The Friends of the Levitt Pavilion - MacArthur Park
Board of Directors
Ex Officio Members
Ms. Roth, a Los Angeles native, is a partner in the law firm of Kulik, Gottesman, Mouton & Siegel, LLP, representing entertainment industry and other clients in a diverse array of transactional legal matters, including entertainment and other corporate matters, motion picture finance, and commercial and residential real estate. As a partner for more than 13 years in the corporate department of the well-known Beverly Hills entertainment law firm Bloom, Hergott, Diemer, Rosenthal, LaViolette, Feldman and Goodman, LLP, Ms. Roth represented A-list entertainment industry clientele on their full range of entertainment finance, corporate and real estate legal needs. After leaving Bloom, Hergott, Ms. Roth was the Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at the Yari Film Group, and Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs of Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Ms. Roth began her career as an associate in the real estate department of the San Francisco office of the law firm Morrison & Foerster, LLP, where she represented Japanese investors, national and international banks and pension funds in high-profile real estate transactions, including office buildings, shopping centers, golf courses, wineries and hotels. Ms Roth is a frequent speaker on corporate entertainment topics and independent film production and finance, including at UCLA’s Anderson School of Business, University of Southern California’s Annual Institute on Entertainment Law and Business, and the Worklaw Annual National Conference and Seminar. She has also been quoted and interviewed extensively on real estate and remodeling in print, on the radio and on-line, including in New York Times, Oprah.com and Wisconsin Public Radio. Ms. Roth is the co-author of REMODEL THIS! A Women’s Guide to Planning and Surviving the Madness of a Home Renovation (Penguin/Perigee 2007). Ms. Roth is active in Anti-Defamation League, serving on its Legal Affairs Committee, and she is an alumna of its prestigious Salvin Leadership Program. Ms. Roth earned her JD from the Harvard Law School, and her B.A, summa cum laude, in Communications Studies from UCLA.
Ms. Fernandez serves as Development Associate for National Public Radio's (NPR) flagship station for Southern California, KCRW [89.9 FM and KCRW.com]. One of the most respected and trendsetting radio stations in the country, KCRW boasts a worldwide audience for its eclectic mix of locally-produced and nationally-distributed news, talk and cultural programs, as well as groundbreaking music curated by a pool of talented DJs. At KCRW, Ms. Fernandez is responsible for engaging the business, non- profit and arts communities to generate effective and meaningful sponsorship and underwriting partnerships. Having grown up in what is now called Historic Filipinotown, she has a deep connection to MacArthur Park and its surrounding neighborhoods. Ms. Fernandez holds a BA in Political Science from the University of California, San Diego and a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) from the University of Bristol, England.
, Vice President
Ms. Aleman is the founder of Media Image Public Relations (MIPR), a boutique PR firm in the Los Angeles area. Ms. Aleman is a writer, policy analyst and public relations specialist with experience in public affairs, media relations, government affairs, general and Hispanic market outreach and marketing. Her clients span the public, private and non-profit sectors. Ms. Aleman’s work as a public affairs specialist has afforded her with unique opportunities to work with elected officials, community leaders, businesses, and the media on issues of direct impact to local communities. She has also published in several Los Angeles major newspapers in English and Spanish. Evelyn holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature from California State University, Los Angeles, a minor in Spanish-Literature from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain, and a Master's in Public Policy with a specialization in economics and international relations from Pepperdine University's school of Public Policy in Malibu, California.
, Secretary
As Vice President of the Mortimer Levitt Foundation, Ms. Hirsch is responsible for implementing its venture philanthropy program of Levitt Pavilions for the Performing Arts. Levitt Pavilions in operation include Pasadena, CA, and Westport, CT. In addition to the new Levitt Pavilion in MacArthur Park, Levitt Pavilions are in development in Memphis, TN and Arlington, TX. Ms. Hirsch serves on the boards of Center Dance Association at the Los Angeles Music Center, Dance Camera West, and Hollywood Arts. She has a long and distinguished history of service to non-profit arts enterprises in California.
Ms. Ryan began her career working as a financial analyst at Morgan Stanley Investment Bank in New York City. A graduate of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) - Producers Training Program, she has worked as an Assistant Director, Production Manager, Producer and/or Director on over 70 film and television productions, domestically and overseas. Her credits include the films The Green Mile, Alien 3, Brokedown Palace, Waiting for Guffman, and the television series The Office and NYPD Blue, among others. She is currently an Associate on the DGA National Board, an Executive Board Member of the Directors Guild – Producers Training Plan, and Chair of the Guild’s Runaway Production Committee. A member of the DGA Diversity Task Force, Ryan works toward job parity for women and minorities in film and television. In 2008, the DGA bestowed on Liz Ryan its Frank Capra Award. Ryan is also a member of the Producers Guild of America, the Screen Actors Guild, and an Elected Director of the Harvard Alumni Association. President of the entertainment company Ryanworks, she is co-founder of the firm Premiere Boards and Budgets, providing movie and television shooting schedules and budgets to the trade.
