Jackie Goldberg has a long and distinguished career as a public advocate. She began her professional life as a classroom teacher at Centennial and then Dominguez High School in Compton , and worked as a teacher, specializing in reading, for more than 18 years. She was also an active member of the Compton Federation of Teachers and was a founding member of Coalition of Labor Union Women.

Armed with first-hand understanding of the problems and challenges of the Los Angeles public school system, Goldberg ran for and won a seat on the Los Angeles Unified School Board in 1983. Goldberg was elected in an upset victory over the incumbent and served two terms. During her second term, Goldberg served as President of the Board from 1989 through 1991. In 1993, Goldberg won a seat on the Los Angeles City Council 13th District. She was re-elected without opposition in 1997. Goldberg's Council legacy includes authorship of the "Living Wage" ordinance which guarantees a living wage and benefits to all employees working directly or indirectly for the City of Los Angeles . Goldberg was elected overwhelmingly to her first term in the California State Assembly on November 7, 2000 and served for eight years.

Goldberg resides in Echo Park with her life-partner, poet Sharon Stricker, who is also a teacher and the Executive Director of LACER, a non-profit organization which runs arts and literacy based after school programs in middle schools in LAUSD. Their son, Brian, and daughter-in-law, Carmen, live and work in Los Angeles . Goldberg holds her Bachelor of Arts degree from University of California , Berkeley , and a Masters in Education from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Regina Freer is an Associate Professor and chairs the Politics department at Occidental College in Los Angeles . Her research and teaching interests include race and politics, demographic change, urban politics, and the intersection of all three in Los Angeles in particular. She is a co-author of the University of California Press book, The Next Los Angeles: The Struggle for a Livable City, a work that examines connections between historical and contemporary progressive social justice organizing in Los Angeles.

She also authored “L.A. Race Woman: Charlotta Bass and the Complexities of Black Political Development in Los Angeles ” in the September 2004 issue of American Quarterly and "Black Korean Conflict," a chapter in the edited volume, The Los Angeles Riots.

Her current projects include a political biography of Charlotta Bass, an L.A.-based African American newspaper editor and activist who ran for Vice President of the United States in 1952, and an article on the future of African American political empowerment in the State of California.

A native Angeleno and an active community member, Dr. Freer currently serves on the Los Angeles City Planning Commission, having been appointed to this position by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. She also serves on the board of Loyola Law School ’s Center for Juvenile Law and Policy, and she was formerly chair of the board of the Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research, and served as a member of the funding board for Liberty Hill Foundation’s Seed Fund and the Community Funding Board of the Soros Foundation. She is a member of numerous organizations including the Community Coalition.

Freer graduated with a B.A. degree from the University of California , Berkeley and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from University of Michigan , Ann Arbor.

The Right Reverend J. Jon Bruno has served as a priest in urban, suburban and rural settings. In 2006, Bishop Bruno was recognized by the Progressive Christians Uniting for his many contributions to fostering human rights and the dignity of all peoples. Bishop Bruno sits on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, Good Samaritan Hospital and The Episcopal Housing Alliance. At the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in 2006, he was elected to a six-year term on its Executive Council.

From 1977 to 1979, Bruno was Associate at St. Patrick’s Church in Thousand Oaks , Calif. He was then associate from 1979 to 1980 at St. Mary’s Church in Eugene , Oregon , during which time he was concurrently vicar of St. Teresa’s, Junction City , Oregon . From 1980 to 1983 he was vicar of St. Matthew’s Church in Eugene , Oregon . While in Oregon , Bruno was active in building church buildings and congregations. From 1983 to 1986 he was Associate at St. Paul ’s Church in Pomona , California . In 1986, he was named Rector of St. Athanasius’ the oldest Episcopal parish in Southern California . During this time, he collaborated with his predecessor in the building of the Cathedral Center in Echo Park .

Bruno was ordained to the priesthood in 1978 in the diocese by the late Bishop Robert C. Rusack, fourth Bishop of Los Angeles. He holds a Master of Divinity degree (1977) from the Virginia Theological Seminary, and a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University Los Angeles (1973). He also holds a license in criminology from Long Beach State University . The Virginia Theological Seminary awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity in 2001. Born in November in Los Angeles to Dorothy and Joseph J. Bruno, Bishop Bruno is married to Mary Bruno and has three adult children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Baker is Associate Vice President for Research, Director of the NIH-sponsored Biomedical Research Center at Charles R. Drew University , Director of the Drew Center for Health Services Research, Director of the Urban Telemedicine Center of Excellence and Acting Director of the Drew Urban Community Health Institute. He is Principal Investigator of multiple studies and a published author in the field of Ophthalmology, Telemedicine, Epidemiology and Health Services Research. He has served on numerous expert panels for the National Institutes of Health and the Agency for Research for Quality and Health and has over 200 scientific publications, book chapters, and presentations.

Dr. Baker received his undergraduate degree in Physics from Stanford University . He was awarded his M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School with concurrent doctoral training in Health Sciences Technology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Upon completion of medical school, Dr. Baker was awarded a fellowship at the Joslin Diabetes Center , Harvard Medical School . He then went on to complete an internship in General Surgery at the University of Minnesota . After completion of his internship, Dr. Baker was awarded a National Institute of Health Fellowship in Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Minnesota . Dr. Baker completed his ophthalmology residency training at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. He currently holds dual faculty appointments as an Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at Charles R. Drew University and the Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA School of Medicine.

Mónica García was elected to the Board of Education in June 2006, becoming the third Latina to serve on the Board in its 155 year history. Ms. García comes to LAUSD with experience from the classroom to the boardroom. For six years, Ms. García served as an Academic Advisor at Foshay Learning Center in South Los Angeles through the Volunteers of America’s (VOA) Educational Talent Search Program. During this time she was chosen to staff the National Student Leadership Congress at American University , in Washington D.C. and was selected as a National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Scholar. She was also a founding member of Camp College Los Angeles which served middle school students in the Los Angeles Unified School District .

