2013-2014 Annual Report

Transcription

2013-2014 Annual Report
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Our Values
1 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Tomorrow is here.
In April 1988, a diverse and prestigious Education
Council appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley was
commissioned to lay the foundation for
America’s best after school education and
child care program. Mayor Bradley’s vision was
to keep children safe from the streets, give them
someone to look up to, someone to help them
with homework, something new to learn, and
something fun to do — to engage their minds,
and to put their working parents’ minds at ease.
He wanted the after school program to be
based in the Office of the Mayor in the City of
Los Angeles. Of course, this program had to be
called something. But how do you capture the
intent, intelligence and audacity of such a plan
in a name? It had to be simple yet profound,
comprehensive yet comprehensible, traditional
and visionary.
LA’s BEST.
To add a layer of meaning, they made BEST
an acronym for Better Educated Students for
Tomorrow. And so, from the beginning, the
mission, the vision and even the name of this
program were anticipating tomorrow.
Tomorrow is here.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR VALUES 1
Transition.
Education reform is underway in countries
around the world, including China, Canada,
Finland, Singapore, Britain, France, Bolivia,
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and, of course,
the United States — most notably with the
roll out of the Common Core standards by
nearly every state in our Union in the current
school year.
Amid the sea change all around us, LA’s BEST
is navigating a profound transition of its own.
As two icons in the field of education — founding
President & CEO Carla Sanger and Governing
Board Chairman Sir Marvin Suomi — consign
the stewardship of the organization, LA’s BEST
is transitioning from the leadership of today to
the leadership of tomorrow.
It is a time of risk and reward, a time of constraint
and liberty, a time to wait and to hurry, to
embrace and to abandon, to listen and to speak,
to learn and to lead, a time to innovate and a
time to stand fast.
No matter what changes, at LA’s BEST we
know this is always true: Nothing we do is as
important as the effect it has on a child.
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OUR VALUES 3
Our program.
We see it every day: children often perform
poorly in school because they are hungry. In fact,
some of our children are so hungry they fall
asleep in class; in those cases, they literally
cannot learn.
At LA’s BEST, we feed them. This year, we
upgraded what we offer from a snack to a full
meal. We want our children to have hungry
minds, not hungry bodies. We know from brain
research that a poor or insufficient diet has a
direct impact on brain function. We know a good
diet could be the key to their academic success.
This is why nutrition was one of the key benefits
of Mayor Tom Bradley’s original vision for
LA’s BEST — one of the 3½ beats that summarize
the services we deliver to 29,000 children at 195
Los Angeles schools every day.
Beat 1: Homework assistance.
Beat 2: Something academic to learn.
Beat 3: Something fun to learn.
The ½ Beat: Something healthy to eat.
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OUR VALUES 5
LA’s BEST is based on values,
not rules—timeless ideals
that guide us through constant
and unpredictable change.
For 26 years these values
have helped us adapt to
each era of education reform,
to connect to every kind of
student and to prepare for
all the tomorrows.
We believe:
Nothing we do is as important
as the effect it has on a child.
Engaging activities are seen as
vehicles for creating values,
building skills and solidifying
peer and adult relationships.
Children are viewed as individuals
to be developed, not problems
to be solved.
Children should be involved in
choosing how, when, in what
and with whom to be engaged.
When we listen for understanding,
everyone learns—children and
adults alike.
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OUR VALUES 7
Site Visit Observation Points
You can see the core values of LA’s BEST in action at every school site.
Our Advisory Board — comprised of child development experts, educators and
other professionals — visits each site periodically to assess the quality
of the program. Here are the questions they ask themselves:
General Environment:
• Did you have an opportunity to speak with the Principal or LAUSD administrator?
• Is the site generally well-maintained?
• Is the site activity schedule posted?
•Are the majority of the LA’s BEST enrichment activities conducted in classrooms
or an appropriate space?
Management & Staff:
•Are all LA’s BEST staff wearing the required uniform?
•Is the site staff well-informed?
•Does the LA’s BEST staff-to-student ratio appear to be 1:20 (One LA’s BEST staff
member to every 20 students)?
•Are all LA’s BEST staff engaged with the students?
Programming:
•Are all of the LA’s BEST students engaged in activities?
•Do the activities appear to be well-planned?
•Are the activity instructions clear? Are students engaged, participating, asking questions, etc.?
•Did you observe any involvement with the school-day personnel (e.g., teacher, librarian)?
•What is the atmosphere in the classroom (happy, vibrant, serious, etc.)?
•Does the staff appear to be motivated?
•Are there adequate supplies for the activity?
•Is there volunteer or parent participation?
•Are any of the students involved in assisting in the activity?
Reflection:
•How were you engaged?
•Was any specific site information shared with you?
•Did you receive information pertaining to any upcoming events?
•Did you leave the site feeling generally satisfied with the program?
•What points of interest resonated with you?
If you are interested in visiting an LA’s BEST site, please send an email to: lasbest@lacity.org
8 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR VALUES 9
Writing: Belma Michael Johnson Photography: Ben Gibbs and John Metcalf Design: Nida Sanger Printing: Weber Printing Co.
The mission of LA’s BEST is to provide
a safe and supervised after school
education, enrichment and recreation
program for elementary school children
ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
Find out more about LA’s BEST!
lasbest.org
facebook.com/lasbest
twitter.com/lasbest
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
Office of the Mayor
200 North Spring Street, Suite M-120
Los Angeles, CA 90012
T 213.978.0801 / F 213.978.0800
instagram.com/lasbestafterschool
10 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
711 East 14th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
T 213.745.1900 / F 800.267.0342
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Our Program
1 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
A classroom without walls.
There’s nothing like being there, nothing like
living it, nothing more engaging for children
than putting their whole mind and body inside
an experience. In the education field, we call it
experiential learning.
In the after school
community, we call it Expanded Learning.
At LA’s BEST, and in similar programs around
the country and throughout the world, we are
expanding the definition of learning. We are
expanding the definition of the classroom.
We are developing a classroom without walls —
a classroom for every kind of learner —
a classroom for tomorrow.
All of life is a learning opportunity, the entire
world is an expansive classroom. From the
playground to the art museum to the kitchen
floor, every venue provides learning opportunities
and should be used intentionally, systematically,
and strategically by educators.
It is the Education for Tomorrow. And it is what
we do best at LA’s BEST.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR PROGRAM 1
Connections.
Children need to feel empathy for others — a connection
to the world around them — in order to have a stake
in what they are learning. They need to see the small
tasks in their lives, like completing a homework
assignment, in a larger context in order for those little
tasks to have larger significance. With proprietary
curricula such as Connecting For Success (conceived,
developed, implemented and tested by LA’s BEST),
our program is a worldwide leader in developing this
skill in children that leads to success in school and a
productive life.
2 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST AFTER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT 3
Enhanced Programs
In addition to the core components we provide
every day, LA’s BEST has several special programs
available to students. These core and enhanced
programs provide a structure for after school
that is otherwise highly customized, based on
students’ needs and the site staff’s interests
and experience.
Adventures In Peacemaking (AIP) is a conflict
resolution program that features games, team
challenges, songs, reading and writing activities
that integrate multiple intelligences. In addition,
the program addresses the social and emotional
needs of children ages 5-12.
After School Arts Program (ASAP) includes
hands-on visual art, music, dance, and drama
programs led by artist educators-in-residence
working with children enrolled in LA’s BEST.
Each 10-week residency concludes with a special
culmination event, which brings the community
together to celebrate the talent and accomplishments of the children.
BEST Fit is a health-centered, culturally relevant
and intentional approach to education pertaining to physical exercise, nutrition and gardening.
The goal is to provide fun and innovative
opportunities for LA’s BEST children and their
4 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
families to develop healthy eating habits, make
physical activity a daily part of their lives and
to encourage them to become advocates for a
healthy future.
Connecting for Success fosters global civic
awareness and reduces a tolerance for violence
while encouraging LA’s BEST staff and students
to impact their community through positive
social action. Students increase their capacity to
constructively deal with stressful situations
through conflict resolution.
Digital Learning provides students and staff
with critical technology skills and enhances their
working knowledge of computers, software and
other digital platforms. LA’s BEST also offers
Digital Media Arts Residencies — 10-week
courses in areas such as filmmaking, music,
stop-motion animation and graphic design.
Junior Achievement teaches the LA’s BEST
children the basic concepts of business,
economics and work-readiness. The program
includes six sequential themes for kindergarten
through 5th-grade students that lay the
groundwork for financial literacy and productive
citizenship in a global economy.
KidzLit and KidzMath are research-based literacy
and math programs developed specifically for
use in after school programs by the Developmental Studies Center, and help LA’s BEST foster
a love of reading and math in its students.
KidzScience, an inquiry-based, hands-on science
program for grades 3–6 from the developers of
KidzLit and KidzMath, emphasizes teamwork
through activities that help students discover
important science concepts.
LA’s BEST Celebrate Science Program provides
opportunities for LA’s BEST children to have fun,
engaging, interactive science experiences within
a “team-inquiry” model—developed under the
guidance of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This
program culminates with a citywide Celebrate
Science Fair.
LA84 Foundation Sports Program provides
students with a positive team concept and a
method for developing their physical and social
skills through sports engagement. Students in
grades 3-6 participate in year-round sports,
which include flag football, basketball, softball
and soccer competitions.
Legos Simple Machine and Story Starter
materials are utilized at 50 sites throughout
LA’s BEST to teach students basic machinebuilding and creative writing. Legos curriculum
encourages teamwork, creative thinking,
communication, and English language
development.
Science Explorer provides a collection of activity
kits designed at the San Francisco Exploratorium
for K–6 students to engage in scientific discovery.
Young Authors, based on Alma Flor Ada’s and
Isabel F. Campoy’s work on transformative education, gives students in grades K–6 the opportunity
to discover “the author within” and in the process
learn self-efficacy, appreciation for diversity and
how to create the conditions for a better world.
Zula Patrol, a science program for students in
grades K–2, builds new academic understanding
through guided inquiry and hands-on activities.
It also encourages written expression through
journaling and introduces students to new
science vocabulary.
OUR PROGRAM 5
Grit.
Some children don’t perform as well as they could in
the classroom because they simply give up. They lack
perseverance, grit, determination. If they could develop
these social-emotional skills, they would perform better
across the board in all their academic endeavors and,
in fact, in every area of their lives.
That is why sports are not just games at LA’s BEST.
When we take our kids to a Dodger game, we certainly
want them to witness the highest level of athletic skill.
We don’t discourage their dreams of playing professional
sports: after all, LA’s BEST alumni like UCLA and NBA
star Baron Davis reached that goal. We use sports to
teach patience, persistence, camaraderie, team work,
goal-setting, and plain old grit—the ability to overcome
a setback with a comeback.
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OUR PROGRAM 7
Special Activities & Excursions
We take our children all over the city, whether
it’s to the convalescent home around the corner
from the school or to a major university to see
the world’s great art. Oh, the places they went…
EDUCATIONAL
Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Aquarium Tour
California Science Center
Science Exploration
Museum Tour
Los Angeles Police Museum
Museum Tour
Franklin Canyon
Nature Walk
Nethercutt Museum
Museum Tour
The Getty Villa
Museum Tour
Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits
Museum Tour
Griffith Park
Observatory Tour
Placita Olvera
Learning Mexican History & Culture
Iota Coffee & Bakery
Experiencing Korean Culture
Port of Los Angeles
Museum Tour
The Japanese Garden
Garden Tour
Reyes Adobe
Historical Site Tour
Ronald Reagan Library
Library Tour
San Fernando Audubon Society
Nature Education
Sepulveda Basin
Environmental Education
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Read to Succeed
John’s Incredible Pizza Co.
Pizza-Making Tour
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Summer of Learning
Museum Tour
Los Angeles Central Library
Library Tour
Kid Tech Redux
Los Angeles County Arboretum &
Botanic Garden
Guided Tour
Los Angeles County Fair – Pomona
Fairview Farm
Garden Pavilion & Exhibition
Skirball Cultural Center
Museum Tour
South Coast Botanic Garden
Garden Visit
Sylmar Public Library
Library Tour
Toyota USA Automobile Museum
Press Friends 5th Annual Conference
Travel Town Museum Foundation
Train Ride & Tour
UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame
Tour
UCLA Fowler Museum
Museum Tour
Van Nuys Public Library
Library Tour
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Pantages Theatre
War Horse
Wizard of Oz
Staples Center
Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey Circus
Rosenthal Theatre
SAG/ASAP Class Performance
Theodore Payne Foundation
Learning about Gardening
Valley Performing Arts Center
LA Ballet / The Nutcracker
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Imagine Mars
Natural History Museum
Museum Tour
Mission College
Meet and Greet NBA Players
Screen Actors Guild
Screening of “Tio Papi”
Miramar Park
Oceanography Education
Fox Studios
Studio Tour
Museum of Latin American Art
Latin American Art
RECREATION
West LA College
STEAM Nation!
William S. Hart Museum
Museum Tour
Wilmington Public Library
Library Reptile Show
VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS
Camp Idyllwilld
Annual Visual & Performing Arts Camp
HOLIDAYS
SPORTS
Dodgers Stadium
Dodgers vs. Giants
Alumni Park
WCCCC Championship Kids Day
Lake Street Community Center
Clippers Basketball Clinic
Bolsa Chica State Park
State Park Trip
Pepperdine University
Women’s Soccer Game
Camp Max Straus
Camp Activities
Rose Bowl
UCLA Football Game/Youth Day
UCLA vs. Colorado Football Game
Gable House Bowl
Bowling
Keystone Lanes
LA Clippers Bowling Clinic
Staples Center
LA Clippers Game
StubHub Center
UCLA Youth Day
UCLA
UCLA/USC Track Meet
I’m Going to College / Gymnastics
The Colburn School
Strings Program Performance
DreamWorks
Screening of “Home”
Juan Cabrillo Elementary
Children’s Lifesaving Foundation
Holiday Celebration
Lucky Strike
Season of Giving
Mary Knoll Church
Winter Party
Lincoln Heights
Christmas Parade
Los Angeles Elementary
Japanese American Optimist Club
Halloween Festival
Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary
Martin Luther King Jr. Day Parade
Mattel, Inc.
