Speakers and Panelists
Gisselle Acevedo, Former President/CEO, Para Los Niños
Gisselle Acevedo is the former president/CEO of Para Los Niños. Before joining Para Los Niños, she served as president and general manager of the Los Angeles edition of Hoy newspaper, vice president of public affairs at the Los Angeles Times and president of the Los Angeles Times Foundation, as well as executive director of corporate communications and public affairs for AT&T Broadband. She holds a JD from Loyola Law School,an MA in education from Cal State Los Angeles, and a BA in Spanish and education from Immaculate Heart College. She also holds several teaching credentials.
Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire, Radio Co-Host of "Unfinished Business" on KFWB
Betsy Berkhemer-Credaire leads the corporate communications, public relations and marketing specialty practices. She has three decades of management experience in corporate communications and public relations. Prior to establishing Berkhemer Clayton, she launched and built one of the largest independent public relations agencies in Los Angeles, Berkhemer & Kline, which handled national public relations for Nintendo, Toshiba, Southwest Airlines, Price Waterhouse, Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, Mrs. Fields Cookies, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, and Rebuild Los Angeles. Berkhemer & Kline was acquired by national PR firm Golin/Harris. She and Fred Clayton founded Berkhemer Clayton in 1994.
Madeleine Brand, Special Contributor, So Cal Connected
Madeleine Brand comes to KCET's "SoCal Connected" from KPCC, where "The Madeleine Brand Show" was highly rated and won numerous awards, including the 2012 Golden Mike Award for the best news and public affairs program. Prior to KPCC, Brand worked for NPR for 13 years, most recently as host of "Day to Day." Brand attended Columbia University, where she later returned to teach radio journalism, and graduated in 1988 from the University of California, Berkeley with a bachelor's degree in English.
Kay Buck, CEO, CAST
Kay Buck has over 20 years experience in the human rights field. Joining the Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST) as executive director in 2003, she leads the first organization in the US exclusively designed to work on the issue of human trafficking. Under her leadership, CAST is known for a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for survivors of trafficking who are now using their voices to impact federal and state policy.
Elise Buik, CEO, United Way of Greater Los Angeles
In March 2005, Elise Buik made history by becoming the first female president and chief executive officer of United Way of Greater Los Angeles (UWGLA). She has been instrumental in transforming UWGLA from its historical fundraising role into a community impact organization that identifies social issues, convenes experts, partners with other organizations and crafts innovative solutions and policy.
Geena Davis, Academy Award-winning Actor and Founder, the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
In addition to her work in film and television, Geena Davis is the founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, focused on female portrayals and gender stereotypes in children's media and entertainment. She is also a former trustee of the Women's Sports Foundation, serves on the Board of the White House Project, is the chair of the California Commission on the Status of Women, and is an official partner of UN Women in its effort to change the way media represents women and girls worldwide.
Maria Ott, PhD Executive in Residence, USC School of Education
Maria Gutierrez Ott '70, '78 MA has joined the faculty at USC as Executive in Residence. Ott previously served as superintendent of the Rowland Unified School District, Deputy Superintendent of Learning of the Los Angeles Unified School District reporting to Superintendent Roy Romer, former three-term governor of Colorado. She is the co-author of "A Culturally Proficient Society Begins in School," written with Rossier colleague Darline Robles, and was named the 2003 Hispanic Woman of the Year by the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation. She is a Mount graduate.
Faith Rivera, Singer, Songwriter
Hawaii-born singer, songwriter and an Emmy winner for Outstanding Original Song on NBC's "Passions." She is most known for her high-energy performances & hip-shakin' music for all ages and faiths. Her original music has been featured on TV shows like "Hawaii 5-0" and "ER."
Anna Marie Valerio, PhD, CEO, Author, "Developing Women Leaders: A Guide for Men and Women in Organizations"
Anna Marie Valerio, Ph.D., is president of Executive Leadership Strategies, LLC. Her areas of expertise include one-on-one coaching, leadership development, organization and individual assessment, women's leadership, and performance management. Anna Marie's background includes over 20 years of management and consulting experience in a variety of organizations and with Fortune 500 clients.
Diane White-Clayton, PhD, Founding Director of The Sacred Praise Chorale
Affectionately known as "Dr. Dee", Diane White-Clayton has won much acclaim as a composer, pianist and vocalist with her tremendous stylistic diversity, captivating audiences at such venues as the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., the Strathmore Music Center, and the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Canada. She is well known for her choral anthems, and her artistry is heard on two self-produced recordings, "In Stillness" and "Dr. Dee Live in DC: My Heart Says Yes."
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