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DIRECTORS
Lisa Marie Urgo
President
Lisa Urgo is Founder and Executive Director of Dreams Can Be Foundation. Lisa has spent a majority of her life working in the entertainment industry and has always had an affinity for Brazil's culture and people. Lisa spent the last 15 years before founding Dreams Can Be Foundation in the role of artist manager, publicist and producer of concerts, festivals, tours, conferences, television specials, videos and documentaries working with numerous production companies, promoters, clubs, record labels, artists and corporations. While specializing in Brazilian music she visited Brazil many times over the years and was in contact with and moved by the Brazilian street children and the plight of impoverished youth there. In 1999 Lisa retired from the music business and after spending some time volunteering in the 3rd sector in Brazil she decided to start a charity as a vehicle for international partnerships with the United States to bring awareness and resources to benefit organizations working with Brazil's impoverished youth. Lisa attended NYU Tisch School of the Arts, The UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television, and Marymount Manhattan College and has studied theater at Circle in the Square, The Actors and Directors Lab, HB Studios and with such acclaimed teachers as Uta Hagen and Stella Adler. Her career incarnations took her from being a professional actress to a 4-year stint at Drexel Burnham Lambert, in their High Yield and Convertible Bonds business to a fitness trainer and competitive bodybuilder in the early 80's to the music and entertainment business in the late 80's. Lisa now splits her time living between Brazil and the U.S. in order to remain close to the issues relevant to impoverished youth in Brazil and working closely with our many dedicated partners, advisors and friends when in the U.S. Lisa is thrilled to be off the treadmill of the high life and in a position to help make dreams come true.
Mark Pasquerilla
Vice President
Mark is CEO of Crown American Realty Trust a public mall company listed on NYSE and Chairman of Crown American Hotels. Mark completed a Master of Science degree in International Relations at the London School of Economics. As a Fulbright-Hays scholar under the auspices of the European Research Institute, he also studied International Affairs at the University of Cologne, Federal Republic of Germany. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Government from Notre Dame University. Mark is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and was appointed to serve on that organization's Political Action Committee in 1991. In addition he is currently a member of the Governor of Pennsylvania's Economic Development Partnership Council, the Education Committee for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Committee and the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT). Mark is also Director of Ameriserve, a regional bank listed on Nasdaq, trustee of Marywood College, Scranton, PA, a Director of the Pittsburgh Opera, Director of the Community Foundation of the Laurel Highlands and Director of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. Mark loves Brazilian music, jazz and Brazilian culture and is a big supporter of the arts.
Deborah L. Herbert
Treasurer
Debbie Herbert is the owner of her own Certified Public Accounting firm in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, serving individual, business, non-profit and governmental entities. Ms. Herbert is a member of the American and Pennsylvania Institutes of CPAs and is a past Treasurer of the PICPA. Ms. Herbert currently serves as Treasurer of the following non-profit organizations: Sunnehanna Country Club, Beginning Early Intervention, Inc., Cambria County Student Hockey League and Dreams Can Be Foundation. Ms Herbert is also currently the President of the Community Arts Center of Cambria County and has previously served on the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Laurel Highlands and the YWCA of Greater Johnstown.
Thomas Mulready
US Secretary
Principal, MulreadyGROUP
Thomas has served as a guest lecturer and panelist for The National Endowment for the Arts, the Bush Foundation, the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation, The Ohio Arts Council, Maryland Institute College of Art, Cleveland Institute of Art, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and Oberlin College. He was one of eight in the U.S. to be awarded a residency in the United Kingdom to develop cross-cultural artist exchanges and partnerships, and has been listed in the Who's Who of Entertainment since1990. As principal of MulreadyGROUP, he works with business and arts groups on management, marketing and Internet strategy. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of E-Commerce Strategy for the tenth largest bank in the U.S.
Paulo Haus Martins, Esq.
