Lynn
Warshafsky is the co–founder of Venice Arts: In Neighborhoods. She is also a Fellow at the USC Annenberg School for Communications and a co–founder of the USC Institute for Photographic Empowerment, a joint Institute of Venice Arts and the USC Annenberg School on Communication Leadership and the Center for Public Diplomacy. In 2002 she was selected as one of ten arts leaders, county–wide, to participate in the LA County Arts Commission's Arts Leadership Initiative; in 2003, she received a Fellowship from Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and, with additional support from the LA County Arts Commision, participated in Stanford's summer residency Executive Program for Nonprofit Leaders: Arts.
Lynn has been instrumental in creating Venice Arts’ innovative art mentoring model and in developing its innovative, technology–based art programs. She also created or co–created most of Venice Arts local, national, and international documentary projects of significance. In addition to her work with Venice Arts, Lynn has been a nonprofit organization development consultant since 1990, working with arts, activists, and human service organizations, foundations, schools, and governmental agencies. From 2000–2004, she was also Faculty at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center and, from 1990 to 2004, she was a consultant and trainer for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine's Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and its’ AIDS Mental Health Training Program.
Lynn studied photography as an undergraduate student, as well as at the Los Angeles Women’s Building, where she also taught. She received her Master's degree in Clinical Psychology in 1982 and was licensed in the State of California in 1985.
Jim Hubbard is an acclaimed documentary photographer who, in 2007, was the recipient of the prestigious Lewis Hine Distinguished Service Award given by the National Child Labor Committee. He is also a Fellow at the USC Annenberg School for Communications and a co-founder of the USC Institute for Photographic Empowerment. Jim has been nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize and is the recipient of over 100 photography awards. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, featured in print and television media, and published in his book American Refugees, Forward by Jonathan Kozol, University of Minnesota Press (1991).
Jim began his career as a photojournalist in Detroit during the tumultuous 1960's with the 1967 Detroit riots one of the first major international stories he covered. Jim's photographs have been published in most of the world’s major print publications and he has covered many of the world’s major stories including the 1972 Munich Olympics and massacre, the 1979 Cambodian genocide by the Pol Pot regime, the death of 10,000 people during a cyclone near Calcutta, India, and the Wounded Knee siege in 1973. Jim also served with the White House Press Corps during his 16 year staff position with United Press International (UPI) and has photographed five U.S. presidents and numerous presidential campaigns including traveling with Bobby Kennedy shortly before his death in 1968.
After 25 years as a professional photojournalist, Hubbard founded Shooting Back in Washington, D.C. to empower disenfranchised youth with the ability to describe their world: with the camera they “shot back” as the experts of their lives rather than the subjects of a professional’s work. The pioneering nature of Jim's methodology has been cited in a wide range of literature and academic journals on photography, visual sociology and contemporary art. Hubbard also authored four books including Shooting Back, Forward by Dr. Robert Coles, Chronicle Books (1991) and Shooting Back from the Reservation, Forward Dennis Banks, The New Press (1994). Shooting Back’s photographs have been among the most widely viewed and publicized images in modern photographic history.
Jim holds both Master of Arts and Master of Divinity degrees. He is the father of four daughters.
Joanne Kim is a photographic artist who has been working with photography and digital media for the past 7 years in various teaching and creative capacities. Joanne was Adjunct Faculty in Photography at Evergreen State College, where she also managed the photography lab and darkroom. She also taught community–based black and white photography classes in the Northwest for three years. Her digital media job experience includes work as a web designer for an independent record company and working with companies on digital asset management systems. Joanne has had numerous shows of her work at galleries in the Northwest and has exhibited in a group show in Los Angeles, where she moved in the Fall of 2005.
Cathy de la Cruz is a filmmaker and writer originally from San Antonio, Texas. Cathy received her Bachelors degree from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA in 2003 where she was a recipient of several research and projects grants to fund her filmmaking endeavors. In 2008, Cathy completed her MFA candidacy at the University of California, San Diego where she was a San Diego Fellow. Cathy has been a film festival programmer for several film festivals and screenings and has worked in various capacities of the film and video industry. Most recently, Cathy was the Youth Film Instructor at the 2008 San Diego Women's Film Festival. Cathy has a wide range of teaching experience, including teaching documentary video production to junior high students to teaching film and video production and theory to upper division college students. Cathy has shown her films both nationally and internationally and has written about her own filmmaking processes through contributions featured in the books, This Day in the Life: Diaries from Women Across America (Three Rivers Press, 2005) and Betsy Greer's Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change Stitch by Stitch (Trumpeter, 2008).
