HERE'S TO LIFE FOUNDATION

Creating a board of directors for a foundation takes time and commitment. We have been extremely blessed to attract a group of extraordinary individuals, each with a unique talent and passionate desire to help fulfill a lifelong mission: to infuse our troubled youths and others with hope, dignity and new meaning through the arts and self-expression. We share a faith that, God willing, our project will inspire self-esteem and positive life choices to teens everywhere.

Honorary Chairpersons:
CLAIRE BOWMAN
Claire Bowman is a founder and CEO of the Via Allegre Educational & Counseling Services, Inc. For over twenty-five years, Claire has been committed to serving special needs and at-risk children in the Los Angeles area and has been an activist since the early sixties. Committing her passion, time and resources to the civil rights movement, Claire left Sherman Oaks, California and headed to Atlanta, where she spent the next ten years her life, involved in community organization. Ten years, two children and a wealth of accumulated experience later, Claire moved back to Southern California, and after her third child, began her career of building organizations to address Los Angeles county's most troubled youth. Along with her professional career, Claire has always managed to incorporate her love of the theatre, believing that the arts are truly transformational.

SHELLEY S. WHIZIN
Shelley S. Whizin, Vice-President of the Whizin Foundation, Support Foundation at the Jewish Community Foundation in Los Angeles and Two Eagles Design, Inc. is a Marketing Designer by trade, with over 25 years’ experience in dream vision marketing, merchandising, writing and design. Together with her husband, Bruce, she established the Shirley and Arthur Whizin Center, dedicated to the Jewish future at the University of Judaism and the Biotechnology Center at the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology in Israel.

Shelley is a member of the Board of Directors of the Whizin Center, Whizin Institute for Jewish Family Life and Synagogue 2000 at the University of Judaism, the Bureau of Jewish Education in Los Angeles and the national Institute for Contemporary Midrash. She serves on the committee for the Department of Continuing Education at the University of Judaism.

Her passion for learning continues as she completes her Bachelor’s Degree in Jewish Studies at the University of Judaism. Shelley was Associate Producer for five years of "Pepper Street," the original musical by Toni & Gene Bua at the Gene Bua Acting For Life Theater in Burbank. Shelley and Bruce live in Sherman Oaks; they have five children and four grandchildren.

After starring for ten years in New York City on CBS’ “Love of Life,” Toni Bull Bua co-founded the Gene Bua Acting For Life Theatre in 1984, with her husband and partner, Gene Bua. Together they create award winning theatre and film, which enlighten and uplift the human spirit.

Toni wrote the book and lyrics for “The Perfect People of Pepper Street,” which became the longest running musical in Los Angeles, during its five-year run during the 80's. Before being optioned for Broadway, the show sponsored over 3000 teens at risk and hundreds of others of every race, age, and religion, who rediscovered a lost part of themselves on “Pepper Street." During its run, the Buas with their friends, Shelley and Bruce Whizin of the Whizin Foundation, created Youth Suicide Awareness Month in Los Angeles, proclaimed by Mayor Tom Bradley.

Toni wrote the feature film “348” which won the 1999 awards for Best Feature, Best Actress (student Caia Coley) and Best New Rising Star (student, producer, and star Nino Simon) at the New York International Film Festival.
She was also the director, lyricist and co-author of “Across from Cindy’s Corner,” which won her husband the "Best Actor" award at the Valley Theatre League Artistic Director Awards.

Toni and Gene have been recognized by The White House, the Board of Supervisors, The Board of Directors, five California mayors, and countless civic and religious organizations for their projects, their teachings and their work in promoting compassion, awareness, and self-esteem.

Dr. Michael L. Peck, has been a licensed psychologist since 1965 and a licensed marriage & family counselor since 1968. He is presently engaged in the following: private practice; forensic psychology consultation, specializing in suicidology, wrongful death, psychologist malpractice, and personal injury; Diplomate, American Board of Professional Psychology; Professional Advisory Committee, The Maple Center; Consultant, L.A. Suicide Prevention Center; Community Advisory Board, Teen Line; Instructor, Suicidology, California School for Professional Psychology; Instructor, Suicidology, California Graduate Institute; Consultant, Lecturer in-Service for Department of Psychiatry Kaiser Permanente Facilities throughout Los Angeles.

His past accomplishments are as follows: Fellow, Academy of Clinical Psychology; Diplomate, American Board of Forensic Examiners; Substance Abuse Consultant, Beverly Hills School District; Clinical Staff Affiliation, Brotman Medical Center 7 Westwood Hospital; Co-Director, Suicide Prevention Program for California Schools, Associate Clinical Professor in Psychiatry Psychology, University of Southern California Medical School; and Psychologist, Linden Center for Disturbed Children and Adolescents, Beverly Hills.