Sebastian Rein is a native of New York City and has been a resident of Los Angeles for over a decade. Mr. Rein is a co-founder and President of Sebren Development, Inc., a real estate syndication and development firm specializing in the acquisition and restoration/renovation of historic and/or distressed apartment buildings in Los Angeles. Founded in 2002, Sebren seeks and develops real estate opportunities within the scope of community revitalization and has created a niche in the Los Angeles real estate market through unique renovations of distressed assets in emerging neighborhoods and architectural restoration of neglected historical properties. Mr. Rein is actively engaged in the renaissance of MacArthur Park, understanding it to be a critical cultural and recreational resource for the Westlake/Macarthur Park community. Mr. Rein has a BA from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Eva Plaza is principal of Sylva, Plaza Law Group. Ms. Plaza specializes in commercial litigation, corporate litigation and municipal representation, including redevelopment law. Ms. Plaza's work experience includes working as trial counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice, Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Torts Branch in the U.S. Department of Justice and as Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing & Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Before serving in the Clinton Administration, Ms. Plaza was a trial attorney in the Washington, D.C. law firms of Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson and Arent, Fox, Kinter, Plotkin & Kahn. Ms. Plaza has received numerous awards for outstanding achievement, including the Albert Arent Pro Bono Award, 1989; the National Conference for College Women Leaders, Woman of Distinction Award in 1998; and the Hispanic Bar Association’s Equal Justice Award in 2002. She has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in America, and is a lifetime member of the American Bar Association’s American Bar Foundation. Ms. Plaza also served as President of the Hispanic Bar of Washington, D.C., and on the Boards of the Hispanic National Bar Association and Norris Square. She has been an active member of the Women's Bar of Washington, D.C. and the Women's Bar of Los Angeles, and is a member of MABA, the Mexican American Bar Association. Ms. Plaza graduated from Harvard College and Berkeley School of Law. She grew up in El Paso, Texas.
Mr. Srivastava is the Sole Managing Member of Advanced Business Solutions LLC (ABS)/ABS Development Company, an innovative boutique development firm founded for the purpose of acquiring and developing properties. Since Mr. Srivastava formed ABS in 2001, the firm has earned the reputation as a premiere development firm in Los Angeles. Currently ABS, with the direction of Mr. Srivastava, is developing approximately 462 mixed-use, mixed-income units with a 2006 market value of over $250 million. The ABS team is committed to the revitalization and growth of communities.
Mr. Vaqueráno is a naturalized U.S. citizen from El Salvador and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Salvadoran American Leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF), an organization he founded in 1995. As Executive Director of SALEF, Mr. Vaqueráno works to promote the political participation and representation of Central Americans and Latinos in the political process through citizenship and voter registration efforts. He also works to promote educational opportunities and scholarships for higher education for Central American and Latino students in the United States. Mr. Vaqueráno’s extensive experience with the Central American and Latino communities has made him a much-sought expert in Central American and Latino issues in California.
Ex Officio Members
Mr. Gardea was born and raised in the MacArthur Park and Echo Park areas of Los Angeles. Upon graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles, Mr. Gardea joined the staff of CARECEN (Central American Resource Center) to assist with the organization of street vendors in Los Angeles. Soon after, he joined the staff of City of Los Angeles First District Councilmember Mike Hernandez and served as Field Deputy for eight years. In 2001, Mr. Gardea joined the office of City of Los Angeles First District Councilmember Ed Reyes as Chief of Staff. Today, he continues to dedicate himself to public service while serving the constituents of the City of Los Angeles First Council District.
Mr. Glus was a founding member of The Friends of the Levitt Pavilion – MacArthur Park Board of Directors and served as Co-Chair during the formative stages of the organization. In the summer of 2007, Mr. Glus accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer at the Houston Arts Alliance. As CEO, he oversees the City of Houston’s extensive public art collection and manages a budget of $10 million primarily dedicated for grants and services. While in Los Angeles, Mr. Glus was the Executive Director of the Arts and Culture for the City of Pasadena, responsible for supporting and promoting the cultural sector of Pasadena. Under Mr. Glus’ direction, the City of Pasadena developed Cultural Nexus, the City’s ten-year cultural plan. Mr. Glus completed his graduated studies in Art History at the University of Illinois and conducted his undergraduate work in Urban Economics and Public Policy at Indiana University and the University of Kent, Canterbury England.
Jeffrey Shapiro joins the Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts MacArthur Park Los Angeles with 26 years of professional experience in nonprofit and arts management. He has served as the Executive Director of the CalArts Alumni Association, the Michael Hoefflin Foundation and the Jewish Life Foundation. He has held senior management positions with Brandeis University, Caltech, and Johns Hopkins. In 2008, he brought the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to Walt Disney Concert Hall with Gustavo Dudamel conducting. Jeffrey serves on the Board of Single Mothers Outreach, Diavolo Dance Theater, the Community Liaison Committee/Superintendent Search Committee for the Saugus Union School District, and as Chair of the Board of the Santa Clarita Skyhawks, a non-profit semi-professional football team that raises money for pediatric cancer. He also served on the planning council for the Santa Clarita Valley Wine Fest. Jeffrey holds two doctorates in Homeopathic Medicine and Nutrition and is the author of the Flower Remedy Book: A Comprehensive Guide to Over 700 Flower Essences (1999, North Atlantic Books).
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