Board member, professional advisor and entrepreneur with an eclectic career spanning technology, real estate, and health industry sectors in domestic and international markets. Transitioned from consultative, advisory roles focused on economic and market feasibility analyses into strategic implementation of emerging technologies and delivery of senior-level insight in support of growth-oriented business enterprises. As an NACD Fellow, fosters the advancement of best governance practices with a particular emphasis on: leadership development, succession planning, executive compensation, performance appraisals, and new director search and selection criteria.

Selected Accomplishments:
Over 27 years’ leadership at Technology Place Inc. serving large and small corporate clients, public and private entities, and academic and non-profit institutions. Advisory services and engagements span identifying, evaluating, and implementing emerging technologies to support specific business needs and long-term enterprise growth strategies. (See: projects and clients.)

Since 2011, serve as a business plan judge and an active supporter of the launch of new businesses for PortTechLA, CleanTechLA, and StartUP Next/LA. Advise emerging businesses while in their incubator stage. Developed a supporting web app for judging competitions.

Co-founded a strategic interest group of the Los Angeles Venture Association (LAVA) offering programs and coaching for women-owned businesses seeking angel/venture capital.

Regularly analyze boards of directors to evaluate how companies address contemporary governance issues and to provide resources that enable them to transition to high growth. Articles and speeches have been published by major journals in the governance field. Championboards.com web site and Blog serve as resources for individual and company clients.

Authored three books published by recognized firms: Tapping the Wisdom that Surrounds You:
Mentorship and Women (Praeger: September 2014), Outstanding in their Field: How Women
Corporate Directors Succeed (Praeger: 2009) and Women Leaders at Work: Untold Tales of Women Achieving Their Ambitions (Apress: 2011).

Developed the board, succession planning and leadership training used over the past 25 years by board members of the LA Leggers®, a 501(C)3 health-oriented marathon preparation program, to train runners to safely achieve their long-distance goals.

Board Affiliations and Community Involvement:
Pacific Coast Regional Corp. – since 2009, a director at this Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Development Corp. (SBDC) and U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI); since 2012, a member of the Executive Committee.

Small Business Management & Technology Advisory Board, UCLA Extension – since 2012, a member of the board, providing advice and guidance on the academic content of the certificate program and courses; developed a course on Corporate Governance Information & Resources.

Lambda Alpha International (LAI) – technology advisor to the international board of directors and to several chapter boards of directors; implemented multiple iterations of web sites; advised the board of the Los Angeles Chapter in their development of a strategic long-term plan. (2001-2013)

LA Leggers ® – first president and founding board member; Implemented a board structure, an on-board training program, succession plan, and obtained trademark protections for the 501(C)3 corporation; multiple iterations of web site development. (1998-2003)

The Prudential-Jon Douglas Realty – advisor to the board of directors on topics relating to the adoption of emerging technologies in the real estate marketplace. (1996-1997)

Business History:
Technology Place Inc.: Los Angeles, CA 1988 to date President/CEO, providing technology advice and support services to businesses, universities, government entities, non-profits, and individuals in the US and abroad.

First Interstate Services Company: Los Angeles, CA 1982 to 1987 Manager, Development Support responsible for project planning, graphics services, and distributed computing systems. Annual budget of $.5 million with a staff of 10 professionals.

Security Pacific National Bank: Los Angeles, CA 1980 to 1982 Senior Information Systems Officer responsible for application analysis, design, development and implementation of end-user applications for bank community.

Ghaffari Associates: Los Angeles, CA 1978 to 1980 Independent consulting, research, and development to apply microcomputer technology to the real estate and educational markets.

Abdolaziz Farmanfarmaian & Associates: Paris, Athens & Tehran 1976 to 1978 New business development, financial planning, and project management for international community development clients.

Harvard University Center for Management Studies: Tehran, Iran 1975 Contract consultant for development of case studies in export management, housing markets, multi-national corporate joint ventures, and environmental issues.

Williams, Kuebelbeck Associates: Los Angeles, CA 1974 to 1975 Financial analyses and economic feasibility studies for investors and architectural, engineering, and planning clients; market analysis for a large scale planned community in Oahu, HA.

Daniel, Mann, Johnson & Mendenhall: Los Angeles, CA 1973 to 1974 Economic feasibility studies; onsite investigator and research for the seven Central American countries, evaluating potentials for tourism development and destination resort markets.

Center for Political Research: Washington, D.C. 1970 to 1971 Researcher for the National Journal, covering policy issues of the federal regulatory agencies (telecommunications, aviation, labor and commerce).

Simat, Helliesen & Eichner: Washington, D.C. 1968 to 1970 Creation of economic exhibit material for legal proceedings before Civil Aeronautics Board; tourism development study of the Pacific market for Qantas, the Australian national airline.