Dr. Peck was President of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association in 1979 and President of the Los Angeles Society for Clinical Psychology and Executive Director–Board of Directors for Institute for Suicide Prevention in 1993. He has presented more than 100 workshops, lectures and training seminars at Hospitals, Clinical and Professional Organizations and more than 50 papers at professional meetings over the last 20 years.

Bruce F. Whizin is President of the Whizin Foundation, the Whizin Support Foundation at the Jewish Community Foundation in Los Angeles and Two Eagles Design, Inc. Together with his wife, Shelley, he founded the Shirley and Arthur Whizin Center, Dedicated to the Jewish future, at the University of Judaism and the Biotechnology Center at the Technion-Israel Institute for Technology in Israel. Bruce joined the Jewish Community Foundation Board of Trustees in 1994 and currently serves as Vice Chair for the University of Judaism and chairs the Governance Committee for Jewish Funders Network. He is a member of several Executive Committees: the University of Judaism, the Jewish Funders Network and the Southern California Chapter of the American Society for Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Bruce is a member of the Board of Directors for organizations such as: the University of Judaism; the Whizin Center, Whizin Institute for Jewish Family Life and Synagogue 2000 at the University of Judaism; Camp Ramah in California; Friends of Chaim Sheba Hospital in Israel and the Southern California Chapter of the American Society for Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

Bruce also serves on the International Board of Governors of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, as well as, on the National Board of Regents for Biotechnology Center at the Technion in Israel and most recently, serving on the Board of Governors for the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Israel. He currently serves as Treasurer of the Here's To Life Foundation.

Bruce has been a restaurateur, a real estate property manager, and a licensed psychotherapist/hypno-therapist and family counselor, since he began his professional career in 1949. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology, a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology/Counseling from the California State University at Northridge, and is Secretary of the Board of Directors of Beautiful City Corp., a commercial and residential real estate holding company. Bruce and Shelley live in Sherman Oaks; they have five children and four grandchildren.

Kenny Morse literally grew up in show business, as the son of noted New York production executive Hal Schaffel (who brought us such television classics as “Howdy Doody,” “Naked City,” “The Defenders” and movies, such as “Midnight Cowboy” and “The Main Event”). As a child actor, Kenny had many parts on episodic television shows, commercials and was a lead in the National Company of the Broadway show “Grease” and the Los Angeles company of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” He associate-produced the Broadway show “The Heiress” with Jane Alexander and Richard Kiley. A graduate of Boston University School of the Arts, he gained production management experience through the ‘80s as an Assistant Production Manager or Location Manager on many television movies. Kenny took a staff position in television development at Twentieth Century Fox in the late ‘80s.

Kenny was offered an opportunity in 1987 to take his show business and management experience to help make better drivers at "Lettuce Amuse U/West Coast Traffic School," then the largest in California, overseeing a stable of 40 teachers. He started teaching these classes himself, which garnered him worldwide publicity. Kenny has become the most famous traffic school-teacher in America, under his moniker, “Mr. Traffic” and now teaches for The Improv Traffic School. Stories have been written in major Los Angeles papers and magazines, as well as international television shows, newspapers, magazines and he has been featured on PBS, Toronto, London, and Paris television shows about driving in California and/or America. Mr. Traffic has appeared on many local and national television shows ranging from “Good Morning America,” “Talk Soup,” “The Home & Family Show” (on The Family Channel), “Mike & Maty,” “Caryl & Marilyn,” “Great Day America” on PAX TV and “EXTRA.” Mr. Traffic has also been featured on CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, and FOX News. For two years he hosted his own weekly radio show on CBS Talk Radio for Los Angeles, "THE DRIVING SHOW with MR. TRAFFIC".

Burbank Mayor David Laurell, an award-winning writer, graphic artist and editor of Odyssey Publication’s Pop Culture Collecting…Memories & Memorabilia magazine, was awarded the Greater Los Angeles Press Club’s highest honor for his entertainment reporting in 1997. Along with his background in entertainment and journalism he also serves as a marketing, publicity and public relations consultant for various companies including B&B Financial and The Westerly Thoroughbred Stud Farm and Training Facility.

Laurell’s professional career began in 1976 when, following an internship at WCCS Radio, he accepted an offer to produce and promote musical variety shows for ISES Entertainment. In 1979 WRGI Radio in southwest Florida tapped Laurell as an on-air personality. Two years later he utilized his broadcast experience to focus on journalism. Starting as a general assignment reporter for WDPR Television, a cable station in southern New Jersey, he was soon promoted to anchor the station’s evening newscasts. His additional duties included hosting a sports and entertainment talk show and a popular nightly game show, Business Bingo. During this time he also hosted a Sunday evening entertainment and music program on WWBZ Radio.