As Director of Community Services for Eastmont Community Center , Ms. Garcia provided direct social services, referrals and opportunities for community engagement. As the founder and co-director of Comadres In Action and the Soy Inteligente Project, Ms. García designed and implemented college readiness skills workshops for first generation college students and their families. 

Prior to joining the Board of Education, Ms. García served as Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Unified School District Board President José Huizar throughout his 4 year tenure. As Chief of Staff, Ms. García was an effective leader and focused her efforts to reduce dropout rates and improve academic achievement throughout the district. Ms. García was born and raised in East Los Angeles . She attended local schools and graduated from the University of California , Berkeley with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Chicano Studies and Political Science. She later earned her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California.

A member of the J.H. Snyder Company for more than sixteen years, Mr. Goldstein continues to play a central role in the growth and evolution of the firm. A Senior Partner with the Company since 1993, Mr. Goldstein directs the Company's strategic planning, project conceptualization, site acquisition and strategic marketing and leasing for the firm's award-winning office, retail and residential complexes throughout Southern California .

In 1992, Mr. Goldstein helped launch the Company's retail division, which has brought to fruition notable destination retail projects such as "The River" in the City of Rancho Mirage , California ; "West Hollywood Gateway" in West Hollywood , California and the one million-square-foot urban entertainment/retail center "Bella Terra" in Huntington Beach , California . Additionally, Mr. Goldstein has played an integral role in the development of Southern California's most successful commercial complexes including the acclaimed, one million-square-foot Wilshire Courtyard office building in the Miracle Mile area of Los Angeles and the 1.2 million square foot Water Garden office campus in Santa Monica California. From the entitlement phase, to leading-edge design and construction, to strategic branding and leasing - Mr. Goldstein's keen understanding of market dynamics, development trends and tenant demand, consistently results in successful development projects.

Active in a number of civic and charitable organizations, Mr. Goldstein currently serves as an Executive Board Member of the American Jewish Committee and is a trustee of the Assisted Living for the Aged. Mr. Goldstein is the immediate past president of the Sportsmen's Club, the largest fundraising auxiliary for the City of Hope National Medical Center. Mr. Goldstein holds an undergraduate and graduate degree from the University of Southern California.

Rabbi Mark Diamond is the Executive Vice President of the Board of Rabbis of Southern California. In that position, he directs a multi-denominational organization of 280 rabbis, and serves on the management team of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Prior to assuming this position in August 2000, Rabbi Diamond served as rabbi of congregations in metropolitan San Francisco , Washington , D.C., Philadelphia and New York . He founded and coordinated “Ask a Rabbi,” an acclaimed cyberspace forum answering online questions from America Online subscribers.

As the Board’s Executive Vice President, Rabbi Diamond has created innovative transdenominational programs for colleagues and the community, including the Los Angeles Synagogue Leadership Institute (a course for emerging congregational leaders), Lilmod Ve’la’asot (professional growth and development workshops for rabbis), Torah Lishmah seminars with master text teachers, and the Critical Issues Series featuring experts in the religious, educational and political spheres.

Rabbi Diamond is a member of the Ethics Resource Committee of Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the executive committee of the United Jewish Communities Rabbinic Cabinet. He is a past chairman of the Los Angeles Council of Religious Leaders and is an active member of the Interreligious Council of Southern California and the California State Advisory Committee on Institutional Religion. Diamond is also an instructor in Practical Rabbinics at the Academy for Jewish Religion in Los Angeles , and has lectured at Baylor University ( Waco ), Mount St. Mary’s College ( Los Angeles ) and the Dr. Bebbe H. Patten College ( Oakland ).

Rabbi Diamond received his Master of Arts degree in Jewish studies and rabbinical ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York . He was awarded the Seminary's Lillian M. Lowenfeld Prize in Practical Theology and the Dr. Michael Higger Prize in Talmud. The rabbi is a Magna cum Laude graduate of Carleton College , Northfield , Minnesota . He is married and the father of three children.

Since 1988, Rev. Norman S. Johnson has served as Pastor of the First New Christian Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles . He has served as pastor of two other Los Angeles churches; Galilee Baptist Church (1985-1988) and Greater Faith Baptist Church (1980-1985). Additionally, he served as Associate Minister of the Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church in Dallas , Texas , from 1975 to 1979. A native of Little Rock , Arkansas , he has been in the Christian Ministry since 1973, and was ordained in 1979.

Besides his pastoral duties, Rev. Dr. Norman S. Johnson also served as the Executive Director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Los Angeles chapter. He was affiliated with the organization for 23 years, from 1981-2004. During this period he served in various capacities from board member to president of the board. As executive director, Rev. Johnson oversaw an array of programs exemplifying the SCLC mission “to organize and mobilize the strength of America ’s moral consciousness against the weakness of its social order.

Rev. Johnson has been recognized with numerous awards for championing causes such as voter participation and HIV/AIDS awareness and testing. Rev. Johnson was a three-time recipient of the Benjamin E. Mays Fellowship Award, a national program sponsored by the Fund for Theological Education, which provides stipends for promising Black leaders in the church. He also received the Award of Excellence from the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies. A graduate of Bishop College in Texas , Rev. Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Philosophy, a Master of Divinity Degree and a Doctor of Divinity Degree from the School of Theology at Claremont College . Rev. Johnson is married to Loretta Johnson and is the father of four children, Brian Steven who is deceased, Jacquelyn Nicole, Norman Stanley, Jr., and Myles.