Winter Wonderland
COMMUNITY
El Camino Marsee Auditorium
The Nutcracker
Agoura Hills Animal Shelter
Connecting for Success
Elephant Stages
SAG Class Performance
The Getty Center
Museum Tour
Lowman School
Wheelchair Dancing
The Grammy Museum
Museum Tour
Malibu Creek State Park
Nature Walk / Outdoor Activities
Hammer Museum
K.A.M.P. Kid’s Art
The Music Center / Grand Park
National Dance Day 2013
Jim Henson Studios
Studio Tour
Palos Verdes Bowl
Bowling
LACMA
Museum Tour
San Clemente State Beach
Camping Trip
Madrid Theatre
Theatrical Performance
Temescal Canyon Gateway Park
Hike & Bike Donation
MOCA
Museum Tour
USC Lyons Center
Dance of Tennis
Fig at 7th
H&M Grand Opening
LA Live
CP3 Shoe Launch
Legoland California Resort
Legoland & Aquarium Visit
Little Tokyo
Nisei Parade
Los Angeles Environmental Learning
Center At Hyperion
Wondrous Water Club
Mattel, Inc.
Everything Barbie
Day of Play
Pershing Square
“It’s Christmas Snoopy!”
Temple Emanuel
Friars Charitable Foundation
Holiday Annual Luncheon
Toyota Sports Center
Mattel Holiday Event
Van Nuys High School
Keyes Holiday Giving
OUR PROGRAM 9
Focus on the child.
At our Family Health Festival, we test the eyesight
of every child. We identify children who need glasses
and get them their glasses. For free. Parents are often
too busy, too financially strapped, or just too tired to
realize that their child needs glasses. That basic need
could be the reason the child performs poorly on
standardized tests. At LA’s BEST, we see that the child
is not the problem; the problem is that the child cannot
see. We have the time, energy and commitment to
focus on the child.
10 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR PROGRAM 11
Citywide Events
LA’s BEST hosts a wide variety of signature
events each year so that children, their families
and different communities can come together
to share in the excitement of the organization.
Year after year, children anticipate these exciting
opportunities to perform, compete, learn and
play—and build life-long memories of their
elementary school years.
Celebrate Science Fair is a yearly event where
teams of young LA’s BEST scientists from sites
throughout the city compete for top honors
and extraordinary prizes, showcasing their
inquiry-based projects.
Autumn Kidfest celebrates the fall season with
fun activities, carnival games and treats for
students at sites across the city.
Dance & Drill Team Showcase brings nearly
5,400 students together at Cal State L.A. for
incredible performances in drill team and dance.
This annual showcase provides children with an
opportunity to proudly demonstrate leadership,
teamwork, self-confidence and performing arts
skills mastered through hundreds of hours of
dedication and hard work.
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Community Jam Against Violence is organized
by the After School Arts Program (ASAP)
department and brings together children and
families from different communities to decry
violence. Each year, LA’s BEST students sing,
dance, act, share original videos and visual art
in a talent showcase to take a stand against
violence. In 2013, more than 1,200 LA’s BEST
children and their families attended the
20th Annual Community Jam Against Violence:
Making a Difference, held in Royce Hall at UCLA.
Family Health Festival is an annual event of the
BEST Fit program that brings together students
and families for a day of fun and fitness.
Thousands of participants sample healthy
snacks, engage in fitness games, receive free
medical, dental and vision health screenings and
engage in hands-on activities designed to
promote an awareness of healthy lifestyles.
OUR PROGRAM 13
Writing: Belma Michael Johnson Photography: Ben Gibbs and John Metcalf Design: Nida Sanger Printing: Weber Printing Co.
The mission of LA’s BEST is to provide
a safe and supervised after school
education, enrichment and recreation
program for elementary school children
ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
Find out more about LA’s BEST!
lasbest.org
facebook.com/lasbest
twitter.com/lasbest
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
Office of the Mayor
200 North Spring Street, Suite M-120
Los Angeles, CA 90012
T 213.978.0801 / F 213.978.0800
instagram.com/lasbestafterschool
14 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
711 East 14th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
T 213.745.1900 / F 800.267.0342
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Our Supporters
1 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Development.
People complain that some kids just can’t sit
still. They say some do not know how to calm
themselves. Or they see kids who act out
from hunger, tiredness, or both. These are
real-life issues that educators address every
day; and behind these issues are young people
with feelings, with personal challenges and
great potential. They need our help.
Some activists attempt to impose an enterprise
mind-set on the education of children. Businesses
become successful by identifying problems,
engineering solutions and rolling out those
solutions to scale. When one attempts to apply
these methods to children, the results can be
disastrous.
Human beings are neither companies nor
widgets. The ones that are failing cannot be
discarded or written off. At LA’s BEST we seek
supporters who see children, not problems. We
seek those who share our belief that every child
has assets — positive attributes to build upon.
To reward. To encourage. To develop.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR SUPPORTERS 1
Philanthropy for tomorrow.
As times change, the strategies for securing needed
resources have evolved, and will only continue evolving.
LA’s BEST must be creative when fundraising. We are
working with the new generation of emerging
philanthropists in our ground-breaking board of young
professionals, BEST Friends. One BEST Friends’ signature
fundraiser uses stationary cycling to raise money and
another is built around wine tasting. LA’s BEST is seeing
the future and positioning itself to receive the
philanthropy for tomorrow.
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OUR SUPPORTERS 3
Signature Fundraising Events
Photo by Leroy Hamilton
The LA’s BEST Family Dinner originated as the
Annual Family Brunch in 1996 as a unique
fundraising event emphasizing the philosophies
of the organization. The event salutes the
importance of family and provides an
opportunity for LA’s BEST to honor those in our
community who exemplify the child-centered
values of our organization and enrich the lives
of Los Angeles’ most vulnerable young people.
The event includes a silent auction, raffle and
live auction to raise funds for the program.
This year’s Annual Family Dinner was held at
the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
In conjunction with the dinner, LA’s BEST holds
a creative writing and art contest open to all
LA’s BEST students. For 2014, children submitted
creative writing and art pieces on the theme
“How Does LA’s BEST Help Me Connect with
Others?” Our 22 winning students were selected
from a field of more than 1,000 entries and were
invited to attend the Dinner along with two
guests.
This year, LA’s BEST offered supporters the
chance to have a “kid’s eye view” of the program.
The LA’s BEST Experience allowed adults to sample
4 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Photo by Zachary Istrin
a few of the engaging, Expanded Learning activities
that our students enjoy every day at LA’s BEST.
The five interactive stations in the Ahmanson
Ballroom represented our Arts, Science, Nutrition
& Health, Sports and Digital Learning programs.
During the dinner, LA’s BEST honored a Corporate
Partner, Foundation Partner, and Children’s
Champion. Accounting firm Deloitte & Touche LLP,
represented by Managing Partner Michelle
Kerrick, received the Corporate Partner Award
for providing vital financial analysis to LA’s BEST.
The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation was
awarded the Foundation Partner Award for its
contributions and donations to the children of
LA’s BEST. The final honoree was the LA’s BEST
founding President and CEO Carla Sanger, who
received the Children’s Champion Award for
her 26 years of dedication to the program, the
Los Angeles community and its children.
This year’s Annual Family Dinner raised over
$700,000 for LA’s BEST. In addition, in honor of
the retiring President & CEO, Carla Sanger, an
anonymous donor pledged $1,000,000 to launch
the LA’s BEST Legacy Fund.
Cycle 4 LA’s BEST is an innovative fundraiser,
spearheaded by our BEST Friends Board, that
takes place on stationary bikes. Each team
solicits sponsors to pledge funds for its
participation in a morning cycle class led by a
volunteer instructor. This year’s event was
sponsored by Wendy’s of LA and for the first
time, cycle teams pedaled on the blacktop at
Leo Politi Elementary, an LA’s BEST school site.
Thirty-one teams participated in the 2014
event,and in the end, there were three top
fundraising teams — The Bucky Badgers, led by
BEST Friends board member Michael Lynn;
Team Travers, led by Board of Directors member
David Travers; and team La Dolce Vita, led by
LA’s BEST Friends board member Tian Mu.
By the end of the event, Cycle 4 LA’s BEST
surpassed its goal of $80,000, raising over
$100,000 for LA’s BEST.
UnWINEd with LA’s BEST is an annual wine tasting
and fundraising event with a silent auction
hosted by the BEST Friends board. The popular
event, sponsored by Huron Legal and Irell and
Manella, was held at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa
Monica and included offerings from over a dozen
wineries, delicious desserts and a silent auction
with a variety of irresistible items.
Some 600 friends and supporters of LA’s BEST
participated in this event, which included a
VIP reception featuring a variety of 95+ rated
wines from the private collections of three
donors and a special cabernet barrel pouring
of Tanner DaFoe.
Former City Controller Wendy Greuel, who
helped create the after school program under
Mayor Tom Bradley, led a toast to LA’s BEST and
the organization’s CEO & President Carla Sanger,
honoring 25 years of operating the successful
and highly-acclaimed program.
The event raised over $100,000 for LA’s BEST
After School Program.
OUR SUPPORTERS 5
Social enterprise.
Philanthropy for tomorrow does not look like
philanthropy from yesterday. As Millennials
come of age, they are starting companies with
a strong commitment to give back to their
communities in a hands-on, tangible, systematic
way. More and more, these companies are
lending their employees to a cause that moves
them. They are adopting classrooms, or schools,
or programs they believe in. They are sharing
their professional expertise with the organizations
themselves.
We are seeing a convergence — a connection —
we have never seen before. Companies are doing
more social good, and non-profits are becoming
more enterprising. Together they are innovating
a hybrid: the social enterprise.
6 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Photo by Will Fallon
OUR SUPPORTERS 7
Supporters
$200,000 AND ABOVE
LA84 Foundation
$100,000 – $199,999
David and Lucile Packard
Foundation
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
W.M. Keck Foundation
McCall Family Foundation
Target
$50,000 – $99,999
Ella Fitzgerald Charitable
Foundation
The Max H. Gluck Foundation
The Green Foundation
Rosenthal Family Foundation
Skirball Foundation
$20,000 – $49,999
California Community
Foundation
Deloitte & Touche, LLP
Guggenheim Partners, LLC
Kaiser Permanente
Keyes Motors, Inc.
The Mark Hughes Foundation
Mattel, Inc.
Charles Stewart Mott
Foundation
Steve Tisch Family Foundation
United Airlines Foundation
Warner Bros. Music and
Warner/Chappell Music
Publishing
Wells Fargo Bank
Wendy’s of LA
Wendy & Jay Wintrob and
American International Group
The Zolla Family Foundation
$10,000 – $19,999
American Federation
of Teachers
Anonymous
Max and Lubov Azria /
BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, INC.
Ambassador Frank &
Kathy Baxter
Garrett Q. Bland
Marilyn Brown
The Rebecca Susan Buffett
Foundation
California State Parks
Foundation
Sarah & Christopher
Dusseault
FedEx Corporation
Friends of LA’s BEST
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Russ Hagey and
Bain & Company
The Hauptman Family
Foundation
Huron Legal
Gerald L. Katell
Legoland California
Lexus Pursuit of Potential
Los Angeles Lakers Youth
Foundation
Neutrogena Corporation
Nickelodeon
Rhea Perlman & Danny DeVito
Rustic Canyon Partners
Robbie Shipp and
RDS Investments
Southern California
Gas Company
Candy Spelling
Vons Foundation
The Wallis Foundation
Wilson Family Foundation
Donna & Martin J. Wolff
$5,000 – $9,999
Arey Jones Educational
Solutions
The Eli and Edythe Broad
Foundation
The California Endowment
California Readers
Clever Crazes For Kids,
Building Healthy Lives
Foundation
Colburn Foundation
Shane Connell
Duty Free Shops of
North America
DreamWorks Animation
Studios
Tina & Nick Elowitt
GE Capital Real Estate
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, LLP
Jeff Goad
The Grainger Foundation
Nathalie & Michael
Huddleston
Irell & Manella LLP
Leslie Joseph
Nigel Lythgoe
Occidental Petroleum
Corporation
Mary & Glen Odell
Toni A. Ritzenberg
Rose Policy Solutions
Frederic D. Rosen
Fran Morris Rosman &
Richard Rosman
8 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
The Riordan Foundation
The Honorable Arnold
Schwarzenegger
Debbie & Tom Shapiro
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher
& Flom, LLP
Sony Pictures Entertainment
UniHealth Foundation
Vopak North America and
Subsidiaries
Barry B. Waldo
The Walt Disney Company
WHH Foundation
The Winnick Family Foundation
World Duty Free Group
$1,000 – $4,999
David Adefeso /AXA Foundation
The Honorable Richard Alatorre
American Endowment
Foundation (Benevity)
American Go Association
Foundation
The Angell Foundation
Anonymous (2)
Automotive Marketing
Consultants, Inc.