Laurell’s work in front of the cameras and microphones eventually led him back to Florida where he worked behind-the-scenes as an award-winning radio, television and film writer/producer/director for Firestone Advertising, Audio Visual Producers, and Captran International. In 1983 he signed on full-time as a producer for NBC affiliate, WBBH Television where he also filed feature stories for the stations local newscasts. In 1985 Laurell accepted an offer to write and produce a PBS wildlife documentary, Natural, Wild, and Free, which brought him to the Arkansas Educational Television Network. While with AETN Laurell also wrote and reported for a consumer affairs program in cooperation with the Arkansas Attorney General’s office, produced earthquake preparedness information, assisted in fundraising programs, and produced program segments in conjunction with the office of then-Governor Bill Clinton.

An offer from Dick Clark Productions in 1987 brought Laurell from Little Rock to Burbank, California where he served as the assistant to the company’s public relations and publicity director. During his tenure at Dick Clark Productions he also headed-up the marketing campaign for the company’s media archives division. From 1988 through the early 1990’s Laurell provided set operation services on television productions including The Wonder Years, Rags to Riches, and dozens of feature films, made-for-television movies, music videos, and awards programs. From 1995 to 1998 he was a consistent award-winning columnist and features reporter for the Times Community News Corporation’s Burbank Leader and Glendale News-Press. A regular contributor to many local and national magazines, 1995 saw Laurell brought on board as an associate editor for Odyssey Publications which publishes Autograph magazine and Pop Culture Collecting, Memories and Memorabilia magazine. In 1999 he was promoted to editor of Pop Culture Collecting. He also consults for Odyssey Publications’ parent company, The Odyssey Group, which secures and displays historical artifacts and pop culture memorabilia. From 1995 through 1998 Laurell played an integral role with the Southern California Broadcasting Company’s KIEV Radio where he negotiated the company’s trade agreements. His other responsibilities at KIEV included handling the station’s copywriting, advertising, promotions, publicity, and public relations. When KIEV was sold in the summer of 1998 he stayed on with the former owners to serve as a marketing and public relations consultant with their new company, B & B Financial.

Laurell and his wife, Max Andrews, have lived in Burbank for over twelve years. They devote much of their time to volunteer work with numerous agencies that promote responsible pet ownership and controlling the pet population. The couple also rescues stray dogs. They provide the pooches with medical, grooming, and foster care, and then find them permanent homes.

In 1997 Laurell was appointed to the Burbank Park and Recreation Board by the Burbank City Council. During his time on the board he additionally served on a site specific art committee for the city’s water reclamation rehabilitation project, the Burbank Art in Public Places Committee, and the DeBell Golf Course Greens Committee. He was also a liaison to the Burbank Senior Board, the Burbank Fine Arts Federation and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Los Angeles Press Club.

On April 13, 1999 Laurell was elected to a four year term on the Burbank City Council. He took office on May 1^st. In conjunction with his service as a member of the council Laurell also serves as a board member for the city’s Redevelopment Agency, Housing Authority, Finance Authority, Parking Authority and Youth Endowment Services. Among the present committees he serves on are the Public Information Editorial Review Committee, The Arroyo-Verdugo Transportation Subcommittee, the Youth Task Force, the Domestic Violence Task Force, the Child Care Subcommittee, the Buena Vista Library Advisory Committee and the Warner Brothers Collection Committee. He is also the council’s General Assembly appointee to the Southern California Association of Government and the alternate statewide voting delegate to the League of California Cities.

Peter Pergelides is one of the most sought after vocal coaches in Los Angeles. He is presently the vocal coach for Dick Clark's new television show, "Your Big Break." Peter has taught the Music Conservatory Program at Cal State Long Beach, and is on the staff at UCLA's Extension Program. He has also given numerous Master Classes, as far away as the Conservatory of Music in Munich, Germany. An ordained Minister, Peter has taught congregations of hundreds, as well as addressing large conventions and crowds of thousands at Dodger's Stadium.

Peter recently starred in the European tour of the Michael Jackson/Larry Hart production of "Sisterella." Peter was introduced to Gene and Toni Bua for coaching and his life has never been the same. The friendship and enrichment that Gene and Toni have brought to his life has given him an intense desire to be a part of any project the Bua's are involved in and for the past several years has volunteered his talents to many of their benefits. Peter is very proud to be with the "Here's To Life Foundation."

BOARD OF ADVISORS:

Gene Bua founded the Gene Bua Acting For Life Theatre and Organization in Burbank, CA, in 1984. Gene is one of the most respected acting coaches in Los Angeles, with alumni including Ted Danson, Drew Barrymore, Brad Pitt, and hundreds of other well-known artists.