Liz Koravos joined Venice Arts in 2007. Liz brings over 6 years of experience in non-profit development, arts education and youth development experience. In 2003, Liz joined a small collaborative grass-roots effort to bring an innovative, arts-integrated curriculum into the public sector through opening a charter school. Taking the lead in the development and fundraising arena, the school today, despite severe state funding cuts, is fiscally thriving with impressive test scores, imaginative and inspired students and faculty, and an enormous demand for K-8th grade entrance. Liz remains involved, serving as Board Treasurer. Prior to becoming involved in arts education and the non-profit sector, Liz worked on several film projects and was a small business owner. Liz graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor's degree in Cinema and Television. She has two children and lives in Venice.
Deanna Erdmann is an artist and educator, working primarily in photography and video. Prior to joining the team at Venice Arts, Deanna was Adjunct Faculty at UC San Diego and Southwestern College. She received her Bachelors degree from UC Irvine and her MFA from UC San Diego where she was a Russell Grant recipient. Deanna is also co-partner of compactspace, an artist run gallery space in downtown Los Angeles. Recently, she culminated a collaborative project called Studio Green, which consisted of a two month long residency with accompanying interactive installation at the New Children's Museum in San Diego. She has exhibited work throughout the Southern California region, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Tijuana. Her photographs have been featured in publications like The Advocate, as well as book projects; Complicity with the Ground, by Serena Porrati; and Tijuana, A Fantasy of Absolute Place, by Shannon Spanhake. Deanna recently relocated back to Los Angeles from San Diego.
Mike Newhouse (President) is a real estate attorney and a Venice resident. He serves as an elected member of the Venice Neighborhood Council and is active on its Land Use and Planning Committee, among other responsibilities. Mr. Newhouse is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Ruth Seroussi (Vice President) is an attorney. She has a long history of being active in the civic affairs of Venice and other local areas, including working as an attorney and advocate for poor tenants. Ms. Serossi, a Venice resident, is currently a member of the Venice Neighborhood Council’s Land Use and Planning Committee and is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Wendy Slusser, M.D. (Secretary/Treasurer) is an attending physician (pediatrics) at the Venice Family Clinic. She is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Department of Pediatrics in the UCLA School of Medicine, an Assistant Professor (Adjunct), at the UCLA School of Public Health and is Co-Director of the UCLA Community Health & Advocacy Program for Pediatric Residents. In addition, Dr. Slusser is Director of the UCLA Breastfeeding Resource Program, a member of the National Advisory Board for Parents Action for Children, and a board member for the Redwood Foundation. Dr. Slusser has been on the Venice Arts Board for nearly 3 years and is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Leslie Robin is the Managing Director for the Small and Intermediate Federations Team and a Senior Consulting Executive at United Jewish Communities. Her expertise is in the areas of fund development and planning. Ms. Robin has been on the Venice Arts Board for 4 years and is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Tiffany Anderson is a realtor with Abbot Kinney Real Estate, an active member of the Venice Chamber of Commerce, and a supporter of Coeur d’Alene Elementary School. A Venice resident, she has served on the Venice Arts Board for three years. Ms. Anderson is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Neal Baer, M.D. is a Harvard–trained physician, practicing pediatrician, and award winning television writer and producer. Since 2000 he has been the Showrunner and Executive Producer of the NBC series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” Before his tenure at Law and Order, he was Executive Producer of “ER.” He was also an adjunct professor (2001–2005) at the University of Southern California teaching in the area of health communications, health promotion and disease prevention, and sex education.
Dr. Baer's primary medical interests are in adolescent health and he has written extensively for teens on such topics as teen pregnancy, AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse and nutrition. He also serves on the boards of numerous health care organizations, including the Venice Family Clinic, Advocates for Youth, Children Now, and Physicians for Social Responsibility.
Dr. Baer has a unique ability to address the intersection between health, social issues, and media. As a television writer and producer, for example, Dr. Baer has developed public–health messages in conjunction with stories from the hit TV show ER, as well as after–school specials for teens on STDs. He also has presented locally and internationally to medical and public health students and faculty, television producers, and others on such topics as: Utilizing the Media to Effect Social Change; Storytelling and Social Change; Domestic and International Policies Affecting HIV and AIDS; Teens, Sex, and T.V.; and Health Messages in Prime Time Television.
Colette Bailey is an executive at Lucky Brand Jeans, a Venice resident and has been an active member of a number of local initiatives. Colette recently completed a term serving on the Venice Neighborhood Council. Colette is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Joy V. Simmons, M.D., Member Emeritus, is a radiologist at Kaiser Permanente, a founding member of the Venice Arts Board, and an avid collector of contemporary African-American Art. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of Stanford University and, in addition, sits on several other boards. She is a major donor to Venice Arts.
Mark Swope, Honorary Member, is a photographer and the manager of the John Swope Trust. He is a major donor to Venice Arts.
