Ramie Arian

Ramie Arian Consulting

Ramie Arian is a consultant who works with non-profits, mainly in the Jewish community, and specifically in the arena of Jewish summer camps. Most assignments involve either project management or research. Current and recent clients include the Foundation for Jewish Camp, the JCC Association, the Union for Reform Judaism, the Jewish Funders Network, the Jewish Agency for Israel North American Section, Young Judaea Global, the National Ramah Commission, Birthright Israel Foundation, The iCenter, The Jewish Education Project and Jewish Helping Hands, among others.

Throughout his 40-year career he has worked with non-profit management and with Jewish education, mainly in experiential settings. He was founding Executive Director of the Foundation for Jewish Camp, and he has served as National Director of Young Judaea and as Vice President of the Wexner Heritage Foundation. He served for 15 years with the Youth Division of the Union for Reform Judaism, and he enjoyed 22 summers at URJ camps.

A graduate of Brown University, he holds an MA, rabbinic ordination and a Doctorate of Divinity (honoris causa) from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

Michael Maguire

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Michael Maguire is Chairman of the Board of MindLeaps. He combines his experience in corporate finance, entrepreneurship, and international development in this strategic advisory role.

Michael has spent the last 20 years as a corporate banking executive in New York working for a variety of US and international banks. Most recently, Michael was Head of the Technology, Media, Telecom and Transportation division at Santander Bank, N.A. Prior to Santander, Michael spent ten years at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) as the Director of the Retail, Healthcare, Technology, and Media divisions. At RBS, Michael was responsible for $30 B portfolios across 200 companies and 9 industries, evaluating corporate credit risk, industry trends and capital market conditions. Prior to RBS, Michael was an SVP at Mizuho Americas, where he directed credit risk deal teams in the Chemical, Oil and Gas, Automotive, Aerospace, Mining, Defense, and Structured Finance sectors.

Michael has served in an advisory role for a number of international development organizations while living in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2015 and 2016. He was Senior Advisor at the field offices for the NGOs MindLeaps and Survivor’s Fund/Foundation Rwanda. He supported both NGOs with ongoing program development efforts, leading grant research, and delivering management coaching for key staff. In 2016, he developed and taught the Business and Entrepreneurship class at MindLeaps Rwanda, that focuses on developing business, math and life skills in vulnerable youth. Upon his return to New York City in 2017, Michael joined the Board of Trustees of MindLeaps and became Chairman of the Board in 2018. As Chairman of the Board, Michael has overseen MindLeaps expansion into new countries, increased corporate social responsibility funding, and developed partnership programs with international humanitarian and governmental organizations.

Michael received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from New York University and an MBA in Finance from Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael is also a dance enthusiast who has supported dance schools and companies throughout his life and has personally studied dance at Alvin Ailey, Broadway Dance Center, and the Juilliard School.

Kathleen Bakrich

Hofstra University

Kathleen (Katie) Bakarich is an assistant professor in the Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. Utilizing her experience working as an auditor for RSM USA LLP in New York City and time spent in Frankfurt, Germany, during a Fulbright scholarship, Katie focuses her teaching and research on international accounting. Her research has been selected for presentation at various conferences in the U.S. and abroad, and she also teaches a summer course at the Hochschule Bremen’s International Summer Program in Germany. Katie is a licensed CPA in New York State and received the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) Accounting Doctoral Scholars award to fund her doctoral studies. She earned a Ph.D. and MBA in accounting from Baruch College, The City University of New York (CUNY) and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (Accounting) from Fairfield University in Connecticut. Katie currently serves as President of the Fulbright Alumni Association’s Greater New York Chapter.

LaMar Baylor

Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway
LaMar is a native of Camden, New Jersey. He is currently dancing in Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway and has performed for such artists as Patti LaBelle, Ben Vereen, Danny Glover and Jill Scott. In 2007, LaMar played the lead male role in the production of My Brotha Marvin directed by Zeola Gaye. LaMar received his B.F.A. in Jazz Performance from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. LaMar has performed with Eleone Dance Theater, MindLeaps (formerly Rebecca Davis Dance Company), Philadelphia Dance Company (Philadanco), and is currently Assistant Artistic Director of Waheed Works. He has choreographed works on D/2, D/3, Straight To The Pointe Dance Company, Eleone Dance Theater, and most recently a commercial for REEBOK!