William Bamattre
Courtney Behrenhausen &
David Sanger
Diane & Jim Berliner
Nancy & Bud Bigelow
Alice Desobry Bowens
Sarah & Doug Brown
Steve Butler
California United Bank
Mark Carliner
Sze Wai Cheng
Richard S. Cheung
Kathleen & Moze Cowper
David and Leila Carpenter
Foundation
Kristen DeLeo
Diamond Sky Productions, LLC
Douglas Foundation
The Duvoisin Group
Charmayne & Raymond Ealy
Terena & Anders Eisner
Adrienne Fayne
Pamela & Jack Fluor
Irene & Wallace D. Franson
Foundation
James Freund
Michael Garwood
Dorothy Gibbons-White, Esq.
Benita & Bert Ginsberg
Mr. & Mrs. Gary Goldfein
The Honorable Wendy Greuel
& Dean A. Schramm
Donald Halliburton
Helen Hartel
Fred Hayman Family Foundation
Heestand Foundation
Winnie W. Huang
Mabelle & John Hueston
Integrated Media Technologies
The J.B. Berland Foundation
JDG Recycling, Inc.
Katy Jakle & Dave Travers
Jordan Kaye
Paul Keltner
Michelle Kerrick
The Kleiner Cohen Foundation
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Chef LaLa
Nicolas Landinez
Lois Lee
Ling Li
Angela Loh
Linda Lopez
Anne & Scott Lukowski
Mandy Ma
Elliot and Rusty Maltzman
Family Trust
The Maynard Cooper and Gale
PC Charitable Foundation
Carol McElvain
Milken Family Foundation
Adam and Gila Milstein
Family Foundation
Joanne & Joel Mogy
Tian Mu
Bonnie Nash & Donald Wing
New Deal Studios, Inc.
Sarah Nickerson &
Scott Cerreta
Timothy Noonan
David Obst /
SunnyEd Foundation
Ogilvy Public Relations
Worldwide
Tom Ortenberg
Lynn & David L. Paulson
Sharon Harroun Peirce
Pepp Family Support
Foundation
Terry & Scott Peterson
Jacqueline Petri
Michael Pontrelli
Faith Porter, Artist
John Remeny
Julia & Ian Richter
Tobin Richter
The Honorable Richard J. Riordan
Paula Rodgers
Cristina Rose
Peggy & Raymond Rosenthal
R. Rosenthal
June & Samuel Sale
Carla & Jonathan Sanger
Nida & Christopher Sanger
Cynthia L. & William E.
Simon, Jr. Foundation
Staples Center Foundation
Staples Foundation
Mariclare & Marvin J. Suomi
Tyler Development
Corporation
Janet Unterman
Rhonda Vilardo
Esther Viros
Walt Disney Imagineering
Dennis and Dale Weiss Trust
Westmount Asset
Management, LLC
Jodi & Andy Wing
Stan Winston School of
Character Arts
Women’s Professional
Network
Yahoo! Matching Gifts
Program
Peg Yorkin
Irv Zuckerman
Zurich Financial Services
$500 – $999
Sayeeda Hina Ahmed
Laura Evangeline Alexon
Tammy Amirault
Anonymous
James Armstrong
George Azarian
Bank of America
Ida Barba
Deborah C. Blake &
David F. Pruitt
Robert Brachman
Kelli Brooks
Kathy & Tony Burris
Karen & Jacques Capelluto
The Capital Group Companies
Charitable Foundation
Twilla Case
Ronnie Cavalluzzi
Lisa Chang
Nicholas Chanock
Luhan Chen
Nancy & Matt Clemo
Kate Craig
Charity Dailey
Lynn Dann
Mark Eddy
Josh Evans
Teresa Fiallos &
Michael Scanlon
FLIR Systems, Inc.
Steven M. Frankel, Inc.
Sara Frisch
Mark Funston
Daniel, Liz & Matthew Gabbay
Ting Gao
Betty & Fred Goldstein
Helena Cho / Good Work(s)
Make A Difference
Miriam Graddick
Adrian Grant
Toy Gregory
Sandra Gutierrez
Devon Handy
Rochelle Handy, Michelle
Salvatore & Rhonda Vilardo
Vivian Haun &
Michael McCollum
Studio William Hefner
H&M
Austin Hice
Liz Levitt Hirsh / The Mortimer
Levitt Foundation
Terry Hoffmann
Fran & Dennis Huddleston
John Jakle
Lorraine Johnson
Kristian Kerr
Ann Reiss Lane
Lehman Family Charitable Fund
Matthew Lenard
Lewensztain Family
Jim Licate
Debra & Joseph Loggia
Shelley & Phil London
Michael Lynn
Dr. & Mrs. William Mandel
Mallory Maske / Thrive HR
for Start Ups
Lauren & Lee McCollum
Carrie McLain
Amber & Carl Melius
Ashley Merrill
Beth & Leslie D. Michelson
Steven Mocalis
Carmen Moch
William Morrow
David Niven, Jr.
Pardee Properties
Gary & Casey Park
Eileen Powers
Katherine Procter
RBC Wealth Management
Ronald McDonald House
Charities / Asian Pacific
American Students Increasing
Achievement Program
Eric Rosenbaum
M.J. Rosenmayer Co.
Bradley J. Rumble
Lois Saffian
Jason Schlossberg
Jason Schreiber
Stefanie Schwartz
Reva Shakkottai
Ronald J. Silverman
Smart & Final Charitable
Foundation
Lawrence Solomon
Lissa & Ken Solomon
David Stainton
Robert Travers
Rebecca Unterman
Virginia M. Victorin
Danielle & John Walker
Lynne Wasserman
Robert L. Wicke
Tanya Wilkins
Johnathan Williams
Barbara Yaroslavsky
Joseph Yousem
$1 – $499
Charles Abbott
Danielle Abraham
Ricky Abramson
Pixie Amber Acia
Daniel Acosta
Active Fox Productions, LLC
Jeremy Adams
Michael Adams
Ned Adams
James Adamy
Frank Addante
Kristy Agamegwa
Jennifer Agatep
Jamie A. Agnew
Julie Agostini
Khalid Ahmad
Kholla Ahmad
Munir Ahmad
Qumar Ahmad
Air, Weather & Sea
Conditions, Inc.
Scott Alderton
Bryant K. Alexander, Ph.D.
Logan Allin
Mark Alonzo
Prateek Amar
Beatriz Amaro
AmazonSmile Foundation
Chris Amen
Renee Amen
Amgen Foundation
Matching Gifts and
Volunteer Programs
Melanie Amhowitz
Lindsay Amstutz
Alejandra Anderson
Elliott Anderson
Allison Andrus
Catherine Andrus
Ryan Andrus
Michele Angeloni
Keri Anisgarten
Mark Anne
Anonymous (11)
Lauren Appell
Melinda Aragon
Channone Arif
Mark Arkin
Reuben Arthur
Whitney Ashley
J.M. Athey
Melissa Atwell
Anne Aubert–Santelli
Molly & Brian Auld
Darlene Avila
Billy Badalato
T.C. Badalato
Lynda Badum
Jeff Baietto
Lee Bailey
Jamie Bakal
Eva Baker
Lamar Baker
Carol Baldwin
Edith Ballesteros
Saata Bangura
Bank of the West
Employee Giving Program
John Baragar
David Barile
Deborah Barkley
Frank Barkley
David Barr
Marissa Barth
Sherry Barton
Joseph Basile
Marissa Bataille
Andrea Batra
Brent Baum
Kevin Beach
Amber Bearce
Elizabeth Beas
Emily Beatty
Tristan Becker
Mark Begert
Danielle Behnken
Timothy Bell
Megan Bello
Belma Johnson Productions
Bob Bennett
Jean S. Benowitz
Judith Benowitz
Christine Berardi
Marin Berg
Jesse Berghoefer
OUR SUPPORTERS 9
Supporters
$1 – $499 (continued)