Brazilian Secretary
Paulo graduated in Law and Political Science at the State University of Rio de Janeiro, with post-graduate studies in Corporate and Societal Law. His main activities have been related to social projects, institutionalization of public policies and evaluation of legal themes linked to social movements and technology. He has also provided the services of consulting and setting up third sector organizations from private initiatives associated with international programs and public organizations, such as the IBD and the World Bank. Paulo is the Coordinator of the sub-site Law and Internet - Citizenship Portal, of the Internet site RITS -(Third Sector Information Network). Paulo is also a member of the Executive Committee of Marco Legal (Legal Initiative) for Conselho da Comunidade Solidária (The Council on Community Solidarity) for Micro Finance in Brazil. He has frequently participated as lecturer in events designed to prepare and discuss new legal and normative mechanisms for public policies. Some of his main clients include Doctors Without Borders, Care, European Union (APD-Rio); GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Technishe Zusammenarbeit GmbH); PDA/PPG7; Network Information for the Third Sector (RITS); IETS - Institute of Studies of Labor and Society.
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ADVISORY BOARD
Bill Bragin,
New York, NY
Director, Joes Pub Theatre
Bill Bragin is Director of Joe's Pub at the Public Theater in New York City, responsible for programming nightly shows of music, performance, dance and literary programs. Bill is also the founder of Acidophilus: Live and Active Cultures, a music and arts consulting company, whose projects have included programming for Lincoln Center, music supervision for various choreographers, film makers, Microsoft Encarta Bee, booking for Brazil's Abril Pro Rock festival as well as sponsorship consultation for New York's Center for Traditional Music and Dance. As a music journalist, Bill has been a correspondent for CMJ Music Weekly, Canada Broadcasting Company radio's Global Village, Sonicnet, Cdnow and VH1.com, and as DJ Acidophilus he has spun in numerous clubs in New York, Berlin, Vancouver and elsewhere. Previously Bill was Curator of Music Programs at Symphony Space, was the Artistic Director and Executive Producer of Central Park SummerStage and served as General Manager NYNO records. For five years, Bill was a producer of jazz festivals and marketing programs for George Wein's Festival Productions, producing the Boston Globe Jazz Festival, the Carnegie Hall Centennial Festival, the JVC Jazz Festivals New York and Newport, the Mellon Jazz Festival Philadelphia, and others. He has organized, moderated and served as a panelist for conferences including the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, CMJ Music Marathon, the North American Folk Alliance and Global Cafe, and has served as a music and multi-disciplinary grants panelist for Arts International's Fund for US Artists at Festivals Abroad. Bill is active as a member of the Board of Advisors for Central Park SummerStage and Celebrate Brooklyn, the World Music Steering Committee for the North American Folk Alliance, the Executive Board of the Black Rock Coalition and the benefit committee of the REACH Community School for previously homeless and disadvantaged youth.
Greg D'Alessandro (Del)
Los Angeles, CA.
Screenwriter/Producer
Greg D'Alessandro is a screenwriter/producer recently transplanted from NY to L.A. He has optioned several scripts since graduating from USC Film School in 2001 where he won several writing awards. He is currently a visiting scholar in UCLA's Screenwriting Program and has recently written an article entitled "The Ideal Interpreter" for Cinema Journal magazine. Del is also a contributor to Italian Americana - a magazine celebrating the culture and history of Italian-Americans. He is a writer/performer in a sketch comedy troupe "Helen" and the creator/writer of an original series about the music industry entitled "In the Mix." He was the co-producer of two award-winning documentaries "Queens of the Big Time" and "AIDS: The Facts of Life." Before moving to Los Angeles, Greg lived in New York City where he saw a number of his plays produced Off-Broadway. He is co-founder of Amosaya Records, which has released over 30 records since 1994. He has also served on the staff of Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. In the last eight years, Greg has worked closely with the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco, helping raise money for disadvantaged teenagers.