Gene was discovered by Richard Rogers and starred in the revival of “The Boys from Syracuse” on Broadway, before beginning his ten-year stint on CBS’ “Love of Life." He is the director, producer, and composer of “The Perfect People of Pepper Street,” the longest-running musical in Los Angeles, throughout the 80’s, before being optioned for Broadway.

Gene won “Best Actor” at the VTL Artistic Director’s Award for his performance in “Across From Cindy’s Corner,” a musical about his own life and teachings. He directed the feature film “348” which won the 1999 Best Feature, Best Actress, Best New Rising Star Awards at the New Year International Film Festival.

Gene continues to influence and inspire his students, audiences, and everyone he touches, because he believes "you need to dare to become all you can be… to live your dream… and to believe that with faith and positive life choices, it’s never too late to spread your wings and fly. " Gene will always sponsor causes close to his heart, which promote self-esteem, compassion, and the uplifting of the human spirit. The White House, The Board of Equalization, The Board of Supervisors, The LA School District, and countless religious, civic, and charitable organizations have awarded his projects.

Homer Nottingham has worked with American Express Financial Advisors for the last twenty three years. Homer is the Field Vice-President for the Los Angeles Metro Area, and as such, he leads over 250 financial advisors from San Luis Obiospo to Long Beach in providing high quality, comprehensive financial planning and advice to their clients.

He is also the Chairman of the American Express Philanthropy Committee for Southern California, a board he has served on for ten years. This committee gives over $160,000 in grant money to Southern California non-profit organizations that promote community service, preserve cultural heritage, or foster economic independence in the community.

Homer, of English and Cherokee decent, grew up on the Papago reservation
in Arizona. His American Indian spirituality expanded when he met and
married his soul mate, Jan, who has a Masters degree in Spiritual
Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. Jan and Homer are
blessed with six children: David, Jeff, Shayna, Cindy, Bridget and
Tracie.

He loves to garden, read (currently works by David Whyte, a poet who speaks world-wide about bringing spirituality into the corporate workplace) and travel the world, his heart always brings him back to his heritage. He and Jan traveled the Trail Of Tears, from Cherokee North Carolina to Telique, Oklahoma and recently hiked to the top of Chimney Rock in the Cherokee Indian Nation.

Homer and Jan have just given birth to their own Foundation, "Our Kids," based in Oxnard, California. They were introduced to the Here's To Life Foundation by Honorary Chair, Claire Bowman. Homer looks forward to partnering Our Kids and Here's To Life in the near future for the benefit of their mutual heart-light: helping the children of our world into a brighter future.

For over 20 years, Roger Love has been helping to build some of the most successful talents in the entertainment and business worlds. His work with singing artist in the studio has resulted in over 100 million album sales worldwide. His work with superstars and up and coming future stars has made him one of the foremost vocal and singing authorities in the world. He has also coached some of Hollywood's leading actors, actresses and celebrity speakers.

Roger created a unique and effective technique of vocal training known as the Roger Love Method^TM.This system of vocal recognition, interaction and training has dramatically boosted the careers of some of the most famous names in the music industry.

In addition to developing the most successful voice training program in the world, Roger is the President of Roger Love & Associates, an interactive media content company which specializes in the development, design, and fulfillment of vocal-related content covering both educational and entertainment properties. He is an alumni of the Gene Bua Acting For Life class and was one of the stars of the Bua's musical, "Man and Beast."

Founding member of "THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER," Alan travels with the band to international venues to packed houses. he is a member of the "Big Brothers of Los Angeles" and has a keen awareness of young people's needs. he is the artistic director of the Self realization "Lake Shrine" Sacred Music Event. Alan also teaches Jazz Vocal Workshops at the UCLA Extention.

Arthur Rieman has been practicing law since 1988 (JD UCLA '88). In 1996, he started Nonprofit Incorporators, alaw firm that serves the formation and related needs of 501 (c)(3) thru (c)(7)'s. He is a founding partner of The Cultural+Planning Group, a consulting firm to non-profits specializing in "business" planning, cultural planning and organizational development for non-profits. His prior legal experience has been as a corporate lawyer with larger, multi-national firms.

Graphic designer, entrepreneur and artist agent in London UK, in recent years Maya has had much experience in the field of substance abuse due to her involvement and interest in her own daughter's recovery. This brought her to this foundation, overseeing the volunteer and youth programs, she contacts counselors to bring at risk youth to attend "2nd Wind" and to participate in the Internship Program and the Dramatic Scholarship Program. Maya loves creating and organizing special events and helping at risk youths.