Mary Lee Berglund
Abby Berman
Shawn Bernardini
Fonda Berosini
Marlene Berro
Richard Berroteran
Vera Berry
Anthony Bertocchini
Michele Bertolini
Barbara Best & John Lubratich
Stephanie Beyer
Sarai Bhaga
Gaurav Bhasin
Sameer Bhatia
Charles Biederman
Kandy Biesterfeld
Molly Birckhead
Eva Blanco
Helaine Blatt
Kasey Blaustein
June Bleavins
Marla B. Bleavins
Karl Block
Linda Block
Melanie Block
Regina Blumenfeld
Carly Bobek
Renee Bodie
Stewart Bogen
Lillian & Mike Bohannon
Andrea Bolden
Tom Booth
Jennifer Booze
Duane Border
Krisena & Scott Borenstein
Lisa Boryszewski &
Justin Gosaynie
Thomas Bost
Whitney & Luke Bost
Emily Bost–Baxter &
Chad Baxter
Trina Bostrom
Arthur J. Botting, III
Joelle Boucai
Katherine Boyce
Robert Boyce
Bill Bradley
Heather Bradley
Jody Bradley
Samuel Bradley
Megan Brady
Andrea Brassington
Amy Braun
Leonardo Bravo
Daniel S. Brescoll
Jennifer Brian
Jeffrey Brick
Jeffrey Briggs
Natalie Brill
Charly Brooks
Cynthia & Jim Brooks
Diane Brounstein
Andy Brown
Joshua Brown
Kaaren Brown
Heather & Mark Brown
Regina Brucato
Casey Bryan
Jason Buccat
Jacob Buchanan
Jonathan Buck
Pete Budlong
April Buege
Kai Buehler
Brienne Buhagiar
Katie Burbank
Drew Burchard
Kimberly Buresh
Amy Burrows
Brent Bushnell
Shahid Butt
Brian Buttray
David Bynum
Steven Byrket
C-Level Management
David Cacciapaglia
Maria Calanche
Michael Caldwell
Jessica Calligan
Adolfo Calvillo
Said Cambray
Thomas Campion
S.T. Campos
Andy Cao
Frieda Rapoport Caplan
Vida Barcelona Cardenas
Kurt Cardoza
Janice Carelle
A. Carillo
Lindsay Carlson
Kevin Carnes
Gerrie Carr
Jeanne Carroll
Rohan C. Castelino
Lauren Castillon
Kelly Cattalini
Douglas Chalfant
Rachel Chambers
Dickson Chan
Hamilton Chan
Stephanie Chan
Chethana Chandrashekar
Helena Chang
Emilie Chaplow
Courtney Chapman
B. Chappell
Jeffrey Charbonneau
Angela Chen
Emily Chen
10 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Eric Chen
Jennifer Cheng
Ancy Cherian
Joan & Anthony Chidoni
Aaron Childress
Vijay Chittoor
Christine Choi
Kirby Chong
Mina Chow
Jessica & Dean Christopher
Anthony Christopoulos
Gloria Chu
Eunice Chun
Randall Churchill
Matt Clark
Cassandra Clarke
Juliette Clarke
Kenneth Clarke
Kimberly Clarke
Kyra Clarke
Sophie E. Clarke
Amy & Todd Clatterbuck
Brady Clegg
Jim Clements
Paige Cleveland
Coastal Community
Foundation of South
Carolina
Pamela Coen
Bill Coggins
Jeff P. Coghill
Timothy Cohan
Ben Cohanzad
Dina & Noel Cohen
Eric Colbert
Mollie Collins
Lauren Colton
Community Service–Learning
Margaret Conklin
Larry Conner
Kelly Connors
Dana Cooper
Natalie Corrales
Matt Corry
William Costigan
Cathy Costin & Mitch Reback
Dominique Cote
Pierluigi Cothran
Kathleen Cotter
Mary R. Courtney
Phil Covitz
Abby Cowan
Cody Wm. Cowper
Diana Cox
Lisa & Matt Cox
Estelle Cramer
Corina Crawford
Lily Crawford
David Crocker
Dr. Cheryl A. Cruz
Gina Cunegin
Scott Curran
Brent Curtis
Norma Dadson
David Dahn
Lara Dalian
Jillian Dalinkus
Heather & Brett Dallas
Kerri Damm
Kareem Daniel
Brian Danielewicz
Jeff Davenport
Robyn Davidman
Alexandra Davis
Artina Davis
Jeff Davis
Macey Davis
Teddy Davis
Santos Dawn
David Day
Carlos De Anda
Jose De Anda
Juana C. De Anda
Jamie De Laveaga
Keren & Pieter de Zwart
Brian Deery
Shanti DeLand
Renate DeLeon
Christa Demeke
Allison Der
Michele Devulder
Ritik Dholakia
Dickerson Employee Benefits
Elaine Dinges
Lori Dinkel
Barbara DiPalma
Claudia DiRomualdo
Disney Matching Gift Program
Lori Doherty
Dolce Family
Brian A. Dollar
Jennifer Don
John Donahue
Nicole Donahue
Tori Donnellan
Paras Doshi
Lucas Doub
Corinne Double
Lauren Doucette
Keith Dragoon
DriveWise Auto
Jared Druker
Duignan / Srinivasan Family
Christina Duin
Kristine Dun
Nancy Dunbar
Christine Dunn
Bernadette DuPuis
Jennifer Duran
Matt Dusig
Jeylan Dutertre
Dianne Earley
Alex Eastburg
Linda Ebrami
Steffanie Edwards Hafele
Kristina Effenberger
Michael Effenberger
Adam Eigner
Janet Eigner
Joseph Einstein
Alissa Ellis
Charly Emery
Richard Enderlin
Victoria Entine
Jon Erdtsieck
Christopher Erro
Kyle Evans
Morenike Evans
Robyn Nicci Evans
Christy Eyster
Brandon Far
Talla Farivar
Nicholas Farrell
Marion Fay
Sharon Feder
Stephanie Fein & David Lakes
Jonathan Feldman
Rebecca Feldman
Ariella & Steven Feldman
Ian Fenwick
Trudi Ferguson
Malika Ferrell
Emily Fillingham
Ben Fincher
Alissa Finerman
David Fink
Michael Fink
Ayelet Firstenberg
Elizabeth Fischbeck
Jonathan Fischer
Alex Fischoff
Danielle Fischoff
Erika Fisher
T. J. Flanagan III
Israel Flores
Luis Flores
Jayson Flowers
J.B. Flowers
Alixandria Fogel
Seth Fonti
Mary Forberg
Vivian K. Forbes
Kevin Fordyce
Mitchell Forrer
Loren Francis
Mario Franqui
Donald Fraser
Amanda Frattali
Tom & Flavia Frattali
Justin Fredericks
Steven Fredericks
David A. Freedman
Lauren Frenkel & Chris Love
Elizabeth Freud
Michelle Freyre
Mary Friberg
Gavin Friedman
Marshall Friedman
Cari & Jason Frisch
James Frisch
Mara Frisch
Jesse Fruman
Brad Fuhrman
Russell Fujii
Brian Funk
Jonathan Gabbay
Nick Gabriel
Andrew Galdi
Amanda Garberich
Connie Garberich
Melinda Garberich
Brian Garcia
Luis Garcia
Samantha Gatto
Keith Gelman
Pana-Louise & Brian Gelt
Egle & Kestutis Germanas
Stacey Gessert
Jill Giannone
Jeremy Gibbs
Sebastian Gibbs
Lori, Joshua & McKinney
Glazer
Janet Glick
Deborah Glupczynski
I-Fan Go
Doris & Marvin Goad
Michael Goff
Robert Golden
Gary Goldstein
Quinn Goldstein
Doralee & Ray Gonzales
Amelia & Camilo Gonzalez
Emily Gonzalez
Jennifer Rowe Gonzalez
Joshua Goodman
Jenn Goodrum
Google Matching Gift Program
Patricia Gordon
David Gorman
Emily Gornick
Warren Gorowitz
Morgan Govaars
Frank Grace
Danielle Graddick
Tiffany Graddick
W. W. Grainger, Inc.
Bernice Grant
Joachim Granzow
Cynthia Grasman
Jack Greene
Mika Greenfield
Jason Greenwald &
Corey Nickerson
Marcia Grey
Emi & Ben Griesse
Petra Griffith
Rudy E. Grimaldo
Cheryl Grimley
David A. Gross
Haley Gross
Jill Grossbard
Eoin Gubbins
Leah Guerra
Joseph Gulino, M.D.
Keith Gulman
Vikas Gupta
Michelle Hagopian
Michelle Hahn
Jane Hale
Kelley Hall
Pat Hall
Frida Vasquez Hallen &
Edward Hallen
Allison Hamada
Seung Han
Susan Handa
Rachel Harbert
Annette & Richard Harbinger
Francine Harcum
Blair Haris
Mackenzie Harkins
Gecole Harley
Christine & Bennie Harris Jr.
Kathryn Harris
Michael Harris
Reed Harris, II
Leigh Haslam
Angela Haslip-Farris
Robert Hatta
Tanya Brown Haugaard
Julianne Hayden
Leigh Ann Heagle
Heal The Bay
Health Science Student
Alliance of CSUDH
Nick Hedges
Chris Hedien
Anne Heestand
Patricia Heestand
Elizabeth Heilman
Clayton Heiser
Lindsey Helgen
Margo Helgen
Gregory Heller
Robert Heller
Cate Hemingway
D. Michael Henderson
Taylor Henderson
Jessica Hendrick
Aimie Hendricks
Lisa Hennessy
Brian Henniker
Meredith Henning
Kelly–Ann Henry
Amy Hermalik
Blair Herman
David Hernand
Angelica Hernandez
Marlon Hernandez
Rosina Hernandez
Sylvia Hernandez
John Herpers
Herbert Herrmann
Benjamin Hershkowitz
Nicole Heyl & Megan Webster
Richard Heyl
Hilly Hicks, Jr.
Haley Hicky
Alisa Hidalgo
Jamie Hilao
Leonard Hill
April Hinrichsen
Eva Ho
Richard Hoak
Beth & James Hobson
Adam Hochschuler
Blair Holert
Arlene & George Holley
Robert Holley
Perry Hollowell
Preston Hopson
Charles M. Horn, IV
Steve Hornstra
Robyn Horrick
Andrew Howard
Albert Hsia
Aileen Hsu
Charles Huang
Hofite & Chris Huddleston
Malia Huff
Richard Hull
David Hung
Melissa Hunnicutt
Amelia Hurlbut
Karen Hyun
Lanre Idewu, Founder
Fit4LA.com
Frank Inserra
Ren Insley
Melody Iravani
Donna Irving
Lincoln Isetta
Ivan Ivankovich
Alexander Izzard
Pat Jakle
Monica Jan
Kelly Jarrett
Belinda J. Jenkins
Mack Jenkins
OUR SUPPORTERS 11
Supporters
$1 – $499 (continued)
Skip Jennings
Travis Jensen
Katy Jenson
Ji Jeon & John Berlinkski
Autry, Jennifer &
Peter Jesperson
Yunqian Ji
Ni Jiang
Ann Marie Johansen
Claire John
Matthew John
Jocelyn & Nick Johnson
Joseph R. Johnson
Khrista & Alton Johnson
Lise Johnson
Stacie Johnson
Lauren Johnston
James Jonassen
Dana Jones
Jada Jordan
Julia Joslyn
Robert Jystad
Emily Kaddo
Christy Kahn
Emily Kalanithi
Lucy Kalanithi
James Kalcheim
Laurence Kalinsky
Robin Kalish
Ofer Kamil
Alvin Kang
Daniel Kang
Matt Kanner, The Kanner
Group of KW Commercial
Brokerage
Reid Kaplan
Reef Karim
Sara Karubian
Daniel Katz
Adam Kaufman
Joseph Kavanagh
Ira Kaye
Paul Kaye
Debra Kehr
Byron Kelley
Karen Kelley
Brian Kelly
Dorothy Kelly
Gary, Mary & Dean Keltner
Elizabeth & Christopher Kemp
Sam Kepple
Joo Kershner
Leslie Kersun
Arnaud Kerviche
Jonathan Ketch
Mehdi Khachani
Jahanzeb Khan
Osman Khan
Samin Khan
Russell Kidd
James Kim
Paul Kim
Dale Kinsella
Mary Kinzelberg
KIPP LA School
Margaret Kirk
Stacy Kirk
Allison Kirkby
M. Kirschner
Lyndsey Kistner
Rodney Kleiger
Rachael Klein & Louisa Chen
Benjamin Kleinman
Leslie Kligerman
Tatsuo Kobayashi
Lori Kocon
Natalie Koffman
Lara Koslow
Cynthia Kounaris
Jessica Kowalski
Kraft Food Group Foundation
Steven Kramer
Edward Kramlich
Cassandra Krause &
Blake Morrisson
Shelby Kraushaar
Mike Kreiling
Kroger Foods
Neal Krone
Rik Krulish
Adam Kugajevsky
Alexander Kugajevsky
Andrew Kugajevsky
Nancy and Walter Kuhn
Michael Kump
Robert Kuntz
Flo Kuraoka
Derick Kurdy
Kay Kwok
Nancy Kwong
Belinda Lai
Olivia Lai
Shawn Lambert
Mark Landay
Clark Landry
Emily Lanfear
Rosa Larrazolo
Scott Lasser
LiAmi Lawrence
Glenn Lawse
Shira Lazar
Grace Lazenby
Hanh Le & Lars Hens
Micaela Le Blanc
Marc Lebovitz
The Lech’s
Craig Lee
Mei Lee
Pitgu Lee
12 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Robert Lee
Yunhsiu Lee
Saun & Jim Legeman
Michael Lehman
Suzie & Steve Lehman
Mark Leibowitz
Erica Lepping
Helene & Dov Lesel
David Lessoff
Logan Levant
Marissa Levi
Susan & Bruce Levin
Hope Levin
Judi Levine
Lauri Levine
Elizabeth Levy
Danielle Lew
Donna & Gene Lew
Dorene Lew
Lewis / Klein
Ashley Lewis
Phillip Lewis
Peng Li
Amy Liang
Yili Liang
Donald G. Liddy
Paulette Light
Lighthouse Career Encourage
USA Corp
Adam Lilling
Bob Limbacher
Jennifer Lin & Allan Edmiston
Lee Linden
Joshua Lipton
Kristian Lishey
Rob Lissner
Gail Littleton
Gary Liu
Louis Liu
Michelle Liu
Nani Liu
Shoa-Kai Liu
Simone Liu
Alison Lobenstein
Kiptyn Locke
Cindy Loh
Mark Longiaru
Debbie & Matt Lopez
Issa Lopez
Veronica Lopez
Linda Lore
Matthew Louchheim
Janice Loughman
Farrah Louviere
Wesley Low
Cliff Lowe
William Lowery
Robert W. Jr. &
Randi Lee Lundy
Loris & Kory Lunsford
Patrick Lynass
Michael Lynch
Shannon Lynch
Debi Lynn
Thomas Lynn
Carolyn Lyon
Joseph P. Lyons
Steven Lyons
Dexter Lyu
Jose Maciel
Sandra Maciel
Julie Mackin
Helen Mackinnon
Kay Madati
Oliver V. Madayag
Diana Madrid
Donna Maetz
Noha Mahmoud
John Mahoney
Maureen Malone
Jimmy Man
Fred Manaster
Nicole Mangino
Ross Mankuta
Florence Manning
Robin Manzer
Aldo Manzini
Christina & Monte Marcaccini
Melanie Marconi
Elissa Margolis
Guillermo Marin
Susan Marki
Kaleana Markley
Suzee Markowitz
Kathleen Marley
Patricia O. Marley
Katie Maroon & Blake Behrens
Craig Marshall
Brandon Martin
Rand Martin Associates
Stephen Martin
Daniel Martinez
Laura Martinez & Borchien Lai
Sara Mascall
Patricia & Arles Mason
Greg Mason
Linda Mason
Brian Mathena
Beth Mattera
Jane Balkin Matz
Jessica Mayerson
Brad Maynard
Seth Mazow
Dominik Mazur
Karen & Frederick Mbanefo
Amanda McAllister
Greta McAnany
Benn McCallister
Brittny McCarthy
Maureen Marley McCarthy
Michelle McCarthy
James McClellan
Tim McCracken
Kitt McCurdy
Stacia McGlathery
Carolyn McGrady
Katherine McGrew
Brent McHenry
David McIntosh
Kelly McKeown
Vanessa McLean
Brian McLoughlin
Rebecca Y. McQuilling
Sophia McRae
Dave Meall
Michael Medlock