Joanna Fabozzi
New York, NY
Joanna is a graduate of Russell Sage College for Women, Magna Cume Laude and Recipient of the Edna Travis Business and Economics award. Joanna spent years as a Mental Health Counselor at Four Winds Psychiatric Hospital specializing in teens and adolescents, where she was responsible for doctor-patient relations and all therapy activities including art, recreation and meditation therapy. She has worked for CitySearch.com in New York City as an Internet Business Advisor and Internet Marketing Advisor, where she created marketing and sales material for all metropolitan CitySearch offices. She was a Business Manager for a small media firm in Soho, New York, responsible for managing all aspects of the firm; financial, sales, marketing etc. She is currently working in TV corporate news media for the early morning shows on NBC and CBS and will continue her education working toward receiving a MBA in International Business focusing her studies in non-profit management in Rome, Italy. Joanna is also an active volunteer with Huntington's Disease Society of America and Angelwish Foundation assisting in event planning, sales and business development. She has set up a donation fund with Dreams Can Be Foundation where she receives contributions for the marathons and triathlons that she competes in.
Rubem César Fernandes
Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
Anthropologist, Human Rights
and Public Safety Activist
Director of Viva Rio
Rubem Cesar graduated in History from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, has an MA in Philosophy, University of Varsovia, Poland an MA in History of Social Thought from Columbia University, New York, and a PhD in History of Social Thought also from Columbia University. Rubem has taught at Columbia, UNICAMP, UFRJ, Maison de Sciences de l'Homme, UFF and UERJ. His work experience includes: the Executive Secretary of ISER (Institute of Religious Studies), President of North/South network - Culture and Development, Coordinator of Inter-Religious Movement, Rio de Janeiro, Counselor of Joint and Several Community, Brasilia, Scientific Counselor of the Institute of Culture and Education Studies (IEC), and Coordinator of Research Center of Urban Violence, ISER. Rubem has received numerous honors including: Mellon Fellow, Jornal do Brasil, Marketing Personal Conspicuousness, Marketing Brazilian Association; Personality of the Year, Association of Foreign Correspondents in Brazil; Prize of the Federation of Commercial Association of Rio Grande do Sul, Adolph Bloch Prize, Israeli Foundation of Rio de Janeiro, Medal Homero dos Santos, Lyons from Rio de Janeiro.
He has participated in numerous international conferences covering wide- range social-political topics and has published articles in Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, Italian, German and Polish.
Molly Haydon
Los Angeles, CA
National Marketing Director TMG - West
Molly began her career in Entertainment Marketing in Canada eleven years ago where she promoted concerts, outdoor festivals, and Broadway theatre Since then she has worked for Jam Productions as their Director of Theatre Marketing touring Broadway productions including RENT, STOMP, West Side Story, Defending The Caveman, and Annie starring Nell Carter. In the summer of 1998, Molly joined TMG as the National Marketing Director for Annie starring Sally Struthers. Since then she has represented such shows as The Sound Of Music tour starring Richard Chamberlain, The Sound Of Music starring Barry Williams, Dame Edna: The Royal Tour, Kiss Me, Kate and the Mel Brooks hit The Producers. Molly has also coordinated promotions for the Broadway productions of Jekyll & Hyde, The Weir, Kiss Me, Kate, Kat and the Kings and The Original Broadway SWING!
Candace A. Lessa
Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
Brazilian Associate, Synergos Institute
Candace "Cindy" Lessa, is the Brazilian Associate for Synergos Institute, a NY based non-profit organization with offices worldwide. The Synergos Institute works with partners to mobilize resources and bridge social and economic divides to reduce poverty and increase equity around the world. Cindy brings over fifteen years experience with the third sector in Brazil. She was the Ashoka representative up until the mid nineties and before joining Synergos worked as an independent consultant for international organizations in Brazil and for Brazilian non governmental organizations. She holds a BA from Mount Holyoke College and a graduate degree in history of art from the Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.
Joyce Silveira Moreno
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Artist
Joyce is an award-winning singer, composer and guitar player who for more than 34 years has been touring internationally. She has over 300 songs recorded worldwide, 26 albums released since 1968, one book published, and wrote a weekly column in O Dia, a large Brazilian newspaper. In addition she is currently the creative director and host of a Brazilian TV program about the history and tradition of Brazilian popular music. She has been an activist for civil rights in Brazil, is considered a feminist and fights for environmental causes along with rights for underprivileged children and families.