Catherine Smith

Dance 101

Catherine is a life-long social activist and has served in various capacities with Amnesty International, Memorial Drive UMC, Boca West UMC, and East Cobb UMC. She has also worked as an educator at West Side Montessori, Barbara Bush Elementary, Ashford Child Enrichment Center, and Grace Christian School. Catherine is currently studying dance and movement therapy and creating learning strategies for injured or challenged individuals. As a brain-injury survivor, Catherine discovered that the patterns and movement of dance helped change the structural organization in the brain.

Richard Abeeku Mills-Roberston

Greenberg Traurig, LLP

A skilled litigator with a business background, Richard Abeeku Mills-Robertson combines legal, business, and international experience to provide responsive counsel. He is driven to provide critical support, manage risk, and reduce costs. Richard practices as a lawyer at Greenberg Traurig, LLP, and focuses on all aspects of complex intellectual property litigation, transactions, and counseling including patents, trademarks, and trade secrets; due diligence, compliance, and regulatory analysis; and ANDA/Hatch Waxman patent litigation. He has wide- ranging legal experience across many technologies and industries including branded and generic pharmaceuticals, consumer electronics such as semi- conductor lithography and software modems, and automotive technology. In a prior role as a strategic consultant for a not-for-profit organization, Richard led a multi-faceted initiative to create and integrate a new organizational unit, including staffing and organizational design, branding, vendor management, startup operations, and change management. Born and raised in Ghana, West Africa, Richard was a lead singer in his high-school band in the United Kingdom, he and remains an avid supporter of the arts.

Thea Parent

Taylor English Duma LLP

An experienced transactional real estate and hospitality attorney with a business background, Thea Parent has closed billions of dollars in acquisitions and financings along with joint venture agreements. She is a skilled negotiator and understands risk management and practical deal points. Thea practices as a lawyer at Taylor English Duma LLP, focusing on real estate and hospitality acquisitions and financings. Early in her career, she served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Stanley S. Brotman of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and the District Court of the Virgin Islands. Thea received her JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. She also strongly supports giving back to the community and provides pro bono legal assistance to non-profit organizations.

Misty Copeland

American Ballet Theatre
Misty is the first African American female principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. In 2008, Copeland was honored with the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship in the Arts and was named National Youth of the Year Ambassador for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in 2013. In 2014, President Obama appointed Misty to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. She is the author of the New York Times Bestselling memoir, Life in Motion, co-written with award-winning journalist and author Charisse Jones, published March 2014. She has a children’s picture book, Firebird, in collaboration with award-winning illustrator and author Christopher Myers, published September 2014. Misty Copeland received an honorary doctorate from the University of Hartford in November 2014 for her contributions to classical ballet and helping to diversify the art form.
www.mistycopeland.com

Neil Kleinman

University of The Arts & Corzo Center for the Creative Economy
Neil is the senior fellow in the Corzo Center for the Creative Economy and professor of Multimedia and Communication at the University of the Arts, where, until Summer 2009, he served as Dean of the College of Media & Communication and Director of the Applied Research Labs. He’s created and taught in programs at the University of Baltimore, the City University of New York, Stockton State College (NY) and the University of Illinois. He’s published and taught in a variety of areas and has been the editor for books, magazines, and newspapers. Neil has a JD from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD in English from the University of Connecticut. He’s the recipient of a number of awards and fellowships.

Joel Soffin

Jewish Helping Hands

Joel has been a life-long social activist, addressing the needs of the poor and the vulnerable in many places around the world. His study of economics and his rabbinic career of more than thirty years enabled him to begin to address their needs. Joel became the Rabbi of Temple Shalom in Succasunna, NJ. While there, he developed a long series of social action projects. He has helped disadvantaged communities in El Salvador, Ethiopia, Argentina, Israel, Rwanda, Ukraine, and carried out many projects throughout the USA. In retirement from the congregation, he continues his work through Jewish Helping Hands–an organization that supports needy and vulnerable populations in the United States and all around the world.

Joel Soffin was Chair of MindLeaps Board of Trustees from 2014 – 2018. Under his chairmanship, MindLeaps expanded into two new countries, increased its operational budget by over 50%, and reached 3,000 new youth beneficiaries.