob graduated summa cum laude in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Bob is Chair of the Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission and the immediate past Chair and current board member of the LA84 Foundation. He also serves as an advisory board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, the USC Leventhal School of Accounting, the USC Sports Business Institute and is a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon Host Committee.

Parker Blackman

Parker Blackman is Executive Director of the LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment. He is a senior executive and strategist with a proven track record of scaling start up efforts and managing organizational change and growth. Blackman has worked in the early childhood health and education space for over a decade. While serving as Chief Operating Officer and West Coast Managing Director at Fenton, the largest public interest communications firm in the nation, Blackman helped the LA Partnership establish its original vision, mission, and goals, and created the strategy for LA’s first ever Baby Futures Summit.

Blackman has worked with many non profits and foundations in the early childhood development field, including the Atlas Family Foundation, First 5 LA, Playworks, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In addition to his role with the LA Partnership, Blackman also serves as a consultant to family foundations with JMC Philanthropic Advisors.

Claire Peeps

In her role as the Durfee Foundation’s executive leader, Claire has shaped the foundation’s programs since 1997. The Durfee Foundation invests in people and possibilities in Los Angeles, and is best known for its work in leadership development, community building and civic problem solving, principally through its Stanton Fellowships, Sabbatical program and Springboard Fund.

Claire is widely recognized in the community for her progressive leadership in both the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors. She has served as the Chair of Southern California Grantmakers, Chair of Grantmakers in the Arts, President of the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Vice Chair of the California Council for the Humanities, and is a Senior Fellow of the Luskin School of Public Policy at UCLA.  She is an adjunct professor at USC’s Price School of Public Policy, where she was named Outstanding Faculty in 2016. In 2015, she received the Award for Excellence in Leadership from the Joint Affinity Groups for her mentorship through Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy. Prior to joining Durfee, Claire was the associate director of the Los Angeles Festival, an international arts festival led by Peter Sellars; the publisher of High Performance Magazine; and the director of education at The Friends of Photography/The Ansel Adams Center. Her book, Activists Speak Out, was published by St. Martins Press in 2001. Her writing has appeared in Zocalo, Time, Saturday Evening Post, the Getty Iris and Good Magazine.

Lisa Sobrato Sonsini

Lisa established the Sobrato Family Foundation in 1996 as a vehicle for multiple generations of the Sobrato family to unify their philanthropic giving for maximum impact. The Sobrato Family Foundation strives to make Silicon Valley a place of opportunity for all of its residents by promoting access to high-quality education, career pathways and essential human services. Under her leadership as Board President, SFF has grown tenfold in both assets and annual giving. For over 25 years, Lisa has been a strong advocate for the rights of disadvantaged youth in both the educational and foster care systems. She also works passionately as a catalyst for civic engagement among many of the rising leaders in Silicon Valley. Lisa currently serves on the Boards of Directors for KQED, KIPP Bay Area Schools, Silicon Schools, Silicon Valley Children’s Fund and American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley. She has previously served as Board President for the San Jose Children’s Discovery Museum, Child Advocates, The Good Tidings Foundation and Today’s Youth Matter. Honors include the John W. Gardner Leadership Award from ALF Silicon Valley, Humanitarian of the Year from Hidden Villa, and San Mateo County Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee. Lisa received a J.D. from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley and a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA.

Lisa Parker

Lisa Parker brings 30 years of experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management to her work with philanthropic families. Since 1997 Lisa has been President and Executive Director of the Lawrence Welk Family Foundation, leading the Foundation’s poverty initiatives, seeding the youth giving movement and creating youth philanthropy programs for the family’s 4th generation. In 2009 Lisa founded Family Circle Advisors where she and her team help families increase the impact of their giving and navigate the complex family relationships critical to the success of a family foundation or enterprise. Family Circle Advisors also facilitates family retreats and is a leader in providing experiential team building events for family foundations and family businesses. Lisa is certified by 21/64 (a division of The Andrea & Charles Bronfman Philanthropies) as a multi – generational advisor to families.

Marvin Schotland

Marvin I. Schotland is president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles, the largest central clearinghouse for Jewish philanthropists in Southern California, with assets of over $1 billion. Mr. Schotland began his tenure at The Foundation in May 1989 as executive vice president, after having served four years as the executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Metrowest, New Jersey. He was previously executive director of the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona for two years. A native of Youngstown, Ohio, Mr. Schotland earned his bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Cincinnati. He was an assistant attorney general for the state of Ohio and was in private legal practice in Tucson, Arizona specializing in income and estate tax planning. He also has been co-adjunct professor at the University of Arizona and at Rutgers State University.

Celia Bernstein

A native of Washington DC, Celia has lived in Los Angeles since 1988. Since 2010, Celia has served as the Director of Development for Westside Family Health Center, a federally qualified community health center that provides health care and education to low income and uninsured individuals and families. She oversees development, organization and implementation of all fundraising activities at WFHC related to foundations, corporations, annual and major donations, special events and the capital campaign.

Previously, Celia was the Los Angeles Director of Jewish Funds for Justice (formerly the Shefa Fund). She was responsible for organizing loans and equity grants from the LA Jewish community for affordable housing and small business development in local low and moderate income neighborhoods. Prior to joining JFSJ, Celia was the Associate Director of Development at Liberty Hill Foundation coordinating the Donor-Advised Funds program.

Before working in philanthropy and nonprofit development, Celia worked as a clinical social worker in community mental health.

Celia is on the Board of her parents’ family foundation, the Diane and Norman Bernstein Family Foundation, in Washington DC, which supports Jewish and DC nonprofits. She serves on the Advisory Council of Liberty Hill Foundation and the Family Foundation Advisory Committee for Southern California Grantmakers.

Celia received a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Judaism, a Masters of Social Work from Columbia University, and an undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College.

Celia has been married to Bradley Kesden since 1989. They have one daughter, Lena, and two standard poodles.

Belen Vargas

Belen holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law and received her bachelor’s degree in communications from California State University, Los Angeles. Belen began her professional career in nonprofit legal services in Los Angeles County focused on advocacy and policy matters related to women’s issues and school inclusion issues for children with disabilities. Immediately prior to joining the Foundation, Belen worked at Public Counsel on the Childcare Law Project, providing outreach and education for child care providers. Belen is a graduate of the Council on Foundations’ Career Pathways leadership program. She serves on the Center for Effective Philanthropy Advisory Board, the Delta Aeromexico Latino Outreach Leadership Advisory Board, and the California State University, Los Angeles President’s Council. Belen joined Weingart Foundation in 2000 as the Foundation’s first Program Associate. In 2008, Belen moved into a management role at the Foundation as Associate Vice President, Grant Operations. In 2017, she assumed the role of Senior Vice President.

Wendy Wachtell

Wendy Wachtell is President of the Joseph Drown Foundation, a Los Angeles based private foundation that distributes approximately $5,000,000 annually to nonprofits in the Los Angeles area. Ms. Wachtell is responsible for all grant evaluation, site visits, recommendations to the Board of Directors and post-grant evaluation. In addition, Ms. Wachtell oversees the investment portfolio of just under $100 million in assets and has been at the Foundation for over twenty-six years. In addition, she serves on a variety of boards including: Joseph Drown Foundation, Harvard-Westlake, The Rape Foundation; USC Price School Board of Councilors, The USC Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy and others. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Wachtell was a field producer and planning editor for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles and a Legislative Assistant and speechwriter for Congressman Julian C. Dixon in Washington D.C. She holds an MA in Journalism from USC and a BA from Wellesley College.