Katharine Neubauer
Stockton, CA
Director of Development for The Brubeck Institute and
the Conservatory of Music at The University of the Pacific
Katie is a music business professional, specializing in jazz, blues, Latin, Brazilian and world music. She has 15 years experience in concert & tour booking and production, publicity & marketing, recording production, personal management, music publishing, and legal affairs. Katie has worked on projects that featured many of the top names in music, including Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett and Ray Charles. She has coordinated recording for more than 40 jazz, blues and Brazilian artists. She is currently Director of Development for the Conservatory of Music at The University of the Pacific and The Brubeck Institute; a jazz studies and outreach program dedicated to the living legacy of jazz composer/pianist Dave Brubeck.
Gabriel O Pensador
Rio de Janeiro, RJ Brazil
Artist, Social Activist
Musician and social activist Gabriel O Pensador is a pioneer of Rap Music in Brazil. A native of Rio de Janeiro he grew up and still lives near Rocinha (the largest favela or slum in Latin America). For over a decade Gabriel's music has been an inspiration to the Brazilian people - representing the voice for those who live the injustices in Brazilian society. In the early 90's Gabriel discovered the works of such artists as Run DMC, Public Enemy and Bob Marley. Disturbed by the injustices that he was seeing in Brazil at the time, he began to write music with lyrics to inspire change and provoke thought. Born Gabriel Contino, he took on the stage name; Gabriel O Pensador (Gabriel, The Thinker). Driven by the many social ills that plague Brazilian society, Gabriel drew upon his frustrations to bring about change under the disgraceful regime of the President at the time Fernando Collor. In 1992 Gabriel recorded a demo tape of "Tô Feliz - Matei o Presidente" (I'm Happy -I Killed the President) that found its way to a Rio de Janeiro radiostation. The song shot to number one within 5 days (was subsequently bannedwhen then President Collor was impeached.) The success of this song launched his career with Sony Music (Brazil) and his first national record release of the self-titled O Gabriel. His ability to voice the thoughts and feelings of an oppressed society and to champion their cause has brought him world wide acclaim. He continues to churn out hits tackling subjects such as poverty, violence and drugs, alcoholism, public health issues the environment and unemployment. Gabriel does not want to just sing (and think). He wants to protest and increase awareness as well. Therefore, Seja Você Mesmo Mas Não Seja Sempre o Mesmo ("Be Yourself But Don't Be Always The Same") - the fifth record in an 8-year career - ended up as an album focused on corruption, police brutality, injustice and generalized submission. "I'm really obsessed with making people think, protest and demand for change. We always believe that the situation can't get any worse and that it is time that things changed, but then they do get worse. Though I think it's too much, right now. It can't go on like this", Gabriel explains, referring to the political scandals and muddy stories that appear daily in Brazilian newspapers. Gabriel shares his home with his wife Aninha Lima and their new son, Tom. Much loved by people from all walks of life Gabriel O Pensador continues to evoke change.
Erica Ruben
New York, NY
Erica was born and raised in Princeton, New Jersey and graduated with honors from Vassar College. After college she worked in the film and television business working with NBC, MTV and PBS. In 1990 Erica began working at Central Park SummerStage as Assistant Director of the festival. In 1993 she was named Executive Producer. In 1997 Erica moved to become the Director of Artist and Repertoire for Rykodisc where she developed the record company's artist roster. In 1998 she took a hiatus from the workplace to travel extensively in South America including Brazil, the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Europe. Upon her return to New York City, Erica rejoined the staff of Central Park SummerStage, again as Executive Producer where she continued until this year. Erica has been a board member of New York State Chapter of the International Festivals and Events Association and the programming committee for Earth Day Festival. She has served as a panelist or featured speaker at the European Forum of Worldwide Festivals Conference in Berlin; the New York University Graduate Program of Arts Administration; New Music Seminar; and Arts and Business Council. She has produced three additional music series in parks throughout New York City for the City Parks Foundation and Brooklyn Academy of Music, and she Associate Produced a world music series at the Delacourte Theatre in partnership with the Public Theater. Erica currently DJ's at local clubs and is developing a new committee on world music for the National Academy of Arts and Recording Sciences.