Tiemo Mehner
Linda & Sheldon Mehr
Zoe Melczer
Stephen Melius
Robin Melnick
Jessica Meltzer
Denise Mendoza
Sandy Mendoza
Philip Mercado
Elizabeth Mercier
Sierra Mercier
Frank Merideth
Lacey Merrell
Emily Merrill
Matthew Merrill
Ari Mervis
Victor Meschures
Scott Meserve Family
Shelly Meyer
Eli Meyers
Or Michaelo
Laura Michelson
Shane Middleton
Bruce Miller
Cathy Miller
Christopher Miller
Cynthia Miller
Dale Miller
Dayton Miller
Mark Miller
Tiffany Miller
Casey Milligan
Laurie Milligan
Angie Milliken
Samantha & Jason Milner
Mind and Body Works
Barbara Mitchell
Marc Mitchell
Ronald Mito
Makoto Mizutani
Nicole Moise
Shayland Moise
Luke Moland
Andrew Molasky
Krista Moll Brennan
Jennifer Moore
Olivia Moore
Claudia C. Mora
Cara & Erik Moreno
Dr. George Moricz
Susan Morris
Erica Morrissey
Sarah Morrow
Lorraine Moses
Kaveh Motamed
Adam Moyer
Cheryl Moyer
Dan Ping Mu
Alba Muirhead
Dionne R. Mulcahy
Tammi Mullan
Liane Mullin
Mark Mullin
Michael Mullin
Shadi Mullin
Lauren Mulrooney
Kelly Mulvey
Liezel Munez
Megan Murphree
Joe Murphy
Leslie Murphy
Meghan Murphy
Anthony Muscat
Steve Muskatell
Silas Myers
Vanessa & Richard Nalle
Neal Narahara
Mark Natzke
Rosielle Navarro
Jason Nazar
Matthew Neco
Cathy Negrete
Kendal Nelson
Mark Nelson
Peter Nelson
Troy Nelson
Shannon Nettleton
Mina & Jake Neuberg
Christopher Ng
Giao Nguyen
Marc Nguyen
Chantra Nhien
Sally & Robert Nicholson
Elizabeth Nickerson
Tracey Nickerson
Corri Nicol
Anne Louise Nieto
Ripsime Nikogosyan
Melanie Nikravesh
Claire Nilsson
Caleb Noordmans
Esther Nordlinger
Maria Norman
P. Brian Nowak
Mark Nussbaum
Walter O’Brien
Molly O’Bryan
Barry O’Conner
Deedy Oberman
Christina Ocampo
Ashley Odland
Kelechi Ogbunamiri
Matthew Ogens
Michael O’Hara
Lisa Ohlmeyer
Edward Ojdana
Erica Olan
Stela Oliveira & Steven Justus
Natasha Olmos
Charlene Huang Olson
Erica Olson
Ivonne Orillac
William Orlove
Gerald O’Rourke
LeeAnn Orozco
Judy Orsini
Vanessa Ortiz
Reiko Osaki
Michael Osborne
Murjani Oseguera
Hayley Osher
Michelle Otelsberg
Ryan Owen
Catherine Oyster
Philip Ozorkiewicz
Beatriz Pace
Melissa Pack
Cheryl Page
Anne Pajaud
Mr. & Mrs. Scott Paletz
Amalia Paliobeis
Jason Palmenberg
Andrea Palonis
Rosemary & Gene Paluch
Julie A. Paluch
Mark Paluch
Karen Palumbo
Sri Pangulur
Thania Panopoulos
Katharine Pantenberg
Laila Pantenberg
Joe Parise
Ann Park
Leslie Park
Thaddaeus Parker
Lorena Parra & John Gonzalez
Rose Parrish
Gabriel Pasette
Susan Pasternak & Larry Picus
Edward Pater
David J. Paul
Paypal Giving Fund
Dan Pearlman
Scott Pearring
Jane Penalosa
Fiona Peng
Satish Penmetsa
Jim Peoples
John Pepper
Chrystiane Pereira
Performing Arts Center of
Los Angeles County
Lauren Perinchief
Lynn Perkins
Silvana Perolini
Michael Persichina
Daniel Peters
Kimberly A. Petrina
Benjamin Petuchowski
Allyson Pfeifer
The Pfizer Foundation
Stephanie Phan
Carol Phillips
Katherine Rose Phillips
Patty Phillips
Joy Picus
John and Kristen Pike
Michelle Pinkney
Kevin Pionkowski
Jennifer Piran
Ikonik Pix
William Plummer
Elise Pomerance
Lisa Pomerantz
Sandy Ponto
Kathleen Poole
Pranav Popat
Maibeth Porter
Ralph Portillo
Arika Portnof
Jennie Portnof
Jon Gabriel Portnof
Bonnie Powers
Justin Pratt
Jamie Price
Jimmy Price
Tyler Price
Rebecca Prince
Barbara Probert
David M. Proctor, III
Amy & Thomas Provencher
Edward Prudhomme
Janice Pugh
Ashley Quinn
Lauren Quinn
Patricia Quinn
Harold R
John Rachlin
Sean Rad
Jacqueline Rafii
Mariam Mohajer–Rahbari
Luci Rainey
Amy Rakocija
Alison Rambaldini
OUR SUPPORTERS 13
Supporters
$1 – $499 (continued)
Jessica Ramey
Corinne Ramsey
C. Randall
Chris Randall
Anita Rao Keech
Aneita Rashford
Lucy Raskin
Aaron Rasmussen
Ryan Rastetter
Jason Ratner
Terin Lokey Ratner
Upwan Ratti
Robert Ray
Darcy Raymond
Katrina Razavi
Trevor Re
Andrew Redman
Renaissance Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Research Support Service
Jeremiah Reynolds
Rhea Ricard
Adam Richards
Anjanette Richelieu
Aqueelah Richmond
Anna Richo
Lauren Richter
Kate Riel
Erin Riley
Robyn Ritter Simon &
Brian Simon
Autianya Rivera
Stephanie Roache
Amani Roberts
Carol Roberts
Emily Roberts
Jane Roberts
Kristina Roberts
Michael Roberts
Scott Roberts
Diane Robertson
Steven Robins
Craig Robinson
Gary Robinson
Lisa Robinson
Michelle Roche
Angela Rodgers
Michele Rodgers
Nathan Rodriguez
Karlene Rogers–Aberman
Jesse Rogowsky
Loretta Rojo
Jim Romanello
Laura C. Romero, Ph.D
Rachel & Ryan Romero
Carlos Romo
Brienne Rose
Portia Rosemond
Dr. Mary A. Rosenfeld &
Sheldon Kadish
Suzanne Rosenthal
Seth Roskos
Robert Ross
Kara Rossi
Ashley & Ty Rossmann
Gerald Roth
Robert Rotstein
Sandra Ruiz
Colleen Rumsey
Valerie Rush
Rusk Sound Studio
Kathryn F. Russo
Lynn Rutherford
Alexandra Ryan
Katherine Ryan
Patrick Sabatini
Gilbert Saguid
Salesforce.com Foundation
Michelle Salvatore
Tina San Lucas
Navjeet Sandhu
Serena Sandino
Kathleen K. Sankey
Robert Santelli
Ravi Sarin
Dan Satorius
Alan Schaefer
Stephen Schaefer
Jonathan Schiminske
Scott Schlichter
Kerry L. Schmidt
Lauren Schneider
Stephanie Schneider
Faye Schoenher
Joseph Schohl
Samantha Scholfield
Tara Schulenberg
Jared Schwartz
Julie Schwartz
Kelly Schwartz
Nicole Schwartz
Rachel Sciacca
Jeffrey Scott
Sara L. Scott
The Screen Actors Guild
Foundation
Jaunique Sealey
Debbie Searle
Jennifer Searle
Arman Sertyan
Ann Setty–Rosevear
Laura Shaham
Yoav Shahar
Andy Shalbrack
Ashok Sharma
Marisa Sharma
Puja Sharma
Amy Sheyer
Mingyue Shi
Michael Shields
Loretta H. Shine
14 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Rachael Shinoskie
Wyatt Shipley
Jan & Dick Shortz
Jennifer Shram
Shanna Shryne
Allison Shumate
Ian Siegel
Michelle Silliman
Cody Simms
Danny Simon
Jed Simon
Jessica Simon
Josh Simon
Samantha Simon
Karim Simplis
Mr. & Mrs. Sinaiko
Dion Singer
Sandy & Frederick Singer
Stephanie Singletary
Jaime Sipila
Melissa Skehan
Skirball Cultural Center
Alina Slamar
Kelly Slattery
Scott Slayton
Paul Slider
Richard Slosberg
Derek Smith
Sandra Smith
Todd Smith
Lynn & Lenny Snyder
Misia Snyder
Marthina Sochodolak
Aparajita Sohoni
Leonard E. Somdahl
Cindy Song
Eden Song
Morten Sorensen
Kristen Spanier
Fiona Spence
Ame Spett
Darci Spiker
Kelly Spinks & Andrew Silver
Suzanne & Joe Sposato
Ted Spriggs
Monica Spurgeon
Stacey Staples
Sara Steele–Rogers
Dahlea Steger
Joseph Steger
Bryan Steinkohl
Louis Sterling
T.F. Sterry
Christopher Stevens
Bunny Stivers
Charles Stone
Alden Stoner
Kerri Stoughton–Jackson
Peter Strand
Don Strasburg
Georgios Stratakos
Catherine Stringer
James Stuart
Carly Stubner
Melissa Sturm
Shawna Such
Dr. & Mrs. Fred Sugar
Ruth & Jay Sugerman
Paul Summey
David Sun
Eileen L. Sun
Erica Sun
Zhaohui Sun
Adam Sussman
Eva Sussmann
Cassandra Swan
Elijah Szasz
Sandra Taetzsch
Justin Takata
Harold Tan
J. Tanner
Song Tao
Daniel Tarica
Brent Tasugi
Eric Taylor
Peter Thea
Lauren Thibodeaux
Jacob Thomas
Laura Thomas
Denis Thomopoulos
Jeffrey Thomson
Hailey Thostenson
TimeWarner Matching
Grants Program
A.R. Tobias
Jason Tomarken
Ruth Tooker
Travis Torgerson
Tai Toribio
Vanessa Torres
Teresa Totorica
Danny Tour
David Towers
Vivian Tran
Joseph Trapanese
Daniel Travers
Travers Realty Corporation
Stephanie V. Trice
Chris Trombetta
Hillary Trudgeon
Tricia Tseng
MeiMei Tuan
Jerry Tzou
U.S. Bank Foundation
UBS Financial Services Inc.
Robert Uccardi
United Student Aid Funds
Eduardo Valdes
Tammy Valdes
Susan Valdry
Gil Valera
Jason Van Marle
Deborah Van Nest
Rory Van Nest
Mary van Praag
Glenn Vanzura
Valerie Varin
Margaux Vega
Pamela, Gilberto &
Nitya Velarde
Michelle Vick
Suzanne Victoreen
Cristine Villorante
Jennifer Vitale
Jessica Vitale
Christine Vu
Gabrielle Waary
David Wachtell
Jennifer Wallenstein
Haley Walsh
Leslie Wandmacher
Anne Wang
Jonathon Ward
Ramsey Warren
Donna Watchman
Edward Watson
Martha M. Watson
Michael Wayne
Jane Weber
Megan Webster
Paul Wehrley
Michael Weinsten
Jonathan Weiss
Howard Weitzman
Wells Fargo Community
Support Campaign
Mary Wells
Emily Welsh
Gregory F. Wendt
Stanley West
Stephanie Wheeler
Beth Whiffen
Autumn White
Julie Wie
Heather Wilkens
Robert Willett
Bret Williams
Jeff Williams
Kevin Williams
Stephanie Williams
Scott Wilson
Tracey Wilson
Winston Art Group
Jeffrey Winter
Leah Winter
John Wiseman
Julie Wiskirchen
Kimberly Withee
Cory Wobig
Bennett Wolin
Joelle Wolstein & Jeremy May
Julie Wong
Willy Wong
Dorothy Woo
Edward Woo
Danice Woodley
Grady Michael Woodring
Jocelyn Woolsey
William Wortmann
Devin Wright
Valeria Wright
Bernardine Wu
Simon Wu
Xi Theta STTI, California State
University, Dominguez Hills
Sharon G. Yarbrough
Omid Yazdi
Adria Ybarra
Gwan Yip
Jason Yoo
Jihoon Yoo & Steve Kim
Anita York
Margaret A. York
Susan & Brett Yoshimura
Albert W. Young
Pilar Yousefi
Haein Yu
Michael Yu
Daniel Yusen
David Yusen
Natalie Yusen
Bradley Zagnoev
Alexandra Zaripov
Alicia Zaro
Aaron Zeeb
Amanda Zeisler
Xuechao Zhao
Stanley Zhou
Charles Ziegler
Rick Zimmerer
Nathan Ziv
Carol Zou
Zula International
Jonathan Zweig
TRIBUTES
In Memory of Guillermo Marin
In Memory of Len Arkin
In Memory of Shirley Baerwald
Michelle Hahn
Guillermo Marin
W. W. Grainger, Inc.
The Hauptman Family
Foundation
In Memory of Antoinette
Matera Ali
Mary Kinzelberg
In Honor of Holly Bendik
Regina Blumenfeld
In Memory of Noel T. Berry
Sandra Smith
In Memory of The Honorable
Tom Bradley
Mary & Glen Odell
In Honor of the Mayo Family
Leslie Joseph
In Honor of Mary & Glen Odell
Lori Dinkel
In Honor of Carla Padilla
B. Chappell
Jay & Ruth Sugerman
In Honor of Heather & Mark Brown
In Honor of Julie Richter
John & Kristen Pike
Lauren Richter
In Honor of Ronnie Cavalluzzi
In Memory of Rock & Roll
Anonymous
Walter Partos & Carol Zou
In Honor of Marisa Colon
In Memory of Mrs. John D. Roskos
The Angell Foundation
Seth Roskos
In Memory of Amir Farivar
In Memory of Samuel Sale
Talla Farivar
Cynthia & Jim Brooks
Marilyn Brown
Stephanie Fein & David Lakes
Mary & Glen Odell
Lois Saffian
Carla & Jonathan Sanger
UniHealth Foundation
Barbara Yaroslavsky
In Honor of David Freedman
David Ikeda
In Memory of Egle Germanas
Tony & Kathy Burris
Dolce Family
Arles & Patricia Mason
Rose Parrish
Carla & Jonathan Sanger
In Honor of Constance Gibson
Jeffrey Brick
In Honor of Jeff Goad
Marvin & Doris Goad
In Honor of Sharon Graves
Debbie & Matt Lopez
In Honor of Carla Sanger
Marilyn Brown
Brian Garcia
Tian Mu
In Memory of Susan Schick
Mary & Glen Odell
UniHealth Foundation
In Memory of Mihail Ivanov
In Honor of Debbie &
Tom Shapiro
Perry Hollowell
Anonymous
In Honor of Kathleen Kelly
reaching 15 yrs with Capital Group
In Honor of Tory &
Carmen Strang
Capital Group Companies –
Charitable Giving Program
Katelyn Craig
In Memory of Jamie Kershaw
In Memory of Ruth &
Shorty Strouth
Michele Bertolini
Sandy Ponto
In Honor of Mary Kinzelberg
In Memory of Deklan Yoshimura
Air, Weather & Sea
Conditions, Inc.
Susan & Brett Yoshimura
In Memory of Helene Zieg
In Honor of Cassandra Krause
Sandra Taetzsch
Anonymous
In Memory of Francine Leipsic
Mary Kinzelberg
In Honor of Katrina Ling
Mary & Glen Odell
OUR SUPPORTERS 15
In-Kind Contributors
$100,000 – $199,999
Los Angeles Community
Free Methodist Church
Los Angeles Regional
Food Bank
The University of Southern
California
$20,000 – $49,999
Flight Options
United Airlines
$10,000 – $19,999
Los Angeles Lakers
Nike, Inc.
Pantages Theatre
Faith Porter, Artist
$5,000 – $9,999
Max and Lubov Azria /
BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, INC.
Garrett Q. Bland
Four Seasons Resort Maui
James A. Jenkins, M.D.
