DAVID BRYAN
Mr. Bryan was born in New York City. He attended the State University of New York at Stony Brook (BA, Social Science Interdisciplinary, 1974), the University of California at Los Angeles (MS, Kinesiology, 1978), and the State University of New York at Buffalo (JD, Law, 1982; Ph.D., Communication, 1985). In 1989 he moved to Los Angeles, where he taught briefly in the LA Unified public school district, and then for six years at Crossroads School for Arts & Science where he taught and and served as the Dean of Human Development. In 1995 he became the President, founding Head of School, and a teacher at New Roads School, a position he held until July 2013. Under his leadership New Roads grew from a small independent middle school in Santa Monica to include grades Kindergarten through 12 on four campuses in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA. Mr. Bryan is currently a Lecturer in the Economics Department at UC Santa Cruz, an education consultant to Digital Horizons, an educational start up, and the Treasurer and a member of the Executive Board of a local Democratic Club.
SHEPARD FAIREY
Shepard Fairey was born in Charleston, S.C. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, R.I. While at R.I.S.D. he created the “Andre the Giant has a Posse” sticker that transformed into the OBEY GIANT art campaign, with imagery that has changed the way people see art and the urban landscape. His work has evolved into an acclaimed body of art, which includes the 2008 "Hope" portrait of Barack Obama, which can be found in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery.
Fairey created the first of his iconic works in 1989, making 2019 the 30 year mark of his career. In addition to his guerrilla street art presence, the artist has executed more than 43 large-scale painted public murals around the world as of 2015. His works are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and many others.
ROBERT GREENWALD
Mr. Greenwald is an award-winning producer and director of more than 60 features, television movies and miniseries. His work has garnered awards from organizations including the ACLU and Physicians for Social Responsibility, in addition to an Office of the Americas Activist in the Trenches award, a Liberty Hill Upton Sinclair Award, the Robert Wood Johnson Award, and a Peacemaker Award from The Los Angeles Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild.
IRENE ROMERO
Irene Romero heads the Board for DreamCatchers. She is a veteran banker with over twenty years experience servicing the financial and banking needs of the entertainment industry. She has managed the Entertainment Divisions for Wells Fargo Bank, City National Bank, Mercantile National Bank and Republic Bank California. In addition she serves on the board of LA Leadership Academy (charter school) and in actively involved in Turning Point Temporary Housing Programs.
GUY SAPERSTEIN
Guy Saperstein graduated law school (UC Berkeley) in 1969, received a poverty law fellowship and represented migrant farmworkers in Colorado; in 1972, he founded a law firm in Oakland which became the largest plaintiffs civil rights law firm in America, in the process successfully prosecuting the largest race, sex and age discrimination class actions in American history. Guy also prosecuted False Claims Act cases against Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. regarding satellite surveillance systems, and against Raytheon, Boeing and TRW regarding the sham National Missile Defense Program. From 1994-2000, Guy was included in the National Law Journal's list of “The 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.” Guy was President of The Sierra Club Foundation 2004-6. In 2003, his memoirs, "Civil Warrior: Memoirs of a Civil Rights Attorney," were published. Guy met his wife, Jeanine, in 1967 while they were picketing the federal courthouse in Los Angeles and has been married for over 50 years, raising three children in the process.
KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL
Ms. vanden Heuvel has been editor of The Nation since 1995. She is an accomplished author and the recipient of numerous awards for public service from numerous groups, including The Liberty Hill Foundation, The Correctional Association and The Association for American-Russian Women.
RICHARD RAY PEREZ
Richard Ray Perez is the Director of Creative Partnerships in the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program where he oversees a portfolio of strategic partnerships focused on the convergence of nonfiction filmmaking, emerging storytelling platforms, innovative thought leadership, and themes vital to contemporary societies. In addition to his work at Sundance, “Rick” directed and produced the seminal political documentary Unprecedented: The 2000 Presidential Election, a project that screened at over 50 international film festivals and helped launch Brave New Films. Perez also directed and executed produced the feature documentary film Cesar’s Last Fast, a film about Cesar’s Chavez’s spiritual commitment to his work that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Prior to joining the Sundance staff was Mr. Perez was an Executive Producer at Brave New Films where he executive produced two documentary series and directed and produced a third. Richard Ray Perez is a native of Los Angeles and holds a bachelor of the arts degree in Visual and Environmental Studies from Harvard University.