Howard Behar’s career in business spans over 50 years, all in consumer-oriented businesses covering several industries. He retired from Starbucks Coffee after 21 years where he led both the domestic business, as President of North America, and was the founding President of Starbucks International. During his tenure, he participated in the growth of the company from 28 stores to over 15,000 stores spanning five continents. He served on the Starbucks Board of Directors for 12 years before retiring. Howard now serves on several boards, including iD Tech, Education Elements and the advisory boards of Anthos Capital and Roadtrip Nation. His non-profit commitments are to the University of Washington Foundation, UW Business School mentoring program and as a Trustee for The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. He is committed to the development and education of our future leaders and has been a longtime advocate of the Servant Leadership Model. He has also authored a book on leadership titled “It’s Not About the Coffee.” 

Yvonne Bell has been working in the non-profit sector for thirty years and has led successful fundraising campaigns for The Museum of Contemporary Art, the California Science Center and Center Theatre Group. She currently serves as the Director of Advancement for Center Theatre Group, and as a member of the senior executive team, she plays an instrumental role in the organization’s fundraising, strategic planning, programming, and board development efforts. She serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Ojai Playwrights Conference and frequently speaks in Los Angeles and nationally on fundraising in the arts. 

Lindsey Kozberg is Senior Program and Community Engagement Director at The Smidt Foundation, the private charitable foundation inspired by Eric Smidt’s deep commitment to help open doors of opportunity, and advance justice, equality, and safety for all. Her work includes supporting the foundation’s Harbor Freight Tools for Schools program, which invests in schools and teachers offering high school students’ pathways to graduation, opportunity, and careers in the skilled trades. Lindsey has led strategic communications and government relations at the nonpartisan RAND Corporation and at Truth Initiative, the public health foundation dedicated to ending tobacco use. During the George W. Bush Administration she was director of public affairs for the U.S. Department of Education and a White House special assistant responsible for advancing national service and civic engagement. Trained as a land use attorney, Lindsey has helped to adapt and build projects across Los Angeles working with real estate developers and sports, civic, and education institutions. A graduate of Princeton University and Stanford Law School, Lindsey supports the creation and growth of excellent and equitable schools and systems by serving on the boards of ExED, Great Public Schools Now, and the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools as well as Coro Southern California. 

Sarah Lyding is the Executive Director of The Music Man Foundation, also known as The Meredith and Rosemary Willson Charitable Foundation. Under her leadership, the Foundation launched a music therapy grant program for Southern California-based organizations and supports many outstanding music education programs in fulfillment of the Foundation’s mission to use music to improve children’s lives.  Before joining The Music Man Foundation in 2017, she was the first staff member for The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation. Prior to her work with foundations, she led fundraising efforts at some of the region’s preeminent performing arts organizations including Pasadena Playhouse and Center Theatre Group.  Sarah also serves on the Board of Directors of Boston Court Pasadena. 

Pedro J. Martí  is a Managing Director and Private Wealth Advisor with Rockefeller Capital in Los Angeles, California. He previously served as a Managing Director and Senior Financial Advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors, as well as an Analyst in Wells Fargo’s Corporate Development Division, as Chief of Staff to the company’s Chief Operating Officer, and helped to develop and implement a professional training program for a new generation of securities and insurance licensed employees in the LA Metro Region of Wells Fargo. Pedro earned his MBA at the Stanford Graduate School of business and his BBA from the Emory Goizueta School of Business with concentrations in Finance, Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, and Financial Services. 

John R. Ohanesian is the President and CEO of Lear Capital. Founded in 1997, Lear is the largest direct response marketing and sales enterprise in the U.S. focused on precious metals with over $2 billion in transactions. Previously, he was President and CEO of Bosley from 1990 to 2010 as well as co-Founder, President and CEO of Aderans Research Institute, a biotech company, from 2002 to 2010. Since 2013 he has been an Advisor/Chief Strategic Officer of Theradome, Inc., which is an aesthetic medical device company based in San Jose, California. In 2004, The Concern Foundation named John their honoree for his philanthropic and humanitarian efforts in the Greater Los Angeles area. He served on the Board of Directors of Center Theatre Group from 2001 to 2008. From 2005 to 2008, he was a member of the Board of Directors of City of Hope’s National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute. From 2007 to 2014 he served on the Board of Trustees of The Archer School for Girls in Brentwood, California. 

 Richard (Rick) Powell was born in Los Angeles and now resides in Santa Monica. He graduated from Woodbury University, a private Los Angeles college. While attending college, he started a business with his father, furniture veteran Larry Powell, creating the L. Powell Company. After leading this highly successful family business for 30+ years, Rick was instrumental in selling the Powell Company to a private investment group in 1999. Rick is currently President of Ashjer, LLC, where he devotes his time to helping non-profit organizations raise money, serving on numerous boards and committees as well as a consultant to private companies. In 1982 he co-founded Concern II for Cancer Research. Concern II pioneered fundraising among young people 18-40 in the area of cancer immunology, specializing in pediatric cancer. Rick has been an avid community leader for his entire adult life. He served in many leadership roles for various non-profit organizations over the years. He currently serves on the Community Benefits Committee at Cedars-Sinai Hospital, the Furniture Industry Executive Committee at City of Hope, and as the immediate past Chair of the Wilshire Boulevard Temple. Rick has also been the recipient of numerous honors recognizing his deep commitment to community service.