Neutrogena Corporation
Jodi & Andy Wing
$1,000 – $4,999
Arey Jones Educational
Solutions
Hotel Bel-Air
Bodhi Meditation
Burn Fitness
The Butter End Bakery
Casa De Salud /
House of Health
Center for Early Education
Mary Chambers / The Chambers
Consulting Group
Children’s Health Access and
Medi-Cal Program–CHAMP
Colgin Cellars
Kathleen & Moze Cowper
Developmental Studies Center
Diabolo Beverages
Drybar
East Los Angeles College
Mark Flaisher
Pamela & Jack Fluor
Flywheel Sports
Gearys Beverly Hills
The Greek Theater
Halper Fine Art
Paul Keltner
Rick Kersenbrock
Kids Dental Kare
Los Angeles Police
Department
Mallory Maske / Thrive HR
for Start Ups
Gary & Casey Park
Sharon Harroun Peirce
DJ AmRo
Rowley Portraiture
Jonathan Schiminske
Jennifer Searle
Wayne Searle
Staples Center Foundation
Studio 1-On-1
Surf Air
Sweet Privileges
Vision To Learn
Barry B. Waldo
Warner Bros. Records
$500 – $999
Activision Blizzard
Agave Salon
The Amani Experience
ATP World Tour
Anonymous
T.C. Badalato
Beverly Wilshire,
A Four Seasons Hotel
Bioionic
Howard Bland
Clear Channel
Media + Entertainment
The Crescent Hotel
Pamela Daves
Dermalogica
Sarah & Christopher
Dusseault
Equinox
Freshology
Jupi Corporation
Alex Kadish
Joshua Lipton
The London West Hollywood
Los Angeles Clippers
Foundation
Los Angeles Dodgers
Nigel Lythgoe
Nature Fine Art Photos
One Dress A Day
Matthew D. Petersen
16 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Lynn & David Pollock
Popchips
Julia Michelson Richter
S Factor
Someone’s in the Kitchen
Steven & Co. Jewelers
Uber
U Styled /Catherine Cassidy
UC Cooperation Extension
USC Preventive Medicine
(LA Sprouts)
Viceroy San Francisco
Viceroy Santa Monica
W Scottsdale
Lynne Wasserman
Stan Winston School of
Character Arts
Harvey Zeig
$1 – $499
American Girl
Anaheim Ducks
AQUAhydrate
Arroyo Vista Family
Health Center
Autism Speaks
BabyCakes NYC
The Bar Method Los Angeles
Barney’s Beanery
The Barrette Factory
BJ’s Brewhouse
Blue Plate
Blue Plate Oysterette
Christopher Bollenbach
Border Grill
Bouchon
Alice Desobry Bowens
Bru’s Waffle
Burke Williams
California Pizza Kitchen
Cedars-Sinai Healthy Habits
Program
Chaya
Nancy & Matt Clemo
Club Deportivo Chivas USA
Copain Wines
Core Power
Crystal Lace Design
Department of Public and
Social Services / CalFresh
Outreach
DLA Piper Rudnick Gray
Cary US LLP
Rob Dyrdek
Educational Insights
Ella Fitzgerald Charitable
Foundation
Exhale Mindy Body Spa
Fairmont Miramar Hotel &
Bungalows
Farm Fresh
Find The Children
First Bike
Lauren Frenkel & Chris Love
Fritto Misto
The Garwood
Vivian Haun & Michael
McCollum
Hippo Works LLC
The Homework Lounge
Hope at Home
Hourglass Cosmetics
Incipio
IPS All Natural, LLC
J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
KIND, LLC
Kings Seafood Company
Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump
& Aldisert LLP
KUR Organic Super Foods
LACMA
Lakeshore Learning
Lava Partners
David Lessoff
Jeffrey Levin
Jessica & Lior Lewensztain
Lido de Manhattan
Los Angeles Galaxy
Foundation
M.S. Rau Antiques
Magicopolis
Mattel, Inc.
Meg Bistro
Melisse / Josiah Citrin
Mind and Body Works
The Museum of
Contemporary Art
Nestle
No More Counting Sheep
Nothing Bundt Cakes,
Santa Monica
NYX Cosmetics
Ofina Jewelry
One California Day
ONEHOPE
Oxygen Paragliding /
Jonathan Legg
PACSUN
Panera Bread – Santa Monica
David L. & Lynn Paulson
Performance Contracting, Inc.
Allison Parker & Sam Plotkin
Phantom Boomphones
Pink Taco
Planet Dailies
Pop! Gourmet Popcorn
PopPhysique
The Honorable Richard J. Riordan
Cristina Rose
Sattva Yoga LA
Scratch DJ Academy,
Los Angeles
Debbie & Tom Shapiro
Shaun White Enterprises
Simms Restaurants / MB Post
Simply Salad
Mr. & Mrs. Sinaiko
Skirball Cultural Center
Skullcandy
Soul Cycle
Spa Benjamin
Sprinkles Cupcakes
Stubhub! Center Foundation
SusieCakes
Target
Theodore Payne Foundation
Tieks by Gavrieli
A Touch of Nikki
Andrea Tseng
Twist by Oliver Salon
Janet Unterman
Via Dolce Salon
Victoria’s Secret
Wolfgang’s
The World Academy
Yarden Wines
Yogaworks, West Lake Village
Yorkshire Stables
SPECIAL THANKS
4Play Wines
42 West
American Chemistry Council
Buffalo Trace
California State Parks
Foundation
Control Industry
Cookie Casa
CP3 Foundation
Cupcake Fusion LA
Deliciously Diablo
Don & Sons
Dorchester Collection
Duty Free Shops of
North America
Factor’s Famous Deli
Jordan Farmar
FIG
Friars Charitable Foundation
Rene Garcia
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
GoodWork(s) Make A
Difference
H&M
Hoffman Brown Company
(Hain Celestial Group)
Jim Henson Studios
Joy of Athletics
Judge Judy
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
Kenwood Vineyards
Keyes Motors, Inc.
Kirkland & Ellis, LLP
LA Cake
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
L.A. SHARES
Le Metro
Los Angeles Clippers
Lululemon
Nail Garden
NASA Jet Propulsion
Laboratory
Pressed Juicery
Resqwater
Sadie Kitchen & Lounge
Safe Moves
Skirball Cultural Center
Tanner Dafoe
Terrance the Trapezoid
Turning the Wheel
Mike Vallely
Vanilla Bake Shop
VeeV
Villa Dolce
Vita Coco Coconut Water
Vosges
Wendy’s of LA
OUR SUPPORTERS 17
Financials
LA’s BEST in partnership with LAUSD
Comparative Combined Schedule of Revenues and Expenses
REVENUES AND SUPPORT
BEGINNING NET ASSETS*
57.5% State
32.1% In-Kind Contributions
3.2% City
2.6% Private Foundations
2.0% Federal
1.4% Fundraising Events, net
1.1% Corporations and Individuals
0.1% Dividends, Interest and Other Income
FY 2013-14
FY 2012-13
$10,185,917
$10,563,098
$671,186
26,945
281,432
25,684,081
2,998,045
1,610,864
15,991,431
1,630,717
–3,830
191,399
691,297
60,439
$946,087
117,530
502,056
23,866,257
2,705,508
1,635,864
12,838,581
1,319,016
–12,192
584,792
1,078,645
59,225
TOTAL REVENUES AND SUPPORT
$49,834,006
$45,641,369
EXPENSES
PROGRAM OPERATIONS – LAUSD
Personnel & Benefits including Grants issued to LAUSD
In-kind Expenses
Other Costs including Grants issued to LAUSD
Supplies & Equipment including Grants issued to LAUSD
Contracts / Contract Support / Consultants including Grants issued to LAUSD
Mileage / Transportation including Grants issued to LAUSD
Performing Arts / Visual Arts
Evaluation
Staff Development / Training
Special Program Events
Literacy / Science / Nutrition
$25,837,761
15,911,228
1,656,437
2,117,625
53,241
768,356
462,476
44,455
275,930
396,193
130,314
$25,308,865
12,715,535
1,701,450
1,939,193
248,123
740,255
256,873
96,835
163,369
327,274
232,390
PROGRAM OPERATION EXPENSES
REVENUES AND SUPPORT
US Dept. of Education / 21st Century CLC / LAUSD**
US Dept. of Education / 21st Century CLC
US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development / City of LA
CA Dept. of Education / ASES / LAUSD**
CA Dept. of Education / ASES
City of LA / General City Purposes
In-kind Contributions
Restricted Private Donations***
Unfulfilled Pledges
Unrestricted Private Donations
Fundraising Events, net
Dividends, Interest & Other Income
EXPENSES
89.4% Direct Program Operations
10.6% Administration*
IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS BY CATEGORY
97.8% Nutrition
1.4% Supplies and Materials
0.5% Facilities
0.3% Special Events
$47,654,016
$43,730,162
ADMINISTRATION – LA’s BEST
Personnel & Benefits
Fund Development
In-kind Expenses
Contracts / Contract Support / Consultants
Communications
Other Costs
$1,539,776
45,886
80,203
214,799
198,918
217,411
$1,448,036
29,989
123,046
314,841
150,918
221,558
ADMINISTRATION EXPENSES
$2,296,993
$2,288,388
$49,951,009
$46,018,550
–$117,003
–$377,181
$10,068,914
$10,185,917
TOTAL EXPENSES
SURPLUS / DEFICIT****
ENDING NET ASSETS*
*The beginning and ending net assets are comprised of unrestricted net assets, temporarily restricted net assets and board-designated reserves.
**The California Department of Education awarded funds directly to LAUSD in the amount of $29,380,257 in FY2013-14 for use at LA’s BEST program sites. These funds are audited by
LAUSD auditors, and not LA’s BEST. LAUSD awards are combined with LA’s BEST audited financial statements for information purposes only to present the total program activity
of LA’s BEST in partnership with LAUSD.
***Restricted private donations include multiple year pledges. These pledges were recorded as revenue in prior fiscal years, with services provided (and expenditures incurred) in this
current fiscal year. Accounting requirements mandate that the total value of multi-year private pledges be recorded as revenue in the year pledged.
****For the fiscal year ending June 30,2014, expenses exceeded revenues resulting in a net deficit of $117,003. The net deficit was comprised of an operating deficit of $368,633 and a
temporarily restricted surplus (donor restricted) of $251,630. LA’s BEST maintains reserve funds to cover the operating deficit.
*Administrative costs as a percent of total expenses are comprised of LA’s BEST corporate office and LAUSD administrative expenses.
18 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
AN AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT FOR FY 2013-2014, INCLUDING THE AUDITORS’ OPINION OF LA’s BEST CORPORATE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IS AVAILABLE BY MAIL OR ON LINE AT WWW.LASBEST.ORG.
OUR SUPPORTERS 19
A Worthwhile Investment
LA’s BEST students are
30% less likely
to commit juvenile crime.*
LA’s BEST students are
20% less likely
to drop out of school.*
$7.05
Per day pays for enrichment
activities for one student
at LA’s BEST.
$9.68
Per day pays for enhanced
enrichment for one student
at LA’s BEST.
$1,750
Pays for an entire year of
enhanced enrichment at
LA’s BEST for one child.
* UCLA/CRESST Study
20 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR SUPPORTERS 21
Writing: Belma Michael Johnson Photography: Ben Gibbs and John Metcalf Design: Nida Sanger Printing: Weber Printing Co.
The mission of LA’s BEST is to provide
a safe and supervised after school
education, enrichment and recreation
program for elementary school children
ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
Find out more about LA’s BEST!
lasbest.org
facebook.com/lasbest
twitter.com/lasbest
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
Office of the Mayor
200 North Spring Street, Suite M-120
Los Angeles, CA 90012
T 213.978.0801 / F 213.978.0800
instagram.com/lasbestafterschool
22 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
711 East 14th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
T 213.745.1900 / F 800.267.0342
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Our People
1 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Educators for tomorrow.
Early in its history, LA’s BEST brought the
most-talented teachers we could find to the
communities we served. But we soon discovered
that there were some teachers who were more
tired than engaged by 6 pm. We learned that the
children connected faster to people who were more
like them — people from their own communities.
So we changed our approach. We began to recruit
and train aspiring educators from the communities
we served. As a result, our staff commonly shares
cultural idioms, references and language with the
children. We’ve developed an entirely new pool of
talent — educators for tomorrow.
The result: our children thrived.
This approach is not easier, but it is better. Better
for the program, the community and better for the
child. To make it work, this philosophy demands
a commitment to the community.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR PEOPLE 1
Training for tomorrow.
We realize that just because you hire someone from the
neighborhood doesn’t mean they are qualified to help
develop a child. We have a robust, year-round training
program for staff education, mentorship and continuous
improvement. We teach our staff how to talk to children,
and more importantly, how to listen.