William E. Strickland Jr.
Pittsburgh, PA
President and CEO
Manchester Bidwell Corporation
Bill Strickland is the President and CEO of Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and Bidwell Training Center, Inc., both founded in 1968. His duties include: developing and implementing major fund-raising plans of action; working with Boards of Directors and an Industrial Advisory Board; encouraging participation of corporate executive officials from major multi-national Pittsburgh corporations; and planning and implementing other strategic plans. Throughout his distinguished career, Strickland has been honored with numerous prestigious awards for his contributions to the arts and the community including the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Arts Leadership and Service Award, the Kilby Award and "Coming Up Taller" Award presented in a White House ceremony by first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, the MacArthur "Genius" Award for leadership and ingenuity in the arts. He has served as Chairman of the Expansion Arts Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. and served a six-year Presidential appointment as a Council Member to the NEA. He was also a Council Member on the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, a trustee at the Carnegie, and a Consultant with the British/American Arts Association in London, England. He has also served as a consultant, grant evaluator and mentor in the field of arts and arts education, community development and vocational training. He is a Board Member of a number of corporations including: Mellon Financial Corporation, Americans for the Arts, Phipps Conservatory, and Harvard Business School. He is a consultant for British/American Arts Association, London, United Kingdom, a Distinguished Alumni: University of Pittsburgh, Laureate: University of Pittsburgh, Trustee: University of Pittsburgh, Guest Lecturer: Kellogg School of Business, Guest Lecturer: Harvard Business School, Guest Lecturer: Harvard School of Education, Guest Lecturer: Stanford Business School. He has Honorary Doctorates from: Chatham College, San Francisco Art Institute, Maryland Art Institute, Rutgers University, Columbia College and Carnegie Mellon University. He was a Former Adjunct Faculty, Harvard School of Education, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Former Board Member: State Board of Education, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Former Board Member: West Penn Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Former Trustee: The Carnegie, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Luciana J S de Souza
Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Director of Studies
Britannia Jr., Rio de Janeiro
Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1965, Luciana graduated in English in 1984 and in Education at PUC-Rio (P.U.C. - Pontifícia Universidade Católica) in 1991. She studied English in London in 1987/88 and worked as an English teacher from 1985 to 1991. From 1992 to 1998 she worked as a photographer and cinematographer on numerous Brazilian feature films. She is currently Director of Studies at Britannia Juniors - English course for children with three branches in Rio de Janeiro and is currently in her 4th year of Law School at PUC specializing in Intellectual Property (copyrights). Luciana is married to film director Miguel Faria Jr. since 1996 and has two children Ana and Manuel.
Leslie Jose Zigel, Esq.
Miami Beach, Florida
Vice President,
Business & Legal Affairs
BMG Latin American Regional Office
Les began his career in the music industry working with jazz festival impresario George Wein's Festival Productions where he worked on a variety of projects and held numerous positions including: Senior Producer of the Mellon Jazz Festivals (Pittsburgh and Philadelphia) and the Boston Globe Jazz Festival; Director of Hispanic Events for the Miller Maquina Musical national concert tour; Marketing Director for American Express Gold Card Events; Program Director for American Express Platinum Card By Invitation Only; and European Tour Manager for the Branford Marsalis Quartet. Les left Festival Productions to attend law school at University of Miami where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Inter-American Law Review and graduated Cum Laude. Les began his legal career at the Miami office of Rubin Baum Levin Constant Friedman & Bilzin where he practiced corporate, commercial real estate and entertainment law. He was named Director of Business & Legal Affairs for BMG US Latin (BMG's U.S. Hispanic Division) in 1996, and in July 2000 he was promoted to Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs for BMG's Latin American Regional Office. As Vice President for LARO, Les oversees all of BMG's Latin American affiliates' Business & Legal Affairs operations and is responsible for negotiating all major strategic marketing deals for LARO and counseling LARO's Senior Vice President on all Business & Legal Affairs issues. Les serves as Annual Meeting Chair for the American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries and plays electric and acoustic basses.
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Child Rights Information Network (CRIN)