Each site strives to be the village it takes to raise a child
— the on-campus community of support, knowledge and
respect with a sincere desire to help. The goal: to give a
child a variety of good choices. If you only offer good
choices, you can afford to let the child choose how she
wants to learn and from whom.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR PEOPLE 3
LA’s BEST School Sites
1988
Ann Street / Lincoln Heights
Canoga Park / Canoga Park
Hawaiian Avenue / Wilmington
Hobart Boulevard / Koreatown
Logan Street / Echo Park
Manchester Avenue /
South Los Angeles
Sylmar / Sylmar
Utah Street / Boyle Heights
Weigand Avenue / Watts
Westminster / Venice
1989
68th Street / South Los Angeles
Grape Street / Watts
Hillcrest Drive / Crenshaw
Hillside / Lincoln Heights
Langdon Avenue / North Hills
1990
Alta Loma / Mid-City
Hart Street / Canoga Park
Selma Avenue / Hollywood
South Park / South Los Angeles
1994
49th Street / South Los Angeles
Napa Street / Northridge
1995
Menlo Avenue / South Los Angeles
1996
Esperanza / Westlake
Sierra Park / El Sereno
1999
Albion Street / Lincoln Heights
Aragon Avenue / Cypress Park
Baldwin Hills / Crenshaw
Figueroa Street / South Los Angeles
First Street / Boyle Heights
Gates Street / Lincoln Heights
Grant / Hollywood
Hazeltine Avenue / Van Nuys
Hooper Avenue / South Los Angeles
Loren Miller / South Los Angeles
Loreto Street / Highland Park
Monlux / North Hollywood
Murchison Street / Boyle Heights
Shenandoah Street / Mid-City
Sheridan Street / Boyle Heights
Sunrise Street / Boyle Heights
Vaughn Street / Pacoima
Vena Avenue / Arleta
2000
Bandini Street / San Pedro
Braddock Drive / West Los Angeles
Bridge Street / Boyle Heights
Broad / Wilmington
Broadous / Pacoima
Bushnell Way / Highland Park
Canterbury Avenue / Arleta
Cohasset Street / Van Nuys
Coliseum Street / Crenshaw
Compton Avenue / Watts
Fair Avenue / North Hollywood
Fernangeles / Sun Valley
Glenwood / Sun Valley
Gratts / Westlake
Kittridge Street / Valley Glen
Latona Avenue / Montecito Heights
Leo Politi / Pico Union
Limerick Avenue / Canoga Park
Main Street / South Los Angeles
Manhattan Place /
South Los Angeles
Montague Street / Pacoima
Noble Avenue / North Hills
Plummer / North Hills
Roscoe / Sun Valley
Stonehurst Avenue / Sun Valley
Strathern Street / North Hollywood
Sylvan Park / Van Nuys
Telfair Avenue / Pacoima
Valley View / Hollywood
Van Nuys / Van Nuys
Vinedale / Sun Valley
2001
2nd Street / Boyle Heights
15th Street / San Pedro
92nd Street / Watts
109th Street / South Los Angeles
112th Street / Watts
116th Street / South Los Angeles
Arminta / North Hollywood
Cahuenga / Koreatown
El Dorado / Sylmar
Elysian Heights / Echo Park
Garvanza / Highland Park
Grand View / Venice
Griffin Avenue / Lincoln Heights
Hubbard Street / Sylmar
Los Angeles / Pico Union
Magnolia Avenue / Pico Union
Oxnard Street / North Hollywood
Pacoima / Pacoima
Pinewood / Tujunga
Ramona / Hollywood
Stagg Street / Van Nuys
Stoner Avenue / West Los Angeles
Sunny Brae Avenue / Winnetka
West Vernon / South Los Angeles
Wilton Place / Koreatown
2002
20th Street / South Los Angeles
Castelar / Chinatown
Fletcher Drive / Atwater Village
Hoover Street / Pico Union
Lankershim / North Hollywood
Lowman School (Special Education) /
North Hollywood
2003
Aldama / Highland Park
Allesandro / Elysian Valley
Coldwater Canyon /
North Hollywood
Columbus Avenue / Van Nuys
Dyer Street / Sylmar
El Sereno / El Sereno
Glen Alta / Lincoln Heights
Micheltorena Street / Silver Lake
Raymond Avenue /
South Los Angeles
Saticoy / North Hollywood
2004
135th Street / Gardena
Burton Street / Panorama City
Cabrillo Avenue / San Pedro
Euclid Street / Boyle Heights
Fenton Avenue / Lake View Terrace
Mayberry Street / Echo Park
Saturn Street / Mid-City
Vine Street / Hollywood
Yorkdale / Highland Park
2005
42nd Street / South Los Angeles
Aurora / South Los Angeles
Bakewell PC / South Los Angeles
Buchanan / Highland Park
Cesar Chavez / El Sereno
Clifford / Silver Lake
Crescent Heights / Mid-City
Farmdale / El Sereno
Gault / Van Nuys
Gledhill / North Hills
Glenfeliz / Atwater Village
Harvard / Mid-City
Hooper PC / South Los Angeles
Kingsley / Hollywood
Lizarraga / South Los Angeles
Mariposa-Nabi PC / Koreatown
Maurice Sendak / North Hollywood
N.E.W. Academy / Canoga Park
Panorama City / Panorama City
Osceola / Sylmar
Rio Vista / North Hollywood
Rosa Parks / North Hills
Toland Way / Eagle Rock
Wilshire Crest / Mid-City
2006
28th Street / South Los Angeles
Arlington Heights / Mid-City
Bassett / Van Nuys
Bright / Mid-City
Burbank Boulevard /
North Hollywood
Cienega / Mid-City
Flournoy / Watts
Glassell Park / Glassell Park
Griffith-Joyner / Watts
King Jr. / South Los Angeles
La Salle / South Los Angeles
Lassen / North Hills
Lockwood / Hollywood
Los Feliz / Hollywood
Monte Vista / Highland Park
Rosemont / Westlake
Santa Monica / Hollywood
Tom Bradley / Crenshaw
Trinity / South Los Angeles
Victory / North Hollywood
YES Academy / Hyde Park
2007
The Accelerated School /
South Los Angeles
Anatola / Van Nuys
Annandale / Highland Park
Dorris Place / Elysian Park
Harding / Sylmar
Kim / Mid-City
Mayall / North Hills
Primary Academy / Panorama City
Riordan PC / Highland Park
Wilshire Park / Mid-City
Winnetka / Canoga Park
2011
Alta California / Panorama City
Andres & Maria Cardenas / Van Nuys
Dolores Huerta / South Los Angeles
Estrella / South Los Angeles
Julie Korenstein / North Hollywood
Owen Knox / South Los Angeles
Stanley Mosk / Winnetka
2012
Atwater / Atwater Village
Gratts PC / Westlake
Normont / Harbor City
2013
Lawson Academy / South Los Angeles
Marguerite LaMotte /
South Los Angeles
Michelle Obama / Panorama City Sally Ride / South Los Angeles
Washington PC / South Los Angeles
2014
Sylmar Leadership Academy / Sylmar
PC = Primary Center
School Sites by Region
Central City: 20
Eastside: 19
Northeast LA: 15
Hollywood: 9
Mid-City: 16
San Pedro: 6
North Hollywood: 14 San Fernando Valley – East: 37
San Fernando Valley – West: 15
Southside: 40
Westside: 4
The result.
This year, the after school programs of the State of
California are ranked No. 1 in student participation and
satisfaction in a nationwide survey of students, parents,
community leaders and children’s advocates, according to
the Afterschool Alliance, an advocacy group. As a result of
26 years of intentional, purposeful, visible commitment to
the families and neighborhoods we serve, LA’s BEST is a
respected institution in the city, the state, across the
country and around the world as a leader in the Expanded
Learning movement — expanding the definition of
learning one day at a time, one child at a time. Every
school day. (And even on weekends.)
6 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR PEOPLE 7
Map of Accountability & Responsibility
City of Los Angeles
Mayor’s Office
City of Los Angeles
City Council
LAUSD
Board of Education
Private Funders
LA’s BEST
Board of Directors
LA’s BEST
Advisory Board
LAUSD
Superintendent’s Office
LA’s BEST Friends
Board of Directors
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
President & CEO
LAUSD Beyond the Bell
Executive Director
Senior Vice President
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Financial
Analyst
(Consultant)
Vice President
Communications &
Public Affairs
Director of
Administration
Corporate
Financial
Analyst
Director of
Communications
Vice President
Development
Director of
Development:
Grants
Social Media &
Communications
Manager
Consultants
Director of
Development:
Fundraising
Events
Development
Operations
Manager
Director of
Development:
Strategic
Relationships
Budget
Technician
Administrative
Assistant
Principal
Administrative
Analyst
Director of
Evaluation
Director of
Volunteers
Financial
Analyst
Accounting
Technician
Grant
Managers
(2)
Director of
Operations
Contracts
Assistant
Executive
Assistant
Administrative
Assistant
Transportation
Coordinator
Our children are taught largely by community staff, supervised by young
peers steeped in the program’s values and best practices, and supported
by a matrix of specialists in the various aspects of education and
administration that are required for an operation of the scale of LA’s BEST.
This is the safety net for our staff and, ultimately, for our children.
In our corporate office, we raise the funds, manage the finances and
promote the program publicly. In our operations office, we manage the
expenditures, develop the programming and administrate the work
we do in the field.
8 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Director of
BEST Fit
Director of
After School
Arts Program
(ASAP)
Director of
Student
Support
Services
Director of
Staff
Development
Regional
Directors
(2)
Citywide
Events
Coordinator
Accounting
Associate
Director of
Digital
Learning
Recreation
Support
Workers
(4)
Administrative
Aide
Senior Office
Technician
BEST Fit
Coordinator
Office
Technicians
(2)
ASAP
Coordinator
Learning
Facilitators
(8)
Program
Coaches
(36)
Director of
Education
Director of
Program
Compliance
Director of
Technology
Director of
Human
Resources
Programmer
Human
Resources
Coordinator
Technology
Coordinator
Administrative
Aide
Regional
Directors
(2)
Traveling
Program
Supervisors
(36)
Data
Managers
(2)
Site
Coordinators
(195)
IT Field
Services
Technician
Senior Office
Technicians
(2)
Field Staff
(2,160)
Students
(29,000+)
OUR PEOPLE 9
LA’s BEST Administrative Staff
Partners
CORPORATE OFFICE
OPERATIONS OFFICE
Carla Sanger President & CEO
Debe Loxton Chief Operating Officer
Connie Aguilar Administrative Assistant
Edith Ballesteros Director of BEST Fit
Beatriz Amaro Contracts Assistant
Tommy Brewer **** Director of Staff Development
Christine Bell Executive Assistant
Lynette Bynoe Director of Volunteers
Kirby Chong Corporate Financial Analyst
Jennifer Cano Director of Digital Learning
Morenike Evans * Director of Communications
Ronnie Cavalluzzi Director of Student Support Services
Francine Harcum Director of Administration
Regino Chavez Director of Evaluation
Sylvia Hernandez Transportation Coordinator
Kristina Crafton Grant Manager
Belma Michael Johnson Vice President,
Maria Cuevas Regional Director — Program
Communications & Public Affairs
Cassandra Krause Director of Development,
Strategic Partnerships
Mario Davila Director of After School Arts Program
Deanna Galarza Regional Director — Operations
Alicia Green ∆ After School Arts Program Coordinator
Robin Manzer Director of Development, Grants
Juli Emmel J After School Arts Program Coordinator
Cathy Negrete Accounting Associate
Anne Marie Johansen Principal Administrative Analyst
Lorena Parra Manager of Development, Operations
Amelia Lopez Regional Director — Operations
Patty Phillips Director of Development,
Oscar Lopez Director of Technology
Fundraising Events
Emily Roberts Social Media & Communications
Manager* / Director of Communications**
Justine Lozano Human Resources Coordinator
Teresa McGee Technology Coordinator
Nineth Montoya Regional Director — Program
Robyn Ritter Simon Vice President, Development
Robin Morhar Grant Manager
Carmen Sumpter*** Social Media & Communications
Rajesh Narainº Financial Analyst
Manager
Sharon Yarbrough Senior Vice President
Stela Oliveira Director of Education
Richard Prieto Regional Director – City Wide
Dee Ann Rivera Director of Operations
Olivia Romo Director of Human Resources
Rebecca Turner Director of Program Compliance
Bay Tran BEST Fit Coordinator
Mildred Zozulenko I Financial Analyst
* Through June 2014
** As of June 2014
*** As of September 2014
**** Through July 2014
∆
Through November 2013
J As of February 2014
º As of August 2014
I Through April 2014
10 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
A high-quality, community-based after school program like LA’s BEST owes
much of its success to strong partnerships. We are an independent nonprofit
organization, but we work hand-in-hand with the Los Angeles Unified School
District (LAUSD) and City leadership. LA’s BEST is a program of Beyond the
Bell, which collaborates with national and community-based organizations
to provide after school programming in LAUSD.
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Bureau of Engineering
City Administrative Office
City Attorney’s Office
City Clerk
City Council
Commission on Community & Family Services
Los Angeles Housing & Community
Investment Department
Creative Services Division
Department of Cultural Affairs
Department of General Services
Department of General Services —Special Events
Department of Public Works
Department of Recreation and Parks
Department of Transportation
Department of Water and Power
Duplicating Services
Information Technology Agency
LA Cityview 35
Los Angeles Fire Department
Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Zoo
Office of the Mayor
Personnel Department — Commute Options &
Parking Section
Publishing Services
Volunteer Bureau
Accounts Payable
Accounting and Disbursement Division
Beyond the Bell Branch
Board of Education
Budget Services & Financial Planning
California State Parks, Los Angeles City Libraries and
California Readers
Chief Financial Officer
Civic Center Permits Office
Classified Transactions Services Branch
Crisis Counseling and Intervention Services
District Nursing Services
Deputy Superintendent - Instruction
Division of Risk Management & Insurance Services
Division of Special Education
Educational Service Centers
Employee Performance – Accountability
Environmental Health & Safety
Early Childhood Education Division
Facilities Services Division
Food Services Division
General Counsel
Government Relations
Human Relations
Human Resources
Information Technology Division
KLCS Television
LAUSD Libraries
Mail Unit
Maintenance and Operations Branch
Office of Communications
Office of the Superintendent
Personnel Commission
Procurement Services Division
Radio Unit
Real Estate Management Branch
School Mental Health
School Police Department
Specially Funded Accounting Section
Staff Relations
Senior Deputy Superintendent School Operations
Telecommunications Branch
Transportation Services Division
OUR PEOPLE 11
Volunteer with LA’s BEST
Volunteers play a critical role by bringing special talents and skills that add depth
to the program and offer children additional role models. Whatever you’re good at,
kids can learn from you. And you can learn from them too!
We can tailor the program and location to fit you.
Our Director of the volunteer program can help you determine how best to get involved.
Daily, weekly, or maybe just on occasional weekends.
Daily program volunteers participate during the program hours between
3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., Monday-Friday, as homework helpers or activity assistants.
Special events volunteers join in at various citywide events on weekends.
Corporate volunteers are employees participating in their company’s volunteer
program. Ongoing, periodic or one-time event opportunities are available.
Administrative volunteers assist with office duties at our Corporate office
at City Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
Sports volunteers help coaches and share their expertise in a favorite sport.
LA’s BEST kids play practically everything at some point during the year.
Mentors offer support, friendship and a constructive example to individual
students. A mentor’s guidance and encouragement helps children explore their
special talents and navigate their life decisions.
If you have any questions or wish to volunteer, contact Lynette Bynoe, Director,
Volunteer Program, via email at lynetteb@lasbest.lausd.net or apply online at:
www.lasbest.org/involved/volunteer
12 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Photo courtesy of Mattel, Inc.
OUR PEOPLE 13
Writing: Belma Michael Johnson Photography: Ben Gibbs and John Metcalf Design: Nida Sanger Printing: Weber Printing Co.
The mission of LA’s BEST is to provide
a safe and supervised after school
education, enrichment and recreation
program for elementary school children
ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
Find out more about LA’s BEST!
lasbest.org
facebook.com/lasbest
twitter.com/lasbest
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
Office of the Mayor
200 North Spring Street, Suite M-120
Los Angeles, CA 90012
T 213.978.0801 / F 213.978.0800
instagram.com/lasbestafterschool
14 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
711 East 14th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
T 213.745.1900 / F 800.267.0342
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Our Leadership
1 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Leader for tomorrow.
For the first time in the organization’s history,
the Governing Board of LA’s BEST fulfilled its duty
to select a new President and CEO. They determined that the next leader needed certain
attributes: a rich understanding and appreciation
for the values and operations of LA’s BEST; a deep
commitment to child development and youth
advocacy; a national reputation for thoughtleadership in the Expanded Learning movement
and a vision for the future of after school and
non-profits.
After screening dozens of highly qualified
candidates, the Board has selected Eric Gurna.
Gurna served two years as Director of Staff
Development at LA’s BEST, where he not only
was immersed in the organization’s values, he
also was the first to codify them. He has worked
for Educators for Social Responsibility and as
Education Coordinator for the Harlem Children’s
Zone. As the founder, President and CEO of
Development Without Limits, Gurna has earned
a national reputation for designing and facilitating
staff development, curricula and other resources
for community organizations and schools.
He is our leader for tomorrow.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Photo by Jesse Banks III
OUR LEADERSHIP 1
Governance for tomorrow.
LA’s BEST has three critical requirements: to operate
efficiently and responsibly in every aspect of the
organization; to deliver valuable services to the children
and families we serve; and to anticipate and prepare for
changes that will affect our ability to fulfill the first two
objectives.
We have three volunteer boards of highly qualified, highly
specialized professional members of the community who
serve these purposes. Ultimately, they serve one purpose:
to ensure the sustainability of the program for the future
— creating LA’s BEST for Tomorrow.
2 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR LEADERSHIP 3
Governing Board of Directors
Advisory Board
The Governing Board shoulders the fiduciary responsibility of the
organization. Its duties this past year included selecting a new
President and CEO for the first time in the program’s history.
The Advisory Board members are the stewards of the educational quality of
LA’s BEST. These educators and child-development experts make sure
LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program lives up to every word in its name.
Chair Marvin J. Suomiº President & CEO, KUD International, LLC
Chair Alice Desobry Bowens, M.A. Educator
Vice Chair Trudi Ferguson, Ph.D.I Professor, USC, Marshall School of Business
Vice Chair Mary Odell President, UniHealth Foundation
CFO Robert L. Wicke Director, Technology Practice, Deloitte Consulting
Chair Elect Christopher D. Dusseault ºº Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Bryant Alexander, Ph.D. Dean, College of Communication & Fine Arts, Loyola Marymount University
Marilyn Brown Parenting Consultant
The Honorable Richard Alatorre President, Richard Alatorre & Co.
Olivia Campos-Bergeron Director, Community Relations, CBS2/KCAL9
Garrett Q. Bland Managing Director, J.P. Morgan
Kevin Carnes President, Lakeshore Learning Materials
Alice Desobry Bowens Educator and Advisory Board Chair
Richard S. Cheung, D.C. Private Practice and Assistant Clinical Professor,
Pamela Buffett President, The Rebecca Susan Buffett Foundation
Marlyn M. Gates Attorney
Southern California University of Health Sciences
Bill Coggins, MSW I Founder and Former Executive Director, Kaiser Permanente Watts
Dorothy M. Gibbons-White Attorney
Counseling & Learning Center
Andrew Goldfarb* Former Executive
Cheryl Cruz, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Accounting, California State University, Los Angeles
Sharon Graves* Chief Financial Officer, Phorus
Kristen DeLeo Senior Executive Assistant, Neutrogena Corporation and BEST Friends Board Representative
Russ Hagey Global Chief Talent Officer & Partner, Bain & Company Inc. / Los Angeles
Raymond Ealy President, Allira
Amy Moynihan Heyward* Co-President, A Squared Entertainment, LLC
Ray Gonzales Former Producer/Host “Pacesetters,” KTLA Channel 5
Gerald L. Katell Board Chair Emeritus and President, Katell Productions, LLC and Katell Properties, LLC
Jordan Kaye, Account Manager, Hatch & BEST Friends Board Chair
Lorena Guzman Program Coach, LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program
Sweet Alice Harris I Executive Director, Parents of Watts
Nigel Lythgoe CEO, Nigel Lythgoe Productions and Executive Producer, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Helen Hartel, M.A. Former Principal, Lowman Special Education Center
Amber Melius* Attorney, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP and BEST Friends Board Chair
Andrea Kannike Analyst, United States District Court
Carmen Moch* Regional Vice President, Target Stores
Ann Reiss Lane Founder & Chair, Women Against Gun Violence
Gary W. Park Partner, The Oxbridge Law Group
David L. Paulson I CEO, Paulson Enterprises
Peter McAllister, Ph.D. Dean, College of Arts and Letters, California State University, Los Angeles
Sharon Harroun Peirce Director, BritWeek
Nancy Ramirez* Deputy Chief, Los Angeles School Police Department
Matthew D. Petersen Chief Marketing Officer, Jafra Cosmetics
Doris Roberts Actor
Tracy Rafter* Principal, Rafter Group, Inc.
The Honorable Richard J. RiordanI Former Mayor of Los Angeles and Founder, The Riordan Foundation
Laura C. Romero, Ph.D. President & CEO, Brillante Strategies
James Rosser, Ph.D.I President Emeritus, California State University, Los Angeles
Cristina Rose President & CEO, Rose Policy Solutions
June Sale I Advisory Board Chair Emeritus and Child Care Consultant
Lois Saffian I Community Activist
June Sale I Advisory Board Chair Emeritus and Child Care Consultant
Carla Sanger * I President & CEO, LA’s BEST
Carla Sanger, M. Ed.* I President & CEO, LA’s BEST
Dean Schramm Principal, The Schramm Group
Lt. Christopher Stevens Commanding Officer, Valley-West Division, Los Angeles School Police Dept.
Carmel B. Sella Vice President, Community Development, Wells Fargo Bank
Rebecca Unterman, M.Ed. K-12 Education Policy Analyst, MDRC
Reva Shakkottai Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management
Virginia Victorin* Education Advocate
Tom Shapiro President & Owner, Trade Supplies, Inc.
Deborah Villar* Senior Vice President, Bienvenidos Children Services
Robert D. Shipp* President & Owner, RDS Investments
Martha Watson, MSW Psychotherapist/Consultant
Candy Spelling Commissioner Emeritus, City of Los Angeles and American Humane Association Board Member
Barbara Yaroslavsky Community Activist
Cecilia Pascuzzo Travelling Program Supervisor, LA’s BEST and LA’s BEST Parent
David Travers Partner, Rustic Canyon Partners
Barry B. Waldo Consultant, Coca-Cola
Martin J. Wolff * Chairman, Martin J. Wolff & Co., Inc., Insurance Agents
* Retired from the board in 2014
º Retired as Chair in November, 2014
ºº Chair as of November, 2014
I Board Members Appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley in 1988 to oversee
the development of the after school program that became LA’s BEST.
4 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
* Retired from the board in 2014
I Board Members Appointed by Mayor Tom Bradley in 1988 to oversee
the development of the after school program that became LA’s BEST.
OUR LEADERSHIP 5
BEST Friends Board
Carla Sanger, President and CEO of LA’s BEST, discovered the opportunity to
tap into the community of young professionals for support after seeing the
volunteer initiatives of her two sons. The 18-member board was created in
February 2004, with Mario Marin as the founding board chair. Today, the
board is comprised of 26 members, and a network of over 3,500 BEST Friends,
who advocate for LA’s BEST and support the group’s fundraising events and
volunteer initiatives. Fundraising by the BEST Friends Board has grown from
$35,000 in 2004 to more than $400,000 annually.
BEST Friends events fall under three categories: Friendraisers, Fundraisers
and Volunteer events. Throughout the school year, there are First Friday
events every month that involve volunteering at an LA’s BEST site by engaging
in a fun activity with students. The BEST Friends also host site visits regularly,
and they organize Park Day, which emphasizes “good old-fashioned fun” with
relay races, picnicking with students and even bombarding a board member
with water balloons!
Chair Jordan Kaye Account Manger, Hatch and Governing Board Representative
Vice Chair David Lessoff Counsel, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Vice Chair Jennifer Searle Public Relations Consultant
Emily Benowitz Account Coordinator, Twitter
Matt Clemo Director of Business Development, TRG Insurance Services
Moze Cowper Senior Counsel, Amgen Inc.
Kate Craig Director, A&R, Warner Bros. Records Warner/Chappell Music Publishing
Kristen DeLeo Senior Executive Assistant, Neutrogena Corp. and Advisory Board Representative
Jack Fluor Chief Financial Officer, Integrated Media Technologies
Justin Fredericks Director of Business Development, iAmplify
Sara Frisch Attorney, Helton Law Group
Jeff Goad Director of Supply Chain, Drybar
Tiffany Graddick Attorney, Kaye Scholer LLP
Vivian Haun Education Attorney
Terry Hoffmann Senior Vice President, Fleishman Hillard
Nathalie Huddleston Founder, Green Source Coffee Company
Paul Keltner Regional Industry Leader – Construction, Zurich North America
Michael Lynn Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch
Mallory Maske Founder, THRIVE HR for Start Ups
Maureen McLellan Senior Manager, Corporate and Community Affairs, United Airlines
Amber Melius Partner, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP
Tian Mu CEO, Naked Sky Entertainment
Sarah Nickerson Program Manager – Employee Social Responsibility, Google
Kelechi Ogbunamiri Vice President, Investment Research, Guggenheim Partners
Julia Richter Product Marketing, Lifestyles, Yahoo, Inc.
Amani Roberts Principal, Woodside Media Group
6 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR LEADERSHIP 7
Words of Praise for LA’s BEST
“The significance of LA’s BEST is hard to exaggerate.”
ir Ken Robinson, Ph.D. — Author, speaker and leader in the development
S
of education, creativity and innovation
“In my view, LA’s BEST offers one of the most effective public-private
models for delivering programs that keep kids safe and learning after
the schools close their doors.”
Connie Rice — Advancement Project Co-Director, civil rights attorney and civic leader
LA’s BEST “has one of the most consistent records of accomplishment
of any after school program in the country.”
William S. White — Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer,
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
“After being traded to the Clippers in 2011, (Chris) Paul formed an alliance with
a local after-school program, LA’s BEST. In addition to hosting fundraisers,
the six-time All-Star is known for interacting closely with the organization’s
young members, whether it’s teaching them healthy lifestyle habits at the
annual CP3K Walk or bringing them handpicked holiday gifts.”
LA Confidential, December 2013 — “A Sporting Chance”
“ When educators partner with the community in after school programs,
kids flourish both inside and outside the classroom. I have seen firsthand
how these programs support and build on the work of our teachers.
After school programs of the quality of LA’s BEST are an important piece
of public school reform.”
Randi Weingarten — President, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO
“Can we name any other reform with this empirical track record and
low cost? Linking after school in the context of community full-service
schools makes good sense, given evidence of its success in international
and US settings.”
Eva Baker — President, World Educational Research Association
8 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
OUR LEADERSHIP 9
Writing: Belma Michael Johnson Photography: Ben Gibbs and John Metcalf Design: Nida Sanger Printing: Weber Printing Co.
The mission of LA’s BEST is to provide
a safe and supervised after school
education, enrichment and recreation
program for elementary school children
ages 5 to 12 in the City of Los Angeles.
Find out more about LA’s BEST!
lasbest.org
facebook.com/lasbest
twitter.com/lasbest
LA’s BEST Corporate Office
Office of the Mayor
200 North Spring Street, Suite M-120
Los Angeles, CA 90012
T 213.978.0801 / F 213.978.0800
instagram.com/lasbestafterschool
10 LA’s BEST 2013–2014 ANNUAL REPORT
LA’s BEST Operations Office
Los Angeles Unified School District
711 East 14th Place
Los Angeles, CA 90021
T 213.745.1900 / F 800.267.0342